(A) As used in this section, "person" means any individual, association, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, club, trust, estate, society, receiver, trustee, person acting in a fiduciary or representative capacity, instrumentality of the state or any of its political subdivisions, or any other business entity or combination of individuals meeting the requirements set forth in this section or established by rule or order of the state lottery commission.

(B) The director of the state lottery commission may license any person as a lottery sales agent.

Before issuing any license to a lottery sales agent, the director shall consider all of the following:

(1) The financial responsibility and security of the applicant and the applicant's business or activity;

(2) The accessibility of the applicant's place of business or activity to the public;

(3) The sufficiency of existing licensed agents to serve the public interest;

(4) The volume of expected sales by the applicant;

(5) Any other factors pertaining to the public interest, convenience, or trust.

(C) Except as otherwise provided in division (F) of this section, the director of the state lottery commission may refuse to grant, or may suspend or revoke, a license if the applicant or licensee:

(1) Has been convicted of a felony or has been convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude;

(2) Has been convicted of an offense that involves illegal gambling;

(3) Has been found guilty of fraud or misrepresentation in any connection;

(4) Has been found to have violated any rule or order of the commission; or

(5) Has been convicted of illegal trafficking in supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits.

(D) Except as otherwise provided in division (F) of this section, the director of the state lottery commission may refuse to grant, or may suspend or revoke, a license if the applicant or licensee is a corporation or other business entity, and any of the following applies:

(1) Any of the directors, officers, managers, or controlling shareholders has been found guilty of any of the activities specified in divisions (C)(1) to (5) of this section;

(2) It appears to the director of the state lottery commission that, due to the experience, character, or general fitness of any director, officer, manager, or controlling shareholder , the granting of a license as a lottery sales agent would be inconsistent with the public interest, convenience, or trust;

(3) The corporation or other business entity is not the owner or lessee of the business at which it would conduct a lottery sales agency pursuant to the license applied for;

(4) Any person, firm, association, or corporation other than the applicant or licensee shares or will share in the profits of the applicant or licensee, other than receiving dividends or distributions as a shareholder, or participates or will participate in the management of the affairs of the applicant or licensee.

(E)

(1) The director of the state lottery commission shall refuse to grant a license to an applicant for a lottery sales agent license and shall revoke a lottery sales agent license if the applicant or licensee is or has been convicted of a violation of division (A) or (C)(1) of section 2913.46 of the Revised Code.

(2) The director shall refuse to grant a license to an applicant for a lottery sales agent license that is a corporation and shall revoke the lottery sales agent license of a corporation if the corporation is or has been convicted of a violation of division (A) or (C)(1) of section 2913.46 of the Revised Code.

(F) The director of the state lottery commission shall request the bureau of criminal identification and investigation, the department of public safety, or any other state, local, or federal agency to supply the director with the criminal records of any applicant for a lottery sales agent license, and may periodically request the criminal records of any person to whom a lottery sales agent license has been issued. At or prior to the time of making such a request, the director shall require an applicant or licensee to obtain fingerprint impressions on fingerprint cards prescribed by the superintendent of the bureau of criminal identification and investigation at a qualified law enforcement agency, and the director shall cause those fingerprint cards to be forwarded to the bureau of criminal identification and investigation, to the federal bureau of investigation, or to both bureaus. The commission shall assume the cost of obtaining the fingerprint cards.

The director shall pay to each agency supplying criminal records for each investigation a reasonable fee, as determined by the agency.

The commission may adopt uniform rules specifying time periods after which the persons described in divisions (C)(1) to (5) and (D)(1) to (4) of this section may be issued a license and establishing requirements for those persons to seek a court order to have records sealed in accordance with law.

(G)

(1) Each applicant for a lottery sales agent license shall do both of the following:

(a) Pay fees to the state lottery commission, if required by rule adopted by the director under Chapter 119. of the Revised Code and the controlling board approves the fees;

(b) Prior to approval of the application, obtain a surety bond in an amount the director determines by rule adopted under Chapter 119. of the Revised Code or, alternatively, with the director's approval, deposit the same amount into a dedicated account for the benefit of the state lottery. The director also may approve the obtaining of a surety bond to cover part of the amount required, together with a dedicated account deposit to cover the remainder of the amount required. The director also may establish an alternative program or policy, with the approval of the commission by rule adopted under Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, that otherwise ensures the lottery's financial interests are adequately protected. If such an alternative program or policy is established, an applicant or lottery sales agent, subject to the director's approval, may be permitted to participate in the program or proceed under that policy in lieu of providing a surety bond or dedicated amount.

A surety bond may be with any company that complies with the bonding and surety laws of this state and the requirements established by rules of the commission pursuant to this chapter. A dedicated account deposit shall be conducted in accordance with policies and procedures the director establishes.

A surety bond, dedicated account, other established program or policy, or any combination of these resources, as applicable, may be used to pay for the lottery sales agent's failure to make prompt and accurate payments for lottery ticket sales, for missing or stolen lottery tickets, for damage to equipment or materials issued to the lottery sales agent, or to pay for expenses the commission incurs in connection with the lottery sales agent's license.

(2) A lottery sales agent license is effective for at least one year, but not more than three years.

A licensed lottery sales agent, on or before the date established by the director, shall renew the agent's license and provide at that time evidence to the director that the surety bond, dedicated account deposit, or both, required under division (G)(1)(b) of this section has been renewed or is active, whichever applies.

Before the commission renews a lottery sales agent license, the lottery sales agent shall submit a renewal fee to the commission, if one is required by rule adopted by the director under Chapter 119. of the Revised Code and the controlling board approves the renewal fee. The renewal fee shall not exceed the actual cost of administering the license renewal and processing changes reflected in the renewal application. The renewal of the license is effective for at least one year, but not more than three years.

(3) A lottery sales agent license shall be complete, accurate, and current at all times during the term of the license. Any changes to an original license application or a renewal application may subject the applicant or lottery sales agent, as applicable, to paying an administrative fee that shall be in an amount that the director determines by rule adopted under Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, and that the controlling board approves, and that shall not exceed the actual cost of administering and processing the changes to an application.

(4) The relationship between the commission and a lottery sales agent is one of trust. A lottery sales agent collects funds on behalf of the commission through the sale of lottery tickets for which the agent receives a compensation.

(H) Pending a final resolution of any question arising under this section, the director of the state lottery commission may issue a temporary lottery sales agent license, subject to the terms and conditions the director considers appropriate.

(I) If a lottery sales agent's rental payments for the lottery sales agent's premises are determined, in whole or in part, by the amount of retail sales the lottery sales agent makes, and if the rental agreement does not expressly provide that the amount of those retail sales includes the amounts the lottery sales agent receives from lottery ticket sales, only the amounts the lottery sales agent receives as compensation from the state lottery commission for selling lottery tickets shall be considered to be amounts the lottery sales agent receives from the retail sales the lottery sales agent makes, for the purpose of computing the lottery sales agent's rental payments.

Amended by 131st General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 64, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2015.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.126, HB 386, §1, eff. 6/11/2012.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.28, HB 153, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2011.

Amended by 128th General AssemblyFile No.9, HB 1, §101.01, eff. 10/16/2009.

Effective Date: 09-26-1996; 2006 HB699 03-29-2007