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Find out about the licence to run The National Lottery.
Published: 13 August 2020
Last updated: 14 May 2026
This version was printed or saved on: 23 May 2026
Online version: https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/public-and-players/guide/licence-to-run-the-national-lottery
The Fourth Section 5 Licence was designed to better align Returns to Good Causes and profits, while protecting the unique status of the National Lottery.
The Section 5 Licence and the Section 6 Game Licences define the obligations on Allwyn (opens in new tab) and the outcomes it should achieve as the Licensee. The Regulatory Handbook sits alongside the licence and provides guidance on how the Commission will approach regulating the Licensee.
Visit the Fourth National Lottery Licence - November 2025 (opens in new tab) (PDF).
Section 6 Licences are granted for each game, or class of games, promoted as part of the National Lottery, these include:
Information about each game licence is available in the National Lottery games and licences.
We awarded Allwyn Entertainment Limited a 10 year licence to run the National Lottery, starting in February 2024 until January 2034.
The Fourth Section 5 licence adopts an outcomes-based model, but there are some requirements for Allwyn to submit certain information and policies to us for approval or consent.
The Licence sets out various functions the Commission may exercise in respect of waivers, variations, consents and approvals requested by the operator as to how things are carried out in accordance with the Licence by the operator; subject to the Commission maintaining its statutory duties.
If you seek further information on this, then the Commission will consider any reasonable request made for further information, subject to data protection considerations. Please contact us for more information.
On 1 February 2024, the Gambling Commission, under Section 6 of the National Lottery Act, granted to Allwyn the National Lottery Lotto, EuroMillions, Thunderball, Lotto HotPicks, EuroMillions HotPicks, Set for Life, Scratchcard, Instant Interactive Win Games Licences. The licences allow Allwyn to promote the existing games, in accordance with the licence. There are no changes to the games at this time.
With effect from 8 April 2026, the Gambling Commission varied the licence, granted to Allwyn Entertainment Ltd (AEL), under section 6 of the National Lottery etc Act 1993 in respect of Interactive Instant Win Games (IIWGs), namely, to implement the following changes:
The Commission considers that its decision to consent to the variation of the Licence is likely to be of interest to the public. Accordingly, this statement is published under paragraph 9(2)(c) of Schedule 2A to the Act.
As part of its Licensing process, the Commission primarily considered 2 matters:
The Commission was satisfied that the proposed changes could lawfully be licensed under the Act and that they would be compliant with the Secretary of State’s directions to the Commission under s 11 of the Act. The Commission was further satisfied that the proposed changes should be licensed.
The Commission is satisfied the proposal is unlikely to have an adverse impact on the running of the National Lottery with all due propriety. Furthermore, suitable plans and mitigations have been outlined in the application in relation to the potential risk to the National Lottery brand.
Through the Commission’s assessment, it is satisfied that the potential risks posed to participants should be suitably managed through the range of mitigations the National Lottery operator has in place (such as appropriate online player protection controls, along with suitable monitoring and evaluation tools). The Commission is therefore satisfied that there are sufficient safeguards in place to mitigate any potential risk.
The Commission will continue to monitor and challenge the National Lottery operator on its ongoing delivery of high standards in terms of player protection measures. In parallel, the Commission expects Allwyn to monitor any risk of harm and continue to ensure National Lottery games do not encourage excessive play, along with making appropriate interventions when it identifies ‘high risk’ players. Accounting for this broader activity, we are therefore satisfied that the interests of every participant in a lottery that forms part of the National Lottery are protected.
The Commission considered that the proposed changes could increase contributions to good causes. Accordingly, the Commission considered that approval of the proposed changes would be consistent with its duty under s 4(2) of the Act to do its best to secure that (subject to its duty under s 4(1)) the net proceeds of the National Lottery are as great as possible.
Based on the information provided by Allwyn and our considerations on propriety, player interests and returns to good causes, the Commission decided that the proposed changes could be licensed, and that the Licence should be varied accordingly.