1.
GV: Taipei street scenes (3 shots)
0.13

2.
SV & CU: lottery tickets being bought (4 shots)
0.32

3.
GV & SV: Lottery draw in operation (3 shots)
0.53

4.
CU: man watching lottery draw
0.56

5.
SV: lottery winning number put up
1.05

6.
GV PAN ACROSS: lottery committee
1.10



Initials RH/MF/JB/1906



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Along with 13 American states, France, Spain, Italy, Mexico and others, Taiwan is one of an increasing number of countries now raising revenue with lotteries.

SYNOPSIS: In Taiwan's capital city - Taipei - people going about their daily business in the streets are now confronted with special kiosks that only sell lottery tickets. To attract buyers the kiosk-keepers give them tantalising names such as "Great Fortune Lottery Store" and "First Prize Lottery Shop". The Bank of Taiwan runs the thrice-monthly draws and handles ticket distribution. The people of Taipei can buy tickets for the equivalent of 25 U.S. cents (about 8 pence: sterling) - or even a half share in one ticket.

The top prize in Taiwan is 12,000 U.S. dollars (GBP 7,000 sterling) but there are 1,300 smaller prizes in each draw and the lottery pays out 43 per cent of the gross take in prize money. The international flavour of lotteries is upheld even in south east Asia - the drums used for the draws are made in France -- having been popularised by the fame of fashionable gambling casinos in Deauville and Monte Carlo. There is also an International Lottery Association, which runs seminars on the latest developments in lottery management and technology.