UK Gambling Commission denied claims by IGT’s National Lottery legal challenge

The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has rejected claims made by the International Game Technology (IGT) in its legal challenge against awarding the fourth UK National Lottery licence to Allwyn.

The report went on to note that if the IGT were to win, it could lead to up to £600m in damages awarded from the National Lottery’s Good Causes fund.

The UKGC has since concurred that it is aware of the new claim by IGT but that it is resolute in its stance. It also added that it ran a fair competition for the licence and that the result of IGT’s claim will not affect Allwyn’s position as the incoming licensee, due to kick off in February 2024.

A spokesperson for the UKGC said: “We remain resolute that we ran a fair and robust competition and that our evaluation was carried out fairly and lawfully in accordance with our statutory duties.
“We took every step possible to ensure a level playing field for all interested parties, to enable us to appoint a licensee who that will engage and protect players, run the National Lottery with integrity and ensure the National Lottery maximises support for good causes and its contribution to society through further innovation and investment.

“The outcome of any proceedings will not affect Allwyn’s position as an incoming licensee, nor our commitment to ensuring a smooth and orderly handover.”

This legal challenge from IGT is coming after a stormy period in the courts in which the supplier, as well as Camelot, had both challenged the UKGC on their decision.

The original case did daily, but Camelot withdrew its threat of a second claim after Allwyn purchased Camelot from the Ontario Teacher’s Pension Plan for an impressive £100m.
IGT has gone on to submit its second claim just before the Christmas period, arguing its rights under Article 1 of the European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act had been breached.