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The clock is ticking for land-based lottery operators

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5 years ago

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As consumer behaviour changes due to the Covid-19 pandemic, time is running out for land-based lottery operators who are yet to adapt.

The landscape of the lottery industry is set to undergo a permanent shift as more and more operators look to move online before consumer behaviours are forced to adapt to new circumstances.

Lockdown has spelled disaster for all non-essential retail businesses, leaving land-based operators without a vendor to sell their tickets. This has hit developing nations particularly hard. In Costa Rica, Lottery draws were suspended on 24 March, with estimated losses around the $8.5million to date. For now, the government has announced it will financially support around 2,000 vendors, with up to $342,000 per month available for each entity. However, this scheme will only run until June.

By then, vendors will have been closed for 68 days, and may still have to close for much longer. Many expect the lockdown to last at least six months, which could see land-based lottery operators closed for well over 150 days. But consumer behaviours, if forced to change, will adapt to new habits in 60 to 90 days. While retail vendors are closed, online third party operators remain open for business, and are already beginning to win the loyalty of land-based players that have been forced to move online.

Ade Repcenko, CEO of lottery solutions provider Spinola Gaming, confirmed there is no way for pen and paper lottery to compete under the current circumstances. He believes solely land-based operators should move their brand online as soon as possible, or risk losing customers forever.

“Our industry is undergoing a change that has been long overdue. The transition to online was bound to happen eventually in order to sustain business long-term, but it is now happening by force,” stated Repcenko. “It takes 60 to 90 days to change a habit, and after that there is no going back. This process is going to take longer than 60 to 90 days, so customers’ habits are most certainly going to change, especially when they realise that it’s a better way of doing things regardless of the current pandemic. Online will become the new normal for the majority of lottery players.”

Online businesses have indeed benefitted from the global pandemic so far, both in lottery and across most other industries. Any operator that was online before the widespread lockdowns began will have seen an upturn, with many who lost out now scrambling to put their brand online. As a market leader in lottery solutions, Spinola Gaming has seen this happen first-hand. Repcenko expects the shift to continue as there remains to be no end in sight to the current situation, urging operators who have not yet made the decision to do so before it’s too late.

“Retail and land-based lottery operators need to embrace the shift to online and be a part of this global digital movement in order to continue to thrive in the lottery sector for years to come,” he said. “We can help land-based companies intercept the player’s online journey. Our solutions allow operators to move online in a matter of days to reach existing and new players in the comfort of their homes.”

Repcenko added that Spinola Gaming’s integrated solution addresses both the short-term problem caused by Covid-19, and the long-term problem of combining online with retail once vendors reopen.

“Our holistic solution caters for both retail and online operations from one interface,” he concluded. “It gets operators online quickly in the short-term, and in the long-term, after the global pandemic finally comes to an end, it allows them to easily manage a retail and online lottery solution from one solution.”

Spinola Gaming is a leading global Lottery software provider offering complete end-to-end Lottery solutions for government and state-run lotteries, land based and online gaming operators, and online B2B platform providers. The company builds powerful custom-made solutions across all markets, at any scale.

Spinola Gaming products include global lotteries, custom and bespoke lotteries, bundle and syndicate lotteries, scratch cards, instant games and instant lotteries. The company also offers jackpot coverage and insurance for a fully managed, risk-free solution.

With the most competitive pricing model on the market, Spinola Gaming guarantee the highest jackpots at the lowest cost per entry, giving operators the highest margins and revenue streams.

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Gambling in the USA

Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – June 2-8

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6 days ago

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June 10, 2025

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Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new partnerships. Read on and get updated.

Latest News

Merkur Gaming is going to participate in this year’s Peru Gaming Show, taking place from June 18 to 19 at the Centro de Convenciones Jockey Plaza in Lima. Representatives from the company’s German headquarters and its local subsidiary, Merkur Gaming Peru, will be on site to present the latest product innovations and engage with customers and visitors alike. The main attraction at the Merkur Gaming stand will be the linked progressive jackpot system Clash Link. This system stands out for its wealth of unique jackpot mechanics, which keep the excitement level consistently high.

PENN Entertainment has launched a new PGA TOUR-branded Blackjack game in New Jersey and Ontario. PGA TOUR Blackjack, now available via online Hollywood Casino in New Jersey and theScore Casino in Ontario, is the first iCasino game featuring PGA TOUR branding across any platform. PGA TOUR Blackjack, created by PENN’s in-house game development studio, PENN Game Studios, offers classic blackjack gameplay, plus poker and pairs side bets. The golf-themed table features official PGA TOUR logos, custom playing cards, chips and golf-themed celebrations. The new title is available on the standalone Hollywood Casino and theScore Casino platforms and is also accessible through ESPN BET in New Jersey and theScore BET in Ontario.

International Game Technology PLC announced the launch of IGT PlayDigital’s MEGA VAULT offering – a new innovation on its player engagement solution. Powered by the IGT PlayDigital Engagement Platform, a customisable suite of player engagement tools, MEGA VAULT brings together its industry-renowned engagement tools—Prize Drops, Leaderboards, Marketing Jackpots and more—into a single promotional experience. Designed to maximise excitement, engagement and rewards, MEGA VAULT aims to deliver seamless high-impact campaigns that captivate players and drive long-term retention.

Partnerships

Zitro has installed its revolutionary CONCEPT cabinets at the Casino La Cima in Mérida, Yucatán. The CONCEPT cabinets feature the Magic Lighting system, which syncs lights and sound with gameplay for a fully immersive experience, and the largest Screen Deck button panel on the market, offering unmatched comfort and ease of use for players and operators. This launch is backed by some of Zitro’s most successful titles — Fortune Legacy, Legendary Sword and King Fu Frog — all proven crowd favourites known for their engaging mechanics and strong performance.

Aristocrat Interactive, under NeoGames US, signed a six-year contract with the Michigan Lottery to provide its full solution of iLottery product offerings, reaffirming its leadership in the U.S. iLottery industry. Under the contract, from July 2026, Aristocrat Interactive will provide services to the Michigan Lottery for six years, with six additional one-year extension opportunities. The relationship with the Michigan Lottery began in 2014 with the launch of its iLottery programme using NeoGames’ iLottery platform and games. This new deal will provide the Michigan Lottery with eInstant games, draw-based games and add-on offerings produced by Aristocrat Interactive’s NeoGames Studio, along with continuing to leverage the company’s iLottery technology. Aristocrat Interactive will also provide the Michigan Lottery with a new website and mobile application services with Gambyt – a software company specialising in the lottery, casino and sports betting industries.

The post Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – June 2-8 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Industry News

EGBA Announces Dates for This Year’s European Safer Gambling Week

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6 days ago

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June 10, 2025

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The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) has announced that this year’s European Safer Gambling Week will take place from November 17 to 23.

European Safer Gambling Week is an annual collaborative initiative to raise awareness about safer gambling in Europe and foster a strong culture of player protection. Organised by EGBA, the initiative serves as a platform to inform citizens about safer gambling and promote information and best practice-sharing between stakeholders across Europe’s gambling sector, including operators, regulators, technology providers, support organisations and experts-by-experience.

This year will be the fifth edition of the initiative and follows the unprecedented success of 2024, which saw 195 partners participate in a social media campaign across 26 countries reaching 3.1 million social media users with important safer gambling messages. There were also 20 events held during the week that gathered 3000 attendees.

Building upon this momentum, the 2025 edition will be underpinned by a social media campaign and an array of insightful workshops. These will aim to raise awareness about safer gambling, share best practices and tips, signpost crucial resources and services, and facilitate meaningful discussions about the latest developments in regulation and research.

Maarten Haijer, Secretary General of EGBA, said: “We’re pleased to announce the dates for European Safer Gambling Week 2025 and are excited to build on the exceptional momentum of last year’s campaign. The initiative has become Europe’s leading platform for safer gambling awareness and last year brought together a record coalition of 195 partners across 26 countries to promote player protection. This is a shared commitment and we invite organisations across the industry to join us for this year’s edition and help us foster a strong culture of safe and sustainable gambling in Europe.”

The post EGBA Announces Dates for This Year’s European Safer Gambling Week appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Consensys Software Inc

SharpLink Gaming Announces $425,000,000 Private Placement to Initiate Ethereum Treasury Strategy

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3 weeks ago

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May 29, 2025

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SharpLink Gaming Inc. announced that it has entered into securities purchase agreements for a private investment in public equity (PIPE) for the purchase and sale of 69,100,313 shares of common stock (or common stock equivalents in lieu thereof) at a price of $6.15 per share ($6.72 per share for certain members of the Company’s management team), for expected aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $425,000,000, before deducting placement agent fees and other offering expenses.

Consensys Software Inc. acted as the lead investor, and the offering included participation by prominent crypto venture capital firms and infrastructure providers such as ParaFi Capital, Electric Capital, Pantera Capital, Arrington Capital, Galaxy Digital, Ondo, White Star Capital, GSR, Hivemind Capital, Hypersphere, Primitive Ventures, and Republic Digital among others including Rob Phythian, SharpLink’s CEO, and Robert DeLucia, SharpLink’s CFO.

The closing of the offering is expected to occur on or about May 29, 2025, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. The Company intends to use the funds to acquire the native cryptocurrency of the Ethereum blockchain commonly referred to as “ETH” pending identification of working capital needs and other general corporate purposes. ETH will serve as the Company’s primary treasury reserve asset.

A.G.P./Alliance Global Partners is acting as the sole placement agent in connection with the offering.

“This is a significant milestone in SharpLink’s journey and marks an expansion beyond our core business. On closing, we look forward to working with Consensys and welcoming Joseph to the Board,” said Rob Phythian, Founder and CEO of SharpLink.

“On close, Consensys looks forward to partnering with SharpLink to explore and develop an Ethereum Treasury Strategy and to work with them in their core business as a strategic advisor. This is an exciting time for the Ethereum community, and I am delighted to work with Rob and the team to bring the Ethereum opportunity to public markets,” said Joseph Lubin, Founder and CEO of Consensys and Co-Founder of Ethereum.

The post SharpLink Gaming Announces $425,000,000 Private Placement to Initiate Ethereum Treasury Strategy appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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