A bid for younger players
Japanese authorities have given the all-clear to online lottery ticket sales, according to the Japan Times. The program will launch in October.
Most lotteries will be represented. To play, gamblers will have to register as members on lottery websites. Winnings will be electronically transferred to winners’ designated bank accounts, reported CalvinAyre.com.
“One reason for the online option is because lottery sales have been decreasing,” said Internal Affairs Minister Seiko Noda, adding that more than 90 percent of tickets are currently sold in outlets with limited business hours. She said people aged 50 or older make up about 60 percent of store sales, meaning that “efforts to reach potential customers in younger generations have been weak, and that expanding sales channels to web and smartphones is needed.”
Sales of lottery tickets peaked 13 years ago, in 2005. In 2016, sales amounted to just over JPY 845 billion (US$7.7 billion).
Noda said she hopes to see the new service add 500,000 users in its first six months.
