New-look lottery to be in place for Christmas

The big

switch to a new-look National Lottery will take place next month or in December. The lottery's new operator, Premier Lotteries Ireland (PLI), is at an advanced stage of rolling out its new technology, which involves installing about 4,000 ticket terminals across its retail network.

The new system will dispense green tickets instead of the existing yellow ones and allow retailers to pay out significantly larger prizes.

Retailers are keen to have the transfer completed without disruption to trade before the busy Christmas period. The umbrella group for the sector, RGData, has previously raised concerns about whether the operator has a contingency plan should the transition result in a temporary drop in service.

During the initial phase of the transition, retailers will use the new terminals alongside the original machines as the old tickets are sold off.

PLI has been holding seminars and sending representatives to shops to train retail agents on how to use the Photon ticket terminals, supplied by Greek gaming firm Intralot.

The machines, which use an optical reading technology, are expected to significantly reduce waiting times in stores.

Under the new arrangements, retailers will be able to pay out on prizes of up €2,500 without recourse to the National Lottery headquarters. They will also be entitled to 1 per cent commission on winnings up to €2,500.

The lottery’s new Play Online channel, relaunched in March on the back of new rules that allow the business to advertise its online operation for the first time, now has 120,000 registered players.

The PLI consortium, comprising An Post and the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan – owners of UK operator Camelot – is due to pay the second half of its €405 million outlay for the licence to the Government next month. The new operators have until next June to roll out the new technology platform.