Ryan Mindell steps down as Texas Lottery Executive Director
The organization has recently found itself in the midst of numerous scandals, including a 2023 incident where a single buyer purchased over 25m $1 tickets to secure a $95m jackpot.
Key Points
- The Texas Lottery is currently under investigation by the state’s Attorney General’s Office and the Texas Rangers from the Department of Public Safety
- Mindell served as Executive Director for exactly one year, following the resignation of his longstanding predecessor Gary Grief
Texas Lottery Commission Executive Director Ryan Mindell has notified the organization of his resignation from the role, following numerous incidents that have led the Texas Lottery to be placed under investigation by the Attorney General’s Office and the Department of Public Safety.
During 2023, a single buyer purchased approximately 25.8m $1 tickets, nearly all that were available, in order to secure a $95m jackpot, described by Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick as “the biggest theft…in the history of Texas.”
Mindell served as Executive Director of the Texas Lottery for exactly one year, following the resignation of his longstanding predecessor Gary Grief. He has also served as Deputy Executive Director, Operations Director and Assistant General Counsel for the lottery organization.
The Texas Lottery has also been criticized over the operation of ticket courier services, third-party companies that sell game tickets through smartphone apps.
In March 2025, a woman stated she had a $83.5m winning Texas Lottery jackpot ticket, but was told she wouldn’t receive any money until the completion of separate investigations led by Attorney General Paxton and the Texas Rangers. It was later found the ticket was purchased using an online courier application.
Good to know: The Texas Lottery and Texas Motor Speedway once again partnered to deliver a new game to scratch ticket fans during March 2024
Sergio Rey, the Texas Lottery’s CFO, has been appointed Acting Deputy Executive Director following Mindell’s resignation, while the Commission is set to consider its selection process for a new Executive Director on April 29.
The Texas Legislature has also set the Lottery’s budget at $0 for the next two years, which could reportedly bankrupt the organization if a compromise is not found.
Tags/Keywords
Players trust our reporting due to our commitment to unbiased and professional evaluations of the iGaming sector. We track hundreds of platforms and industry updates daily to ensure our news feed and leaderboards reflect the most recent market shifts. With nearly two decades of experience within iGaming, our team provides a wealth of expert knowledge. This long-standing expertise enables us to deliver thorough, reliable news and guidance to our readers.
Latest News
