34 PUBLIC GAMING INTERNATIONAL • JULY/AUGUST 2022 In a presentation at the recent European Lottery Industry Days in Germany, IGT’s Srini Nedunuri, Vice President Global iLottery, shared video clips of recent player interviews and recommendations on how to create a winning eInstant player experience. Some clear themes emerged from the players, who offered insights in their own words on various topics, including what attracts them to an eInstant game and how they like to win. Players said they play for fun and entertainment, are attracted to catchy game titles, colorful graphics, and love bonus games and winning surprises. Some reported that they like the chance to win bigger prizes, and others like to win more frequently as they play. Given the diverse player segments, each lottery needs a balanced portfolio that includes a variety of games. With its data-driven game design and portfolio management approach, IGT understands what games resonate with the different player segments. The company partners with lotteries to utilize game performance data and IGT’s eInstant formula for success to develop games and recommend the right game portfolios. The formula highlights the different eInstant parameters lotteries can use to optimize player experiences, deliver fun and entertaining games, and ultimately maximize revenues for good causes. There are four main independent levers to pull, based on a lottery’s player base and jurisdiction: PortfolioDiversity Variety is “the spice of life” in an eInstant portfolio. Lotteries must understand which games will gain and retain their player segments in order to offer diverse play styles, mechanics, and themes that appeal to their wide audience. From game performance data, IGT found that a fast-paced game appeals to both young adult players and traditional retail players alike, however, the game-mechanic appeal differs slightly. For example, younger adult players tend to gravitate toward the newer play styles like a tumble mechanic or jackpot progressive, whereas number match games appeal to a traditional retail player. Longer play styles also interest both demographics, but different themes are engaging to different players. A crossword or bingo mechanic attracts a traditional retail player, whereas a younger adult player may try a casual play-style game with a quirkier theme, such as a game featuring emojis. Incorporating a range of entertaining themes is also important to achieve that balance. Nedunuri noted, “New online players may be uncertain about digital content. Offering familiar brands from a trusted lottery encourages players to register and deposit. Omnichannel content that is available at both retail and online builds digital credibility.” For example, the brand affinity of the Georgia Lottery Corporation’s scratch ticket, Jumbo Bucks, remains strong. Today, 45% of Diggi Games (eInstant) players try the digital Jumbo Bucks eInstant within 30 days—even though it is not a recent game. Incorporating familiar brands like IGT’s globally recognized proprietary brand, Cleopatra, and popular licensed-content brands like Wheel of Fortune are tactics to create a diverse portfolio, along with seasonal content. Seasonal content is a nice surprise for players, and when a lottery increases game-launch cadence, they can accommodate content with a shorter shelf life. Player Experience Optimization A French lottery player remarked, “I'm attracted by cool graphics and bonus games, so if the game offers a bonus game, I'm in.” Creating that immersive player experience and random rewards, as mentioned by behavioral scientist Owain Service during the keynote presentation, is key to retention. “As humans, we are likely to disengage if we never see any reward,” said Service. “We find these rewards, delivered randomly, much more compelling.” A way to meet this need is by incorporating surprise factors like instant wins, multipliers, free turns, and entertaining bonus rounds into a lottery’s game portfolio. Nedunuri remarked, “Each game we design has elements of surprise plus elevated animations, graphics, and sounds. In our multi-ticket game, Pirates and Planks, animated characters literally shake in their boots as they walk the plank into a pool of circling sharks. Prize Potions, our latest reactor eInstant, realized the highest weekone sales ever in Georgia and Kentucky. It features a wizard that celebrates player wins and offers several ways to win, including a ‘choose your adventure’-style bonus. It is games like these that engage players on a higher level.” Creating a Winning eInstant Player Experience
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