The price of a lottery ticket will remain at Rs. 20, as per a decision made by President Maithripala Sirisena, Finance State Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said.
Addressing a press conference at the Finance Ministry premises today he said the President had instructed the decision to increase the price of a lottery ticket from Rs. 20 to Rs. 30 is revoked.
He said the President made this order after discussing with relevant parties and studying all aspects of the issue.
A group of lottery dealers who met President Sirisena recently informed him that the sale of lotteries has decreased following the price hike. Lottery dealers had also engaged in demonstrations and a protest demanding the decision to hike prices is withdrawn.
Minister Yapa who met a group of lottery dealers following the press conference today, communicated the President’s decision, ending the dispute.
The State minister revealed that the sale of lottery tickets brought the government an income of Rs. 27 billion in 2015, and said he had asked the authorities to provide an estimate of the loss incurred by the National Lotteries Board due to this issue.
