New plans could come into place for the National Lottery - including a price drop for tickets.
It comes after the National Lottery operator Camelot is set to lose its licence to operate the game after 28 years. The Gambling Commission announced plans to transfer the licence to a rival as a fiercely contested bidding process broke out between four parties.
Bidders included Allwyn, Sisal Spa, Camelot and The New Lottery Company Ltd. Camelot had been named “reserve applicant”.
READ MORE: Camelot loses licence to run National Lottery after 28 years
Camelot was beaten by Allwyn Entertainment, which was named by the Gambling Commission as its preferred bidder to operate the lottery from 2024. Camelot had previously held the licence since 1994.
Because of the secretive nature of the bidding process, Allwyn has yet to give much away about the changes players and retailers will see when it takes over. However, it has vowed to improve the lottery’s draw-based games.
Reports say it pledged to donate £38billion to good causes over the next decade if it wins. Plans could also see the price of a ticket be halved from £2 to £1.
Justin King, Allwyn UK’s chairman and former boss of supermarket Sainsbury’s, said: “The National Lottery is a vital British institution and we’re focused on ensuring it plays an even bigger part in society by increasing participation, improving safeguards, and giving back more to good causes.”
Allwyn is already one of Europe’s largest national lottery operators, with businesses in Czech Republic, Greece, Cyprus, Italy, and Austria.
The Gambling Commission said: “This is the highest number of applications since the first National Lottery licence was awarded in 1994.
“Allwyn has committed to investment in the National Lottery that is expected to deliver growth and innovation across the National Lottery’s products and channels, resulting in increased contributions to good causes, subject to the protection of participants and propriety.”
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