Lotteries and bingo (Costa Rica)

In Costa Rica, lotteries are part of the national culture and charity. They are run by the state-run Junta de Protección Social (JPS) - an institution that has been diverting revenue to social programs and help vulnerable groups for nearly two centuries. On the JPS website in the public domain - games, rules and draw results.

Who regulates and why it is important

The only administrator of national lotteries is JPS: it organizes the release of tickets, raffles and prize payments, and directs funds to health care, social assistance and dozens of charitable areas.

JPS Main Games (Short Guide)

Lotería Nacional is a classic "national lottery" with circulation tickets (series/fractions) and large jackpots. The results are published on the JPS website.

Chances is a popular "folk" lottery with several prize categories.

Nuevos Tiempos (including Reventados) is a numerical game with several daily circulations (day/evening/night).

Lotto/Lotto Revancha - numerical lotteries with cumulative prizes.

3 Monazos - "three digits" with frequent rallies.

Rueda de la Fortuna is a television format with prize games.

Instant tickets (Instantánea) - "scratch cards," sold from official distributors.

Where to buy and how to check results

Official sellers of JPS (street distributors and points of sale), as well as the JPS A Su Alcance application - for activating tickets and participating in promos.

Online results - on the JPS portal: a single page with results for all games (including daily circulations of "Tiempos" and "3 Monazos").

Where the money goes

JPS explicitly declares a social mission: lottery revenue funds health and social programs, support for nursing homes, palliative care and hundreds of organizations.

Bingo in Costa Rica: What really happens

Unlike national lotteries, there is no mass market "commercial bingo halls" across the country. More common are episodic bingo events (club/community and charity evenings) under local site permits; format, frequency, and rules vary by organizer and location. For regular updates, target local hotel/club posters and municipal listings. (There is no single nationwide "bingo register" - venue rules and general norms intersect in this segment.)

Responsible play and age

18 + to buy and participate.

JPS emphasizes responsible play; check limits, don't gamble on money you're not prepared to lose and keep tickets until checked.

Differences from online casinos

Online gambling in Costa Rica does not have a separate license and is regulated differently than lotteries: lotteries have a state administrator JPS, online casinos do not have a specialized regulator (operators act as "data processing" for foreign markets). Therefore, national lotteries are the most "transparent" and socially oriented format.

Quick Answers (FAQ)

Where to watch the results today? On the page "Resultados" JPS - there are also archives and individual tabs for games.

Is there an official mobile application? Yes, JPS A Su Alcance (Google Play): activate tickets, participate in promo, receive notifications.

Can I play JPS online? Follow the instructions on the official JPS channels and use only their points/applications.

Are there big anniversary draws? Yes, JPS has special promotions/dates - stay tuned to the organization.

Bottom line. Lotteries in Costa Rica are official games run by JPS: transparent results, a developed sales network and an understandable social mission. Bingo mainly lives in the format of one-time and community events. If you want to participate, choose only the official JPS channels, check the results on the site and play responsibly.