Lottoland v UK Government (EuroMillions betting ban): Allegations, Court Orders and Status

What this case is about

Lottoland v UK Government is a High Court (Administrative Court, Divisional Court) judicial review, [2018] EWHC 3111 (Admin), docket CO/1118/2018, filed in 2018. EU Lotto Ltd, Lottoland Europe Ltd and Multi Lotto UK Ltd sued the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

They challenged regulation 4 of the Gambling Act 2005 (Operating Licence Conditions) (Amendment) Regulations 2018, the April 2018 ban on offering British consumers bets on non-UK EuroMillions draws.

The claim relied on article 56 TFEU and on unfair consultation. It is one of the Lottery Lawsuits that test where a lottery ends and a bet begins.

Who is covered

The claimants are three lottery-betting operators. The defendant is the UK government department.

The ruling affects operators who offered bets on the outcome of foreign lottery draws to British consumers. The measure applies to bets offered to British consumers. It is a judicial review, not a class action, and no player is a party. Other British cases are listed in Gambling Lawsuits in United Kingdom.

Is there a payout?

No payout exists in this case. The claim failed, and the record shows no fund, fine or damages award.

The operators wanted the ban set aside, not money from the government. No claim form exists for players.

What the court decided

The Divisional Court (Gross LJ and Green LJ) decided on 15 November 2018 that the ban was a proportionate restriction. It accepted four justifications: consumer confusion, "clear blue water" around the National Lottery, protection of good-causes funding and lead-in risk.

The claimants had argued on two grounds: that the ban breached article 56 TFEU, and that the consultation before the regulation was unfair. Both challenges failed. As of 14 November 2026 the case is recorded as dismissed on that judgment, and the ban stands as the court left it.

Why it matters

The judgment is recorded as a precedent. It shows a UK court accepting that a ban on betting on foreign lottery draws can be justified to protect the National Lottery and the funding of good causes.

The case produced no settlement. For cases that did settle, see Gambling Settlements by Year and Amount.

Related cases

• R (Gibraltar Betting and Gaming Association Ltd) v Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and Gambling Commission is another operator challenge to a UK gambling regulation, recorded as dismissed.

Questions people ask

Is betting on EuroMillions draws banned in the UK?

Bets on non-UK EuroMillions draws offered to British consumers are banned by the April 2018 regulations. The Divisional Court upheld that ban on 15 November 2018.

Why did the court uphold the EuroMillions betting ban?

It found the ban proportionate. The reasons were consumer confusion, keeping "clear blue water" around the National Lottery, protecting good-causes funding and lead-in risk.