Demand for state lotteries in post war period: a case study from Ampara district in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Sri Lankan lotteries are run as a business, with well organized advertising and it is focusing on persuading target groups to spend their money on the lottery. Then the Sri Lankan state lottery industry can be identifying as a duopoly market with two firms Development lottery board and National lottery board. This study aims to explore the factors which caused to change the demand for state lotteries in Ampara District after the war. Study is mainly based on the Ampara Divisional Secretariat Division. This study used the survey techniques and used purposive systematic techniques including the sample size of 100 lottery buyers who are dealing with selected stable lottery selling centers and select few employees who are work under the all agents and interviewed them. As well as from the supply side of state lotteries mainly collecting data and information from only two firms which are already identify as National lottery board and Development lottery board. SPSS statistical software is used to analyze the data set. The study revealed that there were significance increases in demand for lotteries and positive relationship between monthly income and expenditure per month on state lotteries after the war. There were positive relationship between the size of the price and the monthly expenditure on lotteries. On the other hand, random customers are ready to increase lottery demand. However, regular customers have addicted and it becomes essential good for them after the war. Males represented a higher demand for state lotteries than the females and the percentage of the male are double of the female. In addition to that, Mahajana Sampatha lottery has selected as the first choice by highest proportion of respondent As well as for gather the lottery results, huge proportion of respondents are mostly familiar with the advertisements on television. The study revealed that policy recommended in Ampara district increase for state lotteries. As well as increasing lottery demand leads to increase Mahapola scholarships trust fund and president's fund. That. Leads to increase economic growth and uplifting poor people's living standard, catering to the health, providing funds for maintains of religious institutions welfare societies and sports to the Head of art after the war period.