Lotteries in Australia

Lotteries in Australia are government-regulated gambling products operated under licences issued by Australian state and territory governments. The sector includes national draw lotteries, instant win games, keno, and subscription-style lottery products, delivered through both retail and digital platforms.

While licensing is conducted at a state and territory level, most major lottery games are operated nationally through cooperative arrangements that combine entries and prize pools across jurisdictions.

Industry structure

Lottery operations in Australia are regulated independently by each state and territory government. Licensed operators may be government-owned, privately owned, or not-for-profit entities.

As of the 2020s, the industry is dominated by three key organisations:

The Lottery Corporation – formed in 2022 following the demerger of Tabcorp's lotteries and keno business. It is the primary licensed operator in all Australian states and territories except Western Australia, and operates national draw games under The Lott brand, which encompasses Tatts Group, NSW Lotteries, Lotterywest, Golden Casket and SA Lotteries. Online resellers for Tatts Group include Jumbo Interactive and Netlotto.
The Lottery Office – a Northern Territory-licensed operator offering both international lottery draw-matching products and the Australian FutureBall lottery.
Lotterywest – a Western Australian Government-owned operator, with all profits returned to the community through grants and public funding.

Most major lottery games are conducted through a cooperative arrangement between The Lottery Corporation and Lotterywest, commonly referred to as the Australian Lotto Bloc, allowing prize pools to be shared nationally.

The minimum legal age to participate in lottery products is generally 18 years across Australia, except in Western Australia where Lotterywest products are available to individuals aged 16 and over.

Major lottery games

Australia offers a range of national and jurisdiction-specific lottery games. The primary national draw lotteries include:

The Lott

Saturday Lotto (also known as TattsLotto, Gold Lotto or X Lotto depending on jurisdiction)
Oz Lotto
Powerball
Weekday Windfall (marketed as Millionaire Medley in Western Australia)
Set for Life

These games are typically drawn multiple times per week and feature either jackpotting prize pools or fixed prize structures. Entries are available through authorised retail outlets and official online platforms.

FutureBall by The Lottery Office

FutureBall is Australia's newest lottery game, introduced in 2026, and operated by The Lottery Office, under licence by the Northern Territory Government of Australia.

The game features a fixed A$1 million top prize and is drawn twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays. Players select six numbers from a pool of 34 and one additional number from a secondary pool of three.

FutureBall includes four prize divisions, with the first division requiring all six main numbers plus the FutureBall and the additional number to be matched.

Unlike traditional Australian lotteries, the game has a unique feature where each possible number combination is only issued once per draw, ensuring that the Million Dollar Division 1 prize is never shared if won.

Other lottery products

International lotteries

The Lottery Office primarily offers lottery products that are matched to overseas lottery draws. When a player purchases a ticket in one of its Northern Territory Government-licensed games, the company purchases a corresponding ticket in an equivalent overseas lottery using the same selected numbers. If the overseas ticket wins a prize, the winnings are collected by The Lottery Office and the equivalent amount is paid to the player.

The lotteries sold by The Lottery Office are as follows:

USA Power Lotto aka Powerball (US)
USA Mega Lotto aka Mega Millions (US)
European Millions aka EuroMillions (Europe)
European Jackpot aka Eurojackpot (Europe)
Italian Super Jackpot aka SuperEnalotto (Italy)
La Primitiva aka El Gordo de la Primitiva (Spain)
Irish Lotto aka National Lottery (Ireland)
UK Lotto aka National Lottery (UK)

Keno

Keno is widely offered across Australia through licensed venues such as clubs, hotels and casinos, as well as online platforms. Draws occur frequently, typically every few minutes.

Keno products are primarily operated by The Lottery Corporation in several states and territories, with additional licensed operators in other jurisdictions.

Instant lotteries

Instant lottery tickets, commonly known as scratchcards or scratchies, are available in all Australian states and territories. Players reveal symbols or numbers on a ticket to determine whether they have won a prize.

Ticket prices and prize structures vary, with top prizes ranging from thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Draw lotteries

Draw-style lotteries with a fixed number of tickets, often referred to as raffle or lucky number lotteries, are also offered. These games typically feature a predetermined prize pool and may include jackpot mechanisms or guaranteed prize draws.

Examples include the Lucky Lotteries products operated by The Lottery Corporation.

Regulation and distribution

Lottery products in Australia are subject to strict regulatory oversight, including controls on licensing, advertising, prize structures, and responsible gambling measures.

Sales are conducted through a combination of retail outlets (such as newsagents and licensed venues) and official online platforms. Since the 2010s, there has been a significant shift toward digital sales channels.

Although lotteries are licensed at a state level, many games operate nationally through pooled prize arrangements. Revenue generated from lotteries is often directed toward public purposes, including community funding, infrastructure, and social programs.

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