$1M cheque from Lotto profit

Press, 7 October 1987, Page 29

$1M cheque from Lotto profit

PA Wellington Lotto was probably the most popular form of gambling In New Zealand’s history, said the Minister of Internal Affairs, Dr Bassett, when he received the game’s first $1 million profit Flanked by two huge yellow Lotto balloons in the Beehive theaterette, Dr Bassett received the cheque from Mr David Bale, chief executive of the Lotteries Commission. Dr Bassett is also chairman of the Lotteries Commission, which distributes profits from Lotto and other forms of gambling to sporting, cultural and other community based .groups.

Mr Bale said the commission’s research showed 72,000 people over the age of 15 had tried Lotto, and

more than half of them planned to play the game every week. About $3 million a week was spent on Lotto. In answer to a question, Dr Bassett said he was happy with that level of spending. It was not the Government’s job to tell people that it was wrong for them to make a small investment in gambling once a week. <. "It is probably the most popular form of gambling In New Zealand’s history,” he said. Mr Bassett Said he believed the secret of Lotto’s success was that it had so many winners. “The prizes are small on average but for most people it is a small weekly flutter," he said.