A debate on establishing a national lottery for funding the arts and sports will be proposed by the United Bermuda Party when the House of Assembly reopens in November.And indications are that the two main political parties will not be opposed to the idea.UBP MP Charlie Swan told The Royal Gazette that he plans to table a motion saying that the House “supports a National Lottery for the express purpose of funding the development of our youth in sports and/or the arts and/or music”.The proposal was first mooted in parliament in the UBP’s Budget Reply in February.But Mr Swan said that the time has come for the matter to be “discussed seriously”, adding that the issue of improving athletic performance is a major one for small countries such as Bermuda.And, he said, lack of funding support has driven many of the Island’s elite athletes overseas.“Sailors, sprinters, golfers and equestrians must travel or live overseas — top sprinter Troy Douglas and equestrian Patrick Nesbitt have left our shores permanently,” he said, adding that Bermuda punches above its weight in sports and the arts.“It is time for the topic of a National Lottery to be discussed seriously. It is time to put any negatives into perspective and recognise that increased funding for sports, the arts and music can play a significant part in the rejuvenation of our Island’s culture and sense of self,” Mr Swan continued.“A creative and realistic way forward is a National Lottery to fund these endeavours.”The Opposition One Bermuda Alliance supports a Bermuda lottery in principle, but said that the economics of a Bermuda lottery might prove challenging, given the Island’s small population.“The best possibility for a Bermuda-based lottery would be to operate it as an international lottery, whereby we could dramatically enlarge the market for ticket sales,” an OBA spokesperson said.“The feasibility of the scheme would first have to be determined by a detailed analysis of a proposed business model.”But the spokesperson added that the party recognised that lotteries could bring “very significant” benefits.“The OBA would use the proceeds of a Bermuda-based lottery to invest in our people — in the continuing development of our dancers, our musicians, our athletes and their Olympic dreams and the educational aspirations of our children.“A Bermuda-based lottery could also contribute to the public well-being through taxation.”Mr Swan agreed that the market for a local lottery would be small “but that’s not a bad thing, he said.“An international lottery could be explored, but I’m just thinking of the logistics of an international lottery versus a local lottery.”And he said there might be questions on the tax implications if winnings are sent overseas.Asked the Progressive Labour Party’s position on a national lottery to fund sports and the arts, a spokesperson said: “When it comes to pursuing other sources of revenue to help us continue to investing in Bermudians, we’re not taking anything off the table.“We believe that in these challenging times for the global economy we should be investing in programmes like DayCare, FutureCare and education.”Premier Paula Cox has promised more support for Bermuda’s athletes ahead of the 2016 Olympics.