Retailers have been warned that their National Lottery terminals will cease working for ‘approximately 36 hours’ .

Allwyn UK chief executive, Andria Vidler announced the challenge in a statement to store owners sent this week, seen by Better Retailing. The statement read: “Technical switchover will happen over one weekend this summer, and to enable the news systems to go live, National Lottery terminals will be inactive for approximately 36 hours.”

The date of the downtime was not revealed, but the chief executive asked for retailers’ ‘help and diligence to ensure a seamless transition.’

The switchover was described as: “a springboard from which Allwyn can continue to improve the player and retailer experience, which will ultimately generate greater footfall, in-store play and return National Lottery custom.”

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Allwyn said more information about the switch will be shared with stores ‘closer to the time’.

Vidler explained the move was part of Allwyn’s ‘overhaul of our entire 43,000-strong National Lottery retail estate’ which is currently underway, at a cost of more than £350m.

This ‘overhaul’ includes ongoing visits by engineers to upgrade approximately 7,000 stores from Compact Lottery Terminals to ‘state-of-the-art’ replacements. Following this, all other partnered stores will also receive new terminals. Other aspects include a new internet network for devices in stores and modern point of sale stands.

The changeover represents the first upgrade of the National Lottery’s technology and operations since the beginning of the third National Lottery Licence in 2009. “Retail is – and will remain – at the heart of The National Lottery, and we are committed to doing everything we can to support you,” Vidler stated.

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