The UK National Lottery License Battle Goes Global

Camelot have run the UK National Lottery for a good quarter century. Starting from small beginnings it is now popular and commonplace. However, Camelot is no longer a British run business and their license comes up for review soon. That means that not even the best lotto jackpot reviews, which usually know everything, can guarantee it’ll retain its position. With Indian, Italian and Czech firms all in the bidding the DCMS is almost spoilt for choice.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) launched the tendering process last year. The DCMS invited operators, both foreign and domestic, to submit their initial proposals and objectives. With a guarantee of a 1% profit level and perhaps 4% for operating costs, it’s a good business to be in. 1% might not sound a lot, but the UK National Lottery pulls in nearly £8 billion a year. So, as you may imagine, competition for the license is quite fierce.

“It could be you!” Was the tagline Camelot used in their UK National Lottery adverts. They will now hope it could be them. Alas, however, times have changed and Camelot is no longer the British run certainty it once was. The Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan now indirectly owns Camelot. Which is fine. No complaints. But, it does mean it’ll find it hard to wave a patriotic flag over its bid against its foreign rivals. Some of which are masters of progressive jackpot lotteries.

Czechs & Italians Take The Fight To The Canadians

Take the latest entrant; SISAL. The Italian group runs Italy’s most popular lottery and in recent years has expanded abroad. Indeed in the last two years they have won the rights to run games in both Morocco and Turkey. They know what they’re doing. That’s why they’ve teamed up with an organization that knows lots about the charity landscape in the UK; The children’s charity Barnado’s. They lend a considerable and weighty gravitas to this bid for the UK National Lottery.  

“Being an organization with deep rooted innovation in every sphere of our activity we are happy to be in the competition.”

• Kamlesh Vijay – CEO Sugal & Damani Group

Meanwhile the Czechs have Sir Keith Mills fronting their campaign. He was the president of London’s winning 2012 Olympic bid committee which is a good thing. SAZKA have also established an “advisory board” which includes Justin King and Brent Hoberman amongst others. That’s why people see SAZKA as the most serious threat to Camelot’s control of the UK National Lottery. They’re very serious about making it the best lottery to play in the UK again.

Sugal & Damani Are Back With Innovation Again

As are Sugal & Damani the Indian bidders. They’re the largest lottery operator in India, where such games are very popular. They bid before back in 2007 and gained reserve bidder status for matching all the criteria set. Whether they can gain more success this time is questionable, alas, especially given the other bidders. Of course they’ll rely on their innovative tech edge to keep them in the fight. Unfortunate this may prove folly. Ultimately the DCMS may not understand it. 

“To run the National Lottery, knowledge of the UK market is paramount.”

• Francesco Durante – CEO SISAL Group

The familiar faces of the SAZKA bid may then trump the others. SISAL is late to this party. Barnado’s may have the moral high ground but Mills, King and Hoberman have the contacts. There’s a very good chance this will make all the difference in the procurement process ahead. It is never what you know but who you know, you know? So when you’re checking Lotto Agent looking for the best lottery jackpots available, check out the UK National Lottery, because it’ll soon change.

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We take a look at some of the companies bidding to run the UK National Lottery next.