Camelot critical of EuroMillions betting price freeze
UK National Lottery operator Camelot has hit back at Lottoland over its freezing of EuroMillions prices following the increase in main draw tickets.
Camelot is one of 10 operators of the Europe-wide lottery which increased entry fees from £2 (€2.32/$2.60) to £2.50 this week.
Lottoland, which offers betting on EuroMillions and other lottery draws, said it would keep prices the same following the rise.
Chief executive Nigel Birrell said the decision reflected the company’s “mission to provide more choice and better value for our customers”.
However, a Camelot spokesperson told iGamingBusiness that Lottoland’s games did not offer the same opportunities to win as the main draw – such as a 100-day around-the-world trip – and that the use of lottery betting sites could have a detrimental effect on the good causes that are funded by EuroMillions.
“Unlike The National Lottery, companies like Lottoland return no money to good causes,” the spokesperson said.
“Every week, National Lottery players raise, on average, £36m for good causes – this money goes to everything from repairing scout huts to funding our amazing Olympic and Paralympic champions.
“In addition, while player protection and responsible play lie at the heart of everything we do, companies like Lottoland aren’t subject to the same rigorous regulations that we adhere to.”
Under changes that became effective last week, in addition to the price jump, EuroMillions players will now have to pick an additional number on a line, widening the odds of winning the jackpot from one in 117 million to one in 140 million, but the odds of winning a prize will be unchanged.
However, Camelot said Tuesday’s launch draw “was really successful and performed exactly in line with our expectations.”
Lottoland.co.uk said that research indicated that almost three quarters of UK consumers would shop around for alternatives if an item they regularly purchase increased in cost by 25%. The research also went on to highlight that a further one in eight people would stop buying the item all together.
“The reason players should continue buying EuroMillions tickets is because you’re not actually playing EuroMillions with companies like Lottoland – you’re just betting on the numbers drawn,” said the Camelot spokesperson.
“Therefore, the two offerings aren’t like for like because you don’t get any of the wider benefits that EuroMillions offers – the two guaranteed UK millionaires in every draw, the fantastic Mega Weeks at the end of every month, the pan-European raffle events, etc.”
Camelot also added that it is “continuing to speak to the Gambling Commission and Government” about the legality of lottery betting games, such as those offered by Lottoland. While it is prohibited to take bets on the outcome of any lottery which forms part of The National Lottery, Lottoland and others are taking bets from UK customers on the outcome of EuroMillions in another one of the nine countries.
The spokesperson told iGamingBusiness: “It is therefore an anomaly – and a damaging one for good causes – that while it is prohibited under the legislation to place a bet on the outcome of the UK EuroMillions game (a National Lottery product), it is entirely possible to place a bet on the EuroMillions draw where the game is promoted in another EuroMillions country.”
Major draws available with Lottoland include EuroMillions, EuroJackpot and America’s PowerBall and MegaMillions. Lottoland is licensed and regulated in Gibraltar, the UK and the Northern Territory in Australia.
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