The Camelot company, which has operated the national lottery since its inception, lost its next license.
The Gambling Commission has announced Allwyn Entertainment Ltd as the preferred applicant for the lottery’s next licence, which begins in 2024.
It has received the highest number of applications to operate the National Lottery since the first license was granted in 1994.
Camelot was named as a “reserve bidder” after four companies applied.
The National Lottery is one of the largest lotteries in the world and has raised over £45 billion for 660,000 causes across the UK.
It has also played a role in funding training and facilities for the UK’s Olympic and Paralympic athletes over the past three decades.
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Allwyn is a UK-based subsidiary of Europe’s largest lottery operator Sazka, owned by Czech oil and gas magnate Karel Komarek.
It signaled its intention to operate the National Lottery by launching in early 2021. Its board includes former London 2012 Organizing Committee member Lord Coe and entrepreneur Sir Keith Mills, who sits on the Advisory Board.
The Gambling Commission said it was “satisfied” that no application was affected by sanctions imposed by western nations in connection with the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“Our priority was to run a competition that would attract a strong field of candidates. Having received the highest number of applications since 1994, it is clear that we have achieved just that,” said Andrew Rhodes, chief executive of the Gambling Commission .
“I am confident that the success of the competition will result in a highly successful fourth license – one that maximizes benefit to charitable causes, encourages innovation, meets our legal obligations and ultimately protects the National Lottery’s unique status.”
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