The amount of money raised by the Channel Islands Lottery dropped slightly last year to £24 million.
A dip in Guernsey purchases drove an individual island decrease by 2.3% to £13.699m.
The overall decrease was 2.1% across the islands.
Despite that decline, scratch cards remained highly successful, bringing in just under £13m in Guernsey alone.
The traditional Christmas scratch card and draw game showed a mixed performance across the islands, however.
Sales rose by 5% to reach £1.54m across the islands, a boost the States Trading Supervisory Board has said was heavily aided by the popularity of online syndicate sales via the lottery website.
In Guernsey, Christmas sales fell by 1.5%, dropping to £759,000 in revenue, but Jersey sales increased by 4.5%.
The STSB said that was down to renewed interest after Jersey tickets won the top prize in 2024 and 2025.
Those wins broke a previous Guernsey winning streak since 2017.
The lottery’s overall financial operations resulted in a total Bailiwick surplus of £1.3m, more than half a million pounds down from the £1.8m raised in 2024.
Some additional funds were also recovered through unclaimed prizes, which are forfeited after 12 months, however these dropped dramatically to £82,000 in 2025 compared to £305,000 in 2024.
On the expenditure side, Guernsey’s total operating costs reached £2.6m, which included £1.6m in distribution and handling costs, £625,000 in agents’ commission, and £321,000 in administrative expenses.
How was that money distributed?
After dishing out a combined £10,000 to Sark and Alderney based on their respective ticket sales, Guernsey was left with £1.3m to share between charitable and other ‘good causes’.
Beau Sejour Leisure Centre received its maximum capped annual grant of £700,000 to cover its operating deficit, an arrangement extended until the end of 2026 when a multi-stage sustainability review is due to be completed.
The remaining balance of £618,000 was then transferred to the Social Investment Fund to distribute.
Historically, this money has provided substantial support to local charities and non-profit organisations, with £16.86m distributed between 2014 and 2025.
Structural changes on the horizon?
Those responsible for the lottery have recently said some big changes could be on the horizon, with a tender process launched to decide who takes the games forward when the current contract ends next year.
STSB says the Channel Islands Joint Political Oversight Group will initiate a procurement tender process this year, with an official appointment of a new operator planned for October 2027.