National Lottery Operator Allwyn UK Names Phil Walker Interim CEO

Allwyn UK, the operator of The National Lottery, announced on August 19, 2026 that Andria Vidler is stepping down as chief executive, with former William Hill and 888 executive Phil Walker appointed Interim CEO with effect from September 7, 2026.

Walker joins after six years at William Hill, where he held roles including UK and Ireland managing director, online managing director and chief commercial officer, according to Allwyn. After 888 completed its acquisition of William Hill International in 2022, Walker was named managing director of the enlarged UK and Ireland business. The group has since rebranded as evoke, whose shareholders backed a takeover by Bally’s Intralot — the Athens-listed group formed when Bally’s combined its international interactive business with Intralot — amid deepening liquidity questions on the buyer’s side.

“I am excited and proud to be taking up the baton from Andria and joining such a vital national institution at this important stage of its growth journey,” Walker said in the announcement. “As a long-standing National Lottery player, I know first-hand the difference it makes to communities across the UK and this is a huge part of what attracted me to the role.”

Justin King, chair of Allwyn UK, framed the change as a handover at the end of a delivery cycle rather than a break. “With the major transition milestones delivered, now is the right time to look to the future and build on the solid foundations that have been laid to create a strong platform for future growth,” he said, thanking Vidler for leading the transformation “with drive, focus and commitment.”

Vidler will remain in an advisory capacity through the end of October 2026 to support the transition, while the board conducts a search for a permanent successor. She described the transformation as a marathon rather than a sprint, saying that with the major transition complete, this was the right moment to pass on the baton.

Vidler’s Three Years Delivering the Fourth Licence

Vidler was appointed Allwyn UK CEO in July 2023, hired to lead the company through the biggest changeover in British lottery history. Allwyn had been named preferred applicant for the fourth National Lottery licence by the Gambling Commission in March 2022, ending Camelot’s run as the only operator the game had known since 1994, and was formally awarded the licence in September 2023.

The operational handover came on February 1, 2024, the first operator change in The National Lottery’s 30-year history. Under Vidler, Allwyn completed technology and infrastructure upgrades across its 43,500 retail partners, overhauled the National Lottery website and app, and added 1 million new active digital users, the company said.

The product slate moved with it. In June 2026, Allwyn relaunched Lotto in a two-chances-to-win format, improving the stated odds of winning a prize from 1-in-9.3 to 1-in-4.9. A month later it brought the US jackpot game Powerball to UK players for the first time, opening on July 21, 2026 with a record £300 million jackpot, the largest ever offered on a National Lottery game. The launch was the centrepiece of Allwyn’s push to expand the UK’s lottery market, though as Gaming.net has reported, Powerball enters a crowded domestic field.

Allwyn’s National Lottery in Numbers

• £33 million+ generated on average each week for National Lottery-funded projects
• £53 billion+ raised for good causes since 1994
• £103 billion+ awarded in prizes since launch
• 8,000+ millionaires or multi-millionaires created
• 43,500 retail partners carrying National Lottery products
• 1 million new active digital users added during Vidler’s tenure

What Happens Next at Allwyn UK

Walker’s appointment takes effect on September 7, 2026, and he is tasked with keeping the business on its growth path while the permanent search runs. Vidler stays on in an advisory role until the end of October 2026, giving the incoming chief executive and King a defined overlap window.

The remit Walker inherits is explicitly commercial. Allwyn pointed to his digital, commercial and operational transformation experience at William Hill, where it said he delivered market share, revenue and profit growth across both the digital and retail channels, as the skill set it wants applied to The National Lottery’s next phase. With the fourth licence’s transition milestones now behind it, the interim chief executive’s job starts where the rebuild left off.