Texas Lottery Chief Ryan Mindell resigns as investigations mount and lawmakers mull agency shutdown

Ryan Mindell, Executive Director of the Texas Lottery Commission, has stepped down amid growing controversy and multiple state investigations into the agency’s oversight of jackpot wins and the use of third-party lottery couriers.

The commission announced Mindell’s resignation Monday, providing no explanation. His departure comes less than a year into his tenure and at a time when the agency is under heavy scrutiny from both lawmakers and law enforcement.

Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton have each launched probes into how the commission managed two of the largest jackpots in its history, including one awarded to a group that purchased nearly every possible ticket combination.

Those wins, combined with the rise of online courier services that purchase tickets on behalf of customers, have raised questions about the integrity and oversight of lottery operations in Texas.

While courier companies and lottery officials deny wrongdoing, criticism from state legislators has intensified, and some are now threatening drastic reforms, including cutting off the commission’s funding entirely.

“The governor expects the Texas Lottery Commission to work within the bounds of the law and to ensure the trust and integrity of the lottery regardless of who leads the agency,” Abbott’s spokesperson Andrew Mahaleris said Tuesday.

Mindell’s exit adds another layer of uncertainty to an agency that has quickly gone from quietly transferring billions to public education to being at the center of a political firestorm. In 2024, the lottery contributed about $2 billion to the state’s school fund. Now, it faces calls for structural change, tighter regulations, and even potential dissolution.

Mindell had inherited the top job from Gary Grief, the commission’s longest-serving executive director, who resigned last year. According to a report from the Sunset Advisory Commission, the legislative body tasked with evaluating state agencies, Grief had permitted the courier system to operate in what the report called the "gray areas" of the law. The same report credited Mindell with raising internal concerns and taking steps to rein in the courier industry.

In a February policy statement, the commission under Mindell shifted its stance and declared that courier services likely violate current Texas statutes. A formal ban is scheduled to take effect on April 29. On that same day, the commission is expected to begin its search for Mindell’s replacement.

The courier companies, however, have pushed back. The Coalition of Texas Lottery Couriers claimed the agency unfairly turned them into scapegoats, arguing that their members had no role in the controversial 2023 jackpot scheme. “Mindell’s departure provides an opportunity to reconsider the agency’s politically motivated decisions,” the group said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Senate Bill 28, which would make the use of couriers a criminal offense, passed unanimously in the Senate but has yet to be heard in the House. The House, for its part, proposed a state budget that allocates zero dollars to the commission.