South Dakota Lottery Launches Mobile App

PIERRE, SD (May 25, 2018) -- The South Dakota Lottery's players can now enjoy Good Fun on their mobile devices.

The Lottery recently launched its mobile app, which allows users to access information about lotto jackpots, promotions, an interactive retailer map, a ticket scanner and more from Android and Apple devices. The app also allows members of the Lottery's Players Club to enter exclusive second chance drawings by simply scanning qualifying non-winning tickets.

"As we continue to strive to be a sustainable source of revenue for the State of South Dakota, we look to provide our players with responsible and exciting means of playing," Lottery Executive Director Norm Lingle said.

"We hope the mobile app provides our players with a new method of enjoying our exciting lotto, instant ticket and video lottery games."

In addition to the app's regular features, the Lottery is offering a trio of exciting promotions that coincide with the app's launch. South Dakotans can enter to win tickets to the July 8 Faith Hill and Tim McGraw concert in Sioux Falls by simply downloading the app and signing into a Players Club account. All users who download the app and create or log in to a Players Club account by June 18 will be entered to win a pair of tickets for the concert.

The second promotion will take users back in time while providing them with a second chance to win. Enter non-winning Frogger tickets through the app, and players can play a version of the classic arcade game on their mobile device with top scorers receiving more Frogger tickets.

Last but not least, Lottery players can have two chances at a new truck through the new Trucks and Bucks ticket and Play It Again drawing. All non-winning tickets can be entered through the app or the Lottery's Players Club website, and the winner of the drawing will receive a new truck.

Since its inception in 1987, the South Dakota Lottery has distributed more than $2.69 billion benefitting the state's K-12 schools, state universities and other beneficiaries that help improve the quality of life in South Dakota.

The South Dakota Lottery reminds all of its players to play responsibly. It only takes one ticket to win.

Rules for the South Dakota Lottery's current promotions can be found HERE.

SOURCE: South Dakota Lottery.

Loto--Québec’s 10X and 20X L’argent Instant Ticket Family Multiplies Sales Success

WINNIPEG, Manitoba, Canada (May 30, 2018) -- Pollard Banknote Limited (TSX: PBL) (“Pollard Banknote”) congratulates Loto-Québec on the remarkable success of its stunning multiplier family of games 10X and 20X L’ARGENT. Since launching at the end of January, $2 10X L’ARGENT and $5 20X L’ARGENT have posted impressive sales, selling 70% and 100% higher, respectively, than 5-week sales for regular games at the same price point since 2014.

Taking full advantage of a Pollard Banknote Winning Combination, which blends two eye-catching print features on one ticket, the games utilize neon ink and Scratch FX® — one of Pollard Banknote’s most successful print innovations that adds shimmer to a ticket. The bold, colourful tickets offer the chance for players to win grand prizes of $10,000 and $50,000, respectively.

“We are very pleased with the customer response to the 10X and 20X L’ARGENT family of games,” said Anne-Marie Voyer, Products and Development Director, Loto-Québec. “The combination of Scratch FX® and neon ink offered by Pollard Banknote has created a highly impactful design at retail, and the chance to multiply their winnings adds to the excitement for our players.”

“Pollard Banknote was thrilled to work with Loto-Québec on this family of games,” said Michelle Annandale, Director, Sales & Marketing, Pollard Banknote. “We value the partnership we’ve built with Loto-Québec over the past several years, and we are continuously exploring ways to add value to the Lottery’s tickets with the many innovations we offer.”

Loto-Québec’s mission is to responsibly and efficiently manage games of chance in a controlled and measured fashion, in the interest of all Quebecers. Entertainment is at the heart of its activities. From January 1 to April 18, 2018, Loto-Québec awarded 50 prizes of $1,000,000 or more and created 33 millionaires. Gagnant à vie! and Grande Vie lotteries have provided eight lucky winners with a lifetime annuity. In fiscal year 2016-2017, Loto-Québec’s contribution to the Ministère des Finances reached $1,205.6 million. These funds help support major government programs in health, education and infrastructure sectors, as well as pay down the provincial debt. For more information, visit: https://loteries.lotoquebec.com/en

About Pollard Banknote

Pollard Banknote is a leading lottery partner to more than 60 lotteries worldwide, providing high quality instant ticket products, licensed games, and a full suite of digital offerings ranging from game apps to comprehensive player engagement and iLottery solutions, including strategic marketing and management services. The company is a proven innovator and has decades of experience helping lotteries to maximize player engagement, sales, and proceeds for good causes. Pollard Banknote also plays a major role in providing pull-tab tickets, bingo paper and its Diamond Game and Oasis-branded electronic ticket machines to charitable and other gaming markets in North America. Established in 1907, Pollard Banknote is owned approximately 67.6% by the Pollard family and 32.4% by public shareholders, and is publicly traded on the TSX (PBL).  For more information, please visit our website at www.pollardbanknote.com.

CONTACT:

SOURCE: Pollard Banknote Limited.

“INTRALOT Announces Y-o-Y Revenue (+4.3%) and EBITDA (+1.9%) Growth for 1Q18”

ATHENS, Greece (May 31, 2018) -- INTRALOT SA (RIC: INLr.AT, Bloomberg: INLOT GA), an international gaming solutions and operations leader, announces its financial results for the three month period ended March 31st, 2018, prepared in accordance with IFRS.

OVERVIEW

• Revenue and EBITDA growth of +12.7% and +15.6% year over year respectively on a constant currency basis.
• Group Revenues increased by 4.3% in 1Q18, compared to 1Q17.
• EBITDA in the three-month period grew by 1.9% year over year.
• EBITDA margins on sales and on GGR both contracted by 0.3pps (at 15.2%) and 0.2pps (at 30.1%), respectively.
• EBT margin developed to 4.7% (-0.5pps vs. 1Q17).
• NIATMI (Net Income After Tax and Minority Interest) from continuing operations remained relatively stable vs. last year, developing to €-6.0m from €-6.1m.
• Operating Cash Flow in 1Q18 below last year by -8.4% or €-3.3m
• Net Debt stood at €528.3m, up €17.6m compared to December 31st 2017.
• In early May 2018, the US Supreme Court has ruled that PASPA (the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act), a 1992 federal law which prohibited states from legalizing sports betting, is unconstitutional.
• In May 2018, Intralot welcomed Mr. Michael Kogeler, as its new Group Chief Operating Officer.

1Q18

Group Headline Figures

INTRALOT Group CEO Antonios Kerastaris noted:

“The 2018 Q1 results show stronger sales and continuing growth in developed markets, reflecting increasingly successful market development efforts along with an upgrade of our offering with next generation products and services for Lotteries digital transformation. Emphasis remains on growth in markets such as the United States where the recent lift of the federal ban on sports betting creates tremendous business opportunities from the rise of a potential USD 20bn market in annual GGR terms, on top of great prospects in new flagship projects such as the Illinois State Lottery.”

OVERVIEW OF RESULTS

WAGERS HANDLED

During the three-month period ended March 31st, 2018, INTRALOT systems handled €6.3b of worldwide wagers (from continuing operations), a 2.0% y-o-y decrease. Africa’s wagers increased by 20.3%, East Europe’s by 8.5%, and South America’s by 7.1%; while Asia’s decreased by 6.9%, West Europe’s by 2.2%, and North America’s by 1.0%.

REVENUE

• Reported consolidated revenues increased by 4.3% compared to 1Q17, leading to total revenues for the three-month period ended March 31st, 2018, of €280.7m.
• Sports Betting was the largest contributor to our top line, comprising 58.9% of our revenues (posting double digit revenue growth, +11.9% year over year), followed by Lottery Games contributing 29.7% to Group turnover. Technology contracts accounted for 6.2% and VLTs represented 2.8% of Group turnover while Racing constituted the 2.4% of total revenues of 1Q18.
• Reported consolidated revenues for the three-month period are up by €11.7m year over year. The main factors that drove top line performance per Business Activity are:
  -- €+7.7m (+4.1%) from our Licensed Operations (B2C) activity line with the increase attributed mainly to higher revenues in:
  •  Poland with additional revenues of €7.9m due to the growth of the interactive Sport Betting channel (following market regulation) and the introduction of Virtual Games in 2Q17.
  •   Bulgaria (€+6.1m), mainly due to the growth in Virtual Sports fueled in part by the increased payout.
  •   Azerbaijan (€+1.7m), driven by the Sports Betting revenue growth (both retail and online)
  •   in part offset by the impact of the suspended license in Cyprus in 4Q 2017 (€-4.8m)
  •   and the lower recorded revenues, in Euro terms, from our Argentinean licensed operations (€-1.2m). In local currency, 1Q18 results posted a c.+34.0% year over year increase (higher compared to the 2015-2017 CAGR of c.27.0% in part also due to higher payout in 1Q18 vs. FY2017 and FY2016), heavily affected though by the local currency fluctuations (c.45.0% devaluation against the Euro versus a year ago) which is also the main driver for the worsening performance in Euro terms in the three-month period
  -- €+5.2m (+18.2%) from our Management (B2B/ B2G) contracts activity line with the increase driven mainly by:
  •   Turkey’s (€+3.8m) revenue increase attributed both to the growth of the Sport Betting Market year over year (c.+26% in local currency) as well as due to the shift towards Online Sports Betting (close to 60% market share vs. slightly below 50% a year ago). The benefit of the Sports Betting market expansion and mix change has been partially offset by the devaluation of the local currency (c.19.0% devaluation against the Euro versus a year ago)
  •   Morocco’s (€+1.6m) Sports Betting sales uplift attributed to the enhanced product offering
  -   €-1.2m (-2.3%) from our Technology and Support Services (B2B/ B2G) activity line with the decrease attributed mainly to:
  •   US operations worse performance (€-0.9m) in Euro terms. In local currency base our US operations recorded double digit growth compared to 1Q17 (c.+11.0%) driven by the numerical segment stronger performance, which has been fully offset though by the adverse USD movement (c.15.0% devaluation against the Euro versus a year ago). The double digit growth has also been supported by the Idaho contract renewal on better terms.
  •   Argentina’s lower recorded sales in Euro terms (€-0.9m) as a result of the significantly adverse FX movement. In local currency, 1Q18 results posted a c.+26.0% year over year increase (lower compared to the 2015-2017 CAGR of c.32.0%), heavily affected though by the local currency fluctuations (c.45.0% devaluation against the Euro versus a year ago)
  •  partially offset by the maturing Chilean contract (€+0.6m) that went live in early 1Q17
• Constant currency basis: In 1Q18, revenues—net of the negative FX impact of €22.4m—reached €303.0m (+12.7% y-o-y).

GROSS GAMING REVENUE & Payout

• Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) from continuing operations increased by 2.5% (€+3.4m to €141.5m) year over year driven by:
    -- The increase of the non-payout related GGR (+4.5% y-o-y or €3.7m) mainly due to the increase in our Management Contracts activity line revenue (+18.2% y-o-y or €+5.2m), partially offset by the softer top line performance of our Technology and Support Services activities (-2.3% y-o-y or €-1.2m)
  -- and the marginal decrease in our payout related GGR (-0.5% y-o-y or €-0.3m), which despite showcasing top line growth (+4.3% y-o-y on wagers ), this came at an increased average Payout resulting overall in a slight decrease in GGR from payout related revenue. In 1Q18 the average Payout Ratio was up by 1.4pps vs. 1Q17 (71.8% vs. 70.4%) primarily due to increasing revenue contribution of countries with above average Payout (e.g. Bulgaria & Poland) as well as due to an increasing payout trend across most operations vs. LY. The Payout Ratio in 1Q18 has benefited from the suspended license in Cyprus in 4Q 2017.

RECENT/ SIGNIFICANT COMPANY DEVELOPMENTS

• On January 17th, 2018, INTRALOT Group announced the completion of the acquisition of the 50% of the Cypriot company “KARENIA ENTERPRISES COMPANY LIMITED”, through its subsidiary INTRALOT Global Holdings BV. KARENIA ENTERPRISES holds a 30% stake in “ATHENS RESORT CASINO S.A.” which holds 51% of the Hellenic Casino Parnitha S.A.
• On February 1st, 2018, INTRALOT Group announced the signing of a new contract for INTRALOT Inc., a subsidiary of the INTRALOT Group in the United States, with CAMELOT Illinois LLC for the Illinois State Lottery through October 2027. INTRALOT will install technology solutions in approximately 7,500 retail locations. INTRALOT services are planned to transition in December 2018.
• On February 14th, 2018, INTRALOT Group announced the renewal of the current contract of INTRALOT Inc., a subsidiary of the INTRALOT Group in the United States, with the Wyoming Lottery for the five-year period from August 25, 2019, to August 25, 2024. This is the first of three five-year extension options in line with the initial contract terms.
• In mid-March 2018, INTRALOT Group proudly announced that it is one of the first companies in the gaming industry globally to be certified under the ISO 37001 standard for anti-bribery management systems. ISO 37001, Anti-bribery management systems, specifies a series of measures to help organizations prevent, detect and address bribery. These include adopting an anti-bribery policy, appointing a person to oversee anti-bribery compliance, training, risk assessments and due diligence on projects and business associates, implementing financial and commercial controls, and instituting reporting and investigation procedures.
• On April 25th, 2018, INTRALOT announced the appointment of Mr. Michael Kogeler, as Group Chief Operating Officer, effective May 2nd, 2018, following an extensive international search process. Mr. Kogeler will be responsible for the Group’s business orchestration of its operations around the world, the relationships with partners and customers as well as the trading operations.
• In early May 2018, INTRALOT Group announced that via its fully owned subsidiary, INTRALOT GLOBAL HOLDINGS BV, proceeded with the repurchase of Notes amounting to €5.0 million (€500M, 5.25% Senior Notes due 2024 ISIN XS1685702794). The Notes are traded on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange’s Euro MTF market.
• On May 14th, 2018, the US Supreme Court has ruled that PASPA (the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act), a 1992 federal law which prohibited states from legalizing sports betting, is unconstitutional.

About INTRALOT

INTRALOT, a public listed company established in 1992, is a leading gaming solutions supplier and operator active in 51 regulated jurisdictions around the globe. With €1.1 billion turnover and a global workforce of approximately 5,100 employees (3,100 of which in subsidiaries and 2,000 in associates) in 2017, INTRALOT is an innovation – driven corporation focusing its product development on the customer experience. The company is uniquely positioned to offer to lottery and gaming organizations across geographies market-tested solutions and retail operational expertise. Through the use of a dynamic and omni-channel approach, INTRALOT offers an integrated portfolio of best-in-class gaming systems and product solutions & services addressing all gaming verticals (Lottery, Betting, Interactive, VLT). Players can enjoy a seamless and personalized experience through exciting games and premium content across multiple delivery channels, both retail and interactive. INTRALOT has been awarded with the prestigious WLA Responsible Gaming Framework Certification by the World Lottery Association (WLA) for its global lottery operations.

Download the entire financial report.

For more information CONTACT: Mr. Chris Sfatos, Group Director Corporate Affairs, email: sfatos@intralot.com or Investor Relations Dept. email: ir@intralot.com, Phone: +30-210 6156000, Fax: +30-210 6106800

SOURCE: INTRALOT (www.intralot.com)

“OPAP Forward”: 21 SMEs in the Second Phase of the Program

ATHENS, Greece (May 30, 2018) – Faithful to its strategy of generating value for the Greek economy and society, OPAP implements “OPAP Forward” program for a second consecutive year. The program aims at contributing to the enhancement of entrepreneurship and employment. The 21 developing small and medium-sized companies that have been chosen to participate in the program’s second phase, as well as the results of the first phase, were presented in a special event that took place on Thursday, May 24 2018.

The 21 small and medium-sized companies of “OPAP Forward” program are: ΑGAN, Bioagros SA, DIOPAS SA, EPSA, Ioninki, Makedoniki, Papoutsanis, Coffee Island, Colors, eazybnb, e-fresh.gr, greekyogurt.gr, Green Family AE, Inart, Macpac SA, Manifest, Medbest S.A., Pelopac, Pitenis, Pobuca and Terra Creta.

The companies represent seven productive and extroverted sectors of Greek economy. In particular, they are active in tourism, retail and wholesale trade, food and beverage industry, technology sector, e-commerce, services, industrial products, and cosmetics. 65% of the companies are located in different regional areas of the country, while 25% of the companies export around 50% of their production.

OPAP CEO, Damian Cope, said: “For 60 years now, OPAP has grown hand in hand with Greece, being a responsible and credible partner for society, economy and sports. Our strategic approach is to create a better future for the new generation, which constitutes the future of the country.

“Through "OPAP Forward" program, we effectively support employment and growth, offering unique prospects to dynamic small and medium-sized enterprises. During the first year of the program, more than 2,000 direct and indirect jobs were created, already, while the total turnover of the companies increased by 25 million euros. Today, we are launching the second phase of the program that now includes 40 companies in total”.

1st Vice-President of OPAP, Spyros Fokas, commented: “The business community has responded greatly to OPAP’s initiative. We are very glad that Greek entrepreneurs are showing dynamism and vision, and search for solutions that will help their companies lay solid foundations for their future. Our market needs this kind of mentality to evolve and overcome today's difficult times, responding to the challenges that our economy and our society - especially the new generation – are facing".

ΟPAP Chief Customer Officer, Petr Matejovsky, noted: “We are very pleased by the results of this innovative program. Through 120 hours of strategic guidance, 90 counseling sessions, access to senior executives of the market and partners, as well as 40 contacts with foreign markets, the participating companies have managed to create their own success stories, strengthen their position in international market and thus increase their turnover and create new jobs”.

The first successful phase of “OPAP Forward”

The first phase of the program included: Alvion Pharmaceuticals, Anassa, Bläuel, Cream Team, Diving Status, Doctoranytime, Evrofarma, Koufetopoiia Hatziyannaki, Madame Shoushou, Nannuka, Nanophos, NISOS, Plex.Earth, Pockee, Provertia, Radiki, Roussas Dairy Company, Spotawheel and Tsililis.

With the addition of 21 SMEs, “OPAP Forward” includes now 40 companies in total. The program is implemented with the cooperation of international NGO Endeavor. All companies enjoy specialized and integrated support, as well as access to a network of senior executives of the market that will help them overcome possible obstacles and difficulties, evolving into large and successful companies that innovate, export and make the difference in their industry.

The companies that have participated in the program’s first phase have managed to increase their turnover by 20% (25 mil. Euros). They have also created 111 direct jobs and support 2,236 indirect jobs in total, through relevant synergies.

Integrated support to companies

The support to participating companies of “OPAP Forward” program includes:

• Integrated guidance through a network of successful entrepreneurs and senior executives of the market
• Training seminars in lines of action, such as strategy, financial management and human resources, marketing and sales, branding and communication
• Access to financial tools in cooperation with the National Bank
• Access to international markets
• Networking Actions with other participants as well as other entrepreneurs

Full information for the 21 new companies that participate in “OPAP Forward” program: CLICK HERE.

SOURCE: OPAP press release.

Novomatic Lottery Solutions Chosen to Supply New Innovative Games to Norsk Tipping

WIEN, Austria (May 30, 2018) -- NOVOMATIC Lottery Solutions (NLS), a modern full-service lottery supplier, has been chosen by Norsk Tipping to supply more than half of the “New Innovative Games” Norsk Tipping requested through a recent mini competition.

NLS, together with its partner Gamevy Inc., will supply the Norwegian Lottery with a total of six innovative e-Instant games.

“We are thrilled that once again our offering has proven to be the best fit for Norsk Tipping’s sophisticated online games portfolio. NLS and Gamevy each proposed five innovative game concepts to Norsk Tipping in this mini-competition and each won three.

This is a great validation of NLS’ strategy to both create innovative game content in-house and partner with leading industry suppliers such as Gamevy.

The end result of this approach for Norsk Tipping players is more innovative games that will reach a younger target audience and ignite player excitement” –commented Pall Palsson, Director of Product Management at NLS.

This win falls within the contract that NLS signed with Norsk Tipping in March 2017, following a competitive tender procedure.

Under the terms of the contract, NLS supports the growth and diversity of lottery’s e-Instant portfolio and provides business development expertise in the area of interactive games.

ABOUT NLS

NLS is a full solution alternative vendor for international lottery markets. NLS delivers games and services using state-of-the-art technology that allows for easy integration with any 3rd party systems and games.

The NLS system supports all sales channels simultaneously, creating a truly Omni-channel offering while at the same time increasing lottery revenues and returns to good causes.

With ISO 27001 certification, WLA Security Control Standard Certification and numerous lottery audits, NLS solutions guarantee the highest levels of security and reliability. NLS is part of the NOVOMATIC Group with around 30,000 employees and activities in more than 75 countries.

NLS was established in 2014 after the acquisition of Icelandic lottery provider Betware and quickly became a major player in the international lottery business.

CONTACT: Bernhard Krumpel, Head of Group Communications, NOVOMATIC AG, Mobile: +43 664 886 428 57, E: bkrumpel@novomatic.com.

SOURCE: Novomatic Lottery Solutions (NLS).

adesso helps LOTTO Thüringen to Launch a New Central Lottery System

DORTMUND, Germany (May 29, 2018) -- Lotterie-Treuhandgesellschaft mbH Thüringen (LTG) – or LOTTO Thüringen for short – put its trust in the support provided by its long-standing IT partner, adesso, during the launch of its new central lottery system. The system with modern functionality now forms the heart of the lottery business at LOTTO Thüringen.

As an IT partner, adesso has been a fixture in the German lottery landscape for over 20 years. The majority of state lottery companies already put their trust in the expertise and know-how of the IT service provider in this special segment, as does LOTTO Thüringen which recently announced that it had reached an important milestone with adesso’s support.

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LTG’s completely overhauled lottery central system, the foundation of its lottery business, recently went into successful operations. LOTTO Thüringen commissioned adesso to manage the processes for introducing and adapting the system and for the intensive testing phase relating to the go live.

Over a period of one year, adesso supervised the implementation of the new lottery system, a proven sector-specific product by an US vendor. Specifically, adesso’s integrated approach towards providing support includes the evaluation of requirements documentation and utilisation plans, customised training workshops and quality management with extensive software testing. This has ensured that the new system documents lotto requests properly and that dividends are calculated correctly and reliably.

Jochen Staschewski, LTG CEO, explains the decision to get adesso on board as an IT partner during this process of modernisation: “adesso’s integrated concept won us over. In particular, the deciding factor was the way that adesso combines years of lottery expertise with methodological testing competence.”

Once the new central system has been successfully launched in late April 2018 and after a subsequent parallel phase with live testing, adesso will remain at LOTTO Thüringen’s side in a consulting role.

adesso project manager Andreas Luckmann is particularly proud that this lottery project will also be able to serve as a reference project for the IT expert’s international lottery business: “To successfully implement this central system, we worked in an international and intercultural network with IT specialists from Germany, the United States, India, Poland, Albania, Austria, Spain and Puerto Rico. This shows that we are in a position to provide this service to lottery companies worldwide.”

Lotterie-Treuhandgesellschaft mbH Thuringia

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Lotterie-Treuhandgesellschaft mbH Thüringen (LTG) is a member of the German Lotto and Totoblock. The block companies carry out lotteries according to standard conditions of participation and have joined forces for pooling profit. The object of the company is the technical implementation of state lotteries organized and operated by the Thuringian Lottery Administration (TLV).

adesso

adesso is one of the leading IT service providers in the German-speaking area and focuses on consulting and individual software development on the core business processes of companies and public administrations. The strategy of adesso is based on three pillars: the deep industry know-how of the employees, a comprehensive technology competence and proven methods in the implementation of software projects. The result is superior IT solutions that help companies become more competitive.

adesso was founded in 1997 in Dortmund and currently employs over 2,800 people. The share is listed in the regulated market. The most important customers include Allianz, Commerzbank, Munich Re, Hannover Re, Union Investment, Bosch, West German Lottery, Swisslos, Zurich Insurance, DEVK, DAK, Medical Service of Health Insurance (MDK-IT), DZR German Dental Data Center, TÜV Rheinland, Procurement Office of the Federal Ministry of the Interior.

SOURCE: adesso press release.

Holiday Cash Add-A-Play Ticket Holders to be Refunded for Purchase Price

COLUMBIA, SC (May 30, 2018) – Any lottery player who holds a Holiday Cash Add A Play ticket depicting nine (9) Tree symbols which was purchased on December 25, 2017 between 5:51 pm until the close of the game at 7:53 pm will be reimbursed the purchase price of this ticket.

The South Carolina Education Lottery (SCEL) Board of Commissioners voted to reimburse the purchase price paid by each Holiday Cash Add-A-Play ticketholder bought on December 25, 2017 on or after 5:51 p.m. because these tickets were produced or issued in error.

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This decision is required by South Carolina Code Section 59-150-230(C)(3)(a) which provides that prizes arising from a ticket produced or issued in error must not be paid.

Before making the decision the tickets were produced or issued in error, SCEL retained Gaming Laboratories International, LLC (GLI) to conduct an independent, impartial analysis. We appreciate players’ patience during this independent investigation. The results of this analysis revealed coding errors by SCEL’s former computer gaming vendor, and the vendor’s inadequate quality assurance testing that would have discovered these errors prior to deployment of this game. These actions caused approximately 71,000 plays (wagers) to be erroneously produced, issued and printed with nine (9) Tree symbols, which were incorrectly recognized as a $500 winning play. Regrettably, these errors by the former vendor led loyal players to mistakenly believe that they held winning tickets. While SCEL is mindful of the magnitude of this decision on its players, any other decision would not comply with the law.

To seek the refund of the purchase price of the tickets, a player should mail the original Holiday Cash Add-A-Play tickets (no copies or other reproductions will be processed for reimbursement) purchased on or after 5:51(17:51) P.M. on December 25, 2017 to this address:

S.C. Education Lottery

P.O. Box 11039

Columbia, SC 29211-1039

Include your name and return address. SCEL will refund the purchase price for each returned ticket and reimburse the player for postage up to the amount of first class USPS postage for the ticket(s) submitted to SCEL. Since these reimbursements will require manual processing, we ask that players mail in all tickets to avoid wait time at the Claim Center.

Requests for Holiday Cash Add-A-Play refunds must be received by SCEL no later than January 7, 2019.

SOURCE: S.C. Education Lottery.

Global Lottery Monitoring System and the Lithuanian Gaming Control Authority Conclude Agreement

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (May 28, 2018) -- The Global Lottery Monitoring System concluded today an agreement with the Lithuanian Gaming Control Authority.

The cooperation arrangement will see the exchange of information concerning any suspicious betting identified that falls within the operational scope of the Lithuanian regulatory authority.

The two entities will be timely sharing key relevant information and will be also exploring other potential areas of cooperation, including initiatives in the field of education and prevention.

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GLMS already cooperates with a number of regulatory authorities and national platforms, as per article 13 of the Council of Europe Convention on the Manipulation of Sport Competitions.

GLMS President, Ludovico Calvi states: “We are pleased to collaborate with one more regulatory authority. This partnership will further enhance our global effort to address the phenomenon of sport competition manipulations.”

Virginijus Dauksys, Director of the Lithuanian Gaming Control Authority adds "Both our entities share the same objectives, values and commitment to tackle this phenomenon. Thanks to the information received from the GLMS, which combines global presence with local reach, we will be able to reinforce our efforts to safeguard the integrity of sports betting operations and sport in Lithuania. We look forward to this productive partnership.”

CONTACTS: GLMS

• Giancarlo Sergi, GLMS General Secretary: giancarlo.sergi@glms-sport.org
• Evangelos Alexandrakis, GLMS Deputy General Secretary, evangelos.alexandrakis@glms-sport.org

About GLMS

GLMS is the state lotteries’ mutualized monitoring system on sports betting. It aims at detecting and analyzing suspicious betting activities that could question the integrity of a sport competition. Building on six years of experience with the establishment in 2009 of ELMS with European Lotteries, GLMS went global in January 2015 extending the network to other continents.

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GLMS facilitates the sharing of sports betting information as part of the collective efforts of its members in ensuring sports integrity globally, and is dedicated to effective cooperation with all key stakeholders: regulators, law enforcement authorities, sports organizations.

GLMS currently has 29 individual Members from 4 continents (Österreichische Lotterien - Austria,  Loterie Nationale – Belgium, Hrvatska Lutrija – Croatia,  Danske Spil – Denmark, Veikkaus – Finland, La Française Des Jeux – France,  Staatliche Loterieverwaltung in Bayern – Germany, Opap SA – Greece,  Szerencsejatek – Hungary, Islenk Getspa – Iceland,  Israel Sports Betting Board  - Israel, Lottomatica – Italy, Sisal – Italy,   Norsk Tipping – Norway,  Santa Casa De Misericordia da Lisboa – Portugal,   Sportna Loterija – Slovenia,  Svenska Spel – Sweden,   Loterie Romande – Switzerland, Swisloss – Switzerland,  Nederlandse Loterij, the Netherlands,  Hong Kong Jockey Club – Hong Kong, Singapore Pools – Singapore,  Ktoto Co – South Korea, China Sports Lottery – China, Loto-Québec- Canada,  Polla Chilena de Beneficencia – Chile, Banca de Quinielas de Montevideo – Uruguay, La Marocaine des Jeux et des Sports, Morocco,  Loterie Nationale du Sénégal – Senegal) and 2 collective Members (European Lotteries Association and World Lottery Association).

About the Lithuanian Gaming Control Authority

Lithuanian Gaming Control Authority under the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Lithuania (hereinafter – Gaming Control Authority) is the state budgetary institution, taking part in the enforcement of state policy in the scope of gaming and enforcing gaming operation supervision according to the order established in legal acts. The purpose of the activity of the Gaming Control Authority is to ensure fair and transparent gaming activity and to protect rights and legal interests of gamblers. Gaming Control Authority is responsible also for supervision and control of the organizing of National lotteries. The main task of the institution is to supervise and control the operation of this activity with the purpose to protect interests and rights of players and of operators. The safeguarding of the integrity of sports betting falls also within the scope of the activities of the Lithuanian Gaming Control Authority.

SOURCE: GLMS.

On the occasion of the Football World Cup, the ARJEL Launches a Prevention Campaign on Social Networks "Betting Must Remain A Game"

PARIS, France (May 28, 2018) -- In the online gaming market, the craze for sports betting is confirmed and is growing without weaken since 2012.

This movement focuses mainly on three disciplines - football, tennis, basketball and is based on a French tradition: the taste for sporting events and enthusiastic support teams or personalities who hold high the values associated with sport such as the self-transcendence, respect for others and a taste for effort.

These good results are a satisfaction; they confirm the approved market, more protective for the player and with regard to sports betting, validate the strategy of a selective offer that limits the risks manipulation.

There is, however, a counterpart that needs to be addressed: the risk of concomitant development problem gambling. For the regulator of gambling, the concern is constant; she becomes even more important as the number of players multiplies and the stakes increase.

To face it, the ARJEL launches, on the occasion of the great meeting of the Football World Cup, a communication campaign on social networks for all sports bettors, novices or more experienced.

Around short prevention messages and a mini-series in five episodes released from 15 June, the campaign recalls some simple rules so that "bet remains a game", with the pleasure without excesses or excesses.

This communication initiative is in line with the policy of the President of ARJEL,

Charles Coppolani, who, as soon as he took office in 2014, placed the prevention of excessive gambling top of his priorities. It is based on the desire to arouse the player an awareness early to better control risk.

On the eve of the launch of the campaign, the ARJEL hopes that it will be widely relayed on the networks and commends the work of the audiovisual creation agency Goodseed Productions for its creativity and the relevance of its achievements.

SOURCE: The ARJEL.

EquiLottery CEO to Premiere Vision for Live Sports Lottery Games at GiGse

LOUISVILLE, KY (Tuesday, March 29, 2018) - With all eyes on US sports betting at the annual GiGse conference in Miami, the assembled audience of top gaming professionals in North America and beyond will be privy to a “first-of-its-kind presentation” when the event opens this week. EquiLottery CEO Brad Cummings will, for the first time in a public or private forum, provide his full vision for lottery games of chance based on live sporting events on May 31st at 3:30 PM at the Biltmore Hotel.

"EquiLottery is best known in the lottery and gaming industries through our development of Win Place Show, a game of chance based on live horse racing," said Cummings. "But the recent Supreme Court ruling striking down PASPA has allowed us to publicly expand our vision and offer new games to lotteries that will provide more money to the good causes they support. Similar to our racetrack friends and partners, we see this ruling as an opportunity to build on the platform we have already established for Win Place Show. We look forward to transferring this vision to lottery games of chance based on all live sports, including football, basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer, auto racing and golf."

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Cummings’ presentation will outline a vision for this new category and discuss in detail two conceptual games, the first a parlay style game based on live football and the second a higher stakes game based on a live auto race. Complete details, including the patented play style, suggested payouts and odds structure, will be presented to conference attendees. The games will range from smaller daily game options to larger jackpot games designed for multi-state play. All games will allow for the leagues and associations involved to get a piece of the action through a licensing fee as a percentage of sales.

"We're thrilled that EquiLottery has chosen GiGse as the platform for this first-of-its-kind presentation," said Clarion Gaming’s Head of Content, Ewa Bakun, which organizes GiGse as well as ICE London. "This kind of forward thinking is what has made Mr. Cummings an important voice in the lottery industry specifically and the gaming industry at large. This is the type of content that makes GiGse a highlight of the conference calendar each year."

EquiLottery recently announced the rebranding of its live horse racing lottery game as Win Place Show: An EquiLottery Game. Details of the new game can be found at www.WinPlaceShowLotto.com. This rebranding has set the stage for other live sports lottery games of pure chance to be developed by EquiLottery based on its U.S. and Canadian IP. These games are being developed for implementation by state and provincial lotteries and will become part of the EquiLottery family of lottery games as the company evolves its mission from the development of a single product to pioneering a new game category.

For more information on EquiLottery and its offerings, contact Brad Cummings at: brad@equilottery.com.

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For more information on GiGse, visit www.gigse.com.

About GiGse

GiGse’s two-day program, which takes place alongside the co-located Juegos Miami, will feature a wide range of industry debates including the monetization of sports betting and its relationship with Tribal Gaming, the role of technology in growing the gaming industry outside of regulatory boundaries, the utilization of behavioral data in tracking players from mobile to the casino floor, personalization and artificial intelligence as methods of engaging with digital users, as well as an examination of the pace of online gambling regulation and consumer attitudes towards it.

About EquiLottery

The creators of Win Place Show, a lottery game based on the results of live horse racing, EquiLottery has evolved into leaders of a new live sports category for state and provincial lotteries. Developing a series of live sports games of pure chance protected by US and Canadian patents, EquiLottery supports its lottery offerings through a series of products and services that make its games plug-and-play for its state lottery customers. These include systems integrations, plug and play mobile apps, video streaming, intellectual property licensing, sports licensing, horsemen negotiations, calendar development, data licensing, second chance raffle prizes and multi-channel marketing support.

CONTACT: Brad Cummings, T: (502) 644-1454, E: brad@equilottery.com.

SOURCE: EquiLottery press release.

Australasian Gaming Expo 2018 Announces New and Improved Program

SYDNEY, Australia (May 30, 2018) -- For the 29th year running, industry leaders will flock from all corners of the globe in search of innovation, growth and development at Asia Pacific’s largest and longest-running gaming and hospitality expo, Australasian Gaming Expo.

To be held at International Convention Centre (ICC) Sydney, 14-16 August 2018, it is the ‘must attend’ event for and buyers working within hotels, clubs and casinos.

Australasian Gaming Expo is the launchpad for future technological innovation, international networking opportunities and educational seminars. It’s where the community gathers to hear the latest thinking, developments and learn new ways to advance the industry.

Over three days, the world's best gaming and hospitality equipment and services are on show, with 2018 set to be its biggest and best year yet – including some exciting new additions to this year’s program.

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN

The Networking Zone will be the heartbeat for the event where business networking and meetings take place, with suites also available for private bookings.

Ross Ferrar, CEO, Gaming Technologies Association shares, “We’re making it easier than ever to make valuable business connections, with a range of networking opportunities and a dedicated Networking Lounge to bring together the whole gaming and hospitality community,”

A First Timers Program will welcome newcomers to this event, with easily identifiable lanyards, a guided show floor highlights tour and an exclusive networking event to help guests visiting for the first time get the most out of the show.

“It’s valuable opportunities like these that help our attendees do a lot of their business for the year at the Expo,”

On the back of strong registrations for last year’s seminar program, this year will also see an expanded emphasis on education and professional development.

“We’ll be introducing new educational sessions to the event, with almost 3 full days of seminars on offer. That’s a whole extra day more than last year, with almost double the content,” Ferrar adds.

This year’s program takes a look at the future of the gaming industry in Australasia, covering topics related to new technology, gaming, hospitality, service, and the customer.

Last year, exhibitors welcomed over 6,000 attendees across the 19,000 m2 of exhibition space at the Expo’s new home at ICC Sydney.

Australasian Gaming Expo is the world’s third largest hospitality and gaming tradeshow and the biggest event of its type in Australia.

To register, visit austgamingexpo.com

About Australasian Gaming Expo

Established in 1990, Australasian Gaming Expo (AGE) is the world’s third largest hospitality and gaming tradeshow. Featuring well over 200 exhibitors, welcoming more than 6,000 attendees across 19,000 m2 of exhibition space, AGE is the biggest event of its type in Australia.

AGE is the place to see new international products and services, network, attend thought-provoking seminars, seek business partners and generate sales.

SOURCE: Australasian Gaming Expo (AGE).

GLMS Welcomes the U.S. Supreme Court Decision Regarding Sports Betting and Recalls the Importance of Measures Against Manipulations of Sport Competitions and Illegal Betting

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (May 30, 2018) -- The U.S. Supreme court ruled on May 14 that states themselves should have the right to regulate and tax sports betting, and considered it unconstitutional for the federal government to ban them from doing so. The court’s decision came in the case of Christie vs. the National Collegiate Athletic Association, a challenge by New Jersey to the federal Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), which banned all states outside of Nevada from offering single-event sports betting. Three other states -- Montana, Oregon and Delaware -- were allowed to offer limited forms of betting under PASPA.

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GLMS President, Ludovico Calvi states: “GLMS welcomes the US Supreme Court decision which enables US states to establish their own regulated sports betting and combat, as a result, illegal betting activities. GLMS recalls that there are key integrity matters that need to be taken into account in this respect to safeguard sport competitions. Sports betting patterns need to be effectively monitored and analysed at local and global level and a monitoring system, such as GLMS, can play a key role in this regard. GLMS also calls upon states and relevant authorities to not underestimate the threat of illegal sports betting. Concrete measures against illegal betting operators like IP blocking, financial payments blocking and ban on advertising will be of significance. Finally GLMS calls upon US federal government to consider signing and ratifying the Council of Europe Convention on the Manipulation of Sport Competitions, which provides a complete legal framework against the phenomenon of manipulation of sport competitions”.

CONTACTS: GLMS

• Giancarlo Sergi, GLMS General Secretary: giancarlo.sergi@glms-sport.org

• Evangelos Alexandrakis, GLMS Deputy General Secretary, evangelos.alexandrakis@glms-sport.org

About GLMS

GLMS is the state lotteries’ mutualized monitoring system on sports betting. It aims at detecting and analyzing suspicious betting activities that could question the integrity of a sport competition. Building on six years of experience with the establishment in 2009 of ELMS with European Lotteries, GLMS went global in January 2015 extending the network to other continents. GLMS facilitates the sharing of sports betting information as part of the collective efforts of its members in ensuring sports integrity globally, and is dedicated to effective cooperation with all key stakeholders: regulators, law enforcement authorities, sports organizations.

GLMS currently has 29 individual Members from 4 continents (Österreichische Lotterien - Austria,  Loterie Nationale – Belgium, Hrvatska Lutrija – Croatia,  Danske Spil – Denmark, Veikkaus – Finland, La Française Des Jeux – France,  Staatliche Loterieverwaltung in Bayern – Germany, Opap SA – Greece,  Szerencsejatek – Hungary, Islenk Getspa – Iceland,  Israel Sports Betting Board  - Israel, Lottomatica – Italy, Sisal – Italy,   Norsk Tipping – Norway,  Santa Casa De Misericordia da Lisboa – Portugal,   Sportna Loterija – Slovenia,  Svenska Spel – Sweden,   Loterie Romande – Switzerland, Swisloss – Switzerland,  Nederlandse Loterij, the Netherlands,  Hong Kong Jockey Club – Hong Kong, Singapore Pools – Singapore,  Ktoto Co – South Korea, China Sports Lottery – China, Loto-Québec- Canada,  Polla Chilena de Beneficencia – Chile, Banca de Quinielas de Montevideo – Uruguay, La Marocaine des Jeux et des Sports, Morocco,  Loterie Nationale du Sénégal – Senegal) and 2 collective Members (European Lotteries Association and World Lottery Association)

SOURCE: GLMS.