The arts will benefit from a record return in Good Causes funding after The National Lottery announced its highest ever sales for the first six months of the 2022/23 financial year.
Total lottery sales increased to £4,063.9m over that period, breaking the £4 billion mark for the first time in the 28-year history of The National Lottery and outperforming last year’s total by £102.5m (+2.6%).
The half-year success has been attributed to record digital sales.
Good causes funding – of which the arts receives 20% – totalled £956.5m, an increase of £72m (+8.1%) on last year.
This takes the total generated for Good Causes since The National Lottery launched in 1994 under Camelot to £47bn.
Czech lottery business Allwyn will take over Camelot’s lottery contract in 2024 and has previously said it will increase the amount the arts receives through Good Causes funding.
“In this hugely testing economic period, I am proud that my team’s remarkable performance builds on previous years of record ticket sales and returns to Good Causes – and extends our track record of delivering for people across the UK,” Camelot Chairman Sir Hugh Robertson said.
“With just over a year to run until the start of the next licence period, I am confident that The National Lottery has never been in better shape.”