Olympic lottery opponents' uphill fight

Opponents of a national sports lottery to fund an Olympic revival are facing a tough fight.

Plans for a sports lottery to fund an Australian Olympic revival are being met with resistance from the nation's peak lottery association.

Submissions close on Monday into the National Sports Plan, to form the government's sporting blueprint.

A national lottery to fund Australian athletes, mooted as worth around $50 million a year, is being pushed by the Australian Olympic Committee and Australian Sports Commission.

Sports Minister Greg Hunt has said a lottery was a sensible idea, if legislated and regulated, and a goal of the government.

But Australian Lottery and Newsagents Association says the sports funds could take lottery taxes which currently go to hospitals, schools and charities.

"It seems like they're running full steam ahead ... without doing enough consultation," association chief executive Adam Joy told AAP on Tuesday.

"It just doesn't make sense to take it away to fund sports."

Every year, $1.6 billion in lottery taxes is delivered to state and territory governments, he said.

Joy said instead of a public lottery, the government should introduce a point of consumption tax on online betting companies.

"Online wagering companies are benefiting considerably from sport in Australia and therefore should have a role in supporting it," he said.

Joy conceded his association faced an uphill fight, given the government and high-powered support for the lottery, which is also earmarked to boost sports participation funding.

Great Britain introduced a national sports lottery and has recorded best-ever results at the past three Olympic Games.

Australia's Olympic medal hauls have dropped at the past four Games - the 29 medals in Rio de Janeiro last year were the fewest since 1992.


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Source: AAP



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