Lottery regulator publishes Annual Report and Accounts

MEDIA RELEASE

REF 03/11

The National Lottery Commission today published its Annual Report and Accounts for the last financial year (2010/11).

The report documents the work of Commission over the course of the year to protect the National Lottery – a great national asset. This was one of the best years for the good causes to date, with over £1.6 billion generated for projects the length and breadth of the UK. Of that total, over £90 million was due to the improved terms of the licence which the Commission secured through the licence competition.

Throughout the year the Commission dealt with some major regulatory challenges such as the sale of Camelot’s shareholding to a new owner, and their application to offer bill payment and mobile phone top ups through National Lottery terminals. Work to refine and improve regulation continued, cutting unnecessary bureaucracy and targeting areas of most risk.

As well as an exceptional year for the National Lottery, it was also a significant one for the Commission, as the government announced the proposed merger of the Commission with the Gambling Commission*. The Commission started work with the Gambling Commission and the Department of Culture Media and Sport to ensure a smooth transition to a merged regulator and that the new body will be able to continue their work protecting a great national asset. Prior to the merger the Commission will be joining the Gambling Commission in their offices in Birmingham in December 2011.

Mark Harris, Chief Executive and Commissioner said:

“This has been a uniquely challenging year for the Commission. It is testament to the dedication and professionalism of our staff that despite uncertainty about the future, we have risen to every challenge that we have faced. And not only that, but we continue to strive to improve our regulation, to ensure that it is effective in protecting players and securing the best results for good causes.
The National Lottery is a great national asset, and the work that we do is essential to it is our role to protect it. As the merger progresses our primary focus will be that the long term interests of the National Lottery, its players, and the £28 million they raise for good causes each week are safeguarded.”

A copy of the report is available for download at:www.natlotcomm.gov.uk/Annual Report-20102011

For further information or a hard copy of the report, please contact Claire Wotherspoon 020 7016 3422 or email C.wotherspoon@natlotcomm.gov.uk

*Subject to business case and consultation. More information available here. – ENDS –
Notes for editors
1. The National Lottery Commission is the non-departmental public body set up on 1 April 1999 to regulate the National Lottery. It regulates the Lottery to ensure that players are treated fairly, the Nation’s interest in the Lottery is protected and that subject to that as much money as possible is raised for good causes.
2. The National Lottery will contribute £2.175 billion towards the costs of staging the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, of which £750 million will come from designated Lottery games including Dream Number, Scratchcards and online games. To date over £600 million has been raised from designated games. The National Lottery Commission publishes quarterly reports on the progress towards the £750 million target on www.natlotcomm.gov.uk
3. Camelot Group Limited was awarded the third licence, which came into effect on 1 February 2009. The licence competition was structured to reinvigorate the National Lottery and generate the greatest returns to good causes. During the two years that the third licence has been in place the National Lottery raised £180 million more for good causes than it would have done under the second licence agreement.
4. To subscribe to NLC press releases please contact Claire Wotherspoon 020 7016 3422 or email C.wotherspoon@natlotcomm.gov.uk