The work of the National Lottery Commission

1. What does the National Lottery Commission do?

The Commission is responsible for licensing and regulating the National Lottery in the UK and the Isle of Man. The Commission granted a licence to Camelot to run the National Lottery until 2019.

The Commission has duties given to it by law. These are to:

• ensure that the National Lottery, and every lottery that forms part of it is run with all due propriety;
• ensure that the interests of every participant in the Lottery are protected; and
• subject to these two duties, to do our best to ensure that the proceeds of the National Lottery are as great as possible.

More information on the work of the Commission is available at: About the National Lottery Commission

2. Do you regulate all UK lotteries?

We only regulate the UK National Lottery which is operated by Camelot.

The Gambling Commission, which was set up under the Gambling Act 2005, is responsible for regulating casinos, bingo, gaming machines and other lotteries.  The Gambling Commission can be contacted at:

Victoria Square House
Victoria Square
Birmingham B2 4BP
Tel: 0121 230 6666
Fax: 0121 233 1096
info@gamblingcommission.gov.uk

3. I have a complaint about the National Lottery, what should I do?

Camelot, as the operator of the National Lottery, is responsible for responding to complaints and enquiries. If you have a complaint about the National Lottery, you can contact Camelot in writing to: 

Customer Operations
The National Lottery
PO Box 251
Watford
WD18 9BR
complaints@national-lottery.co.uk

Alternatively, you can email complaints@national-lottery.co.uk or call the National Lottery Line on 0845 910 0000.

If you are unhappy with Camelot’s initial response, you should escalate the issue within Camelot, firstly to a manager and then a senior manager.

If you are still unhappy with Camelot’s response, you can contact the Commission’s Consumer Protection team at consumerprotection@natlotcomm.gov.uk.

4. I have got an idea for a new game, what should I do?

As operator of the National Lottery, Camelot is responsible for developing new games. If you have an idea for a new game, this can be sent to:

The National Lottery
Camelot Group plc
Tolpits Lane
Watford
WD18 9RN
Tel: 01923 425000
More information is available on the National Lottery website at:
http://www.national-lottery.co.uk/player/information.do?info=gameidea

5. I am interested in applying for National Lottery funding. Where can I get information?

The Commission is not responsible for the distribution of funding. This is the responsibility of various distribution bodies that are accountable to Parliament.

Information on Lottery funding can be obtained from the website for Lottery Funding at: www.lotteryfunding.org.uk or by calling 0845 275 0000. 

6.How can I complain about National Lottery funding?

The National Lottery Commission is not responsible for the distribution of National Lottery funds. More information on these funds and how to make a complaint can be obtained from the website at www.lotteryfunding.org.uk or by calling 0845 275 0000. 

7. I am a retailer, how do I apply for a National Lottery Terminal?

As operator of the National Lottery, Camelot is responsible for selecting and managing National Lottery retailers.

Applications should be sent to the Camelot at the following address:

Retailer Selection Department (New Applications)
The National Lottery
Camelot Group plc
Tolpits Lane
Watford
WD18 9RN
Tel: 0870 9080770

8. Who should I address comments about the National Lottery draw show to?

Comments about the timings and content of National Lottery draw shows should be addressed to the BBC.

9. Who can play National Lottery games online?

National Lottery tickets can be purchased at any National Lottery retailer in the UK. In order to buy tickets online, players must be a UK resident, over the age of 16 and have registered and opened a National Lottery Interactive Account.

In order to play National Lottery games online, you need to have and maintain a UK address and a UK Bank account.

10. Why are there so many National Lottery games?

It is important to have different games in order to attract a wider variety of players. By doing this we hope to raise more money for good causes.