1993: the Conservative government of John Major sets up the national lottery. It is franchised to a private operator, Canadian-owned Camelot, the following year.
1994: nearly 22 million people watch the first ever national lottery draw, broadcast via a special primetime TV event hosted by Noel Edmonds.
2001: Camelot retains the franchise after a bitter battle with Sir Richard Branson’s venture, dubbed the People’s Lottery. Branson fails in a claim for £18m in compensation over the process.
2002: after a period of falling sales, the lottery undergoes a rebranding, with the main draw renamed Lotto.
2007: Camelot wins the franchise for a third time.
2013: Camelot increases the price of a Lotto ticket to £2, the first rise since it began.
2016: the jackpot climbs to a record £66m and is shared by two ticket holders, who win £33m each.
2017: public spending watchdog the National Audit Office criticises Camelot for failing to increase returns to good causes in line with its increase in profits.
2021: the minimum age to play the national lottery rises from 16 to 18, amid a broader government push to reduce problem gambling and concern about increasingly popular “casino-style” Instant Win games.
2022: Allwyn, ultimately owned by Czech billionaire Karel Komárek, becomes the first company to depose Camelot, winning a 10-year licence to run the national lottery from 2024.
