Allwyn has appointed Katie Barbron its new director of games, as the operator seeks to enhance the National Lottery’s game portfolio in the UK.
One of Harbron’s key priorities will be spearheading the creation of new game ideas tailored to evolving player preferences. Richard Dawkins, managing director of digital at Allwyn, highlighted Harbron’s expertise in product, content and commercial development as crucial assets for achieving the company’s goals.
Harbron previously served as chief product officer at online casino operator MrQ and has held senior product and commercial roles at prominent operators including Flutter, Sky Betting & Gaming and Tombola. In her new role, she will lead the National Lottery’s games team.
Describing her new role as “an incredibly exciting opportunity”, Harbron expressed admiration for the National Lottery’s historic and cultural significance in the UK. “I have always admired the National Lottery and the unique position it holds in the UK; so the opportunity to play a part in innovating the games is incredibly exciting.”
“I am really excited about the impact I know (Harbron) and her team will have as we further develop our games to meet the evolving needs of our players and to ensure we responsibly generate more money for good causes,” Dawkins said of the hire.
Allwyn’s National Lottery investment
Allwyn secured the contract to operate the National Lottery in 2022 and officially took over from Camelot in 2024.
Harbron’s hire illustrates the increasingly blurred lines between traditional lottery formats such as draw-based games and scratchcards, and newer, digital-first products like interactive instant-win games and mobile offerings.
The appointment also comes as Allwyn continues to invest in modernising the National Lottery’s digital infrastructure. Earlier this year, the operator carried out a major upgrade to the lottery’s website and mobile platforms, migrating approximately 11.8 million player accounts to a new account management system while introducing improved player protection tools and a broader digital game offering.
Industry veteran Kresimir Spajic was hired as Allwyn’s digital CEO in August last year to lead the operator’s global digital expansion, and support the integration of acquisitions like PrizePicks in the US and OPAP in Europe.
It also established a senior retail role in January to oversee growth, innovation and execution, as well as to champion the role lottery retailers play in local communities.
