Lottery popularity is on the rise

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National Lottery ticket sales, player numbers and average weekly spend have all increased, figures for 2005-06 issued by Camelot have revealed.

Around 69% of Britain's adult population played the lottery, a rise of 1% on last year although still down on the 75% recorded in 2001-02.

Camelot said expanding interactive services had boosted player numbers.

However complaints increased significantly, mainly because of fraudsters who misused its brand name.

There were 33,072 complaints, rising from 7,932, with some of the complainants having been sent fraudulent e-mails asking them for money or personal details in return for a non-existent prize.

Positive factors

Meanwhile, players' average weekly spend rose to a five-year high of £2.05 from £1.95, according to the lottery operator's Corporate Responsibility Report 2006.

New games and National Lottery Fast Pay were picked out as positive factors which had boosted the game's popularity.

Previous Camelot figures released in May showed ticket sales had risen by 5.2% year on year to more than £5bn.

A Camelot spokesman said: "The National Lottery returned to growth a full year ahead of schedule, with sales up by over £40m.

"In 2004-05 sales grew by a further £150m - and this year we surpassed even that with a jump of £246 million - taking sales above £5bn."