Allwyn joins line-up for UK National Lottery

The UK Gambling Commission has today named Allwyn Entertainment as preferred applicant for the fourth National Lottery licence.

The UK National Lottery is one of the world’s largest lotteries and the current – third – licence is due to expire in 2024. Since launching in 1994, National Lottery players have collectively raised more than £45bn for 660,000 good causes across the UK, transforming lives and contributing to the arts, sport, heritage and communities.

The selection of Allwyn as preferred applicant follows a fair, open and robust competition which received four applications at the final stage. This is the highest number of applications since the first National Lottery licence was awarded in 1994.

Allwyn has committed to investment in the National Lottery that is expected to deliver growth and innovation across the National Lottery’s products and channels, resulting in increased contributions to good causes, subject to the protection of participants and propriety.

The Gambling Commission is content that all applicants are fit and proper to operate the National Lottery. “Recognising our role as a responsible regulator we are also satisfied that no application is impacted by sanctions related to the conflict in Ukraine.”

Alongside Allwyn, the other applicants were Sisal Spa, Camelot UK Lotteriesand The New Lottery Company. Camelot UK Lotteries has been named reserve applicant.

This milestone marks the first day of a legal standstill period, lasting at least 10 days, that will be followed by a 22-month transition towards the fourth licence.