Italy Launches First Lottery to Fund Social and Cultural Projects

On December 10, 2021, the Lotteria Filantropica Italia was officially launched, the first lottery in the world that allocates all proceeds to social interest activities. Tickets cost €500 each, and the winner does not receive cash but instead chooses the destination of 20% of the final sum, with the rest redistributed among participating initiatives. The lottery is aimed at wealthy individuals and companies, who can gift tickets to employees or clients. It was established by Fondazione Italia Sociale, an organization composed of companies, banks, and private firms modeled after the Fondation de France and the Charities Aid Foundation. Projects must be social, national, generate employment (especially for youth), and be sustainable. Participating organizations must be registered with the RUNTS (National Single Register of the Third Sector), which currently has 380,000 members. The lottery covers sectors including culture, education, healthcare, and sports.