On May 8, 2024, the Ohio Lottery filed a notice of data breach with the Attorney General of Maine after discovering that it was the recent victim of a cyberattack. In this notice, the Ohio Lottery explains that the incident resulted in an unauthorized party being able to access consumers’ sensitive information, which includes their names and Social Security numbers. Upon completing its investigation, the Ohio Lottery began sending out data breach notification letters to all individuals whose information was affected by the recent data security incident.

If you received a data breach notification from the Ohio Lottery, it is essential you understand what is at risk and what you can do about it. A data breach lawyer can help you learn more about how to protect yourself from becoming a victim of fraud or identity theft, as well as discuss your legal options following the Ohio Lottery data breach. For more information, please see our recent piece on the topic here.

What Caused the Ohio Lottery Data Breach?

The Ohio Lottery data breach was only recently announced, and more information is expected in the near future. However, the Ohio Lottery’s filing with the Attorney General of Maine provides some important information on what led up to the breach. According to this source, on December 24, 2023, the Ohio Lottery identified suspicious activity within its internal office network which was later determined to be related to a recent cyberattack.

In response, the Ohio Lottery secured its network and then launched an investigation with the help of external cybersecurity experts. Through this investigation, the Ohio Lottery confirmed that an unauthorized party had been able to access its computer network. TI was also determined that the unauthorized party accessed certain files containing confidential consumer information.

After learning that sensitive consumer data was accessible to an unauthorized party, Ohio Lottery reviewed the compromised files to determine what information was leaked and which consumers were impacted. The Ohio Lottery completed this process on April 5, 2024. While the breached information varies depending on the individual, it may include your name and Social Security number.

On May 8, 2024, the Ohio Lottery sent out data breach letters to anyone who was affected by the recent data security incident. These letters should provide victims with a list of what information belonging to them was compromised.

More Information About Ohio Lottery

Established in 1974, the Ohio Lottery is the official lottery of the State of Ohio. The Ohio Lottery offers various games, including Scratch-Offs, Pick 3, Pick 4, Pick 5, Rolling Cash 5 and Classic Lotto, as well as KENO and the multi-state jackpot games, MegaMillions and Powerball. The Ohio Lottery also oversees the 11,000+ Video Lottery Terminal games at Ohio’s seven “racinos.” The Ohio Lottery employs more than 300 people and generates approximately $85 million in annual revenue.