Where Kerala Lottery Money Goes
Kerala lottery ticket money goes to GST, prize money, agents’ commission, running costs and the State’s revenue. The Kerala Gazette notification of each lottery fixes the GST and the prize money. The State budget shows what the lottery earns in a year.
Where does Kerala lottery ticket money go?
A Kerala ticket splits into 5 parts: GST, prizes, prize commission, running costs and State revenue. The first 3 are printed in the Gazette notification for each lottery. The last 2 come from the remainder.
- GST: 40% of the base value, inside the printed price.
- Prize money: the total offered in the notification, from the first prize to the smallest ending prize.
- Agents’ commission on prizes: paid to the agent who sold each winning ticket.
- Sale and running costs: the agency discount on sale, printing, draws and offices.
- State revenue: the surplus credited to the State.
Section 4(d) of the Lotteries (Regulation) Act 1998 sends sale proceeds into the public account of the State. Rule 7(2) of the Kerala Paper Lotteries Rules 2005 credits them to the general revenue of the State.
How is a ₹50 Kerala weekly lottery ticket split?
A ₹50 weekly ticket holds ₹14.29 of GST, ₹21.54 of prize money and ₹2.23 of prize commission. About ₹11.95 remains for sale costs, running costs and State revenue. The figures come from the Karunya notification of 10 November 2025.
| Part of a ₹50 Karunya ticket | Per ticket | Per draw (1,08,00,000 tickets printed) |
|---|---|---|
| GST at 40% | ₹14.29 | about ₹15.43 crore |
| Base value (gross value in the Gazette) | ₹35.71 | ₹38,57,11,200 |
| Prize money offered | ₹21.54 | ₹23,25,79,000 |
| Agents’ commission on prizes | ₹2.23 | ₹2,40,35,500 |
| Remainder: agency discount, costs, State revenue | ₹11.95 | about ₹12.91 crore |
Prize money equals 60.3% of the gross value of the tickets printed. The Samrudhi and Bhagyathara notifications of the same date give almost the same share. Their prize money is ₹23,27,27,000 and ₹23,30,11,000.
The per-draw figures assume every printed ticket is sold. Unsold tickets earn nothing. The notification still offers the full prize money, because a prize drawn on an unsold number is redrawn.
How is a Kerala bumper ticket split?
A bumper ticket sends about 36% to 41% of its base value to prizes. The weekly share is about 60%. The bumper prize pool is larger, but it is spread over fewer tickets at a higher price.
| Bumper (notification) | Price | GST per ticket | Tickets printed | Prize money | Prize share of base value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christmas-New Year 2025-26, BR-107 | ₹400 | ₹114.28 | 90 lakh | ₹93,22,00,000 | 36.3% |
| Vishu 2026, BR-109 | ₹300 | ₹85.71 | 54 lakh | ₹44,95,64,000 | 38.9% |
| Monsoon 2026, BR-110 | ₹250 | ₹71.43 | 45 lakh | ₹30,85,25,000 | 38.4% |
| Pooja 2026, BR-112 | ₹300 | ₹85.71 | 45 lakh | ₹39,11,20,000 | 40.6% |
A ₹400 Christmas-New Year ticket holds ₹285.72 of base value. About ₹103.58 of it funds prizes and about ₹10.36 funds commission on prizes. About ₹171.78 remains for costs and State revenue.
Why does the bumper prize share look smaller?
The bumper share looks smaller because one large first prize sits on top of far fewer prizes. The BR-107 notification offers 6,21,990 prizes on 90 lakh tickets. The Karunya notification offers 3,90,974 prizes on 1.08 crore tickets each week.
How much do Kerala lottery agents earn?
Agents earn a discount when they buy tickets and a commission on prizes they sell. The Gazette notifications print the commission on prizes. They do not print the discount.
The commission column of the Karunya notification shows 10% on most prizes. The ₹1 crore first prize carries ₹10,00,000 of commission. The ₹100 ninth prize carries 15%: ₹23,32,800 on ₹1,55,52,000 of prizes. The Monsoon Bumper 2026 notification lists 10% on every prize.
- 1st prize ₹1 crore: commission ₹10,00,000.
- 2nd prize ₹25 lakh: commission ₹2,50,000.
- Consolation prizes, 11 × ₹5,000: commission ₹5,500 in all.
The agency discount is the reduction an agent gets on the face value at purchase. Rule 3(6) of the amended Kerala Rules says the Government fixes the discount and the commission rate.
The Directorate’s prize-claim page says agent commission and income tax are deducted from the prize. According to Onmanorama, the 10% deduction applies to prizes above ₹10,000.
How much does the Kerala government earn from the lottery?
The lottery’s gross receipts were ₹12,711.18 crore in 2024-25, against gross expenditure of ₹11,721.98 crore. The figures are Accounts figures in the Kerala Finance Department’s Revised Budget in Brief 2026-27. The difference was ₹989.20 crore.
| Year | Lottery gross receipts | Lottery gross expenditure | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 (Accounts) | ₹12,530.91 crore | ₹11,401.20 crore | ₹1,129.71 crore |
| 2024-25 (Accounts) | ₹12,711.18 crore | ₹11,721.98 crore | ₹989.20 crore |
| 2025-26 (Revised Estimate) | ₹14,490.48 crore | ₹13,127.31 crore | ₹1,363.17 crore |
| 2026-27 (Revised Budget Estimate) | ₹16,215.50 crore | ₹13,730.33 crore | ₹2,485.17 crore |
Gross expenditure includes prize money and other lottery spending. The budget does not split it further. GST collected on tickets is a separate tax and is not part of this table.
How large is the lottery in Kerala’s budget?
State lotteries made up 77.10% of Kerala’s own non-tax revenue in 2024-25. The Revised Budget in Brief 2026-27 gives this share. The same table shows ₹571.46 crore in 2010-11 and ₹4,873.01 crore in 2020-21.
Where does the Kerala government’s share of lottery money go?
The government’s share goes to the State Exchequer, for social welfare and development. The Pooja Bumper 2026 purpose notification, G.O.(P) No. 87/2026/TAXES, says so in its own words.
- Purpose: revenue for the social welfare and developmental activities of the State.
- Purpose: direct and indirect jobs, especially for the weaker sections of society.
- Scope: curbing gambling and illegal lotteries by running a State lottery.
- Method: run by the State Lotteries Department under the Additional Chief Secretary, Taxes.
The Karunya Benevolent Fund once ran on lottery profits, according to Onmanorama in August 2020. That report gave 31 August 2020 as the scheme’s end date. Patients moved to schemes under the State Health Agency. The Hindu called the fund discontinued in July 2025. The Karunya Benevolent Fund page covers its history.
The Kerala State Lottery Agents’ and Sellers’ Welfare Fund Board is the distributor named in the weekly notifications.
Today’s draw and its full prize list are on the Kerala lottery result today page.
Kerala lottery money questions
How much of a Kerala lottery ticket goes to prizes?
About 60% of the base value for a weekly ticket, or ₹21.54 of a ₹50 ticket. Bumpers send about 36% to 41%.
How much GST is in a ₹50 Kerala lottery ticket?
₹14.29. The weekly notifications set the ticket at ₹35.714 plus 40% GST.
What is Kerala's lottery income in a year?
Gross receipts were ₹12,711.18 crore in 2024-25, per the Revised Budget in Brief 2026-27. Gross expenditure was ₹11,721.98 crore.
How much profit does Kerala make from the lottery?
Receipts exceeded expenditure by ₹989.20 crore in 2024-25 and ₹1,129.71 crore in 2023-24, from the State budget accounts.
How much prize money does one weekly draw offer?
About ₹23.3 crore. Karunya offers ₹23,25,79,000 across 3,90,974 prizes, per the November 2025 notification.
How much commission does an agent get on a ₹1 crore prize?
₹10,00,000, per the Karunya notification. That is 10% of the first prize.
Who distributes Kerala lottery tickets to agents?
The Kerala State Lottery Agents’ and Sellers’ Welfare Fund Board, named as distributor in the weekly Gazette notifications.
Where does the government use lottery money?
In the State Exchequer, for social welfare and development, according to the Pooja Bumper 2026 purpose notification.
How large is the lottery in Kerala's non-tax revenue?
77.10% of the State’s own non-tax revenue in 2024-25, per the Revised Budget in Brief 2026-27.
What happens to money from unsold tickets?
Unsold tickets bring in no money. A prize drawn on an unsold number is redrawn, as each notification’s draw procedure states.
Does lottery money still fund the Karunya Benevolent Fund?
No, not as before. Onmanorama reported the lottery-funded scheme ending on 31 August 2020. The fund now sits with the State Health Agency.
Do bumper tickets give a higher prize share than weekly tickets?
No. Bumpers send about 36% to 41% of the base value to prizes. Weekly tickets send about 60%.
Is lottery money paid into a private fund?
No. Section 4(d) of the 1998 Act credits sale proceeds to the public account of the State.
Related guides
- GST on Kerala lottery tickets
- Kerala lottery ticket price history
- Directorate of State Lotteries
- Kerala lottery prize structure
Sources: Kerala Gazette notifications for Karunya, Samrudhi and Bhagyathara (10 November 2025), BR-107, BR-109, BR-110, BR-112 and the BR-112 purpose notice; Kerala Finance Department, Revised Budget in Brief 2026-27; Lotteries (Regulation) Act 1998; Kerala Paper Lotteries Rules 2005 and 2024 amendment; Directorate prize-claim page; Onmanorama (29 August 2020); The Hindu (9 July 2025). Unofficial site.