UK National Lottery licence competition delayed

T

he UK’s Gambling Commission on Wednesday announced the extension of the timeline for Phase Two of the Fourth National Lottery licence competition, following representations from applicants and experience from Phase One. 

The third National Lottery license has been extended by six months. The Fourth National Lottery licence will begin in February 2024 with its new tender. The decision will see the winner of the multi-billion UK government contract be announced in February 2022.

The regulator says that the amended timeline will see four weeks added to the Phase Two application stage and a further six weeks for evaluation. These changes will give applicants the chance to further refine their proposals, and for the UKGC to evaluate. 

Seeking to build on past successes, the regulator has previously outlined a number of key changes for the fourth licence, including a fixed ten-year term, focus on performance and an incentive mechanism to ensure the licensee’s incentives and delivery are closely aligned with returns to good causes.

In an official release, the UKGC expressed that “our job is to run the best competition we possibly can – one that is open and fair and results in the best outcome for players and good causes. We want to appoint a licensee that can build on the National Lottery’s legacy and find new opportunities for a sustainable and successful future”.

The Commission also said that “we remain encouraged by the number of applications received and we look forward to evaluating Phase Two proposals as part of a robust process.”

Camelot UK, the Lottery’s current contract, has operated the lottery since it was established in 1994 after winning new contracts both in 2001 and 2007. The group’s third and current ten-year licence kicked off in 2009 and was subsequently extended by four years in March 2012.