The first-ever online-only lottery in India is launched in Goa.

The first-ever online-only lottery in India is launched in Goa.

 Now, Indians can play a state-sanctioned lottery entirely online.  The ilottery aspires to bring more honesty to a sector plagued by allegations of fraud and mismanagement.

 The first draw is scheduled for 24 November, and ticket sales commenced yesterday.

 The app-based platform was authorised by Goa's Directorate of Small Savings and Lotteries, with Rhiti Group serving as the operator.  According to MediaBrief's interview with group founder Arun Pandey, Great Goa Games would provide gamers with "a secure and convenient way" to play.  In February 2023, the directorate released regulations for the online lottery.

 "We are committed to making opportunities accessible to everyone through technology," he declared.

 The state of Goa, sometimes referred to as "the Las Vegas of India," is one of thirteen in India that currently allows lottery games.  Others have outright forbidden them due to allegations of corruption, poor administration, or gambling addiction.

 Chaos reigns at India's lottery
 A top official in Goa's government, Narayan Gad, has stated that the regulated games will revolutionise the lottery sector.  The product's technological foundation will lead to more openness and better oversight of business processes.

 Nevertheless, accusations of fraud and manipulation can easily be levelled against internet networks.

 Kerala used to have an online lottery, but they only held one draw every week, according to tech website MediaNama.  After discovering that many lotteries were running at the same time, government officials decided to pull the plug.  Kerala was declared a "free zone" for "online, internet and computerised lotteries" after the ban was imposed.

 Similarly, when investigating allegations of collusion between government officials and online lottery organisers in Maharashtra, law enforcement discovered proof of simultaneous execution of numerous lotteries.

 While upholding the Kerala prohibition in 2015, the Supreme Court did mention that ticket terminals might be changed.  This left players in the dark about whether or not the tickets they received came from a real server.

 Adapting to modern times
 The Indian lottery sector has allegedly fallen behind the times due to its dependence on physical merchants and paper tickets, as stated in a 2024 white paper by the non-profit research group Pahle India Foundation (PIF).

 The publication noted that paper lotteries have a number of problems, including the possibility of tickets being lost during shipment, the selling of counterfeit or fraudulent tickets, and the tedious and laborious process of keeping track of all tickets, whether they are sold, unsold, or damaged.  "Corruption may result from the serious logistical challenge of handling high volume transactions, which compromises integrity and compliance."

 Furthermore, India has been dubbed "the next Silicon Valley" by the World Economic Forum.  The country's culture of high technology isn't compatible with low technology games, according to PIF.

 "The Indian lottery industry is missing out on opportunities presented by the proliferation of smartphones and low-cost internet" due to its fixation on paper lotteries.  Digital India's goal of making the industry more open, efficient, compliance-oriented, and player-protective has not yet been achieved.

 Potential for revenue, broader advantages
 Annual revenue from the Indian lottery was predicted by PIF to be $33 billion (£26 billion/€31 billion), with a possible tax revenue of $12 billion.

 According to Hans India, the Great Goa Games will provide instructional materials to encourage participants to play it safe and promote responsible gaming.  "Furthermore, since the lottery is conducted online, players will be able to see exactly where their money is going, which is great for social causes like healthcare and education."