| GTECH Corporation, A Lottomatica Subsidiary,
Selected To Receive New Online/Instants Integrated Services Contract From The
West Virginia Lottery, Following Competitive
Procurement Anticipated
Revenues To Gtech Of Approximately Us$40 Million Over Five-Year Contract
Term ROME (Italy) - PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island
(US) (January 15, 2008) -- Lottomatica
S.p.A. announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary,
GTECH Corporation, has been chosen by the
West Virginia Lottery to receive a
five-year integrated services contract to provide a new online and instant
gaming system, terminals, a new telecommunications network, self-service
lottery products, and related ongoing services. This contract award,
which is expected to commence on July 1, 2008, follows a competitive
procurement and includes two one-year extension options. GTECH expects to
receive approximately US$40 million in revenues over the five-year term.
 |
| Jaymin
B. Patel, GTECH President and CEO |
“We are pleased to
have been selected by the West Virginia Lottery,” said GTECH President
and CEO Jaymin B. Patel.
“Our success in this procurement is particularly gratifying in that the
procurement placed an emphasis on the added value and quality of the proposed
technological solution. It is also a strategically important win for
GTECH in that the contract had been held by a competitor.”
Under the terms of the
purchase order, GTECH will provide the West Virginia Lottery with the Company's
Enterprise Series™ solution, offering online and instant-ticket
management, and approximately 2,000 Altura® lottery terminals.
A new wireless communications network will also be installed by the
Company. GTECH will also provide ongoing services including installation
and maintenance of the central system, terminals, and communications network;
field service; retailer training; a statewide sales force and call center
services. The Request for Proposal (RFP) called
for a variety of other optional lottery-related products, such as KENO monitors
and LED displays, which are subject to further negotiations.
Lottomatica is one of the world's largest commercial
lottery operators and a market leader in the Italian gaming industry. GTECH is
a leading gaming technology and services company, providing innovative
technology, creative content, and superior service delivery. GTECH and
Lottomatica together create a fully integrated lottery operator and gaming
technology solutions provider a combined company with worldwide scale,
considerable financial strength, and industry-leading customer solutions.
Lottomatica is majority owned by De Agostini, which belongs to a century-old
publishing, media, and financial services group. Lottomatica is publicly traded
on the Italian Stock Exchange (LTO), and in 2006, had approximately €1.7
billion in revenues and 5,900 employees in over 45 countries when combined with
GTECH. For further information: AD HOC Communication
Advisors 02/7606741, Mario Pellegatta - Matteo Cidda 335/1415585. GTECH
contact: Robert K. Vincent Public Affairs 1-401-392-7452
SOURCE: GTECH (www.gtech.com). SAZKA is the Third Most Successful Firm in the
Czech Republic PRAGUE, Chez
Republic (January 11, 2008) -- SAZKA is the
third most successful firm in the Czech Republic, according to the latest list
compiled by Top Press.
The Top Press agency has
compiled the “Top 100” list in line with the methodology of U.S.
magazine Forbes since 1994, with SAZKA regularly ranking among the best.
Position in the list is based on the sum of rankings in three categories –
revenues per employee, net profit per employee, and proportion of profit to
company’s total revenues. SAZKA is third in the
latest list of 100 most successful firms in the Czech Republic, behind SPP
Bohemia (gas industry) and CEPS (power industry). The top ten of the Czech most
successful businesses also includes companies active in the gas, power, oil,
telecommunication, pharmaceutical and food industries. “Our position in the list of the most successful
domestic firms is based on our traditional lottery products and services, as
well as the novelties we launched in the lottery sector over the last few
years,” said JUDr. Aleš Hušák, Chairman of the Board
of Directors and General Director of SAZKA, a.s. “In addition, we are
increasingly gaining ground outside the betting and lottery sector, e.g. in
topping up pay-as-you-go mobile phones, payments by paying-in slips, invoice
and insurance premium payments at our terminals, or ticketing.”
Shareholders of SAZKA, which is the oldest and biggest
lottery company, and the largest non-governmental provider of funds to good
causes in the Czech Republic, are civic associations engaged in sports and
physical education. Established in 1956, SAZKA is a regular member of the most
important lottery organisations, European Lotteries and World Lottery
Association. CONTACT: PhDr. Zdeněk Zikmund, Press
Spokesperson, SAZKA, a.s., Tel.: 266 12 92 22, Fax: 266 12 26 67, E-mail:
zikmund@sazka.cz Nebraska Lottery 15th
Anniversary NEBRASKA, USA (January
9, 2008) -- Throughout 2008, the Nebraska
Lottery is celebrating 15 Years of Fun!
All year we’ll be
providing players across the state with fun new games, activities and
promotions. Make sure to check in often at nelottery.com to find out about all
the fun we are having, and how you can join in! While
you are visiting our web site, there is no better time to become a member of
our MVP Club! It’s free and it only takes a few moments to sign up. MVP
Club members receive special information on new games, contests and promotions,
and have access to updates on research and surveys. Benefits of MVP Club
membership also include the chance to win Nebraska Lottery tickets, cash,
merchandise, and trip prizes. Each month of our 15th
Anniversary year, the Nebraska Lottery will randomly select 15 MVP Club members
to win Lottery prize packs. You could be our next winner! There is no purchase
necessary and no entry forms to mail in – how easy is that? This is our
way of saying thanks for being a part of the MVP Club! The first monthly
drawing will be held on Tuesday, January 15, 2008. SOURCE: Nebraska Lottery.
$10
Billion-Milestone Reached With Latest Transfer to Foundation School
Fund AUSTIN, Texas, USA (January
8, 2008) -- Transfers of Texas Lottery®
dollars to the state’s Foundation School Fund (FSF) have now surpassed the
$10 billion mark.
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“This is a
significant milestone that we’ve reached,” said Texas Lottery
Commission Executive Director Anthony J.
Sadberry. “With December’s deposit of more than $86.5 million,
we’ve exceeded the $10 billion mark. With the support of our players and
retailers, we expect to continue providing support to the Foundation School
Fund, which benefits public education in Texas.”
Beginning September 1, 1997, the Lottery was directed by
the Texas Legislature to transfer money from sales directly to the Foundation
School Fund. Prior to that, Lottery monies were dedicated to the General
Revenue Fund. Since fiscal year 2004, the Lottery has
sent more than $1 billion each year to the FSF. Since
inception of the Lottery in 1992, Texas Lottery players have won more than
$27.6 billion in prizes. Retailer bonuses and commissions have exceeded $2.4
billion. For more information about the Texas Lottery,
please visit the official Web site at http://www.txlottery.org.
SOURCE: Texas Lottery.
CONTACT: Media Relations,
512-344-5131. MDI Adds USA TODAY
to License Portfolio ALPHARETTA,
Georgia, USA (January 9, 2007) -- MDI
Entertainment, a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Scientific Games Corporation (NASDAQ:
SGMS), has added USA TODAY, the nation’s top-selling newspaper, to
its license portfolio. MDI’s partnership with USA
TODAY is an exclusive licensing agreement that gives lotteries the right to use
the USA TODAY logo, signature sections, Snapshots®, puzzles, weather map,
artwork, etc. to effectively market their products. The licensed USA TODAY
lottery tickets will be available in 2008. “By
adding USA TODAY to our portfolio we are venturing into a new territory that we
think will offer lotteries a wide array of promotional opportunities along with
strong sales,” said Steve Saferin, MDI president. “USA
TODAY is sold in many of the same retail outlets as lottery tickets so the
ability to create tie-in promotions is a natural.”
USA TODAY is the most
widely read newspaper in the country with 3.9 million daily readers. USA TODAY
prints winning state lottery numbers in the newspaper and online at
USATODAY.com. “USA TODAY is extending
the brand into a variety of new arenas including airport stores, books and
other merchandise. The partnership with MDI enables us to be part of a
lottery program that gives back to the states and is a perfect fit for USA
TODAY,” said Christy Hartsell, director of brand licensing for USA
TODAY. About USA TODAY
USA TODAY, the nation's top-selling newspaper, celebrated
its 25th anniversary on September 15, 2007. It is published via satellite at 35
locations in the USA and at four sites abroad. With a total average daily
circulation of 2.3 million, USA TODAY is available worldwide. USA TODAY is
published by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI.) The USA TODAY brand also includes:
USATODAY.com, an award-winning news and information Web site that is updated 24
hours per day; USA TODAY Sports Weekly, a magazine for enthusiasts of college
and professional football and baseball; USA TODAY Mobile, offering up-to-the
minute news and information on a variety of mobile platforms and devices; and
USA TODAY LIVE, the television arm of the USA TODAY brand that brings the
spirit and quality of the newspaper to television. About Scientific Games Scientific Games Corporation is the leading integrated
supplier of instant tickets, systems and services to lotteries worldwide, a
leading supplier of fixed odds betting terminals 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 http://www.scientificgames.com
CONTACT: Max Montgomery, 770-664-3807.
ACE Interactive Resumes Server Based Gaming
Project in Norway LONDON, UK
(January 10, 2008) -- Aristocrat Leisure
Limitedannounced today that its fully owned subsidiary
ACE Interactive has received an initial order
of 500 interactive Video Terminals (iVT) from Norsk Tipping, the Norwegian National
(State) Lottery. These terminals will be implemented during a re-launch which
begins in summer 2008. The supply of these iVT’s
is part of the True Server Based Gaming project which was initially entered by
Ace Interactive (former Essnet Interactive) and Norsk Tipping in 2003.
Execution of the project was delayed pending the outcome of a legal challenge
brought by existing operators. The case was resolved by a decision of the EFTA
(European Free Trade Area) court in March 2007 and as a result the Norwegian
Government authorised Norsk Tipping to resume the rollout of the project.
"It has been a long time
coming but we are very glad to finally be able to recommence the execution of
this project. We have been working very closely with Norsk Tipping to create a
gaming solution which will support both the responsible gaming needs of Norsk
Tipping and one which will provide players with an attractive variety of games
and interactive video Terminals," said ACE Interactive's CEO Michael
Koch. "After the state government allowed us to
resume the project both organizations have worked hard to ensure the end
solution is one which achieves all of our objectives," said Tollef
Imsdalen, Senior Vice President of Norsk Tipping. Nick
Khin, Executive General Manager, EMEA for Aristocrat, added “We are
very excited to be working with Norsk Tipping on this large scale video lottery
terminal and server based gaming project. The rollout of the ACE Interactive
solution across Norway will demonstrate the strength and scalability of our
server based gaming solution. This is the same platform that has recently been
submitted to GLI for approval for use in a casino environment. We anticipate
final GLI certification in the 1st quarter 2008.”
It is expected that the iVTs will be placed in locations
throughout Norway whereas the server based gaming central system will be
located and operated by Norsk Tipping in Hamar, Noway. ABOUT Norsk Tipping: AS Norsk
Tipping is Norway's leading games company, whollyowned by the Norwegian state.
The company's main objectives are to provide the Norwegian people with
responsible games and entertainment within social acceptable conditions, and at
the same time ensure a secure and longterm surplus for the beneficiary
organizations. The surplus is divided equally between the sports and culture
sectors. The company operates the games of chance, Lotto, Viking Lotto and
Joker; the games of skill, Tipping and Oddsen; and the scratch game
Flax. In addition, the company operates the TV game, Extra, on behalf of the
Norwegian Foundation for Health and Rehabilitation. ABOUT Ace Interactive ACE
Interactive was founded in 2003 to develop and market the next generation of
video gaming systems. Located in Stockholm, Sweden, London, UK and Las Vegas,
USA, ACE Interactive’s solution provides for true serverbased gaming for
operators who demand flexibility, content, security and social responsibility.
In May 2006 ACE Interactive was acquired by Aristocrat. For further information
please visit the company’s website at
www.aceinteractive.se.
ABOUT Aristocrat Aristocrat Leisure Limited (ASX: ALL) is a leading global
provider of gaming solutions that consistently outperforms the competition. The
Company is licensed by over two hundred regulators and its products and
services are available in over ninety countries around the world. Aristocrat
offers a diverse range of products and services including electronic gaming
machines, interactive video terminal systems, electronic tables and casino
management systems. For further information visit the company’s website at
www.aristocrat.com.au
SOURCE: Aristocrat Technologies Europe, Ltd,
CONTACT:
Olga Pleguezuelos, Phone: +44(0) 1895 618 500, Email:
olga.pleguezuelos@aristocrat.co.uk.
Multimedia Games
Awarded Contract to Develop Bingo System for Ontario Lottery and Gaming
Corporation AUSTIN, Texas (January
10, 2008) -- Multimedia Games,
Inc. (Nasdaq: MGAM) ("Multimedia") announced today that its wholly-owned
subsidiary, MegaBingo, Inc. ("MegaBingo"), has been selected by
Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation
("OLG"), to develop and provide electronic bingo ("eBingo") gaming software,
support systems, technical assistance, training and related services. The five
year agreement was awarded following a competitive procurement process and
includes software development, four site licenses and support services during
the first year of operation. Pursuant to the
agreement, MegaBingo will develop software to operate bingo and OLG's "play
on demand" games (player vs. machine), assist in the installation of the
bingo software at OLG's Data Centre in Toronto, and assist in the deployment of
the eBingo and play on demand software at future locations in the province of
Ontario, Canada. Development work on the products is expected to be completed
by the end of calendar 2008.
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Clifton E. Lind,
Multimedia's President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "We look
forward to working closely with OLG's staff to develop a highly flexible and
scalable electronic bingo system that will create a new revenue source for the
benefit of the citizens of Ontario. The Ontario Lottery's choice of MegaBingo
marks our initial entry into the large traditional charitable bingo gaming
market and highlights our growing role in aiding government entities in
building revenues through the development of new gaming systems that meet their
unique regulatory guidelines. There are many domestic and international
jurisdictional opportunities where our systems development capabilities can
provide cost-effective solutions to supplement existing lottery revenues, and
securing additional contracts of this type is a priority and consistent with
our long-term strategy of further diversifying Multimedia's sources of
revenue." Ron Ko, OLG's Director of Bingo Gaming
added, "We are excited about our partnership with Multimedia Games and
MegaBingo as we develop a new, total solution to address Ontario's bingo
operations and to help in our efforts to drive revenues for charitable
organizations in the province through the introduction of new, more innovative
bingo products." About Multimedia Games
Multimedia Games is a leading developer and supplier of
comprehensive systems, content, electronic games and player terminals for the
Native American gaming market, as well as for the casino, charity and
international bingo, video lottery, and sweepstakes markets. The Company's
ongoing development and marketing efforts focus on gaming systems and products
for use by Native American tribes throughout the United States, the commercial
casino market, video lottery systems and other products for domestic and
international lotteries, and products for charity and international bingo and
emerging markets, including sweepstakes, promotional, amusement with prize, and
coupon gaming opportunities. Additional information may be found at
www.multimediagames.com.
CONTACT: Multimedia Games, Inc. Clifton Lind, President
and CEO Randy Cieslewicz, Chief Financial Officer 512-334-7500 or Jaffoni &
Collins Incorporated Joseph N. Jaffoni or Richard Land 212-835-8500
mgam@jcir.com 
Florida Lottery
Succeeds With Life Scratch-Off Family
TALLAHASSEE, Florida (January 11, 2008) -- Outpacing
Florida’s previous “families” of games, the LIFE
Scratch-Off family has become the Florida
Lottery’s number one performing series. The four games included
in the LIFE family, which launched on July 10, exceeded $158.1 million in sales
and $28.1 million for Florida’s public education system in the first
13-week sales period alone. The Florida Lottery
created the LIFE family by expanding on the theme of the $20 LUCKY FOR LIFE
game, an already popular Scratch-Off game with an annuity option as a top
prize. Joining LUCKY FOR LIFE were $2 Cash for Life, $5 Bonus for Life
and $10 Loaded for Life.
“Since LUCKY FOR
LIFE has been a good game for us in the past and we are always looking for good
opportunities to add price points, we decided to offer these games as a family
to increase our income potential,” said Florida Lottery Director of
Product Development Vicki Munroe. The LIFE family has
become the Lottery’s best selling family of games. The games have
achieved a sales index of 126.55 percent and rank first of the four families of
games offered by the Florida Lottery. Previous families have been Hit
Family, Gold Family, and Jackpot Family. Both the $2
CASH FOR LIFE and the $5 BONUS FOR LIFE were top performers in their price
points. CASH FOR LIFE generated $19.5 million in sales and was number one
compared to 18 other $2 games with a sales index of 169.53 percent. BONUS FOR
LIFE generated $32.7 million in sales and was also number one of 11 $5 games
with a sales index of 134.36 percent. “Most
Scratch-Off games are not on the market long enough or have enough return
individually to warrant full advertising and marketing campaigns,” Munroe
added. “Packaging the games together gave the Lottery more opportunities
to market and promote the games, and sell more tickets. We also promoted
our previous families, but players responded to the LIFE games
better.” In retail stores, POS materials drew
attention to the games, which were displayed together to achieve a greater
impact. The strategy also made it possible to advertise the products on
TV, radio and cable. Initial advertising for the games started July 9 and
ran for three weeks to introduce the new product line. Another two weeks
of advertising, which started on Aug. 13, helped maintain the momentum of the
brand.
The lifetime annuity is the
common thread that holds the family of games together. Each game boasts a
true lifetime annuity as its top prize: $10,000 a year for Cash for Life,
$25,000 for Bonus for Life, $50,000 for Loaded for Life and $100,000 for Lucky
for Life. All top-prizes are payable once per year over the life of the
winner - whether that’s 20 years, 50 years or more. Top-prize winners are
guaranteed minimum payments for at least 20 years. “The appeal of the annuity feature of the LIFE games
at the $2 and $5 price points was a distinct advantage,” said Florida
Lottery Statewide Sales Director Tom Delacenserie. “In many cases
we were able to get players who usually buy $1 games to trade-up to the $2 and
$5 games due to the annuities they offer. We also have some indication
that the LIFE family especially appealed to our Hispanic players, which was a
major contribution to the overall success of the brand.”
Retailers earn $1 commission for every $20 Lucky for Life
ticket they sell, 50¢ for every $10 Loaded for Life ticket, 25¢ for
every $5 Bonus for Life ticket and 10¢ for every $2 Cash for Life
ticket. The success of the games has made them a big
hit with Lottery sales staff, retailers and players alike.
CONTACT: Jacqueline Barreiros, (850) 487-7727.
Lottery Report: $3.3 Billion in Sales, $1.7
Billion in Prizes SACRAMENTO,
California (January 9, 2008) -- It’s been another strong year for the
California Lottery. That’s the report
today from Lottery Director Joan
Borucki to the Lottery Commission. Borucki
presented the 2006-07 Lottery Report to the Public (www.calottery.com/annualreport),
as well as the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (www.calottery.com/cafr).
“The California Lottery returned more than 95
cents of every dollar to the community in the form of contributions to
education, prizes and retail commissions,” said Borucki. “We
proudly distributed more than $1 billion to our friends in the education
community amounting to more than 1 percent of the state’s education
budget. We are honored to be a small part of every student’s life and look
forward to the opportunity to create new revenues in the coming
year.”
Total lottery sales for the
year were more than $3.3 billion. That sales figure is slightly less than the
year before, but Lottery officials reiterated their long-term strategy to grow
sales as presented in the Business Plan in June 2007 (www.calottery.com/businessplan).
“The Lottery provided more than $1.7 billion in
winnings to players,” said Borucki. “Retailers earned nearly
$234 million in compensation.” Director
Borucki also delivered the corresponding Comprehensive Annual Financial
Report. “I’d like to thank our
retail partners and Lottery staff who continue to work daily to bring a sense
of excitement to the Golden State,” said Borucki. “With new
games and other improvements, we will continue the effort to deliver an even
better product to California.” The California
Lottery contributes at least 34 cents of every dollar that players spend on
Lottery products to public education and returns more than 50 percent of sales
to players in the form of prizes. Since its inception in 1985, the Lottery has
contributed more than $20 billion to California schools out of total sales of
more than $54.8 billion. Retailers benefit as well, earning $3.5 billion in
compensation since 1985. SOURCE: California
Lottery.
ISBB Earns
Record Income in 2007 The
Israel Sports Betting Board Earned Record Income of 1.578 Billion Shekels
(€298 Million Euro) In 2007 Chairman G.Brickman: "Our Profits are More Than
the Profits of the Fourth Largest Bank in Israel"
ISRAEL (January 8, 2008) -- The
Israel Sports Betting Board (ISBB) earned a
record income in 2007 of 1.578 Billion Shekels, (298 Million Euro) an increase
of 10 percent in comparison to 2006 income (1.437 Billion Shekels-271 Million
Euro).
Winner, the daily sports
betting game, continued to be the leading brand in Israel's betting and lottery
market with income of 1.216 Billion Shekels (230 Million Euro) an increase of
10 per cent on the previous year. Toto, the long
standing game, that this year celebrates 40 years of sales, earned 362 Million
Shekel (68 Million Euro), an increase of 10 per cent on the previous year.
Winner contributed 77 per cent of ISBB's income. Players received winnings of 55% of last year's income (874
Million Shekels-165 Million Euro). Publicity and marketing costs totaled 4% of
income. This is the fourth consecutive year that the
ISBB recorded a double figure increase on the previous year's income. During
this period income increased 2.3 times from 677 Million Shekel (128Million
Euro) in 2003 to 1.578 Billion Shekel (298 Million Euro).
This year's increase is even more impressive, because in
2006 the ISBB earned income of 200 Million Shekel (38 Million Euro) from the
Winner daily games in the month of the World Cup Games If one was to disregard
this income, the increase in the Winner daily sports betting games would be 35%
on the previous year's results. The increase in the
Toto's income came as a result of a number of large jackpots in the beginning
of the year. A First Prize Jackpot of 60 Million Shekel (11 Million Euro)was
offered, a record in Israel's lottery history. A couple from Petach-Tikva won a
record prize of 53 Million Shekel (10 Million Euro). The increase in the Winner's income came as a result of
intensive marketing, renovation of P.O.S. Agencies, sale promotion projects, an
increase of daily games offered and the winnings paid. The ISBB has maintained
each year a steady profit of 30% of income. Gideon
Brickman, Chairman ISBB: "The profits this year should reach a half a Billion
Shekel (94 Million Euro) and will exceed the profits of the fourth largest bank
in Israel"
WHO BENEFITS FROM OUR
PROFITS? Approximately 80% of our profits are
distributed by law to finance the activities of about 5,000 sport clubs,
associations and teams in 60 various fields. The rest of the profits are used
to finance the building of sport facilities and to support the Israeli Olympic
activities. In the last four years the ISBB allotted
630 Million Shekel(119 Million Euro) to finance the building of Stadiums, Sport
Halls and sport facilities and fields for communal and youth activities
throughout the country. G. Brickman: "The new facilities, revolutionizes the
free time and sports culture and challenges the social pressures and reduces
the level of violence amongst our youth." Another 80 Million Shekel (15 Million
Euro) has been allotted to advance a Government Women Sports Project.
OUR NEXT TARGET – 2 BILLION SHEKEL S (377 MILLION
EURO) G. Brickman estimates that till the year
2010 the ISBB's income should exceed the 2 Billion Shekels (377 Million Euro)
mark. G. Brickman: "If the ISBB was allowed to operate Horse Racing Betting
we could, within a few years , increase our income by 1.5 Billion Shekel(283
Million Euro) and exceed Mifal Hapais' annual income. This would enable the
ISBB to distribute funding of One Billion Shekel (189 Million Euro) each year
to finance Israel's sports activities". SOURCE:
The Israel Sports Betting Board via European State
Lotteries and Toto Association (EL).
Georgia Lottery
Breaks Sales Record, Raising More Dollars Than Ever For
Education ATLANTA, Georgia
(January 15, 2008) -- The Georgia Lottery
Corporation continues to blaze a trail as one of the highest performing
lotteries in the world, announcing record-breaking sales and proceeds to
education for the first half of fiscal year 2008.
Georgia Lottery proceeds to
education for the first half of fiscal year 2008 totaled $417,427,000 –
surpassing the record set in the first half of last fiscal year by more than
$16.9 million. Georgia Lottery sales for the first
half of fiscal year 2008 soared to $1,693,837,400 – more than $133 million
ahead of the record set in the first half of fiscal year 2007.
This makes the first six months of fiscal year 2008 the
most successful start in Georgia Lottery history and brings the total raised
for educational programs in the state of Georgia to more than $9.7 BILLION
since the lottery’s inception in 1993.
 |
| Margaret
DeFrancisco, Georgia Lottery Corporation President and
CEO |
“Our team is
completely dedicated to our mission to maximize revenues for education in
Georgia,” said Georgia Lottery Corporation President and CEO
Margaret DeFrancisco. “We
have a successful formula that works and delivers results for Georgia’s
HOPE and Pre-K students.” Since its first
year, the Georgia Lottery Corporation has returned over $9.7 billion to the
state of Georgia for education. All Georgia Lottery profits go to pay for
specific educational programs including Georgia’s HOPE Scholarship Program
and Georgia’s Prekindergarten Program. More than 1 million students have
received HOPE, and more than 860,000 4-year-olds have attended the statewide,
voluntary prekindergarten program. For more
information, please visit the Media Center on the Georgia Lottery Web site at:
www.galottery.com
CONTACT: Tandi Reddick, Media Relations Manager, Georgia
Lottery Corporation, P: (404) 215-5062, F: (404) 215-8983, C: (404) 323-4644,
Email: treddick@galottery.org.
Western Canada Lottery Corporation Exercises
Option to Extend Contract With Pollard Banknote
Five-year extension valued at an estimated $45
million (CDN) WINNIPEG, Canada (January 14,
2008) -- Pollard Banknote is pleased to
announce that the Western Canada Lottery
Corporation (WCLC) has exercised their option to extend their contract with
the company for five additional years. The extension - which runs through to
April 2013 - is estimated to be approximately $45 million (CDN).
Pollard Banknote has served as supplier of instant tickets
to the WCLC since 1985. Since the current contract began in April 2003, the
Lottery's instant ticket sales have increased 56 %. "The WCLC has benefited from a long and successful
relationship with Pollard Banknote," said Brad Wiebe, Marketing Director,
WCLC. "Pollard Banknote continually delivers on high levels of customer
service, printing quality and systems integrity." In addition to ticket production, Pollard Banknote also
provides a number of related services to the Lottery, including game design,
marketing support, focus group testing, and game-plan development
assistance.
"It has been a pleasure
working with the WCLC over the years," said Gordon Pollard, Co-Chief
Executive Officer, Pollard Banknote. "We look forward to continuing to build
on the relationship by developing products and strategies that will help the
Lottery achieve even greater sales." Pollard
Banknote currently manufactures tickets for the WCLC in the firm's Winnipeg,
Manitoba and Barrhead, Alberta facilities, which employ approximately 500 and
90 employees respectively. 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 further information
CONTACT: Gordon Pollard (gpollard@pbl.ca) or John Pollard (jpollard@pbl.ca), Co-Chief Executive
Officers, Pollard Banknote, Phone: (204) 474-2323,
www.pollardbanknote.com.
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