Allwyn, the organization selected to oversee the UK’s National Lottery, has formally acquired Camelot Lottery Solutions (LS Group). This division was formerly under the management of the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan.
Rest assured, the existing staff at Camelot LS Group will maintain operations for the time being and will progressively integrate into Allwyn’s UK lottery business.
This purchase signifies the conclusion of a protracted dispute. Camelot, having administered the lottery since 1994, expressed dissatisfaction with the license transfer to Allwyn and even attempted to contest the ruling through legal means.
This shift indicates that, for the initial time in almost three decades, the UK National Lottery will be managed by a new entity. Camelot had effectively operated the lottery throughout the preceding three license terms.
Despite Allwyn securing the rights to the fourth license in 2022, Camelot initiated legal proceedings, questioning the Gambling Commission’s determination. These legal conflicts ultimately reached a resolution towards the end of the previous year.
Nevertheless, IGT, Camelot’s technological collaborator, remained persistent. They filed a legal claim against the Gambling Commission in January 2023, asserting that granting the license to Allwyn, a Czech-based firm, had tarnished their standing.
Not many predicted Allwyn’s move to purchase the Camelot LS Group, especially after Camelot’s intense struggle to hold onto the national lottery license.
Early in 2023, the UK Gambling Commission gave the green light to Allwyn’s acquisition. Robert Chvátal, Allwyn’s CEO, remarked that “purchasing Camelot will facilitate a seamless shift from the third to the fourth license, merging the combined knowledge and technological capabilities of two seasoned lottery organizations.”
