IGT Signs Patent Cross-License Agreement with The NOVOMATIC Group

LONDON, U.K. (March 13, 2018) -- International Game Technology PLC ("IGT") (NYSE: IGT), holder of the largest slot game feature patent portfolio in North America, announced that it has signed a patent cross-license agreement with the NOVOMATIC Group; a full-service provider in all segments of the gaming industry. Under the agreement, the NOVOMATIC Group can offer games including patented game features from the IGT portfolio, and will pay ongoing licensing fees to IGT. Financial terms of the agreement are confidential.

IGT is the global leader in gaming. We enable players to experience their favorite games across all channels and regulated segments, from Gaming Machines and Lotteries to Interactive and Social Gaming. Leveraging a wealth of premium content, substantial investment in innovation, in-depth customer intelligence, operational expertise and leading-edge technology, our gaming solutions anticipate the demands of consumers wherever they decide to play. We have a well-established local presence and relationships...

"Reaching this cross-licensing agreement with IGT enhances our global expansion strategy with access to compelling product features that have proven to be successful in North America and international markets," said Thomas Graf, CTO of NOVOMATIC AG. "We are very pleased to have this opportunity to expand our creative capacity with this vast portfolio of game features."

"We welcome NOVOMATIC to a comprehensive group of gaming industry leaders who have created a vast resource of game features patents," said Michael Prescott, IGT Senior Vice President and General Counsel, North America Gaming & Interactive. "IGT's collaborative effort to build upon North America's largest slot game feature patent portfolio now encompasses a global patent pool that we believe can foster continued industry-wide innovation."

About IGT

IGT (NYSE: IGT) is the global leader in gaming. We enable players to experience their favorite games across all channels and regulated segments, from Gaming Machines and Lotteries to Interactive and Social Gaming. Leveraging a wealth of premium content, substantial investment in innovation, in-depth customer intelligence, operational expertise and leading-edge technology, our gaming solutions anticipate the demands of consumers wherever they decide to play. We have a well-established local presence and relationships with governments and regulators in more than 100 countries around the world, and create value by adhering to the highest standards of service, integrity, and responsibility. IGT has over 12,000 employees. For more information, please visit www.igt.com.

About NOVOMATIC

The NOVOMATIC Group is one of the biggest international producers and operators of gaming technologies and employs around 25,000 staff worldwide. Founded by entrepreneur Professor Johann F. Graf in 1980, the Group has locations in 45 countries and exports high-tech electronic gaming equipment and solutions to more than 70 countries. The Group operates more than 260,000 gaming terminals in its some 2,100 plus gaming operations as well as via rental concepts.

Through its numerous international subsidiaries, the NOVOMATIC Group is fully active in all segments of the gaming industry and thus offers a diversified Omni-channel product portfolio to its partners and clients around the world. This product range includes land based gaming products and services, management systems and cash management, online/mobile and social gaming solutions as well as lottery and sports betting solutions together with a range of sophisticated ancillary products and services.

IGT CONTACTS:

• Robert K. Vincent, Corporate Communications, toll free in U.S./Canada (844) IGT-7452; outside U.S./Canada (401) 392-7452
• Phil O'Shaughnessy, Global Communications, Gaming (702) 669-2975
• Simone Cantagallo, (+39) 06 51899030; for Italian media inquiries
• James Hurley, Investor Relations, (401) 392-7190

© 2018 IGT. All other trademarks used herein are owned by IGT or its affiliates, may not be used without permission, and where indicated with a ®, are registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

SOURCE: IGT.

N.C. Education Lottery Commission Selects New Executive Director

RALEIGH, NC (March 13, 2018) -- The N.C. Education Lottery Commission on Tuesday named M. Mark Michalko, a 30-year gaming industry veteran with both U.S. lottery and international gaming experience, as the new executive director of the N.C. Education Lottery.

The appointment of Michalko, vice president and managing director of International Game Technology’s operations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, came as the commission concluded a search to replace the current director, Alice Garland. Garland is retiring at the end of March after more than seven years as executive director.

Michalko becomes the third executive director of the N.C. Education Lottery and assumes the top job as the lottery completes its 12th year of operations.

M. Mark Michalko

Courtney Crowder, chairman of the commission, said the commission’s selection of Michalko concluded a national search. He said Michalko’s experience with two state lotteries, his perspective from working on both the customer and supplier sides of the gaming industry, and his leadership skills singled him out from other candidates.

“Mark’s decades of service in the lottery industry, both nationally and internationally, brings a wealth of experience to the N.C. Education Lottery,” said Crowder. “He’s a proven leader. We’re looking forward to our lottery benefiting from that experience, leadership, and his commitment to excellence.”

Michalko served early in his career as an attorney with the Ohio Lottery and was the founding executive director of the California Lottery. During his career in the gaming industry, he has been involved in the launch of new gaming companies, product innovations, international market launches, and strategic alliances. He has worked with IGT since 2012, and assumed his current role in 2017.

While based out of IGT’s London office, Michalko chose to make his home in Chapel Hill. He received a bachelor’s in government and political science from John Carroll University and a law degree from the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law.  Michalko will join the Education Lottery on March 26.

The Education Lottery has grown into a $2.4 billion business, increasing sales every year of operations and raising now more than $600 million a year for education. In December, the lottery’s commitment to building the best practices in responsible gaming into all of its operations earned it the highest level of responsible gaming certification recognized internationally.

CONTACT: Van Denton, T: (919) 301-3308.

SOURCE: The N.C. Education Lottery.

Florida Lottery Celebrates Latest Milestone of $33 Billion in Contributions to Education over 30 Years

TALLAHASSEE, Florida (March 12, 2018) -- The Florida Lottery announced today it has reached the $33 billion mark in total contributions to the state’s Educational Enhancement Trust Fund over the past 30 years. Since the Lottery’s inception, Florida’s public schools have received more than $11.6 billion, colleges and universities have received a combined total of more than $8.4 billion, and more than $5 billion has been used to fund the Bright Futures Scholarship Program, sending over 775,000 students to college since 1997.

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Governor Rick Scott said, “Today’s news that the Lottery has reached $33 billion in total contributions to education means that more Florida students will have the opportunity to get a great education in our state. The success of the Florida Lottery has a direct connection to the continued success of Florida’s scholarship programs and world-class education system. Just this month, U.S. News & World Report again ranked Florida as the best state in the nation for higher education and this latest milestone achievement will help us continue the important work of making sure that every student has access to a great education in Florida.”

“As the Lottery celebrates its 30 years in operation, we are especially proud of this milestone moment in education funding,” said Secretary Jim Poppell. “We are thankful to Governor Scott for his leadership, our loyal players, hardworking retailers and dedicated employees who allow us to help Florida students achieve their dreams of a brighter future.”

The Lottery has established itself as a committed and dependable funding source for public education; contributing more than $1 billion annually for the past sixteen consecutive years, while remaining one of the most efficiently operated lotteries in the country. The benefits continue to be felt in communities across the state.

ABOUT THE FLORIDA LOTTERY

The Florida Lottery is responsible for contributing more than $33 billion to education and sending more than 775,000 students to college through the Bright Futures Scholarship Program. The Florida Lottery reinvests 98 percent of its revenue back into Florida’s economy through prize payouts, commissions to more than 13,000 Florida retailers and transfers to education. Since 1988, Florida Lottery games have paid more than $52.4 billion in prizes and made more than 1,900 people millionaires. For more information, please visit: www.flalottery.com.

CONTACT: Florida Lottery Communications, T: (850) 487-7727.

SOURCE: Florida Lottery.

Lottery Drawings Produce $5.9 Million in Winnings in February While Scratch-Off Winners Claim $11 Million

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana (March 5, 2018) -- Buying a drone and booking a trip to Italy were just a few of the plans Louisiana Lottery players had for some of the more than $11 million in scratch-off prizes claimed in February. The Lottery also reported more than $5.9 million won during drawings held in February.

February’s draw-style game winnings included six Powerball match-4 + PB prizes totalling $300,000 and 52 Powerball match-4 prizes totalling $5,200. There was also one Mega Millions match-4 + MB + Megaplier prize of $30,000; one Mega Millions match-4 + MB prize of $10,000; and 26 Mega Millions match-4 prizes totaling $13,000. Ninety-three players won Lotto match-5 prizes totalling $176,304, helping to bring Lotto’s monthly total winnings to $511,188. Pick 3 winning tickets totalled $2,085,470 and Pick 4 winning tickets totalled $1,515,300.

One player won an Easy 5 jackpot prize of $132,099, which brought the game’s monthly total winnings to $257,211 with an additional $118,171 won on ezmatch, an instant-win option available for an additional $1. 

“Over 29,000 Power Play purchasers won a bonus total of $255,570 in addition to their regular Powerball prizes,” Lottery President Rose Hudson said. “Over 15,000 Megaplier purchasers won a bonus total of $161,858 in addition to their regular Mega Millions prizes, including the Mega Millions match-4 + MB winner.” The Power Play option offers Powerball players the chance to increase any non-jackpot winnings. The $1 Megaplier add-on multiplies nonjackpot Mega Millions prizes by a multiplier number selected during the drawing.

In total, draw-style game winnings from drawings held in February were $5,961,720. Lottery draw-style game players have 180 days from the date of the drawing to claim the winnings from those tickets.

“We encourage players to sign the back of their tickets immediately after purchasing and to check them promptly after the drawing. Even if a ticket does not win the jackpot, it could have won another prize,” Hudson added.

In addition to $11,019,435 in scratch-off cash prizes paid during February, players also claimed $1,929,081 worth of free-ticket prizes. According to Lottery policy, scratch-off games are closed when all top prizes are claimed, and scratch-off players have 90 days from the official game closure date to redeem a winning ticket. A list of current scratch-off games, prizes remaining and claim deadlines can be found on its website, www.louisianalottery.com/scratch-offs.

While actual game performance and the amount of prizes claimed will vary from month to month, the Lottery allocates nearly 53.4 percent of sales to fund prizes. At least 35 percent of sales is transferred to the state treasury for the Minimum Foundation Program that funds K-12 public education in Louisiana. Retailers are paid 5.6 percent compensation, and the Lottery retains approximately 6 percent of sales to operate.

Hudson reminded ticket purchasers to play responsibly, encouraging anyone who has a gambling problem, or friends and family of anyone with a gambling problem, to call toll-free 1-877-770-7867 for help.  Ticket purchasers must be at least 21 years of age.  

SOURCE: Louisiana Lottery.

Gaming Laboratories International (GLI®) Names Blaine Preston Senior Client Services Representative

LAS VEGAS, NV (March 12, 2018) – Gaming Laboratories International (GLI®) has named Blaine Preston Senior Client Services Representative. In his new role, Preston will be responsible for delivering the highest level of customer service to key gaming and lottery clients.

Preston brings more than 15 years of professional experience in regulatory technical compliance, risk management, and security operations to his new role with GLI. Most recently, Preston served as Director of Security for the Missouri Lottery where he managed the Missouri Lottery’s security staff, investigations, and system security compliance program. Additionally, Preston was responsible for conducting in-depth licensing and background investigations, as well as managing lottery security oversight for more than 4,800 licensed retailers throughout Missouri.

Blaine Preston

Previously, Preston served as Enforcement Manager for the Missouri Gaming Commission. His responsibilities included regulatory compliance and enforcement, drafting rules and regulations, conducting investigations, and ensuring regulatory oversight of 13 Missouri-based casinos and corporate entities.

“It’s with great pleasure that we welcome Blaine to our growing GLI Client Services team,” said GLI Director of Client Services, Michael Capen. “His depth of experience working for both the Missouri Lottery and the Missouri Gaming Commission further enhances our ability to provide the world-class results and unmatched service our valued clients and customers have come to expect from GLI.”

Preston obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Information Systems from Missouri State University and is a Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) trainer. He is the 2015 recipient of the Missouri Lottery Executive Director’s Award for successfully implementing Missouri’s statewide lottery system.

About Gaming Laboratories International

Gaming Laboratories International, LLC delivers the highest quality land-based, lottery and iGaming testing and assessment services. GLI’s laboratory locations are found on six continents, and the company holds U.S. and international accreditations for compliance with ISO/IEC 17025, 17020, and 17065 standards for technical competence in the gaming, wagering and lottery industries. GLI also holds ISTBQ certification. For more information, visit gaminglabs.com.

CONTACT: Christie Eickelman, Vice President of Global Marketing, T: +1 (702) 914-2220 or E: c.eickelman@gaminglabs.com.

SOURCE: Gaming Laboratories International.

DC Lottery Welcomes DC2 to Family of Numbers Games

WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 9, 2018) -- The DC Lottery is pleased to announce an exciting new addition to its “family” of Numbers Games. Ticket sales for DC2, a two-digit draw game, begin on the morning of Sunday, March 11th. The first drawing will be at 2:20 p.m. that afternoon.

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DC2 is easy to play – simply select two digits each between zero and nine, and place a wager of .50 or $1. The game offerssix bet typesincluding Straight, Box, Straight/Box, Front Number, Back Number, and Combo.

DC2 is also easy to win. The game’s standout feature is its favorable the odds of 1:100 for a straight $1 wager--the best odds of any game in DC Lottery history. In addition to the $50 top prize, there are additional prizes ranging from $5 to $25.

DC2 is drawn twice daily – 2:20 p.m. and 8:35 p.m. -- at the same time as DC3, DC4, and DC5, and can be played at any DC Lottery retailer.

For more information about the DC Lottery’s family of Numbers Games, visit dclottery.com.

About

Founded in 1982, the DC Lottery is the District of Columbia Government agency that regulates the sale of gaming products and charitable gaming activities in the District of Columbia. Since its inception, the DC Lottery has awarded more than $3 billion in prizes, transferred more than $2 billion to the District’s General Fund which supports essential services in the District, and has helped local non-profits raise more than $131 million in support of social causes. Visit www.dclottery.com for detailed information about the DC Lottery and Charitable Games Control Board.

CONTACT: Agnes Moss, T: 2018 202-230-9527, E: agnes.moss@dc.gov.

SOURCE: DC Lottery.

Hurry! Registration for APLA/WLA Seminar 2018 in New Delhi, India - Closing on March 25, 2018

Dear friends of APLA

(March 12, 2018) -- Here’s a gentle reminder that registration for the APLA/WLA Seminar will close on 25 March 2018, we strongly urge you to quickly register if you have not done so yet.  Do note that time is required to apply for your travel visa and the duration required varies.  So, please don’t wait any longer!

To recap, the details for this event are as follows:

• Date: 8 – 11 April 2018 (Business Program on 9 – 10 April)
• Venue: Shangri-La’s Eros Hotel, New Delhi
• Theme: Lotteries Beyond Fortune

The easy link to the event write up, e-brochure, hotel link, etc. is HERE.

 This Seminar is being hosted and organized by APLA’s Indian members, both Sugal & Damani and Future Gaming and they have arranged key speakers to share insights with us on our industry. Panelists comprising of representatives from WLA and APLA will also present on why Asian Lotteries need retail innovation, Challenges for convergence of Lottery and Gaming and many other interesting topics.

We are pleased to also announce that our APLA representative on the WLA Responsible Gaming (RG) Working Group, Ms Emilia Mazur will also be attending the Seminar. For those of you interested to move up the RG Certification from level 1 to level 2 or from Level 2 upwards, this will be an opportune time to speak to Emilia personally to find out more.

Is your bucket list to visit all the Seven Wonders of the World? Well, we will be visiting one of the Seven Wonders of the World for our Networking day. Be awed by the famous Taj Mahal on the 11 April 2018.

Do browse through the e-brochure and also keep checking the APLA website for more announcements (www.asiapacific-lotteries.com).

See you all in New Delhi!  Hurry and register now!

Regards

Beh Swan Swan

APLA Secretariat Administrator

www.asiapacific-lotteries.com

SOURCE: APLA Secretariat Administrator.

Aristocrat Files Suit to Defend Buffalo™ Brand and Intellectual Property Against Trademark and Trade Dress Infringement

LAS VEGAS, NV (March 8, 2018) -- Aristocrat has filed a suit in the United States District Court in Nevada against AGS, LLC and PlayAGS, Inc. alleging federal trademark and trade dress infringement, as well as unfair competition.

Aristocrat is defending its proprietary Buffalo™ brand, franchise, and intellectual property.

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Aristocrat’s Buffalo is one of the most popular and recognized brands in the gaming industry. The Buffalo series includes the original Buffalo game, as well as many subsequent versions, such as Buffalo Stampede™ and Buffalo Grand™.

“We will aggressively protect our market-leading brands and intellectual property in every jurisdiction.  Buffalo is an iconic game franchise and an enduring player favorite. With this suit, Aristocrat is defending the brand and standing up against trademark and trade dress infringement, consistent with the best interests of customers and our company,” said Matt Wilson, Managing Director of the Americas.

Aristocrat filed the complaint on March 6, 2018 and has requested a jury trial. Aristocrat is seeking that AGS be preliminarily and permanently enjoined from all trademark infringement, false designation of origin, and unfair competition. Aristocrat is also seeking damages and other relief.

About Aristocrat

Aristocrat Technologies Inc. is a subsidiary of Aristocrat Leisure Limited (ASX: ALL), a leading global provider of land-based and online gaming solutions. The Company is licensed by more than 200 regulators and its products and services are available in more than 90 countries around the world. Aristocrat offers a diverse range of products and services including electronic gaming machines and casino management systems. For further information, visit the company’s website at: www.aristocrat-us.com.

CONTACT: Paul Speirs-Hernandez, Steinbeck Communications/Red Wagon Institute, T: +1 (702) 413-4278.

SOURCE: Press release provided by Steinbeck Communications/Red Wagon Institute.

White and Miller Progress Bacta Case in Whitehall

LONDON, U.K. (March 8, 2018) -- Bacta has followed up its meeting with former Conservative party leader, Iain Duncan Smith, with another appointment at Whitehall, this time with Tracey Crouch MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Sport and Civil Society.

The member for Chatham and Aylesford and the politician with responsibility for the gambling industry in all of its guises, met with Bacta chief executive John White and vice president James Miller in a meeting which provided an opportunity for the trade association to present its empirically based arguments on a range of issues including the central importance of reducing the maximum FOBT stake to £2 and the need to re-examine the stake and prize levels for cranes, pushers and non-cash payout machines.

Reporting on the meeting, John White said: “It’s very important for Bacta to have access to decision makers and influencers and I’m pleased that we have been able to reinforce our arguments with two senior politicians in the space of a week.

While the precise details of our conversations clearly have to remain confidential, Tracey Crouch and before her, Iain Duncan Smith, have displayed a progressive outlook and an understanding of the social responsibility commitments made by our members, the important role that family businesses play in local communities and the commercial pressures they are facing as major contributors to the tourism and leisure economy.”

He added: “Obviously the FOBT issue is very timely and the Centre for Economics and Business Research report provides a progressive case for a £2 stake which is far removed from the initial impact assessment quoted by the government and which takes into account the costs of addressing the significant social problems caused by FOBTs.

However, most of our time with Tracey Crouch was spent explaining why stake and prize increases for cranes and pushers are warranted and necessary.

As requested we will be submitting further evidence to support our case. As the PwC player research demonstrated our industry is about Fun which is the huge point of difference between our businesses and the bookmakers: I’m confident this fundamental point is being recognised by government.”

About bacta:

Bacta represents the amusement and gaming machine industry in the UK, encompassing high-tech and creative manufacturers, machine suppliers for pubs, clubs and bingo halls, as well as operators of Family Entertainment Centres and over 18s Gaming Centres.

Bacta members include the whole of the amusement machine supply chain in the UK, which has a collective turnover of nearly £2bn across more than 500 companies, operating in excess of 310,000 machines.

SOURCE: Bacta press release.

Veikkaus’ Year 2017: The First Year of the New Veikkaus Went According to Expectations

FINLAND (March 12, 2018) -- Veikkaus’ financial result for the year 2017 turned out as expected, amounting to EUR 1 021.3 million. During its first year of operations, Veikkaus invested especially in the smooth functioning of the gaming operations, integration of the game systems and ways of operating, as well as the development of responsible gaming tools. The new Veikkaus was born when the three former gaming operators Veikkaus, RAY, and Fintoto were integrated at the beginning of 2017.

• Turnover EUR 3 230.9 million
• Profit EUR 1 021.3 million
• A new veikkaus.fi online store was launched in 2017. All the games were united under one game account.
• Veikkaus has over 2 million Loyal Customers.
• Slot Machines and Instant Games, and Skill Games are especially popular among our customers.
• Of the turnover, 58% come from the retail sales network, 42% from the digital channels.

The profit of the new Veikkaus exceeded the projected amount to be distributed to the beneficiaries, recorded in the State Budget 2017, which was EUR 1 003.5 million.

“The first year of the new Veikkaus was successful in spite of the challenges associated with the integration, and we were able to generate the projected profit to our beneficiaries,” says Veikkaus’ President and CEO Olli Sarekoski.

The share of identified gaming of all playing of Veikkaus games went up to 40.6% (+1.6 percentage points). Increasing identified gaming is one of Veikkaus’ core strategic objectives.

“Identified gaming helps us to offer our customers even more responsible tools for gaming management. Last year we renewed the Veikkaus Card, which now enables our customers to play identified even on slot machines,” says Sarekoski.

In 2017 we also adopted tools for the management of online gaming, which are unique in an international setting; and the Loyal Customer Programme, which has two million members, was supplemented with new features supporting responsible gaming. Further, Veikkaus made a decision to launch a strategic project, which aims at as extensive identification as possible on decentralised slot machines starting from January 1, 2023.

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The Finnish gaming market totalled ca. EUR 1 978 million in terms of GGR in 2017. This meant a growth of one percent. Veikkaus’ share of the total market was ca. 90%. There is competition especially in the field of digital gaming, where even foreign operators are active.

Gaming moving increasingly over to digital channels

One of the year’s most significant achievements was the launch of the new online store veikkaus.fi, and the integration of the old operators’ game accounts. Veikkaus.fi online service had an average of 525 000 buying customers a week, and a total of 1.3 million customers during the year. Mobile gaming is increasing in popularity, and at the end of the year, 44% of the digital sales came from gaming on mobile appliances.

Among the game groups, our customers favoured especially Slot Machines and Instant Games, and Skill Games. The games to increase their popularity most were fixed odds betting games, table games, and digital slot machine games. The launch of Kulta-Jaska 2 slot machine game was particularly successful, both on slot machines and at veikkaus.fi. The popularity of the new Lucky game, Kaikki tai ei mitään, also exceeded expectations. 

Financial profit to society

Veikkaus’ direct financial profit to society during the year under review can be calculated to amount to a total of EUR 1 273.8 million. The company returned EUR 537.8 million to the Ministry of Education and Culture, EUR 436.3 million to the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, and EUR 40.6 million to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. Further, the company paid EUR 212.8 million in lottery tax to the State, and the financial result was affected by the cost impacts of a total of EUR 46.3 million of VAT paid.

About

Veikkaus is a Finnish gaming company with a special mission. We want people to play our games safely and with moderation.

Almost all adult Finns play our games; we have over two million loyal customers.

Thanks to the players, over one billion euros a year are accumulated for the common good. The gaming revenue is used to offer people chances for better lives.

SOURCE: Veikkaus Oy (www.veikkaus.fi/company).

The Florida Lottery Introduces Two New Fast Play Games – the Fastest Way to Win!

TALLAHASSEE, Florida (March 12, 2018) -- The Florida Lottery’s newest Fast Play games, FAST CASH and FULL OF 100S, are on sale today! At just $2 per ticket, FAST CASH offers top prizes of $10,000. FULL OF 100S offers top prizes of $100 for just $1 a play.

Fast Play game tickets print on-demand from the Lottery terminal, and can be played immediately. If the ticket is a winner, the prize can be claimed instantly! FAST CASH and FULL OF 100S can be purchased at any of the Lottery's more than 13,000 retailer locations statewide.

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To play, simply ask a retailer for a Fast Play ticket for the FAST CASH or FULL OF 100S game; or present a Fast Play play slip, tear-away sheet, or Fast Play barcode to the retailer and a ticket will print automatically.

Follow the instructions printed on the ticket to determine if you are a winner.

The overall odds of winning a FAST CASH prize are one-in-3.53 and the odds of winning the top prize are one-in-360,000. The overall odds of winning a FULL OF 100S prize are one-in-4.62 and the odds of winning the top prize are 1-in-480.

Prizes up to $10,000 can be claimed at any Florida Lottery office and prizes less than $600 can be redeemed immediately at any Florida Lottery retailer. Fast Play game prizes must be claimed within 60 days after the official end of game.

ABOUT THE FLORIDA LOTTERY

The Florida Lottery is responsible for contributing more than $32 billion to education and sending more than 775,000 students to college through the Bright Futures Scholarship Program.

The Florida Lottery reinvests 98 percent of its revenue back into Florida's economy through prize payouts, commissions to more than 13,000 Florida retailers and contributions to education. Since 1988, Florida Lottery games have paid more than $56.3 billion in prizes and made more than 2,000 people millionaires. For more information, please visit: www.flalottery.com

CONTACT: Florida Lottery Communications, T: (850) 487-7727.

SOURCE: Florida Lottery.

Marking 46th Anniversary, PA Lottery Prepares for iLottery, Keno, Virtual Sports Monitor Games

MIDDLETOWN, Pennsylvania (March 14, 2018) -- The Pennsylvania Lottery is marking the 46th anniversary of its first drawing, which took place on March 15, 1972. Since then, the Lottery has paid nearly $48 billion in prizes and generated more than $28 billion to benefit older Pennsylvanians.

"As we reflect on 46 great years, we're hard at work to build the Pennsylvania Lottery of the future," said Executive Director Drew Svitko. "In coming months, we'll launch an iLottery online gaming platform and new types of draw games that will help us to modernize our business and generate new funds to benefit older Pennsylvanians."

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Planned for launch in May, iLottery games will offer players located in Pennsylvania a new way to play and win from a mobile device or computer.

The Lottery is also recruiting retailers to offer Keno, a new draw game scheduled to begin sales in May. Virtual sports monitor games, expected to launch in June, will show simulated sporting events that depict the outcome of random computerized drawings.

Traditional draw games, scratch-offs and Fast Play games will not be sold through iLottery at launch, but will continue to be available at more than 9,400 retail locations.

"Adding iLottery games, Keno and virtual sports monitor games will help us to remain competitive in a rapidly changing business climate, but lottery games sold at retail will remain the foundation of our business and generate the majority of funds to benefit older Pennsylvanians," Svitko added.

These planned developments are the latest major steps in a decades-long evolution of the Pennsylvania Lottery, which started with just one game.

On March 7, 1972, sales launched for a 50-cent ticket with weekly drawings for a $50,000 top prize and periodic drawings for $1 million. The first $1 game, Lucky 7, launched that November and featured a weekly drawing.

The first scratch-off game, aptly named Instant Lottery, debuted in 1975. Nightly televised drawings debuted in 1977 with The Daily Number – now known as PICK 3.

The Lottery's original purpose was to provide property tax relief for older homeowners.

Today, proceeds are directed to five main program areas: property tax and rent rebates, transportation, care services, prescription assistance, and a variety of local services provided through Area Agencies on Aging across the state.

These benefit programs help to make a significant improvement in the quality of life for older adults who receive services.

"We're excited to develop new types of games that will bolster support for programs that benefit older Pennsylvanians," Svitko said. "We know that future generations of seniors will be counting on us to be there to help."

Find a full timeline of Lottery highlights online at our History page at palottery.com. The website offers details on dozens of games, chances of winning, winning numbers, and how to claim a prize.

About The Pennsylvania Lottery

The Pennsylvania Lottery remains the only state lottery to direct all proceeds to programs that benefit older residents. Since ticket sales began in 1972, it has contributed more than $28 billion to fund property tax and rent rebates, transportation, care services, prescription assistance, and local services including senior centers and meals.

Players must be 18 or older. Do not give lottery games to children. Please play responsibly. Call 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) for help with a compulsive gambling problem.

Visit palottery.com for winning numbers, rules, chances of winning, and to join the VIP Players Club for second chances to win. Install our official mobile app, like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @PALottery.

CONTACT: Lottery Media Relations, 717-702-8008.

SOURCE: Pennsylvania Lottery.

Gaming Laboratories International (GLI®) Becomes First Test Lab to Issue IP Blocking Certificates for Philippines Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) License Holders

MANILA, Philippines (March 15, 2018) – Gaming Laboratories International’s (GLI®) Asia-Pacific (APAC) operations, led by GLI Australia, is proud to announce that it has become the first independent accredited gaming test laboratory to successfully complete and issue IP Blocking Certificates for Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) Licensees, pursuant to Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp (PAGCOR)’s existing POGO Rules and Regulations.

GLI’s testing and resultant certificates were undertaken in accordance with a Memorandum issued by PAGCOR to all POGO Licensees, requiring them to ensure that their IP address(es) used for offshore gaming operation were not accessible within the jurisdiction of the Philippines, on or before March 15, 2018.

GLI’s Vice President of iGaming Salim Adatia said: “We are honored to be the first PAGCOR-accredited gaming laboratory to test and certify various IP blocking protocols and solutions for POGO Licensees. We knew the importance PAGCOR placed on this mandate and how paramount IP blocking integrity is to this jurisdiction, which now hosts the largest number of online gaming operators in the APAC region.”

“Through our Adelaide, Sydney, and Macau test facilities, we are delighted to provide PAGCOR POGO license holders with the highest quality and most effective IP blocking testing services in the industry,” added GLI Asia’s General Manager of Client Services, Marina Wong.

GLI is authorized to provide independent testing and professional services to the Philippines, all Australian states and territories, New Zealand, Macau, Singapore and other APAC gaming jurisdictions. With more than 20 years of operations in APAC, GLI is the most qualified and experienced independent gaming laboratory in the region. GLI has offered extensive expertise and services to online licensees relating to IP Blocking Testing, Game, Platform, RNG, and Live Dealer testing. The lab also provides training through GLI University®; field inspections; responsible gaming; and security audits of all sorts including penetration testing, vulnerability analysis, and threat and risk assessments.

About Gaming Laboratories International

Gaming Laboratories International (GLI®) is committed to the Asia Pacific and delivers world-class independent testing and certification services to more than 475 global jurisdictions. For nearly 30 years, the company has helped ensure integrity in the industry with more than 1,100 highly trained professionals. GLI holds accreditations for compliance with ISO/IEC 17025, 17020, and 17065 standards for technical competence in the land-based and online gaming, wagering and lottery industries. For more information about GLI’s growing portfolio of services, please visit gaminglabs.com.

CONTACT: Christie Eickelman, Vice President of Worldwide Marketing, T: +1 (702) 914-2220 or E: c.eickelman@gaminglabs.com.

SOURCE: Gaming Laboratories International.

Yggdrasil Continues Italy Expansion with Lottomatica Agreement

MALTA (March 14, 2018) -- Yggdrasil Gaming has further expanded its presence in Italy after agreeing a deal with the country’s largest online operator, Lottomatica.

Yggdrasil’s portfolio of certified slots will be available to customers of the lottomatica.it and totosi.it brands, with the operator also gaining access to Yggdrasil’s collection of in-game promotional tools, BOOST™.

Yggdrasil Gaming CEO Fredrik Elmqvist said: “Italy has quickly emerged as one of Europe’s most important igaming markets, and major operators like Lottomatica have played an important role in this process.

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“This partnership enables us to build upon our favourable growth in Italy, and develop a long-lasting and fruitful relationship with Lottomatica.”

About Yggdrasil Gaming

Yggdrasil Gaming is a provider of superior online and mobile casino games. It has emerged as one of the industry’s most respected and acclaimed suppliers and provides games for some of the world’s biggest operators, including: bet365, Betsson Group, bwin.party, Cherry, LeoVegas, Mr Green, Casumo and Unibet.

The company is headquartered in Malta, with a major development office in Krakow, Poland and regional offices in Stockholm and Gibraltar. The firm holds licences in Malta, Romania, Gibraltar and the United Kingdom.

Yggdrasil’s slots are renowned for their outstanding graphics and gameplay and many have become global hits. They are integrated via the industry-changing iSENSE 2.0 HTML client framework which allows for simultaneous launches on desktop and mobile, and is supported by BOOST™, a collection of promotional tools focused on engagement and retention via concepts such as Missions, Super Free Spins™ and Cash Race, and BRAG, an industry-first concept which allows for the promotion of games via social channels.

iSENSE 2.0+, launched in April 2017, includes a number of industry-leading features, including retina support for crisper visuals, a new minimalistic mobile UI with a sleek and fresh feel, and a new and easy in-game deposit process.

Yggdrasil was the winner of Innovator Supplier of the Year at the 2017 and 2018 International Gaming Awards, Slot Provider of the Year at the 2016 and 2017 EGR B2B Awards, Gaming Software Supplier of the Year at the 2016 International Gaming Awards and Software Rising Star at the 2015 EGR B2B Awards.