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Sisal partners BT for UK National Lottery licence bid

| By Robert Fletcher
Italian lottery operator Sisal has linked up with telecommunications giant BT on its bid for the fourth UK National Lottery licence.
Allwyn National Lottery

Under the new strategic partnership, BT will advise on matters related to mobile operations within the National Lottery offering, as well as using new technologies to widen the appeal of games.

Sisal announced last month that it was competing in the tender for the licence, saying the move builds on its recent successes, having expanded beyond Italy in recent years.

In recent years, Sisal has won lottery tenders in Italy, Morocco and Turkey.

“As the UK’s leading telecommunications and networks provider, BT has unparalleled understanding of the UK market and its transformative digital expertise, customer focused approach and commitment to innovation will ensure that our bid will deliver the best possible solution for the UK National Lottery,” Sisal chief executive Francesco Durante said.

Dean Terry, managing director for the corporate and public sector at BT’s Enterprise unit, added: “BT’s technology solutions can ensure that the National Lottery maximises the amount of money raised for good causes, while better protecting those players most at risk from gambling harms. 

“We are very pleased to be partnering with Sisal to support their bid with the aim of delivering a National Lottery which is fit for the future by putting technology innovation at its heart.”

The British Gambling Commission launched the fourth licence tender in August 2020, with the aim of announcing a preferred applicant by September 2021.

Pan-European lottery and gaming giant Sazka Group was the first to announce its intention to compete for the licence in October 2020, while Sugal & Damani, India’s largest lottery operator, joined the race later that month.

Incumbent licensee Camelot completed the Selection Questionnaire in October, though it refused to commit to bidding for the tender.

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