How to Fill Out and Submit the Georgia Lottery Retailer Application

To become a Georgia Lottery retailer, complete the Georgia Lottery Corporation’s Retailer Application Packet and mail it with a $125 non-refundable fee per location to the Georgia Lottery Corporation at P.O. Box 56486, Atlanta, GA 30343. The packet has three parts covering business details, personal background information for each owner and officer, and Electronic Funds Transfer authorization. Approved retailers earn a 6 percent commission on every ticket sold and receive equipment, training, and supplies at no cost.

Check Your Eligibility First

The Georgia Lottery Corporation’s board evaluates each applicant’s financial responsibility, the security and accessibility of the business location, and the applicant’s integrity and reputation under O.C.G.A. § 50-27-17.¹ Before you spend time on the packet, confirm your business is current on all Georgia tax returns and that you have paid every tax, interest charge, and penalty owed to the state. Amounts under formal appeal don’t count against you.

The corporation will not approve you if any of the following apply:

You have a criminal conviction related to the security or integrity of a lottery in any state. This bar is permanent.
You have been convicted of illegal gambling, false statements, perjury, or any crime punishable by more than one year in prison or a fine above $1,000, unless your civil rights have been restored and at least five years have passed since you completed your sentence without another qualifying conviction.
You previously violated Chapter 27 or any GLC regulation, unless ten years have passed or the board considers the violation both minor and unintentional.
You are a lottery vendor or vendor employee.
You live in the same household as a GLC officer.
You have made materially false statements to the corporation.
Your business would sell lottery tickets exclusively. You need an existing retail operation.

Request the Packet

The fastest route is online. Submit the interest form on the “Become a Retailer” page at galottery.com and a sales team member will send the packet with instructions.² You can also call Georgia Lottery headquarters in Atlanta or contact your nearest GLC District Sales Office.

Before you start filling in anything, gather your tax identification numbers, government-issued photo IDs for every owner and officer, and your bank information. The packet contains three main parts plus supplemental attachments.

Part 1: Business Information

Part 1 identifies your business.³ Line 1 is the legal name of the entity that owns the business and files its income tax returns. Line 2 is the “doing business as” name — the trade name where tickets will be sold. Lines 3 through 8 cover the physical address, phone, city, state, ZIP code, and county. Fill in Lines 9 through 12 only if your mailing address is different.

Line 14 is where most applicants slow down. List every principal: each owner, shareholder, member, and officer. Each person listed here must also complete a separate Part 2, so account for everyone upfront. Attach extra sheets if you run out of space.

Line 15 must be signed in front of a notary public. Plan a trip to your bank, a shipping store, or another notary location. Line 16 asks for the name, title, and phone number of a day-to-day business contact. Line 17 covers Coin Operated Amusement Machines — complete it only if your location has any. Line 18 is optional and asks whether more than 50 percent of the business is owned by a person or persons of a minority race. Line 19 records business hours from Sunday through Saturday.

Part 2: Personal Information for Each Owner and Officer

Every principal listed in Part 1 fills out their own Part 2. Lines 1 through 14 collect name, date of birth, home address, Social Security Number, and similar identifying information. Line 15 is a series of yes-or-no background questions; if you answer yes to any, explain on a separate attached sheet.

Line 22 requires a copy of government-issued photo ID. Acceptable forms are a driver’s license, Georgia ID card, ID from another state, U.S. Armed Forces ID, U.S. passport, or U.S. Resident Alien Card. Line 23 must also be notarized. Signing it authorizes the GLC to pull your criminal history and credit report and conduct any further investigation it considers necessary.

Part 3: Electronic Funds Transfer Authorization

Part 3 sets up the bank account the corporation uses to sweep its share of lottery proceeds from your business. Open a separate account before you fill out this section, and title it so the trust relationship is clear, for example “XYZ, Inc. D/B/A RCA Food Mart In Trust for the Georgia Lottery Corporation.” Do not title it simply “Lottery Account.”⁴

Line 1 repeats the legal name of the owning entity. Lines 2 through 4 require Georgia Department of Revenue numbers: State Tax Identifier, Sales Tax number, and Alcohol license number if applicable. Line 5 is for your Federal Employer Identification Number if you operate as a partnership or corporation; sole proprietors enter their Social Security Number. Line 7 must be completed and signed by a bank representative confirming that the trust account exists and that the bank will share account information with the GLC on request.

What to Include in the Envelope

Run through this list before you seal the package:

Completed Parts 1, 2, and 3, with Part 2 filled out separately by each owner and officer. Both Line 15 of Part 1 and Line 23 of Part 2 need notarized signatures.
A copy of photo ID for every individual who completed a Part 2.
A completed and executed E-Verify Affidavit for every applicant.
The $125 per-location application fee, paid by cashier’s check, business check, or money order. Personal checks are not listed as acceptable. The fee is non-refundable.

Mail the full package to the Georgia Lottery Corporation, P.O. Box 56486, Atlanta, GA 30343.

After You Submit

The corporation reviews your business and personal information, runs criminal background and credit checks on every listed principal, and confirms your Georgia tax standing with the Department of Revenue. A GLC representative will schedule a site visit to evaluate layout, security, and visibility where terminals would sit. If you’re approved, the corporation provides all lottery equipment, training, and supplies at no cost.²

Get the Electrical Work Done Before the Site Visit

Each terminal needs a dedicated quadplex electrical outlet that is grounded, rated at 110V/15 or 10 amps, and on an isolated power circuit.⁵ The outlet must be within six feet of the terminal, and no other devices can share it. You are also responsible for any telecommunications modifications the GLC requests and for the telecom charges tied to terminal operation. Having the outlet ready at the site visit shows preparation and avoids delay between approval and activation.

Surety Bond

Georgia lottery retailers are generally required to post a surety bond to protect the state against financial losses, and the corporation sets the amount. If a bond company contacts you with a quote during the process, that is a normal part of becoming a retailer. Keep the bond active for the full contract term; a lapse can suspend your lottery sales.

Contract Term, Renewal, and Transfers

Your retailer contract runs one year from the date you sign it. Renewal is not automatic — the GLC may renew annually at its sole discretion. A renewal application will arrive before your contract expires; return it promptly to avoid a gap in your authorization to sell.³

Your contract cannot be transferred or assigned. If the business changes ownership, the new owner must submit a fresh application. Only the retailer named on the certificate may sell tickets.⁶

What You’ll Earn

Retailers earn a flat 6 percent commission on all lottery product sales. The rate is set by state law and has been in effect since July 2016.¹ On top of the base commission, the GLC pays a $50,000 bonus for selling a winning Mega Millions or Powerball jackpot ticket and a $5,000 bonus for a winning Fantasy 5 jackpot ticket.²

1
Georgia Code. Georgia Code 50-27-17 – State-Wide Network of Retailers
2
Georgia Lottery. Become a Retailer
3
Georgia Lottery Corporation. Georgia Lottery Retailer Application Packet Instructions
4
Georgia Lottery Corporation. How to Change Your GLC Electronic Funds Transfer Bank Account
5
Georgia Lottery Corporation. On-Line Game Rules and Regulations
6
FindLaw. Georgia Code 50-27-18 – Restrictions on Transfer and Sale