UKGC Withholds Lottery Bid Details

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Regulator Cites Secrecy in National Lottery Licence Decision

The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has refused to disclose the specific reasons why Allwyn was chosen to operate the National Lottery over incumbent Camelot, a new Freedom of Information (FOI) response reveals. The regulator confirmed it holds the requested information but is withholding it to protect commercial interests and confidentiality.

The request, dated 5 February 2024, asked the UKGC to explain its decision-making process, particularly why Allwyn was preferred when all applicants were deemed "fit and proper". The query also sought specifics on what Allwyn promised differently and details of Camelot's final offer for good cause contributions.

Key Information Withheld

In its response, the Commission declined to provide a narrative explanation for its choice, stating that the FOI Act only covers requests for recorded information, not opinions or reasoning.

Crucially, the UKGC confirmed it holds information regarding Camelot's application but is withholding it under two exemptions of the FOI Act:

• Section 41 (Confidentiality): The UKGC stated that information from Camelot's bid was provided in confidence. Disclosing it would constitute a breach of that confidence, which the regulator believes is essential for licensees to be open and cooperative.
• Section 43 (Commercial Interests): The Commission argued that releasing details of the losing bid would likely prejudice the commercial interests of Camelot. It also claimed disclosure could harm the Commission's ability to run future competitive tenders and therefore its statutory duty to maximise returns to good causes.

While the specific details of the competing bids remain secret, the UKGC did state that the applications were assessed using a detailed methodology and that "Allwyn obtained the highest score and was therefore successful."

Significance for Consumers and Transparency

The decision to award the fourth National Lottery licence to Allwyn ended Camelot's 30-year tenure as operator. This FOI response highlights the significant lack of public transparency surrounding the specific promises and financial projections that led to the change.

While the UKGC asserts that secrecy is necessary to protect the integrity of its regulatory processes and future competitions, the refusal means the public remains uninformed about the concrete details of the bids. Consumers and charitable organisations cannot compare what the previous operator offered against the promises made by the new one.

The regulator's public interest test concluded that the need to maintain commercial confidentiality and ensure a free flow of information from licensees in the future outweighed the public's interest in disclosure. This decision underscores the ongoing tension between commercial sensitivity and public accountability in the regulation of the UK's largest gambling product.