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Camelot wins lottery licence after promising more to good causes

Fundraising | Becky Slack | 1 Jul 2007

Camelot looks set to retain the National Lottery licence after being announced as the National Lottery Commission's preferred bidder. Subject to terms and conditions being finalised, it will be granted the licence in late August.

The lottery provider, which has held the licence since the game was first launched back in 1994, faced little competition throughout the bidding process. Indian lottery operator Segal and Damani was the only company to challenge it after other bidders pulled out, allegedly because of the strength of Camelot's position.
 
Camelot won the licence on the basis of its ability to maximise returns to good causes. Dr Anne Wright, chair of the National Lottery Commission, said: "There will be more innovation coming through, plus exciting games, new technology and the installation of more terminals." It is believed that this will result in Camelot achieving higher sales over the course of the licence.

Camelot also announced today that it had commissioned Vanessa Potter, former director of policy and external affairs for the Big Lottery Fund, and her colleague Dr Jonathan Scales at consultancy firm Strategy Complete, to examine how lottery grant-giving had been promoted to the public over the last 13 years. This followed research by Camelot that suggests the lottery-playing public know very little about how lottery money is awarded in their name.
 
Other proposals announced by Camelot today include digital media screens to advertise National Lottery products and rollovers, which will be able to communicate messages about good causes, and new services enabling players to register their details to receive information about projects in their area that have received lottery funding.

Earlier this year, Camelot unveiled plans for the first ever world lottery game, which could see 48 states and countries participating in a monthly super-draw, as well as a number of partnerships with organisations such as Microsoft, BSkyB, Ticketmaster, Endemol and Orange.
 
Dianne Thompson, chief executive of Camelot, said she was �thrilled� at the decision. "I am particularly pleased for all our staff, who put more than 50,000 working days into writing the best possible bid."

Pete Moorey, parliamentary and media officer at the NCVO, said: "NCVO's main concern in any changes to the National Lottery licence has been that returns for good causes must be maintained. We are therefore pleased that this criteria was central to Camelot's selection as the preferred bidder and that National Lottery Commission is confident that Camelot was the most likely to generate the best returns to good causes."

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Directory: Camelot | National Council of Voluntary Organisations (NCVO)