32 PUBLIC GAMING INTERNATIONAL • JULY/AUGUST 2025 with creating a dedicated digital division, separate from traditional operations. We launched iLottery in Virginia five years ago. Then, after more than 25 incredible years with the Lottery, I joined NeoGames — the leading iLottery platform provider and game studio which has since been acquired by Aristocrat, the world’s largest casino games manufacturer. Today, I am the leader for business development and account management in North America for Aristocrat Interactive. Durba Sinha Roy: I worked in the oil and energy sector as a product specialist before joining IGT 17 years ago. I started in retail lottery marketing and, in 2013, was appointed Director of Product Marketing for Player Platforms, focusing on digital initiatives. At one point, I focused a lot of attention on improving the project delivery process, which led to my appointment as Senior Director of Delivery for PlayDigital, IGT’s division focused entirely on digital solutions. Today, as Vice President of iLottery Product and Customer Growth, I lead a team responsible for shaping the vision, strategy, and creation of products that are relevant, engaging, accessible, and rooted in responsible play. I also oversee our digital transformation initiatives and drive lottery business growth. I’m passionate about building strong partnerships, breaking down silos, and pushing forward a unified, player-centric vision across all our products, services, and experiences. G. Corbin: Thank you all so much. I think that you touched on something very important there, Durba, and that is the intersection of retail and online play. At the Georgia Lottery Corporation, we apply a multi-disciplinary approach towards the goal of optimizing iLottery performance because the different business areas overlap and intersect with each other. We literally talk every day about how we can make anything and everything better. And, to Durba’s point again, the timeline in this business is right now – how can we move the needle today and see results tomorrow? When Paul asked me whether I’d like to moderate the content panel or the platform panel, I chose platform — because I believe we're all still climbing a steep learning curve when it comes to fully leveraging technology to drive sales and maximize funding for good causes. We understand the transformational power of a strong technology platform — but we also know it’s a moving target. The investments we make today must be built to deliver results not just today and next year, but three and five years from now. Shannon just spoke about the incredible progress iLottery has made in just the past few years — and I expect we'll continue to see that kind of exponential improvement as new launches roll out. Before we go any further, let's make sure we’re clear on what exactly is meant by “iLottery platform”? How is it similar to — and how is it different from — the Central Gaming System (CGS) that powers retail? Shannon? S. DeHaven: When we think about the Central Gaming System, or CGS, for retail, we're talking about a system designed to monitor, process, and manage transactions — the plays themselves — across a network of terminals. An iLottery platform does that too, but across a digital network. And the way it delivers those business functions are quite different. For example, cloud infrastructure is baked into the digital environment, giving iLottery platforms the flexibility to rapidly update and swap out different components. As you’ve already heard earlier at this conference, functional components like marketing, CRM, KYC (Know Your Customer), and geolocation are deeply integrated into the iLottery platform — whereas in a traditional CGS, those functions are either separate or not built-in at all. Another key difference: the iLottery platform has to be modular. It must support rapid deployment of new technologies and content. Retail CGS systems are evolving in that direction, but they were never designed for the kind of speed, scalability, and agility that digital demands. And then there's data. In retail, play is anonymous — so the CGS isn’t capturing individual player behavior. Digital, on the other hand, tracks player activity in real time, generating vast amounts of actionable data. This fundamentally changes not only how we market and engage players, but also how we approach Responsible Gaming. With iLottery, we're able to have an actual dialogue with players, based on their individual behaviors and preferences — something that’s simply not possible in the anonymous retail environment. Of course, with that tremendous capability comes tremendous responsibility. Every aspect of data use has to be governed by strict privacy and confidentiality standards. While we’re creating more personalized experiences, we must never lose sight of the importance of protecting the player. G. Corbin: Absolutely. Durba, let me ask you this: how would you compare the early iLottery platforms IGT built years ago to the more advanced technology you’re working with today? How has the platform evolved over time? D. S. Roy: Let’s humanize it for a moment — imagine I’m interviewing an IT platform for a job. How would it introduce itself? First, the modern candidate wouldn’t even call itself a "platform." It would proudly say, "I’m a framework," because it’s not just about running transactions anymore — it’s about delivering scalable functionality that empowers you to do far more than you can even envision today. Then, the clever IT framework candidate might turn the tables and ask: "Do you know how your needs will evolve over the next five years?" You might respond with a clear statement of where you want to go — maybe even a roadmap based on today's technology. But technology is moving so fast that much of what we rely on today will be replaced by even more advanced solutions in two years. At that point, the sales-savvy IT framework candidate would nod approvingly and say: "Exactly. That’s why you need an open, modular architecture — so you can swap out and upgrade components without replacing the entire system." It’s still an investment, but it’s a future-proofed one. Today’s IT frameworks — compared to the platforms of just a few years ago — deliver profoundly greater capabilities. CRM, KYC, data analytics, player engagement tools — they’ve exploded in sophistication and impact, and the pace of change is only accelerating. We're also moving into new frontiers: everstronger encryption and cybersecurity, more efficient data storage, seamless integration between digital and retail, and a fully connected player experience across every channel and touchpoint. AI is starting
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