The legal battle for control of the National Lottery, which appeared to have been concluded in November when Camelot cashed in its chips, has been revived by the company’s technology partner.
International Game Technology (IGT) is suing the Gambling Commission under European human rights laws, arguing the regulator’s decision to award the fourth lottery licence to the Czech-owned Allwyn gaming group had cost it “marketable goodwill”.
A legal victory for the Italian-owned IGT, which runs the lottery ticket machines at newsagents, supermarkets and garages, could lead to a damages award estimated at up to £600 million, payable from the National Lottery’s good causes fund.
Camelot and IGT reacted to the loss of the fourth licence, which is due to start in February 2024, by challenging the decision in the courts. Camelot said that, if its appeal failed, it would proceed with a separate claim for damages.
The appeal did fail — but Camelot withdrew its threat to sue after Allwyn bought Camelot from its owner, Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, for a rumoured sum of £100 million.
Advertisement
The assumption that IGT would also throw in the towel proved wide of the mark. The Times understands that it submitted a fresh claim against the commission just before Christmas, arguing that its rights under Article 1 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the Human Rights Act had been breached. The updated claim is said to contain a series of amendments.
MPs attacked IGT for its action, with Ben Bradley, the Conservative member for Mansfield, accusing it of targeting the lottery good cause fund “supposed to help some of our most disadvantaged communities”. Sally-Ann Hart, the Tory MP for Hastings and Rye, said: “The fact that charity money raised by the British public for local causes and projects is at risk of being raided by a partner of Camelot using the ECHR is completely unacceptable.”
The National Lottery is one of the world’s largest and since launching in 1994, it has raised more than £46 billion for 670,000 good causes across the UK. Camelot has run it since its inception.
IGT was contacted for comment.
