Allwyn Awarded Next National Lottery Licence

The UK Gambling Commission have announced their preferred applicant for the next National Lottery license. Allwyn Entertainment Ltd have been chosen and they will replace Camelot in 2024.

New era on the way

The decision marks the beginning of the end for Camelot who have run the National Lottery since it was launched. Rather than being awarded another licence, they have been named as the “reserve applicant.”

Since being launched in 1994, the National Lottery has raised over £45 billion for 660,000 causes all over the UK. Funds have also been given to many competitors who have gone on to win Olympic and Paralympic medals.

Allwyn are a UK based subsidiary of Sazka, who are Europe’s largest lottery operators. They are owned by Karel Komarek, who is a Czech oil and gas tycoon.

It was last year when they announced their intention to run for the new National Lottery licence Their advisory board include Olympic gold medal winning athlete Lord Coe and the entrepreneur Sir Keith Mills.

Breathe fresh life

Allywn said that their proposal was “judged to be the best way of growing returns to good causes by revitalising the National Lottery in a safe and sustainable way". They added that their taking over of the licence “will breathe fresh life into the National Lottery.”

Nigel Railton is the chief executive of Camelot. Speaking about the decision, he said: “I'm incredibly disappointed by today's announcement, but we still have a critical job to do - as our current licence runs until February 2024.

He added that the company are now “carefully reviewing the Gambling Commission's evaluation before deciding on our next steps."

There had also been applications from Sisal Spa and The New Lottery Company Ltd. This was the most applicants to run the National Lottery since 1994

Andrew Rhodes (chief executive of the Gambling Commission), said that “Allwyn has committed to investment in the National Lottery that is expected to deliver growth and innovation across the National Lottery’s products and channels, resulting in increased contributions to good causes, subject to the protection of participants and propriety.”

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