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Scratch Games Rules

CHAPTER Sw 1000 RULES FOR ALL SCRATCH LOTTERY GAMES

Statutory Authority: RSA 284:21-i, IV
 

PART Sw 1001 RULES FOR ALL INSTANT GAMES

Section Sw 1001.01 Definitions
 

PART Sw 1002 INSTANT TICKET CHARACTERISTICS AND VALIDATION

Section Sw 1002.01 Ticket Characteristics
Section Sw 1002.02 Ticket Validation Requirements
Section Sw 1002.03 Ineligible Tickets
Section Sw 1002.04 Lost or Stolen Tickets
 

PART Sw 1003 CLAIMS

Section Sw 1003.01 Claims
Section Sw 1003.02 Surrendering a Ticket for Prize Payment
 

PART Sw 1004 GAME END

Section Sw 1004.01 Termination of a Game by the Commission
Section Sw 1004.02 Natural Game End
 

PART Sw 1005 INSTANT SALES AGENT

Section Sw 1005.01 Agent Commissions
Section Sw 1005.02 Agent Bonus
 

CHAPTER Sw 1000  RULES FOR ALL INSTANT LOTTERY GAMES

Sw 1001.01  Definitions.  The following definitions shall apply for scratch tickets:
 
a.    "Agent" means a sales outlet authorized to sell lottery tickets.

b.    "Commission" means the New Hampshire lottery commission

c.    "Director" means the administrative head appointed by the New Hampshire lottery commission to act on their behalf in the daily decision making process.

d.    "Instant game" means a pre-determined amount of pre-printed tickets, of which the play area is uncovered by the player to determine the prize won.

e.    "Play area" means the pre-printed grouping of symbols, words or numbers hidden by a scratch-off covering, used to determine the prize won.

f.    “Claim” means to submit a lottery ticket and a completed commission- issued form to the commission for prize payment processing.
 
Source.  #1573, eff 5-6-80; EXPIRED: 5-6-86
New.  #6580, eff 9-19-97; ss by #8366, eff 6-2-05; ss by #9164, eff 5-31-08
 

PART Sw 1002 INSTANT TICKET CHARACTERISTICS AND VALIDATION


Sw 1002.01 Ticket Characteristics.
 
a.    To purchase an instant ticket, an individual shall be 18 years of age or older.
b.    A valid instant ticket shall contain the following:
  1. The price of the ticket;
  2. "New Hampshire Lottery" on the front of the ticket;
  3. Directions for play;
  4. A play area that has not been exposed prior to sale;
  5. Instant game and ticket identifying number;
  6. Validation bar code and human-readable number;
  7. Claimant signature and address area on the back of the ticket;
  8. The name of the game;
  9. A prize validation serial number; and
  10. A 4 digit prize validation code.
Source.  #1573, eff 5-6-80; EXPIRED: 5-6-86
New.  #6580, eff 9-19-97; ss by #8366, eff 6-2-05; ss by #9164, eff 5-31-08

Sw 1002.02 Ticket Validation Requirements

For a ticket to be deemed valid for payment or claim, the following shall be true:
 
a.    The ticket shall have been issued by an authorized lottery agent.

b.    The ticket shall not be:
  1. Altered or tampered with in any manner;
  2. Counterfeit in whole or in part; or
  3. Stolen or misregistered.
c.    The ticket shall contain complete information from at least 2 of the following 3 validation methods:
  1. validation bar code and at least 2 of the 4 digits of the validation code;
  2. The human readable code associated with the validation bar code and at least 2 of the 4 digits of the validation code; or
  3. The prize validation serial number and at least 2 of the 4 digits of the validation code.
d.    The symbols, numbers, or words shall be consistent with their respective caption or validation number.

e.    The winning ticket’s validation methods shall be verified and correspond to the data in the commission’s central computer system’s validation file.
 
f.    The game shall be played in accordance with the game’s instructions and shall be interpreted in accordance with the working papers on file with the lottery.

g.    It shall be the player’s responsibility to determine the value of a ticket’s prize, if any, prior to presenting the ticket for payment.

h.    In the event that some but not all of the 2 required validation methods is damaged and unreadable, the player may submit the ticket and a commission- issued form to the commission for further review.

i.    The commission shall pay the prize won if:
  1. The commission can positively identify the ticket on the validation file by using other identifying information located on the ticket; and
  2. The commission determines that no missing part of the same ticket contains validation information that would allow another claim to be filed for the same prize.
Source.  #6580, eff 9-19-97; ss by #8366, eff 6-2-05; ss by #9164, eff 5-31-08

Sw 1002.03 Ineligible Tickets.

Any ticket which does not pass all the validation checks shall be ineligible for any prize and the holder of the ticket shall not be paid.  In the event that a defective ticket is purchased, the only responsibility or liability of the commission shall be the replacement of the defective ticket, with an unplayed ticket or tickets of equivalent sales price from any other current lottery game.  This shall be the sole and exclusive remedy of the bearer of the ticket.

Source.  #6580, eff 9-19-97; ss by #8366, eff 6-2-05; ss by #9164, eff 5-31-08

Sw 1002.04 Lost or Stolen Tickets.

The commission shall not be responsible for any lost or stolen tickets.

Source.  #6580, eff 9-19-97; ss by #8366, eff 6-2-05; ss by #9164, eff 5-31-08
 

PART Sw 1003 CLAIMS

Sw 1003.01 Claims.

Claims for payment of a winning instant lottery ticket shall be made in accordance with the requirements set forth in Sw 600.

Source.  #1573, eff 5-6-80; EXPIRED: 5-6-86

New.  #6580, eff 9-19-97; ss by #7168, eff 12-21-99; ss by #8366, eff 6-2-05; ss by #9164, eff 5-31-08
 
Sw 1003.02 Surrendering a ticket for prize payment.

After a ticket has been provided to a clerk for payment and the prize payment has been provided to the player, the ticket shall be retained by the clerk and processed in accordance with that store’s policy.

Source.  #9164, eff 5-31-08
 

PART Sw 1004 GAME END

Sw 1004.01 Termination of a Game by the Commission.
a.    The commission or its designee shall terminate a game at any time if:
  1. The security or integrity of the instant game program is at risk; or
  2. The last top prize has been claimed at lottery headquarters.
b.    The commission or its designee may terminate a game if the instant game has been on sale for more than 26 consecutive weeks.

c.    When a game is terminated, the lottery field representatives shall be instructed to return all tickets for that game to the warehouse.
 
Source.  #1573, eff 5-6-80; EXPIRED 5-6-86
New.  #6580, eff 9-19-97; ss by #8366, eff 6-2-05; ss by #9164, eff 5-31-08

 
Sw 1004.02 Natural Game End
When an instant game has been substantially sold, the commission or its designee shall announce the game end.  All agents shall be notified by the lottery field representative that the game is no longer available for sale.

Source.  #1573, eff 5-6-80; EXPIRED 5-6-86
New.  #6580, eff 9-19-97; ss by #8366, eff 6-2-05; ss by #9164, eff 5-31-08
 

PART Sw 1005 INSTANT SALES AGENT

Sw 1005.01 Agent Commissions
All lottery agents, excluding the lottery sales offices, shall receive a minimum 5 percent commission basis for services rendered.  The Commission may establish higher sales commission rates no greater than 6 percent to increase lottery sales, pursuant to RSA 284:21-h (II), d.

Source.  #6580, eff 9-19-97; ss by #8366, eff 6-2-05; ss by #9164, eff 5-31-08

Sw 1005.02 Agent Bonus
All lottery agents, excluding the lottery sales offices, who cash a winning instant ticket shall receive as a cashing bonus, one percent of the cashed amount pursuant to RSA 284:21-s.

Source.  #6580, eff 9-19-97; ss by #8366, eff 6-2-05; ss by #9164, eff 5-31-08
 

APPENDIX

Rule    Specific State Statutes the Rule Implements
Sw 1000        RSA 541-A:16, I(b); RSA 284:21-i, IV