Iraqi citizen wins $6.4 Million Oregon lottery

[littleblackegg]

I agree with you, but if every other Oregon lottery winner has to have their name released publicly, then he should have to also.

I'm willing to bet they have withheld names before, and will again. Any state commission is going to handle these situations differently if the need arises. In Florida we had a guy win a few millions but try to conceal it because he was behind in his child support. They didn't grant him anonymity. I can also see a state commission withholding the name if someone is avoiding a physically abusive partner. I'm sure all states who have a lottery have provisions for these situations.

 

[bcla]

I'm willing to bet they have withheld names before, and will again. Any state commission is going to handle these situations differently if the need arises. In Florida we had a guy win a few millions but try to conceal it because he was behind in his child support. They didn't grant him anonymity. I can also see a state commission withholding the name if someone is avoiding a physically abusive partner. I'm sure all states who have a lottery have provisions for these situations.

I looked up the law/regulation in California. I originally thought it was a public record, but then I saw the actual regulation. It's also technically a regulation made by rule making and not a law passed by the legislature. I didn't know about the use of surveillance video. I have heard that surveillance video had been used in cases where a winner didn't claim a prize or where there was a dispute over who had the right to a ticket that was lost.

http://static.www.calottery.com/~/media/Approved Regulations 06-25-15.pdf

5.8 PUBLICATION OF INFORMATION REGARDING WINNERS

5.8.1. Limited Release of Winner Information

In order to balance the Lottery’s desire for transparency with the privacy interests of individuals who play the Lottery, the Lottery may publish in any manner determined by the Director, Winners’ names, the names and locations of the Retailers who sold the winning tickets or Registered Plays and the amount of the Prizes (including gross amounts and net payments, if applicable). The Lottery will not disclose additional personal information about Winners (e.g., age, home address, employer, phone number) without the Winners’ express consent, unless such disclosure is required by law.

5.8.2. Publication of Players’ Images

The Lottery may publish images of Lottery Ticket or Registered Play purchasers captured on video and digital recordings at retailer locations for purposes of identifying possible Winners and/or publicity.​

So technically California's regulations give the Director of the lottery commission the discretion to withhold a name. I've never heard of that happening. I have heard of a winner holding one of those fake checks to cover his head, but technically he wasn't required to participate in the photo.