People may soon be able to play the Lotto on the internet, by mobile phone and through interactive television, the National Lottery revealed yesterday.
Publishing its results for 2004, the company said a priority for this year was to prepare the ground for "new media distribution channels" by which existing and new players would be able to play National Lottery games.
Company chairman Donal Curtin said it would make a decision on tenders for the project by the end of the year. However, he said, it would be "optimistic" to foresee a range of new media products on the market in 2005.
Under the plan, people would have to pre-register with the company before playing lottery games on the internet or by mobile phone.
Under State lottery rules, only Irish residents aged over 18 are allowed to play such games.
Mr Curtin said "protections and guarantees" would be put in place to stop teenagers from playing, adding that the company would go about its business "in an extremely responsible way".
However, he said the National Lottery needed to be "positioned" at the 18-20 year-old age bracket, from which the "next crop of players" would come.
Company director Ray Bates said the company was wary of internet betting exchanges, such as Betfair, eating into the National Lottery's business. "We see an additional space opening up and we need to try to get in there."
The company showed a 3.4 per cent increase in sales last year to a record €578.3 million.
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