Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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406. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which he remains satisfied that issues affecting the operation and running of the National Lottery are resolved to the satisfaction of his Department with particular reference to the extent to which players of the lottery have a reasonable chance of winning in line with the mission statement; the extent to which unclaimed prizes are returned to the national lottery, its operators; if he continues to be satisfied that those who play the National Lottery are adequately protected to the highest possible standards for the operation of such lotteries [1815/24]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I am informed by the Regulator of the National Lottery that the chances of winning the Lotto jackpot are available on the National Lottery website and are 1 in 10.7 million. This version of the Lotto game commenced in 2015. There are detailed procedures in place to ensure the integrity of every draw and independent observers from KPMG check that each step is followed for each and every draw.

The Lotto jackpot can be won in every draw and the chances of winning are the same in every draw. In 2023 the Lotto jackpot was won on consecutive weeks on two occasions (July and October). The nature of National Lotteries is that winning the jackpot is not guaranteed in any individual draw, however a change to the Lotto game rules introduced in 2021 means that the Lotto jackpot cannot roll over indefinitely.

Following the unprecedented Lotto jackpot rollover in 2021, after the Lotto jackpot reached the historic high of €19.1 million and was therefore capped, the Lotto game rules were changed to also cap the number of rollovers at the new capped amount. If the Lotto jackpot rolls over to an amount above the previous historic jackpot amount, it will be capped at this new amount and allowed to roll over 5 times at most. At this point the next Lotto draw becomes a Will Be Won event whereby if it is not won by a ticket matching all 6 numbers, the entire Lotto jackpot will be shared among the next winning prize tier winners.

The first ever Lotto Will Be Won draw was held on 15 January 2022 and was won by a single ticket matching all 6 numbers. The Lotto jackpot was won 10 times in 2022 and 10 times in 2023.

With regard to unclaimed prizes, the Licence to operate the National Lottery requires that prizes that expire unclaimed are ringfenced and used solely for the promotion of the National Lottery and/or Lottery Games, and must be used for these purposes within 365 days. The Regulator monitors and enforces the operator’s compliance with the Licence.

In terms of safeguards for players, an independent statutory Regulator holds the Operator to account in safeguarding players through:

• Rigorous analysis of game approval requests.
• Proactive monitoring of the online and retail sales environments.
• Assessing the Operator’s promotional activities against the prescribed Code of Practice.
• Researching and identifying processes and practices that have demonstrated effectiveness in preventing harm and have potential to improve the National Lottery’s measures.
• Commissioning independent mystery shopping exercises.

• The rules and odds of every National Lottery game are readily available.
• The Operator must meet targets for how quickly it pays out prizes.
• The anonymity of winners is strictly protected.
• The Operator is limited in the type of products it can sell.
• It is illegal for any person, including the operator and any retailer, to sell or to offer for sale by any means a National Lottery ticket to a person under the age of 18, and mandatory ID for online sales, mystery shopping for retail sales and other measures are in place and monitored by the Regulator to prevent minors from purchasing.
• You cannot buy a ticket for any National Lottery draw after 10pm or before 7am.
• There are practical limits on how much you can spend in store on scratch cards and enforced limits on how much you can spend online.
• Online tools are available to players to assist them in controlling their spend including optional lower spend limits and self-exclusion for varying periods, including permanently.
• Advertising and promotion of the National Lottery is subject to detailed regulations specific to the nature of the product and in line with advertising standards generally in Ireland.

The Office of the Regulator continues to work to ensure the National Lottery is as safe as possible for the people of Ireland to play and enjoy.