Lottery sales to surpass 2.79 bln dollars this year in Korea

Lottery sales in Korea this year are likely to surpass 3 trillion won (2.79 billion U.S. dollars) for the second consecutive year.

According to the Strategy and Finance Ministry’s lottery committee and the National Gambling Control Commission under the Prime Minister`s Office Sunday, lottery sales from January through November reached 2.91 trillion won (2.7 billion dollars). The figure should exceed 3 trillion won for the year considering that lottery sales tend to rise in December.

The commission sets and notifies yearly limits of sales per bet. The lottery sales limit this year, or 2.88 trillion won (2.68 billion dollars), was surpassed last month. The lottery committee will suppress sales by halting marketing activities this month, but people will still be allowed to purchase lottery tickets.

january@donga.com