Richard Desmond Challenges UKGC’s Selection of Allwyn as The National Lottery Operator

The UK Gambling Commission’s (UKGC) decision to crown Allwyn as the successor of The National Lottery has once again been challenged. While Camelot retracted its claims and eventually joined Allwyn, another challenger has now appeared.

The new dispute comes from Richard Desmond, a British businessman and media mogul. Desmond will seek damages from the UKGC after the authority did not select his company, Northern & Shell, as the next National Lottery operator.

The firm supporter of Brexit and UKIP will likely cite alleged “manifest errors” on the UKGC’s side as the reason for his dispute. The businessman alleges that his company would have done better if not for the alleged errors in the process. He also claims that the UKGC failed to provide him with proper feedback that might have convinced him to drop out of the race and save money.

A spokesperson underscored the seriousness of Northern & Shell’s bid, highlighting its alliance with financial companies such as Barclays, HSBC and Société Générale.

Desmond is likely to appeal to European Union laws still in effect in Britain to back up his claims. His team is expected to appeal to the “obligation on the defendant to comply with any EU law.”

According to earlier reports, Desmond may seek as much as £200 million in damages, potentially depriving good causes of this money. For reference, Andrew Rhodes, the UKGC’s chief executive officer, previously noted that any damages paid because of a lawsuit by a losing bidder will be paid out from the lottery’s good cases fund.

MP Moore Slammed Desmond’s Lawsuit

The UKGC defended its decision to choose Allwyn as the successor of The National Lottery. The authority said that Northern & Shell failed to perform as well as the Czech competitor and Camelot because of its suboptimal business and good causes plans.

The Conservative Party, which previously critiqued Camelot’s attempt to overturn the UKGC’s decision, has also expressed its disapproval of Desmond’s challenge. MP Damien Moore asked Desmond to give up on the lawsuit and provide The National Lottery with “the space to get on with things now.”

Moore said that he is tired of seeing legal challenges that would ultimately result in “wealthy businessmen depriving British charities and social enterprises of hundreds of millions of pounds.”

Moore concluded: “I think it’s time we moved on, accepted the Gambling Commission’s verdict and focused on the bright future the national lottery has ahead of it.“