Letter to the Editor

Gambling represents a substantial threat to a small proportion of the population. The National Lottery is routinely presented as a highly sanitised and almost philanthropic activity. However, the crucial role of the State in the National Lottery necessitates additional oversight to safeguard public health and vulnerable groups. This analysis examined default online National Lottery Spending limits in the context of a range of 2026 Social Welfare payments. The results are alarming, with default weekly spending limits exceeding base weekly Social Welfare payments in all cases. Default National Lottery spending limits should be dramatically reduced.