The Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas has voiced strong opposition to online lottery courier services, claiming they constitute illegal gambling expansion and harm tribal gaming revenues.

In a formal letter to the Senate State Affairs committee, tribal general counsel Jason C. Nelson emphasized that these services go beyond simple delivery, creating an online gaming experience that mimics real-time gambling.

The tribe operates the Lucky Eagle Casino Hotel in Eagle Pass, offering class II gaming including electronic bingo machines and poker. Nelson argues that lottery courier services effectively circumvent state laws prohibiting internet gaming by transforming lottery ticket purchases into online betting experiences.

The controversy intensified after lottery couriers facilitated a gambling syndicate's purchase of 25.8 million tickets for the April 22, 2023 Texas Lottery draw - significantly higher than the typical 1-2 million weekly tickets. The syndicate successfully won the $95 million jackpot and all secondary prizes.

While Texas law prohibits online gambling and telephone lottery sales, courier services operate in a perceived legal loophole by claiming to provide only delivery services. The Kickapoo Tribe disputes this interpretation, maintaining that these services effectively enable online gambling.

The Texas legislature is expected to address this issue during its 2025 session. Despite recent reports, the tribe has not threatened to pursue class III gaming expansion in response to the courier services controversy.

Under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, the tribe can offer class II gaming as it's legally available elsewhere in Texas, but class III gaming would require state negotiations and federal approval - something Texas has historically resisted.

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