Moorhead and Dibbs score on e-lottery

Moorhead James and Dibb Lupton Alsop helped kick off what is claimed to be the world's first internet football lottery - Premiership Lotter-e.

Sports and leisure firm Moorhead James advised the Football Society of Great Britain and Alladdin Lotteries on setting up the game, which has its first draw on Thursday (16 March).

Moorhead James senior partner Ben Moorhead has been advising his clients for nearly three years in negotiations with the Gaming Board.

Moorhead says: "The set-up took some while, but then negotiating with the Gaming Board is never straightforward if it's a complex matter. It was a first for them and they had to be very careful."

Moorhead acted on all aspects of the setup, including internet advice, commercial agreements and licensing. Moorhead says his clients are new companies that only set up about three years ago.

Andrew Price, head of Dibbs' sports department, advised the Premier League and the clubs that signed up to the lottery. These include Liverpool, Newcastle United and Leicester City.

Price began working on the project when he was in-house lawyer and company secretary at Newcastle United, which was interested in taking part.

After rejoining Dibbs a year ago he continued to work on the lottery's development, and negotiated standard terms and conditions for all the clubs under the umbrella of the Premier League.

Players of the game deposit money from their credit card in an online account and can choose when they play and what stakes they place.

The player nominates a football club, which receives 20 per cent of the stake, which the club can spend on non-transfer spending such as ground improvements.