National Lottery is an UK lottery which is the state-franchised National lottery UK established in 1994 in the United Kingdom. It is regulated by the Gambling Commission, and is currently operated by Camelot Group, to which the licence was granted in 1994, 2001 and again in 2007, but will be operated by Allwyn Entertainment Ltd from 2024.
Prizes are paid as a swelling sum total (with the different of the Set For Life which is paid over a set period) and are tax-free. Of all money invested on National Lottery games, around 53% goes to the prize fund and 25% to “good causes” as set out by Parliament (though a few of this is considered by some in order to be actually a form of “stealth tax” levied to support the National Lottery Community Fund, a fund constituted to support public spending). 12% goes to the UK Government as lottery duty, 4% to retailers as commission, and a total of 5% to operator Camelot, with 4% to cover operating expenses and 1% as profit.
From introduction in November 1994 until April 2021, lottery tickets were actually able to be purchased by people a minimum of 16 years old. Scratchcards, from introduction in March 1995 to April 2021, were also able to be purchased by people in the minimum 16 yrs old. As of 22 April 2021, players must be 18 years of grow older to purchase lottery tickets and scratchcards (online and in-store).
Eligibility of purchase UK national lottery
As of 22 April 2022, the eligibility requirements include: Players must be at least 18 yrs aged to buy scratchcards or to play Lotto, Thunderball, EuroMillions or Set For Life. Tickets may be bought personally at approved premises in the UK, or online over the Internet. Online purchase of tickets from the National Lottery website is restricted to people who have a United Kingdom bank account (for debit card or direct debit purposes), and are resident in the UK or Isle of Man, and are physically present in the UK or Isle of Man when making the ticket Buy. The ticket buyer for a syndicate, typically its manager, must meet the eligibility criteria for ticket Buy. Syndicate members should be aged 18 or over. Lottery tickets are not transferable to any other, so commercial syndicates (i.e. where extra charges are levied on and above the total face value of the tickets purchased) are not permitted.
