The National Lottery could be suspended for the first time in almost thirty years because of a legal row.
The jackpot has been run by Camelot since its launch in the early 90s, but in April, the Gambling Commission confirmed plans to transfer the licence to Allwyn Entertainment, a rival operator.
It’s now been revealed that Camelot has launched a legal challenge to stop the move.
Lottery ownership was set to be transferred from Camelot to Allwyn Entertainment on 1 February 2024, but legal proceedings will likely cause delays, The Independent reports, which will mean players may miss out on millions of pounds.
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John Tanner, the Gambling Commission's chief executive director, said in court evidence that delays mean ‘the lottery doesn’t operate to its full potential’ and may face periods where ‘it doesn't operate at all’.
Camelot says the Gambling Commission got it ‘badly wrong’ when offering Allwyn Entertainment the lottery licence.
Since the National Lottery’s launch in 1994, Camelot has been granted the licence three times.
The operator claims to raise £30 million each week for good causes through the National Lottery, which Camelot runs alongside the EuroMillions.
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LADbible has approached Camelot and Allwyn Entertainment for comment.
Earlier this month, a UK couple became Britain's biggest ever EuroMillions lottery winners, scooping an eye-watering £184 million.
Joe, 49, and Jess, 44, from Gloucestershire found out their lives would never again be the same when they won the colossal sum on a lucky dip on 10 May.
They married 11 years ago and have two primary school-age children together, while Joe also has two children at university from a previous marriage.
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Both turned up for work on the day they found out they'd become the best part of £200 million richer – though Joe has since handed in his notice.
Speaking to ITV about what they intend to do with the cash, Jess said: "When we told our youngest two children, 'If you could have anything in the world now that we have this money, what would you want?', both of them said a holiday.
"We don't go on holiday, they have ponies and everything goes into them.
"So my youngest said she wants to go to Hawaii... She's been talking about Hawaii for two years – and when we said she could go to Hawaii she was just jumping up and down with joy.
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"Our eldest wants to go to America and do a ranch drive on a pony. She is obsessed with her pony – and now we can invite the rest of our family to do those with us. That's the most important thing for us."
Topics: National Lottery
Aisha Nozari