Published: September 12, 2022

Mauritius: Small lottery big impact

On the small island of Mauritius, in the Indian Ocean, one lotto has proven that size does not matter when it comes to meaningful impact. WLA member Lottotech Ltd. committed to its engagement towards the community, and worked on its responsible gaming program, in collaboration with many stakeholders. Its efforts paid off, and it has become the first lottery in the African region to obtain the WLA responsible gaming certification level 2, 3 and then 4 twice.

Spreading the responsible gaming word

The first time it was awarded level 4 certification was in 2020. This was no mean feat for a small lottery without the same resources as some. Responsible gaming was unknown in the country, so Lottotech took a creative and thorough approach. It led the conversation and advocated for the industry to become safer for players. By participating in regional platforms, it has also inspired other African lotteries to follow suit.

Rising to the challenge during the global pandemic

As is the case around the world, the pandemic has affected business in Mauritius. However, despite some setbacks, Lottotech remained driven and dedicated to its responsible gaming plan.

“One of our key challenges was to keep track of our initiatives and implement them in a hybrid environment, caused by the pandemic. We worked with DigitalRG.com who helped us to fast track our path to success. We were thrilled when we received the feedback this year for our submission for our continuous improvement program. The comments of the panel were encouraging and confirmed that we are moving in the right direction. Nevertheless, we will strive for more,’’ said Virginie Pasnin, Communication and CSR Manager at Lottotech.

DigitalRG.com helps companies to improve their net-positive impact and increase their positive impact on society and the environment, by providing intelligent tools, training and resources starting with helping lotteries achieve responsible gaming and sustainability certification.

Contributing to the UN SDGs

By evolving into a purpose driven company, Lottotech is taking steps to positively impact its customers and society at large. Its forte is its stakeholder relationships. Mauritius doesn’t have any treatment programs for gambling-related harm. Nonetheless, Lottotech decided to address this and created a network of non-governmental organizations, which offers a free counselling platform for people looking for help.

Lottotech also measures its impact in relation to SDGs that align with its value chain and community needs. The main focus is to provide a quality education for children from underprivileged families, and raise awareness around breast and prostate cancer. It created a special program for women entrepreneurs with a project, which if successful, will also have a positive environmental or social impact. It also has some initiatives to decrease its carbon footprint.

‘’When we do good, we feel good. We are firm believers that engaging our employees in volunteering work has tremendous benefits on how they perceive themselves and their work’’ concluded Pasnin.

Good causes supported by Lottotech

Some of the good causes supported by Lottotech Ltd include:

Education and poverty: A workshop for literacy: Fabrique ton livre (Write your book) received USD 861.

Education and zero hunger: A project for sustainable gardening received USD 7052.

Education: Project Sirandanes: A session to encourage communication, received USD 2489.

 https://www.world-lotteries.org/insights/editorial/blog/small-lottery-big-impact

© Public Gaming Research Institute. All rights reserved.