A lottery cap that would fit nicely
IT IS tempting to think of the Channel Islands lottery as one long success story. Forty-one years after its inception it is still pouring hundreds of thousands of pounds into charities and generating huge interest in both Bailiwicks. But it has not been a smooth ride. The National Lottery, in particular, hit sales hard in the mid-1990s and it was only by bringing in scratch cards and then a professional gaming company that the lottery got back on track.
Many might now question the direction taken as the addictive nature of scratch cards has got a hold in Guernsey to the point where we now outsell Jersey by a ratio of 63:37, almost the exact reverse of Christmas lottery ticket sales, which tend to mirror the population gap.
A States report two years ago sought to reassure islanders that there was little evidence that Guernsey has a major gambling problem but the growth in scratch card revenue from just over £800,000 in 2007 to £7.2m. eight years later would indicate a looming issue.
However, while the grip of scratch cards shows no signs of abating and government must question its own addiction to the revenue, there are signs that the Christmas lottery draw is started to lose its lustre.
After the first million-pound top prize was reached in 2013 there was an expectation that it would just keep on rising. And sure enough the next year was a bumper one, hitting the all-time peak of £1,220,000.
Since then, however, while overall revenue is still creeping up the top prize has fallen away, dropping by £58,000 last Christmas and a further £41,000 this year.
Is it time then to consider a refresh, a new way of doing the lottery? If the magic and excitement of the million-pound top prize is fading perhaps the top prize could be capped and scores of bonus prizes added to spread the Christmas cheer across more islanders.
While a £10,000 prize here and there might not change lives forever it would certainly generate a few smiley faces and likes on social media.
And keeping interest levels high would, in turn, please the charities who rely so heavily on their own Christmas present.
