Three of the five big Dutch lotteries have applied to cut the amount of their takings given to good causes from 50% to 40%, the Telegraaf says on Monday.

The National Postcode Lottery, Bankgiro Lottery and the Friends Lottery have asked junior justice minister Fred Teeven for permission to cut their charity payments, the Telegraaf says.

The three lotteries’ licences are dependent on payments to charity and they are entitled to call themselves ‘good cause’ lotteries because of this.

The lotteries have already cut their payments to charities. In 2004, the percentage was 60%, the Telegraaf says.

Competition

The lotteries want to use the extra money to increase their prizes. ‘This will make the lotteries more attractive and the total turnover will increase,’ a Postcode lottery spokesman told the Telegraaf. ’We have seen in the past that this does not have an impact on the charitable contributions.’

The lotteries are particularly concerned by competition from online gambling websites and Teeven’s plans to open up the sector to competition, the paper says.

The three charitable lotteries also think the state lottery Staatsloterij and the Lotto should donate more than the 16% and 18% they currently give to good causes.