The Social Protection Board (JPS) and a group of 40 legislators presented a bill that punishes the illegal sale of lottery tickets with imprisonment.
The project aims to increase resources for state social programs, so the unauthorized marketing and sale of illegal lotteries and raffles is now prohibited.
The announcement was made on Monday at a press conference in the hall of presidents of the Legislative Assembly, where the articles that would ban illegal lottery were explained.
We hope that the fight against illegal gambling will result in an increase in the profits generated by the JPS,”
said Delia Villalobos, president of the JPS.
The penalties would go from 4 to 8 years in prison and financial penalties reaching up to 10 minimum wages.
Vice President of the Republic, Ana Elena Chacón, backed the project and said that this proposal aims to protect the JPS, an organization that helps more than 400 social programs.
It is estimated that illegal lotteries generated around 100 billion colones in 2013.