| Mifal HaPais | |
| Native Name: | מפעל הפיס |
| Type: | National lottery |
| Headquarters: | Tel Aviv, Israel |
| Website: | www.pais.co.il |
| Region: | Israel |
| Operator: | Mifal HaPais |
| Regulator: | Ministry of Finance (Israel) |
Mifal HaPais (Hebrew: מפעל הפיס) is Israel's government-owned lottery company. It comprises the state's near monopoly on legal gambling together with the Israel Sports Betting Board (ISBB) (Hebrew: המועצה להסדר ההימורים בספורט). The name translates to The Institute of the Pais (a Talmudic term for a conciliatory lottery which assigned priests to daily rituals in the Temple in Jerusalem.)[1]
In 2012, Mifal HaPais's annual revenue was estimated at a year.[2]
Mifal HaPais was established in August 1951 to recruit funding for the construction of a hospital in Tel Aviv. At first, the project's profits were used only for healthcare applications. Later on, when Mifal HaPais became a national lottery organization, its support was extended to projects in the fields of education, recreation, and the arts.
In 2007, lottery revenues were, of which were granted as prizes and used for various public projects.[3]
Before 2012, 46% of the profits or 10% of revenues, whichever is higher, was invested in building classrooms and day-care centers. Another 46% was distributed to local authorities, and 7.5% to other projects. A new licensing agreement grants the Ministry of Finance broad oversight and an authority will be established to supervise all legal gambling in Israel. Mifal HaPais will be required to publish criteria for allocating funding.
Mifal HaPais supports the establishment of children's clinics, hospitals, sport halls, study rooms and school buildings, youth activity and adult education centers, culture halls, the performing arts, and public parks.
The Mifal HaPais Council for the Culture and Arts supports cultural and artistic development in Israel. Established in 2000, the Council allocates grants and initiates projects in fields such as performing arts, visual arts, literature, poetry, cinema, television, new media, and interdisciplinary arts. The Council awards grants to artists and creators, with a stated aim to enhance cultural diversity and accessibility, especially outside central regions of Israel.[5]
The Council supports international initiatives, including art exhibitions, performances by Israeli groups abroad, and professional training for Israeli artists. It also hosts international artists for workshops and master classes in Israel. In cinema, the Council backs the international film incubator initiated by the Sam Spiegel Film and Television School.[5]
The HaPais Council comprises up to 29 members, mainly artists and public officials from cultural fields, and operates through six sub-committees. It allocates its budget by awarding subsidies based on public requests and initiating activities. The Council's annual work plan, detailing supported projects, is published in the first quarter of each year. Major recognitions include the Mifal HaPais Sapir Prize for Literature and the Mifal HaPais Landau Prizes for Arts and Sciences.[5]