Lottery sales last year doubled the amount from a decade earlier despite the ongoing economic downturn.

According to the office of main opposition Democratic Party(DP) Rep. Shin Yeong-dae, which obtained related data from the finance ministry, lottery worth seven-point-33 trillion won, or around five billion U.S. dollars, were sold in 2024.

The amount increased 106-point-three percent compared to three-point-56 trillion won in 2015.

Instant lottery ticket sales sharply rose by 427-point-three percent, from 170 billion won in 2015 to around 895 billion won in 2024.

Sales of Lotto tickets gradually expanded since 2015 to jump from some three-point-26 trillion won to five-point-96 trillion won.

The DP lawmaker said the drastic rise in lottery sales is a reflection of economic difficulties experienced by the country's working class.