Azerbaijan, Baku, April 18 / Trend A.Hasanov /
The sale of lottery tickets in Azerbaijan will be available on the Internet by late 2012, Azerlottery head Magsoud Taghiyev said on Wednesday during the event 'Legal regulation of lottery activity'.
The event was organised by Azerlottery supported by the European State Lotteries and Toto Association. Seminars on lotteries have been held annually since 2003 in cooperation with European partners.
"About 15,000 sites through which you can buy lottery tickets operate in European countries," said Taghiyev.
He said the organisation of on-line sales of lottery tickets in Azerbaijan will not lead to higher prices. "In 2012 we plan to increase sales of lottery tickets in the country at an average of 20 per cent," Azerlottery head said.
In 2011, Azerlottery sold 18.5 million of lottery tickets worth over 19.1 million manat. Taghiyev noted that 12 million manat, or 64 per cent of the total amount was the actual prize fund. The balance sheet profit of Azerlottery exceeded 1.6 million manat last year.
In 2011 Azerlottery raffled off big prizes worth 2.8 million manat. Some 1.2 million manat was transferred to the national budget.
Taghiyev said that since the beginning of 2012, sales of lottery tickets had increased by 26 per cent.
The official exchange rate is 0.786 AZN to $1 on April 18.