About The Massachusetts State Lottery Commission
The Massachusetts State Lottery was established by the legislature in 1971, in response to the need for revenues for the 351 cities and towns of the Commonwealth. To provide an operating structure for the Lottery, the Legislature established a five-member commission that includes the State Treasurer as Chairperson, the Secretary of Public Safety, the State Comptroller, and two gubernatorial appointees.
The Commissioners oversee and provide final approval of the types of games, the consumer prices of games, the prize structure of games, the methods of prize payment, and the licensing of agents.
The Lottery Commission meets on a regular basis to discuss all Lottery operations.
Learn more about the history of the Lottery
Timothy P. Cahill
Massachusetts State Treasurer and Receiver General
Tim Cahill is proud to serve as Treasurer and Receiver General for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Treasurer Cahill manages the state’s finances by taking a fiscally conservative approach to investing and maximizing the use of taxpayer money.
Reforming the Massachusetts School Building Authority; creating a Job Growth Initiative which has already created 7,500 new jobs; returning close to $5 billion in Lottery local aid to cities and towns; overseeing the growth of the state pension fund; reuniting $1.1 billion in Abandoned Property with its rightful owners; and when Massachusetts residents were looking for a safe way to invest their money in a tumultuous market, Treasurer Cahill created the opportunity to purchase Massachusetts General Obligation Bonds directly from the Treasurer’s website at www.buymassbonds.com.
The Massachusetts School Building Authority is perhaps the most comprehensive reform Treasurer Cahill and his administration have implemented. The new reform pledged 20% of the state's future sales taxes as a dedicated revenue stream to pay down the existing $10.7 billion in debt, while creating a new authority charged with managing the cost and operations of the program in the future. Since it’s inception the MSBA has provided funding for over 390 of the original 420 wait listed schools and allowed cities and towns to save over $2.3 Billion in avoided interest costs during a time when municipalities are struggling.
Tim Cahill is a 1981 graduate of Boston University, with a B.A. in Political Science. Before entering government he served as a high school wrestling coach and founded Handshakes Café in Quincy Square. He was elected in 1987 as Quincy City Councilor and in 1996 as Norfolk County Treasurer. In 2007 Treasurer Cahill was named an Eisenhower Fellow, traveling to India and Ireland. He is the father of four daughters and lives in Quincy with his wife Tina.
Mark J. Cavanagh
Director of the Massachusetts State Lottery
Treasurer Timothy P. Cahill appointed Mark J. Cavanagh Executive Director of the Massachusetts State Lottery, on January 15, 2007, making Cavanagh the ninth director in the Lottery’s 35-year history.
As the Lottery’s Executive Director, he is charged with the operations of over 400 employees, five regional offices, and the allocation of more than $4 billion dollars of annual revenue.
Prior to his appointment as Executive Director, Cavanagh served as Deputy Treasurer, overseeing the Abandoned Property Division, the Department of Debt Management and the Massachusetts Water Pollution Abatement Trust. During Cahill’s first term as Treasurer, Cavanagh guided the Abandoned Property Division to record successes. Over the past four fiscal years the Abandoned Property Division collected $883 million and paid out cash claims totaling more than $158 million - an 18% increase over four years. Cavanagh also oversaw an effort using cutting-edge technology to hold two eBay auctions of unclaimed jewelry, coins and other items from safe deposit boxes, garnering over $330,000 for the state.
“I have worked with Mark for four years, and am pleased to promote him to this position,” said Treasurer Cahill. “He has had great success with the Treasury’s Abandoned Property Division and as Deputy Treasurer, and I know he will continue that success at the Lottery.”
Before joining Treasurer Cahill’s administration in 2003, Cavanagh served as Vice President of Affiliated Computer Services, was affiliated with State Street Bank’s Unclaimed Property Services Division as manager of the Bank’s National Audit Program, and served as Deputy Treasurer and Director of Abandoned Property during a former Treasury administration.
Cavanagh holds a degree in accounting from Bentley College and a Masters in business administration from Babson College.
