Camelot kicks off product re-jig with new annuity game
Increased draws and prize guarantees aim to boost falling ticket sales
UK lottery operator Camelot has announced plans to launch an annuity-style lottery game as part of a raft of product changes designed to arrest declining sales.
The new game, which requires regulatory approval, will offer punters the chance to win a regular fixed amount of money for a set number of years in the same way that a pension annuity does.
Pending this approval, the game will launch in the spring of 2019.
For EuroMillions, Camelot will run more special draws in which multiple guaranteed £1mUK winners are created. To help fund these bigger, more frequent draws, Camelot will guarantee only one UK millionaire in every draw instead of two.
Camelot will run additional special draws in which multiple guaranteed £1m UK winners are created.
For the core UK Lotto game, new bigger, fixed cash prizes in the main game will replace the raffle; the Lotto jackpot will be won or shared more often; and new ‘Rolldowns’ will see the jackpot shared across all of the winning cash prize tiers if no one matches all 6 main numbers in a must-be-won draw.
The changes follow Camelot conducting a strategic review of its lottery operations last year amid concerns about diminishing returns to good causes and falling ticket sales.
Camelot CEO Nigel Railton said: “It was clear from the review that we needed to create a more appealing and balanced range of games that offers something for everyone. In particular, we needed to make our draw games stand out from each other and to give people the ability to play their way – with prizes, chances to win and prices to suit different tastes.”
The news comes less than a week after Camelot agreed to pay a £1.5m penalty package following a Gambling Commission investigation which revealed failings in its governance and risk frameworks.
Railton added: “The portfolio updates we are announcing today will complement the other initiatives we are bringing in across retail and digital, as well as our ongoing work to make The National Lottery brand more relevant and visible – and will ensure that The National Lottery as a whole continues to deliver for both players and Good Causes alike.”