The Western Australian community is set to benefit from a significant boost to community grants and funding through Lotterywest.
Lotterywest has returned a record year of sales for the 2018-19 financial year, totalling $985.3 million, which will result in a 15 per cent increase to statutory grants provided for health, sport and arts programs in Western Australia.
The welcomed boost follows the McGowan Government’s new laws which ban online lottery betting organisations and aims to minimise harm to at-risk gamblers in WA.
The new laws, which delivered on a firm commitment and complements Commonwealth laws, protect Lotterywest and ensure it can continue to support the WA community through its grants program.
New initiatives announced last month by the McGowan Government to boost sales and create long-term sustainability for Lotterywest’s network of small retail businesses, are designed to provide a strong return for the WA community through Lotterywest grants.
Retailer commissions on Lotterywest sales will increase by 10.8 per cent from December this year ensuring Lotterywest continues to pay the highest retailer commission in Australia.
Lotterywest’s unique model of returning profits to the community through direct community grants resulted in 613 not-for-profit community organisations and local government authorities receiving more than $102 million in 2018-19.
The sales result meant a total of $281.7 million in statutory and direct community grants were delivered across the State, and now with record sales it is expected to result in more direct grants in future years.
Under the Lotteries Commission Act 1990, 40 per cent of the profits on the sale of all Lotterywest games go to Western Australia’s hospitals and public health services, this year amounting to $143.7 million, up from $124.6 million last year.
A further five per cent (about $18 million) each is allocated to the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries for its sport and recreation and culture and the arts programs – up from $15.6 million each last year.
In 2018-19, statutory grants were used towards funding for 87 State Sporting Associations, supporting more than 830,000 members through 4,500 local sporting clubs across the State including the elite programs at the WA Institute of Sport.
Culture and the arts will benefit from $18 million to support a variety of groups and projects. Previously, funding has helped more than 40 organisations including the Spare Parts Puppet Theatre, Perth Festival, Screenwest, WA Ballet, the WA Opera and the WA Symphony Orchestra.
This year Western Australian players won $454.6 million in prizes, including 58 Division One winners and 44 Scratch ‘n’ Win Top Prize winners.
The benefits from the past financial year’s strong sales will flow to future grants funding and community organisations and other eligible organisations.
For more information about applying for a Lotterywest grant visit https://www.lotterywest.wa.gov.au/grants/how-to-apply or call 13 77 77.
As stated by Premier Mark McGowan:
“My government made a firm commitment to ban online lottery betting organisations like Lottoland and we delivered that with our new laws introduced last year.
“It’s pleasing to see that our WA community is set to benefit from more community grants in health, the arts and sporting programs.
“Already hundreds of community groups benefit from Lotterywest grants and this is expected to continue.
“Lotterywest plays an important role in Western Australia, with the money raised going back to the community through prizes and grants.
“The record return is a testament to the hundreds of small, local businesses and retailers who are behind Lotterywest games and of course the players who participate.”
LOTTERYWEST 2018-19 FINANCIAL YEAR KEY STATISTICS:
- End of Financial Year sales of $985,251,122 – up 15 per cent on the last financial year
- There was $736,234,787 contributed to the WA community in the form of prize winnings and grants:
- $143,689,585 statutory grants to the Department of Health (up 15 per cent on last financial year)
- $17,961,199 statutory grant to the Culture and the Arts (WA), a division of the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries (DLGSC) (up 15 per cent on last financial year)
- $17,961,199 statutory grant to Sport and Recreation (WA), a division of DLGSC (up 15 per cent on last financial year)
- $102,039,519 in direct grants to community organisations (note 2018-19 record sales is expected to result in more grants in future years)
- $454,583,285 in prize payouts to WA winners.
