Branson team may launch rival lottery

Sir Richard says he is not in it for the money

Sir Richard Branson's People's Lottery is investigating the launch of a non-profit rival to Camelot's National Lottery, the company told the BBC on Monday.

The plans for a comeback comes only weeks after the Lottery Commission decided to award a seven year franchise to run the primary national competition in the UK to Camelot.

Ultimately our decision will depend on whether or not we think that launching such an alternative would increase the amount of money that goes to good causes

Simon Burridge
People's Lottery

There are already 4,000 other lotteries in Britain, but the restrictions on them are far tighter than those imposed on the National Lottery.

The People's Lottery's chief executive Simon Burridge told The World at One programme on BBC's Radio 4 that a "huge fall-off in sales" of tickets for Camelot's National Lottery would influence its final decision.

"If nothing were done about (the fall-off in sales) then the real risk is that good causes would suffer unduly and obviously we would need to look at something to redress that," he said.

"The reason the People's Lottery joined the contest in the first place was to try and maximise the amount of money that went to good causes," Mr Burridge said.

Disgruntled

"Ultimately our decision will depend on whether or not we think that launching such an alternative would increase the amount of money that goes to good causes."

The People's Lottery hoped to be awarded the franchise to run the lottery because of its promise not to take a cut of the winnings.

The size of our post bag indicates that what people are completely disenchanted with is Camelot and their games and the process by which the U-turn decision was made

Simon Burridge
People's Lottery

But in December, the Lottery Commission decided to award the franchise to the existing operator, Camelot.

It was obvious that the commission had had a change of heart.

Only a few months earlier, it had ruled out Camelot's bid and announced that the People's Lottery would be the only contender.

This decision was overturned by the courts following an appeal by Camelot.

"The size of our post bag indicates that people are completely disenchanted with Camelot and their games and the process by which the U-turn decision was made," Mr Burridge said.

Appeal

The People's Lottery may still appeal against the Commission's decision, Mr Burridge said.

Is Camelot to get a rival?

"What we have been trying to do, I have to say with no success at all, is to get the Commission to give us a fuller explanation of the basis on which they did their about-turn," he said.

"The Commission have stated that they refuse to be interrogated. They claim it was a fair and open process. We think it would be a lot more fair if it were a lot more open," he continued.

The Lottery Commission hits back

"We do not agree with the People's Lottery - that we have not explained our decision," Lottery Commission spokesman Mark Slattery said.

Furthermore, Mr Slattery denied charges that its chairman Lord Burns had refused to meet with Sir Richard, and that he had failed to return his calls.

"They did meet. In fact, Sir Richard was the last of the bidders to meet Lord Burns before the Commission took its decision," Mr Slattery said.

"And we did return his calls, although this was done by the chief executive rather than Lord Burns who was not personally available when Sir Richard rang.