HISTORY

In the Netherlands Antilles lotteries have existed since 1909. Before 1930 the Governor of Curaçao issued permits, mainly to private organizations, to organize lotteries. These organizations had distinctive names such as Liga di Socorro, La Caridad, Asistencia Mutua, Het Armenzorg en Bedelaarsfonds, the female association "Eéndracht maakt macht', another female association "Club Entre Nous", de Monseigneur Nieuwindt Foundation and the 'Zeemanshuis'.

But there were also many lotteries from abroad, e.g. Venezuela and the Dominican Republic , that were active in the Curaçao and Aruba markets. In 1922 the Governor of Curaçao addressed the Minister of the Colonies in a letter, expressing his concern about the population of the colonies spending too much on illegal "gamblings". His solution to this problem was the establishment of the Landsloterij. The Landsloterij thus originated as a tool to suppress the gambling fervor of the population and to keep a check on the foreign exchange leaving the islands.

However, there was no immediate support for the Landsloterij issue and in the meantime a lottery bond federation was started in the name of "Loteria Fortuna". This lottery federation had a board appointed by the Governor. The General Prosecutor and the Administrator monitored the lottery drawings and upkept its overall integrity. Local charity organizations such as the Roman-Catholic Center for Youth organization, the 'Stichting St. Dominicus Liefdewerk' and the "Weldadigheidsvereniging Help Elkander Op Aruba" were members of this lottery federation at that time.

It wasn't until 1949 that the "loterijverordening" (15 oktober 1949 P.B. 1965, nr. 122) of the current Landsloterij was signed and in 1951 it finally became operational.

The Landsloterij is a Public Law Entity, wherein all activities and personnel fall under the jurisdiction of the Minister of Finance. The main office is situated in Curaçao. In Aruba, Bonaire, Sint Maarten, Saba and St. Eustatius there are depositaries representing the Landsloterij, each with a Deposit Manager in charge.

The main office was first located in the building of the former Hotel Americana on the Brionplein. Later it was moved to the popular "Tong-Fat" building adjacent to the viaduct in Otrobanda. In the early 60s Landsloterij moved to the now famous 'Landskantoor' in Breedestraat, Otrabanda. This building was financed with proceeds from its own lotteries.

Ticket sales of the Landsloterij are in the hands of approximately 650 resellers scattered throughout the islands of the Dutch Caribbean. Again Landsloterij's function plays an important role in the society, because resellers are often elderly people in need of supplemental income and have gained a certain priority when it comes to becoming an official reseller.
The Landsloterij is the only lottery in the Dutch Caribbean, whose proceeds from ticket sales are used to finance socio economic, charity, arts and science projects.