Camelot Loses National Lottery License; UKGC Selects Allwyn Entertainment

Camelot is set to lose its license to operate UK’s National Lottery after 28 years on the job. Today, the UK Gambling Commission stated that Allwyn Entertainment is the preferred applicant to win the license and operate the lottery. UKGC’s decision is set to be confirmed this year and the transfer is set to be completed by 2024.

Allwyn’s Proposal Is Considered to Be the Best Solution for the National Lottery

Camelot has run the National Lottery since 1994, but things are now about to change. Allwyn’s proposal, which was led by bid chair Sir Keith Mills, was labeled as the best solution to get the lottery back on track and revitalize it in the best possible way.

Mills commented on the development by saying that the National Lottery “is a national treasure” and that Allwyn is delighted to be provided with such an opportunity. He also pledged to enact the company’s plans and rekindle the true meaning of the National Lottery with the support of the UK Gambling Commission.

Allwyn’s chair, Justin King said that he’s delighted that Allwyn’s proposal has been labeled as the best. He shared a few encouraging words about the Gambling Commission and stated that he’s impressed with the attention they paid to the National Lottery during the entire process.

The UKGC also expressed its thoughts by saying that Allwyn’s selection comes after a fair competition among four applicants. It also added that it is content with the fact that all four applicants are fit to operate the National Lottery and that it is happy to say that no application is impacted by the sanctions in relation to the Ukraine conflict. Recently, there were a lot of rumors circulating that Camelot will win the license, but the UKGC was quick to dismiss them.

Andrew Rhodes, the chief executive of the UKGC, stated that the commission wanted to have a competition that would attract the best candidates and that is exactly what it managed to do. He also added that he’s looking forward to working with the companies and ensuring a smooth takeover.

The New License Will Be Valid for 10 Years

Camelot’s license is set to expire in 2024, which is when Allwyn will take the National Lottery over. Allwyn’s license will be much shorter as it will be valid for 10 years – until 2034. Even though the CEO of Camelot, Nigel Railton, stated that he’s disappointed in UKGC’s decision, it is worth noting that Camelot will be the reserve candidate and will take over the lottery if any issues arise with Allwyn.

The National Lottery has raised more than £45 billion ($59 billion) for 660,000 good causes, as reported by the UKGC. Additionally, its rewards managed to create 6its rewards managed to create 6,300 millionaires over the years.  

One interesting proposal by Allwyn is to reduce ticket prices to £1 ($1.3) and have two draws on the same night. Currently, the price for one ticket is £2 ($2.6).