(Texas Scorecard) – The Texas Lottery Commission has fined its primary lottery operator, IGT Solutions Corporation, $180,000 for violating its contract by making political contributions in Texas.
The penalty, issued weeks after Texas Scorecard reported on the contributions, comes amid growing concerns over the lottery’s operations, including a bulk purchasing event in 2023 that lawmakers have called a money laundering operation.
Campaign finance records show that IGT has contributed over $280,000 to various political caucuses since 2015. These donations raise questions about potential violations of the “improper influence” clause in the company’s contract.
According to its contract with the state, IGT can be fined up to $10,000 for every violation of the improper influence clause. In this case, the Lottery Commission is assessing fines for 18 political contributions.
In response to the sanction, IGT has sued the state, claiming its contributions were not made in violation of its contract, since they were not made to an individual but to a caucus. According to the lawsuit, IGT’s political donation to the Mexican American Legislative Caucus was earmarked for “golf outings.”
The lawsuit does not mention IGT’s sponsorship of Gov. Greg Abbott’s 2025 State of the State address, where IGT appeared on screen as one of the event’s title sponsors.
In 2007, IGT sought approval to fund a concert at Gov. Rick Perry’s inauguration party but ultimately refrained to avoid the appearance of impropriety after concerns were raised about the improper influence clause.
Abbott’s office has not returned a request for comment about IGT’s sponsorship of the 2025 State of the State address or the Lottery Commission’s recent contract enforcement actions.
Last week, it was revealed that Robert S. Howden, a current senior member of Abbott’s staff, has a non-profit created to advocate for the economic benefits of the lottery in Texas. Howden was registered to lobby for that non-profit. No donor to that non-profit is disclosed.
In addition to Howden, several former Abbott staffers, including Louis Saenz, John B. Scott, and David Whitley, now work as lobbyists for IGT or entities connected to the lottery industry.
It’s unclear if IGT was sanctioned for a $25,000 donation it made to then-House Speaker Dennis Bonnen’s Texas Leads PAC in 2020.
Bonnen’s PAC was reportedly focused “exclusively on reelecting GOP members to the House.”
Political contributions to leadership political action committees are routinely viewed and described as purchasing access.
During the 2025 legislative session, the Texas Lottery is up for Sunset review, and the state’s current vendor contract is up for bid.
A request for comment to the Texas Lottery was not immediately returned.