The process to select the operator of the National Lottery has come under scrutiny by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. The U.K. Gambling Commission and its advisory panel has overseen the competition, launched August 28, 2020, according to SBC News.
The competition will select the firm to operate the lottery for the next 10 years. The current operator is Camelot UK. The competition was designed to maximize opportunities for players and for causes that will benefit from the lottery. The leading candidate hopes to be decided in September, which triggers a two-year transition period.
The problem facing the operations is that returns for charitable functions have not grown as much as profits for Camelot. The DCMS will insist changes will require licensees to ensure charitable income rises at the same level as profits.
So far, the competition has attracted bids from Allwyn; Northern & Shell Group; Sisal; and Sugal & Damani.
“The National Lottery has raised £43 billion for good causes since its launch in 1994,” said DCMS Committee Chairman Julian Knight MP. “Our concern is not only with the operation of the competition to find the next operator, but also with the Gambling Commission that is overseeing the process.”
