UK High Court Reviews Desmond Claims Against Gambling Commission : PMPMedia.io

By Arijit Roul - 19 Jan, 2026 More about the author

The UK High Court today heard accusations from the New Lottery Company against the Gambling Commission over unlawful contract alterations linked to the UK Lottery licence process.

Key Points

The legal case involving Richard Desmond and the UK Gambling Commission returned to court this week
Desmond and the New Lottery Company state that the regulator changed contract terms against the law
The judge again raised concerns about missing clarity within Desmond’s legal position

Richard Desmond continued his legal action against the UK Gambling Commission today inside the High Court, as he accused the regulator of unlawful contract changes to the fourth UK Lottery licence. That licence went to Allwyn during 2022 following a process managed by the Gambling Commission, and the decision ended Camelot’s long period as UK Lottery operator after a later acquisition. Camelot filed legal action against Allwyn and the Commission without success, while Desmond’s New Lottery Company also competed for the licence during the tender stage. Current court action against the Gambling Commission now includes formal accusations, and several lawyers returned this week to examine the case again, with Desmond and the NLC claiming £1.3bn (£1.75bn) damages.

The two-hour hearing focused on a defined version of evidence submitted earlier by Desmond against the GC, prompting the presiding Judge to ask for further detail on the argument scope. Court direction confirmed a final ruling now targets February 2026, adding further delay to the legal timeline around the licence award. Global Gaming Insider spoke with a courtroom source and heard comments pointing to confusion felt inside proceedings, with concern shown by the presiding judge over the aim of the case. Judge Smith stated she would not explore extreme interpretations testing lottery contract limits, but would assess what the reasonable bidder understood that clause to mean on the contract scope.