National Lottery Production Moves In-House from RTÉ

The production of Ireland’s National Lottery draws will move from RTÉ to the National Lottery headquarters beginning March 11, 2026, marking a significant shift in the broadcasting of the popular games. This change, announced by RTÉ Director-General Kevin Bakhurst in December 2025, is part of a broader cost-saving initiative at the national broadcaster [1].

Shift in Broadcast Schedule and Operations

Whereas the Lotto and Telly Bingo draws will continue to be broadcast on RTÉ One, as they have been since 1988 and 1999 respectively, the Lotto draw will now air in a modern timeslot immediately before the ‘RTÉ Nine O’Clock News’ on Wednesdays and Saturdays [1]. The move will be phased, with Telly Bingo following in the coming months.

The National Lottery stated that the change will align all draw productions under one roof at National Lottery Headquarters, aiming for greater consistency and efficiency [1]. The Daily Million and EuroMillions Plus draws are already conducted at the same location.

RTÉ’s Cost-Saving Measures

The decision to outsource the National Lottery programming is part of RTÉ’s larger plan to reduce staff numbers by 400 over the next five years [2]. As of December 2025, 65 employees had accepted voluntary redundancy packages out of 107 offers [2].

Continued Oversight and Partnership Acknowledgement

The National Lottery has assured the public that existing draw controls and oversight mechanisms, including the independent observer role of KPMG, will remain in place [1]. Cian Murphy, CEO of the National Lottery, expressed gratitude to RTÉ for its nearly four decades of partnership in bringing the games to Irish homes [1].