USDA Wants Feedback on Reporting Lottery Wins for Food Stamps
Published Date: 12/22/2025
Notice
Summary
The Department of Agriculture is asking for public feedback on how it collects info about lottery and gambling winnings for SNAP benefits. If you or your household get big lottery or gambling money, you must report it to keep getting food help. Comments are open until January 21, 2026, so now’s the time to speak up and help make the process easier and clearer!
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 3 costs, 0 mixed.
Lottery/Gambling Winnings Can End SNAP
If you or a household member wins substantial lottery or gambling money, you can be ineligible for SNAP until you meet the program's resource and income rules. "Substantial winnings" means amounts equal to or greater than the resource limit for elderly or disabled households as defined in 7 CFR 273.8(b). You must report such winnings to your State SNAP agency and they will use that information to decide eligibility.
Gaming Entities Must Share Winner Data
State SNAP agencies are required, to the maximum extent practicable, to establish cooperative agreements with gaming entities that operate in the State. Gaming entities (both State public agency and private business gaming entities) that enter such agreements will share information with State SNAP agencies about individuals who win amounts equal to or greater than the maximum allowable resource limit for elderly and disabled SNAP households in 7 CFR 273.8(b).
States Must Verify Reported Resources
State SNAP agencies must verify household information about available resources when the information is questionable, and some States choose to verify in other situations as well. States use verified resource information to determine whether households meet the SNAP resource limit for eligibility.
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