The National Lottery will experience a significant digital blackout this weekend, with its website and mobile applications going offline for a full 24 hours. The operator, Allwyn, has confirmed the temporary shutdown is necessary to implement crucial system upgrades and new player safety features.
When and How the Shutdown Will Happen
The digital platforms will pause from 11pm on Saturday, 24 January, and are scheduled to remain out of service until the end of Sunday, 25 January. This affects both the main National Lottery website and its iOS and Android applications. During this period, players will be unable to purchase tickets online or claim any prizes via these digital channels.
Importantly, the draws themselves are not affected. The Lotto and Thunderball draws will proceed as normal on Saturday evening. Players who have already purchased tickets for these draws will still be entered, and they are advised to check results via other means, such as retail terminals or news broadcasts, during the outage.
New Features and Safety Measures Coming
Once service is restored, Allwyn states players will notice several changes designed to improve the user experience and promote responsible play. The upgrades will introduce a refreshed look while aiming to keep the core experience familiar for existing users.
Key enhancements include a new payment screen and streamlined processes for checking results, playing games, and claiming prizes. More significantly, Allwyn is rolling out mandatory new safety protocols:
- Mandatory deposit and spend limits for all new customers upon registration.
- Automatic logouts after 60 minutes of inactivity, followed by a 10-minute cooling-off period before players can log back in.
- Regular "reality checks" every 20 minutes for players engaged in instant win games, reminding them of their session time and spend.
The Bigger Picture for The National Lottery
Andria Vidler, Chief Executive of Allwyn, framed the upgrade work as a vital step in the operator's broader transformation journey. "These much-needed digital upgrades mark another milestone in our transformation to make The National Lottery more player-focused," she said.
The ultimate goal is ambitious. Vidler added: "We work towards our ambitious goal to double weekly returns to Good Causes from £30 million a week at the start of the licence to £60 million by 2034." This weekend's work is described as just the beginning of an exciting year for the organisation.
This is not the first time Allwyn has taken systems offline for major work. A similar pause for sales and payouts occurred for approximately 36 hours at the end of July last year, indicating a pattern of significant backend investment since taking over the licence.
