Spain's Lottery Sellers Call for Larger Christmas Jackpot
Spain faces rising living costs, with housing and energy expenses cutting into people's disposable income and diminishing hopes of lottery winnings, say lottery sellers. Some buyers even begin purchasing Christmas lottery tickets as early as spring, spending considerable amounts.
Proposals to Adjust Lottery Prizes and Ticket Prices
Borja Muniz, President of ANAPAL—the association of Spain’s 4,100 lottery shops—urges the government to increase both ticket prices and the top prize of the traditional Christmas draw to reflect inflation.
"The jackpot hasn't changed in 14 years, while prices have climbed about 26%. Before, you could buy two apartments with it. Now it barely covers one."
ANAPAL suggests raising the cost of a "decimo" (a tenth of a ticket) from 20 euros to 25 euros, and increasing the top prize from 400,000 euros to 500,000 euros per winning decimo. This proposal has been submitted to the state-run lottery agency and the Budget Ministry, though the agency declined to comment.
Impact on Lottery Sellers' Earnings
Rising inflation and costs have also reduced lottery sellers' profits. They are lobbying for their commission on Christmas lottery sales to increase from 4.5% to 6%, matching commissions on other national lotteries.
Upcoming Lottery Changes
The 2025 Spain Christmas Lottery, scheduled for 22 December, will introduce significant changes to the traditional draw.
"Spain's Christmas Lottery 2025 will introduce historic changes to the traditional draw scheduled for 22 December."
Author's summary: Spain’s lottery sellers push for higher ticket prices and bigger jackpots to keep pace with inflation and sustain their profits amid rising living costs.