Arlington councilman named to Texas Lottery Commission

Arlington City Councilman Robert Rivera is one of four new commissioners guiding the Texas Lottery, Gov. Greg Abbott announced Monday.

Rivera, who in May was re-elected for a sixth two-year term representing the southeast Arlington District 3, said he’s ready to do what he can to help the state.

“It’s an honor to serve on the commission, and I look forward to serving Texas,” the 44-year-old said.

The Texas Lottery Commission came under fire last year from conservative lawmakers over a proposal to let bingo halls statewide use electronic devices similar to slot machines that opponents said would expand gambling.

At issue was a proposal to let bingo players use “video confirmation” to show whether paper pull-tab tickets, which are similar to lottery scratch-off tickets, are winners.

After concern erupted from top Republicans and dozens of conservative lawmakers, the commission put off a decision on the issue.

On Monday, Abbott appointed four new commissioners to help oversee the lottery and bingo — Rivera of Arlington, whose term runs through Feb. 1, 2021; Carmen Arrieta-Candelaria of El Paso and Doug Lowe of Palestine, whose terms run through Feb. 1, 2017; and Peggy Heeg of Houston, whose term runs through Feb. 1, 2019.

They will join J. Winston Krause, chairman of the commission, whose term expires Feb. 1, 2019.

“I do know there is considerable room for improvement,” said Rivera, a banker. “I look forward to working with the other commissioners and the governor and taking care of all Texans.”

In recent years, state lawmakers have studied whether it’s time for the state to end the Texas Lottery. But they said in 2014 that ending the game would devastate funding for public education and could lead to higher taxes for nearly all Texans.

The lottery, which began in Texas in 1992, generates about $1 billion a year in revenue, state records have shown.

This story was originally published August 3, 2015 at 6:20 PM with the headline "Arlington councilman named to Texas Lottery Commission."