Goa Launches India’s First State Online Lottery

The Online Draws Start for Residents of 13 States and Goa

India has inaugurated its first official and true online lottery operation, where the first lucky numbers drawn were 42, 20, 34, 47, 16, and 24.

These numbers came out in the inaugural Sunday Kasturi Lotto on the 24th of November, 2024. The price? ₹100 for the chance to win ₹5 crores ($600 thousand).

According to media reports, the cash prizes for bumper draws will reach ₹50 crores ($6 million). Daily Keno draws are also among the offerings on the website.

The lottery is licensed by the Goa Directorate of Small Savings & Lotteries and is operated by Rhiti Sports under the name Great Goa Games (GGG). The online lottery is fully paperless and applies state-of-the-art technology.

“We are thrilled to launch Great Goa Games, the sole completely technology-based online lottery brand from India,” Rhiti Sports founder Arun Pandey stated.

A variety of daily draws offer prizes such as ₹10, ₹15, or ₹20 lakhs, with tickets costing ₹20, ₹30, and ₹40, respectively. Playing for draws with bigger prizes like ₹2 and ₹5 crores costs ₹80 and ₹100, respectively.

To play, punters must create a free account with a phone number and an OTP (One-Time Password). Payments work through PhonePe, Google Pay, “or any Third-Party Wallets.” Debit card and Net Banking payments are in the list of acceptable methods, the GGG Lottery website clarifies.

GGG Tickets Are Allowed in States without Lottery Bans

Tickets are available for purchase for residents of Goa and for players “physically located” in 13 other states where lotteries are legal. These are Maharashtra, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, and Sikkim.

People from states where the local gambling legislation bans lotteries cannot legally buy tickets. However, according to our research paper on the Indian lottery market, these states typically generate the biggest traffic to international online lottery draws.

The exceptions are Maharashtra and West Bengal. While they allow Indian lottery products in their territories, they still register significant traffic for offshore chance game operators.

Maharashtra, in particular, is the leading state in terms of providing online lottery traffic. Our proprietary data shows that this state is responsible for 19.76% of national user acquisition and brings 18.29% of value generated by operators.

West Bengal is in the Top 5, originating 7.64% of users and 6.45% of value for online lottery platforms.

Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and NCT Delhi are the other big traffic generators. However, they are outside the market for GGG Lottery.

The “Lottery in India” white paper by the Pahle India Foundation (PIF) estimates the country’s market at $33 billion (₹2.8 lakh crore). Even with access to only 13 states plus Goa, India’s first true online lottery has a large business niche to fill.

Setting A New Standard for the Lottery Industry

“The technology-based product will enhance transparency and ensure improved monitoring and regulation of operations.” This was the statement of the Director of Goa’s Directorate of Small Savings & Lotteries, Narayan Gad.

“With the marketing license issued by the Directorate of Small Savings and Lotteries, Government of Goa, ‘Great Goa Games’ is set to become a trailblazer in India’s lottery industry,” the Government of Goa stated.

The lottery industry “currently functions on a largely paper ticket-based system.” It “is officially prevalent in more than 10 states in India,” the Government spokesperson pointed out.

“Paper-based lotteries are prone to issues such as loss of tickets during transportation, sale of defective or fake tickets. And the difficult and arduous task of maintaining records of tickets (sold, unsold, and defective),” PIF’s White Paper highlighted.

“Handling high volume transactions… poses a serious logistical challenge compromising integrity and compliance, potentially leading to corruption.”

“At Rhiti Sports, our mission is to democratize opportunities through technology,” former cricketer Arun Pandey told the media.

“Great Goa Games will not only offer an unparalleled experience for players but also build trust and excitement. This initiative underscores our commitment to societal betterment through innovation, making the lottery accessible and rewarding for everyone,” he added.

“Lottery as a form of gaming and entertainment is now accepted across India,” Narayan Gad said.

“With our online lottery streamlining processes through technology, we are setting a new standard in the lottery industry. The technology-based product will enhance transparency and ensure improved monitoring and regulation of operations,” he stressed.

Technology-Enabled Responsible Gaming

Statements in the media point out that Great Goa Games’ online lottery aims to transform the industry by promoting responsible gaming through technology and transparency.

Dedicated sections of the GGG website will educate users on the risks and rewards of participation in chance games and lottery. Thus, they will insure that users make informed choices.

The platform will also clearly track how the proceeds fund various initiatives like education and healthcare. This will foster trust and accountability.

The lottery encourages community support by aligning entertainment with meaningful causes while advancing a more responsible and aware society.