Leading European lottery operator Sazka Group has confirmed its participation in the bidding to operate the UK National Lottery.
Sazka operates lotteries in Austria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Greece and Italy and has long been interested in the UK National Lottery, which has been operated by Camelot since its inception in 1994.
The competition for the fourth UK National Lottery licence is now underway after being delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the successful bidder taking over the operation of the lottery in 2023.
“As a leader in operating lotteries across Europe, Sazka has made no secret of the fact that we would be thrilled to operate the UK National Lottery,” said Sazka chief executive Robert Chvatal.
“The UK National Lottery is a national treasure with a proud 26-year history. Now it is looking forward to the next decade and how it can best serve its customers in a world so disrupted by digital transformation, the fourth industrial revolution and Covid. The landscape from when the UK National Lottery was launched back in 1994 has changed beyond measure.
“At Sazka we have a track record of facilitating the evolution of established lotteries to innovate for their successful future. We are serious about our intentions and respectful of the process we are entering in to,” Chvatal added. “We submitted our completed application to the Gambling Commission by [Saturday’s] deadline. This was an important and exciting moment for us, marking our official entry into the competition. We trust that our submission will demonstrate our professional track record and technical capabilities.”
Sazka is currently in the process of hiring a team in the UK and building the partnerships and relationships necessary to deliver “a compelling case” for operating the lottery.