Australia's peak Olympic body has welcomed a federal government blueprint which includes plans for a lottery to inject up to $50 million into sport in the country.
The lottery is the heart of the government's National Sports Plan which hopes to raise funds for sports from grassroots to elite levels.
A similar national lottery in Great Britain has underpinned the Brits' return to Olympic superpower status.
Federal Sports Minister Greg Hunt says the lottery underpins the plan, which has four key planks: participation, high performance, prevention for health benefits, and integrity.
"But really at the heart of it is this idea of a national sports lottery," Hunt told 3AW radio on Monday.
"The demands could be infinite but this has the potential to deliver up to $50 million a year for sport."
Hunt said the lottery, which would likely offer two-thirds of its funds to sports and the remainder to heritage and arts, would be examined in coming months with states and territories.
"It's successful, it works, people like the idea of a public-good lottery, and it actually underpins sports funding going forward," he said.
The lottery concept has support from the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) which has overseen a recent slide in Olympic standing - the nation's medal haul at last year's Rio Games was the fewest since 1992.
AOC chief executive Matt Carroll said a national plan was vital.
"Every athlete, every team, every sport needs a plan to succeed so this initiative is critical for Australia's sporting future," Carroll said in a statement.
"The national plan will bring clarity on the roles and responsibilities of all the parties involved and establish the support, infrastructure and funding required to achieve the collective sporting outcomes for the country."
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