The High Court of England and Wales has ruled against International Game Technology LLC (IGT) in the lawsuit brought by IGT challenging the awarding of the contract to manage the U.K.’s National Lottery to Allwyn Entertainment over Camelot UK, which had operated the lottery since 1994.
Camelot and IGT both filed legal claims against the awarding of the license by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) in September 2022. Both claims were dropped after it was clear that the lottery would have to shut down while the issue was litigated.
In January 2023, IGT filed a new lawsuit, which claimed damages of up to £600 million against the loss of its business as the long-term technology supplier to Camelot.
Allwyn subsequently acquired Camelot, in a deal that closed in January. Allwyn is set to take over operation of the lottery in February 2024.
However, there is one outstanding legal challenge relating to the license transition, coming from Northern and Shell Group’s The New Lottery Company (TNLC). The UKGC has said that it is unaware of what actions TNLC will take.
The Commission’s statement read: “We remain resolute that we have run a fair and robust competition, and that our evaluation has been carried out fairly and lawfully in accordance with our statutory duties.
“We have taken every step possible to ensure a level playing field for all interested parties, to enable us to appoint a licensee who will engage and protect players, run the National Lottery with integrity and ensure the National Lottery maximizes support for good causes and its contribution to society through further innovation and investment.”
