Keno originated in China almost 3,000 years ago, though its transformation from casinos to a lottery game is more recent. With over 2% of lottery sales world-wide, Keno has outgrown its niche status.
Keno's rise is primarily a result of its success in the United States market which accounts for 73% of Keno sales world-wide.
There are numerous game variations, from the size of the matrix to the complexity of player-entry options to the frequency of draws. An increasingly popular Keno format is to hold draws every five minutes.
SOURCE: The Whole World Lottery Guide.

See Lotteries' Keno Sales

Vendors Give Keno Positive Early Reviews
OHIO (September 26, 2008) -- Poor economic conditions have hurt sales for the first six weeks of Ohio Lottery Commission's newest lottery game, but the commission and vendors remain optimistic................Subscribers

Keno Licence Awarding Process
VICTORIA, Australia (September 16, 2008) -- This section provides information about the process for awarding the keno licence..............Subscribers

Registrations For Keno Licence Commence
VICTORIA, Australia (September 16, 2008) -- The Victorian Government has commenced a key stage in the restructure of the Victorian gambling industry by calling for Registrations of Interest (ROI) for a State-wide Keno Licence....................Subscribers

Ohio Lottery's New Keno Does $7.2 Million in Business the First Month
CLEVELAND, Ohio (September 5, 2008) -- Keno, the Ohio Lottery's newest game, finished up its first month of operation this week. As of Sunday, Keno brought in $7.2 million and awarded $4.6 million in prizes.................Subscribers

KENO Already a Booming Success
OHIO, USA (August 16, 2008) -- The state of Ohio just recently made the lottery game keno available to players in early August, and local business who now have the game in shop told NEWS9 that it's already a booming success.................Subscribers

California Tribe Fears Governor’s Plan for State Lottery is Departure From the Status Quo
CALIFORNIA (July 30, 2008) -- Indian gambling interests are reportedly concerned that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger wants to bring back Keno. Keno was banned................Subscribers

Tasmanians Love Their Keno
HOBART, Tasmania (July 24, 2008) – The Social and Economic Impact Study into gambling in Tasmania shows Tasmanians are spending substantially more on lottery products, particularly TasKeno, than the rest of the nation.............Subscribers

GTECH Introduces Five-Minute Keno with Totalizator Sportowy in Poland
PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island (July 3, 2008) – Lottomatica S.p.A.'s wholly-owned subsidiary, GTECH Global Services Corporation, announced that it has introduced a five-minute keno game in Poland with its customer, Totalizator Sportowy Sp. zo. o...............Subscribers

Ohio Businesses Gear Up For Keno
OHIO, USA (June 30, 2008) – In January, Ohio Governor Ted Strickland put forth the idea of adding Keno to the lottery mix as a way to keep the state budget in the black..................Subscribers

Venues Line-Up for Keno
COLUMBUS, Ohio (June 13, 2008) -- Plenty of restaurant and bar owners in Ohio are ready to bet on keno................Subscribers

Racing Commission Gives Nod to 'KENO' Game
LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas (June 12, 2008) -- The Arkansas Racing Commission on Thursday approved the addition of "KENO" to the electronic gambling games that can be run at..............Subscribers

Government Invites Comment on the New Gambling Industry Structure
MELBOURNE, Victoria, Australia (June 11, 2008) -- The Government is seeking public comment on the competitive bidding phase of the Gambling Licences Review, with the release of three Discussion Papers, wagering, keno and gaming machines.................Subscribers

New Keno Multiplier Feature Lands Lucky Player $100,000 on First Day
ATLANTA, Georgia (April 21, 2008) -- Sunday was a lucky day for a Smyrna man, times five. The lucky player won a record $100,000 playing KENO the first day the Georgia Lottery implemented its new multiplier feature..............Subscribers

Panel Gives OK to Keno
COLUMBUS, Ohio (April 21, 2008) – Governor Ted Strickland's plan to launch a new lottery game cleared a ten (10) member panel of lawmakers Monday without objection...............Subscribers

Lawmakers Push for Keno Ban
COLUMBUS, Ohio (April 9, 2008) – On Wednesday Rep. John Adams pushed for passage of a new law to stop expanded gambling....................Subscribers

Keno Proposal to Get Legislative Hearing
COLUMBUS, Ohio (April 9, 2008) -- A legislative rule-making committee will meet this month to discuss Governor Ted Strickland's plan to raise $73 million a year by putting Keno games in bars and other age controlled venues..................Subscribers

Keno Supporters and Opponents Voice Their Opinions to Lottery Commission Lawyers and Staffers
CLEVELAND, Ohio (March 28, 2008) – A public hearing for comment on Governor Ted Strickland’s Keno plan was held Friday at Cleveland's Lausche State Office Building...............Subscribers

Club Keno Dispute Settled
LANSING, Mich. (March 21, 2008) - The state has settled a long-running dispute with two American Indian tribes over the Michigan Lottery Club Keno game..............Subscribers

Keno Plan Faces Growing Opposition, Governor Pulls Request to Expand Lottery
COLUMBUS, Ohio (March 18, 2008) -- Next Monday the Ohio Lottery Commission had reportedly intended to ask a legislative panel that approves expenditures to release almost $18 million for equipment needed to operate the state's new Keno system....................Subscribers

Expanded Keno Expected To Boost Sales By $100 Million
BRAINTREE, Massachusetts, USA (March 18, 2008) - Sales of Keno tickets in Massachusetts will be expanded beyond mostly bars and restaurants to other locations..................Subscribers

Expansion of State Lottery Could Face a Legal Challenge
Opponents Lining Up to Keep Ohio From Adding Keno
COLUMBUS, Ohio (February 2, 2008) – Governor Ted Strickland wants to expand the Ohio Lottery to include Keno to stave off cuts to education funding................Subscribers

Keno to Help With Budget Shortfall
COLUMBUS, Ohio (January 31, 2008) - Governor Strickland says the state will begin state-run video Keno gambling in an effort to deal with a budget shortfall that could total nearly $2 billion by June 2009..............Subscribers

Critics Pan Pub Keno Decision
SYDNEY, NSW, Australia (January 6, 2008) -- Australian Hotels Association (AHA) deputy chief executive David Elliott said the Keno lottery game would attract a "completely different market" to gaming [poker] machines when it is rolled out in pubs next month...............Subscribers

China's Keno Lottery Network Poised for National Roll-Out
HONG KONG (January 10 2008) -- Beijing plans after the Lunar New Year holiday next month to begin a nationwide roll-out of a new lottery network, according to the joint-venture company contracted to build the system..............Subscribers

Opposition Backs Controversial Keno Proposal
PERTH, Western Australia (September 21, 2007) -- A plan, developed by Burswood Casino, the Australian Hotels Association (AHA) and Clubs WA would see Keno games, played around the clock at Burswood Casino..............Subscribers

Government Announce Quick Draw Keno Expansion
SYDNEY, NSW, Australia (September 19, 2007) -- The NSW Government is reportedly poised to allow pubs to introduce quick draw Keno............Subscribers

Plan to Expand Club Keno
LANSING, Michigan, USA (February 26, 2007) -- Governor Jennifer Granholm is reportedly planning to offer the state's popular Club Keno lottery game to private clubs, a move which is expected to net about $15 million a year for public schools..............Subscribers

Finns Propel Keno Into Second Place
VEIKKAUS, Finland (December 4, 2006) -- The daily drawn Keno has made it to the top of games in Finland. Although we only launched Keno four years ago, it is already Finland's second most popular game right after Lotto. In week 46 Keno's turnover crossed the limit of a total of one billion euros.................................Subscribers

Keno Style Game Set to Roll
BOSTON, Massachusetts, USA (October 23, 2006) -- In a meeting last week, state Treasurer Tim Cahill announced plans to move forward early next year with a new Keno-style game that would involve bets on animated cars that race around a track displayed on a video terminal, with a randomly determined winner.....................................Subscribers

Video Keno Backers Expect Spot on Ballot
LINCOLN, Nebraska, USA (August 17, 2006) -- Backers of a petition to legalize video Keno expect their proposal to make the November ballot despite a lawsuit seeking to keep it off..........................Subscribers

Recent Format Changes to Keno Responsible for Sales Surge
BOSTON, Massachusetts, USA (July 10, 2006) -- Recent format changes to Keno appear to have had the desired effect. Last year, the state collected $742 million in revenue from Keno, a 16 percent increase from fiscal 2002, when the state revenue came in at..........................Subscribers

IGA Wants to Restrict Keno to Licensed Gaming Venues
ADELAIDE, South Australia (July 4, 2006) – The Independent Gambling Authority (IGA) reportedly wants to ban newsagents and other retail outlets from selling Club Keno tickets..............................Subscribers

Governor Takes Keno Off the Table
CHICAGO, Illinois, USA (January 24, 2006) – Just as Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s office began  reviewing whether Governor Blagojevich has the authority to introduce Quick Draw Keno in bars and restaurants...........................Subscribers

Plan to Allow the Sale of Lottery Tickets on the Internet Resurfaces
ILLINOIS, USA (January 20, 2006) -- Senator John Cullerton believes he has an alternative plan to the Governor’s Quick Draw Keno proposal.................................Subscribers

Governor’s Keno Proposal Meeting Stiff Opposition
CHICAGO, Illinois, USA (January 12, 2006) -- Republican lawmakers are reportedly opposed to Democratic governor Blagojevich's Quick Draw Keno plan.............................Subscribers

Governor Favours Adding Keno to State Lottery
CHICAGO, Illinois, USA (January, 2006) – Governor Rod Blagojevich is reportedly in favour of adding Keno to the state lottery's portfolio of games...............................Subscribers

Trial Run of KENO Game in China a Success
HONG KONG (January 10, 2006) -- China LotSynergy Holdings Limited said the trial run of its KENO game  on China's first nationwide high frequency lottery system has been successful................................Subscribers

Keno Expansion Pushed Down Airport’s Priority List
DETROIT, Michigan (September 18, 2005) – As Lottery Insider reported earlier in the month, Michigan Lottery Commissioner Gary Peters has approached airport officials about expanding the lottery’s Club Keno game into airport bars and restaurants.............................Subscribers

Shanghai to Introduce Quick Draw Keno
SHANGHAI, China (September 9, 2005) -- The Shanghai Welfare Lottery Distribution Center is offering a new game, Quick Draw Keno, at more than 100 restaurants, bars and tea houses around the city..............................Subscribers

China Lottery Deal Wins Market Approval
MELBOURNE, Victoria, Australia (July 27, 2005) -- Tabcorp's Keno lottery system move into China has reportedly won market approval. However...........................Subscribers

Government Lottery and Gaming Organizations Competing For ‘Keno’
MANILA, Philippines (June 13, 2005) -- The Philippine Charities Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor), both reportedly have plans to introduce "Quick Draw Keno," just as soon as legislative requirements and public concerns will allow.................................Subscribers

Club Keno Helps Lottery Set Record Sales in 2004
MICHIGAN, USA (June 6, 2005) - Lottery Commissioner Gary Peters credits the introduction of Club Keno in bars and restaurants for helping to lift the organization to a year of record sales...............................Subscribers

Government Denies Plan to Extend Keno
SYDNEY, NSW, Australia (May 22, 2005) -- The NSW Government has reportedly denied media reports that it plans to extend the popular Quick Draw Keno game into hotels................................Subscribers

Quick Draw Keno Game to be Expanded
SYDNEY, NSW, Australia (May 20, 2005) -- The NSW government is reportedly considering expanding Quick Draw Keno into all the state’s hotels as part of a plan to raise extra revenue.................................Subscribers

Gaming Company Outsources Keno Logistics Management
MELBOURNE, Victoria, Australia (May 17, 2005) – Australia’s largest gaming company Tabcorp has reportedly outsourced logistics management and field service of its Keno terminals across New South Wales and Queensland in a three-year contract worth more than $5 million......................................Subscribers

Lottery Suspends Quick Draw Keno Vendors
NEW YORK, USA (February 14, 2005) -- As reported the New York Lottery has suspended the Quick Draw Keno licenses of two more vendors.....................Subscribers

New Smoking Ordinance Impacts Keno Revenue
LINCOLN, Nebraska, USA (February 4, 2005) -- Keno revenue in Lincoln dropped from $2.1 million in January 2004 to $1.6 million (-23%) in January this year.................Subscribers

Finnish Lottery Veikkaus Chalks-Up Thousandth Keno Draw
VEIKKAUS, Finland (January 20, 2005) -- Keno saw its thousandth draw on Saturday 15 January (round 2/05). The celebration day also brought a record-high daily game turnover with it, as Keno was played for € 472,000..............................Subscribers

Governor Plans to Add Lottery Games and Increase Keno Draws
ALBANY, New York (January 19, 2005) -- In his budget release, Governor George Pataki called for the creation of 40 new instant-lottery games, or "scratch-offs," to replace games that are slowing, and letting Quick Draw Keno be played around the clock, instead of 13 hours a day...........................Subscribers