49 PUBLIC GAMING INTERNATIONAL • MAY/JUNE 2023 But rather than seeing all of this as a burden of taking on new obligations to comply with, the new regulatory environment provides opportunities for lotteries to play a more relevant role in a society immersed in full transformation. Tools and processes are developed to allow Lotteries to use the new digital environment for the bene t of its customers. Implementing Arti cial Intelligence and blockchain technology is today a reality in the lottery sector, the example of Westlotto reported on the WLA website being a good example of it. (https://www. world-lotteries.org/insights/news/membernews/new-product-unveiled-by-adesso-andwestlotto-at-the-world-lottery-summit-2022). Digital transformation in the lottery sector is today’s reality, but requires more exibility and agility to respond rapidly to changes. Most likely public procurement will not enable to respond to these developments in a timely or adequate way, so those Lotteries still subject to those procedures may need to argue for changing the rules. Open RFP processes (like used in Morocco for MDJS) enable innovation to be taken on board during the contract period in a businessoriented environment instead of the costdriven approach of public procurement. e digital developments may require lotteries to strengthen cooperation amongst themselves and set up a dialogue with companies capable of collaborating together with lotteries to accomplish the digitalization. By following this path, lotteries can again show the way for other businesses to embrace innovation in a safe and low-risk manner and thereby deliver more value and bene t to society. In the past, lotteries have shown themselves to be pioneers in the highest standards of security and integrity to internet communications and commerce. Digitalization needs to be done in a highly responsible and sustainable way, something that is in the DNA of Lotteries. Too, sustainability and the protection of our planet are equally essential for our common future. e new EL environmental initiative is responding to this need. Quoting from the EL website: “ e new EL Environmental Initiative aims to create a collective dynamic among lottery members on concrete commitments in the environmental eld – such as the use of paper coming from certi ed sustainable forests for gaming products (i.e., scratch tickets), and the regular monitoring of greenhouse gas emissions (i.e., an action plan to reduce carbon emissions). Sustainability, responsibility, and integrity are in the DNA of lotteries and together we can act to safeguard the future of our planet. All EL Members are warmly invited to join this voluntary project.” (Romana Girandon, Supervisory Chair of the EL CSR-RGWorking Group and Arjan van ‘t Veer, EL Secretary Genera)l As such, this initiative can be the “laboratory” for the upcoming compulsory rules designed by the European Union, and shows again that in this important area Lotteries can take a leadership role and show the path for a better society. Addressing the digitalization and sustainability with responsible ambition will enable Lotteries not only to show leadership in their respective societies but also to strengthen their actions against illegal and aggressive operators in a better and more coordinated manner. e new regulations do indeed provide for speci c tools that enable EU based associations, as European Lotteries, to play a more important role as experts under the DSA e.a . , the so-called “trusted Flaggers”, that are associations who ful l the following cumulative conditions : • Holding a particular expertise and competence for the purposes of detecting, identifying, and notifying illegal content • Being independent from any provider of online platforms • Capable of carrying out activities for the purposes of submitting notices diligently, accurately, and objectively. e coming years are clearly of paramount importance and will require the Lottery community to take up the challenges presented to them by the digital environment and climate change. ere is a lot of work to be done and speci c task forces to be set up to address the transformation that Lotteries need to take up in Europe but also in other regions of the world where the same issues being addressed, and the same questions being asked. e European example can give inspiration and empower the various regional and world lottery associations to create at the EL congress in Šibenik a fertile ground for mutual development for the bene t of Lottery stakeholders and society. n Lotteries mobilize with their stakeholders to be part of the solution: Digitization and Climate Change continued from page 50 "Houston, have you seen the latest issue of Public Gaming Magazine"
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