Today we look at the implications of buying lottery tickets from other countries
Most lottery tickets that players buy are for their state/provincial or national lotteries of the country that they live in. However, some players like to buy lottery tickets when they visit other countries, hoping the change of scenery and getting tickets for a foreign draw might net them some big jackpot.
Take Canada and the United States for instance. Many who live along the Canadian/US border like to take regular day trips into the other country to go to a favourite place to eat or go shopping for a few hours. Along the way, at various stores, they might want to buy a lottery ticket or two for that country’s/state/province lottery games. And some day trippers always do. One country’s lottery result is just like another. You only need one ticket to win. So popping over to grab some food items not available on one side, or just deciding to hit a restaurant just over the border, may in fact become the unplanned visit to a retailer for that state or province and the purchase of a few lucky lottery tickets.
You actually don’t have to be a citizen of some countries to buy a lottery ticket in that country, or even be from the same state or province at all. But you do have to buy your tickets from a retailer while actually in the other country. Most laws make it illegal to buy another country’s lottery tickets over the internet or by mail. So the only way to legitimately get a state or provincial lottery ticket for another country is to buy that ticket when you are physically in that country.
But there can be some obstacles in buying and redeeming a ticket when you purchase them from another country. For instance, if you win and want to go back to the country where you bought the ticket to redeem it, it may be illegal to bring lottery tickets into that country even if they were bought there. The tickets could be seized at the border and you could face a fine. But some jurisdictions do allow foreign players who have winning tickets the option of mailing in the ticket to redeem it and receive their winnings either by cheque through the mail or direct deposit into their bank account,
Depending on the country you live in and the country you bought your tickets from, you may be subject to taxes from both countries. Even if you are not a citizen of the country you bought the ticket in, some countries do hold back taxes even for foreign winners. Some of these may allow a foreign winner to apply to receive a refund of the taxes. The country that you are a citizen of may also tax you if lottery winnings are considered income, and may even classify it as foreign income, setting the tax up to a higher bracket. But then there are some countries that don’t charge tax on any lottery win, even if won on a foreign lottery.
Before you head out for an international two-hour shopping and lunch trip over the border, or are on whirlwind worldwide vacation, is is prudent to check out the laws about purchasing and redeeming lottery tickets both for your own state or province, but also every country you plan to visit and buy lottery tickets from.
It would be a sad day indeed if you find out you have the winning ticket for that US$100 million dollar jackpot you bought in East Slugadamyo Province in the country of Alaboosta and you are ineligible to claim it due to being a foreign ticket holder.