19 PUBLIC GAMING INTERNATIONAL • MAY/JUNE 2022 to bring back the Christmas spirit for the next fifteen minutes. Think and feel, right now, the spirit of emotional connection, of community, of sharing and love that the Christmas spirit evokes and that will help us understand the special role that the Christmas Lottery holds for the people of Spain. What makes the Christmas Lottery unique in the world is that it is all about SHARING. El Gordo is like no other lottery in the world because people play the Christmas Lottery for the very purpose of joining together in the shared experience of giving, receiving, and expressing friendship, love, and caring for one another. Insofar as you may not be viewing my video presentation, you may want to watch “Spanish Christmas lottery commercials” on YouTube to see how the commercials connect us with the spirit of giving, of sharing, of doing our part to spread happiness and love. For the last 20 years, the commercials all tell a story, creating dream-worlds that spark the imagination, that inspire us to have faith that the impossible may become possible, that cause our hearts to open and feel the joy of others. The commercials also change with the times, telling a story that lifts us up from the troubles of the world to embrace hope, optimism, and the joy of giving. The Christmas Lottery is not intended to be played on your own, or even with the goal of winning a big prize. It is meant to be enjoyed with others, to be shared with friends, loved ones, extended family, workmates – as a community who looks out for and cares for each other. Many of the tickets are simply gifted to friends and loved ones. Last year, Christmas Lottery sales hit a record, reaching more than € 3 billion for the first time ever. The top prize of € 400,000 was paid out 1,720 times. A Newsweek Magazine article (27/08/2021) explains “A true Spanish success story, the lottery’s history is deeply intertwined with society. It has evolved over the centuries, launching the National Lottery in 1812 with the signing of Spain’s constitution, and introducing the Extraordinary Christmas draw that year.” By tradition, children of San Ildefonso school sing the lottery results every year in a ceremony that has kept its traditions and unique liturgy since 1812. The essence of El Gordo Christmas Lottery is TRADITION. In Spain, we think of the Christmas season as officially starting when the ‘El Gordo’ ad is released. And, even more important, Christmas officially starts when the children of San Ildefonso sing the lottery results, as they have every year in a ceremony that preserves bicentennial elements. . The mission of the Christmas Lottery has been integrated into the culture of Spanish society. Probably, the biggest success of an institution is achieved when the society you belong to integrates your company into its culture. There are many examples of that in the Spanish public lottery company, whose profits go back to society. That mission is deeply founded on the human values that bring us together in a spirit of kindness, of giving and sharing. The Christmas Lottery draw is a joint celebration, the nation-wide anticipation of the draw reminding all of us about the things that matter most. On December 22 of every year for the last 210 years, Spanish society attention is bound to an event that celebrates the human values of equality, solidarity, and generosity. It is the lottery than brings us together. We invite all of you to celebrate and share with us! n View Video of TV Commercial at: https://youtu.be/tY3vQTrCn7I View Video of TV Commercial at: https://youtu.be/HdR7xVLFm7M View Video of TV Commercial at: https://youtu.be/btbcJW2t6pM
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