A health lottery has been launched to raise funds to address "health inequalities", reports BBC News.

The lottery - which will be televised in the form of adverts on Saturday evenings - has been launched by Richard Desmond, owner of Channel 5, OK! Magazine, the Daily Star and Express newspapers.

The Health Lottery's top prize will be £100,000 and it is thought that 40,000 retailers have already signed up. Three correct numbers win £50 and four will net lucky winners £500, according to Guardian.co.uk.  

Chief executive of the new lottery, Martin Hall, explained that the game would "benefit every community in Great Britain", those with social work jobs might be interested to hear. 

Mr Hall continued: "At least £50 million would go on health-related causes, which could include respite care and counselling for young carers and specialist nurses for conditions such as Alzheimer's disease."

However, the proportion of charitable donation per ticket has been heavily criticised. Just 20.34p from each £1 ticket will go to health charities, compared with the 28p donated by The National Lottery. If it meets the projected target of £250 million ticket sales, The Health Lottery will offer £20 million less to good causes than its long-established rival.

It was described as a "pretty disgraceful development" by Sir Stephen Bubb of the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations.

"The Government needs to look at lottery regulation to ensure it's made transparent to people who play that this new lottery is giving a lot less per £1 to good causes," he added.

The Health Lottery tickets go on sale on September 29th.