Richard Desmond loses damages battle with Gambling Commission, ending national lottery dispute

Firms owned by media tycoon launched action against regulator in 2022 after lottery licence awarded elsewhere The media tycoon Richard Desmond has lost his claim for up to £1.3bn in damages from the Gambling Commission , ending a bitter dispute over the regulator’s decision not to award him the 10-year licence to run the national lottery. Companies owned by the former proprietor of the Daily Express and Channel 5 launched action against the regulator in 2022, starting a tortuous legal process that saw Desmond’s costs estimated to have reached £55m already by May last year. Continue reading…