Facing tech delays, falling ticket sales and legal battles, Allwyn has had a tough first year as the new National Lottery operator – but the company is still celebrating its achievements.

Allwyn UK is marking its first anniversary as the operator of The National Lottery, celebrating with a list of achievements for a year that was not without its challenges. 

The company announced that it had a 93 percent player satisfaction score over the last 12 months, paying out £1bn in high-tier prizes to over 780 winners and successfully managing 660 draws. The operator also celebrated The National Lottery’s 30th anniversary and played a role in showcasing its social contributions during Paris 2024. 

However, Allwyn’s first year has come with controversies. The company has delayed a switch from International Game Technology, which has operated The National Lottery’s systems since 1994. An insider described the move to The Telegraph as “one of the biggest tech transitions undertaken by a lottery provider anywhere”, while a source from the previous operator, Camelot, compared it to “trying to stick a Microsoft system on top of an Apple computer”. Allwyn was also embroiled in a legal challenge from Camelot, which was only resolved through when the new operator acquired its predecessor.

Perhaps Allwyn’s biggest challenge, however, is in its promise to increase revenue. Ticket sales fell 1 percent year-on-year in the third quarter of this financial year, denting revenues which look unlikely to exceed Camelot’s departing figure. While the operator has reason to celebrate its anniversary, its still too early to say whether its takeover of the National Lottery has been a success.