The gambling regulator has accidentally handed over more than 4,000 sensitive documents to lawyers acting for the media tycoon Richard Desmond, in an “unprecedented” blunder during its legal battle over the £6.4bn national lottery contract, the Guardian understands.
Regulator makes ‘unpredecented’ blunder in legal battle over UK lottery Gambling Commission accidentally hands over thousands of sensitive documents to Richard Desmond’s lawyers.
The commission, which is represented by the London law firm Hogan Lovells, is understood to have accidentally handed over more than 4,000 sensitive documents about the lottery award process to lawyers for N&S.
Northern & Shell (N&S), the investment group owned by Desmond, is suing the Gambling Commission for £200m in damages over its handling of the lottery licence award process.
A trial is due to go ahead in October at the high court, despite warnings from the commission that any resulting payout to N&S may have to be funded from lottery money allocated to good causes.
