The bidding deadline for Turkey’s national lottery will be pushed back by a month at the request of investors, Reuters reported on Friday.
“There is no shortage of interest from investors in the national lottery,” Metin Kilci, the privatization administration chairman told Reuters. “We expect that the privatization process will be completed successfully.”
Previously companies seeking the 10-year license to operate the country’s lottery were asked to apply for pre-qualification by Jan. 15, 2009, and bids to the Privatization Administration Board could be submitted until Feb. 27, 2009.
According to published reports, at stake is a 10-year license to operate the lottery. The winner will retain 17 percent of revenue after sales and gambling taxes, according to officials at the state asset sales agency.
Companies expressing interest have included Intralot S.A. of Greece and Turkey's Koç Holding. Camelot Group, which operates the United Kingdom's National Lottery, may also bid, as well as Essnet A.B., Tatts Group Ltd., Gtech Holdings Corporation, Lottomatica S.p.A., Osterreichische Lotterien G.m.b.H. and Sisal S.p.A.