MOSCOW, February 9 - RAPSI. The Orglot lottery operator has appealed the court's judgment awarding the Sport Ministry $66.3 million, the court told the Russian Legal Information Agency (RAPSI/rapsinews.com) on Thursday.

The Moscow Commercial Court sided with the Sport Ministry on December 27 in its 1.97 billion ($66.3 million) suit against the Gosloto lottery operator Orglot.

The dispute centers on a state contract signed on November 22, 2006 for an all-Russia online lottery. The ministry sought to recover funds that Orglot had to pay to the federal budget.

The sports authority established the lottery in 2006 and chose Orglot as its operator. Under the contract, Orglot was obligated to pay at least 50 percent of its income into the prize pool, and 15 percent to finance the physical culture and sport development program for 2006-2015.

Gazprombank was Orglot's founder, but withdrew from the business in 2007.

A 51 percent stake in the company was then purchased by Sandor Demjan, the president of Hungary's TriGranit. The owners of the other stakes in the company have not been disclosed. The Kommersant newspaper reported in late 2009 that the companies associated with businessman Alexander Varshavsky purchased a 49 percent stake in Orglot.

Varshavsky owns several car dealerships in Moscow selling Ford, Mercedes and Maybach models.