§ 241. Short title

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Virgin Islands Lottery Law”.

§ 242. Definitions

For the purposes of this chapter: (1) “Commission” shall mean the Virgin Islands Lottery Commission established by this chapter. (2) “Lottery” or “Virgin Islands Lottery” shall mean the lottery established and operated pursuant to this chapter. (3) “Director” shall mean the Director of the Virgin Islands Lottery.

§ 243. The Virgin Islands Lottery

There is hereby established as an instrumentality of the Government of the Virgin Islands, the Virgin Islands Lottery, which shall be the official lottery of the Virgin Islands and shall be managed by a Director, subject to the supervision of the Virgin Islands Lottery Commission.

§ 244. Virgin Islands Lottery Commission

(a) The Virgin Islands Lottery Commission shall be composed of the Commissioner of Finance, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget or his designee, and five additional members appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Legislature, for a term of four years. The majority of the members shall elect a chairperson […]

§ 245. Director of Virgin Islands Lottery

(a) The Lottery shall be under the immediate supervision and direction of a Director, who shall be a person qualified by training and experience to direct the work of such Lottery. The Director shall be appointed by the Governor, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislature and shall serve at the pleasure […]

§ 246. Powers and duties of Commission

The Commission shall have the power, and it shall be its duty: (a) To promulgate such rules and regulations governing the establishment and operation of the lottery as it deems necessary and desirable. Such rules and regulations may include, but shall not be limited to, the following: (1) The types of lottery to be conducted […]

§ 246a. Approval of additional lotteries

In addition to the lottery game in effect as of January 1, 1985 in the Virgin Islands, the Commission shall have the power to establish and operate any other lottery game; provided, however that before any lottery game is established and operated by the Commission, it shall conduct not less than three (3) public hearings […]

§ 247. Powers and duties of the Director

The Director shall have the power, and it shall be his duty to: (a) Supervise and administer the operation of the lottery in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and with the rules and regulations of the Commission. (b) Subject to the approval of the Commission, appoint such deputy directors as may be required […]

§ 248. Action of Commission; Governor’s veto power

No action of the Commission shall be binding unless taken at a meeting at which at least four members are present and shall vote in favor thereof. The minutes of every meeting of the Commission, including any rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission or any amendments, revisions, supplements or repeals thereof, shall be forthwith […]

§ 249. Subpoena power of Commission

(a) The Commission shall have the power to issue subpoenas to compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of documents, papers, books, records and other evidence before it in any matter over which it has jurisdiction, control or supervision. The Commission shall have the power to administer oaths and affirmations to persons whose testimony […]

§ 250. Lottery sales agents

(a) Before issuing a lottery sales agent’s license the director shall consider such factors as (1) the financial responsibility and security of the person and his business or activity, (2) the accessibility of his place of business or activity to the public, (3) the sufficiency of existing licenses to serve the public convenience, and (4) […]

§ 251. Authority of sales agents

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any person licensed as provided in this chapter is hereby authorized and empowered to act as a lottery sales agent.

§ 252. Non-assignability of prizes

No right of any person to a prize drawn shall be assignable, except that payment of any prize drawn may be paid to the estate of a deceased prize winner, and except that any person pursuant to an appropriate judicial order may be paid the prize to which the winner is entitled. The Director shall […]

§ 253. Prohibitions; penalties

(a) No person shall sell a ticket or share at a price greater than that fixed by rule or regulation of the Commission. No person other than a licensed lottery sales agent shall sell lottery tickets or shares, except that nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent any person from giving lottery tickets […]

§ 254. Sales to persons under 18 years prohibited

No ticket or share shall be sold to any person under the age of 18, but this shall not be deemed to prohibit the purchase of a ticket or share for the purpose of making a gift by a person 18 years of age or older to a person less than that age. Any licensee […]

§ 255. Person prohibited from purchasing tickets

No ticket or share shall be purchased by, and no prize shall be paid to any of the following persons: any officer or employee of the Lottery.

§ 256. Unclaimed prize money; lost or stolen prizes

(a) Unclaimed prize money for the prize on a winning ticket or share shall be retained by the Director for the person entitled thereto for six months after the drawing in which the prize was won. If no claim is made for said money within six months, the prize money shall be retained by the […]

§ 257. Deposit of lottery sales monies

The Director may, in his discretion, require any or all lottery sales agents to deposit to the credit of the Virgin Islands Lottery Fund in banks, designated by the Commissioner of Finance all moneys received by such agents from the sale of lottery tickets or shares, less the amount if any, retained as compensation for […]

§ 258. Exclusive application of penalties

No other law providing any penalty or disability for the sale of lottery tickets or any acts done in connection with the lottery shall apply to the sale of tickets or shares performed pursuant to this chapter, provided, that this provision shall be prohibit the application of criminal laws intended for general application to unlawful […]

§ 259. Minors; prizes

If the person entitled to a prize or any winning ticket is under the age of 18 years, and such prize is less than $5,000, the Director may direct payment of the prize by delivery to an adult member of the minor’s family or a guardian of the minor of a check or draft payable […]