Camelot is to lose its licence to run the UK national lottery after 28 years as the Gambling Commission named rival Allwyn as its preferred applicant to take over.
Allwyn, Europe’s largest lottery operator, is expected to take over from Camelot in 2024. It is owned by Karel Komarek the Czech billionaire, who made his fortune in sectors including oil and gas and has a joint venture with Russia’s state controlled gas company Gazprom.