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South Korea launches mobile lottery ticket sales next week

A digital leap for Korea's booming lottery industry—now just a tap away. But will the new 5,000 won limit curb spending or spark even more demand?

,   and  Administrator
2 min read
The image shows a black and white newspaper advertisement for a lottery ticket with a lot of...
The image shows a black and white newspaper advertisement for a lottery ticket with a lot of numbers on it. The paper has text and numbers written on it, likely indicating the results of the lottery.

South Korea launches mobile lottery ticket sales next week

South Korea will soon allow lottery ticket purchases via smartphone. The Korea Lottery Commission has approved a pilot phase for mobile sales, starting next Monday. Buyers will face a spending limit of 5,000 won ($3) per draw during the trial period.

The move comes as the country's lottery market continues to expand, with annual sales projected to reach 8 trillion won this year—more than double the 3.5 trillion won recorded in 2004.

The new mobile sales system is part of a broader reform of Korea's lottery system. Total online purchases, including those made on computers, will be capped at 5 percent of the previous year's total Lotto sales. This restriction aims to control growth while adapting to digital demand.

Alongside mobile sales, the government plans to revise the Lottery Act to make revenue distribution more flexible. Currently, funds are allocated to sports (40 percent), culture and arts (20 percent), welfare (25 percent), and environmental projects (15 percent). The new rules will loosen the fixed 35 percent statutory distribution requirement, allowing adjustments between 35 and 40 percent based on performance.

A sunset clause will also be introduced to prevent automatic funding. Instead, allocations will prioritise projects based on importance rather than habit. The government intends to submit a bill incorporating these changes to the National Assembly in the first half of the year.

The Lottery Fund itself has grown significantly, rising from 900 billion won in 2004 to an estimated 3.2 trillion won today. This increase reflects the market's steady expansion over the past two decades.

The pilot phase for mobile Lotto purchases begins on Monday, with strict spending limits in place. If approved, the proposed legal changes will give authorities more control over how lottery revenue is distributed. The reforms aim to modernise the system while ensuring funds support key public initiatives.

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