The High Court dismissed Richard Desmond’s claim against the UK Gambling Commission over its award of the National Lottery licence to Allwyn, according to media reports. Mrs Justice Joanna Smith found no evidence of manifest error in the bidding process. Northern & Shell said it planned to appeal.
The ruling supports the Commission’s award of the National Lottery licence to Allwyn, though Northern & Shell plans to appeal.
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The Court of Appeal upheld the award of the fourth UK National Lottery licence to Allwyn, rejecting challenges by The New Lottery Company and Northern & Shell. The court said TNLC had not suffered losses in practical terms and its chance of winning the competition was very small. The Gambling Commission welcomed the ruling, while its concerns over Allwyn’s delivery of some commitments remain, the report said.
Reportedly, the Court of Appeal has dismissed an attempt by TNLC and Northern & Shell to overturn Allwyn's award of the fourth UK National Lottery licence. The challenge sought to reverse the licence decision.
Bedfordshire and Luton senior coroner Emma Whitting has called for the National Lottery to be included in GAMSTOP after an inquest into Stephen Goff’s death. The UK Gambling Commission said it would consider changes and was discussing further consumer protections with Allwyn and GAMSTOP.
A coroner wants the National Lottery in the United Kingdom placed on the list of services that gambling opt-outs exclude people from. The UKGC, speaking through a spokesperson, indicated it may weigh further changes, possibly including a wider reach for Gamstop.
The UK's National Audit Office has begun a review of the fourth National Lottery licence, examining how the Gambling Commission and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport designed and awarded it and oversaw the transition from Camelot to Allwyn. The report is expected in spring 2027. Allwyn took over operation in February 2024.
Reportedly, the National Audit Office has started examining the current National Lottery licence. The public spending watchdog plans to assess whether the Gambling Commission's supervision is producing the strongest achievable benefits for good causes now that Allwyn UK has run the lottery since February 2024. Findings are due in spring 2027.
Sarah Gardner, the Gambling Commission’s interim chief executive, praised Allwyn’s player-protection measures at a company conference in the UK. She said the National Lottery raised £1.7bn for good causes in the past year and described Allwyn’s new online safeguards as positive, while noting early implementation difficulties.