Allwyn, operator of The National Lottery, has moved to the next stage of its wide-ranging transformation plan - the scale delivery and installation of over 30,000 new Wave lottery terminals to retail partners that currently use Altura machines.
The rollout immediately follows the completion of its largest-ever technical upgrade since the inception of The National Lottery in 1994.
The new Wave terminals contain state-of-the-art technology that benefits both retailers and players, it advises. “High-speed processor ensure faster transactions, a bigger and tilt-adjustable LCD screen, wireless 1D barcode and 2D code scanners and a play slip reader that can be fed both horizontally and vertically,” it said.
The new machines also provide retailers with more functionality, including enhanced reporting features and the ability to change numbers on National Lottery Fast Pay cards.
In the first half of 2025, around 8,000 retailers received their new Wave terminal – the majority of which were retailers which previously had Compact Lottery Terminals (CLTs). This was before The National Lottery technical upgrade that took place from 2-4 August, as the CLTs worked on a different operating system from the one being installed across the entire UK network.
The early-August tech upgrades included the delivery of more than 30 new technology systems, a rebuilt back-end gaming platform, a new in-store network provided by Vodafone, and the migration of tens of thousands of retailer records and millions of transactions from legacy systems dating back to 2009.
However, since the initial transition, many retailers contacted Convenience Store with reports of issues, outdated looking software and other technical glitches. Allwyn was quick to acknowledge these comments when presented with them.
By the end of August, nearly 4,000 retailers will have their Altura replaced with a Wave terminal. From September, Allwyn is aiming to install thousands of Wave machines a week at National Lottery retailers in every postcode district of the UK.
Allwyn’s director of operations, Jenny Blogg, said: “We’ve invested more than £350 million in a comprehensive plan to transform The National Lottery, substantially improving its operations and technology. These will support exciting plans we have for new games, a better player experience, and a commitment to double returns to Good Causes from £30m to £60m every week by the end of our 10-year licence.
“Over the coming months, our team will be delivering and installing thousands of Wave machines every week. We understand the importance of this new technology in enhancing the in-store experience for both retailers and their customers. We are thrilled at the highly encouraging feedback we have received for the new Wave machines.”
Karen McDonnell of Centra in Bangor (above), said: “The new Wave terminal looks great, and I’m pleased with the fact that it seems to be much faster and quicker to respond. The new layout makes the Lucky Dip ticket transactions even quicker, and I really like the wireless scanner.”
Meanwhile, Stephen Harrison of Nisa in Belfast (below), added: “Having the new terminal in store has been amazing. It is so much more responsive and easier to use, which has been especially important to us as we recently had some PR around a millionaire made in store, so our store has been much busier selling those lucky tickets.”
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