Challenge
The lottery system ran on Java 6, Oracle and an ageing WebLogic, plus an off-the-shelf third-party engine that supported only one game type. Five development teams shared a single test environment, and the printers needed to read paper betslips had reached the end of their life.
Solution
- Digital betslip. Customers pick their numbers online, the system generates a QR code and the betslip is validated at any physical point of sale – replacing paper-scanning hardware that was being phased out.
- AI-paired development. The team uses Windsurf, Gemini, Claude and ChatGPT in its daily work; AI generates most of the code and the developer refines it.
- Hybrid cloud architecture. AWS tunnels connect cloud functions to existing on-premises systems, allowing the system to be modernised without a big-bang migration.
- Lightweight Scrum. Two-week sprints and weekly meetings with the client keep momentum up without ceremonial overhead.
Results
- The digital betslip is live – dependence on paper betslips is fading.
- The three-person development team is more often waiting for client feedback than the other way round.
- The architecture is ready for a third lottery engine that will replace the existing two.
- Compliance risks have been reduced thanks to better monitoring and data integrity.
Key takeawayA small AI-paired team can modernise a regulated, business-critical legacy system faster than most organisations can review the results – without compromising stability or compliance.