Payments from the National Lottery to good causes declined to the lowest level in eight years last quarter, data from the Gambling Commission shows.
Some £377m was transferred in Q1 of 2026-27, the smallest total since £362m was paid in the same quarter of 2018-19.
The money raised for the National Lottery Community Fund (NLCF), which distributes the money, was also a decline on the £447m recorded in the previous quarter and £485m a year earlier.
It is the first time since 2020 that less than £400m was raised in a financial quarter.
The Gambling Commission attributed the decline “primarily” to lower sales, citing drops in EuroMillions (£170m) and Interactive Instant Win Games (£42.6m).
A spokesperson for National Lottery operator Allwyn said that Q1 last year was “unusually high” due to a EuroMillions roll series which had 12 weeks of rolls over £100m, including draws above £200m.
“The same period this year saw only eight rolls and much smaller jackpots,” the spokesperson added.
Meanwhile, NLCF recently posted an annual decline in income from the National Lottery.
It received £708m in its accounts for the year to March 2026, a drop from £717m in 2024-25.
However, its performance report was optimistic despite the decline: “Returns to good causes in 2025-26 were slightly ahead of budget, with stronger growth expected from 2026-27 onwards,” it stated.
In July, the government launched a 12-week consultation to seek evidence and arguments from the public on how National Lottery money should be spent.
The National Lottery has raised more than £53bn since its first draw in 1994.
High Court battle
Czech-owned company Allwyn took over National Lottery stewardship in September 2022 from previous operator Camelot, pledging to double the money raised for good causes.
Last February, House of Lords peer Thomas Orlando Lyttelton subsequently branded Allwyn’s pledge to donate £38bn to good causes over the next decade “fanciful”.
In response to the latest figures, Allwyn also pointed to a High Court judgment, which found that it and the National Lottery had taken financial hits during a protracted legal battle.
New Lottery Company and Northern & Shell PLC, which bid to become operators in 2022, had brought the case against the Gambling Commission over its decision to award the contract to Allwyn.
High Court judge Joanna Smith dismissed the claims in full, found that Allwyn was fairly awarded the licence and had since been subject to higher costs.
An application to appeal the case was also rejected last month.
Allwyn’s spokesperson said: “We welcomed April’s clear and comprehensive judgment […] the court further found that both good causes and Allwyn have suffered significant losses due to the delays caused by litigation.
“The judgment provided clarity and legal certainty, and our focus now is on delivering for players and increasing funding for good causes.”
Alwyn, which spent £120m to acquire Camelot, added that it has completed the “largest technology upgrade” of the National Lottery in more than three decades.
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