Shopkeepers fear lotto licence takeover will cut sales margins

Shopkeepers have expressed concern that the proposed sale of the National Lottery licence will have a negative impact on their business unless the Government provides safeguards to protect their revenue.

Yesterday, RGDATA — the representative body of 4,000 independent grocers and convenience stores — called on the Public Expenditure and Reform Minister Brendan Howlin, to specify that any new licence holder should provide the current sales margin to retailers.

RGDATA said many of its members who are National Lottery agents are concerned at the Government’s proposals to issue a new 20-year licence for the lottery which is currently held by a subsidiary of An Post.