Sisal readies bid for UK National Lottery licence
Italian market giant prepares to compete in tender and heads consortium backed by CVC Capital Partners
Sisal is looking to launch a bid for the UK National Lottery licence with the financial backing of international investment firm CVC Capital Partners.
The Telegraph has claimed the Italian betting firm, which operates the SuperEnalotto concession in its native Italy, will head up a consortium and enter the running.
It is understood the bid will be made in conjunction with UK-based children’s charity Barnardo’s, which will provide expertise on generating funding for good causes.
Barnado’s chief executive Javed Khan confirmed its participation in the Sisal bid, noting the potential impact on good causes.
“Our involvement will strengthen the partnership’s focus on player protection and responsible play, whilst deepening understanding of the UK charity sector and how it works to make a difference in the heart of local communities,” Khan added.
For its part, CVC Capital Partners has a long history with the gambling sector, having previously owned Sky Betting & Gaming, before its $4.7bn sale to The Stars Group (TSG) in 2018.
In an interview with EGR in February, Sisal online MD Marco Tiso said the firm was looking “with interest” at several open lottery tenders, including in the UK and Germany.
“The UK is a very interesting and competitive tender. We are seriously looking at and evaluating it to participate with the right approach,” Tiso told EGR.
Sisal joins Czech-headquartered lottery firm Sazka Group as a potential bidder for the National Lottery licence, while incumbent Camelot will also compete for re-election.
Sazka has built a stellar team of advisers to assist its bid, boosted by the board hires of London 2012 mastermind Sir Keith Mills, former Sainsbury’s CEO Justin King and lastminute.com founder Brent Hoberman.
Sazka boasts its own private equity backer, after Apollo Global Management invested €500m in the business back in November 2020 as part of a wider drive towards international expansion.
The UKGC launched the fourth National Lottery licence tender in August 2020. The winner will take over in 2023.
Last month, Camelot was accused by MPs Ronnie Cowan and Carolyn Harris of trying to manipulate the bidding process for the National Lottery concession.
The pair claimed Camelot had misled consumers by placing its own branding ahead of UK National Lottery branding on advertising material in an attempt to distort the link between the business and funding for good causes.
Camelot refuted the allegation.