Monday, 26 January 2026 — the National Lottery website and mobile app were taken offline at 11:00 pm on Saturday, 24 January 2026, as part of a planned technology upgrade, leaving millions of players across the UK without online access through late Sunday, 25 January 2026. The shutdown, confirmed by operator Allwyn, forms part of what the company describes as the most significant overhaul of the National Lottery’s digital systems in more than a decade. During the outage, customers are unable to buy tickets online, access their accounts, play Instant Win Games, or check and claim online winnings.
Digital services are expected to be fully restored by the end of Sunday, 25 January 2026. Allwyn has confirmed that Lotto and Thunderball draws will go ahead as scheduled, with tickets continuing to be sold through the UK’s nationwide retail network. Results will remain available via the National Lottery’s official channels, including YouTube, while digital platforms are offline.Reports The WP Times, citing official statements from the National Lottery and Allwyn.
When the National Lottery app and website will be unavailable
According to official information released by the operator, digital services will be paused late on Saturday evening and remain offline throughout Sunday.
Key outage window
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Start time | 11:00 pm, Saturday 24 January |
| End time | End of day, Sunday 25 January |
| Total downtime | Up to 24 hours |
| Affected platforms | Website, iOS app, Android app |
During this period, online and app-based services will be completely inaccessible.
Which National Lottery services will not work during the outage
During the planned shutdown of the National Lottery’s digital platforms, all online and app-based services will be temporarily unavailable. While systems are offline, players will not be able to complete any digital transactions or access their personal accounts through the website or mobile application.
This means customers will be unable to buy draw-based tickets online, including entries for Lotto, EuroMillions, Thunderball and Set For Life. Instant Win Games will also be inaccessible for the duration of the outage. In addition, players will not be able to view online account balances, check whether they have won a prize, or submit claims for tickets purchased via the app or website. Access to personal account information, including transaction history, payment details and account settings, will remain unavailable until the upgrade is complete and systems are fully restored.
The National Lottery has confirmed that any prizes won on tickets bought online during the outage will still be securely recorded. However, those prizes will not be visible to players and cannot be claimed until digital services are back online.d.
What still works while the app and website are offline
Despite the temporary shutdown of digital platforms, the National Lottery has confirmed that its nationwide retail network will continue to operate as normal throughout the outage. Players will still be able to purchase draw-based tickets and Scratchcards in person at authorised National Lottery retailers across the UK. Scheduled draws, including Lotto and Thunderball, will proceed as planned from 8:00 pm on Saturday, unaffected by the digital outage. Official results and prize breakdowns will continue to be published via the National Lottery’s YouTube channel and displayed at retail locations.
In-store prize claims for tickets purchased at retailers will also remain available, subject to standard limits. Players can claim prizes of up to £100, or up to £500 at the retailer’s discretion, directly in-store. The National Lottery’s retail network, comprising more than 43,500 outlets nationwide, will remain fully operational during the shutdown.
What happens if you win during the shutdown
Winning tickets bought in-store can still be checked and claimed through retailers under existing rules. However, prizes linked to tickets purchased online or via the app cannot be viewed or claimed while digital systems are offline. The National Lottery has said that any prizes won online during the outage will still be securely recorded by its systems. Visibility of those winnings and the ability to submit claims will resume once the website and app are fully restored. The National Lottery Contact Centre will remain open throughout the upgrade, although staff will be unable to progress online claims while the technical work is ongoing.
Why the National Lottery is making this upgrade now
Operator Allwyn says the temporary shutdown is required to support a wider transformation of the National Lottery’s digital infrastructure, affecting more than 11.8 million active registered players. The upgrade is intended to simplify gameplay, modernise payment systems and strengthen consumer protection measures across all digital channels. According to Allwyn, the changes are designed to improve usability while aligning the platform with tighter player safety standards introduced since the company took over the National Lottery licence.
Key changes being introduced include redesigned payment and checkout processes, faster result checking and prize handling, mandatory deposit and spending limits for new users, automatic logouts after 60 minutes, and regular “reality check” prompts for Instant Win Games.
How this fits into the National Lottery’s long-term strategy
Allwyn chief executive Andria Vidler has described the upgrade as part of a broader effort to modernise the National Lottery while increasing returns to charitable causes across the UK. Under the terms of the current licence, Allwyn has committed to doubling weekly contributions to Good Causes from £30 million to £60 million by 2034, with digital growth and operational efficiencies expected to play a key role in funding the increase.
A similar nationwide pause took place in July 2025, when sales and payouts were suspended for around 36 hours to enable what was then described as the largest technology upgrade in the lottery’s 31-year history. Players planning to take part in weekend draws are advised to purchase tickets before 11:00 pm on Saturday or use a retail outlet while digital services are unavailable. All scheduled draws will proceed as normal, and no tickets or winnings will be affected by the temporary shutdown.
Read about the life of Westminster and Pimlico district, London and the world. 24/7 news with fresh and useful updates on culture, business, technology and city life: Gold price UK and gold price today enter new market regime after $5,000 breakout
