It sells lottery tickets and Instant Scratch-Its (scratchcards) through newsagents and other convenience stores.

The drawing of the first Golden Casket in 1917 by Queensland Patriotic Fund was to raise money to support veterans of World War I with a first prize of 5,000 pounds (around $480,410 in 2019 currency) The operation was soon taken over by the Queensland Government in 1920.

In 1938, the Casket paid for the construction of the new Royal Brisbane Women's Hospital.

[1] In April 2007 the Queensland Government sold the Golden Casket operation to gambling company Tattersall's Limited for $530 million, with the proceeds going to the Royal Children's Hospital and the state government retaining ownership of the Golden Casket trademark via the Queensland Lottery Corporation.

Winning the Golden Casket is a major event in Neville Shute's novel A Town Like Alice.