Sonect will enable lottery terminals as ATMs in the UK and Italy

By Joy Dumasia

Sonect, the financial platform specialist, will enable 35,000 Lottomatica lottery terminals across Italy to act as ATMs, allowing customers convenient local access to cash.

Sonect is confident that this technology can provide a simple solution to the access to cash crisis in the UK. It would also increase customer footfall at many community shops and make lottery retailers the public’s number one choice for withdrawing cash freely, simply and locally.

The UK government has committed to guaranteeing access to cash, and the innovation proposed by Sonect will allow this promise to be made good. Swiss-based Sonect already has a track record in the UK, the only overseas company chosen to participate in the Community Access to Cash Pilots.

95% of the UK population currently live within one mile of a lottery terminal. The new fleet of leading-edge terminals installed during the fourth National Lottery licence period can aid the development and adoption of FinTech solutions that provide valuable community services.

Ron Delnevo, UK Director, Sonect, said: “In the UK, we’re under-utilising the potential of modern lottery terminals to provide a wide range of services to customers of community retailers. The terminals can become a vital convenient local touch-point for access to cash and other services the public have a right to expect on their doorsteps.”

Tony Riaz, who runs a One-Stop in Burslem: “This lottery terminal solution sounds like a ‘no brainer’ to me – I already know my customers would love the speed and convenience of getting some cash at the same time as their lottery tickets. A simple idea like this would be perfect for guaranteeing a free access to cash solution in the UK.”

Founded in 2016, Sonect AG is a Zurich-based Fintech and employs over 30 people, primarily in Switzerland, Italy and the UK. With over 2,300 partner stores, Sonect already operates one of the largest ATM networks in Switzerland.