Allwyn, the operator behind the UK National Lottery, has made digital transformation a central pillar of its broader business strategy heading into 2026.
The company launched a dedicated Digital department as recently as 2025, signalling its intent to build a more structured and scalable approach to online gambling products.
Kresimir Spajic, Chief Executive Officer of Allwyn Digital, has spoken publicly about the group’s ambitions, offering a preview of what he plans to discuss at SBC Summit Lisbon this September.
Spajic described the purpose of Allwyn Digital as bringing together technology, data, product, iGaming and sportsbook capabilities into a more connected and scalable model.
“My role has been to make that more scalable: stronger leadership, clearer product ownership and a shared technology backbone that can support multiple markets over time,” he said.
The financial results backing this direction have been significant, with Group net revenue rising 21% year-on-year to €1.204bn in Q1 2026.
Adjusted EBITDA also climbed 24% during the same period, reaching €443m, demonstrating the commercial momentum Allwyn is now working to sustain.
Spajic acknowledged the scale of change that has reshaped the online gambling sector over the past two decades, noting the industry has evolved into a sophisticated digital entertainment ecosystem.
He pointed to rising player expectations around mobile-first design, personalisation, community features and richer content as key drivers pushing operators toward stronger technology investment.
Allwyn’s ambitions extend well beyond European lottery markets, with the company acquiring a majority stake in US Daily Fantasy Sports operator PrizePicks at the end of last year.
Through PrizePicks, Allwyn also gained exposure to the emerging prediction markets space via the operator’s existing deals with Kalshi and Polymarket, making it one of the first European gambling PLCs to enter that sector directly.
Spajic identified data, analytics and cloud platform architecture as among the most important technologies available to modern gambling operators today.
“For Allwyn, the focus is not technology for its own sake; it is using proprietary platforms, data and AI to create better UX, faster product development and more responsible engagement across regulated markets,” he explained.
The company already holds strong positions across several European markets including Austria, Cyprus, Czechia and Greece, while continuing to grow its North American footprint through PrizePicks and the Illinois Lottery.
Spajic summed up the company’s overarching philosophy by saying the opportunity lies in building reusable capabilities that can be adapted market by market rather than forcing a single product everywhere.
