UKGC Reveals Locations of 44,000 Lottery Retailers
Data release provides a full list of National Lottery outlets under new operator Allwyn, but lacks key details on shop types.
The UK Gambling Commission has released a comprehensive list of all 44,000 active National Lottery retailers. The data, provided in response to a Freedom of Information request, details the business name and address of every terminal location in the UK as of June 2024.
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The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has published a comprehensive list of every active National Lottery retailer in the United Kingdom, following a Freedom of Information (FOI) request.
The data, accurate as of 10 June 2024, provides an unprecedented look at the physical footprint of the National Lottery under its new operator, Allwyn.
What the Data Reveals
In response to a request dated 17 December 2024, the regulator released a spreadsheet containing records for approximately 44,000 retail locations. For each outlet, the following information was provided:
- Business name
- Full street address
- City
- Postal code
This release marks a significant moment for transparency, allowing consumers, researchers, and local authorities to access a complete, official list of locations where National Lottery tickets and games can be purchased.
The UKGC noted that the business names listed are dependent on the information provided directly to the lottery operator, Allwyn, by the retailers themselves.
Key Information Missing
While the disclosure provides extensive location data, the Commission was unable to fulfil the entire request. The FOI applicant had also asked for:
- County / District name
- Retailer type (e.g., grocery store, filling station)
In its response, the UKGC stated it does not hold this information. This reveals a limitation in the data collected by the regulator. The absence of 'retailer type' is particularly noteworthy, as this information would be valuable for analysing the distribution of lottery outlets across different types of businesses and communities.
Why This Matters for Consumers
For consumers, this list serves as a definitive guide to authorised National Lottery vendors, helping to ensure they are purchasing from a legitimate source. The transparency can enhance consumer confidence in the network, especially during the transition period to the new operator.
For public health bodies and researchers, the dataset provides a powerful tool to map lottery availability. It can be used to analyse the density of outlets in specific areas and study its potential correlation with demographic data or levels of deprivation. However, the lack of data on retailer type will hamper more detailed analysis into whether lottery terminals are more prevalent in certain kinds of shops.
The release underscores the data relationship between the operator, Allwyn, and the regulator. The UKGC's reliance on Allwyn for this information highlights the operator's central role in data collection for the UK's largest single gambling product.