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4. Optimise returns to good causes from The National Lottery

The National Lottery is one of the world’s largest lotteries. Since launching in 1994, National Lottery players have collectively raised more than £42billion for 625,000 good causes across the UK, transforming lives and contributing to the arts, sports and heritage sectors and to communities.

The current (Third) Licence to run the National Lottery is due to expire in 2023. In August 2020, we launched a competition to award the Fourth Licence. This Fourth Licence will build on the success of the previous licence by creating a framework that maximises opportunities for players and good causes to benefit from innovation and technology, while ensuring the licence is well regulated and protecting The National Lottery’s unique status.

Transitioning The National Lottery smoothly and successfully from one Licence period to the next is a key focus for us.

The core principles for transition are:

  • to ensure the orderly handover and continuity of The National Lottery
  • to achieve minimum disruption to participants, good causes contribution, the quality of the operation and the values, purpose and reputation of The National Lottery.

Maintaining performance for the remaining term of the Third Licence

Ensuring the current Licence holder continues to deliver against the requirements of the current Licence, particularly with respect to ensuring the National Lottery is operated with all due propriety and that the interests of participants are protected.

Ensuring the current Licence holder continues to deliver substantial returns to good causes during the remainder of the term.

The Fourth Licence competition

Holding a robust and fair competition for the Fourth Licence that ensures the Applicant that delivers the highest credible and deliverable good causes contribution for the Fourth Licence, is successful, whilst first ensuring the Commission’s Statutory Duties of propriety and protecting participants’ interests are met.

Ensuring the conditions for the Fourth Licence build on the successes of the Third Licence, placing responsibility for performance and flexibility to maximise returns to good causes on the Licensee, while ensuring high standards of propriety and a strong focus on player protection.

Growing the value of the National Lottery as a public asset, enhancing and protecting its brand, and ensuring that the Fourth Licence holder fosters strong relationships with distributors of National Lottery funding to strengthen the link between the brand, its players and good causes.

Transition between licences

Ensuring we oversee a successful transition from the Third Licence to the Fourth Licence operation whilst delivering our statutory duties and protecting the reputation of The National Lottery.

Developing a transition management framework that enables active management of risk and delivery performance to support a successful transition.

Defining, implementing and operationalising an appropriate regulatory model ahead of the Fourth Licence start date.

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5. Improving gambling regulation

Last updated: 31 March 2021

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