Rothschild appointment sees UKGC complete advisory for 4th lottery tender

Investment bank Rothschild & Co is to act as the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) lead financial advisor as the UK prepares to launch its fourth National Lottery tender.

The Rothschild announcement, sees the UKGC complete its appointment of tender strategic advisors with ‘big-4’ auditor EY responsible for the competition’s design, management consultancy Deloitte leading policy development and London law firm Hogan Lovells acting as external legal advisor.

In its remit, Rothschild is charged with delivering the competition and engaging interested parties ahead of the official launch of the competition in early next year.

Edward Duckett, Managing Director, Rothschild & Co said: “The National Lottery is one of the largest and most successful lotteries globally and is of significant national importance. The competition for the 4th National Lottery licence is one which has the potential to generate interest from a wide range of national and international operators. We are delighted to have been entrusted by the Gambling Commission as their lead adviser to assist in delivering a successful competition for the fourth licence.”

Fierce competition is excepted for the 2020 tender, as current incumbent Camelot Group, operator of the National Lottery since 1994, has faced political scrutiny following the National Audit Office (NAO) raising accountability concerns about the operator’s ‘funding of good causes’.

In previous statements, UKGC governance has underlined the importance of its 2020 tender in which the commission will seek a ‘wide business community input’, seeking to modernise lottery engagement.

Neil McArthur, Chief Executive of the Gambling Commission, said: “The National Lottery is a national asset. We want to build on the tremendous success of the National Lottery and we are determined to run a fair and transparent competition process that maximises the opportunities for innovation and creativity whilst protecting the special status of the National Lottery.

Accelerating initiatives,  the UKGC confirms that the fourth National Lottery competition will be formally headed-up by former HMRC & Home Office director John Tanner, who joins the Commission this month as  ‘Executive Director and SRO of the 4th National Lottery’.

John Tanner, commented on leading the 4th National Lottery competition: “I’m delighted to be leading the team that is working on this vitally important project.  We have already set firm foundations for the competition and I am looking forward to working with prospective bidders, stakeholders and all the members of our team, as we build on those foundations to prepare for the formal launch of the competition at the end of March next year.