asked the Minister for Finance the total amount to date of national lottery ticket sales; the total amount of prize money paid out to date; the total cost of running the national lottery; the total surplus which has been generated by the national lottery; the total amount of all allocations made; the total amount available for allocation at present; and when the next allocations will be made.
Written Answers. - National Lottery Ticket Sales.
68.
The total amount of national lottery ticket sales from the commencement of the lottery to date is approximately £316 million.
The total amount of prize money paid out from the commencement of the lottery to 31 December 1988 was £94.472 million.
The total cost of running the lottery to 31 December 1988, including development costs, was £39.782 million.
It is not the practice to release detailed mid-year figures on the operation of the lottery. These are a matter for the Board of An Post National Lottery Company who have been licensed to operate the lottery. It is anticipated that a full breakdown of the 1989 performance will be available early in 1990, when the annual report and audited accounts of the company are published.
Under the terms of the National Lottery Act, 1986, the National Lottery Company is required to ensure that the total value of prizes distributed shall not be less than 40 per cent of sales revenue.
Under the terms of the licence under which the lottery is operated the total cost of running the national lottery is limited to 19.75 per cent of turnover.
The total surplus generated by the national lottery to end-December 1988 was £80.7 million, including interest accruing to the national lottery fund.
The total amount of all allocations made to date is £121.051 million. This includes allocations of the surplus expected to be achieved in 1989.
It is intended that the allocations for 1990 will be made early next year.