Allwyn, the designated successor for managing the UK National Lottery, has teamed up with technology behemoth Vodafone to revolutionize the lottery engagement. Vodafone will serve as Allwyn’s technology partner, bolstering their ambition to modernize the UK lottery and potentially venture into the Irish market.
The core of this collaboration is propelling the UK Lottery into the digital era. Vodafone intends to implement a mobile-centric strategy, simplifying participation for everyone. This encompasses a substantial overhaul of the current infrastructure. Acknowledging the significance of local businesses, Allwyn has committed to continuous support for retailers distributing lottery tickets, with Vodafone offering digital skills development to facilitate their adaptation.
From a technical perspective, Vodafone will house the lottery’s operations within its secure UK data centers and furnish the essential wide area network (WAN) links for Allwyn’s premises.
Nick Gliddon, Vodafone UK Business Director, underscored the necessity of this digital shift, noting that while technology has progressed remarkably, the lottery experience has largely lingered in the past.
Robert Chvátal, Interim Chief Executive Officer of Allwyn UK, stressed that this alliance, cemented during their bid for the national lottery concession, will deliver substantial enhancements to the existing technology and the overall player journey.
A heated contest for the United Kingdom’s fourth National Lottery concession just ended with Allwyn triumphing over Camelot, the incumbent provider. Camelot, having possessed the license for the past three periods, originally disputed the ruling legally but eventually yielded and consented to a divestiture. Allwyn is poised to formally assume control in February 2024.
Furthering the fascination, Allwyn is purportedly contemplating an extension into the Irish National Lottery. They are allegedly keen on procuring a controlling interest, presently 80% held by the Ontario Teachers’ Retirement Fund (OTPP) until 2034. Rumor has it that OTPP is amenable to selling, drawing attention not solely from Allwyn but also sector titans Scientific Games and Française des Jeux. To expedite a prospective transaction, Allwyn is said to be in discussions with Swiss financial behemoth UBS.
