IGT drops claim for National Lottery damages against Gambling Commission
Court of Appeal agrees to dismiss claim for damages case after technology firm took regulator to High Court following fourth National Lottery licence decision
IGT is no longer pursuing its claim for damages against the Gambling Commission (GC) regarding Allwyn being awarded the fourth National Lottery licence.
IGT requested the Court of Appeal dismiss its own appeal that the company brought forward last September, after the High Court ruled in July 2023 that the firm had no legal standing.
Incumbent licence holder Camelot, its technology partner IGT and licence challenger Northern & Shell had all launched several legal cases against both Allwyn and the GC after the former was named the preferred bidder for the fourth National Lottery licence in March 2022.
Ultimately, Camelot withdrew its legal challenge in September 2022.
However, IGT continued to seek claims which resulted in the transition period being suspended.
With the appeal now dismissed, the GC reasserted that the evaluation was carried out “fairly and lawfully” and that Allwyn will be granted the licence on 1 February 2024.
A GC statement read: “We remain resolute that we have run a fair and robust competition, and that our evaluation has been carried out fairly and lawfully in accordance with our statutory duties.
“Our priority is to continue to work to implement our decision for the benefit of participants and good causes. The Fourth National Lottery Licence is due to be granted on 1 February 2024.
“Allwyn has committed to investment in the National Lottery that is expected to deliver growth and innovation across the National Lottery’s products and channels, resulting in increased contributions to Good Causes, subject to the protection of participants and propriety,” the statement concluded.
Allwyn International said last December that it expects the National Lottery licence to have a negative impact on margins following the release of its Q3 results.
The GC has defended its decision to award Allwyn the licence throughout this process, most recently in December 2023 amid the backdrop of Northern & Shell’s legal challenge.