Camelot wins new lottery licence

Camelot today won its bid to continue running the UK's National Lottery.

CEO Dianne Thompson said she was "thrilled" the operator had been named the National Lottery Commission's preferred bidder in the licence competition.

Camelot beat Indian firm Sugal & Damani - its only rival bidder in the contest for the third lottery operator's licence.

The National Lottery Commission will award the next decade-long licence to Camelot later this month subject to the contract being finalised.

Commissioner Anne Wright said rival bidder Sugal & Damani had shown itself capable of running the lottery and had been identified as a reserve bidder.

She said: "We are pleased to have had two such experienced and professional operators competing for the bid.

"Following a hard-fought competition, we have unanimously agreed to select Camelot Plc as the preferred bidder. We have been able to appoint Sugal & Damani as the reserve bidder, who we can appoint to run the lottery in the event that a licence cannot be finalised with Camelot.

"Both bidders can be proud of their organisations and all the people who have worked with them to create such exciting and innovative proposals."

A key element of Camelot's winning bid was its proposal for a new, worldwide mega-lottery which will create up to 100 millionaire winners per month.

The World Lottery Draw will offer a multimillion-pound annual jackpot in addition to monthly draws, the proposal said.

It will involve existing lottery operators in America, Australasia and Europe taking part.

The World Lottery is set to involve individual numbers being drawn separately in six or seven locations around the globe, then broadcast on TV and online.

Today's announcement by the National Lottery Commission, which regulates the Lottery, ends a bidding process which has cost both firms hundreds of thousands of pounds and many months of work.

Both bidders were ultimately judged on the amount of money which they will raise for good causes.

Anne Wright said Camelot's bid predicted ticket sales of £79 billion, compared to Sugal & Damani at a predicted £63.9 billion.

Ms Thompson said: "I am particularly pleased for all our staff who put more than 50,000 working days into writing the best possible bid."

Camelot's current licence runs for seven years and expires on January 31 2009.

Sugal & Damani is India's largest lottery operator.

The Delhi-based firm proposed new lottery games and greater incentives for retailers to sell tickets as part of its bid.