<P> In May 2013, the Irish government enacted the National Lottery Act 2013 to allow for the sale of the National Lottery licence, provide for the establishment of a new independent lottery regulator, and eliminate some restrictions on Internet gambling to allow for the growth of online lottery sales . The legislation also added the natural environment to the list of good causes eligible to receive lottery funding . </P> <P> On 3 October 2013, Minister Howlin announced that the government had agreed to sell the National Lottery licence for € 405 million to Premier Lotteries Ireland, a consortium comprising An Post, An Post pension funds, and the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan (owner of the Camelot Group, operators of the UK National Lottery). Dermot Griffin, head of the An Post National Lottery Company since 2006, was appointed chief executive of Premier Lotteries Ireland . Other existing senior management were also retained . Executives from the Camelot Group, the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, and An Post were appointed to the board of the new company . </P> <P> The process of finalizing the lottery contracts was delayed due to an industrial dispute involving the employees of An Post National Lottery Company over the terms and conditions of staff transfers to Premier Lotteries Ireland, but the dispute was resolved in February 2014, and contracts were signed on 27 February 2014 . Some of the funds paid to the Irish state will be used for a range of local infrastructural projects, including the construction of a National Children's Hospital . </P> <P> The National Lottery began gaming operations on 23 March 1987, when it launched its first scratchcards . Since then, the National Lottery has expanded its product line to include the Lotto family of games, television bingo, televised game shows, regular "Millionaire Raffles," participation in the transnational EuroMillions lottery, and a daily € 1 million game called Daily Million . </P>

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