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GTECH G2 Appoints New Heads of Bingo and Casino
Games
Dominic Mansour to develop
casino portfolio while Alison Digges expands bingo network
STOCKHOLM, Sweden (June 17, 2009)
– GTECH G2 has appointed two experienced igaming executives to help it
further develop its casino and bingo products and take full advantage of its
association with lottery industry giant, GTECH. Dominic Mansour is GTECH
G2’s new Head of Casino & Games. Alison Digges is the new Head of
Bingo for the group.
GTECH G2 is the new
interactive lottery, sports betting, poker, bingo, and casino subsidiary of
GTECH, the world's leading operator of highly-secure online lottery transaction
processing systems. G2 is comprised of Boss Media, Finsoft, St Minver,
and Dynamite Idea and provides a full range of end-to-end gaming services, game
content, and technology solutions to fully-regulated customers operating
lotteries, sports betting, interactive poker, casino style games, bingo, skill,
and regulated multi-player games.
“I’m delighted to
welcome these two experts to our team,” said Johan Berg, Chief
Operating Officer at GTECH G2. “As part of G2, with the resources
of GTECH behind us, we’ll be developing more new products and penetrating
more new markets than ever, so we are extremely pleased to have Dominic and
Alison in these market facing roles.”
Dominic Mansour comes from
NetPlay TV PLC with a recent position as member of the board and the CEO of
Bingos.com; the Mallorca-based online bingo gaming services (acquired by
NetPlay TV in April 2008). Under his direction, Bingos.com went from investment
to profitability in less than 4 years before selling the business to
NetPlay.
Prior to his career at
NetPlay, Mansour was the Managing Director of GlobalCom London – one of
the leading British bingo operators. He established the business throughout
Europe and the Middle East and launched the company's bingo software product,
which was recently sold to 888.
Alison Digges joined St Minver in
2004 from Victor Chandler where she was Director of Sales & Marketing for
the games division of the company. Previously St Minver’s Managing
Director for International Business, Digges was responsible for successfully
expanding St Minver’s bingo network outside of the UK and making it a
market-leading European bingo network. Digges has also served as the Commercial
Director of a Premiership football club and prior to that spent five years as
Director of Sales & Marketing of Datamonitor Plc, the global market
intelligence company floated on the LSE in 2000.
For further information CONTACT:
GTECH G2, Mery Blomqvist, Head of Marketing & PR, +46 (0) 8 509 200 02,
mery.blomqvist@bossmedia.se
About Boss Media (www.bossmedia.com)
Boss Media is part of GTECH G2, the
new media and sportsbetting division of lottery industry giant GTECH.
Boss Media is one of the world’s leading independent software providers of
complete online gaming & entertainment solutions within Poker, Bingo,
Casino, Gaming management systems and Instant games. Licensees are offered
systems for customized gaming, entertainment, integrated payment and
operator-related services.
About GTECH G2
GTECH G2 brings together
under one brand the combined expertise of GTECH and its extensive
lottery insight with leaders in the interactive gaming world providing a
complete gaming portfolio of poker, bingo, casino, sportsbetting, fully managed
services and instant games. The group includes Boss Media (www.bossmedia.com),
a leading innovator in software and systems for Poker, Casino and Bingo
entertainment; Finsoft (www.finsoft.com), a leading provider of
enterprise-wide real time trading solutions for the commercial sports betting
industry – both interactive and retail; St Minver (www.stminverltd.com), a fully managed
service provider of Internet games to media, lifestyle, and other brands; and
Dynamite Idea (www.dynamiteidea.com), a developer of
unique, innovative digital instant and side games. Consolidating combined
talent and expertise into one premiere brand means that GTECH G2 can provide a
flexible digital solution to all customers, large or small, wherever they may
be.
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INTRALOT Interactive: Engaging the ‘i-Customer’
Article By: Mr. George
Zenzefilis, General Director of INTRALOT Interactive.
ATHENS, Greece (June 17, 2009) --
Gaming Systems have evolved into Gaming EcoSystems, which go beyond core gaming
technology by incorporating features of interactive marketing and social CRM.
This was the main theme, of INTRALOT
Interactive (I2) contribution to the Lotteries in the Cyberspace Seminar,
Norway, held late last month.
The competitive advantage of
innovative gaming companies lies in their ability to better understand the
needs and preferences of their customers and to find new, interactive means of
approaching and engaging them. Business Analytics have evolved from
“activity monitoring” to complete “customer engagement”
intelligence. Web analytics indicators (such as the number of users, visits and
traffic sources) and data about playing patterns (such as frequency and value)
can provide us with novel business insights for modeling the response
probability and content clustering. Combined with CRM analytics, this
information enhances customer engagement. Real-time applications aggregate live
data from all aspects of the customer life cycle and enable marketing to make
decisions on cross-selling actions.
Today’s customer mosaic is more
complex than ever. In order to keep up with the new interactive customer,
companies need to adopt more savvy marketing strategies that provide
entertainment value while embracing the new opportunities made available by
technological developments. Apart from traditional media channels, such as TV,
radio and print advertisements, companies now use online advertising, email
marketing, mobile marketing and search engine techniques in order to reach the
new ‘i-Customer’.
Considering the latest online trends
of community-building and content-sharing, gaming companies should, also,
reveal the power of brand influencers and social media, in order to create
dialogues that build brand value, strengthen customer loyalty, and enhance ROI.
Like Confucius said “Involve me and I will understand”. Traditional
CRM is evolving into social CRM tactics and develops targeted messages along
with unique gaming experiences based on real customer engagement.
I2, the new wholly owned subsidiary
of INTRALOT, has recognized the importance of this new generation of customers
as being the future that will drive growth and innovation. Growth in terms of
accelerated revenues of traditional lottery and government regulated
operations. Innovation in terms of new games, new business models, integration
technologies and the convergence of retail and e-networks.
SOURCE: Mr. George Zenzefilis,
General Director, INTRALOT Interactive.
Scientific Games Awarded Arizona Lottery Instant Ticket Contract,
Annual Revenue Estimated at $2 Million
NEW YORK, USA (June 15, 2009) --
Scientific Games (Nasdaq: SGMS) announced
it has been awarded a primary vendor contract to supply instant tickets to the
Arizona Lottery. The contract, which is
expected to begin January 14, 2010, has an initial term of five years with five
one-year extension options. Scientific Games was chosen in an open and
competitive procurement process and revenue to Scientific Games is estimated to
total approximately $2 million per year.
"Scientific Games has been our
vendor since inception in 1981 and in that time our instant ticket sales have
grown tremendously," said Jeff
Hatch-Miller, Executive Director of the Arizona Lottery. "Earlier this year
we introduced one of Scientific Games' Spotlight Games and have been extremely
happy with the results. We hope to continue this tradition of growth and
provide more revenue for our state during these tough economic times."
"We are very pleased with this
show of confidence from the Arizona Lottery," said Joe Wright, CEO of
Scientific Games. "The Arizona Lottery has been one of the more pro-active
lotteries in the recent economic downturn, with instant ticket sales
experiencing 10% year-over-year growth so far this year. This is especially
impressive growth given the current economic environment and we are pleased to
have the Arizona Lottery acknowledge our efforts."
In 2008, the Arizona Lottery
generated $473 million in retail sales, 53% of which came from the sale of
instant tickets. Since 1981, the Arizona Lottery has contributed over $2
billion to state programs that make Arizona a better place to live.
About Scientific Games
Scientific Games Corporation is a
leading integrated supplier of instant tickets, systems and services to
lotteries worldwide, a leading supplier of server based gaming machines and
systems, Amusement and Skill with Prize betting terminals, interactive sports
betting terminals and systems, and wagering systems and services to pari-mutuel
operators. It is also a licensed pari-mutuel gaming operator in Connecticut,
Maine and the Netherlands and is a leading supplier of prepaid phone cards to
telephone companies. Scientific Games' customers are in the United States and
more than 60 other countries. For more information about Scientific Games,
please visit our web site at www.scientificgames.com.
Company CONTACT: Investor Relations,
Scientific Games Corporation, 212-754-2233.
SOURCE: Scientific Games.
Loto-Québec's 2008-2009 Annual Report A year of financial
stability and international recognition
A Year Of Financial
Stability And International Recognition
MONTREAL, Quebec, Canada (June 18,
2009) – Loto-Québec’s
annual report for the April 1, 2008-March 31, 2009 fiscal year has just been
tabled in the National Assembly.
In spite of the current economic
situation and the maturity of markets in various sectors of the
corporation’s operations, Loto-Québec successfully met the
challenge of maintaining its revenue and net earnings levels, explained
President and CEO Alain Cousineau.
Even better, high level certification and an award from the
World Lottery Association, a prestigious
association of 140 lottery corporations from around the world, confirmed
Loto-Québec’s expertise in societal responsibility, the president
proudly noted in his prefatory remarks.
Revenue sof $3.870 billion
and net income of $1.456 billion
For fiscal 2008-2009,
Loto-Québec had consolidated revenues of $3.870 billion (+0.5%) and net
income of $1.456 billion (+1.4%), a slight improvement over last year’s
results. All gaming sectors remained stable or had slightly increased revenue,
with the exception of network bingo whose 5.7 million dollar drop (-13.8%) is
essentially attributable to new regulations that came into force on June 1,
2008.
The lottery sector had sales of
1.902 billion dollars, virtually identical to the 2007‑2008 figure. As
for the three casinos, overall income was $915.4 million, which represents a
2.3% increase over last year. Video lottery sales rose 1.4% compared to the
same period last year for a total of $1.063 billion.
Loto-Québec awarded the
highest level of international certification
After assessing
Loto-Québec’s responsible gaming practices, the World Lottery
Association awarded the corporation Level 4 international certification, the
highest available. Among the seven organizations that were certified by a jury
of independent experts, Loto-Québec was the only operator of games of
chance to merit the highest distinction. This award brilliantly confirms that
our practices position us in the avant-garde of world lottery corporations.
Last fall, the WLA also awarded its
Best Player Educational Award to Loto-Québec, attesting to the efforts
made towards providing our clients with the most appropriate information to
enable them to play in an entertaining and responsible manner.
The Development Plan
Last year saw tangible results for
three major initiatives that had been set out in the 2004-2007 Development
Plan. Firstly, the reconfiguration of the Video
Lottery Terminal network was completed in 2009. This public health measure
exceeded the initial number of sites reduction goal. As of March 31, 2009. the
bar/brasserie VLT network had dropped to 2,321 active sites, a reduction of
1,318 sites (36.2%) compared to the original situation.
In another development, an
investment of $305.7 million over four years to refit the Casino de
Montréal will resolve the main constraints of the building. The project
aims to maintain the Casino’s position among its Northeast American
competitors while improving all aspects of customer service.
Finally, following a decision that
was ratified by the corporation’s Board of Directors, the Fondation Mise
sur toi became independent of Loto-Québec in February 2009. Now with its
own Board of Directors, the Fondation is financed by funds from
Loto‑Québec revenues.
An important contribution to the
community
With more than 4,000 works by some
1,000 Québec artists, La Collection Loto‑Québec celebrated
its 30th anniversary in 2009. In addition to three major exhibitions at its
head offices art gallery in Montréal, La Collection will travel
throughout the year to many Québec towns and cities. Both citizens and
the media have already enthusiastically welcomed the 30th anniversary events.
In line with Québec
government strategy, Loto-Québec has unveiled its 2008‑2013
Sustainable Development Action Plan. The plan offers a rare opportunity to take
new steps towards responsible practices while respecting
Loto-Québec’s business goals and operational imperatives.
With a view to make its mission,
vision and societal contributions better known, the corporation has updated its
profile of community contributions. In a related initiative, senior executives
speak on a regular basis at a variety of venues throughout Québec.
Significant societal and
economic contributions
Loto-Québec activities
generate significant economic and societal benefits. Lottery winners won prizes
worth 1.015 billion dollars, bingo winners shared a total of $16 million, while
our business partners (lottery retailers, bar owners) earned commissions
totalling $379 million. In addition, some $388 million was spent on purchases
from Québec businesses and $379 million went to salaries and fringe
benefits for corporation employees.
Of the $115 million spent on social
contributions, $25 million went to support the fight against compulsive
gambling, $19.4 was donated to not-for-profit organizations and $15.6 million
was used to support sponsored events.
New terminals and self-serve
ticket checkers
Between April 2008 and April 2009, a
large-scale operation replaced the 8,760 lottery terminals in Québec
with a new and technologically advanced model. At the same time, each point of
sale was equipped with a device that allows customer to check their tickets
themselves. This substantial investment of approximately $70 million is well
received by our clients and by retailers, and contributes to the integrity of
lottery operations.
A new casino in
Mont-Tremblant
Fourth Québec casino and the
first to open since Hull in 1996, the Casino de Mont Tremblant will be
inaugurated as planned on June 24, 2009. The 225-employee gaming hall is a
wonderful example of the harmonious integration of economic, social and
environmental considerations. Thanks to a mainly resort, vacation and
convention clientele, the Casino will provide diversity to the entertainment
offering in the Mont Tremblant region and strengthen its position as an
international tourist magnet.
| Key Figures from The Annual Report ((in
thousands of dollars) |
| |
2009 |
2008 |
Change |
| Total revenues |
3,870,272 |
3,850,177 |
0.5% |
| Lotteries |
1,901,534 |
1,910,120 |
(0.4%) |
| Casinos |
915,443 |
894,617 |
2.3% |
| Video Lotteries |
1,062,720 |
1,048,486 |
1.4% |
| Bingo |
35,392 |
41,066 |
(13.8%) |
| Ingenio |
1,083 |
626 |
73% |
| Net income |
1,455,759 |
1,436,163 |
1.4% |
| Dividends |
1,375,400 |
1,361,000 |
1.1% |
Information: Jean-Pierre Roy, Media
Relations, 514 499-5151.
Maryland Lottery and Baltimore Ravens Sign Partnership
Agreement
Baltimore Ravens-themed
scratch-off ticket will be released in Summer 2009
BALTIMORE, Maryland (June 17, 2009)
– The Maryland Lottery and Baltimore
Ravens will unveil an exclusive Ravens-themed scratch-off ticket at a noon
press conference today, June 17, in the Senate Meeting Room at the Annapolis
State House. This new ticket, with a $1 million top prize, will be launched in
time for the Aug. 13 preseason home opener at M&T Bank Stadium against the
Washington Redskins.
The new $5 scratch-off, Ravens CASH
Fantasy, will offer a wide variety of cash prizes ranging from $5 to a grand
prize of $1 million. Each ticket will also feature a perforated portion with a
special “EXTRA YARDS” code that players can enter on
www.mdlottery.com/ravens. Players who enter their “EXTRA YARDS” codes
on the Maryland Lottery’s Web site will have the opportunity to win season
tickets, game-day premium seats, game-worn jerseys and numerous other
experiential prizes. Ravens CASH Fantasy, which will generate net revenue of $3
million for the state, will be sold at every Baltimore Ravens home game and
will be available at the more than 4,000 Maryland Lottery retail locations.
Buddy Roogow, director of the
Maryland Lottery stated, “I’m thrilled about this unprecedented
partnership linking two Maryland icons. This is an excellent affiliation for
the Maryland Lottery, and I’m looking forward to collaborating with one of
the most beloved teams in the NFL.”
“We are very pleased that
the Maryland Lottery will be selling a Ravens lottery ticket throughout
Maryland,” Ravens president Dick Cass said. “The Lottery
generates funds that benefit so many people in Maryland, and we are proud to
have this direct association with the Lottery. We will work hard with the
Lottery to make this effort a success.”
The partnership is a new endeavor
for the National Football League following a decades-long, no-gambling policy
that was recently overturned by NFL owners. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said
lottery proceeds could generate money for "many important public
purposes." State lotteries across the country have been discussing NFL
opportunities, and new partnerships have recently been formed with the New
England Patriots and Redskins. The NFL agreed to let lotteries across the
country use team logos and marks directly on lottery games.
The Maryland Lottery, which is
experiencing its 12th year of record-breaking sales, is also the 12th-largest
lottery in the country. Revenues from Lottery sales, which were more than $529
million last fiscal year alone, are deposited into the State's General Fund and
used to support such services and programs as education, public health, human
resources and public safety.
In 2008, the Ravens posted an 11-5
regular season record and advanced to the AFC Championship game, where they
fell to the eventual Super Bowl champions. Led by John Harbaugh, Baltimore
produced 13 total victories, which set an NFL record for most wins by a
first-year head coach (Harbaugh) and rookie quarterback (Joe Flacco).
Baltimore’s stifling defense – ranked No. 2 in the NFL – set
several franchise records, while the Ravens also had five players earn Pro Bowl
honors: LB Ray Lewis, S Ed Reed, ST Brendon Ayanbadejo, LB Terrell Suggs and FB
Le’Ron McClain.
For more information about the
Maryland Lottery and the Ravens, visit www.mdlottery.com and
www.baltimoreravens.com,
respectively.
SOURCE: Baltimore Ravens press
release.
The Hungarian Keno Show Celebrates its 13th Birthday With New
Smartplay Drawing Machine
 |
| Smartplay’s Criterion type drawing
machine. |
BUDAPEST, Hungary (June 16, 2009) -
Szerencsejáték Zrt., the
national Lottery of Hungary, will renew the TV show of the Keno game. This game
started 13 years ago and the present TV-show has been on screen since 2002.
It is a daily, 74 second program
late in the evening. Twenty balls are drawn out of eighty one after the other
with Smartplay’s Criterion type
drawing machine.
This method will be renewed with a
locally designed and produced brand new drawing machine.
| Advertisement |
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The new machine is unique, built for
the requirements of Szerencsejáték Zrt. It has room
to hold 80 drawing balls to mix and 20 winning balls to present. It has an own
built-in camera which shows the winning numbers.
The balls are made of soft plastic
so the process of the drawing runs with minimum noise.
The whole drawing needs only 20
seconds so it saves time for further information, short news, curiosities, etc.
in the existing time-frame.
The exciting, spectacular, unique
drawing machine gives opportunity for Szerencsejáték Zrt. to
present its show with modern technology, high quality and attractive
elements.
The 13th birthday of the Keno game
will be celebrated with the new machine and the renewed Keno show.
SOURCE: Szerencsejáték
Zrt via EL.
Washington's Lottery Advises Office of Financial Management Powerball
May Not be Implemented
OLYMPIA, Washington State (June 15,
2009) -- Washington’s Lottery today
notified the Office of Financial Management the multi-state draw game
Powerball is unlikely to be implemented in
Washington State as earlier planned.
Of the 12
Mega Millions states, three states --
New York, Massachusetts and Washington -- required legislative approval to
clear the way for cross-licensing agreements. Both New York and Washington
passed legislation to allow implementation. Massachusetts' approval would come
as a result of a budget prviso.
Earlier this year,
Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL), which
runs the Powerball game, approached representatives of the Mega Millions
states, of which Washington is a member, to enter an agreement that would
permit Mega Millions states to sell Powerball, and Powerball states to sell
Mega Millions without joining the respective groups.
A representative of MUSL informed
Washington’s Lottery that its 30 state-members initial vote did not result
in a majority consensus to allow Mega Millions states to license and sell
Powerball. Today, Washington’s Lottery learned from that same
representative of MUSL that a second vote was not likely.
“We were surprised and
disappointed to hear today that the prospects are that Powerball states would
not likely reach a majority vote,” said Washington Lottery Director
Chris Liu. “Washington and
two other states showed good faith by passed legislation based on the earlier
request from Powerball and the encouraging information received.”
Because of that request,
Washington’s Lottery recommended legislation granting Lottery the ability
to offer the multi-state draw game Powerball so that when an agreement among
the Powerball consortium was reached, Washington State would be in a position
to begin selling Powerball. Following passage of the legislation, Engrossed
Substitute Senate Bill 6108 on April 25, the initial vote by the Powerball
consortium did not grant Mega Millions states the ability to license the
Powerball game. As a result of the Powerball consortium vote, an adjustment
will need to be made in the supplemental budget next session.
About Washington's Lottery:
Established in 1982, Washington's
Lottery has generated over $2.5 billion to important state programs, including
education construction, stadium debt reduction, economic development and
problem gambling prevention and treatment. In FY '08, Washington's Lottery
contributed $102 million to education in Washington State. Lottery dollars
comprise less than 1% of the state's total education budget for K-12 and higher
education. Washington's Lottery offers consumers several types of games: Mega
Millions, Lotto, Raffle, Hit 5, The Daily Game, Daily Keno, and Scratch.
SOURCE: Washington's Lottery.
Hazen Paper Achieves Tri-Certification
Hazen converted printing
papers are now FSC, SFI and PEFC Certified
HOLYOKE, Massachusetts (June 11,
2009) – Hazen Paper Company is pleased to announce Chain of Custody
tri-certification. The company is now able to supply converted paper and
paperboards that are Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Certified, Sustainable
Forestry Initiative (SFI) Certified, and/or Programme for the Endorsement of
Forest Certification Schemes (PEFC) Certified.
The certifications mean Hazen
products and management systems meet or exceed the strict environmental
criteria of three globally recognized organizations.
The achievement aligns with
Hazen’s long term commitment to protecting the environment. A diversified
paper converter, the triple certifications position Hazen as a global leader
behind sustainability.
About Hazen Paper Company
Founded in 1925 and based in
Holyoke, MA, with additional satellite facilities in Osgood, IN, and
Housatonic, MA, Hazen Paper Company is a world-class paper converter
specializing in the creation of holographic originations, film, foil and paper
laminations, transfer metallizing, gravure printing, specialty coating and
rotary embossings.
Hazen Paper Company products enjoy
wide acceptance for use in health and beauty packaging, entertainment and media
packaging, golf ball packaging, bookbinding, scratch–off lottery tickets
and other security related tickets, tags, and labels, as well as for fine art
photo mountings.
SOURCE: Hazen Paper Company press
release.
Indianapolis Based Design Firm Becomes National Lottery Service
Provider
INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana (June 15,
2009) -- Design firm seizes opportunities to revitalize state lotteries and has
officially been added to the list of North
American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries (NASPL).
When it comes to product design, JS
Design Concepts (JSDC) is a known player in the Indiana market. Now with the
explosion of their Retail Environment Division, Director James A Spaulding Sr.,
is determined to establish their company as premiere service providers to
Lottery’s across North America.
When asked how and why this new
venture came about, Mr. Spaulding responded, “We were in the process of
expanding our client roster for our Retail Division, when we stumbled upon the
lack of innovation in current lottery environments. Knowing that the North
American Lottery is a billion dollar industry, it just made sense for us to
pursue the enhancement of the Lottery experience for vendors and players
both.”
Having both product design
capabilities and retail environment specialists, JSDC believes that they are
the perfect fit for the ever evolving lottery industry. After addressing
several game play issues and conceptualizing solutions for future self-play
units, JS Design Concepts has been added to the list of service providers by
the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries (NASPL).
Already providing in-store solutions for heavily branded clients like,
Wal-Mart, Finish Line, Sunoco, Lowes and Office Max, the team at JSDC are ready
to provide lottery’s across North America with visual merchandising
elements and strategies to stimulate further growth.
“Our ultimate goal is to
enhance the lottery game-play experience as a whole for consumers and vendors
alike. This will span from branding and signage programs, to new set ups for
self-play machines and terminals.” Mr. Spaulding later commented. The
program manager at JSDC also indicated that several professional relationships
with other pre-existing NASPL service providers will be formed in order to
maintain a consistent level of quality.
JS Design Concepts
(jsdesignconcepts.com) is an Indianapolis based design firm specializing in
Product Design and Retail Environments. Lead by Director, James A Spaulding
Sr., who is also chapter chair of iDSA Indiana, JSDC has exploded onto the
scene since their move to downtown Indianapolis in early 2009.
SOURCE: JS Design Concepts.
Texas Lottery® And Houston Texans Enter Into Scratch-Off Ticket
Agreement
AUSTIN, Texas (June 16, 2009) –
The Texas Lottery® and Houston Texans
released details today about a Houston Texans scratch-off game which will
coincide with the start of the 2009 NFL football season.
The new $5 game will offer football
and lottery fans alike the chance to instantly win from $5 to $100,000 in cash
prizes. In addition, second-chance drawing prizes will also provide players a
chance to win unique, collectible Texans merchandise and once-in-a-lifetime
opportunities to experience Houston Texans football up close and personal.
Prizes in the second-chance drawings feature authentic jerseys autographed by
Texans
star players and a spectacular top
prize “Texans VIP Suite” package, which will include:
- Tickets in a private Team Luxury
Suite for a Texans home game during the 2009 or 2010 season for the lucky
winner and 13 other friends or family members.
- Round trip airfare, ground
transportation, hotel accommodations and dinner for the entire group.
- Access to the Texans Tunnel
during the presentation of the starting line-ups for the lucky winner.
- Team merchandise bag consisting
of a polo shirt, hat and Texans Power Towel for the entire group.
“We are very excited
about partnering with the Texans on this exciting new scratch-off game, not
only because the Texans are a well respected sports organization and brand, but
also because of our mutual commitment to public education in Texas. The Texans
are deeply involved in the Houston community through programs such as the,
Reliant Energy
Scholarship for Champions,
Houston Public Library’s Summer Reading Series and NFL Play It Smart, all
of which impact the lives of public school students,” said Texas
Lottery Deputy Executive Director Gary Grief. “We are thrilled to offer
our players a chance to win these unique merchandise prizes and incredible game
day experiences, and we hope to reach some new customers through the power of
the Houston Texans brand. This game is a win-win for the Texas Lottery and the
Houston Texans, and we expect the game to generate significant revenue for the
Foundation School Fund.”
Once the launch date for the new
game has been determined, the Houston Texans scratch-off game will be available
exclusively for purchase at the approximately 16,400 Texas Lottery retailers
across the state.
“This exciting, new
relationship with the Texas Lottery allows us to engage with our fans in a new
way,” said Texans President Jamey Rootes.
“This opportunity provides
fans with access to prizes that are not available to the general public. More
importantly this initiative will allow us to strengthen our support of
education in Texas.”
In fiscal year 2008, approximately
95 cents of every dollar spent on lottery products by Texas Lottery players was
returned to the people of Texas in the form of contributions to education,
prizes, retailer commissions and other state programs, with over $983 million
going directly to the Foundation School Fund. The Foundation School Fund is a
dedicated account that is administered by the Texas Education Agency and helps
pay for public education in the State of Texas.
CONTACT: Media Relations,
512-344-5131 or Kevin Cooper, 832-667-2035.
Arizona Lottery Awards New Contract For Instant Ticket Printing And
Production Services To Pollard Banknote
YPSILANTI, Michigan (June 15, 2009)
– The Arizona Lottery has awarded
Pollard Banknote a new five-year contract
for instant ticket printing and production services following a procurement
competition that took place earlier this year. This new contract is scheduled
to commence in January 2010 and includes five 1-year renewal options.
“The Arizona Lottery is
pleased to continue our excellent relationship with Pollard Banknote,”
said Jeff Hatch-Miller, Executive
Director, Arizona Lottery. “The company prints some of our most
successful games and has proven to be a very reliable and valuable partner. Our
success is based on partnerships with vendors like Pollard Banknote who support
our strategic initiatives. We look forward to working together for another five
years.”
Pollard Banknote’s relationship
with the Arizona Lottery began in 1998 with the re-launch of its $2 Bingo game
and the collaborative development of the Lottery’s hugely successful $2
Crossword game, which was introduced in 1999. Since then, Pollard Banknote has
worked closely with the Lottery to build successful multiple price point
strategies for each of these popular core game formats. The Crossword and Bingo
categories—which employ Pollard Banknote’s patented translucent
marking system—currently comprise approximately 38% of the Arizona
Lottery’s weekly instant sales.
The Lottery has also seen success
with a variety of other product offerings from Pollard Banknote, including the
company’s patented Scratch FX™ games.
“We are extremely proud of
the partnership we have established with the Arizona Lottery,” said
Gordon Pollard, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Pollard Banknote.
“We’re delighted that our products and services form an integral
part of the Lottery’s product mix and welcome this opportunity to continue
helping the Arizona Lottery achieve even greater sales in the coming
years.”
The Arizona Lottery achieved a
record-breaking $472 million in sales in fiscal year 2008—the highest in
the Lottery’s 27-year history. As a result, beneficiaries received more
than $144.5 million. These dollars fund a wide variety of public projects and
programs, including transportation, health care, parks, education, arts,
wildlife, and historic preservation in cities and towns across the state.
About Pollard Banknote Limited
Partnership
Pollard Banknote Limited Partnership
(“Pollard Banknote”) is one of the world’s leading full-service
lottery vendors and is a major supplier to North America’s charitable
gaming industry. The firm manufactures instant tickets and provides related
programming, design, and marketing support. As well,
Pollard Banknote manufactures ticket
vending machines, pull tab tickets and bingo paper, and supplies lottery
management services (including warehousing and distribution). Established in
1907, the firm is owned by the Pollard family and the Pollard Banknote Income
Fund and currently serves more than 45 lotteries worldwide, including some of
the largest and most respected lotteries in the United States, Canada, Europe,
Asia, and Central and South America.
About Pollard Banknote Income
Fund
Pollard Banknote Income Fund (TSX:
PBL.UN) is an unincorporated, open-end trust which owns 26.7% of Pollard
Holdings Limited Partnership, which in turn owns Pollard Banknote Limited
Partnership.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Gordon
Pollard (gpollard@pbl.ca) or John Pollard (jpollard@pbl.ca), Co-Chief Executive
Officers, Phone: (204) 474-2323, Web: www.pollardbanknote.com.
Alchemy3 and Royal Caribbean Bring Innovative Cruise Vacations to
Lottery Players
Cruise Line Represents
Another “Smart Match” for Lottery Games
ATLANTA, Georgia (June 12, 2009) --
Alchemy3® has signed a deal with
Royal Caribbean International, a global cruise brand offering the world’s
most innovative cruise vacations, to bring cruise-themed games to lotteries and
their customers.
“Since we began,
Alchemy3’s goal has been to create smart matches between lotteries and
great consumer brands,” said Alchemy3 CEO David Schorr. “We
believe that Royal Caribbean International represents a particularly smart
match – especially in these difficult economic times. When it’s tough
for a lot of families to take vacations, offering cruise prizes through lottery
games makes great strategic sense. This is truly another smart
match.”
A consistent winner of awards from
highly respected sources in the travel industry, Royal Caribbean
International’s cruise vacations appeal to a broad group of vacationers
– from couples and singles to families with children. The cruise line is
an industry leader in innovative, unexpected onboard amenities, from
state-of-the-art fitness centers and spas, to rock-climbing walls and
ice-skating rinks, to the H2O Zone kids’ water park and the FlowRider surf
simulator. And Royal Caribbean International’s complimentary Adventure
Ocean and teen programming is recognized as one of the industry’s leading
youth programs, making Royal Caribbean International an ideal choice for
families.
“Royal Caribbean is the
smartest possible cruise line match for lotteries and their consumers, hands
down,” Schorr said. “No other cruise line comes close to the
level of innovation and onboard options that Royal Caribbean International
offers.”
One example is the cruise
line’s new Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas, debuting in November
2009 and 2010 respectively. These two ships will introduce Royal Caribbean
International’s unique “neighborhood” concept that will provide
guests with the opportunity to seek out relevant experiences based on their
personal style, preference or mood in seven distinct areas of the ship. The
Boardwalk neighborhood is inspired by seaside entertainment esplanades and will
engage the entire family – whether young or young at heart – with
eateries, retail outlets, carnival games, and first-at-sea amenities such as a
handcrafted carousel and the Aqua Theater, an amphitheater that will feature a
variety of spectacular new forms of entertainment at sea. Another neighborhood,
Central Park, will feature real grass and flora to provide a halcyon
environment and is flanked by boutiques and restaurants. Both neighborhoods
will run down the middle of each ship and will be open to the sky.
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The company’s legacy of
innovation will enhance its partnership with Alchemy3.
By partnering with Alchemy3,
lotteries will be able to offer their consumers innovative cruise prizes on
Royal Caribbean International that are more exciting than any such tie-ins that
were available before. But they will also be able to use cruise prizes as part
of Alchemy3’s “three-tiered promotion” strategy.
“Cruises are amazing consumer prizes, but they also work well for the
lottery that wants to award incentives to their retailers or sales
force,” Schorr said. “Through Alchemy3’s exclusive
relationship with Royal Caribbean International, we’ll be able to design
incentive programs that are completely worry-free.”
“We look forward to
exploring opportunities with our lottery partners. It’s Alchemy3’s
job to bring innovative ideas to the lottery industry, and we think this
partnership is a great example. Royal Caribbean International is a great match
for lottery programs.”
About Alchemy3:
Founded by lottery industry veterans
in 2007, Alchemy3 focuses on creating what it calls “smart
matches” between licensed consumer brands and lottery games. The
company works with lotteries to capitalize on the power of established consumer
brands to attract new players with tailor-made instant and online games. In
addition to Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Alchemy3 represents premier brands
including The American Music Awards, Bass Pro Shops, CBS Classic TV Shows
(“Cheers,” “Happy Days,” “The Brady Bunch,”
“The Love Boat” and “Dynasty”), Frank Sinatra, Professional
Bowlers Association (PBA), Six Flags and 20th Century Fox. Alchemy3 also
created A3 Rewards—lottery prize packages that instantly award non-cash
prizes including gasoline, movie tickets/concessions CDs, DVDs and more.
To learn more about Alchemy3, go to
www.alchemy3.com.
About Royal Caribbean
International:
Royal Caribbean International is a
global cruise brand with 20 ships currently in service and two under
construction. The line also offers unique cruise tour vacations in
Alaska, Canada, Dubai, Europe, and Australia and New Zealand.
CONTACT: Jeffrey Schweig,
770.442.6993, Email: js@alchemy3.com.
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