National Lottery Licence Bidders

The National Lottery Licence currently held by Camelot, is up for renewal in February 2009. But companies who want to win the right to operate the licence will have to submit bids long before that date if they are to be successful. Camelot are pretty much favourites to retain the licence which they have held since its launch in 1994, but there are other big companies who have expressed interest.

One of these is BSkyB, the satellite television operator who could form a consortium with other interested potential partners. BSkyB is partially owned by News Corporation, and has experience of selling lottery tickets through its Skybet betting channel. It is anticipated that draws would be made on the Sky 1 channel, or other Sky channels, to boost ratings. Bids have to be in by the end of 2006, so there is plenty of time yet for all sorts of companies to join the race.

- 15/5/06

When the UK National Lottery was launched in November 1994, Camelot Plc won the right to run the lottery on behalf of the government. Seven years later when the licence was up for renewal, Camelot were again awarded the licence to run the Uk’s National Lottery. And, now it’s time for bids to be submitted by prospective Lottery Licence holders once again, but this time the term of the licence will be for ten years, not seven, making it a very attractive business opportunity.

The National Lottery Commission has issued draft invitations to apply, with a deadline of the end of 2006 being set. One company that has made public their intention to bid is Lottomatica, the world’s biggest lottery operator, owned by the private Italian DeAgostini group. They also own the American company GTech, who used to be part of the Camelot consortium, but they had to sell their stake after some software problems.

Look out also for bids from online gaming and betting companies such as Coral Gala, Tattersalls from Australia, Ladbrokes, and maybe Richard Branson again. But the licence is very large business, so any successful bid will come from a consortium with expertise in business, computing, marketing and gambling.

- 6/5/06