Lottery sales in South Korea rose 7 percent on-year during the first half of this year to reach an all-time high, data showed.

Sales of lottery tickets stood at 3.62 trillion won ($2.67 billion) in the January-June period of 2024, compared with 3.38 trillion won the previous year, according to the data from the Finance Ministry.

The figure has been on a constant increase, surging 38 percent in four years.

Sales came to 2.62 trillion won in the first half of 2020, 2.94 trillion won in the same period of 2021 and 3.15 trillion won in 2022, the data showed.

Experts and officials say the brisk sales came as operations of other gambling businesses, such as casinos and horse racing, were reduced amid the COVID-19 pandemic and as public perception about the lottery improved. (Yonhap)