UK National Lottery Experiences Surge in Sales
UK National Lottery operator Camelot has released their financial results for the 2017/18 period, showing a significant boost in sales from their online business. The majority of these sales were made through mobile devices, accounting for over 40% of the division's total turnover.
The National Lottery, operated as a franchise by Camelot Group since 2001, had a total sales revenue of £6.95 billion (approximately €7.92 billion), a £26.4 million increase from the previous year. However, Camelot initially projected a decline in sales numbers.
Based in Watford, Camelot is a public limited company with shareholders including IT firm Fujitsu and the British postal service Royal Mail. During this time frame, the digital business division generated a record turnover of £1.65 billion (around €1.88 billion). 40% of this total was contributed by mobile sales, reaching £700.6 million (roughly €797.6 million) in volume.
The UK's National Lottery winners took home around £3.93 billion (approximately €4.4 billion) during the 2017/18 financial year. Since the lottery's establishment in 1994, it has resulted in prize money of over £67 billion (around €76 billion).
App and EuroMillions Contributions
Camelot attributes the rapid growth in mobile sales to the launch of their Android app's full version in 2017, which saw increased use for online instant win games. In addition, Nigel Railton, CEO of Camelot since November 2017, credits the high EuroMillions jackpots during this period as a significant factor. EuroMillions is managed in the UK by the National Lottery operator Camelot.
Railton stated, "While there's no doubt that the sales result has benefited from a good dose of luck, particularly from the EuroMillions, through some incredible jackpots, our strong fundamentals and new initiatives have also played a big part."
The UK Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport's (DCMS) decision to ban non-UK EuroMillions betting in April is likely to further augment the growth of Camelot's online business.
Despite this, retail remains the primary sales channel for the UK National Lottery, with 70% of total sales amounting to £5.3 billion.
Social Impact
Much like the German Lotto-Toto system, the British National Lottery's sales revenue directly contributes to the social budget of the UK. Railton highlights the importance of the lottery for the general public, referring to it as a "truly national institution" that has a significant impact on the lives of British citizens. Consequently, Camelot is committed to maintaining and building on this success.
Over the past 12 months, Camelot has generated around £1.66 billion (approximately €1.9 billion) for "good causes" as part of a strategic review, marking a £27.3 million increase compared to the previous year. Railton emphasizes the importance of this aspect:
"Given that we were actually expecting a further drop in sales this year, our mission had been to at least put the National Lottery back on the path to growth to deliver more money for good causes. The results demonstrate the significance of the work we've been doing."
Following a 3.2% sales decline in the first half of 2017, these record figures indicate the effectiveness of Camelot's shift towards a more online-focused approach for the UK National Lottery.
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Source: www.onlinecasinosdeutschland.com
