The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) recently confirmed that it is seeking bidders for the National Lottery 2023 concession, likely creating competitors to the current operator, Camelot, which has been in charge of the National Lottery since its launch back in 1994.
Ups and downs
Camelot has seen varied success from the National Lottery in recent years, while nearly £40 billion has been raised for good causes to date, having funded some of the biggest projects and organisations in the country including the London 2012 Olympic and the National Arts Council.On the flip side of the coin, however, the National Audit Office reported in 2017 that Camelot profits had been growing “disproportionately”, seeing a rise of 127% while ticket sale revenue only grew by 27%, and the money given to good causes rose by a far smaller 2%.This was followed by a £1.5 million fine from the UKGC due to digital issues, including the National Lottery app publishing incomplete results.
Responsible, safe, and fair
It is clear that the UKGC are eyeing up possible challengers to the throne that Camelot has sat on for nearly a decade and a half at this point, which will be nearly 20 years by the time the concession comes around in 2023.Neil McArthur, Chief Executive of the UKGC, spoke of the benefits of considering a new direction, saying:“We believe there is significant untapped potential for growth whilst still retaining the principles of being responsible, safe and fair.“We are looking forward to meeting businesses, investors and interested parties over the next few months to help us to shape an exciting, fair and healthy competition which will take the UK National Lottery into a new era, and ensure it remains one of the biggest and best lotteries in the world.”