Summary
- Allwyn UK and Scientific Games completed a massive National Lottery upgrade, rolling out over 30 new systems and a rebuilt gaming platform in just 34 hours.
- New Wave terminals and upgraded software make ticket purchases faster for you, though some retailers faced minor issues during the transition.
- The overhaul sets the stage for new games and aims to double weekly Good Causes funding to £60 million, enhancing community support.
You’re about to experience a whole new National Lottery. Allwyn UK, alongside tech partner Scientific Games, just wrapped up the biggest system overhaul in the lottery’s 30-year history, making it faster, smoother, and more exciting for you.
A Massive Tech Transformation
New Systems, New Possibilities
Over a single weekend, from August 2 to 4, Allwyn and Scientific Games took the UK National Lottery offline for 34 hours to roll out over 30 new systems.
They rebuilt the back-end gaming platform from scratch and moved tens of thousands of retailer records and millions of transactions from outdated 2009 systems.
This upgrade sets the stage for new games and a better experience for you.
Quick Return to Action
The systems came back online ahead of schedule, with retail sales restarting at 9:00 AM on Monday. Within 10 minutes, you and other players snapped up nearly 1,000 tickets, and by the end of the first hour, that number hit 118,000.
The lottery’s website and app were back up shortly after, ready for you to jump in.
See also:
- Quebec’s Youth Gambling Problem Sparks Urgent Calls for Change
- Bally’s Scores Big with Nottingham Forest Partnership
- Ontario’s Lottery Rules Get a Refresh for Charities
Better Tools for Retailers and Players
Faster Transactions with Wave Terminals
About 8,000 retailers now use new Wave terminals, which make buying tickets quicker and offer extra features. If your local shop still uses older Altura terminals, don’t worry—upgraded software keeps things running until new terminals arrive.
These changes mean you’ll spend less time waiting and more time enjoying the lottery.
Support for a Smooth Transition
Some retailers faced hiccups with the new systems, like slower machines or tricky screens. Allwyn stepped up with thousands of direct contacts, on-site engineers, and a beefed-up hotline to help. Others praised the upgrade, especially for speeding up Lucky Dip purchases, making your experience smoother.
A Brighter Future for Good Causes
Doubling Funds for Communities
Allwyn’s CEO, Andria Vidler, called this a “once-in-a-generation” chance to modernize the lottery. The upgrades aim to boost ticket sales, improve retail setups, and double weekly contributions to Good Causes from £30 million to £60 million by the end of their 10-year license. That means more support for projects you care about across the UK.
More Exciting Updates Coming
Scientific Games, led by CEO Patrick McHugh, hailed the upgrade as the smoothest and most complex in lottery history. They’re not done yet—you can expect new games and improved features soon, with details shared in advance to keep you in the loop.
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