The government has increased the price of a lottery ticket from Rs 20 to Rs 30 from today (2)
Earlier, lottery dealers engaged in demonstrations and protest rallies against the price increase and demanding increase in prize and their commission. Now their paid Rs 4 commission per ticket. With the increase they demanded it to be increased to 525 per ticket. On Saturday (31) they staged in a demonstration in Kurunagala carrying a coffin and a wreath with posters reading ‘’ death of the lottery’’ .
Lottery dealers commenced an islandwide strike yesterday in protest against the Government’s decision to increase ticket prices.
Speaking to the media, the president of the Ceylon Lottery Dealers’ Association, Krishantha Marambe said, that all lottery stalls in the country had closed due to the strike.
“The Government wants tax revenue of Rs 5 from every lottery ticket. But they already receive Rs 20 billion from lottery tickets per year.
Therefore, the authorities must reconsider the proposed ticket price increase,” he added.