RECORD SALES REPORTED BY UK LOTTERY


Wednesday May 23, 2012 : RECORD SALES REPORTED BY UK LOTTERY
 
Online sales top a billion pounds for the first time
 
Annual online sales in the British  national lottery, the biggest source of UK internet gambling wagers, have soared by GBP 216.7 million to a record GBP 1.04 billion, the operator Camelot reports, noting that interactive and subscription sales were up more than 25 percent.
 
Instant play games generated GBP 1.725 billion, a GBP 289.9 million increase, with mobile and internet channels helping to boost distribution, and scratchcard wagering rising.
 
Camelot shrugged off competition from the Health Lottery, posting new record sales overall that were up 12.1 percent on last year to GBP 6.53 billion, while the amount generated for its designated good causes grew by 9.6 percent to GBP 1.825 billion.
 
85 percent of the lottery's sales were derived from retail sources.
 
The operator also announced that it has achieved its target of raising GBP 750 million for the Olympic Games through specially designated game cards.
 
“The National Lottery is all about raising as much money as possible for the Good Causes and creating millions of winners – and this year’s record-breaking figures show we’ve done exactly that,” said Camelot sales director Duncan Malyon.
 
“As well as our current network expansion, we have a range of exciting plans in the pipeline to ensure that we carry on changing lives for the better for people and communities the length and breadth of the UK."