B.C. Government Wins Big with Lottery

BRITISH COLUMBIA – As reported by the Vancouver Sun: "Chances are you're dreaming of winning the jackpot if you blow a few dollars on the lottery, and that dream will die when the numbers are drawn -- at least until the next chance.

"Much surer bets are that the individual who sold your ticket will make money, along with three levels of government, numerous non-profits and everybody else involved in every facet of British Columbia's $2.26-billion government-controlled gambling industry.

"…Prizes to lottery and bingo winners accounted for $641.5 million or about 31 cents of every dollar wagered in the 2005-06 fiscal year, according to the B.C. Lottery Corp.'s annual report released Monday. The lottery gave B.C. 14 instant millionaires over that time (13 of the 14 collected $2 million or more).

"But the biggest winner was the B.C. government. It scooped up $914.4 million, or about 45 cents of every dollar, up $103 million from the previous year. Lottery retailers and casino and bingo service providers divvied up $483 million, about 23 cents of every dollar, up from $409 million in 2004-05.

"…In addition to $32.9 million in GST revenues, Ottawa collected $8.3 million from B.C. under a long-standing agreement with the provinces on the withdrawal of the federal government from the lottery field…"