PRESS RELEASES
8/28/2000
PROTECTION OF LOTTO PLAYERS IS TOP PRIORITY
The UK National Lottery Commission issued a statement last Wednesday, 23rd August 2000, on the evaluation of the bids for the next seven-year licence to run the UK National Lottery. The Commission has decided that, in view of their findings, they will enter into negotiations with “The Peoples Lottery” and not the current licensee, Camelot.

As is the case with the South African National Lotteries Board, the UK National Lottery Commission is charged with ensuring that the National Lottery is run with all due propriety, protecting the interests of every participant in the National Lottery and endeavouring to maximise the proceeds of the National Lottery.

One of the reasons cited for the Commission’s not wanting to proceed with negotiations with Camelot was that GTECH, the supplier of the lottery software, had not informed Camelot or the UK National Lottery Commission of a software failure that it had successfully rectified. Camelot and GTECH each hold a 10% share in Uthingo Management (Pty) Ltd, the operator of the South African National Lottery.

When asked for comment, Mr. Joe Foster Chairperson of the National Lotteries Board said, “The National Lotteries Board has noted the report of the UK National Lottery Commission and is awaiting a further report into the GTECH investigation within the next month”.

GTECH is also responsible for the software being used in South Africa and concern was raised about whether the South African National Lottery could be exposed to a similar situation. Foster commented that, “the South African National Lottery is run on a later generation of software than that used for the UK National Lottery and we do not foresee a situation similar to that experienced in the UK occurring in South Africa”. Foster emphasised that the National Lotteries Board believes that “the integrity and security of the South African National Lottery has in no way been compromised by the recent events in the United Kingdom.”

Foster went on to assure all South Africans that the National Lotteries Board will “continue to monitor Uthingo Management and its partners for compliance and will take whatever steps necessary to protect the security and integrity of the South African National Lottery”.