Poll results: An uncertain future for bet-on-lotteries
Readers split 55/45 on whether lottery betting operators can weather the regulatory storm in the UK and Australia
The future of bet-on-lottery products is uncertain, according to a split vote on this week’s EGR poll.
Just over half (55%) of respondents believe bet-on-lottery operators will suffer in the face of the UK’s ban on EuroMillions betting and Australia’s decision to prohibit betting on foreign lotteries in the country.
The UK and Australian governments claimed to have made these decisions in an effort to protect the amount of lottery money invested in good causes and to cut out competition against the national lotteries.
A number of firms, including Lottoland and Multilotto, filed a claim against the UK’s EuroMillion betting ban but the move was formally enforced earlier this week.
However, 45% of poll voters think lottery betting firms are here to stay despite staunch regulatory set-backs.
For example, Lottoland this week launched a new EuroMillionaire product based on a Swiss lottery jackpot to make up for the loss of its EuroMillions offering.
On the Lottoland website the firm said: “Because we believe strongly in giving our customers innovation, better products and choice we thought we’d take 7 numbers from the Swiss Loto Express.”
The operator’s Australian business has also offered newsagents a 20% commission rate of foreign lottery bets to curb the ongoing campaign against it.