News
Poland Government Launches Receipt Lottery To Help Boost Tax Collection

Poland Government Launches Receipt Lottery To Help Boost Tax Collection


Poland has introduced a brand new “receipt lottery” in an attempt to ensure that stores are officially registering all purchases so that value-added tax (VAT) is paid in full. The scheme gives shoppers the chance to win a huge variety of prizes by entering their receipts online while the government budget will also likely see an increase from more businesses paying the full amount of VAT.

Government officials have said that if a receipt isn’t provided to a customer, only 7% of people will ask for one. Without a receipt, tax collectors cannot prove a transaction took place and this allows stores and service providers to dodge paying VAT so that the right amount isn’t provided to the government.

We all benefit from VAT being honestly paid into the state budget,” says Deputy Finance Minister Izabela Leszczyna. “That’s definitely not enough, and we want it to change.

The lottery allows anyone who is aged over 18 to enter, provided that the receipt is for goods valued at more than $2.60. They will then be entered into prize draws that include cars, computers, tablets, smartphones and laptops. Poland has introduced the lottery after similar schemes in Portugal and Slovakia proved to be huge successes.