Systems used to Record Unclaimed National Lottery Prizes

Request

Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, I am requesting recorded information held in relation to the systems used during the period when Camelot UK Lotteries Limited held the National Lottery licence.

Please provide recorded information confirming the following:

1. Whether the systems used to record unclaimed National Lottery prizes were capable of recording individual unclaimed prize values exceeding £1,000,000; and 2. If so, what the highest individual prize value that the system was capable of recording was (as defined in system design, configuration, or documentation).

If no upper limit exists in system design or documentation, please explicitly confirm that no maximum prize value cap is defined within the relevant records systems.

For the avoidance of doubt, I am not requesting personal data or details of individual prize claims, only recorded information relating to system capability, configuration, or documented limits.

If this information is held across system documentation, data dictionaries, technical specifications, or operational guidance, please include or summarise the relevant recorded material.

Please provide the information electronically.

Response

Thank you for your request which has been processed under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA).

In your email you have requested information held in relation to the systems used during the period when Camelot UK Lotteries Limited held the National Lottery licence. Specifically:

1. Whether the systems used to record unclaimed National Lottery prizes were capable of recording individual unclaimed prize values exceeding £1,000,000; and

2. If so, what the highest individual prize value that the system was capable of recording was (as defined in system design, configuration, or documentation).

If no upper limit exists in system design or documentation, please explicitly confirm that no maximum prize value cap is defined within the relevant records systems.

Based on the records we have retained from that period, we can confirm that these systems were capable of recording individual prize values exceeding £1,000,000. As just one example (and as referred to in Largest UK unclaimed Euro millions prize (opens in new tab)), we can see from our records that an unclaimed EuroMillions prize of c. £63.8m was recorded on the system in December 2012.

Review of the decision

If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your Freedom of Information request you are entitled to an internal review of our decision. You should write to FOI Team, Gambling Commission, 4th floor, Victoria Square House, Victoria Square, Birmingham, B2 4BP or by reply to this email. 

Please note, internal review requests should be made within 40 working days of the initial response. Requests made outside this timeframe will not be processed.

If you are not content with the outcome of our review, you may then apply directly to the Information Commissioner (ICO) for a decision. Generally, the ICO cannot make a decision unless you have already exhausted the review procedure provided by the Gambling Commission. 

It should be noted that if you wish to raise a complaint with the ICO about the Commission’s handling of your request for information, then you are required to do so within six weeks of receiving your final response or last substantive contact with us.

The ICO can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office (opens in new tab), Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.

Information Management Team
Gambling Commission