Users of the National Lottery website and apps have been informed about an upcoming scheduled maintenance period that will result in a temporary shutdown of services. The National Lottery’s online platform and mobile applications will be offline for around 24 hours starting from 11pm on January 24 until the end of the following Sunday for a significant upgrade.
During this maintenance window, players can continue to log in and play online until 11pm on Saturday. Lotto and Thunderball draws on Saturday evening will proceed as usual. Retailers nationwide will remain open for players to purchase tickets during the website and app downtime.
Results and prize details will be available on YouTube and at the National Lottery’s retail outlets. Retail-purchased winnings up to £500 can be claimed in-store. Upon the reactivation of the website and apps, users can expect to see improvements such as a new payment screen, making tasks like checking results, playing games, and claiming prizes easier. Resources like videos and FAQs will be provided to guide players through these changes.
Allwyn, the operator, announced that a new version of the app will be automatically updated for users with auto-update enabled, while others will be prompted to update the app upon their next use. Additionally, new measures, including mandatory personal deposit and spend limits for new customers, automatic logouts after 60 minutes, and regular reality checks for instant game players, will be implemented to enhance player safety.
The National Lottery operator is in the process of transitioning the accounts of its 11.8 million active registered players to a new system as part of its transformation journey. The upgraded digital channels will offer a wider range of games with enhanced protection tools while maintaining a familiar user experience for existing players.
Once the upgrade is completed, players can resume their activities as usual. Allwyn emphasized that these digital enhancements are just the beginning of more exciting developments planned for the future. Allwyn CEO Andria Vidler expressed enthusiasm for the upgrades, emphasizing the goal to increase weekly returns to Good Causes by 2034.
In the past, Allwyn had temporarily halted National Lottery sales and payouts for a technology upgrade in July. Players are reminded to play responsibly by setting spending limits, avoiding chasing losses, and ensuring the lottery remains a source of entertainment and support for charitable causes. Tools are available to help players manage their spending effectively.