Content supplied Camelot:
Camelot is urging retailers to use its retailer hub to get the latest information on how their National Lottery business might be affected by the coronavirus outbreak.
Advice for Selling National Lottery During Coronavirus Crisis
Now, more than ever, The National Lottery can play a critical role in supporting our communities as we all face the challenge of Covid-19 together. Up to £300m raised by National Lottery players will be helping to fund vital work in local communities at a time when it's needed the most.
National Lottery players are encouraged to buy their tickets in retail as part of their essential shop.
Please find guidance below on supporting the safe sale of The National Lottery throughout the Coronavirus crisis.
KEEP SALES QUICK & SAFE
1. Offer a fast service - use a LUCKY DIP
2. Input a regular player's numbers via MANUAL ENTRY through the terminal
3. Offer ADVANCE PLAY - minimise the number of times players need to visit you
PAYING PRIZES SAFELY
1. Remind players they have up to 180 DAYS to claim their winnings
2. Ask players to use THE NATIONAL LOTTERY APP to check winning tickets before coming to store
3. Prioritise HAND HYGIENE when handling Scratchcards & cash*
Follow government guidance; frequently clean and disinfect objects and surfaces that are touched regularly, using your standard cleaning products**.
Message from Nigel Railton, Camelot CEO:
To our National Lottery retail partners,
In these exceptional times, I wanted to say a huge thank you to you and your colleagues for your support, both in the past but particularly at the current time. The Covid-19 crisis has thrown new challenges at us on an enormous scale and I firmly believe that we can meet that challenge by working together.
As the retail sector finds itself under great pressure, this has raised some questions about the sale of National Lottery products - so I thought it would be useful to provide you with some context. The National Lottery was set up by Parliament back in 1994 to raise money for Good Causes and, as you know, each ticket sold raises vital funds for people and projects across the UK. This funding has never been more crucial than it is now, as The National Lottery plays its part in helping the country respond to, and recover from, the Covid-19 crisis. It is for this reason that The National Lottery Community Fund recently announced that up to £300 million will be used to support the most vulnerable in communities across the UK. This is the largest funding response to Covid-19 in the UK, outside of central government.
And with more funding still to be announced, thanks to National Lottery players, hundreds of millions of pounds will be distributed to charities and local voluntary organisations over the next few months to help support people during this difficult time - from helping support food banks, to causes that combat loneliness and isolation, support for the elderly and projects that support health in the community.
I know that for you and your business, your priority will of course be the well-being of your teams and maximising safety in your stores. Our retail team is here to answer any questions that you may have on this, including safe ways to play our games and claim prizes in retail - this includes paying prizes onto debit cards where possible and offering players a Lucky Dip, as it minimises contact with players and speeds up the process. Importantly, we are encouraging National Lottery players to buy their tickets in retail only as part of their essential shop.
On behalf of everyone at Camelot, I would like to thank you again for everything you do to support us and The National Lottery.
All my very best wishes and please stay safe and well.
Nigel Railton
CEO, Camelot
