The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has denied rumors first announced by The Daily Telegraph that the regulator may have made up its mind who the next National Lottery concessionaire should be.
Is Camelot Likely to Win the Bid?
The media suggested that Camelot Group, the current operator, remains in the lead, but these rumors have been swiftly refuted in one of the quickest reactions by the watchdog.
The article claimed that the UKGC had made a recommendation to Prime Minister Boris Johnson that Camelot should remain the operator of the National Lottery. However, the commission denied those reports, arguing that it was of the utmost importance that the process remains anonymous lest it infringes on its integrity.
The reporting was dismissed as false and was followed up by further clarification by the commission:
“The Board of Commissioners make the final decision and will inform the Government when the final decision is made.”
UKGC
The UKGC called the report based on false and inaccurate information and that the commission had reached out to the website to “remove the article in its current form from the newspaper’s website.”
Stiff Competition for Lottery Concession
The matter is particularly sensitive as it involves competing bids by some of the biggest gambling operators in Europe. Allwyn, Sisal, and Northern-&-Shell are all neck-and-neck and hoping to become the next National Lottery operator. Camelot Group may also retain its position depending on what decision is reached in the end.
Some companies have been more optimistic than others about their success in the bidding process. For example, Allwyn has already appointed Justin King as head of lottery operations in the United Kingdom. Whether he is going to be responsible for UK lottery operations will depend on Allwyn winning the bid, though.
Meanwhile, Flutter CEO Peter Jackson has tried to deliver a more high-strung argument, arguing that Sisal should be winning the bid, as this would bring the National Lottery under British control at long last. Sisal is being acquired by Flutter Entertainment which is an FTSE100 company.