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November/December 2016 // PUBLIC GAMING INTERNATIONAL //
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Evgeniy Vlasenko Interview
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continued from page 45
on its 25th year as being under separate
rule. It would be very sad if anything like
that would happen in the eastern part of
the Ukraine.
But this does not mean that the peo-
ple of Ukraine know only stress and
adversity. Our every-day lives have lots
of positive and happy things—and play-
ing the Lottery is one of them! Playing
a small amount of money for the hope
and dream of changing our life is as ap-
pealing here as it is everywhere else in
the world.
How has MLS adjusted to these extraordi-
nary circumstances? How has the business
of operating a government lottery been af-
fected and how have you adapted to it?
E. Vlasenko:
Like our country of
Ukraine, MSL obtained its independence
in 1991, and now we are fighting to pro-
tect it. Today is a very difficult time for
our company. But we do not give up. We
increased prize payouts of our games to
soften the negative consequence of the
winning tax. We launched terminal in-
stant games which is a completely new
category for us. And now they comprise
close to 40% of the total turnover.
Our company has over 45 years of
history. When the USSR collapsed in
1991 many decision makers and citizens
of Ukraine lost hope and did not know
what to do. Old economic and political
ties became disconnected and new ones
had yet to be established. Many compa-
nies and enterprises were closed. But life
was still going on. And MSL, which had
been a branch of the Soviet Sportloto,
came through all these problems and
successfully continued to operate,
launching new games and distribution
channels. We will continue to persevere.
We continue to cooperate actively with
EL and very much appreciate its sup-
port. And now we just joined the WLA in
July. We cannot imagine what it would be
like without the community and support
of our colleagues in the world of Lottery.
We believe it is important to follow the
moral principles of EL and be a leader in
setting high social standards in Ukraine.
So, in June of this year, we successfully
passed audit and confirmed our Respon-
sible Gaming certificate.
In the fall of 2014 we opened a win-
ter sports palace in the town of Boguslav
which is in the Kiev region. We had
been building it since 2012. All financ-
ing of the construction was funded from
MSL profits. There is not much when it
comes to modern social infrastructure
in the smaller cities of Ukraine. There-
fore our palace, called “Liodogray” (play
on ice), became the center of activities
in Boguslav. Now it operates success-
fully and without financial support from
the state. Ice hockey and figure skating
schools and international tournaments
are made available for local kids.
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Government Regulated Lotteries Need to Up Their Game
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continued from page 50
At Kambi, our empowerment business model echoes these
statements. Kambi adds value by constantly inventing, crafting
and packaging the most engaging sports betting experience for
end-users—across all channels. This scalable, but flexible mod-
el reads through to a personalised experience for consumers.
Retail rules supreme
What about Mobile? Isn’t that the key to the future? Yes,
but not as an isolated channel that enables gaming on your
smartphone. The importance of Mobile is in its role as uni-
fier of all channels and interactive experience. Mobile has
become the intermediary between the consumer and the
world, the link to everything we do.
It’s not about a Mobile strategy any more than it is about a Digi-
tal strategy. It is about a Business strategy that integrates all chan-
nels of distribution, communication, the modern lifestyle, and our
products in ways that optimize the entire consumer experience.
The cross-over appeal of sports betting
Sports-betting is not only the fastest growing gaming
category, it also has the social component treasured by the
modern consumer. Everyone loves to watch sports together
and bet on sports together. And they want a venue, be it the
land-based store or online, that enables them to play other
games (like Lottery) while they bet on sports.
Adopting sports betting can help state lotteries to grow
other business verticals, depending on licensing rules and
conditions. Introducing sports betting products can attract a
younger audience and encourage cross-over appeal.
The above has brought Kambi and Novomatic Lottery So-
lutions (NLS) together; in joining forces, we will help the
lotteries to fulfill the modern challenges they are facing in
an ever changing world.
For more information about the most trusted brand within
government gaming and or sports betting, we look forward to
seeing you at the World Lottery Summit in Singapore, Stand C1.
Bio:
Joni Hovi is the Executive Director for the lottery sector
at Kambi. He has worked in the lottery sector since 2003 and
joined Kambi in January 2016.
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