The UK government is threatening to restrict third-party betting on EuroMillions lottery draws, posing a significant challenge to the operations of bet-on-lottery operator Lottoland.

On Monday, the UK Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) announced an open consultation on ‘Prohibiting Third Party Betting on Non-UK EuroMillions Draws.” The consultation, which closes May 2, follows public comments last month by Sports Minister Tracy Crouch that such third-party bets are “contrary to the spirit and intention” of UK rules against betting on National Lottery results.

Section 95 of the Gambling Act 2005 prohibits UK-licensed gambling operators from offering bets on lotteries that form part of the National Lottery. EuroMillions is a partnership of lottery operators in multiple European countries, and while it’s technically a different draw in each country, it is the same draw.

While conceding that there is “no evidence” to support the claim that third-party betting currently harms returns to good causes, the UK government is proposing the imposition of a new license condition to prohibit UK-licensed operators from offering bets on EuroMillions games in other countries.