UK National Lottery Operator Camelot Revenues Grow

UK National Lottery operator Camelot Group's revenues were up by 8.1% to GBP 3.52 billion in the first half of the fiscal year.

The growth rate of the UK gambling operator is twice as fast as the boom of other lottery outfits over the same period.

However, Camelot's global revenues were less dragged down by operations in troubled countries such as Greece and Spain.

British gambling news report that Camelot ticket sales were increased by 3.4% to GBP 2.4 billion, while scratch card sales grew from GBP 816.8 million to GBP 999 million.

Camelot has deployed 8,000 British gambling law allowed new terminals, boosting in-store sales up by 7% to GBP 2.9 billion. The interactive and subscription lottery sales rose 15% to GBP 591 million.

Camelot sponsored nearly 90% of the UK’s London 2012 Olympic athletes. This is the part of the GBP 953 million donations the lottery firm gave to charitable causes. The UK lottery operator paid GBP 1.86 billion in prizes to its players.

Camelot also was proud to report that its operating costs were only 4% of revenue, making the company Europe's most cost-efficient lottery operator.

Not all is pink for the UK lottery operator. Camelot lost a high-profile legal battle in August against Health Lottery over the legality of the latter's operations.

Camelot is likely to be the only bidder to run the Pennsylvania Lottery in the next 20 years. The decision on the state lottery tender is due until the end of this year.