UK Regulator Urges Allwyn to Maintain ‘Higher Standards’ on National Lottery

Britain’s gambling regulator has told Allwyn that the National Lottery’s unique status brings greater scrutiny and demands higher standards on player protection. The Gambling Commission address National Lottery operator Allwyn on its responsibilities. (Image: The National Lottery) The United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC) acting CEO Sarah Gardner delivered the message at Allwyn’s Participant Protection Conference on October 1. She said widespread public trust in the lottery could be put in danger if standards were to slip. “The strength of The National Lottery, that it is played and trusted by millions of people across the country, can quickly turn if things go wrong,” Gardner said. “The public don’t want the things they trust and support in society to be causing harms. And trust forfeited is never easy to win back.” Gardner said the Commission expects Allwyn and the National Lottery to be “at the forefront” of player protection. National Lottery demands ‘additional responsibilities’ Allwyn won the rights to operate the UK’s National Lottery in 2022. Its 10-year license began in February 2024 after a protracted legal battle. Within days of taking over the National Lottery, Allwyn admitted that it wouldn’t hit promised short-term targets on donations to good causes. In September, the company’s CEO Andria Vidler stepped down, and was replaced by former William Hill executive Phil Walker on an interim basis. Gardner thanked Vidler for her commitment to “transparent and collaborative engagement” and said she was looking forward to working with Walker. But she warned Allwyn that the National Lottery’s position in British society creates additional responsibilities. “Having that status brings immense value to The National Lottery and its work,” she said. “But it also brings with it the need to live up to higher standards and the reality of greater scrutiny.” She described that responsibility as a “high wire act where one wrong step can cause big problems.” The warning came alongside praise for changes Allwyn has made since completing the National Lottery’s largest-ever technology upgrade earlier this year. The upgrade allowed Allwyn to introduce new products, some of which were highlighted in the company’s recent Q2 results. Gardner also welcomed new protections for online and app-based players. However, she acknowledged the transition had not been entirely smooth. “There have been teething issues – we all know sometimes a step forward might be followed by a step back,” she said. National Lottery Raises £1.7B for good causes The National Lottery raised £1.7 billion ($2.25 billion) for good causes during the latest 12-month period for which the Commission has published data. Gardner said the regulator wants that figure to increase. She described the lottery’s contribution to sports clubs, museums, historic sites, and other projects as unique in the UK. Gambling Survey for Great Britain data showed 31% of participants had played the National Lottery during the previous four weeks. Scratchcards attracted 11%, while 6% had played National Lottery online instant-win games. The post UK Regulator Urges Allwyn to Maintain ‘Higher Standards’ on National Lottery appeared first on Casino.org.