Multinational telecommunications company Vodafone and lottery giant Allwyn have inked an agreement to upgrade the technology underpinning the new UK National Lottery, launching in February 2024. This partnership will see the existing National Lottery communications infrastructure upgraded to “a mobile-first approach, easier to deploy and more manageable.”
Vodafone will also be working with Allwyn, which won the tender process for the next UK National Lottery license last year, to provide digital skills training for retailers across the UK, as part of the European lottery group’s commitment to supporting high street retailers over the course of the ten-year license period.
As part of the agreement, Vodafone will provide IoT connectivity and broadband which will be delivered as a private secure network for all retail sites. Vodafone will also host the lottery in its UK data centers and provide Allwyn with Wide Area Network (WAN) connectivity to all of their offices.
Nick Gliddon, UK Business Director, Vodafone, said: “We understand the role that digital technology can play in transforming a business and improving customer experience. Since the lottery began, local shops have used pen and paper at lottery kiosks and, despite the significant technological shifts, not much has changed.”
“This partnership is a significant digital step forward that will help high street retailers keep up with changing consumer patterns, engaging new audiences and supporting Allwyn with reinvigorating the UK National Lottery so that it can continue to raise funds for good causes.”
Robert Chvatal, Interim CEO, Allwyn UK, said: “Today’s news concludes the partnership agreement we signed during the competition for the Fourth National Lottery Licence. What we have now, with Vodafone, is a clearly defined scope and plan that will lead to numerous improvements on the current technology offer.”
“In line with this improvement, there will be a number of benefits for retailers. Physical retail is a critically important part of our plan to grow the National Lottery and this is just one of the many things we are committed to doing over the course of the Fourth Licence to better support our retail partners with the investment and equipment they need to grow their own businesses.”
Jointly-conducted research by the two companies found that a third of Brits would like to see more digital technology in their local convenience store, rising to half with consumers aged 35 and under. The most common forms of digital tech being used by local corner shops were websites (19%), social media (16%) and self-service checkouts (15%).
However, only 12% of customers said their local store had a mobile app or loyalty scheme, and only 9% said they were aware of online collection ordering services. This data suggests there is an opportunity for local convenience shop retailers to include digital technology in their customers’ shopping experiences, argue the companies.
Original article: https://www.yogonet.com/international/news/2023/04/05/66736-uk-allwyn-vodafone-partner-to-upgrade-national-lottery-39s-technology-with-mobilefirst-approach
