News writer
If you hit it big on a Pennsylvania Lottery ticket, should the whole world know? Lawmakers are now asking that very question, and their latest move could change how winners celebrate those life-changing checks.
A new bill gaining momentum in the state Capitol could give big winners the choice to stay out of the spotlight, offering a little more privacy and a lot less pressure to those lucky enough to strike it rich.
Anonymity coming to Pennsylvania?
On Monday, October 20, 2025, the Pennsylvania Senate passed a bill that would allow Pennsylvania Lottery winners to remain anonymous when they collect their prize of $100,000 or more.
Sen. Lisa Baker, a Republican from Luzerne, introduced the bill along with a bipartisan group of co-sponsors. The bill cleared the state Senate unanimously after it received an unopposed approval by the Appropriations committee.
Committee chair Scott Martin, a Republican from Lancaster, did state the proposal wouldn't cost the commonwealth anything.
Now that the bill has passed the state Senate, it will go to the House for approval.
Origin of the bill
The bill was developed by Baker after she said an acquaintance won $100,000 on a scratch-off ticket. This person was then soon targeted by scammers and strangers requesting money after they claimed their winnings, and the Pennsylvania Lottery announced their big win.
Baker said the problem could be attributed to technological developments that have allowed scam calls and outreach to be easier since the Pennsylvania Lottery first debuted.
Baker told the Pennsylvania Capital-Star:
In addition to numerous requests from strangers asking for help with everything from buying a car and paying health care bills, scammers actually called and harassed her grandparents and her mother. I believe we owe more protection to certain lottery winners, and Senate Bill 73 works toward fulfilling that goal.
What does the bill change?
Currently, any lottery win in Pennsylvania is part of public records. The lottery winner's name, city of residence, and amount of the prize are all part of that public record.
However, Senate Bill 73 would allow the identities of lottery prize winners of $100,000 or more to not be considered public records. The winner's city of residence and the amount of the prize would remain public.
If they chose to do so, these lottery winners could voluntarily waive their confidentiality.
Will the bill pass the House?
The fate of Senate Bill 73 now lies in the hands of the Pennsylvania House. So, will they pass it?
Back in 2023, Baker introduced a similar bill, asking for anonymity for lottery winners. While that bill did pass the Senate, it was never brought up by the House, and it failed.
There is a possibility of it being brought up in the House this time around. Back in March 2025, Rep. Patrick Harkins, a Democrat from Erie County, introduced a bill that would allow lottery winners of $1 million or more to remain anonymous.
This shows that the House is interested in bringing anonymity to lottery winners in the state, so we will keep you posted as these bills make their way through lawmakers.
Enjoy playing the Pennsylvania Lottery, and please remember to play responsibly.
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