WINNIPEG, Feb. 8, 2018 /CNW/ - Pollard Banknote Limited (TSX: PBL) ("Pollard Banknote") is pleased to announce a one-year extension to its Instant Ticket Printing and Production Services contract with the Arizona Lottery. Under this agreement, Pollard Banknote will continue to provide the Lottery with instant ticket printing and related services until January 14, 2019.

This extension continues Pollard Banknote's long-standing partnership with the Arizona Lottery. Over the past 20 years, Pollard Banknote has continuously offered innovative products and strategies that have maintained and expanded interest in the Lottery's instant ticket portfolio and increased revenues and profits for the benefit of Arizona residents. In addition to licensed games and holiday tickets, Pollard Banknote prints many of the Lottery's extended play instant games, such as Crossword and Bingo. This is particularly noteworthy considering that extended play games are a significant contributor to the Lottery's instant sales, with Crossword games, for instance, representing 21.3% of all instant sales in FY 2017 (versus the U.S. average of 12.8%).

Recently, Pollard Banknote produced three of the Lottery's holiday games, which helped usher in the spirit of the season for Arizona customers. Featuring Pollard Banknote's Scratch FX® innovation, a printing process that adds holographic shine to the ticket, Holiday Riches and Candy Cane Crossword over-indexed by approximately 20% versus comparable games launched in the state since 2014. The festive Gifts of Gold was the Lottery's first $20 holiday game, featuring a beautiful holiday-inspired design that attracted attention at retail.

"Over the last two decades, our strong partnership has allowed us to work closely with Pollard Banknote to bring new concepts and instant games to market," said Gregory Edgar, Executive Director of the Arizona Lottery. "The company's expertise in instant games, and especially the extended play category, has helped us maximize revenue in support of programs that work to improve the quality of life for Arizona residents."

"Pollard Banknote looks forward to continuing our collaborative relationship with the Arizona Lottery," said Brad Thompson, Director, Sales & Marketing, Pollard Banknote. "We are excited to continue providing the Lottery with new and unique instant games that leverage our innovative products and recognized category expertise, with the ultimate goal of fostering continued sales growth in the state."

The Arizona Lottery's mission is to support Arizona programs for the public benefit by maximizing net revenue in a responsible manner. Since 1981, the Lottery and its retail partners have generated more than $3 billion in net funding in support of programs that help to improve the quality of life for the people of Arizona. Proceeds from Lottery ticket sales help fund arts, education, health, human services, economic development, and environmental conservation in the state. Learn more at www.arizonalottery.com.

About Pollard Banknote

Pollard Banknote is a leading lottery partner to more than 60 lotteries worldwide. We provide high quality instant ticket print products, licensed games, and a full suite of digital offerings ranging from game apps to comprehensive player engagement and iLottery solutions, including related strategic marketing and management services. The company is a proven innovator and has decades of experience helping lotteries to maximize player engagement, sales, and proceeds for good causes. Pollard Banknote also plays a major role in providing pull-tab tickets, bingo paper and its Diamond Game-branded electronic ticket machines to charitable and other gaming markets in North America. Established in 1907, Pollard Banknote is majority owned by the Pollard family and is publicly traded on the TSX (PBL). For more information, please visit our website at www.pollardbanknote.com.

Forward-looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release may constitute "forward-looking" statements and information, which involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. When used in this document, such statements include such words as "may," "will," "expect," "believe," "plan," and other similar terminology. These statements reflect management's current expectations regarding future events and operating performance and speak only as of the date of this document. There should not be an expectation that such information will in all circumstances be updated, supplemented, or revised whether as a result of new information, changing circumstances, future events, or otherwise.

SOURCE Pollard Banknote Limited

For further information: Doug Pollard, Co-Chief Executive Officer, E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; John Pollard, Co-Chief Executive Officer, E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; Rob Rose, Chief Financial Officer, E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; Pollard Banknote Limited, Telephone: (204) 474-2323

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