Egypt does have a national lottery system. The Egyptian lottery, known as Mahzooz, was officially launched in 2014 and is operated by a private company called Electronic Totalizators (Amanet). Mahzooz offers weekly draws with large jackpot prizes that can exceed 1 million Egyptian pounds. Tickets can be purchased online or through authorized retailers across Egypt.
The lottery is regulated by the Egyptian government through the Ministry of Finance. While gambling is generally prohibited in Islam, Egypt legalized lotteries in 1994 as a way to generate state revenue. However, there has been some controversy around Mahzooz with conservative Islamic groups arguing lotteries promote immoral behavior. Others counter that many other Muslim countries like Malaysia and the UAE also have national lotteries.
History of Lotteries in Egypt
Egypt has had a turbulent history with lotteries over the past few decades. Lotteries were first established in Egypt in 1994 when the Egyptian government passed Law No. 10 of 1994 to allow lotteries for economic development purposes. The National Lottery Authority (NLA) was created to organize and regulate lottery games in the country.
The NLA launched its first lottery product, La Belle, in 1995. La Belle lottery tickets were sold through post offices across Egypt. The lottery proved popular and successful during its first decade of operations. It generated significant profits that were directed towards Egypt’s treasury and funds for youth and sports programs.
However, La Belle lottery sales started declining in the 2000s due to mismanagement issues under the NLA. Illegal street lotteries also affected La Belle ticket sales. By 2010, the La Belle lottery was incurring huge losses for the government. This led to the privatization of the lottery system in Egypt.
In 2012, the NLA was dissolved and lottery administration was shifted to the Ministry of Finance. Under the Ministry, tenders were invited from private sector companies to take over lottery operations in Egypt. Ultimately, the tender was awarded to Electronic Totalizators (Amanet) in 2013.
Amanet spent a year setting up the new lottery infrastructure and systems. In 2014, the company officially launched Mahzooz as Egypt’s new national lottery. Mahzooz was able to revitalize lottery gaming in Egypt with a revamped business model and use of technology.
Mahzooz Lottery
Mahzooz is Egypt’s current national lottery administered by Amanet since 2014. It is the only legal lottery system allowed to operate in the country. Mahzooz offers weekly lottery draws every Saturday night.
There are two main components to Mahzooz – the Grand Draw and the Golden Pot Draw. The Grand Draw has the biggest prize pool with guaranteed winners every week. The Golden Pot is a progressive rolling jackpot that can grow into millions of Egyptian pounds if there is no winner.
To participate, players have to purchase a ticket of EGP 35. This grants entry into both the Grand Draw and Golden Pot. Players can buy tickets online on the Mahzooz website or app using credit cards and mobile payments. Tickets are also available at hundreds of authorized retailers across Egypt’s governorates.
Once tickets sales close on Saturday at 6 PM, the draw is conducted at 8 PM under supervision of a government auditor. For the Grand Draw, 3 lucky winners are guaranteed to win prizes at each tier:
– 1st prize: EGP 1 million
– 2nd prize: EGP 200,000
– 3rd prize: EGP 100,000
The Golden Pot jackpot starts at EGP 1 million and keeps rolling over every week until there is winner. This prize has exceeded EGP 100 million in the past.
Mahzooz uses a randomized ball drawing machine with tamper-proof technology and rigorous procedures. Draw results are instantly announced online and at retail outlets. Winners have to provide ID verification and collect their prize money directly from Amanet offices.
Since its launch, Mahzooz lottery has given out over EGP 500 million in prize money to more than 10,000 winners across Egypt. The lottery is popular among a wide demographic from all income segments. Mahzooz has contributed significantly to supporting Egypt’s state budget.
Regulation of Lotteries
As the sole licensed lottery operator, Mahzooz is strictly regulated by the Egyptian government. The Ministry of Finance oversees lottery regulations through its Internal Trade Development Authority (ITDA).
The ITDA sets rules on aspects like:
– Licensing requirements for lottery operators
– Retailer authorizations
– Prize payouts and winner verification
– Technology standards for draw machines and systems
– Advertising and marketing guidelines
– Financial reporting and taxation
Mahzooz is required to pay 30% tax on total ticket sales revenue to the state treasury. The company is also audited annually to ensure regulatory compliance. Mahzooz ticket prices and draw procedures have to be approved by the ITDA.
Security measures like CCTV surveillance and tamper-proof draw machines are used to ensure transparent lottery operations. There are also various penalties prescribed for violations of lottery regulations.
Apart from Mahzooz, no other lottery games are permitted in Egypt. The government enforces a complete ban on illegal lotteries that try to cheat people. Occasionally, authorities carry out raids on underground lottery networks operating in the black market.
Religious Views on Lotteries in Egypt
Gambling is considered forbidden “haram” activity in Islam that should be avoided by Muslims. This stems from verses in the Quran prohibiting games of chance that involve betting and speculation. Based on this, the operation of a lottery is a controversial issue in a conservative Islamic nation like Egypt.
When the government proposed legalizing lotteries in 1994, some Islamic scholars and religious groups came out strongly against it. They criticized lotteries as encouraging immoral behavior and exploiting people’s tendencies for greed and addiction. As lotteries involve chance, it was unacceptable from an Islamic ethics viewpoint.
However, the government proceeded based on the legal opinion of Egypt’s Grand Mufti and Al-Azhar clerics at the time. They provided fatwas declaring that lotteries could be permitted if regulated properly by the state. The income generated for public welfare was deemed as maslaha or public interest that justified allowing the lottery.
Lots of debate still continues in Egypt’s religious circles on the issue. But mainstream Islamic institutions like Al-Azhar University and Dar Al-Ifta have not called for lotteries to be banned. Their position is that while discouraged religiously, lotteries are permissible civil activities that are not haram if properly regulated by the government.
Lottery Play in Egypt
Mahzooz lottery tickets can be purchased in multiple ways in Egypt:
– Online through the Mahzooz website and mobile app using credit card or mobile wallet payment options. This allows players to select their own numbers.
– At over 500 authorized Mahzooz retailers located in convenient community areas across Egypt’s governorates. Retailers provide lottery tickets with quick pick numbers.
– By calling the Mahzooz call center to place ticket orders. The customer support team books ticket orders after payment.
– Using Mahzooz self-serve kiosks installed at certain high traffic locations. The kiosks dispense printed tickets once players complete the purchase process.
Some of the benefits of Mahzooz online play include:
– Convenience of playing from home or on the go from a smartphone.
– Ability to save favorite numbers for future draws.
– Ticket purchase confirmation and security.
– Instant access to draw results and winnings balance.
Playing online also avoids issues like losing paper tickets or delays at retail outlets during ticket purchase rushes. However, many Egyptians still prefer buying lottery tickets in-person at street shops and convenience stores where retailers guide the buying process.
To increase responsible gambling, Mahzooz enforces a maximum limit of 5 tickets per draw per player across all purchase channels. Tickets prices are also kept affordable at EGP 35 so low income groups are not excluded.
Mahzooz Lottery Winners
Since Mahzooz began operations in 2014, there have been thousands of winners across all prize categories. Notable big winners include:
– In January 2021, an Egyptian woman won a massive Golden Pot jackpot of EGP 102,787,218. This life changing prize was the biggest in Mahzooz history.
– In August 2022, a Dubai-based Egyptian expat businessman took home the Grand Draw 1st prize of EGP 1 million. He bought the lucky ticket online while visiting Egypt.
– In June 2020, a married couple from Giza governorate were Golden Pot winners of EGP 12.6 million. They stated the prize money would allow them to provide a better life for their children.
– In March 2019, an Egyptian farmer won EGP 1 million in the Grand Draw which enabled him to pay off all his debts and land taxes.
– In December 2018, a petrol station worker was thrilled to win the EGP 200,000 second prize which he used to start his own business.
Mahzooz winners come from all backgrounds like teachers, doctors, laborers, drivers, homemakers, and students. The lottery operator maintains a Winner’s Wall on its website showing names and photos of top prize winners. These success stories help attract more lottery ticket buyers across Egypt hoping to get lucky.
Contribution to Society
Mahzooz lottery provides some notable economic and social benefits:
– Generating significant government revenue – Mahzooz contributes 30% of ticket sales as tax to Egypt’s state budget. Since 2014, it has delivered over EGP 1 billion in taxes that support development projects.
– Creating jobs – Mahzooz has generated over 500 jobs from its operations across functions like sales, marketing, technology, support services, product development and more.
– Supporting retail sector – The lottery provides commissions for its retailers and creates foot traffic that also benefits neighborhood stores.
– Encouraging entrepreneurship – Some Mahzooz winners have started their own businesses using their lucky windfalls.
– Funding charities – Occasionally Mahzooz runs special charity lotteries with proceeds donated to social causes like children’s hospitals.
– Adding excitement – The lottery provides fun and hope across all levels of society. Dreaming about winning the jackpot helps relieve life’s daily stresses for many Egyptians.
While critics remain, Mahzooz continues gaining greater mainstream acceptance in Egypt as a regulated form of gaming entertainment that also acts as a fundraising mechanism for the government.
Future Outlook
Mahzooz appears to have a bright future given Egypt’s young demographics, increasing consumerism and digital penetration. Internet and smartphone access will drive more youth to play the lottery online for convenience and security.
At the same time, the extensive retail network will continue catering to traditional buyers preferring physical ticket purchases. Mahzooz is also exploring new products like providing instant win games on mobile phones to attract millennials.
Partnerships with local banks, fintech and e-commerce platforms can enable online payment options and deliver targeted promotions to potential digital customers.
Geographic expansion across Africa is another growth opportunity for Mahzooz. The company can leverage Egypt’s experience to offer best-practice lottery solutions for African nations seeking to liberalize gaming markets.
However, the primary focus will remain strengthening Mahzooz brand position as Egypt’s official lottery. With ever-rising Golden Pot jackpots, Mahzooz seeks to maintain its appeal as a life-enhancing product giving every Egyptian the chance to win big.
Conclusion
In summary, lotteries have evolved in Egypt from the initial state-run La Belle to today’s privately operated Mahzooz. By offering sophisticated products and platforms, Mahzooz has established itself as a trusted lottery brand under oversight of the Finance Ministry.
Millions of Egyptians play Mahzooz weekly chasing millions in tax-free prize money. Its contribution to state budgets and socio-economic welfare justifies the lottery’s existence despite religious concerns. Looking ahead, Mahzooz is poised for strong regulated growth as Egypt’s sole authorized lottery delivering benefits across society.