Law to allow sale of Lotto licence passed through Oireachtas
Politicians pass legislation allowing sale of the National Lottery licence for extended 20 year period.
Print18 April 2013
Members of the Dáil have passed through legislation to allow for the sale of the National Lottery licence. The National Lottery Bill was passed by 90 votes to 42 with Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin and a number of independent TDs opposing the sale of the licence. The legislation allows for a bidding process to sell the licence to an operator to run the lottery.
The State will receive a substantial upfront payment from the licencee and the government has said it will still retain significant annual income for good causes. Part of the money raised by the sale of the licence has been earmarked for the new Children’s Hospital of Ireland.
The legislation, which now goes to the Séanad, provides for the establishment of a lottery regulator independent of the government. The regulator will be funded by an annual levy paid by the operator of the lottery. The legislation is due to be passed through all stages of the Oireachtas by July with bids for the license open early next year.
Under the revised legislation internet ticket sales will no longer be restricted; these are seen as the main growth area of lottery sales. An Post has already expressed an interest in purchasing the license, which was due to end last year, but the government extended it until June 2013 to give them time to make changes to the licensing process.
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