The Spanish National Association of Provincial Lottery Administrators (ANAPAL) has joined forces with the country's National Federation of Associations of Self-Employed Workers (ATA) to lobby for better conditions for lottery retailers.
The partnership aims to strengthen representation and advocacy for more than 4,100 lottery outlets in Spain's State Lotteries and Betting (SELAE) sales network.
Lottery retailers have long called for higher commissions, which have remained unchanged for 21 years. During this period, their operating costs have risen, including salaries, rents, employee social security contributions and electricity bills. They are also calling for higher ticket prices and opposing any potential move by SELAE to monopolise online sales.
Local media previously estimated that a SELAE retailer needs to sell about 6,800 La Primitiva tickets each month to cover an average self-employment contribution of around €400 ($450), given the €0.059 commission per ticket. For Euromillones, which generates a commission of €0.14 per ticket, retailers need to sell around 2,900 tickets to cover the same cost.
ANAPAL President Borja Muñiz also highlighted the commission structure for the Christmas Lottery Draw, where the rate stands at 4.5%, compared with 6% for other draws. According to ANAPAL, this leaves retailers with a gross profit of just €0.90 per ticket. The association has proposed raising this commission to match that of other draws.
According to an economic analysis carried out by ANAPAL, over 44% of vendors are already at risk of financial difficulties. In July, more than 150 representatives from lottery outlets across Spain protested outside SELAE's headquarters in Madrid over these issues.
ATA President Lorenzo Amor expressed the organisation's support for these demands: "Supporting and defending the self-employed is our guiding principle. We know how difficult it is to keep businesses open these days. It's unacceptable that a group of thousands of small business owners should have to endure a constant increase in their fixed and operating costs while their commissions have remained frozen for years."
Joining ATA will give ANAPAL greater visibility and influence in institutional dialogue. Its members will also gain access to ATA's services, support and specialist advice.
Earlier this month, Spanish police uncovered a growing trend of criminals offering lottery winners a premium to buy their winning tickets, allowing illicit funds to be presented as legitimate lottery winnings
