Lottery giant Allwyn UK announced that it has finalized a new agreement with Vodafone. The new partnership will see the two companies upgrade the technological aspect of the UK National Lottery starting 2024.
Vodafone agreed to provide IoT connectivity and broadband, which will be delivered as a private secure network for all retail sites, the official announcement reads. In addition, Vodafone will host the lottery in its data centers in the United Kingdom. Finally, the provider will power Allwyn’s offices with WAN connectivity.
Vodafone also will help Allwyn upgrade the National Lottery to a mobile-first approach. This will make the lottery easier to deploy and more manageable. As a result, the changes will help retail shops boost their sales.
Furthermore, Allwyn and Vodafone found out that one in three Brits would like to see more digital technology in their local convenience store. According to recent research, local corner shops most commonly use websites (19%), social media (16%) and self-service checkouts (15%).
By comparison, only 12% of customers said that their local store has a mobile app or a loyalty program. Only 9%, on the other hand, were aware of online collection ordering services. The research demonstrated that there is an opportunity for retailers to leverage tech to enhance the shopping experience for their customers.
The Improvements Will Benefit Retailers as Well
Vodafone’s UK business director, Nick Gliddon, said that digital tech can play a big role in transforming a business and improving customer experience. He noted that, sadly, the lottery sector has not benefitted a lot from the recent developments in technology, at least as of yet. However, the current partnership will change that, Gliddon noted:
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.
Nick Gliddon, UK business director, Vodafone
Robert Chvatal, Allwyn UK’s interim chief executive, also shared his thoughts on the matter. He said that Allwyn and Vodafone now have a “clearly defined scope and plan” to improve the National Lottery’s current technology offer.
Chvatal promised that the improvements will not only benefit customers but retailers as well. For example, Vodafone will assist Allwyn in providing digital skills training to retailers in Britain, in line with the operator’s commitment to supporting high-street 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 License to better support our retail partners with the investment and equipment they need to grow their own businesses.
Robert Chvatal, interim CEO, Allwyn UK
A month ago, Allwyn closed the acquisition of Camelot LS Group.