The new National Lottery operator has said funding to good causes will not significantly increase in its first year as operator.
Allwyn has pledged to donate £38bn to the National Lottery’s good causes in the next 10 years, more than double the £17.9bn that previous operator Camelot raised in the previous decade.
But Allwyn this week said the increase will be a process of “phasing”, with its initial output similar to that under Camelot.
According to a report in the Financial Times, Allwyn told its associated charitable bodies that its funding to good causes would “barely increase” on the £1.8bn donated from the operator last year.
Andria Vidler, CEO of UK business at Allwyn, told Civil Society that the operator remains fully committed to its pledge to double funds going to good causes over the next 10 years.
“Our target is unchanged: to double returns to good causes over the course of the 10-year licence period,” she said.
“To achieve that, we have exciting plans for the National Lottery that will be rolled out in the years ahead. We can’t wait to get started in February and we’re already hard at work.”
Pledged to double funding for good causes
In the first change in provider in 29 years, Allwyn will take up the lottery licence from Camelot on 1 February 2024.
The National Lottery operator raises the money for good causes and passes it to its 12 associated charitable bodies to distribute.
Camelot raised £1.8bn annually from 2014 to 2023 for good causes through the National Lottery on average.
Overall, it raised over £47bn for good causes since 1994, £17.9bn of which was raised in the last 10 years.
Camelot is to become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Allwyn, after the new lottery operator bought it for a reported £100m.
