(1) All prizes or a portion thereof which remain unpaid at the time of an individual prize winner's death shall be payable to the court appointed representative of the prize winner's estate once satisfactory evidence of said representative appointment has been presented to the director, claim forms have been properly filled out, and the director is satisfied that such payment is lawful and proper: Provided, however, That where the prize winner and spouse had entered into any agreement valid under the law of this state or another state which establishes the prize as property to pass to the surviving spouse without probate upon the death of the prize winner, then the prize shall be made payable to the surviving spouse, without the probating of an estate of the deceased.

(2) Prize moneys will be paid according to the law of descent and distribution, chapter 11.04 RCW, of the state of Washington if the winner thereof dies intestate regardless of whether the prize winner was domiciled at the time of the prize winner's death in the state of Washington.

(3) The director may rely wholly on the presentment of certified copies of a court's appointment of an administrator or executor, guardian, conservator or on any other evidence that a person is entitled to the payment of any prize winnings then due.

(4) The payment to the estate of the deceased winner of any prize winnings by the director shall absolve the director, the commission and employees of the lottery of any further liability for payment of said prize winnings.

(5)(a) Where the party who claimed a prize from the lottery was an individual, and the individual has died, the estate of the deceased individual prize winner may petition the lottery director to have the payment of an installment prize accelerated and paid to the estate at the installment prize's present cash value in lieu of receiving continued payments. The director may grant the petition if, in the director's sole discretion, payment of the remaining installments in a single, present cash value payment is in the best interests of the state lottery.

(b) The estate of an individual which has a community property interest in a prize, may petition the lottery director to have the payment of its interest in an installment prize accelerated and paid to the estate at the installment prize's present cash value in lieu of receiving continued payments. The director may grant the petition if, in the director's sole discretion, payment of the remaining installments in a single, present cash value payment is in the best interests of the state lottery. Payment to the surviving spouse of the remaining community property interest shall continue in installments.

(6) The director may petition any court of competent jurisdiction to request a determination for the payments of any prize winnings which are or may become due the estate of a deceased winner or a winner under a disability because of, but not limited to, underage, mental deficiency, or physical or mental incapacity.

(7) If the legatee(s) or heir(s) of a deceased winner entitled to prize winnings obtains an order from a court of competent jurisdiction directing payments due and to become due from the director to be paid directly to said legatee(s) or heir(s) or otherwise directs the director to make payments to another in the event of a winner's disability or otherwise, the director shall pay the prize winnings accordingly after application of that process mandated by RCW 67.70.255 and WAC 315-06-125.

(8) A deceased winner's estate shall be considered to be a winner, and payments thereto shall be governed by WAC 315-06-120.