Cash prizes for lucky cardholders

The Finance Ministry appears set to start conducting cash and prize draws, rewarding 1,000 lucky credit or debit card holders every month.

According to a decision of the ministry and the Independent Authority for Public Revenue, taxpayers will be awarded a number of lottery tickets proportionate to their card transactions each month. Therefore, if someone spends 100 euros on their card, they will get 100 chances to win a prize, while transactions of 500 euros will earn them 300 entries.

Sources say that the first draw will take place in late October or early November at the latest, with 1 million euros distributed to 1,000 lucky winners. However, the ministry has set aside 12 million euros for prize draws each year, which means that in December - when retail sales peak - there will likely be an 11-million-euro grand draw.

It is noted that each taxpayer can only...