Himachal Pradesh Prepares to Relaunch State Lottery

The Himachal Pradesh government has opened the bidding process for a sole selling agent as it prepares to bring back its state lottery after an interruption of nearly 25 years.

The Director, Treasuries, Accounts and Lotteries has issued a 51-page tender inviting interested companies to submit expressions of interest for the role.

The lottery will operate under the Lotteries (Regulation) Act, 1998, the Lotteries (Regulation) Rules, 2010, and the Himachal Pradesh State Lottery (Regulation) Rules, 2026, along with applicable government requirements.

Financial Conditions for Applicants

Companies interested in the tender must pay a non-refundable fee of ₹5 lakh, equivalent to US370.Anearnestmoneydepositof₹2crore,orUS208,957, is also required.

The successful bidder will be required to pay an annual licence fee of ₹10 crore, equivalent to US$1.04 million. This amount will rise by 5% each year.

The appointed agent will additionally provide a revenue share based on its successful bid, with a minimum guaranteed payment of ₹6 crore, or US$626,906.

Only one company will be selected as the sole selling agent responsible for the sale of Himachal Pradesh State Lottery tickets.

Physical and Digital Lottery Sales

The proposed lottery will offer both paper and online tickets. Distribution will be handled by the selected selling agent through its network of agents, sub-agents and retailers.

The successful bidder must also create a dedicated special-purpose vehicle (SPV) for running the lottery. The SPV will operate according to the tender conditions, its agreement with the government and the relevant legal requirements.

Tickets issued under the state lottery framework will carry several specified details, including the Himachal Pradesh government logo, the director’s facsimile signature, ticket number, draw date and time and maximum retail price.

Individual Schemes to Determine Draw Details

The government will establish the draw schedule, ticket prices and prize structures separately for each lottery scheme.

The tender does not provide one fixed schedule or pricing structure covering all planned lottery products. These details will be determined for individual schemes once the selling agent and other required arrangements have been established.

The source information does not specify the number of planned draws or the date of the first draw.

Relaunch Follows New Regulatory Framework

The planned return of the state lottery will operate under the applicable national and Himachal Pradesh lottery regulations. The tender process will decide which company receives the authority to market and distribute tickets through physical and online channels.

The appointed agent will work through its agents, sub-agents and retailers, while the dedicated SPV will manage lottery operations in accordance with the government agreement and applicable laws.

The opening of the tender marks the first step towards restarting the Himachal Pradesh lottery after almost 25 years. The bidding document establishes the financial obligations, licensing terms and operating structure for applicants, while ticket pricing, draw schedules and prize arrangements will be set separately for each lottery scheme.