After receiving the results of an industry consultation that launched in March, the government of the United Kingdom has reportedly announced that it is set to prohibit all third-party wagering on the outcome of EuroMillions lottery draws.
According to a report from SBC News, the revelation came in a market update issued by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport late last month and is part of an ongoing effort to ensure that the transnational EuroMillions offers the same levels of protection as currently govern domestic lottery draws.
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport reportedly stated that its latest move will come into force as part of new licensing provisions and will moreover help to protect any funds that are collected by the lottery for charitable causes.
Although draws for EuroMillions prizes are conducted in Paris, games can be enjoyed by players in nine European countries including the United Kingdom, Spain and Austria with each individual nation’s authority subsequently responsible for policing ticket sales. This technicality has resulted in a number of operators offering remote bets on the outcome of contests, which is something the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport reportedly explained is ‘contrary to the intention and spirit of Section 95 of the Gambling Act’.
SBC News reported that the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s update listed five remote operators in MyLotto24, Annexio, Lottoland, IMME Entertainment and Jackpot.com as offering third-party EuroMillions wagers before declaring that its changes would help to ‘preserve a distinction between betting and The National Lottery’ as it seeks to ‘protect returns to good causes and prevent consumer confusion’.
“Our position was supported by the majority of consultation respondents,” reportedly read a statement from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. “We are mindful of the effect on impacted businesses and will tailor the license condition to ensure it is in line with our aims to reduce consumer confusion and protect returns to good causes in the United Kingdom. Betting operators will still be able to offer bets on international lotteries.”