Israeli Lotteries

Mifal HaPayis, established in 1951, is the national lottery provider. Since 1954, it has been a major source of funding for the Israeli education system. Lottery products include instant scratch tickets, electronic instant tickets, daily lotto and keno.

In June 2005, the Israeli National Lottery was given permission to install 500 slot machines at 150 locations. These machines operate in hotels and retail establishments alongside other lottery products.

In March 2012, the new license for Mifal HaPayis granted the Finance Ministry broad oversight over legal gambling in Israel. The new license requires government approval of senior appointments at the lottery, places limits on lottery advertising, and requires Mifal HaPayis to publish allocation of funds criteria. If Mifal HaPayis violates the terms of the new license, the Finance Ministry has power to act against Mifal HaPayis, including revoking its license or canceling lottery draws.

Lottery revenues amounted to NIS 4.628 billion in 2010, an increase of 2.5% from 2009.