With the UK Gambling Commission deciding as soon as this month who will be awarded the contract to run the nation’s National Lottery, those with their hats in the ring are all pushing and shoving for prime position.
Peter Jackson, Chief Executive of Sky Bet owner, Flutter Entertainment, has written to the Gambling Commission stressing the importance of keeping this key public sector contract in the hands of a UK-based company.
Flutter has also recently completed the £1.6bn acquisition of Sisal, one of the bidders for the contract, thereby confirming Flutter’s own position as a serious a contender. In his letter, Mr. Jackson is reported to have stated that there should “be no doubt as to Flutter’s commitment through Sisal to the future success of the lottery.”
The Czech bidder, Allwyn, previously known as Sazka Entertainment, has appointed British peer and Olympic Gold Medallist Lord Sebastian Coe in a non-executive role. Lord Coe, who has now quit the House of Lords, will work alongside the former CEO of J Sainsbury, Justin King CBE, at the head of the Czech bid.
The National Lottery reported sales of £8.3bn for the financial year which ended March 31st 2021, an increase of £468.8m year-on-year, and other contenders for the new contract are the incumbent, Camelot, and Health Lottery operator and Express Newspapers owner, Richard Desmond.
