Sir Keith Mills, the Chairman of Allwyn’s winning bid for the fourth UK National Lottery licence, has outlined his ambition to “transform” the lottery.
Earlier this week, Allwyn fended off competition from rivals including Sisal Spa and The New Lottery Company to be awarded the new National Lottery licence by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), breaking Camelot’s 30-year stranglehold.
The Czech Republic-based operator will take over responsibility for the lottery’s day-to-day operations from February 1, 2024, when Camelot’s current deal expires, and it is currently working on a comprehensive transition plan to ensure a smooth changeover.
“We’re absolutely thrilled. We’re very conscious of the responsibility we have,” said Mills.
“We’re very excited about what we can do to transform the National Lottery and in doing that we know we can bring a lot more players back to the National Lottery that have stopped playing, and engage a whole new generation.
“And importantly, substantially increase the funding for good causes and do that in a safe and responsible way.”
Allwyn’s award of the National Lottery licence was discussed at the Prime Minister’s Questions in Parliament on Wednesday, with Dean Russell, MP for Watford, raising concerns over the firm’s Chairman Kamel Komarek’s joint venture with the Russian energy supplier Gazprom.
However, Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab moved to allay fears, claiming Komarek has “long criticised the [Vladimir] Putin regime” and that he is “in discussions” with the Czech government over removing his company’s involvement with Gazprom.
