Throughout the Christmas season, Lottery Daily will be revisiting some of the biggest stories of the lottery business world from the past year. This edition will be looking at stories from January, February and March.
January
Louise Hanlon joins Camelot as new corporate responsibility lead
The operator of the UK National Lottery, Camelot, strengthened its corporate responsibility and sustainability division by confirming that Louise Hanlon had been appointed as its Deputy Head of Corporate Responsibility.
The appointment came as Camelot looked to further implement its social responsibility strategy throughout 2020.
Full story here
Sazka appoints Kenneth Morton as new CFO
Czech gambling conglomerate Sazka Group confirmed the appointment of Kenneth Morton as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), effective from 1 February 2020.
Morton is the former Head of Corporate Finance for Sazka Group’s main investor KKGC – a private equity vehicle led by Czech billionaire Karel Komarek.
As a KKGC executive, Morton is reported to have spearheaded several Sazka group investments, which in 2019 saw Komarek’s fund take outright ownership of the Czech gambling group.
Full story here
February
FDJ ups corporate guidance in preparation for action-packed 2020
French lottery operator Française des Jeux (FDJ) declared a ‘landmark year’ after publishing its first set of corporate results as a Paris Euronext Exchange enterprise.
Citing growth across ‘all lottery verticals’, FDJ recorded a 9% increase in stakes to €17.2bn (FY2018: €15.8bn). It said that it is now operating its largest point-of-sale network with a capacity of +30,000, leading to €16bn of corporate sales.
Full story here
Conajzar Paraguay sanctions national lottery tender
José Antonio Ortiz Báez, President of Conajzar Paraguay’s ‘National Gambling Commission’, disclosed that four companies were vying to become the new operating company of the ‘Paraguay Quiniela’ (National Lottery).
Ortiz Báez disclosed that tender competition documents had been accepted by national competitors Paraguay TDP, Consorcio B Gaming and Daruma SA, joined by ‘IGT Foreign Holdings’ as the only international firm bidding for the Paraguayan lottery contract.
Full story here
March
IGT appoints emerging markets expert Beatrice Bassey as a corporate advisor
New York-listed gambling technology and lottery systems supplier IGT Plc moved to strengthen its corporate governance and general counsel by confirming the appointment of Beatrice H. Bassey as an independent advisor.
The strategic appointment of Bassey saw the executive counsel IGT governance on group legal oversight and support the firm’s executive leadership team on ongoing compliance directives related to new markets.
Full story here
UKGC: Protecting customers key amid COVID-19 challenges
A statement released by Neil McArthur, chief executive officer of the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), confirmed that following Public Health England guidance, it had informed all of its staff to work remotely until further notice.
The move to have all employees work from home was a result of the developing COVID-19 outbreak, however, the UKGC reiterated that despite the unprecedented circumstances currently being faced, it was implementing a business continuity plan that would ensure the impact on its regulatory work and advice services remain minimal.
Full story here
