SINGLE LOTTERY IDENTITY
125. The DCMS proposes the creation of a single Lottery
identity to ensure Lottery-funded projects are easily identifiable
as such. This has already been initiated through the creation
of the National Lottery Promotion Unit (NLPU) and the establishment
of a National Lottery Day.[130]
The Department believes that it is important for all of the Lottery
distributors to work together to promote the benefits to good
causes which the National Lottery delivers.[131]
The DCMS has suggested that all projects that have received Lottery
money should be identified by a single lottery logo and has introduced
a 'blue plaque' scheme which provides an instantly recognisable
symbol that can be used nationwide to help create the link in
people's minds between buying a Lottery ticket and tangible benefits
to the community they live in. We believe that it is important
for the public to be able clearly to identify projects that have
received Lottery funding, but we urge the Department, to monitor
the costs and benefits of schemes set up to do this so that value
for money is achieved.
126. DCMS must specifically
carry out a full cost and benefit analysis of the proposed National
Lottery Day before the event to ensure that it actually adds value
to the work of distributors and does not bring about a significant
diversion of costs away from grant giving.
127. Some evidence suggests that
when players are aware of the good causes supported by the Lottery
they are less likely to pull out of playing. The NLC believes
that promotion of the Lottery projects is important because "the
better Lottery good cause money is promoted, the more positive
people feel about that and the more positive they are likely to
feel about gains".[132]
However, it acknowledged that this may not necessarily give rise
to increased sales but may sustain levels of participation for
longer periods.[133]
Representatives from the NOF, CF and Awards for All agreed that
the general public are not aware enough of what Lottery money
has funded and Baroness Pitkeathley OBE, Chairman of the New Opportunities
Fund, pointed out that "almost every community throughout
the United Kingdom has some improvement as a result of the Lottery."[134]
The NLC informed us that at present the NLPU "are doing a
range of research to work out what people want and how people
can be helped to make that association [between buying a Lottery
ticket and benefits to good causes] most effectively"[135],
working towards raising awareness of what the Lottery funds in
order to boost sales. It is, however, widely acknowledged that
the main driver of sales is the possibility that the player will
be able to win a large prize. Whether, in fact, good causes have
any demonstrable effect on sales is widely debated. We welcome
the creation of the NLPU and believe that promoting the benefits
to good causes of the Lottery is positive. However, we note that
Camelot has both a responsibility and an incentive to promote
National Lottery sales and suggest that the operator of the National
Lottery should fully fund the work of the NLPU, as it will benefit
from any increased sales.
128. The NCVO, although it agreed that people should
be made aware of the benefits to good causes from the Lottery,
was concerned that playing it should not be promoted as an effective
way of giving to charity because "a pound given directly
to charity, tax effectively, is worth £1.28 to the charity,
whereas only 28 pence in each Lottery pound goes to the good causes."[136]
We agree with the NCVO and believe that whilst the National
Lottery and the benefits it gives to good causes should be publicised,
it should not be promoted as an effective way of giving to charity.
The percentage of the amount spent on a Lottery ticket that actually
goes to good causes should be made clear to players.
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