Pro-Brexit tycoon sues lottery regulator over rejected £6.5bn bid, invoking EU laws he sought to scrap
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Richard Desmond, a pro-Brexit media tycoon, is suing the gambling regulator for rejecting his bid to run the national lottery, a £6.5bn 10-year contract.
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Desmond claims the regulator made errors in assessing his bid and will seek up to £200m in damages, which could come from lottery funding meant for good causes.
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Desmond is invoking retained EU laws in his claim against the regulator, despite backing Brexit and UKIP with £1m donation.
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The regulator strongly dismissed Desmond's lottery bid as "fanciful", scoring far below rival bids on key criteria like money for good causes.
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Desmond alleges unfair process and lack of feedback from regulator that could have convinced him to withdraw bid and save costs.