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International Game Technology (IGT) has officially withdrawn its legal challenge against awarding the 4th UK National Lottery license to Allwyn Entertainment UK Limited (Allwyn). This decision marks the end of a legal dispute that began in July 2022 when the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) selected Allwyn as the recipient of the coveted license.
Legal Battle
In a legal dispute, IGT had contested the UKGC’s decision in the Court of Appeal. While the Court initially permitted IGT to continue with its challenge, in a later ruling, the Court held that IGT lacked legal standing to claim damages against the UKGC. Nonetheless, IGT lodged an appeal against the decision in September.This week, IGT has requested the Court to set aside its appeal, effectively ceasing its pursuit of compensation. The UKGC, in response to this development, stated, “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.”The UKGC’s decision to grant the 4th National Lottery License to Allwyn comes into effect on February 1, 2024. Allwyn has committed to investing in the National Lottery, promising growth and innovation across its products and channels, which is expected to result in increased contributions to good causes.
Other Challengers
IGT was not the only entity to legally challenge the UKGC’s ruling. Camelot Group, who managed the National Lottery since its inception in 1994, also sought legal action to block the decision. Alongside Camelot and Allwyn, other bidders for the license included The New Lottery Company and Italy-based Sisal.Camelot filed a legal challenge in April 2022, disputing the UKGC’s decision to grant Allwyn the license. In June 2022, the issuance of licenses was temporarily suspended. However, the High Court lifted this suspension shortly after. Despite this, legal challenges persisted. Both IGT and Camelot took their cases to the Court of Appeal. Eventually, Camelot’s challenge was dismissed, and the Group withdrew its legal bid in September 2022.After resolving their legal disputes, Camelot and Allwyn have become more closely associated. Camelot is planning to step down from its role as operator of the lottery, but it will maintain its connection to the games it has managed since the mid-1990s through various agreements with its successor.In February 2023, Allwyn acquired Camelot UK and Camelot Lottery Solutions, rebranding the latter as Allwyn North America. This acquisition has significantly impacted Allwyn’s financial performance, with a 98% increase in consolidated overall income reported in th