Public Gaming November/December 2020

12 PUBLIC GAMING INTERNATIONAL • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 COMMERCIAL PARTNER Behind every successful iLottery launch is a vendor which has spent years developing secure, user-friendly platforms and fun, engaging games. While it is easy to see the fruits of a commercial partner’s labors on the printed product side – huge, noisy printing press, reams of paper, barrels of ink, etc. … the work on iLottery is undertaken by a team of people in front of computers, coding, designing, securing and monitoring. Doug Pollard oversees both the traditional lottery products and iLottery through Pollard Banknote’s partnership with NeoGames, which formed NeoPollard Interactive (“NPi”). NPi now provides iLottery programs in Michigan, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Virginia and AGLC (Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission) in Canada. So Doug has been in the catbird seat to view the growth of iLottery. “Michigan was a revolutionary step for our business because it was the rst state to show that you could make money in this space, and that retail sales would grow along-side iLottery growth” he said. “Since then, you’ve seen other states come on board and they’ve all been successful. New Hampshire showed that Michigan wasn’t a uke. en Virginia launched over the summer and eclipsed everything done previously. “With the success of these programs, we know more lotteries will be joining the iLottery trend. COVID has certainly shown the importance of having alterna- tive channels. It’s driven up iLottery sales and net revenue, so that’s been a positive outcome for these lotteries. Another upside has been the addition of new lottery players. So good news all around.” At JUMBO Interactive, Richard Bateson has been in a position to observe the impact of iLottery around the world. e Australia-based company operates in a number of international jurisdictions and Richard also ran the digital platform at the United Kingdom’s National Lottery for the Camelot Group, so he has experience on both sides of the iLottery experience. “One of the biggest di erences with the United States is stakeholder resistance and the regulatory barriers that lotteries must overcome,” he said. “I think that if you asked, every lottery director would agree that iLottery delivers massive bene ts to the brand, to net revenues transferred to good causes, and even to land-based retailers. It can be challenging to convince legislatures and retailers of the fact that iLottery is a net win for everyone. “Hopefully, everyone is studying the best practices being applied in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Georgia, New Hampshire and other lotteries. Of course, the vendors are here to help lotteries at every step of the process.” In Georgia, Lottery President Corbin has been aided by IGT, which also runs iLottery programs in many jurisdictions across the globe. Andrea Williams is part of IGT’s team that works with the Georgia Lottery to manage the growth of Georgia’s iLottery program, particularly as COVID gripped that state. For Andrea, the immediacy of iLottery is one of the primary di erences with traditional products. “iLottery moves fast and it’s something that those of us who work in this area every day nd intriguing,” she said. “We put out a daily promotion or send an email and get a response within minutes, or even seconds. And it’s not just about iLottery sales. We also capture vital information about players’ behavior, about the performance of the games, and even more granular data about which attributes of the games are attracting playership. “We can then use that data and our research to understand play styles and preferences and apply those insights to improve game development and sharpen the messaging and promotional strategies. We also have live operator assistance which enables us to hear player feedback. ey tell us which games they are playing, what they like about the games and what they don’t like, and why they play certain games. e questions they ask guide our messaging and our e orts to design and build games that are easy to understand and play. is information is invaluable as we create new content and add features to current games that deliver the best possible experience for the Georgia players.” SUMMING IT UP Gretchen perhaps said it best about iLottery – “Every day is a new adventure.” “Like my colleagues on this Roundtable, I’m proud of the work of my employees and the vendor community,” she said. “ ere was so much instability in the rst days and weeks of COVID19 and we felt so fortunate to have iLottery available to keep players engaged and sales moving forward. Our iLottery platform provided a place for our players to continue engaging with us from the safety of their homes. “We knew we had a strong iLottery platform prior to everything that has happened. But now we understand just how important it is to our players and the recipients of lottery revenues. e hard work of the Georgia Lottery sta , of our commercial partners, and of our retail partners has positioned the Lottery to serve the state, the players, and most of all our bene ciaries for many years to come.” n There was so much instability in the first days and weeks of COVID19 and we felt so fortunate to have iLottery available to keep players engaged and sales moving forward. PGRI ROUNDTABLES