TAMPA, Fla. — If you play the Florida Lottery chances are you dream of winning big, but doing so can come with the stress of knowing your name will be publicized.
After Governor Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 159 into law on Wednesday, that's a stress you'll no longer have to worry about — at least for the first 90 days from the day you claim your prize.
Those who win $250,000 or more in the Florida Lottery, per HB 159, will have the option to keep their name confidential unless stated otherwise.
After 90 days, the winner's name, however, will no longer be confidential.
The Legislature said the importance of the newly signed bill is to protect winners because "persons who win valuable lottery prizes have been the targets of violent and nonviolent criminal acts based upon publicly available identifying information."
The bill, which was first filed in September 2021, went into effect on Wednesday, May 25.
