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LOTTERY
INSIDER
is brought to you with the compliments
of
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| Vol. 30 No. 2 -- Monday January 10 , 2005 |
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Happy New Year! A Message from the Executive Director of the Texas Lottery AUSTIN, Texas (January 2005) -- Happy New Year from the Texas Lottery Commission! 2004 was a tremendously exciting year on a number of fronts, culminating in the second-best sales year in the history of the agency.
One of the major highlights of the past year was introducing Mega Millions™ to Texas players. The player excitement speaks for itself: From December 3, 2003, through December 3, 2004, sales totaled $234 million for Mega Millions and an additional $55 million for the Texas-only Megaplier™ add-on feature. More than $118 million was paid out in cash prizes to Texas players, plus an additional $22 million to players who chose to Megaply™ for a chance at increasing their non-grand/jackpot prize winnings by 2, 3, or 4 times. Texas ranks among the top three Mega Millions states in total sales. A second major highlight of 2004 was surpassing the $12 billion mark in total revenue contributions to the State of Texas. As of December 6, the total revenue generated for the State by the Texas Lottery® was $12,066,718,703. Since 1997, about 30 cents of every dollar spent on the Games of Texas has gone to the Foundation School Fund to support public education in Texas. Currently, that total is over $6.8 billion. Another exciting development in 2004 was the introduction of our first-ever $30 Scratch Off ticket, Holiday Millions Wishes. This ticket has done very well and, along with the excitement of our other holiday Scratch Offs, has contributed to the third-highest-ever weekly Scratch Off sales total of $56.4 million for the week ending December 18, 2004. I extend a big "thank you" to Texas players, retailers, and the citizens of Texas, all of whom make it possible for us to provide the Games of Texas to the playing public. 2005 promises to be another "Mega" year as we continue our efforts to keep the Games of Texas fun for players, and to generate revenue for the state's Foundation School Fund. SOURCE: Texas Lottery Executive Director Reagan E Greer. New South Dakota Lottery Director Named PIERRE, South Dakota, USA (January 4, 2005) – Secretary of Revenue & Regulation Gary Viken today announced that Norman Lingle of Pierre has been chosen to head the South Dakota Lottery. "We did a careful and extensive interview process to find the right manager for the Lottery," Viken said. "Norm is an effective manager with the right skill-set. We’re looking forward to having him join the Lottery. He’ll do an excellent job." Since 1989, Lingle has served as the manager of the Community Development Block Grant program for the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, where he has worked with communities from across the state on more than 100 development projects.
Lingle fills the director position vacated by Clint Harris, who left the South Dakota Lottery this past fall to take the helm of the Minnesota State Lottery. Lingle begins his duties at the Lottery on January 18, 2005, at a salary of $58,000. He says he’s ready for the challenge. "I’m excited to start," Lingle said. "I’m looking forward to continuing an efficient, fair and fun Lottery to raise revenues for the state." The South Dakota Lottery is part of the state Department of Revenue & Regulation. In fiscal year 2004, the Lottery generated more than $115 million in revenue to the state. Lingle has a bachelor of science degree in economics from South Dakota State University and is a certified economic development finance professional. He is a member of the Pierre Public School Board. Lingle, 40, and his wife Sarah have three children. SOURCE: South Dakota Lottery. Scientific Games Completes Acquisition of German Instant Lottery Ticket Company Printpool Honsel NEW YORK, USA (January 3, 2004) -- Scientific Games Corporation (Nasdaq: SGMS) announced today that effective December 31, 2004, it completed the acquisition of all the outstanding shares of Printpool Honsel GmbH, the German company that is the instant ticket supplier to all of the sixteen lotteries in Germany. A portion of the purchase price is subject to satisfaction of certain performance benchmarks and the purchase price is not deemed to be material. Further details regarding the purchase price and other terms of the transaction were not disclosed. As previously announced, Jan and Klaus Honsel, the principal shareholders and co-managing directors of the company, will continue to manage the company going forward pursuant to a multi-year employment agreement. The new company will be called Scientific Games - Honsel. Lorne Weil, the Chairman and CEO of Scientific Games, said, "Working together with Honsel, we believe we can assist the German lotteries to significantly increase sales of instant lottery tickets and introduce cooperative services. This is a very exciting opportunity for us to once again showcase our superior game design, production, security and logistics capabilities, just as we have done in many other jurisdictions."
About Scientific Games Scientific Games Corporation is the leading integrated
supplier of instant tickets, systems and services to lotteries, and the leading
supplier of wagering systems and services to pari-mutuel operators. Company Contact: Lisa D. Lettieri, Scientific Games Corporation, 212-754-2233 SOURCE: Scientific Games Corporation (http://www.scientificgames.com) media release. California Lottery Year End Winner Wrap-up SACRAMENTO, Calif. (January 1, 2005) -- The California Lottery is proud to announce that it is ending 2004 with 42 players winning $1,000,000 or more - 35 from SuperLOTTO Plus and seven from The Big Spin Show.
The largest winner from SuperLOTTO Plus was Pamela Bazan who won an $88,000,000 jackpot after purchasing her ticket at Carriage Trade Liquor in Seal Beach for the January 3, 2004 draw. The retailer also won by being awarded $440,000, the biggest retailer bonus in 2004 for selling the winning ticket. In second place was Kevin Harder, who won a $63,000,000 jackpot in April. Mr. Harder bought his ticket at Sandpiper Liquors in Summerland, the retailer that received $315,000 for selling the winning ticket. Through 2004, SuperLOTTO Plus had 22 winning tickets worth $625 million. Seven of those tickets were claimed by groups while the other 15 were claimed by a single prizewinner. The largest Big Spin winners were Alfredo Torres and Viesta Hunter who each won $3,000,000 after making through two rounds of Aces High and getting to the spin the biggest prize wheel in the world. Each contestant's first spin landed in the "TRIPLE" spoke and then in the "$1 MILLION" spoke, making their prizes $3,000,000 each. Mr. Torres bought his ticket at Von's Grocery in Lompoc and appeared on the show in May while Ms. Hunter bought hers at the Circle K in Yucca Valley appeared made her appearance in July. Throughout the year, The Big Spin Show had a total of 716 contestants who won a total of more than $25 million combined from all of the different games played on the show. SOURCE: California State Lottery (www.calottery.com). West Virginia Lottery Celebrates 19 Years CHARLESTON, West Virginia, USA (January 4, 2005) -- The West Virginia Lottery plans to celebrate its 19th anniversary on Jan. 9 with sales approaching $ 6.3 billion, according to Lottery Director John Musgrave.
Musgrave said the Lottery has generated $6.3 billion in sales and nearly $2.5 billion in profits since the first ticket was sold in 1986, "substantially more than the $8 million a year in profits that was predicted in 1985." "Approximately $686 million represents sales for the current fiscal year through December, with $300 million in profits transferred to the State," Musgrave said. He announced at the first of the fiscal year July 1 that sales had broken the $1.3 billion sales mark. "The $1.3 billion profit figure holds the key to the cornerstone of the Lottery’s endeavors . . . statewide programs benefiting education, senior citizens and tourism have reaped benefits that could only be imagined when the first ticket was sold 19 years ago. We look forward to celebrating our 20th anniversary and all the promising opportunities the next two years can bring," Musgrave said. SOURCE: West Virginia Lottery. EssNet Donates Money to Asia's Tsunami Victims STOCKHOLM, Sweden (January 4, 2005) -- Deeply touched by the colossal devastation caused by the earthquake and tsunami in Asia, EssNet employees have started a collection to help the victims of the tragedy. EssNet Management has decided to match the amount of money collected with a contribution from the company. The funds raised will be donated to the Red Cross organisation. "The scope of this tragedy has still not been fully realised and like so many others around the world, we at EssNet are shocked by the extent of the devastation and appalling loss of human life. Our thoughts are with everyone who has been affected," said Hans Vigmostad, EssNet President & CEO.
About EssNet EssNet is one of the leading suppliers in the lottery
industry. Based in Stockholm, the company provides a full suite of lottery and
gaming products - from new games, a variety of terminals and integrated
solutions for Internet and mobile telephones, to the installation of turnkey
systems. SOURCE: EssNet (www.essnet.se).
BASEL, Switzerland (January 2005) --All staff with English as a second language will benefit from the World Lottery Association's (WLA) intensive English course, tailor-made for the lottery industry. Now in its thirteenth successful year, the course focuses on presentation skills and teamwork, challenging students to work, eat, breathe… and dream in English! If you already know some English, but are not used to speaking it, and want to grow more confident in talking and presenting in English using the latest lottery terminology, the WLA's Step 1 course in February, 2005, will help you do so. The WLA full-immersion course will give you the chance to speak about the lottery industry in English every day, morning till night, both as a participant in the whole group or in small teams.
Each evening you can relax and take part in lottery-based games and activities. Past participants say that at the end of each day they think they've reached their limit, but a week or so later they realize that they have been dreaming in English! The program also includes valuable presentations by guest speakers from the lottery industry, such as Camelot or a lottery supplier. On Wednesday afternoon, you have the chance to visit retailers or bookmakers and get first-hand experience of the British gaming market. So far, around 300 participants from 35 lotteries in Europe, Latin America, Africa and Asia, have attended and benefited from previous English for the Lottery Industry courses. It's the ideal opportunity to not only improve your English very quickly, but to meet international colleagues and have a lot of fun! Who should attend When Where Who teaches
Course objectives
Cost Registration deadline Note Don't miss this opportunity - Register NOW!
Oberthur Extends Its Instant Contract with the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation MONTREAL, Quebec, Canada (January 5, 2005) -- Oberthur Gaming Technologies ("OGT") is pleased to announce its contract extension with the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation ("OLGC") for the printing of its instant lottery tickets. Under the terms of this agreement, OGT will continue providing the OLGC with lottery products and related services until November 30, 2006. "At OGT we are very proud of the confidence the OLGC has always placed in our organization dating back to 1975, when the Lottery started up its operations. This contract extension demonstrates the OLGC’s satisfaction towards our products and client service," said Garry W. King, Vice-President of Sales and Marketing of OGT-Canada. "It’s always a real pleasure to work with the OLGC team, and we are looking forward to collaborating on different new and exciting projects during the extension period." "The OLGC appreciates OGT’s commitment to game design and development with games like Slingo® and continues to enjoy success with their extended play games Battleship® and Bingo, as well as all the attractive and high impact designs using OGT’s FouReal® patented process," added George Sweny, Senior Vice-President – Lotteries- of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation. "We are pleased to have the opportunity to continue working with OGT for the years to come."
About Oberthur Gaming Technologies (www.oberthurgt.com) With more than 30 years of lottery-specific expertise and over a century's experience in the security printing industry, Oberthur Gaming Technologies is the world’s leader in the printing of innovative instant lottery tickets. OGT currently supplies a full range of high quality and innovative products and services to 100 clients in some 50 countries. With a worldwide annual production capacity in excess of 13 billion tickets, the company has production units and offices in Montreal, Canada; San Antonio, Texas; Atlanta, Georgia; Harleysville, Pennsylvania in the U.S.; Paris, France; Vienna, Austria; and Sydney, Australia. SOURCE: Lyse Trudel, Communications Officer, Oberthur Gaming
Technologies (+1-514) 254-3600, ext. 101. Dicey Delivery - Lottery Scam Warning ADELAIDE, South Australia (January 5, 2005) -- Unsuspecting consumers are the latest targets of bogus emails "notifying" them they have won a large lottery prize from SA Lottery. Not to be confused with this State’s government-owned lotteries operator, SA Lotteries, SA Lottery is an overseas company that has been emailing random addresses promoting the scam. The email asks the recipient to send a range of personal details to enable collection of their "prize". The Office of Consumer and Business Affairs (OCBA) and SA Lotteries are warning consumers not to respond. The Commissioner for Consumer Affairs, Mark Bodycoat said that his office receives many reports each year of lottery scams. Last financial year the Office received over 900 complaints about scams, an increase of 49%. "Unfortunately, every year unsuspecting consumers are hoodwinked by false promises of lottery wins. Commonly, these are nothing but hooks designed to scam you out of your money." "Last financial year scams were number 5 on our list of complaints. Consumers are more aware of scams now than they have ever been. They contact our office daily to report them." According to June Roache, SA Lotteries Chief Executive, a number of queries have been received from consumers who have been targeted by this or similar e-mail lottery scams or a similar questionable incident. "A number of people internationally have contacted us after receiving this or a similar e-mail notifying them of a large lottery win. Being aware of such scams, they have contacted us to verify the legitimacy of the communication," Ms Roache said. "The issue of lottery scams and fraudulent websites is a major concern for the lotteries industry worldwide. With an estimated 2,000 lotteries websites in operation and only 200 legitimate lotteries jurisdictions, this is obviously a significant issue." "We would like to reassure our players that SA Lotteries does not operate an Internet selling site and we do not contact our major winners by email or in person. SA Lotteries contacts winners only when they have registered a Division One winning entry on an Easiplay Club membership card or where they are drawn as a winner of a specific promotion, and this contact is made by telephone only, in accordance with strict protocol," Ms Roache added. Recipients of this particular email were led to believe that the communication was endorsed by SA Lotteries, directing people to a website that had many graphics and features similar to SA Lotteries’ official website. The website in question has since been deactivated following contact made by SA Lotteries with the site host. Mr Bodycoat advises that consumers should be vigilant, and protect themselves and others from scams. "If you’re not sure if something is legitimate, please ring our office for advice. The Consumer Affairs website, at www.ocba.sa.gov.au also lists hundreds of scams that have come to our attention and people should check this regularly." "Remember, if it sounds too good to be true it probably is, particularly where you receive the advice electronically." For further information about such scams, contact the Office of Consumer and Business Affairs on 08 8204 9777 or SA Lotteries’ Customer Relations Officer on 08 8205 5558. SOURCE SA lotteries. Former President of Svenska Spel Joins Boss Media SWEDEN (December 20, 2004) -- Meg Tivéus, until recently President of Svenska Spel, has been recruited to Boss Media as a consultant and will be nominated to the Board of Directors of Boss Media at the Annual General Meeting on May 9, 2005. 
"It is with great pleasure that we have been able to recruit Meg Tivéus to Boss Media. Meg's experience and contact network within the gaming world will be a very major asset to Boss Media," says Björn Nordstrand, Chairman of the Board of Boss Media. For further information, please contact: Björn Nordstrand, Chairman of the Board, Boss Media AB (publ), telephone: +46 (0)70 594 49 19 The Group Boss Media AB (publ) is one of the world's leading suppliers of systems for digitally distributed gaming entertainment. Boss Media develops gaming solutions for such distribution channels as personal computers, interactive video terminals, mobile phones and digital TV. Licensees are offered a customized gaming system, an integrated payment system as well as related services. The Boss Media-share is listed on the O-list (Attract 40) of Stockholmsbörsen (Stockholm Stock Exchange). More information about Boss Media is available at www.bossmedia.se. GTECH Names Walter Desocio Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary WEST GREENWICH, Rhode Island, USA (January 6, 2005) - GTECH Holdings Corporation (NYSE: GTK) today announced that Walter G. DeSocio has joined the Company as Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary. Reporting to W. Bruce Turner, GTECH President and Chief Executive Officer, DeSocio is responsible for managing and overseeing all legal matters for the Company. As part of these efforts, DeSocio also serves as Corporate Secretary to GTECH’s Board of Directors. "We consider ourselves fortunate to add such a talented, multi-faceted business attorney to our senior management team," said Mr. Turner.
"Walter is a great addition and brings a solid background in corporate governance, compliance, and Sarbanes-Oxley regulations. His proven leadership and extensive legal and business expertise will be important factors in achieving our strategic business objectives." DeSocio most recently served as Chief Administrative Officer, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary at Internap Network Services Corporation, the leading provider of intelligent routing services over the Internet, where he was responsible for the company’s corporate administration, human resources, and legal and regulatory activities, and played an instrumental role in the development and execution of Internap’s strategic imperatives. Prior to joining Internap, DeSocio was General Counsel and Senior Vice President of Regulatory Affairs at Concert B.V., the multi-billion dollar global communications business owned by AT&T and BT Group. Previous to that, DeSocio was AT&T’s Chief Regional Counsel for Europe, Middle East, and Africa, with legal responsibility for all of AT&T’s international business activity outside of the U.S. DeSocio earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Colgate University, his Juris Doctor from New York Law School, and an LL.M. degree with valedictory honors from Cambridge University (Corpus Christi College) in England. About GTECH SOURCE: GTECH. CONTACT: Robert K. Vincent, Public Affairs, Phone: 401-392-7452.
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