47 PUBLIC GAMING INTERNATIONAL • JULY/AUGUST 2024 a movie screen, but the fact that it’s hard to measure does not mean the strategy or initiative is not producing a powerful impact. We can see the increase in sales of our Cowboys-themed tickets and increased use of our mobile app when we run digital ads in the stadium. So, we are confident with our decision to invest in digital ads even though we can't draw a straight cause-and-effect line between these events. Is the trend towards self-service stopping short of the Amazon Go model of zero clerk-assistance? R. Mindell: It seems that way. But the previous thinking that convenience equals getting in and out of the store as quickly as possible turns out to not be true for at least some shoppers. I do think self-service will continue to be a part of the picture, along with BOPIS (buy online, pick up in store), online sales, and probably more options that haven’t been invented yet! The main idea is that retail will always evolve to provide the kind of service and shopping experience the customer wants. You and the Texas Lottery have been on the forefront of initiatives to enhance lottery’s position for in-lane sales. What’s the next step? R. Mindell: We are ready and operational with retailers in Texas. APIs (Application Program Interface) are now in place to produce draw game receipt tickets and QUICKTICKETS right in the check-out process. The transaction details are transmitted from check-out directly to the lottery gaming system. The next step, which I am very excited about, is enabling the in-lane sale of scratch tickets. We are changing the inventory bar code on our scratch tickets to be readable by scanners at theregister. Next, we have to get ticket information from retail to the gaming system. Whether it is an intermediary like Abacus or a direct integration like we do with the grocery store H-E-B, you have to bridge that gap. That is where the API becomes a key part of the solution, enabling all parties to communicate in the common programming language. The API program may need minor tweaking in different jurisdictions, but it is the communications enabler which turns the transmission of data and information into an automated frictionfree process. APIs aren't just for in-lane sales applications either. APIs enable all kinds of communications functionality that will be incredibly powerful. Inventory and sales tracking, ticket activations, and all kinds of reporting become streamlined. Jackpot information can be instantly communicated to digital menus and billboards in real-time. Jackpot alerts can be transmitted to retailers who can promote it themselves. This process of finding solutions for in-lane sales has also transformed the retailers’ perception of lottery. We have gone from having a “take it or leave it” approach to being a leader in helping retailers modernize on their terms and in ways that put the customer first. Talking to our friends at the National Association of Convenience Stores, reveals a keen interest in learning how they can adopt new methods to sell lottery tickets because these innovationsare contributing to their broader goals of technological transformation on multiple levels. The positive feedback we get from retailers has been incredibly encouraging. Retail continues to be Team Lottery’s most powerful competitive advantage. That is as true in iLottery states as it is in Texas where we have 21,000 stores selling lottery. That’s why driving innovation and progress at retail is our long-term success strategy. You have been right in the middle of all the strategic planning and decisions being made over the last five years at least. Our discussion has touched on some of those initiatives and strategic guideposts. Any surprises come with your appointment to Executive Director? R. Mindell: It’s not really a surprise, but I have been most pleased by the warm welcome from the vendor community and my colleagues from other state lotteries and NASPL and MUSL teams as well as my direct stakeholders of the Texas Lottery team and our Commission board. Of course, I had already become acquainted with them. But executive director is a different level of responsibility, and I very much appreciate the comradery and support of industry leaders. I have learned to appreciate the importance of engaging more team members earlier in the strategic planning and decision-making process. For practical reasons, we do need to specialize by the different functional areas of the business: sales, marketing, finance, security, product development, legal and compliance, responsible gaming, etc. But I have seen over the last seven years that everything we do involves all of these in some measure and so it is best to engage them earlier in the process if possible. It can be a bit of a balancing act. We need to let the specialists in product development develop the product, right? But we can’t wait too long in the process to enlist the input from others. For the last seven years I was fortunate to work with Gary Grief, who taught me many things including the importance of collaboration. I am so impressed with the accomplishments of Team MUSL, for instance, which is creating new pathways for growth. Uniting behind MUSL initiatives to negotiate with uber-brands like NASCAR and the NFL,serves the interests of each of our individual state lotteries. And Team NASPL does so much to facilitate communication between all levels of lottery leadership and create fabulous programs. And of course PGRI’s content and conferences are always outstanding. I think there’s still so much for me to learn about our fascinating industry. ! I am excited to be here, excited to learn from my colleagues, and excited to contribute to the worthy mission of government lotteries! n
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