Health Lottery wins High Court ruling
Camelot loses action to block Richard Desmond's Health Lottery from operating.
The Health Lottery has won a High Court ruling after National Lottery operator Camelot took action against it being given a licence to operate in the UK by the Gambling Commission.
Camelot had argued that although the Health Lottery manages draws for 51 separate local organisations and charities, it saw this overall scheme as a rival national lottery, which is not permitted under the National Lottery Act of 1993.
Lord Justice Stanley Burton and Mr Justice Kenneth Parker dismissed the case and refused Camelot permission to press its claim for a judicial review.
In a statement Camelot said it was “disappointed” with the ruling and intended to “lodge papers with the Court of Appeal against what we believe to be a legally-flawed and unfair decision by the court”.
The Health Lottery raises funds for health causes in the UK and was set up last year by the Richard Desmond-owned Northern & Shell publishing and television group, which owns Channel 5. Desmond also owns national newspaper The Express. In June, it was also granted a remote casino gambling licence by the Gambling Commission, allowing it to offer online poker and casino games.
Earlier today, the Health Lottery became the latest operator to fall foul of the Advertising Standards Authority after having its latest advert banned by being “misleading”.
The ASA found it guilty of breaching two rules relating to misleading advertising after upholding complaints that the advert implied a jackpot of £250,000 is regularly offered, which is not the case.
However, a TV advertisement for Robin Hood Bingo was cleared after two complaints, arguing that it appealed to under 18-year-olds and that the actresses appeared to be under 25 years old, were not upheld.