PGIJANFEBMAGAZINE2021a

35 PUBLIC GAMING INTERNATIONAL • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 “We are delighted to say that nine out of 10 top- performing eInstant games are developed by our Game Studio. As your iLottery partner, we work hard to cre- ate a player experience which is equal to, or better than, an e-commerce experience on other online channels.” “We take seriously our re- sponsibility to help you, our iLottery partners, to drive revenue for the good causes you support in the face of the pandemic and changing government budgets,” said Siver. “We’re certainly hear- ing the necessity to drive revenue in our everyday conversations—it is critical that we all keep a door open to the future, versus building a strategy that is solely focused only on today.” As technology evolves, players are expecting more from their iLottery experiences, which emphasizes how it is critical to understand the differences between driving a content strategy versus a product strategy. Taking cues from outside of the lottery industry, Siver draws parallels to large content pro- viders and how their approach to person- alization increases engagement with the services they offer. Brands such as Netflix and Spotify person- alize their users’ experience by suggesting relevant content that is likely to appeal to a customer based on their behavior. This approach to personalization offers interest- ing prospects for iLottery and reiterates the need for lotteries to offer content that not only resonates with a variety of player preferences, but also ensures that the user experience is positive and engaging. As Siver explained, “The e-commerce norms of today apply to the iLottery business. We need to keep simplifying the player experi- ence by making it easier to register, to fund accounts, and to cash out.” To enhance the user experience even further, Siver used an example of incorpo- rating additional senses into the mechanics of a game. For example, Siver offered the concept where a player could engage with a game by talking to characters, like the Queen of Diamonds, using voice recogni- tion as part of the gameplay. “Audio adds so much to the user experi- ence. It can also add to accessibility for all players.” In addition to bringing engaging entertain- ment experiences to players, NPi acutely understands the need for lotteries to have responsible gaming controls woven into their iLottery programs. Therefore, an iLot- tery content strategy and user experience must offer ease of use and player engage- ment without diminishing the focus on responsible gaming best practices. In her concluding remarks, Siver spoke about future developments in iLottery, including the integration of artificial intel- ligence and augmented reality, and the importance of increasing the opportunities for multiplayer socialization in eInstant games to broaden the player base. “Innovation in the iLottery sector is oc- curring regularly and the opportunities are increasing by the day,” Siver said. “NPi is excited to build upon our existing rela- tionships, and to create new relationships to bring the best of iLottery to lotteries throughout North America.” Q NeoPollard Interactive, based in Lansing, Mich- igan provides state and provincial lotteries with solutions that deliver the expertise, operational services and industry-leading technologies lot- teries need in order to generate new revenue through the iLottery Channel.