The UK National Lottery’s prospective operator, Allwyn, is voicing growing discontent as ongoing legal battles cast a shadow over the timeline for the transfer. A recent High Court judgment permitting competing bidders Camelot and IGT to challenge an earlier verdict has once more stalled the handover.
This postponement further pushes back the anticipated commencement of Allwyn’s management of the lottery, a development that has left Allwyn UK Chairman Justin King “disheartened.” He contends that the impasse will ultimately prove detrimental to the National Lottery and the charitable initiatives it funds.
Echoing King’s apprehensions, the Gambling Commission, the body tasked with granting the license, has repeatedly cautioned that disrupting the changeover could carry substantial adverse consequences.
With a hearing slated for September, the appeals procedure introduces yet another layer of ambiguity surrounding the future of the UK National Lottery.
Observe, they must ensure this revised strategy incorporates the National Lottery and charitable organizations, or they must accept the court’s decision with grace – for the benefit of the lottery and the nation. This ongoing dispute is unproductive. Allow the Gambling Commission to proceed and grant Allwyn its permit.”
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