Sports lottery to boost Australia's Olympic funding, says minister

The Australian government is a step closer to introducing a British-style Olympic lottery which could raise 50 million AU dollars ($37.2 million) annually for the development of elite sports, according to a plan outlined by Sports Minister Greg Hunt on Monday.

In a statement, the government said a national sports lottery was among the options "being considered" to boost Australia's prospects for future Olympic meets, and according to Hunt, it could be up and running by as early as July 1, 2018, reports Xinhua news agency.

Speaking to the press, Hunt confirmed he had held talks with representatives from the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) and the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC), who agreed that public funding through a lottery was one of the better options to raise revenue for Australia' s Olympic sporting bodies.

"It's something that in my time and on my watch I would like to see us achieve," Hunt said.

"It's something which I strongly support, I know in my discussions with (AOC President) John Coates and (ASC Chairman) John Wylie they've long been advocates of this, and this is a way of finding funds, working with the states," he added.

The plan for a national lottery has been around since the late 1970s, with one major criticism being that it could encourage gambling -- something the government has attempted to crack down on in recent times, but Hunt said the lottery was "very different."

"If it is legislated and highly regulated, and it's a public good lottery then that's sensible," Hunt said.

"It is a sensible way to provide additional permanent sports funding which I think is fair, reasonable and appropriate. In 30, 50 and 100 years it will still be here and providing a way to support participation and support performance for elite Australian sport," he continued.

The British system was implemented since 1994, with 28 per cent of the revenue raised going to good causes within sport. Half of all returns go back into the prize pool, with the government receiving the remaining 12 per cent cut.

A similar allocation in Australia could raise up to 50 million AU dollars ($37.2 million) per year, meaning Australia's Tokyo 2020 campaign could benefit by as much as 100 million AU dollars ($74.4 million) -- with the money to be distributed among high-performance Olympic sports programs in the lead up to the Games.

The lottery measure was touted last year as one option to boost performance after Australia's poor showing at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, at which Australia finished 10th on the medal tally -- well below its record fourth-place showings at both Sydney and Athens in 2000 and 2004.

In contrast to Australia's results, Britain, under the lottery system, went from 10th on the tally in Sydney in 2000 to second behind the United States in Rio last year.

The lottery plan is part of the Australian government's wider National Sport Plan, which Hunt said would set out the "long-term strategy for the whole of elite sport." Hunt said public submissions on the National Sports Plan would be open until July 31.

--IANS

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