Tough competition
LOTTERY
UK NATIONAL LOTTERY: A NEW ERA? AS WE EDGE CLOSER
to finding out the results of the Fourth National Lottery Licence competition, we assess the hopefuls’ chances and the challenges they face in the meantime BY CHARLIE HORNER
I
n October last year, the UK Gambling Commission confirmed that it had received four bids in the Fourth National Lottery
licence competition, the most since its inception in 1994. So now the race is on with all four competitors vying for that 10-year contract. Camelot, the ever-present incumbent, is under fierce pressure to win another term, with the Czech Republic’s Allwyn, Italy’s Sisal and Richard Desmond’s Northern & Shell all taking a shot at becoming the National Lottery operator. Could this be the year that Camelot is dethroned? We’re now at the stage where the applications are being evaluated, with each applicant expected to provide a presentation to the UK Gambling Commision (UKGC) in the coming weeks and months. With the evaluation process supported by the
Commission’s lead advisory group, Rothschild & Co, licensee hopefuls have a tough road ahead of them. The process is shrouded under strict secrecy, with little being leaked into the public sphere. A decision was expected in ‘early 2022’, with reports stating that the winner might have been announced as early as February. And in the event that Camelot is defeated, the licence will be subject to a two-year handover period. Intriguing times lie ahead in the UK lottery space with Camelot battling criticism from MPs and campaigners questioning its priorities in recent months.
LICENSEE HOPEFULS HAVE A TOUGH ROAD AHEAD OF THEM Allwyn has set out its stall to become a global lottery brand, ferociously targeting the UK and US markets in a strategy that has included a fresh re-brand and enlisting the help of some of the UK’s most influential figures in sport, charity and business.
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