Lottery needs feel-good focus - Branson

Branson has twice bid for the lottery

The "good-feel factor" desperately needs to be brought back to the UK's National Lottery, says business tycoon Richard Branson.

Sir Richard, who has twice failed in his bid to run the lottery, is urging Labour to deliver on its 1997 promise to look for a not-for-profit operator.

Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell has just launched a review of lottery operations after the fiasco over the awarding of the current seven year licence to Camelot and in the wake of falling ticket sales.

Jowell has floated nationalising the Lottery

Ms Jowell says the lottery could be nationalised or split up so one company operates the infrastructure while other firms run the games.

Virgin founder Sir Richard told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "It's good that she's going out and asking questions.

"But I think ultimately, if she went out and asked the public themselves what they wanted, what they want is for the lottery to be run on the basis that Labour originally got elected and that is to pledge all the profits to good causes.

"I think the lottery desperately needs a good-feel factor."

Ticket sales slide

Ms Jowell's decision to draw up a consultation document goes further than merely seeking to avoid a repeat of such a botched licensing round.

The paper says the National Lottery Commission could take over responsibility for running the games, as happens in other countries.

Dianne Thompson: Weekend events have hit sales

Either way, it comes against a background of sliding ticket sales, despite the relaunch of the main game under the name Lotto.

Lotto operator Camelot has blamed a recent slump in sales on the Queen Mother's funeral, the Golden Jubilee and the World Cup.

Chief executive Dianne Thompson said a series of events during weekends had been keeping players away.

Ticket sales were down on the day of England's second round 3-0 defeat of Denmark two weeks ago and over the two Bank Holiday days of the Golden Jubilee at the beginning of June, Ms Thompson told a committee of MPs.

'Doing a 'Ratner'

The downturn began "sadly" with the Queen Mother's funeral in April, she said.

The main National Lottery game was given its new name, Lotto, two months ago, after a £26m relaunch.

Camelot is spending £72m on marketing over the year.

Giving evidence earlier this month to the Commons culture, media and sport select committee, Ms Thompson clarified remarks made last month, in which she said players would be "lucky" to win money on the main game.

"They had been taken out of context," she said.

Frank Doran, Labour MP for Aberdeen Central, told Ms Thompson she had been "effectively accused of doing a Ratner" to the National Lottery.

'Live a Lotto'

Ms Thompson said the odds of winning the jackpot were 14 million to one.

She added there was a one in 54 chance of winning any prize, one in 57 of winning £10 and one in 19 for winning a prize on the Thunderball draw.

She said she had made the remarks during a marketing lecture on why Camelot had replaced its slogan "It Could Be You" because "what is happening over time is players fed back to us 'well, yes, it probably won't be me'."

It was necessary to change the slogan to "Maybe, Just Maybe" and later to "Don't Live a Little, Live a Lotto", Ms Thompson told the committee.

Players were saying they had never won a prize because they did not regard £10 as a win, Ms Thompson said.