Sisal, the Italian-based operator of lotteries with 75 years’ experience, has confirmed their entry into the Gambling Commission’s competition to select the operator of the fourth licence to run the UK National Lottery, one of the most important and prestigious lotteries in the world.

The move builds on significant recent success for the company. After many years of careful preparation, the internationalisation strategy is progressing very fast and Sisal already operates in 4 markets: Italy, Morocco, Spain and Turkey. Concerning the participation to lottery tenders, Sisal so far is showing a perfect record of three wins in three, with licences awarded in Morocco, Italy and Turkey. The UK National Lottery is a national institution and winning the bid to operate such a relevant lottery for the next 10 years is the next big aspiration for Sisal.

Sisal has heavily invested in innovative digital technologies and artificial intelligence in order to develop an industry-leading responsible gaming strategy. The company believes that a bid combining use of their proprietary technology, a thorough commitment on responsible gaming and a strong focus on product and digital innovation will serve to generate more funds for good causes in the UK.

With more than 2,200 employees globally and a network of about 50,000 points of sales, Sisal has a proven ability to manage and develop retail networks together with an innovative and state of art digital platform. In December last year European Lotteries and the World Lottery Association both renewed the company’s responsible gaming certifications for the fourth time in a row, at the highest level available.

Confirming Sisal’s intent to bid for the fourth licence, Francesco Durante, CEO of Sisal, said:
“Sisal was founded seventy-five years ago by three sports journalists who wanted to help rebuild Italy’s war-damaged football stadiums and revive community participation in sport. By long experience, we know the powerful positive impact games and lotteries can have when they are fun to play and they are directed towards serving a good cause. “

“We believe lottery operators have the duty to generate resources in a responsible way and should lead the industry in raising the bar for player protection. That’s why many years ago we voluntarily developed an approach to player protection far beyond what was required by regulation. Our focus is to make the lottery safer and an even better source of funds for good causes.”

To further strengthen their bid, Sisal has partnered with Barnardo’s, the 155-year-old charity for children and young people. With more than 7,000 employees, 14,000 volunteers and around 600 shops in Britain, Barnardo’s is one of the most prestigious and recognized charities in the UK and bring an unparalleled understanding of the UK’s charity landscape.

Barnardo’s will use its involvement in the joint venture to ensure a best practice approach to player protection in the UK, improving protections for children and ensuring the lottery draws on best practice internationally.

Javed Khan, CEO of Barnardo’s said: 
“We are pleased to be working with Sisal in bidding to revitalise the UK National Lottery, which generates substantial funds for worthy causes across the UK. Our involvement will strengthen the partnership’s focus on player protection and responsible play, whilst deepening understanding of the UK charity sector and how it works to make a difference in the heart of local communities.”

Sisal was the first Italian company to operate as a government licensee in the gambling industry – they have played a pivotal role in legalising gaming in the country and are industry leaders in player protection measures.