UKGC Discloses All National Lottery Retail Locations
FOI release provides a complete database of authorised sellers as of late 2024, enhancing transparency into the lottery's UK footprint.
The UK Gambling Commission has published a full list of the tens of thousands of businesses licensed to sell National Lottery products. The data, released via a Freedom of Information request, provides names and addresses for all retailers, offering new insight into the lottery's physical presence across the UK.
Article Content
The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has released a comprehensive database detailing the locations of tens of thousands of National Lottery retailers across the United Kingdom. The disclosure provides an unprecedented level of transparency into the physical sales network of the National Lottery.
The information was published in response to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request submitted on 29 May 2025. The regulator provided a full disclosure, releasing a 2.1 MB spreadsheet file containing the details of all active retailers.
What the Data Reveals
The request asked for a complete list of all UK National Lottery retailers, including their business name, full street address, county, city, and postal code. The Gambling Commission provided all the requested data points with one exception.
The released file, titled "Retail Estate 30th December," contains the following information for each licensed seller:
- Business name
- Full street address
- City
- Postal code
The UKGC noted in its response that it does not hold information on the county associated with each retailer. The database is a snapshot of active retailers and is correct as of 30 December 2024.
Why This Matters for Consumers
This data release provides a complete and verifiable list of every business officially authorised to sell National Lottery products, from major supermarket chains to independent corner shops. For consumers, this means they can easily confirm the legitimacy of a local retailer.
More broadly, the publication of this data allows for public scrutiny and independent analysis of the National Lottery's retail distribution. Researchers, local authorities, and public health organisations can now use this information to map the density of lottery outlets across the country. This can help inform discussions about gambling accessibility and its concentration in specific communities.
Significance for the Industry
The UKGC's decision to release this information in full underscores its commitment to regulatory transparency. By making the entire retail network public, the Commission provides a valuable resource for understanding the scale and reach of the UK's single largest gambling product.
The data offers a static but detailed picture of the National Lottery's physical presence at the end of 2024. While the list of retailers is dynamic and changes over time, this comprehensive snapshot provides a crucial baseline for tracking the evolution of the lottery's retail strategy under its operator.