Britain launches 2012 Olympic Lottery games

July 30, 2005

The first ever Olympic lottery scheme has been launched to the public in Britain, seven years to the day that the Olympics will be hosted to the City of London.

A scratch card game will be one of the schemes that would be used to help make money for the Olympic Games in 2012. It is called "Go for Gold" and it costs £1 to buy. The actual amount that the National Lottery could give would be £1.5 billion pounds, but the lottery games would raise an estimated £750 million for sporting infrastructure.

Olympics Minister and Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell said the game was needed now to raise the cash necessary to develop the venues that will host the event.

She stated: "The Lottery needs to raise altogether £1.5 billion of which we estimate that £750 million over the seven years between now and the Games will come from the new Olympic lottery game."

Coe stated: "Camelot have a very good record for raising money, certainly for good causes."

The games went on sale on Thursday.