Lottery operations in Papua New Guinea are regulated under the Gaming Control Act 2007, which permits certain authorized lotteries. Individuals aged 18 and above may legally purchase tickets for these approved lotteries from licensed operators, ensuring compliance with national gambling laws (2).
According to the Gaming Control Act, a lottery or overseas lottery product must be approved under Part VI of the Act and overseen by the National Gaming Control Board. Unauthorized lotteries are prohibited, and operators must obtain a license before conducting any lottery activities (2).
"There is only one lottery operating in PNG. This is also governed by the Gaming Control Act 2007 and is regarded to have a very low vulnerability to ML/TF. However, there is a lottery type game operated by Digicel, the national telephone carrier, for phone subscribers."
In practice, the sole authorized lottery in PNG splits its revenue between the operator and the government and is subject to anti–money laundering oversight by the Financial Analysis and Supervision Unit of the Bank of Papua New Guinea (1). Residents can purchase tickets through retail outlets or via SMS-based services offered by licensed telecom partners.
Source:
https://paclii.org/pg/legis/consol_act/gca2007156/
https://www.bankpng.gov.pg/sites/default/files/2024-09/Money-Laundering-and-Financing-of-Terrorism-National-Risk-Assessment-4.pdf
Last updated: 20-05-2025 Disclaimer: This article does not provide legal advice. If you need legal advice, please contact an attorney directly.
