Despite its exit from the European Union, the UK remains very much part of the European family. It’s still part of several energy and climate schemes, coordinates on defense and policing, and, in a big win for Britain and Europe’s youth, it is re-entering the Erasmus university schemes.
And, of course, the UK is still part of the EuroMillions network. Like many other European nations, the UK takes part in EuroMillions alongside its national lottery draws, they are connected in the management sense but separate games. They are both highly popular.
However, in a matter of days, the UK will become the “49th state” in a manner of speaking, as it will become a constituent member of the Powerball lottery. 45 US states offer Powerball, as well as DC, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands, so the UK is the 49th market.
Powerball is a cultural phenomenon in the USA
The allure is pretty plain to see. The Powerball is a bit of a cultural phenomenon in the US, with jackpots that dwarf anything that the EuroMillions can reach. There can be a frenzy of activity as people rush to stores or play Powerball online whenever a big jackpot grows in size, and those jackpots can hit billions of dollars.
But if the UK is to join, why not Europe next? Well, to be clear, there are no concrete plans as of yet, but that doesn’t mean it will change anytime soon. Indeed, it is worth noting that the Powerball organizers, the Multi-State Lottery Association, made a big deal of trumpeting the fact that the UK expansion was the “first” move to a market outside the US. There was definitely a hint that it would not be the last.
Secondly, there is the identity of the UK’s lottery operator, Allwyn, which recently took over management of lottery operations from Camelot. Allwyn is very much a multi-national operator, managing state lotteries in parts of the US, as well as countries like Austria, the Czech Republic, Greece, Cyprus, and Italy. The company clearly wants to expand, so if it has the connections, it’s not a great leap to think it could come to other European countries.
There may be issues for regulators
Nevertheless, there will be questions, including regulatory ones. Lotteries across Europe usually have to commit to paying into charitable causes in order to start operations – it’s a key consideration that separates them from, say, gambling activity. Allwyn will already have considered that, for sure, but convincing nations of its merit is another matter.
There would also be questions as to whether the introduction of such a large lottery network would complement or detract from national lotteries and games like EuroMillions. It’s conceivable that some with vested interests in keeping the status quo could say no.
We might have to wait and see how the dust settles on the UK Powerball launch. The start date is 22nd July, so you can be sure that some with an interest in the expansion will be looking at ticket sales, as well as how it will impact national lottery draws. But while there are no plans for Powerball to hit the continent right now, we wouldn’t bet against it happening in the future.