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ARTICLE · 26 MARCH 2024

Drafting B2C Contracts: The Million Pound "Click-wrap" Question

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After a software glitch incorrectly showed that a player had won £1 million in an online game, the Court of Appeal has ruled that former National Lottery operator Camelot...

United KingdomConsumer Protection
Richard Brown
Richard Brown
Sarah Clouston
Sarah Clouston
Shawn Curran
Shawn Curran
Jonathan Rush
Jonathan Rush
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After a software glitch incorrectly showed that a player had won £1 million in an online game, the Court of Appeal has ruled that former National Lottery operator Camelot did not need to make the £1 million payout, based on its "click-wrap" terms and conditions. What lessons does this hold for other B2C businesses, particularly when the contract is made online?

What happened in the case?

Camelot was operator of the UK National Lottery until February 2024 (when a new operator, Allwyn, took over, following a re-tender exercise). In 2015, Joan Parker-Grennan thought she had won £1 million as part of Camelot's Instant Win Game. This was because certain numbers that were displayed on her screen corresponded to the £1 million jackpot prize (although other parts of the display indicated that she had only won £10). Mrs Parker-Grennan astutely took a screenshot of the page which indicated that she had won £1 million. However, when she clicked the "Finish" button to claim

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