‘Monopoly-type’ Lottery cards blocked

The National Lottery was blocked from releasing scratch cards based on the popular Monopoly board game — because the lotto watchdog feared they would appeal to children.

Carol Boate, Regulator of the National Lottery, yesterday told the Oireachtas Finance Committee Premier Lotteries Ireland, awarded a 20-year licence for the National Lottery in 2014, has since made 113 requests to the regulator including new lottery games, new service providers, and changes to Codes of Practice for Sales.

Ms Boate said that 87 of these requests were approved, 19 were rejected, and seven withdrawn. Six of the rejected proposals were Monopoly-themed games.