The UK National Lottery's technology transition under new operator Allwyn Entertainment faces significant challenges, potentially impacting charitable contributions. The implementation delays are reportedly due to compatibility issues between existing and new systems.

Allwyn, which won the £80 billion tender with promises to double charitable contributions compared to previous operator Camelot, pledged £38 billion for good causes over 10 years, averaging £3.8 billion annually.

The technology upgrade, initially planned for February 2024, was delayed by legal challenges from International Games Technology (IGT), Camelot's former technology provider. While Camelot withdrew its lawsuit after being acquired by Allwyn in February 2023, and IGT's case was dismissed, the technical challenges persist.

Sources indicate Allwyn is now targeting February 2025 for the system implementation, though further delays until summer 2025 or later are possible. This setback means charitable contributions could fall several hundred million pounds short of targets in the first two years, though Allwyn commits to making up the shortfall over its 10-year contract period.

An Allwyn spokesperson confirmed a £350 million investment in the technology upgrade, emphasizing their commitment to modernizing the platform and increasing charitable returns once the new system is operational. The National Lottery remains one of the UK's largest charitable funders, supporting sports, heritage, and various good causes.

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