False or Misleading Information

According to Section 19 of the Florida Lottery Retailer Contract, the Florida Department of Lottery has the right to terminate or suspend a lottery retailer if the store is believed to have misrepresented important information on an application.  More specifically, the language reads:

• “[The Lottery may terminate a contract if the] Retailer has provided false or misleading information in obtaining a Retailer Contract and Certificate of Authority.”

The rule doesn’t go into much more detail about what it considers false or misleading information.  However, violations of this nature typically occur as a result of one of the following circumstances:

1. One of the retailer’s officers, owners or members has been convicted of a crime, or plead nolo contendere within ten years prior to filing the application;
2. A member, owner or officer’s name and information has been intentionally excluded from the Lottery Retailer Application;
3. The name of a member, owner or officer has been changed for purposes of evading a prior contract suspension or termination; or
4. One of the owners, officers or members has pending criminal charges that have not been resolved by the time the license application occurs.

Lottery Retailer Termination: What to Do

If you’ve received a letter or communication from the Lottery about contract termination, call us.  We offer free – no obligation – consultations.  It is our belief that lottery retailers should be well informed before responding to the Lottery’s allegations.

The worst thing you can do is to call the Lottery and get into an argument.  Normally, if they have reached out to you, it’s because they have credible information.  That’s not to say that the information is accurate, just that they believe it could be.

Our office specializes in reaching out to investigators and the Department to determine what information they have.  Once we know what the Lottery is concerned with, we can help your store respond fully to refute the charges.  Often, this requires several telephone calls, letters and possibly memorandums.

If you have questions, don’t hesitate to contact us for more information.  (813) 228-0658