: Under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime, Kerala faces the threat of serious erosion in its annual revenue worth around Rs.4,000 crore from lottery sales.
Finance Minister T. M. Thomas Isaac said here on Tuesday that lotteries would come under the GST and once its in effect, Kerala will be forced to allow the operation of lotteries from other States, including Sikkim and Bhutan, which have been banned. These lotteries were banned because they violated the laws governing the operation of lotteries in the country, said Dr. Isaac.
Inaugurating a convention of lottery sellers and agents at the Town Hall here, Dr. Isaac said the stakeholders, cutting across the political divide, must stand together to fight the return of lotteries that were banned. He said that lottery agents and sellers must submit a mass petition to the Union government not to allow the return of these lotteries. The convention was organised by the Lottery Agents’ and Sellers’ Union, affiliated to the Centre of Indian Trade Unions.
Security
The government has constituted a committee to evolve measures to increase the security of lottery tickets.
Features such as watermark and hologram are being considered. The government is also planning to telecast the draw of lots.
