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THE NATIONAL LOTTERY, now run by a private company since 2014, has released its annual report with total sales for the year ended 31 December 2016 at €750.2m, compared to €670.4m in 2015.
Premier Lotteries Ireland said that on top of the increased sales, it had raised €213 million for good causes. It also said that Ireland has a “high rate” of participation with 2.1 million of all Irish adults playing games on a regular basis.
Its report also stated that 38 new millionaires were created, with players sharing overall prizes to the value of €422 million.
The company cited the introduction of its app as one of the main reasons for its increase in sales with nearly 400,000 people signing up to choose their numbers online.
Dermot Griffin, CEO of Premier Lotteries Ireland said that the completion of the company’s second full year of trading has seen a “significant and positive return to sustainable and responsible growth for the National Lottery”.
He said: “Several important initiatives were activated during the year, including the continued refresh of our game portfolio, major investment in our online and retail channels and the launch of the new National Lottery app.
“The strategy which began with transition to the new license in 2014 is now seeing the benefits of the large-scale investment in our infrastructure. This is delivering prizes to our players and most importantly securing much needed funds for deserving good causes across Ireland – a responsibility we take very seriously.”
However, it has not been plain sailing for the private firm, which has the licence to operate the lottery here for 20 years.
Accounts filed for Premier Lotteries Ireland (PLI) in 2015 showed the company lost €17.4 million for its first 19 months in operation. However, that figure included just one month of ticket sales.
Sales slumped in 2015 due to a number of technology issues but now the company says it is on the right track.
The company, which is backed by the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan and An Post among others, paid €405 million in 2014 year for the licence to run the National Lottery.
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Etzellent news.
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Would love a job from them
Me too!
As would I! I spend enough money on it…
Meant to post the above comment on our Cufflinks profile !
We use ETSY for our Cufflinks & the majority of sales come from the US on ETSY. Its is a very popular with shoppers in the states & seems to be growing at a good rate. For small shop owners in Ireland who cannot afford a website, nor have the knowledge having ETSY setting up in Ireland is very positive as they be encouraged to set up a shop. Ireland needs money & ETSY can help craft makers in Ireland export their goods. Has to be positive?
Never heard of them before… but having such a huge company come to Ireland is brilliant
No Pat Rabbitte they didn’t come because of highly skilled workforce they came to dodge taxes , the highly skilled workforce is a bonus
The ability to poach experienced staff from the likes of eBay and Amazons EMEA hq’s is reason enough to move here. If it was just the tax rate they’d be in Luxemburg.
The function of any company is to increase shareholder value. That’s no conspiracy, it’s common sense. If Ireland is able to offer effective incentives to entice companies to set up shop here, then good. Of course a company will choose where it sets up shop based on the benefits that country offers. Again, common sense. Job creation = good. A company and it’s employees contributing to the Irish economy = good. I can understand that people are less than happy in this country, but Ai don’t understand what people persist in trying to find a dark cloud behind every silver lining. Do people want this country to fail and to never recover? Can anyone give me an example of where griping bitterness and universal pessimism lead to either a economic or emotional upturn in a country?
We’re Irish. We’re good at doing misery, with all the wailing and gnashing to teeth that goes along with it. Point proved. But it’s not going to help us any. It’s just begrudgery to the point where we’re blinded by anything good in our lives at all. Could we all just call a truce and agree to avoid the directionless whinging?
Here here!
Agh I love etsy. :) love handmade stuff :) and yeay for jobs!!
Excellent news for Dublin and Ireland! I ? Etsy
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