Richard Desmond loses £1.3bn damages battle over national lottery licence
Friday, April 17, 2026 at 10:54 AM · By Rob Davies
Media tycoon vows to appeal after dismissal of action against Gambling Commission for awarding Allwyn the franchise Business live – latest updates The media tycoon Richard Desmond has vowed to appeal after a resounding defeat in his claim for up to £1.3bn in damages from the Gambling Commission over its decision not to award him the 10-year licence to run the national lottery. Mrs Justice Smith dismissed Desmond’s claim on Friday, in a sometimes scathing written high court judgment that reserve…