Gambling Commission Prefers Allwyn for UK Lottery
After a historic first tender and two renewals, Camelot will be handing the reins of the UK National Lottery to a business whose bid was headed up by Sir Keith Mills. Allwyn, the new name and the UK arm of Czech billionaire Karel Komárek’s Sazka Group – a premier operator of lotteries in Czechia, Greece, Italy, Cyprus, and Austria has been named by the Gambling Commission as the preferred applicant. Should the deal be consummated, February 2024 will mark the first time in the National Lottery’s nearly three decades of service that Camelot will not run the business of accepting bets, drawing numbers, paying winners, and contributing to society with the proceeds. The competition to become a new UK institution included Camelot, Allwyn, Sisal of Italy (Flutter), and Health Lottery operator Richard Desmond’s vehicle, Northern & Shell. None of the contenders came to the process without some controversy. Some analysts noted an ace up the sleeve with the participation, at least to put tog