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Premier Lotteries Ireland

Operator
Visit website
Founded
2014-01-01 in Dublin, Ireland
Headquarters
1GQ, George’s Quay, Dublin 2, Ireland

Premier Lotteries Ireland Designated Activity Company (PLI) is the exclusive private operator of the Irish National Lottery. Awarded a 20-year licence by the Irish Government in February 2014, PLI assumed full operational control in November 2014, succeeding the state-owned An Post National Lottery Company. The company is responsible for the entire lottery operation, including the management of over 5,200 retail partners, the central gaming system, digital platforms (website and mobile app), and the full portfolio of draw-based and instant-win games. PLI remits approximately 27% of all sales to designated Good Causes in Ireland, having raised over €6.5 billion since the lottery’s inception in 1987. In November 2023, the French lottery and gaming operator La Française des Jeux (FDJ) acquired PLI, making it part of the FDJ UNITED group. Headquartered in Dublin’s Docklands, PLI is led by CEO Cian Murphy and maintains a social-responsibility-first mandate, committed to operating a world-class lottery while funding community projects in the areas of sport, culture, health, and the environment.

Detailed Review

Background

Premier Lotteries Ireland (PLI) was created specifically to bid for and operate the Irish National Lottery licence following the passing of the National Lottery Act 2013, which opened the state lottery to private competition. The company was initially majority-owned by the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (OTPP), with minority stakes held by An Post (the Irish state postal service) and An Post Pension Funds. The licence transfer was the largest technology rollout in Irish retail history, requiring the connection of 20,000 pieces of equipment across 3,700 outlets and the launch of a new website and central telecommunications system.

Game Portfolio

Under private operation, PLI has maintained and expanded the lottery’s game portfolio. Core products include Lotto (with draws twice weekly and a maximum jackpot cap), Lotto Plus 1 & 2, EuroMillions (the pan-European draw), EuroMillions Plus, Daily Million (two draws per day with a €1 million top prize), and EuroDreams (a fixed-payment draw). The company also offers a wide range of scratch cards (physical and digital), a televised bingo game, an annual Millionaire Raffle, and online instant-win games via its website and mobile app.

Financial Performance

Total National Lottery sales reached €829 million in 2023, with €479 million returned as prizes and €229 million distributed to Good Causes. PLI’s central gaming system is powered by INTRALOT Ireland Ltd., which signed a contract extension in August 2024 to continue providing terminals and mobile/web services through November 2027. The company also partners with BOIPA for payment gateway infrastructure.

Regulation and Ownership

PLI is regulated by the independent Regulator of the National Lottery (currently Carol Boate) and is subject to the National Lottery Act 2013. The acquisition by FDJ in 2023 valued the company at approximately €350 million and integrated PLI into a European lottery group with operations in France, the UK, and elsewhere. The company has not disclosed an exact headcount, but industry sources note that the majority of the staff and management from the former An Post National Lottery Company transferred to PLI upon the licence award, ensuring continuity of decades of operational experience. Despite its private ownership, the National Lottery remains state-owned; PLI operates under strict licensing terms. The company’s social mandate is central: “to operate a responsible and world-class lottery for the people of Ireland, raising much needed Good Cause funds.” It supports areas such as sport, recreation, national culture, the arts, community health, and the natural environment.

Key Products

  • Lotto

    Ireland’s flagship weekly draw game (Wednesdays and Saturdays). Minimum jackpot of €2 million, with a record jackpot of €19,060,800.

  • Lotto Plus 1 & 2

    Supplementary draws attached to Lotto. Higher odds of winning cash prizes.

  • EuroMillions

    Pan-European draw game (Tuesdays and Fridays). Irish winners can claim up to €250 million.

  • EuroMillions Plus

    An add-on game for Irish players, offering a fixed €500,000 top prize.

  • Daily Million

    Two daily draws at 2pm and 9pm (Irish time). Top prize of €1 million.

  • EuroDreams

    A fixed-payment draw (Monday and Thursday). Top prize of €10,000 per month for 30 years.

  • Scratch Cards

    Physical and digital instant-win tickets, with themes from €1 to €50.

  • Millionaire Raffle

    An annual raffle with a guaranteed €1 million top prize and many smaller prizes.

  • Televised Bingo

    A live bingo game broadcast on RTÉ.

  • Online Instant-Win Games

    A range of digital games accessible via the National Lottery website and mobile app.

  • Retailer Portal

    A digital platform for the lottery’s network of over 5,200 retail partners, managed via the PLI system.

Key Persons

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