Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 June 2026
275. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation to outline the quantum of unclaimed prizes at the National Lottery annually for each of the years 2023, 2024 and 2025; and the percentage that was used to further advertise the National Lottery's products; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47444/26]
View answerThe amount of National Lottery prizes that expired unclaimed in 2023 and in 2024 is published in the notes to the audited accounts of the National Lottery Fund 2023 and 2024, respectively. These accounts have been laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas and the relevant figures are:
2023: €19.6 million.
2024: €15.1 million.
The amount of National Lottery prizes that expired unclaimed in 2025 will be in the notes to the audited accounts of the National Lottery Fund 2025. These accounts will be submitted to the Minister and laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas in the coming months, in line with the National Lottery Act 2013.
Under the terms of the Licence to operate the National Lottery, the Operator is obliged to spend all expired unclaimed prize money on promoting the National Lottery and its games, and promptly (within 365 days). The independent statutory Regulator of the National Lottery monitors the Operator’s compliance with its obligations in this regard. The percentage of the expired unclaimed prize money that is used for each form of promotion is confidential and commercially sensitive and the Regulator is obliged by the Licence not to disclose such information to any third party.
