A company involved in the Camelot consortium has been called before the UK's lottery watchdog to report on its business ethics.

GTech executives will meet Oflot's Acting Director-General, John Stoker, this month. He wants assurances that the company is honest.

The BBC's media correspondent Nick Higham reports (1'08")

The inquiry into GTech was launched after its former Chief Executive, Guy Snowden, stepped down after losing a libel trial against Richard Branson.

The case centred on Mr Branson's allegations that Mr Snowden tried to bribe him.

Mr Stoker wants assurances that GTech's businesses practices in America are legal. He is also asking for details of cases where employees are said to have behaved reprehensibly and a statement of GTech's proposed future role in Camelot.

If he is not happy with the answers he could force GTech to sells its shares in Camelot or stop it from supplying the lottery with computer software.

There have been suggestions that such a move could temporarily close the lottery down while Camelot finds an alternative supplier.

Mr Stoker is also looking at evidence from other sources including the BBC's Newsnight programme.

A recent programme claimed GTech had agreed to pay the former Lieutenant-Governor of Texas, where it runs the state lottery, $23m.

Mr Stoker is expected to take several weeks to consider the evidence submitted by GTech and the other information.

Other members of the Camelot consortium are electronics group Racal, Cadbury Schweppes, printers De La Rue and computing company ICL.
 

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