Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan on Wednesday said that the Congress-led UDF government was planning a comprehensive revamp of the State lotteries. The proposed measures will include a revision of the prize structure and the commission of lottery agents, Mr. Satheesan said in the State Legislative Assembly.
Mr. Satheesan was speaking in the House after Congress MLA Saneeshkumar Joseph called his attention to the challenges faced by the lottery sector due to an alleged decline in lottery ticket sales.
The revamp is intended to overcome the issues plaguing the sector through measures that will improve lottery sales and protect the people who depend on lottery sales for their livelihood, the Chief Minister said.
Mr. Satheesan’s announcement gains relevance against the backdrop of the measures adopted by the previous CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) to revise the prize structure.
Following the Goods and Services Tax (GST) rejig by the Union government in 2025, the tax on lottery rose from 28% to 40%. Consequently, the agency commission was increased from 10% to 12%, and the number of prizes below ₹5,000 were slashed. “The State government feels that these measures adversely impacted the State lotteries,” Mr. Satheesan said.
The proposed revamp will modernise the lottery sector, he said.
Urging the government to prop up the sector, Mr. Joseph wanted the government to restructure the lottery prizes and reinstate the Karunya Benevolent Fund Board. He pointed out that nearly 2 lakh retail sellers, 20,000 sub-agents and 10,000 agents depended on the lottery sector.
Published - July 01, 2026 11:44 am IST
Source: The Hindu - India News
