Camelot Lottery Solutions, which lost out on its bid for another term running the U.K.’s National Lottery, contends that the new operator could destroy the lottery industry in the country.
A representative for the company reportedly informed the High Court that the lottery would “cease to exist” should the next 10-year license be awarded to Czech firm Allwyn, according to SBC News.
Following a lengthy license tender, the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) concluded that pan-European lottery operator Allwyn would assume the role as National Lottery operator in February 2024.
Camelot’s concerns relate to the fact that it has been the sole steward of the National Lottery since the lottery’s inception in 1994, and so the transition of the contract to Allwyn in two years’ time would effectively force the former operator to cease operations.
However, as reported by the Daily Mail, Queen’s Counsel Sarah Hannaford—who represents the UKGC—asserted that this was not a sound argument.
“The license that it has entered into allows it only to carry out the UK National Lottery and ancillary activities if there is agreement,” she said.
Camelot UK took a decision to operate as they did and it was perfectly foreseeable that they might lose a contract.”
The barrister stated that Camelot had provided “nowhere near” cogent evidence of financial loss, while IGT suffer little as a result of the transition.
“IGT is a massive global business, and the U..K lottery is frankly a very small part of it. It has a lot of fingers in a lot of lottery pies,” Hannaford added. “’There is absolutely no doubt that damages are an adequate remedy for IGT.”
Camelot’s appeal was first launched last month. At the time, Chief Executive Nigel Raliton emphasized that the UKGC had not given a “satisfactory response” as to why it rejected the bid, but the regulator has stood by its decision and processes.
Allwyn’s victory in the tender has also received wider criticism from some political figures. Watford MP Dean Russell drew attention to employment in his consistency, where Camelot has a considerable workforce, as well as Allwyn owner Kamel Komarek’s alleged ties to Russia in the wake of the Ukraine conflict.
