The National Lottery in the UK will shut down this weekend to put through its biggest tech update in decades.
National Lottery draw game sales and all prize claims will be temporarily paused in shops, on the website, and in the app between 11pm on Saturday, August 2 and late in the morning on Monday, August 4, as operator Allwyn puts through a behind-the-scenes tech update.
The update will move the Lottery’s core system to new platforms, although users shouldn’t expect to see much of a change on the front end.
In practice, after Saturday night’s Lotto and Thunderball draws, the National Lottery website, app, and retail lottery terminals will shut down from 11pm, so players won’t be able to log into their online accounts, buy draw tickets, or claim prizes until Monday. Players can still buy Scratchcards in person from any partnered shop, as well as see the National Lottery draws via YouTube.
What’s new for the National Lottery?
With the tech updates largely being behind-the-scenes changes, Lottery players likely won’t notice a difference to their experience. However, Allwyn said in a press release that the new lottery terminals rolling out in stores should speed up transactions for all players. Plus, there’s a promise of ‘great changes’ coming soon after the tech update.
“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliver the National Lottery that the UK deserves,” said Allwyn CEO Andria Vidler. “We’re making unprecedented and much-needed changes, which will move us closer to achieving our vision for The National Lottery, restoring its magic and significantly increasing its positive impact on lives across the UK.
“These major upgrades will mean short-term disruption for players and our retail partners, but they will allow us to deliver on our promise to bring new, exciting games, a better player experience, and our commitment to double returns to Good Causes from £30m to £60m every week by the end of the 10-year licence.”
The investment in the platform comes after Allwyn reported a 12% increase in revenue in 2024.
Featured image: Flickr, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
