Ethiopia launches first-ever digital lottery
Users can now easily buy tickets via mobile phones, computers, websites and SMS.
Ethiopia.- Ethiopia has officially joined the ranks of nations with digital lotteries following the launch of its first-ever digital lottery by the Ethiopian Lottery Service (ELS).
The milestone was commemorated by a launch ceremony held on Saturday, April 12, at Skylight Hotel in Addis Ababa. The occasion was graced by government officials, lottery winners, ELS management and other stakeholders.
In her address at the event, Beza Girma, ELS CEO, noted that the launch marks a significant step in the institution’s mission to modernise and digitise its services. She said: “The traditional paper-based lottery system has hindered growth due to high printing and logistics costs. This digital initiative will not only reduce operational expenses but also broaden access and increase revenue generation.”
The digital lottery platform, launched in partnership with TAMCON Software Solutions, offers a top prize of 50 million Birr and multilingual support in eight Ethiopian languages. Users can easily and securely buy tickets via various channels, like mobile phones, computers, websites and SMS.
Beza added that the digital lottery initiative aligns with the government’s vision for a digital economy by expanding lottery services beyond physical locations. She said: “This is a significant step toward digital inclusion and economic modernisation.”
ELS has been Ethiopia’s sole regulator and operator of lottery games for over 60 years. The digital lottery signifies the company’s newfound commitment to embracing technology to improve accessibility and efficiency.
The innovation is expected to improve user engagement, optimise operations and transform the gaming experience for millions of Ethiopians.
