During the initial three months of the 2022-23 financial period, the British National Lottery generated a substantial sum of £422.9 million (which is equivalent to €491.5 million or $488.4 million) for charitable purposes.
Lottery ticket sales experienced a slight increase of 0.5% when compared to the same period in the preceding fiscal year. However, sales decreased by 13.9% compared to the £491.3 million recorded in the final three months of the previous fiscal year, and also saw a decline of 16.8% compared to the £5.085 million generated in the third quarter of the 2021-22 fiscal period.
According to the Gambling Commission, which released these financial figures, the sequential decline in sales can be attributed to a drop of 8.7% in overall National Lottery sales compared to the last quarter of the previous fiscal year.
The Commission highlighted that all lottery games, with the exception of EuroMillions, experienced a decrease in sales. Lotto ticket sales fell by 15.9%, and scratchcard sales also experienced a decline of 11.4% compared to the previous quarter.
It is noteworthy that the total unclaimed prize money returned to charitable causes during this quarter was £29 million less than the previous quarter. This reduction is primarily due to the discontinuation of certain scratchcard games in the final quarter of the 2021-22 fiscal year, which aligns with annual cyclical patterns.
Since its inception in November 1994, the British National Lottery has raised over £46 billion for charitable causes, encompassing various sectors such as sports, arts and culture, health, education, and the environment.
The National Lottery Distribution Fund (NLDF) manages funds for worthy causes, while the Gambling Commission makes sure that lottery operators make precise and timely payments to charitable organizations.
Although Camelot’s 28-year run as operator is coming to a close, the UK National Lottery remains under its control as Allwyn officially secured the fourth National Lottery permit in September.
The Commission signed an “authorization agreement” with Allwyn, signifying that it has officially been granted the license and the transition to the new operator has commenced.
Previously, the Commission declared in March that Allwyn was its preferred license applicant, outperforming the current operator Camelot, New Lottery Company, and Sisal.
Camelot and its technology provider IGT disputed the decision in court, alleging that the regulator was not transparent in its communication and its staff “deserved a proper explanation” as to why its license was not renewed.
This resulted in the High Court automatically suspending the licensing decision, but Camelot withdrew its challenge in September, following media reports that charitable funding could be at risk during a prolonged legal battle, removing the final obstacle for Allwyn to secure the license.
Camelot stated it would proceed with a separate claim, but news surfaced this week that Allwyn is in “advanced” discussions to acquire Camelot, casting doubt on the future of that claim.
The news outlet Sky News, referencing sources familiar with the discussions, reported that Allwyn is engaging in negotiations with the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (OTPP), the current proprietor of UK lottery operator Camelot, for a transaction valued at approximately £1 billion.
Sources indicate that an accord could be achieved within a few weeks, potentially resulting in Allwyn acquiring Camelot’s complete UK operations, encompassing the rights to manage the National Lottery presently (until February 2024) – at which point Allwyn would assume control.
Allwyn released a statement acknowledging the talks but stipulated that any agreement would be contingent upon regulatory authorization.
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