Allwyn, the operator of the National Lottery, has started installing 30,000 brand-new ‘Wave’ lottery terminals, which will replace its ageing ‘Altura’ machines.
The Wave machines can process tickets more quickly than the Altura units, while also offering a tiltable LCD screen with a bigger display.
Retailers can access more sophisticated reporting systems with the Wave, which also allows cashiers to change numbers generated by customers’ Fast Pay lottery cards, which contain preset lottery numbers and ticket details for players who regularly purchase the same tickets.
The improvement follows hot on the heels of a significant software upgrade that rolled out to terminals over two days at the beginning of the month.
Some 8,000 retailers, the majority of whom had Compact Lottery Terminals (CLT) received the Wave machines ahead of the software upgrade, which was not compatible with CLTs.
With those systems now taken care of, retailers with standard machines are beginning to receive the new terminals. Allwyn says 4,000 sites will receive Waves by the end of the month, with remaining terminals beginning to be replaced from September.
The firm’s director of operations, Jenny Blogg, says the installation of the Wave machines was “another massive undertaking”, with the National Lottery currently undergoing a “generational change” as part of a £350m transformation plan.
Blogg adds that new games, a “better player experience” and a doubling of its commitment to fund good causes, from £30m to £60m a week, are also in the pipeline.
Feedback on the new machines have been positive, Allwyn says, with retailers praising the speed, efficiency and design of the terminals.
