Lottery grants retailers licence to sell jewellery

Retail chains H Samuel and Argos are to sell gold jewellery bearing the National Lottery’s crossed fingers logo.

The move is a response to the decision by Camelot – which holds the National Lottery licence – to launch merchandise through multiple retailers.

Camelot hopes to build a turnover of 10m in its first year of business for the merchandising operation, to be called National Lottery Enterprises.

The operation is headed by Camelot marketing director John Kinsey. Proceeds from the sale of the merchandise will go to good causes.

Also launched this week is the National Lottery Software Program, which randomly selects numbers to help users choose the lucky numbers for their lottery tickets. The software, along with gift cards, will be available from WH Smith. Other stockists include Forbuoys, the Post Office and independent retailers such as Spar, Londis, Mace and Costcutter.

Additional products include Lucky Keyrings, ear-rings, pendants and gold-plated cufflinks.

National Lottery Enterprises was originally set up as Camelot Enterprises, but was forced to change its name by another company with the same name. Sales and marketing for the venture is headed by Robin Bowler.

Two marketing managers have also been hired – Heather Bobby, formerly of Manor Bakeries, is product director and Dominic Furey is the licensing manager.

Vernons Pools is testing a scratchcard-style instant win game called Break Opens, the first of a range of new products it is developing to counter falling sales of its pools games. Break Opens already operates in the United States, and Vernons claims it has been the world’s largest charity lottery game for the past ten years.