Illinois State Lottery and Lottery Gambling

Lottery Gambling

There were, in consequence, persistent calls illinois lottery for a fully-fledged New Zealand lottery on the same basis as Tatters alls to fund cultural endeavors. In June 1960 Prime Minister Walter Nash appointed Anderton, Minister of Finance Arnold Nordmeyer and Minister of Education Philip Scotland to consider submissions from ballet, opera and drama leaders for a new lottery. This group rejected that concept, but agreed on an annual £60,000 grant for the arts to be drawn equally from the Consolidated Fund and lottery profits. This money, it was hoped, would be a lifeline for the barely established New Zealand Ballet, the New Zealand Opera Company and the revival of a national theatre. In comparison with what had gone before, the funding was generous. Unsympathetic critics called it an election-year bribe, but it was a worthwhile beginning to what the Labour government saw as an expanding programmed of support for the arts.

The Golden Kiwi

As the overseas lotteries continued to predominate (the annual drain hovered around £600,000 during the late 1950s), rumors grew more persistent that the days of the art union were numbered. These took on more substance in December 1960 when National’s new Minister of Internal Affairs, Leon Gatz, proclaimed that he wanted to Illinois Lottery - Royce of Lotteries establish a big local lottery in order to stop this outflow. He too faced intense pressure from welfare, sports and cultural groups for more money, but unlike his predecessors he responded favorably to their plight. His enthusiasm to start something new was infectious and newspapers picked up his call. It was the beginning of the end for Macarthur’s art union.The following March Gatz put a proposal to Cabinet that was radical in its form. He suggested a £30,000 lottery with five shilling tickets (to give it an advantage over the 6s 6d that each Tatts ticket then cost), with prizes ranging from a £10,000 first prize down to 600 of £5 each. The percentage of revenue returned in prizes would be equivalent to that for the Australian lotteries. Unlike the art union, there would be no time limit on this lottery. Commentators were enthusiastic. ''Mr. Gatz deserves full credit,'' gushed the Evening Post.

New Zealand Lottery

But Cabinet hesitated, citing a need to discuss “moral” issues and was persuaded only when National’s caucus gave cautious approval in April. These moves took place against a background of continuing illinois state lottery publicity for overseas lotteries. A Dunedin man had just won £50,000 in the Irish Hospitals Sweepstake, and soon afterwards three New Zealand punters won more that £13,000 in a Sydney Cup lottery. Publicity surrounding these wins highlighted the amount of lottery money still leaving New Zealand. By September 1961 the art union New Zealanders had supported for more than a generation was about to disappear. A new, £30,000 “Golden Kiwi” lottery would begin as soon as it could be organized. First prize was fixed at £12,000, four times the art union’s top prize. Neil McArthur was appointed to run the new extravaganza. For him, it was a bitter-sweet moment. His staid, 29-year-old art union was about to be Illinois Lottery - Politics of Wowserism superseded by a lavish new venture, and he wondered whether he could cope with the increased demands. It was the end of an era. No longer would the public, even in theory, be able to receive their prizes in alluvial gold, a unique feature of the New Zealand lottery for decades. Nor would the new lottery operate behind the euphemistic facade of an ''art union''. In Christchurch the veteran art union tram (a vehicle covered with art union advertising) which had re-emerged to brighten the streets in the final weeks, dimmed its lights for the last time and went into long-overdue retirement.