| GTECH Corporation Announce Licensing Agreement
With Billboard, The Worldwide Authority On Music
PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island, USA (March 31, 2008) Lottomatica S.p.A.’s wholly-owned
subsidiary GTECH Corporation announced that
it has signed a multi-year licensing agreement with Nielsen Business Media for
the Billboard brand, the world’s premier resource for the music
industry.
The license grants GTECH the
exclusive rights worldwide (excluding Japan) to develop and market innovative
Billboard-branded music-themed lottery game experiences with instant digital
downloadable music prizes. “Music has
universal appeal and Billboard provides the flexibility to appeal to a
limitless range of music preferences. With its overwhelming brand
recognition, and the one-of-a-kind promotional opportunities we can create with
Billboard Music Award Shows, concerts, and music downloads, the
Billboard-branded lottery games will appeal to new as well as current lottery
players,” said Pat Schmidt, Senior Director, Brand Licensing and
Marketing for GTECH. This is a powerful and fun
extension of the Billboard brand,” said Howard Appelbaum, Billboard
Publisher and Vice President, Licensing for Nielsen Business Media.
“We look forward to GTECH’s innovative and creative games to bring
more entertainment options to our music enthusiasts worldwide.”
Billboard’s core focus is on providing the music
industry with the most trusted source of music, video and digital entertainment
news, charts, reviews, and analysis. A Billboard lottery game will
provide exclusive VIP access to all that Billboard offers, including digital
music, concerts, and Billboard Award shows. GTECH is
committed to expanding the reach of lottery play for its customers, with a
major focus on reaching younger audiences. Billboard’s core audience
of 18-34 year olds are active music and entertainment consumers and avid
purchasers in areas such as music, gaming, video, and home entertainment.
Billboard is the flagship property for the Billboard
Information Group, which also consists of Billboard.biz, Billboard.com,
Billboard Chart Alert, Billboard Information Network (BIN), Billboard
Directories, Billboard Licensing & Events and Billboard Radio Monitor.
Billboard's many strategic partners include Fox-TV, Microsoft, mForma, Reuters,
Sirius Satellite Radio, Telemundo, Univision Radio, ABC Radio Networks, Azteca
America and Billboard sister companies Nielsen SoundScan and Nielsen Broadcast
Data Systems.
Billboard is headquartered
in New York with bureaus in Boston, London, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville and
Washington, D.C., and has editorial correspondents in major cities around the
globe. Billboard is produced by Nielsen Business Media, a leading provider of
business-to-business products and services in print, online and
face-to-face. GTECH is a leading gaming tecg
technology and services company, providing innovative technology, creative
content, and superior service delivery. Lottomatica is one of the
world’s largest commercial lottery operators and a market leader in the
Italian gaming industry. 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 2007, had more than €1.7 billion in revenues and
5,900 employeees in over 45 countries when combined with GTECH.
SOURCE: GTECH.
CONTACT: Contact: Robert K. Vincent,
Public Affairs, GTECH Corporation, 401-392-7452. Gioco Del Lotto - Sponsor of the “Volley
Scuola” Tournament 2008 ROME, Italy (February 20, 2008) - Gioco del Lotto is the
official partner of the 15th edition of the “Volley Scuola”
Tournament, reserved for secondary schools in Rome and the surrounding
province.
The project, promoted by
Lazio’s Regional FIPAV (Italian Volleyball Federation) Committee, is
supported for the second year running by Gioco del Lotto and pays testimony to
the Lottomatica Group’s desire to participate in the world of sport,
through initiatives dedicated to the development of the sector, which is a
standard bearer of educational and social values. As
part of this initiative, Gioco del Lotto will lend its name to the
“Raccontaci volley scuola” literary prize, one of the
tournaments supporting events that combines sporting, cultural and social
aspects, in which young people can express their thoughts and feelings
regarding the event and put their imaginations to work.
Gioco del Lotto is also involved in other sectors of
sport: in Rome, in the top flight of Italian football, supporting SS Lazio and
AS Roma; in basketball, as main sponsor of the Virtus Roma team and official
sponsor of the FIP (Italian Basketball Federation) for the mini basket
category; in swimming, as the main sponsor of the FIN (Italian Swimming
Federation); in tennis, with its support of the Internazionali d’Italia
tournament; in rugby, as official sponsor of Rome’s U.R. Capitolina team,
not to mention its involvement in numerous other events and initiatives in the
sector. SOURCE: Lottomatica S.p.A.
Conferences
& Seminars NASPL '08
The City of Philadelphia is
getting ready for our exciting annual conference,
NASPL '08 (Sept. 24 - 27, 2008)
Philadelphia, PAand the Pennsylvania
Lottery is dedicated to making this year’s theme, Revolutionary
Thinking, just that, an ‘outside of the box’ conference. We promise
an exciting program, from our keynote speakers to the break-out sessions to the
partners programs. Indeed, ”revolutionary” aptly describes the events
planned for you. You are invited to come to the
“City of Brotherly Love” to be part of this great experience.
Mark your calendars now and begin your planning to join us in Philadelphia
between September 24-27 for our annual NASPL get together. Here are a few facts
about this great American city that may help wet your appetite:
• An
endless choice of museums, gardens, sporting events, shopping and historical
sites
• Award winning restaurants
At
NASPL we recognize that the most important
part of any annual meeting is to learn. I can assure you the Pennsylvania
Lottery and the NASPL Education Committee has developed a program that will
exceed your expectations. We also recognize that part of any learning
experience is an interaction with other lottery professionals. This is a
conference that offers just that: a gathering of lottery directors, staff
members and vendors.
Since we are in the business that develops odds of
winning a prize, my guarantee to you is there is a one hundred percent
probability that NASPL '08 will be a winning experience for you. As we all
know, to win you must buy a ticket, so I strongly urge you to buy your ticket
now by signing up. I look forward to seeing you in Philadelphia.
Ernie Passailaigue
Executive
Director, South Carolina Education Lottery
NASPL President 
 |
On behalf of Governor Edward G. Rendell,
Secretary of Revenue Tom Wolf, and the Pennsylvania Lottery, it is an honor and
a pleasure to invite you to join us in Philadelphia, September 24-27, for
NASPL '08, Revolutionary Thinking.
The “City of Brotherly Love” means different things to
each of us: it’s where the Declaration of Independence was drafted,
debated, and signed; it’s home to the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall (the
birthplace of the United States), the National Constitution Center, Ben
Franklin, and Betsy Ross; it’s cheesesteaks and street vendors’ soft
pretzels. And in late September, it will be temporary home to
NASPL '08 and what the Pennsylvania
Lottery has planned as the memorable Lottery event of the year.
| Advertisement |
 |
As this year’s theme suggests,
Revolutionary Thinking will be an integral part of each keynote address, each
breakout session, each topic of discussion. The major objective of
Revolutionary Thinking NASPL '08 is to provide an overall educational program
that requires all of us to think beyond this year or the next.
Breakout
sessions range from how does our industry transition from the "cash only"
business model and get in step with today's credit / debit card retail
environments, to what are the barriers that are keeping our industry from
expanding its points of distribution and being viewed as a convenience store
product? Our keynote speakers are the highest caliber of experts in their
field. They will share their secrets of success and have offered to do book
signings after their respective presentations.
Ben Franklin – printer,
inventor, scientist, statesman, and perhaps the most famous American of his
time – will emcee NASPL '08. Entertainment will range from the Valley
Forge Military Academy musicians to the iconic Mummers who defy description,
one must certainly see and hear them!
The traditional facets of the annual
NASPL conference – the awards presentations, the Trade Show, the Reception
and Awards Banquet – remain on the schedule, but each will receive a
“revolutionary” twist in keeping with the NASPL ’08
theme.
I look forward to seeing all of you in Philadelphia September 24-27
for a revolutionary event. We promise it will be an enjoyable, entertaining,
informative event of historic proportions.
Ed Trees
Executive Director,
Pennsylvania Lottery Lotterywest Announce A New Era for Your
Lottery Changes to Your
lottery: Information for Players PERTH,
Western Australia (March 26, 2008) -- In our 75th year
Lotterywest will be introducing a new gaming
system and new lottery terminals in all our retail outlets. The
technology upgrade will enhance the service provided to you and positions
Lotterywest to meet our goals in supporting the WA community for the next
decade.
From February through to
April we will install new lottery technology throughout our State-wide network
of lottery outlets. The switchover to the new gaming system will be in
May, when Lotterywest retailers will commence selling lottery products through
the new system. There will be a range of improved
services with the new system, including a new player screen and ticket
checker. You will also be able to choose from a wider range of ticket
options. With the new system you will notice some
changes in the way you buy your Lotto tickets. If you choose your numbers
using playslips (sometimes called coupons) you will need to complete new
playslips and all tickets produced in the new system will be printed on thermal
paper. What difference will the new system make to
me? The new Lotterywest gaming system will offer some
exciting new features for you, making the entire experience more interactive
and informative. New Player Screen
The new player screen means that you will be able to view
your transaction details on the new colour player screens at Lotterywest
outlets as they occur. You’ll see a full breakdown of your game
selection and costs, as well as the details of any prizes you have won when
checking your tickets. Check your own
tickets You’ll be able to check your own
Lotto and Scratch’n’Win tickets with the new Lotterywest ticket
checkers located at Lotterywest outlets. Scan the
barcode on your Lotto or Scratch’n’Win ticket to see instantly if
you’ve won a prize. If you are a winner you can then collect your prize
from your Lotterywest retailer or (for major prizes) from Lotterywest.
New playslips Old
playslips will not be compatible with the new terminals so you will need to use
the new playslips from May 2008. The new playslips give you the chance to
play more games than the current playslips. New
Slikpiks - Slikpik 30 and Slikpik 50! Slikpik 30
and Slikpik 50 give you more chances to win on the one ticket and will be
available in addition to the current range of Slikpik options. Slikpik 14
will no longer be available when the new system is launched in May 2008.
Like that ticket? Keep your numbers with our
ticket repeat option!
If you like the numbers on
a ticket you have purchased in the new system, you will be able to ask your
Lotterywest retailer to scan the barcode and reproduce the identical numbers
and details for entry into future draws of that game. Ticket repeat can only be used for the same game and using
the exact same ticket details. For example, if you have a Multiweek Slikpik 25
ticket for Saturday Lotto, the ticket repeat option will produce a Multiweek
Slikpik 25 ticket for Saturday Lotto with the exact same numbers, starting from
the next valid game draw. New advance purchasing
for Cash 3 New Cash 3 advance purchasing options
mean you only have to get your ticket once a month. Advance purchasing for Cash 3 will be available for 7, 14, 21
and 28 consecutive days. Currently you can purchase Cash 3 tickets for a
maximum of 7 consecutive draws. New Players
Card A new Players Card is being produced, but you
will still be able to use your existing card. So keep your Players
Registration Card and you will be able to use it with the new system.
How do I find out more? The latest information on all Lotterywest games will be
available in new product brochures at Lotterywest retailers from May 2008.
The brochures will give you up-to-date information on
everything you need to know about your favourite games, from how to complete a
playslip to the odds and game rules. Just ask your
Lotterywest retailer if you have any questions regarding these changes or
contact the Lotterywest Customer Enquiries staff on (08) 9340 5200.
SOURCE: Lotterywest.
Fiscal Year
2007 -- Tipp24 Maintains Dynamic Growth Course
- Record Jackpot Boosts Customer
Figures - UK Market Entry
- Outlook Influenced By State Treaty
On Gaming HAMBURG, Germany (March 27, 2008)
-- Tipp24 can look back on a successful
fiscal year 2007, during which its customer base grew by 574 thousand to 2.34
(prior year: 1.77) million. The main driver was Germany’s highest-ever
lottery jackpot (EUR 43 million). On the day of the record jackpot draw alone,
some 42 thousand new customers registered on the German website of Tipp24 AG
(www.tipp24.de) and around 350 thousand in the fourth quarter alone. According
to our own calculations, this enabled us to raise our share of the German
online lottery market to over 60 percent. Against this
backdrop, billings – consisting mainly of brokered lottery tickets –
rose to EUR 346.8 (264.2) million in the past fiscal year, representing growth
of 31.2 percent. Revenue climbed 30.1 percent to EUR 45.0 (34.6) million.
Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) improved by 23.5 percent to EUR 8.9
(7.2) million. The company plans to pay its first dividend of EUR 0.50 per
share. This is expected to mark the start of regular dividend payments.
State Treaty on Gaming
contravenes valid law Jens Schumann, founder and
Executive Board member of Tipp24 AG, states: “Tipp24’s performance
is all the more remarkable considering the adverse circumstances we faced in
2007. In the fourth quarter, Germany’s state parliaments ratified the new
State Treaty on Gaming. It came into effect on January 1, 2008. Numerous legal
experts and institutions, such as the Federal Cartel Office, the EU Commission
and the Scientific Services of the state parliament of Schleswig-Holstein,
believe that the State Treaty on Gaming contravenes constitutional, antitrust
and EU law. We unreservedly share this opinion. Initial verdicts of
Germany’s administrative courts confirm this.”
Expansion of foreign business – launch in
UK Tipp24 entered the UK market in November 2007
offering European lotteries at its website www.mylotto24.co.uk: the
company’s wholly-owned subsidiary MyLotto24 Ltd. gives UK citizens the
possibility to bet on the outcome of European lotteries. MyLotto24 Ltd.
operates its business on the basis of a UK licence. Following Germany, Spain
and Italy, Tipp24 is now represented on a further major European gaming market
and thus continues to reduce its reliance on the German market.
Tipp24 also established an international data centre in
London during the past year, which replaces its current server locations in
Hamburg. Compared with the previous locations, the new UK centre offers greatly
improved connections to major international internet nodes.
Successful start to 2008 Beginning of Corporate Responsibility activities
In February, Tipp24 launched a new education project:
generation@. The company regards this pilot project as the start of activities
in the field of Corporate Responsibility. Together with its partners
BürgerStiftung Hamburg and Genety e.V., Tipp24 is committed to promoting
safe use of the internet for young people. Foundation of Tipp24 Entertainment AG
In March 2008, Tipp24 AG acquired the assets of Enter.TV
GmbH, an innovative supplier of skill-based games. The company is thus pursuing
its strategy of expanding its product portfolio in its core German market with
the addition of new product areas. The company impressed the Executive Board
with its excellent technology, skilled team and interesting product portfolio.
The company offers interactive peer-to-peer and multiplayer online games. The
new products will be integrated during the course of 2008.
Outlook
Due to the considerable
uncertainties of the legal parameters for online lotteries, Tipp24 has issued a
modest outlook for the fiscal year 2008: the Executive Board expects growth of
at least 100 thousand new customers and thus growth in billings, revenue and
EBIT of at least ten percent. These figures are thus well below the growth
expectations of the past few years. Following the
current transition phase of the European lottery markets, the company expects a
return to its historically proven medium-term growth targets – an annual
increase in revenue of 30 percent and a disproportionately stronger increase in
EBIT. About Tipp24 AG:
Tipp24 was established in 1999 and is now the market
leader for lottery products in the Internet on the basis of billings. The
company has succeeded in achieving impressive growth rates right from the
start. Almost all state lottery products are supplied. It only takes a few
mouse clicks to buy a lottery ticket – round the clock, quickly and
reliably. The ticket receipt is kept safely, winners are notified about their
prizes automatically by text message and e-mail and prizes are credited
automatically. Subsidiaries of Tipp24 (www.tipp24.de)
are Ventura24 in Spain (www.ventura24.es), Puntogioco24 (www.puntogioco24.it) in Italy and
MyLotto24 (www.mylotto24.co.uk) in
the UK. 
Click
here to download article as PDF
CONTACT: Tipp24
AG, Andrea Fratini, Head of Media and Public Relations, Phone: +49 40 32 55
33-660, Fax: +49 40 32 55 33-5600.
Green Light For
Online Lotto Sales; Opportunity For More Safeguards And Collecting Better
Information NEW ZEALAND (March 28,
2008) -- Internal Affairs Minister, Rick Barker announced today that changes
have been gazetted enabling the online sale of Lotto, Powerball, Strike, Big
Wednesday and Keno tickets. While NZ Lotteries
are yet to set a date for the launch of any online products, Mr,Barker outlined
the many safety features that will govern online play to minimise the risk of
problem gambling.
"Online sales represent
a real opportunity to improve the safety features around the sale of lotto
tickets," Mr.Barker said. "These safeguards
generally do not apply in Lotto retail outlets and will ensure safe access to
NZ Lotteries products online as there is no ongoing relationship between the
purchaser of the ticket and NZ Lotteries. Online play will allow the collection
of better information about spending habits which has not been possible until
now. This information will provide a real insight into the way New Zealanders
use these products, and there will be an obligation on NZ Lotteries to act if a
problem is detected. "There is consumer demand
for online access to Lotto, Powerball, Strike, Big Wednesday and Keno. It is
the Lotteries Commission's responsibility to ensure this demand can be met
without undue risk to the public. "Players will
be required to register to play online, be limited to one account and will have
to set their own personal weekly and monthly spending limits which cannot be
exceeded. There will also be more general mandatory spending limits.
“Players will also be able to see how much they
have won or lost over the year. NZ Lotteries will monitor players who
consistently spend to the maximum, and will contact them to offer support and
problem gambling helpline information. This is a major improvement. At the
moment we know nothing about individual spending habits. With this information
we will be better able to assess if there are any problems.
"When the Gambling Act was passed in 2003 it was always
envisaged that there would eventually be demand for online services. For this
reason the NZ Lotteries and the New Zealand Racing Board were exempted from the
online gambling website prohibition, so that there is provision for New
Zealanders of a relatively safe alternative to the online games offered by
overseas-based gambling operators, and so that any benefits from Internet
gambling will remain in New Zealand," Mr.Barker said.
SOURCE: Press Rlease: New Zealand Government. Media
Statement, Hon Rick Barker, Minister of Internal Affairs.
Three Upcoming Gambling Events in
Turkey Article By: Rob van
der Gaast, Gambling Analyst & Publicist, Email: robvan@gamblinganalysts.eu
ISTANBUL, Turkey (March 28, 2008) -- The present political
turmoil in Turkey will not stop three huge major gambling events which are
planned for this year. Of course there is the European championship football,
for which the national Turkish squad has been qualified. And this event will
create very good times for the bookies, worldwide and in particular for the
Turkish Iddaa sports football betting. Above that the
privatization of the National Lottery will happen and the tender for operating
the Turkish sports betting for a period of 10 years will take place.
The only sports betting
– with the exclusion of horse betting – is Iddaa, which means
‘bet’. Iddaa began operating in April 2004 and became an instant
success. This weekly fixed betting game can be played on more than a hundred
football matches of world football leagues! The sales
performance of Iddaa is impressive, reaching US$ 988 million in 2005 and US$
1,443 billion in 2006 from US$ 167 million in 2004. Spor Toto’s market
share, which was 9% in 2004, expanded to 42% in 2006. Market research in the
fourth quarter of 2006 confirmed national brand awareness of Iddaa, indicating
99% throughout the target group (males interested in football from ages 18 to
45 in Turkey). The average number of coupons played per week has become
8,500,000 to an average of 3 million players. Iddaa’s presence has also vastly enlarged the gaming
market in Turkey. The total gaming turnover in Turkey amounted to US$ 3.4
billion as of December 2006, reflecting a current market expansion of 32%. Now
there are over 4,000 points of sale. Bilyoner Bilyoner.com is
providing a legally integrated electronic gaming platform owned by regulated
enterprises in Turkey. These games include Spor Toto, Iddaa, TJK Horse Racing
and Milli Piyango (National Lottery). Currently the company's shareholders
include Turktell Bilişim Servisleri, Intralot S.A. and Tek Elektronik.
Turktell has a 55% interest in Bilyoner, Intralot has a 25% interest and Tek
Elektronik holds the remaining 20% interest. By the end of 2007, Bilyoner.com
had over 700,000 unique subscribers. Internet
usage of Turkey
|
Internet usage of Turkey |
| Population (2007 est.) |
75,863,600 |
|
Internet users (Sept 2006) |
16,000,000 |
|
% population (penetration) |
21.1 % |
|
% users Europe |
4.6 % |
|
Usage growth (2000-2007) |
700.0 % |
| Broadband Internet connections
(Sept 2007) |
3,236,700 |
M-Gambling Since gambling
operators in general are not very eager to show their key financials on M
gambling, we will highlight some developments and results of Turkish mobile
betting. Mobile Iddaa is managed by the Turkish company Pozitron and General
Manager Firat Isbecer provided underneath information: “The mobile channel of the official online bookie of
Iddaa, Bilyoner.com, a java-based downloadable mobile application, started
operating in September 2005. So far there are four versions developed.
The first version started
from September 2005 till June 2006. The Iddaa coupons that were made were sent
via SMS packages. The application had more than 30,000 download requests during
the first soccer season with approximately 100 active ‘distinct’
users daily by June 2006. The second version was from
June 2006 till November 2007. Iddaa coupons were sent through GPRS/EDGE
connection, bringing very low data cost and higher customer gain. The number of
requests reached 80,000 by the beginning of 2007– 2008 soccer season. In
April 2006, US$ 160,000 worth bets were placed through Mobile Iddaa with 300
active ‘distinct’ users per day by October 2007.
The third version from November 2007 till now brings a
better user interface and a live scores function is included. Ready to bet
coupons are included as well and the version has more games and features. By
March 2008, there were 750 active ‘distinct’ users per day.
The fourth and last version also includes horse
racing games. The new devices are Blackberry, Samsung and Motorola. The version
has live scores, match results, more games and horse racing results.”
Firat Isbecer expects US$ 500,000 per month turnover from
the application in June 2008. The expected number of active
‘distinct’ daily users is 1,200 and the expected average number of
bets per day (June 2008) is 2,800.
| Highest numbers –
March 16, 2008 – One day record |
|
27,000 |
daily operations (balance check,
bet, balance history, coupons, live score queries) |
|
25,000 |
US$ worth bets were placed |
|
1,000 |
active distinct users |
|
4,220 |
live score queries |
| 2,450 |
number of bets placed |
Turkey has 61.109 million subscribers in total, or an
86.57% penetration rate (September 2007).
| Mobile network operators
of Turkey |
| Rank |
Operator |
Technology |
Subscribers
(in millions)
|
Ownership |
| 1 |
Turkcell |
GSM, GPRS, EDGE |
35.4 (December 2007) |
TeliaSonera (37.09%), Cukurova
Group (27.05%), Alfa Group (13.22%) |
| 2 |
Vodafone |
GSM, GPRS, EDGE |
15.709 (September 2007) |
Vodafone (100%) |
| 3 |
Avea |
GSM, GPRS, EDGE |
10.0 (December 2007) |
Turkish Telecom (81%),
Türkiye İş Bankası (19%) |
Two Gambling Reports on Turkey
GamblingAnalysts.eu, the gambling research and analyst
group, working from Istanbul and Amsterdam, launched two new reports on the
Turkish gambling industry. Turkey, with its young population and 72 million
inhabitants, will see the privatization of the National Lottery and a very
interesting sports betting tender process this year. In Turkey it is not always easy to get the necessary
information to be able to make the right business decisions. Therefore
GamblingAnalysts.eu, which already works for nearly ten years in the Turkish
gambling industry, produced two in-dept reports with over 40 pages each with
tables and illustrations:
- Privatization of the National
Lottery – Milli Piyango; and
- Fixed Chance Betting Tender.
For more information, please
contact Rob van der Gaast (robvan@gamblinganalysts.eu) or
Jolanda van Til (jolandavantil@gamblinganalysts.eu).
About GamblingAnalysts.eu Dutchman Rob van der Gaast, working from Istanbul and
Amsterdam, established GamblingAnalysts.eu. Rob is a gambling research analyst
with access to a wide range of information on the gambling industry and an
international team of consultants whom he works with. Over the past ten years,
Rob has built up a solid reputation in Europe with investors, gambling
operators, government officials, banks, lawyers, research institutes and
gambling media on the web. Rob van der Gaast is a member of the Primary Insight
Expert Consulting Network, a Bear Stearns company, and he is co-author of
"Privatization of state-controlled gambling operators", which has been
recognized by the international gambling industry as the leading report on
gambling privatizations. More information on the
gambling industry, and gambling privatizations, may be found on
www.GamblingAnalysts.eu and
www.Gambling-Privatisation.com.
Email address: robvan@GamblingAnalysts.eu.
SOURCE: GamblingAnalysts.eu “CAROLINA PICK 3” Sales Soar on First
Day of New Drawing! RALEIGH, North Carolina, USA (April
1, 2008) -- The North Carolina Education
Lottery (NCEL) experiences a “banner day” after seeing sales for
the first day of a new daytime “Carolina Pick 3” drawing.
Sales for the “Carolina Pick 3” game on a dreary weather
Monday were up 30 percent compared to the same day last week!
“It is without a doubt the best sales day we have
had on Carolina Pick 3,” said Tom
Shaheen, NCEL executive director. “We are extremely pleased that
launching this new
drawing went so well.
Sales on the game were not only up 30 percent compared to last Monday, but they
were up about a 15 percent over previous Monday sales records for the
game. Shaheen added that traditionally around the
country, lotteries see about a 5 to 9 percent increase in pick three game sales
overall after introducing a midday draw. “We are off to a good start
and should be on track to achieve what has occurred in other jurisdictions over
the long run,” he said. “Carolina Pick
3” is a 3-digit numbers game where the player chooses a 3-digit number
between 000 and 999. The top prize is $500 for all players who match all three
numbers in exact order drawn. There are other prize levels depending on the
amount played and type of play. The new daytime
“Carolina Pick 3” drawings will occur at 3:00 p.m. Monday through
Saturday. The evening drawings will continue to take place at 11:22 p.m. seven
days a week. CONTACT: Pamela Walker, Phone: (919)
301-3308. New OLG Protection
Measures Launch This Week Newest Enhancements Include; easier-to-read online
tickets, lower terminal freeze threshold and signature boxes on fronts of
INSTANT tickets TORONTO, Canada (April 1,
2008) -- The latest series of enhancements to lottery integrity and consumer
protection in Ontario were introduced today by Kelly McDougald, Chief Executive
Officer of Ontario Lottery and Gaming.
“We’re making
it easier for customers to read their tickets and receipts, using our terminals
to better alert players and retailers whenever a prize of $5,000 or more is
claimed, and adding a prominent customer signature box to INSTANT
tickets,” said McDougald. “Our goal continues to be to better
serve the public through ongoing improvements in prize payment and integrity
and protection against potential fraud.” Some
of the enhancements include:
- Starting today, lottery terminals
in Ontario will now “freeze” whenever a prize winning ticket worth
$5,000 or more is validated. The terminal’s normal functions are
suspended while audio alerts and text on the Customer Display screen tell the
customer and retailer that a prize of $5,000 or more has been won. OLG then
immediately contacts the store and talks to the retailer and customer to
confirm the prize. Until now, the terminals would freeze for tickets winning
prizes of $10,000 or more.
- On April 1st, the look
of on-line tickets and validations receipts will change in order to make it
easier for customers and retailers to match the right receipt with the right
ticket. On both the ticket and the receipt, the ticket identification number
will be boxed for easier comparison. Also, the logo of the game being played
will be added to the receipt. This clearly identifies which OLG games they are
playing, avoiding any confusion for customers who play multiple OLG games.
- In early April, the new edition
of the INSTANT CROSSWORD game will be the first INSTANT game to feature a
customer signature box prominently placed on the front of the ticket. The
signature box will appear on all INSTANT tickets over the next several months
as more new games are delivered from our ticket printers and offered for sale.
This signature box follows the launch several months ago of a signature box on
the front of online tickets like Lotto 6/49.
Also starting April 1, as
an even further convenience to our customers, a report listing prizes still
available to be won on current INSTANT ticket prizes will be automatically
printed when lottery terminals are signed-on for the day, and are available to
customers upon request. Later this month, OLG will
also be launching a new customer area on its website, OLG.ca, with valuable
customer information on purchasing, checking and redeeming lottery tickets
safely and securely. Information is also available by calling OLG at
1-800-387-0098. OLG is a provincial agency responsible
for province-wide lottery games and gaming facilities. Since 1975, OLG
lotteries, Casinos, Slots, and Resort Casinos have generated more than $23
billion for the benefit of the Province of Ontario. Gaming proceeds support
Ontario’s hospitals, amateur sport, recreational and cultural activities,
communities, provincial priority programs such as health care and education,
and local and provincial charities and non-profit organizations through the
Ontario Trillium Foundation. For further information:
Media Contact: OLG Public Relations, (705) 946-6716 SOURCE: Ontario Lottery and Gaming (Media Relations).
Lotterywest Celebrates 75 Years of
Dreams OSBORNE PARK, Western
Australia (March 31, 2008) -- Lotterywest has
celebrated 75 years since 13 year-old Cottesloe schoolgirl Joan Smart won
£1,000 in the first ever lottery run by the Lotteries Commission of
Western Australia on 21 March 1933. Lotteries
Commission staff, beneficiaries, winners and retailers - some of whom have
worked in Western Australia’s lottery for over 50 years – gathered in
the Perth Town Hall for a recreation of the first lottery, drawn in the very
same venue 75 years earlier. Amongst the guests were
Joan Smart’s relatives, and nine members of an office lottery syndicate
which had won $100,000 exactly 40 years earlier. The gathering was the
first time the group had been reunited.
| Advertisement |
 |
In 1933 Western
Australia’s first public raffle raised £3,005 which the Lotteries
Commission distributed to 40 ‘good causes’. Many of
these original beneficiaries, such as St John Ambulance, the RSPCA, Boy Scouts
Association and the Parkerville Children’s home, have received support
from Lotterywest throughout its 75 year history. Officially launching Lotterywest’s 75th anniversary
celebrations, His Excellency Dr Ken Michael AM, Governor of Western Australia,
highlighted the contribution lotteries funds had made to public hospitals,
sport, the arts and countless charities and community groups.
“In 1933 the Commission’s emphasise was on
meeting the most basic needs of Western Australians hit hardest by the Great
Depression. Today Lotterywest grants still support organisations helping
those with the greatest need….but they also enhance the lives of all
Western Australians” Dr Michael said. Since
its first draw on 21 March 1933 the Lotteries Commission (now Lotterywest) has
raised over $A 2.8 billion for Western Australia’s public hospitals,
sport, arts and community groups. While
preparing to celebrate its 75th birthday, Lotterywest has delved into its
archives rediscovering highlights from its colourful history, including…
- In 1978, when moving premises,
the Lotteries Commission ‘bricked up’ one of the original giant
lottery barrels in the wall of the building they were vacating after a
removalist dropped the barrel and many of the 100,000 original wooden marbles
rolled down the street never to be seen again.
- Photographs of celebrities such
as Bill Cosby, Liberace, John Farnham, John Newcomb and Kieran Perkins drawing
the winning marbles in the Commission’s draw lottery in the days of
‘draw lotteries’.
- A 1979 edition of Perth’s
‘Daily News’ reporting ‘Lotto Mania Hits State’ and the
Lotteries Commission miscalculation of the popularity of the new game.
The article reported the fury of lottery agents who ran out of game coupons
within hours of tickets going on sale for the first draw in February 1979.
A pictorial history of
Lotterywest, titled All Prizes Paid in Full will be made available later in the
year on Lotterywest’s website at www.lotterywest.com.au
SOURCE: Lotterywest.
CONTACT: Gina
Zanotti, 9340 5227 / 0438 996 884.
FUNTASIA -- A
Carnival to Thank All Singaporeans Singapore’s Largest Benefactors Celebrates 20
and 40 years of Giving SINGAPORE (March 26,
2008) -- As the parent company of the Singapore Turf Club and
Singapore Pools, the Singapore
Totalisator Board (Tote Board) harnesses surplus funds from the operations of
its two members and distributes them to worthy programmes for the benefit of
Singaporeans. Over the last two and four decades, the Group has disbursed over
$4 billion toward the community.
 |
The Tote Board will be
hosting a carnival FunTasia on Saturday, 26 April 2008 at the Singapore Chinese
Garden for staff, friends, partners and the community. On that evening, the
Singapore Chinese Garden will burst to life in a carnival of song, dance and
many other surprises for more than 5,000 visitors expected. The carnival is for
the enjoyment of young and old of all ethnicities, with performances by
beneficiaries of the Tote Board such as the Chinese Theatre Circle,
Bhaskar’s Arts Academy, Sri Warisan Som Said Performing Arts, the Finger
Players and many others. The highlight of the evening is the performance by the
Singapore Chinese Orchestra led by up and coming Maestro and star percussionist
Quek Ling Kiong. The audience is advised to stay till the end of the
performance for a surprise finale. The carnival will
also provide a platform for aspiring artists to “busk” their talents,
and for budding photographers to test their skills in a competition. The
competition details are attached in Annex A. This carnival will also be a
playground for children to be engaged through story telling about the Chinese
hero statues, a treasure hunt and puppetry performances.
“FunTasia is an opportunity for us to say a big
thank you to our beneficiaries, supporters, volunteers, customers, business
partners, friends, stakeholders and staff of the Tote Board, Singapore Pools
and Singapore Turf Club. It is the support that they have given us through the
years that have helped the Tote Board and our two wholly owned gaming operators
to attain our goals of providing legalized gaming in a socially responsible
manner and channeling profits to good cause funding in Singapore.”
Says Mr. Tan Soo Nan, Chief Executive of the Singapore Totalisator Board and
Chief Executive Officer of Singapore Pools. FunTasia
is organized with the support of long-term partners - the People’s
Association, NTUC and Jurong Town Corporation. The S. League clubs, Yong Siew
Toh Conservatory, Girl Guides Singapore, schools, voluntary service
organizations and other organizations that have been supported by the Board
over the years, will also support us with performances, manpower or simply,
come to enjoy the event. Licensed buskers registered
with the National Arts Council who wish to perform at FunTasia can contact Mr
Freddy Lai at freddy@odp.com.sg or call him at 65344423. Members of the public
who would like to volunteer at this community event are encouraged to contact
Pei Zhen at yvonneteo@sgpoolz.com.sg or call 6216 8719.
For details on Funtasia, please visit
www.singtote.gov.sg/funtasia.html
SOURCE: Singapore Pools. Lottery Vets Launch New Company to Brand
Games Alchemy3 Builds
“Smart Matches” Between Lotteries and Consumer
Brands ALPHARETTA, Georgia, USA (March 27,
2008) -- Three lottery industry veterans have launched a new company,
Alchemy3®, focused on licensing and marketing consumer brands for lottery
games. “We started Alchemy3 with a fundamental
goal in mind: to create smart matches between lotteries and great consumer
brands,” said David Schorr, Alchemy3’s chief executive officer
and one of its three founders. “The relationships we build can help
lotteries produce more revenue and help both lotteries and marketers strengthen
the connections between their brands and consumers.”
 |
| Alchemy3
Founders |
Schorr and the two other
founders -- Paul Guziel, chief operating officer, and Jeffrey Schweig, chief
marketing officer -- were most recently with MDI Entertainment, a division of
Scientific Games Corp. All three have
broad experience not only in the gaming industry, but also in consumer
marketing. “We've got a unique combination of
consumer marketing and lottery experience that helps us make those smart
matches,” Schweig said. “We believe that solid strategic
thinking combined with great creative can deliver strong licensed programs to
lotteries.” Added Schorr: “We also
believe that lotteries should pay fair prices for these strategic matches with
consumer brands.” Alchemy3 now represents
four companies: Bass Pro Shops, Chrysler LLC, Six Flags Inc. and Universal
Studios’ “The Mummy” franchise. Alchemy3 is working with
lotteries to capitalize on the power of those companies’ brands to attract
new players with tailor-made instant and online games. Alchemy3’s founders
see a bright future for licensed instant games and the promotional
opportunities licensed games can sometimes create. “Lotteries need to maximize the value they get from
all games — but especially branded games,” Schorr said.
“When we say we work to make smart matches between lotteries and great
consumer brands, we mean that we do everything we can to create deals that
maximize the value for the lottery and the brand, all while making the process
as smooth and clear as possible for the lottery and licensor.”
Alchemy3 brings its strategy to life by working closely
with lottery officials and consumer marketers before deals are done.
“We focus on learning each lottery’s specific needs and the
desires of that state’s or province’s consumers. Then we bring in a
package that helps the lottery reach new players and increase
revenues,” Schweig said. “With licensors, we make it our
business to understand their positioning and their market, so we can create
games that give them new opportunities to build awareness and purchase
intent.”
| Advertisement |
 |
“Alchemy3 is also
an agency that can provide lotteries with promotional design and execution
services for programs that are not affiliated with a licensed brand,”
Schweig added. “We are very open to working with lotteries on that
level, too.” Importantly, Alchemy3 provides a
very high level of support to lotteries, making it very easy for them to manage
the creation and printing of branded instant games — and easy for their
sales forces to bring them to retailers. “Before we propose a branded game to a lottery, we
think through how to make it successful and easy to stage end to end,”
Guziel said. “We're set up to help a lottery execute every step of a
licensed game, from ticket design to marketing to prize fulfillment without
creating any undue burdens on the lottery.” As a central component of its support system, Alchemy3 has
created LEAFS™ (Licensing Electronic Asset File System). LEAFS is a
proprietary, Web-based tool, accessible at www.alchemy3.com, that allows lottery
officials and brand marketers to manage every element of the game design and
execution process -- from brand-usage guidelines to artwork to ticket design
and beyond. “The system is
collaborative,” Guziel said. “It keeps an accurate log of all
designs for product, advertising and promotion, and captures users’
comments to keep every game on track for production. LEAFS is unlike any other
system of its kind when it comes to visualizing the nuances of the
process.” The founders of Alchemy3 are
pleased with the lottery industry’s support and response. “We
announced our startup last October at the NASPL/WLA meetings and were delighted with how
welcoming our friends at lotteries and other vendors were toward us,”
Schweig said. “We have all worked in the industry for many years, and
it is an incredible feeling to know that our lottery ‘family’ is
behind us.” Before his time at Scientific
Games, Schorr spent 10 years at a gaming company in Nevada that is an
unrestricted gaming licensee. He has been in gaming for more than 15 years.
Guziel is a gaming expert with nearly 10 years of lottery experience, plus
management of horseracing and B2B entertainment marketing programs. Schweig is
an advertising and promotions veteran with more than 20 years in consumer
packaged goods and lottery marketing. Both Schweig and Guziel have worked on
both the lottery client and vendor sides of the industry.
To learn more about Alchemy3, go to
www.alchemy3.com.
CONTACT: Jeffrey Schweig, 770.442.6993, Email:
js@alchemy3.com. 
|
