Lottery offers IVF treatment prize

The lottery, which launches in the UK on July 30, sells $30 tickets for a monthly prize of $38,000 worth of fertility treatment at a reputed clinic.

Lottery organiser Camille Strachan told News Ltd that bringing the lottery to Australia is a priority after she received huge support from Australians on her website.

Her charity, To Hatch, will run the controversial lottery.

Victorian Assisted Reproductive Treatment Authority chief executive Louise Johnson says she finds the concept ethically murky.

Victorian Gaming Minister Michael O'Brien says he finds the idea disgraceful, and the government will consider empowering the gambling regulator to stop it.

Sydney IVF medical director Mark Bowman says the competition trivialises an important issue affecting thousands of Australians.

Louise Johnson from the Victorian Assisted Reproduction Treatment Authority says people should be wary of the raffle.

"Infertility is very, very common and the desire to have children is very deep felt for many people," she said.

"A lotto such as this would be exploiting that desire and nothing like this can guarantee that a baby is possible."

Ms Johnson says overall it is a dreadful concept.

"Somebody could win a lottery such as this and find that their treatment is not successful. I think the lottery is ethically murky," she said.

But Victoria's Gaming Minister Michael O'Brien says the Government will go as far as changing legislation to ensure the lotto cannot operate in Victoria.

"We'd be extremely concerned if somebody attempted to use the pain of infertile couples as a means of promoting a lottery or generating profit for themselves," he said.

"It may be we need to look at amending the legislation to provide the regulator with a broad power to refuse applications if they're contrary to the public interest."

Mr O'Brien says it is important infertility is treated as a serious medical issue.

"It's not the sort of thing, like a meat tray at a pub, or a holiday or a car, that people should be in a position where the only way they can access treatment is through a raffle," he said.

"We think that might be encouraging an irresponsible approach and we certainly don't believe that it treats infertility with the seriousness it deserves.