Ariz. Admin. Code § 19-3-406

Current through Register Vol. 30, No. 50, December 13, 2024

Section R19-3-406 - Ticket Ownership and Responsibility; Prize Payment

A. Until a ticket is signed, the ticket is owned by its physical possessor.

B. The owner of a winning Game ticket is the person whose signature appears upon the ticket in the area designated for that purpose.

1. If more than one signature appears on the ticket, the Director is authorized to require that one or more of those claimants be designated to receive the payment. A claim form shall be submitted by each claimant who is designated to receive a portion of the prize claimed from the winning ticket.

2. Prior to payment of a prize, a claimant who has signed the ticket may designate another claimant to receive the prize by signing a relinquishment of claim statement.

3. When the winning ticket was purchased by a group of players, the group shall designate one of the claimants to sign the ticket for the group. Each claimant shall complete an individual claim form to receive the claimant's portion of the prize.

4. In the event there is an inconsistency in the information submitted on a claim form and as shown on the winning ticket, the Director shall authorize an investigation and withhold all winnings payable to the ticket owner or holder until such time as the Director is satisfied that the proper person is being paid.

C. Prior to paying the claimant a prize of $600 or more, the Lottery shall match the winner's name against the lists of persons owing a debt to a participating state agency, furnished to the Lottery under A.R.S. § 5-575.

1. If there is a match on any of the claim forms submitted with a ticket, the amount that is owed shall be deducted from the prize due the claimant.

2. The claimant shall be notified in writing of the amount of the debt set-off and the agency to which it shall be paid.

3. If the claimant has two or more agencies which are owed a debt, the Lottery shall pay a pro-rata share to each of the agencies, except that a Department of Economic Security overdue child support set-off shall be paid in full before any amount shall be paid to another agency.

4. The claimant shall be notified in writing that a right to appeal the set-off exists and must be commenced within 30 days of the receipt of this notification. The notification shall include the name and address of the agency with which to file the appeal.

5. If, after deducting withholding taxes and the set-off, a portion of the prize remains, then that portion shall be paid to the winner with the notification of set-off.

6. The amount of set-off shall be forwarded to the agency, and that agency shall be responsible for any appeal and crediting of the payment against the amount owed or refunding any amount to the winner.

7. Upon a determination that a set-off is due, the winner loses the right under subsection (B)(2) to assign any portion of the claim.

D. Prizes shall be paid by cash, check, pre-paid debit card, or if requested by the player, by Lottery tickets.

1. If a ticket contains more than one winning game play, any prize amounts shall be combined and paid in accordance with the prize payment limits specified in Section R19-3-408.

2. Each winning game play wins the prize amount specified in the Game Profile.

E. The Lottery is not responsible for lost or stolen tickets.

Ariz. Admin. Code § R19-3-406

New Section made by final rulemaking at 11 A.A.R. 393, effective February 15, 2005 (Supp. 04-4). Pursuant to authority of A.R.S. § 41-1011(C), Laws 2010, 6th Special Session, Ch. 2, authorizes the transfer of A.R.S. citations. Therefore the A.R.S. citation in subsection (C) was updated. Agency request filed September 24, 2012, Office File No. M12-343 (Supp. 12-3). Amended by final rulemaking at 28 A.A.R. 3668, effective 1/3/2023.