Virginia Law

Prior to awarding a prize, the retailer or agency shall validate the ticket or play as set out in this chapter and in any other manner that the director may prescribe in the specific rules for the lottery game, which shall include but not be limited to the following:

1. If the game rules specify that the physical ticket must be presented for validation then:

a. The original ticket must be presented for validation;

b. The ticket shall not be mutilated, altered, or tampered with in any manner. If a ticket is partially mutilated or if the ticket is not intact and cannot be validated through normal procedures but can still be validated by other validation tests, the director may pay the prize for that ticket;

c. The ticket may not be misregistered or defectively printed to an extent that it cannot be processed by the department;

d. The ticket shall pass all other confidential security checks of the agency;

e. The ticket validation number shall be present in its entirety; and

f. The ticket shall not be counterfeited, forged, fraudulently made, or a duplicate of another winning ticket.

2. Where a winning ticket or play has been issued by a terminal:

a. The ticket or play shall have been issued by the agency or by a licensed lottery retailer in an authorized manner;

b. The terminal ticket or play shall not have been canceled or previously paid;

c. The terminal ticket or play shall be validated in accordance with procedures for claiming and paying prizes as set out in the game rules; and

d. The terminal ticket or play data shall have been recorded in the computer gaming system before the drawing or the instant game ticket sale, and the ticket data shall match this computer record in every respect.

3. If the game rules specify that a physical ticket, play, or record of play is not required for validation there may be other lottery requirements, as defined by the director, for winners to collect prizes.