UK: National Lottery services to go offline for major software upgrade

Allwyn, the operator of the National Lottery, has confirmed that all lottery services will go offline from 11 pm on Saturday, August 2, until late morning on Monday, August 4, as part of a major system upgrade.

During this time, players will not be able to access their online accounts, purchase draw-based tickets either in-store or online, or claim prizes, the Convenience Store reported. Scratchcards will still be available in shops, and players can check draw results until the shutdown begins.

The upgrade will see around 8,000 retailers switch to new Wave terminals, designed to process transactions faster and offer more features. Other retailers will continue using updated software on their existing terminals until their new devices arrive.

Allwyn has cautioned that a small number of older in-store terminals may face delays reconnecting after the upgrade if the process is interrupted. Retailers are being advised to closely follow the step-by-step instructions in their support packs to ensure a smooth restart. Specialist support teams will be on standby to assist any stores experiencing difficulties.

Retailers will also receive point-of-sale materials to inform customers, and are being told to disable automatic power-down timers on their tills and terminals over the weekend.

The wide-reaching upgrade includes the launch of new software, platform migrations, and over 30 new systems, alongside complex data transfers involving millions of transactions and thousands of retailer records.

“These critical tech upgrades follow on from our continuous progress in modernising The National Lottery, which hasn't had a major refresh since 2009,” said Jenny Blogg, Director of Operations at Allwyn. 

Blogg added: “While these significant updates will mean short-term disruption for players and our retail partners, they will allow us to deliver on our promise to bring new, exciting games to The National Lottery; 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."

Players and retailers are encouraged to plan ahead and remain informed during the scheduled upgrade.