Allwyn to acquire Camelot’s US business

Allwyn to acquire Camelot’s US business from the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board after a UK takeover just last year.

Allwyn is a leading global lottery operator at the forefront of the technological revolution of the betting industry. The company has a dedicated focus to innovation and efficiency, which allows its operations to maximise returns to customers and society alike. With close to 70,000 points of sale, Allwyn serves 79 million customers representing €16bn in annual sales.

In the same industry is Camelot, the operator of The National Lottery since 1994. Camelot has called Watford its headquarters for the past 28 years, with satellite offices in London and Liverpool as well as a distribution centre in Northampton. For the first half of the current fiscal year which ends in March 2023, the company has seen an all-time high sales figure of ￡4.06bn driven by a strong digital push.

The acquisition is expected to have close to no effect on immediate operations, given Allwyn’s confirmation that no changes will be made to Camelot’s core leadership team. Camelot’s US businesss is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois as Camelot Lottery Solutions. The business runs a technology division that serves its lotteries throughout Europe and North America. The transaction is anticipated to close in the first quarter of this year, subject to regulatory approvals.

“We have always viewed the US market as an important part of Allwyn’s future growth story, and the acquisition of Camelot LS Group, is the right step,” said Allwyn’s CEO Robert Chvátal. To add, Camelot’s CEO Wayne Pickup said, “we remain committed to serving our customers, engaging players and growing lottery revenue to benefit the communities they serve.”

This acquisition comes after Allwyn’s decision to take over Camelot’s UK operations in November last year. Incidentally, Camelot UK’s 10-year license for the UK National Lottery licence will come to an end in time for Allwyn to take over as the newly-licensed operator. Robert reassures investors that “Allwyn is committed to making the National Lottery better, raising more for good causes and improving player protection.” Nick Jansa, Executive Managing Director for Europe, Middle East and Africa at Ontario Teachers’, said, “We are proud to have been a strong supporter and partner of the National Lottery over the past 12 years. In that time, under Camelot’s stewardship The National Lottery has raised more than ￡20 billion for good causes and has supported thousands of organisations across the United Kingdom.”