Vienna (Thomson Financial) - Bawag P.S.K. sold its 36 pct stake in Austria's monopoly lottery operator Oesterreichische Lotterien GmbH to Casinos Austria AG. Bawag sold the stake as part of its sell-off of non-banking assets following its takeover by US hedge fund Cerberus Capital Management last December. The financial terms of the transaction were not released, but previous media reports pegged the value of Bawag's stake at around 200 mln eur.

Lotteries of Caixa Económica Federal (CEF) have just broken one of the most important records in the history of the country. Last week, partial collection of 2007 exceeded the total sales volume of 2006, closing on USD 2.3 billion. That’s why commercialization on the current year is of USD 8.45 million more compared to 2006. Such performance reinformes the projection of the record collection of 2007, more than USD 2.8 billion.

The Victorian government has broken a 54-year monopoly on the state's lottery market, awarding licences to both Tattersall's and Intralot. In opening up the market, the government hopes to reap more money - from more gambling. Today's announcement coincides with a report clearing the state government of any bias in its gaming tender process. The report, by a review panel chaired by retired federal court judge Ron Merkel QC, said the two gaming giants had been treated equally and impartially.

Britain National Lottery operator Camelot is lobbying the Treasury to change the way it is taxed, claiming this would boost prizes and increase contributions to good causes and the London Olympics. Camelot, which last month was awarded the next ten-year Lottery licence beginning in 2009, is urging the government to scrap the current tax of USD 0.24 on every USD 2 ticket. Instead, it is asking to be taxed in the same way as bookmakers, with a tax on gross profits. It wants the rate set at 24%.

London/Munich, September 6, 2007: Lotteries are increasingly interested in benchmarking and success factors, as for example the recent WLA seminar “Benchmarking Lottery Performance” has shown. In response, MECN has prepared a unique benchmarking report analysing data from more than 150 lotteries. The report also discusses best practices as well as success factors (results of a survey of lottery executives).

The decision to name Camelot as winner of the competition to operate the National Lottery for a third consecutive term could be heading for a challenge in the high court after Sugal & Damani, the sole rival bidder, said it was considering seeking a judicial review. The Delhi-based conglomerate, with interests in jewellery, hotels and stockbroking as well as lotteries, attacked the decision this month by the National Lottery Commission to select Camelot as preferred bidder for the 10-year monopoly licence, starting in 2009.

The NZ Lotteries Commission is likely to offer tickets to most of its current prize draws online, before developing new games specifically tailored for the Web. The commission says it has begun talking to technology suppliers about what would be involved in offering Lotto tickets online, while discussions continue with regulators who will influence whether it gets the green light.

The British winner of a GBP 35.4m jackpot was last night still to claim their EuroMillions lottery prize. It is the largest lottery payout in Britain, but it is thought that the ticket-holder probably isn't even aware of his or her good fortune yet. The draw, which saw the numbers 23, 40, 42, 43 and 49 and lucky star numbers 2 and 6 come up, was held on Friday night. Camelot, which operates the British arm of the European lottery, said the winner, who scooped a grand total of GBP 35,425,412, has not yet come forward.

Camelot has been chosen as the preferred bidder for the latest licence to run the UK's National Lottery. The licence, the third in the lottery's history, will come into effect in February 2009 and last for 10 years. Camelot has run the National Lottery since its launch in 1994 and said it expected to conclude talks with the National Lottery Commission this month. Camelot had been facing competition from Indian company Sugal & Damani, which wanted to take over the lottery.

At just before 10am tomorrow, two phone calls will be made from the offices of the National Lottery Commission in Mayfair. There is little danger they'll go unanswered. At the other end, awaiting news of their fate, will be executives from Camelot, which has run the Lottery since its inception in 1994, and Sugal & Damani, a little-known New Delhi-based firm now vying to win the right to run Britain's biggest-selling gaming product.

The European Commission said last week that it’s taking Spain to court over its discriminatory taxes on lottery winnings from lotteries organized abroad. Currently Spain subjects lottery winnings from lotteries organized abroad to a progressive income tax, while locally accrued winnings are exempt from such taxes. This discriminatory taxation goes against E.U. law as it restricts the freedom to provide services, the commission said.

Toronto -- One senior executive was fired and another removed of his title Tuesday as the fallout from a scandal involving allegations of fraud and suspicious insider wins at Ontario's lottery corporation widened. Michelle DiEmanuele, Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation's interim chief executive, announced the changes Tuesday afternoon in a memo to staff.