Lottery sales down

Lottery sales have slipped below £5bn for lottery operator, Camelot - for the first time in four years, according to figures released this week. Camelot said it had sold £4.98bn of tickets and scratch cards in the year to March 31, down 2.1 per cent on the previous 12 months. The company says the delay in awarding the licence caused 'considerable disruption' to the business as the decision process took three times longer than originally predicted: 'Few businesses would have been able to manage such a sustained period of disruption and with sales for the first half up 4 per cent, it is clear that second half sales were impacted by the delay'. Sir George Russell, chair, said the year had been very turbulent for Camelot and its staff: Despite this we have already hit £10bn, against our original commitment of £9bn, and now even expect to exceed our increased target of £10.5bn by September 2001.