The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has published its report on funds raised for good causes by the National Lottery in the fourth quarter of 2021/22, revealing £493.4m was generated in the period.
The fourth quarter (Q4) covers the period between January 1, 2022, to March 31, 2022, with the money used to fund a variety of important causes. Historically, that has included sports, arts and heritage, health, education and the environment.
However, the latest quarterly figures are below that of the four preceding it, including a 3.4% (£17.2m) decline from Q3. This has been attributed to a drop in total National Lottery sales, which decreased by 0.8% (£17.2m) compared to Q3, driven by a huge fall in EuroMillions sales.
While there was an increase across all other games, the EuroMillions decreased by 22.4% (£122.8m), which was imputed by the UKGC as “largely due to comparatively fewer rollovers occurring”.
Additionally, total unclaimed prizes added as returns to good causes in Q4 were around £10m less than than the previous quarter. According to the UKGC, this was “primarily due to a particularly high volume of scratchcard game closures in Q3”.
Compared to the same period in 2020/21, which generated £551.3m in funds for good causes, there was a 10.9% (£60m) decrease in Q4 figures.
Nonetheless, £1.84bn was raised for good causes in 2021/22, including £420.7m in Q1, £418.4m in Q2 and £508.5m in Q3.
The funds for good causes are held in the National Lottery Distribution Fund (NLDF), with the Commission responsible for ensuring that payments from the lottery operator to the good causes are accurate and on time.
Last month, Clara Govier, the MD of the People’s Postcode Lottery, told Members of Parliament that the National Lottery must focus more on its returns to good causes moving forward, adding that “it is in all of our interests to make sure that the National Lottery is run in the right way”.