Current National Lottery operator, Camelot, is thought to be preparing a legal challenge to the UK Gambling Commission’s decision to award the new contract to rival bidder, Allwyn.
National newspaper the Daily Telegraph has reported that Camelot believes the regulator acted illegally when it discarded it’s score in the system that measures the bids. Camelot claims that it had a 15% ‘risk factor discount’ that was supposed to be applied to its financial forecasts, but due to a late change to the bidding system, this was not applied by the Gambling Commission.
The change resulted in the projections provided for contributions to good causes by Allwyn appear to be significantly higher than those from Camelot.
However, there is a view within certain sections of the industry that the time for change has arrived, and that Camelot’s increased introduction of product lines with very close parallels with the wider gambling industry, has not been a positive thing. That said, little is widely known what can be expected from Allwyn.
The Gambling Commission’s Andrew Rhodes has no reservations, saying: “I am confident that the success of the competition will lead to a highly successful fourth licence – one that maximises returns to good causes, promotes innovation, delivers against our statutory duties and which ultimately protects the unique status of the National Lottery.”
