National Audit Office Opens Review Of Fourth National Lottery Licence
The National Audit Office will examine the implementation of the UK’s fourth National Lottery licence and whether its operating model is maximising returns to good causes.
The UK’s National Audit Office (NAO) has launched an investigation into the fourth National Lottery licence, focusing on its implementation and ability to deliver long-term public value.
The Gambling Commission introduced a new operating model as part of the fourth licence, designed to increase returns to good causes while providing the operator with greater flexibility to innovate.
The NAO will assess whether the regulator has implemented the licence effectively and whether the framework is supporting its objective of maximising contributions to good causes.
Review To Examine Licence Implementation
The investigation will consider the roles of both the Gambling Commission and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) in designing, awarding and overseeing the licence.
It will examine whether the organisations “designed and awarded the fourth licence to support the successful delivery of the National Lottery; overseen the transition to the new operator and implementation of the fourth licence effectively; and identified and applied lessons from the fourth licence to support delivery through to 2034 and inform future lottery licensing arrangements.”
The review will therefore cover the original licensing process, the transition to the new operator and the implementation of the licence.
It will also consider lessons that could support the National Lottery through to 2034 and inform future licensing arrangements.
Investigation Due To Conclude In 2027
NAO director Simon Bittlestone and study manager Callum Saunders will lead the investigation.
The review is expected to be completed by spring 2027.
The investigation comes after the Gambling Commission reported last month that gross gambling yield across the UK had reached £17.5bn.
