A lottery is a form of gambling which involves selling numbered tickets and giving prizes to the holders of numbers drawn at random. Lotteries are outlawed by some governments, while others endorse it to the extent of organizing their own national (state) lottery. It is common to find some degree of regulation by governments, like allowing or prohibiting online sales of tickets.
Countries with a national lottery
Africa
: Ethiopian National Lottery Administration : weekly and daily games (see National Lottery Authority of Ghana) : Toto 6/49, Kenya Charity Sweepstakes : Loto & Loto+, Loto Vert : Instant Lottery, Totobola, Totoloto, and Joker : SET Lotto, Premier Lotto (Baba Ijebu), Give N Take, Green Lotto : LOTTO, PowerBall, SPORTSTAKE, RAFFLE, EAZiWIN (see South African National Lottery) : National Lottery of South Sudan : Billion Lotto
Asia
: Bhutan Lottery Limited : Welfare Lottery, Sports Lottery : Mark Six : Takarakuji : Huay Phatthana (ຫວຍພັດທະນາ) : Pacapio : Magnum Berhad, Da Ma Cai, Sports Toto, Sandakan 4D, Sabah 88 4D, Special CashSweep, Big Sweep : 6D, Lotto : Aungbalay () Nwayoohti () : PCSO Lottery Draw : Singapore Pools : Lotto 6/45, Speeto (500, 1000, 2000), Pension Lottery 720+ (generally called 'Bok-Kwon', 복권) : National Lottery, Development Lottery : Taiwan Lottery : "Government Lottery", also called lottery or หวย (huay), which comes from the Chinese word meaning flower. : Vietlott
Middle East and North Africa
: Loto Erriadhi, Pari Sportif Algerien : Loto, Zeed, Yawmiyeh (3, 4, 5), Yanassib : Egypt National Lottery : Loterie Nationale : Mifal HaPais : The UAE Lottery (only licensed lottery following the establishment of the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority)
Europe
Pan-European: European House Lottery, EuroMillions Pan-European: European House Lottery, Eurojackpot Nordic and Baltic countries: Vikinglotto Pan-European: EuroDreams : Österreichische Lotterien: Lotto 6 aus 45, EuroMillions and Zahlenlotto : Loterie Nationale or Nationale Loterij (Lotto 6/45, Joker+, Keno, Pick 3), Vikinglotto and EuroMillions : The state lottery is organized by the Bulgarian Sports Totalizator (). Its most popular game is TOTO 2 (6/49, 6/42, 5/35, 5/50+1/12). Private lotteries included Lottery Bulgaria () and National Lottery (, but in 2019 private owned lotteries were forbidden by the law in Bulgaria. Channel Islands: Channel Islands Lottery : Hrvatska Lutrija: Loto 7/35, Loto 6/45, Joker, Bingo(15/90, Plus, 24/75), Keno, Sve ili Ništa(11/22) : Sazka(Sportka(6/49), Euromilióny, Lucky 10), Fortuna(3/21, 6/36, 9/49, Keno), Korunka : Lotto(7/36), Joker, Klasselotteriet, Landbrugslotteriet : Eesti Loto (Jokker, Keno, Bingo Loto, Vikinglotto, Eurojackpot) : Lotto(7/40), scratch tickets, racing & football pools (Veikkaus) : La Française des Jeux: Loto(5/49+1/10), Keno, Joker+ : Lotto 6 aus 49, Spiel 77, Super 6, Glückspirale, Keno, Plus 5 : OPAP (), Lotto 6/49, Joker 5/45 + 1/20, Proto, Kino, Extra 5, Super 3 : Lottó (5/90 6/45 and 7/35), Joker, Kenó, Luxor, Puttó and EuroJackpot : Lottó, Jóker : The National Lottery (), Daily Millions and EuroMillions : Participates in The United Kingdom National Lottery and EuroMillions, previously had Isle of Man Lottery. : Lotto (IGT Lottery), SuperEnalotto (Sisal), Win for Life (Sisal), 10eLotto (IGT Lottery), VinciCasa (Sisal), MillionDAY (IGT Lottery), Play Your Date (Sisal), Lotteria Italia (IGT Lottery), Gratta e Vinci (IGT Lottery). : Latloto, SuperBingo, Keno, Loto 5, Joker, Joker 7 : Teleloto, Keno Loto, Jėga, Dienos Loto. : International Lottery in Liechtenstein Foundation : EuroMillions, Lotto 6 aus 49, High 5 : Super 5, Super 5 Plus, Super 5-4-3-2-1, Super 5-4-3-2-1 Plus, Lotto, Pick 3 : Lutrija Crne Gore : Nationale Postcode Loterij, Nederlandse Loterij : Lotarija na Makedonija(Loto 7, Joker) : Lotto(7/34), Joker, Extra, Keno, Tipping, scratch tickets (Norsk Tipping) : Lotto + Lotto Plus (6/49), Mini Lotto (5/42), Kaskada (12/24), Multi Multi (20/80), Ekstra Pensja (5/35 + 1/4), Szybkie 600 (6/32) : Totoloto, Lotaria Clássica, EuroMillions and Lotaria Popular : Loteria Română (6/49, 5/40, Joker, Noroc, Super Noroc, Noroc Plus) : Superloto, Sport Pari(Sportloto 5/36, Sportloto 6/49, Keno, Blitz), Toloto : Stoloto (), National Lottery () : Loto, Loto+, Loto 5, Joker, Bingo, Bingo+ () : Tipos(Loto, Loto 5 z 35, Joker, Euromilióny, Keno 10) : Loterija Slovenije (number games: Loto and Loto Plus(6/44); 3x3 Plus 6, Joker) : , and : Svenska Spel: Lotto 1 & 2(7/35), Joker, Keno : Swisslos: Swiss Lotto, EuroMillions Loterie Romande: Swiss Loto, EuroMillions, Magic 3, Magic 4, and Banco : The National Lottery Administration under the name of Milli Piyango including Çılgın Sayısal Loto(6/90), Süper Loto(6/60), Şans Topu(5/34 + 1/14), On Numara and jackpots are NO state-run company. The Milli Piyango Idaresi was privatised by Demiroren Holding in 2019. : State Lotteries Operator M.S.L. (), Ukrayinska Natsionalna Lotereya () : The National Lottery, the main game being Lotto, then Thunderball and Set for Life. Also the Health Lottery is available in Great Britain only.
North America Caribbean Lottery, Super Lotto : Barbados Lottery (multiple games), Super Lotto : Boledo, Mega Bingo, Fantasy-5, Pick 3 : Lotto 6/49, Lotto Max, Daily Grand, Atlantic Lottery Corporation, British Columbia Lottery Corporation, Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, Loto-Québec, Western Canada Lottery Corporation : Lotería Nacional, Chances Lotería Popular, Lotto, Lotto Revancha, Nuevos Tiempos, 3 Monazos : Lotería Electrónica Internacional Dominicana S.A. : Lotería Nacional de Beneficencia, Lotín (scratch cards) : SuperPremio(6/33), Diaria, Premia2, Pega 3, Jugá Tres : Supreme Ventures Limited, Super Lotto : Lotería Nacional para la Asistencia Pública and Pronósticos para la Asistencia Pública : Lotería Nacional, Diaria, Premia2, Jugá3, Terminación2, Fechas : Lotería Nacional de Beneficencia : state lotteries in almost every state, along with two multi-state lotteries Mega Millions and Powerball
Oceania : state lotteries in every state and territory, along with several national games operated by The Lottery Corporation (TLC). There are also health lotteries. : Lotto New Zealand
South America : Quiniela, Loto and various others : Lotería Nacional de Beneficencia y Salubridad : Mega-Sena, Lotofácil and various others : Polla Chilena de Beneficencia S.A. : Baloto, Caribeña Día, Lotería de Bogotá, Lotería de Medellín, Sinuano Noche and various others : Lotería Nacional : Intralot Perú SA (La Tinka). : Quiniela, La Tómbola, 5 de Oro, El Gordo : Lotería del Táchira, Lotería de Caracas, Lotería del Zulia, Triple Gordo, and various others
Notable prizes
Country details
Asia
India
There are many lottery games that take place in India, all of which are run by state government organizations under the rules and regulations of the federal government. Before 1967 private lotteries were allowed but were later banned in favour for state lotteries.
State governments such as those of Kerala, Punjab, Nagaland, Goa and Sikkim, run their own lottery departments and conduct weekly lottery draws and occasional bumper lottery draws. Government lottery is currently legal in 13 Indian states.
Kerala State Lotteries, established in 1967, under the lottery department by the Government of Kerala was the first of its kind in India. The department was successful and has grown throughout the state of Kerala by contributing to the needful and became the role model for other states for starting their own lotteries. According to the department, it had a profit of Rs 788.42 crore in the 2013-14 financial year, the largest ever, while it made Rs 681.76 crore in profit in 2012-13. When the state lottery was started in 1967, the total revenue from sales was only Rs 20 lakh. The profit alone touched Rs 625.74 crore in 2009-2010 and Rs 557.69 crore in 2010-2011. The department now boasts of more than 35,000 authorized agents and over 100,000 retail sellers. It is currently the largest lottery network in India with thousands of agents and vendors involved.
The Kerala lottery was created as a mean to generate revenue to help the poor and the needy belonging to marginalized sections of society. The profits from state lotteries sponsor several welfare programs. One of these is the Karunya Benevolent Fund Scheme that provides financial assistance to under-privileged people suffering from acute ailments like Cancer, Haemophilia, Kidney and Heart diseases and for Palliative Care.
Regardless of the different regulations of the states, it is required to be at least 18 years old to be allowed to play the lottery, no matter whether online or offline, in India.
On January 8, 2003, the state government of Tamil Nadu banned the sale of all forms of lottery by agencies from and outside the state. This ban has been upheld by successive governments. But it has been withdrawn and for the last few years Kerala and all other State Government lotteries are being sold in Tamil Nadu.
In the states where lotteries are banned some players search for online alternatives giving way for online lotteries in India. Legislation is different from state to state where states like Punjab have legislation for online lotteries and states like Bihar have set up explicit bans on all lotteries.
Japan
During the Edo period, some the Shrine Temple received official permission to operate lotteries, which led to a surge in their popularity. However, this practice was later banned under the Meiji-era Penal Code, possibly starting with a Cabinet Order in 1869. Despite the prohibition, illegal lotteries continued to flourish in urban areas, especially in more shadowy or unregulated parts of the cities.
On July 16, 1945 during the Second World War, the country would release "winning cards" in order to finance war expenses. As a result of lack of goods, prize prizes (cigarettes and kanakin (cotton calico)) were popularized but lost before the draw. After the war in 1948, local Japanese governments were permitted to release lottery tickets by the voting warrant certificate method.
Under Japanese law, it is illegal to purchase lottery tickets in Japan that are issued by foreign governments or overseas organizations. This is outlined in Article 187, Paragraph 3 of Japan's Criminal Code, which refers to the offense as the “Lucky Ticket Acceptance Crime.” Official advertisements by local governments, trust banks, and the Japan Lottery Association also clearly state this prohibition.
Europe
France
The first French lottery was created by King Francis I in or around 1505. After that first attempt, lotteries were forbidden for two centuries. They reappeared at the end of the 17th century, as a "public lottery" for the Paris municipality (called Loterie de L'Hotel de Ville) and as "private" ones for religious orders, mostly for nuns in convents.
Lotteries quickly became one of the most important resources for religious congregations in the 18th century, and helped to build or rebuild about 15 churches in Paris, including St. Sulpice and Le Panthéon. At the beginning of the century, the King avoided having to fund religious orders by giving them the right to run lotteries, but the amounts generated became so large that the second part of the century turned into a struggle between the monarchy and the Church for control of the lotteries. In 1774, the monarchy—specifically Madame de Pompadour—founded the Loterie de L'École Militaire to buy what is called today the Champ de Mars in Paris, and build a military academy that Napoleon Bonaparte would later attend; they also banned all other lotteries, with 3 or 4 minor exceptions. This lottery became known a few years later as the Loterie Royale de France. Just before the French Revolution in 1789, the revenues from La Lotteries Royale de France were equivalent to between 5 and 7% of total French revenues.