Mobile drives 18% Camelot digital growth
National Lottery operator says app upgrades and new online games are behind surge
UK lottery operator Camelot has reported an 18% year-on-year rise in digital sales to ?1.58bn for the year ended 31 March 2016.
According to figures released this morning, mobile sales were up 53%, with the channel accounting for almost half of all interactive National Lottery sales.
Camelot attributed the digital surge to the launch of 70 online instant win games on its web GameStore, as well as app upgrades and the launch of the first-ever mobile payment option through Barclays Pingit.
The firm also said it was particularly encouraged by sales via smartphone which grew 71% compared to an overall National Lottery ticket sales growth of 22%.
“With our very own world-leading mobile platform, over eight million registered online players, and new and exciting initiatives – like our tie-up with Barclays last summer and a second chance draw which generated 2.4 million online entries – Camelot leads the field of digital lottery innovation,” Camelot’s digital director, Tim Copper, said.
“And that will remain our key focus as we look to build on this year’s outstanding performance.”
The figures will also help overcome recent media speculation that changes to Camelot’s flagship Lotto game caused participation rates to “slump dramatically”.
Last year Camelot, which was awarded the UK National Lottery contract in 1994, announced the launch of a new mobile-optimised online platform and a redesigned National Lottery website.