Jeff Anderson Appointed as Idaho Lottery and Liquor Director by New Governor

BOISE, Idaho (January 8, 2019) -- Newly elected Idaho Governor Brad Little has appointed Jeff Anderson to continue his service as Director for both the Idaho Lottery and the Idaho State Liquor Division. 

Anderson has served as Idaho Lottery Director since 2007 and as Director of the Idaho State Liquor Division since 2010.  During his years of service, the Lottery and Liquor Division have combined to return over a billion dollars in dividends from product sales to the People of Idaho.

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“It is an honor to serve in Governor Little’s new administration,” Anderson said. “His focus on integrity, transparency, and prudent fiscal policy will continue to make Idaho a leader in opportunity, and growth.”

In addition, Anderson has represented the State’s interests nationally by serving as the President of both the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries and the Multi-State Lottery Association.  He was also Chairman of the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association.

Prior to joining the Idaho Lottery in 2007, he spent 25 years in broadcasting, most recently as Vice-President and General Manager of CBS affiliates KBOI-TV (Boise) and KIDK-TV (Idaho Falls) from 1996 to 2006.

ABOUT THE IDAHO LOTTERY

The Idaho Lottery responsibly provides a variety of entertaining games featuring Powerball, Mega Millions, Scratch GamesTM, and PullTabs with a high degree of integrity to maximize the dividend for Idaho public schools and the permanent building fund. Since their inception in 1989, the Idaho Lottery has sold nearly $3.7 billion in products, awarded over $2.2 billion in prizes to players, returned $216 million in retail commissions, and distributed $846 million in Lottery dividends to Idaho public schools and the Permanent Building Fund. To learn more, please visit www.idaholottery.com.

CONTACT: David Workman, Idaho Lottery Public Information Specialist, T: (208) 334-2600.

SOURCE: The Idaho Lottery (www.idaholottery.com).

Wyolotto Transfers Largest Amount to Wyoming to Date

CHEYENNE, WY (January 8, 2019) – On January 4, WyoLottoTM transferred $2,808,707.03 to the State Treasurer’s Office. This is the largest amount ever transferred to the state since the launch of the Wyoming Lottery in 2014, doubling the last quarterly transfer of $1.4 million.

“Eclipsing the $2 million transfer mark is very exciting and amazing news for Wyoming residents,” Jon Clontz, CEO of WyoLotto, said.

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“On the heels of two Wyomingites winning the $3.3 million Cowboy Draw jackpot and now this record-breaking state transfer, we’re thankful to be able to give back and to enrich the lives of our players,” Clontz concluded.

 In addition to this quarterly transfer, this is the fifth consecutive transfer to the state of over $1 million, bringing the total transfer amount to over $13.6 million since April 2016. Since launch, WyoLotto has also seen 3,777,491 winners, over $51 million in player winnings, and nearly $8 million in retailer commissions. These are just a few of the many ways the Wyoming Lottery has made substantial impacts on the state.

You can find out more on how the money is distributed to the counties on the State Treasurer's website that has links to PDF's of all of the distributions for each quarterly transfer.To receive updates and notifications about Cowboy Draw™, Lucky for LifeⓇ, Mega MillionsⓇ or PowerballⓇ, visit wyolotto.com/signup.

The Wyoming Lottery Corp.

The Wyoming Lottery Corp. is a corporate business entity established by House Bill 77 in the 2013 legislative session and signed into law by Governor Matt Mead. The corporation operates as a private business and does not employ state employees or use state tax money. State law requires Lottery revenue to be distributed to cities, towns and counties based on ticket sales. 

SOURCE: Wyoming Lottery Corporation.

Pollard Banknote Applauds Minnesota Lottery’s Record FY 2018 Instant Scratch Sales

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (January 7, 2019) -- Pollard Banknote Limited (TSX: PBL) (“Pollard Banknote”), a leading lottery partner that provides instant tickets, interactive solutions, and marketing support, congratulates the Minnesota Lottery on a record-breaking fiscal year 2018. The Lottery achieved its highest overall sales to date, reaching $596.5 million, driven primarily by instant scratch game sales, which also set a record of $411.2 million.

Pollard Banknote began its partnership with the Minnesota Lottery in 2007 and currently serves as the Lottery’s primary instant ticket supplier. Over the last 10 years, Pollard Banknote has supplied the Lottery with a full range of instant ticket products and services, including jurisdiction-specific design, marketing, and strategic recommendations.

The Lottery’s sales achievement is a result of various successful instant products and strategies. Pollard Banknote has worked closely with the Lottery on many initiatives including the introduction of outstanding game concepts -- such as eye-catching oversized tickets (larger than 48 square inches in area), innovative products such as PlayBook Mini™, multi-scene games, and popular licensed brands like Frogger and Ultimate Getaway -- and the development of creative prize structures.

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In collaboration with Pollard Banknote, the Minnesota Lottery has become the U.S. leader of oversized tickets, currently offering three large-format games in the market. This year, Super Bonus Crossword and Xtreme Cash added to the Lottery’s previous five oversized tickets, all of which were printed by Pollard Banknote. Super Bonus Crossword is the Lottery’s best-selling $20 crossword game to date (based on 10-week average sales) and Xtreme Cash’s 10-week average sales were 87% higher than the average $10 game launched in Minnesota since 2009!

Minnesota Treasures -- the first PlayBook Mini™ game launched in the U.S.—combined Pollard Banknote’s ‘fun-size’ version of its patented PlayBook® with prominent Minnesota landmarks. Measuring in at 4” x 3.9”, Minnesota Treasures brought together multiple games with various play styles in one entertaining booklet. This game contributed to a remarkable 39% sales growth in the $10 category, based on a comparison of sales 10-weeks before and after its launch.

One of the Lottery’s most popular $5 games in 2018 was Double Your Money. Pollard Banknote developed a prize structure that allowed for starting prizes of $10 (double the cost the ticket), while maintaining the Lottery’s standard quantity and odds. The game’s 10-week average sales were 67% higher than the Lottery average $5 game launched since 2009!

“Pollard Banknote extends our warmest congratulations to the Minnesota Lottery on achieving a record-breaking sales year,” remarked Byron Peterson, Director, Sales & Marketing, Pollard Banknote. “This significant accomplishment is well-deserved and reflects the Lottery’s hard work, dedication, and commitment to creating unique and engaging player experiences for Minnesotans. As a partner to the Minnesota Lottery for more than a decade, Pollard Banknote is extremely proud of the Lottery’s success and we look forward to helping it achieve continued sales growth in support of good causes in the coming years.”

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Click here for the latest electronic version of Lottery Insights.

“We are very excited to have reached record-breaking sales in fiscal year 2018. This success translated into a record $145 million for our beneficiaries including the state’s General Fund and various environmental programs,” said Robert Doty, Executive Director of the Minnesota Lottery. “In addition to offering high quality, innovative instant scratch tickets, Pollard Banknote supports the Lottery with guidance and expertise in research and marketing, with the ultimate goal of increasing revenue for good causes in the state of Minnesota.”

The Minnesota Lottery has been supporting good causes throughout the state since 1989. Over the years the Lottery has raised more than $2.9 billion for programs that improve the quality of life for Minnesotans. In FY 2018, the Lottery returned a record of $145 million to its beneficiaries, including $77 million to the state’s General Fund, $66 million to environmental programs, and $2 million to support problem gambling prevention and treatment programs. For more information about the Lottery, please visit: www.mnlottery.com.

About Pollard Banknote

Pollard Banknote is a leading lottery partner to more than 60 lotteries worldwide, providing high quality instant ticket products, licensed games, Schafer Systems retail merchandising solutions, 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 provides 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.

Tennessee Lottery Awarded Prestigious Responsible Gaming Certification

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (January 8, 2019) -- The World Lottery Association (WLA) has awarded the Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation its highest level of recognition for the Lottery’s responsible gaming initiatives. This Level 4 Responsible Gaming Certification is bestowed upon lotteries that “integrate specific responsible gaming programs into their day-to-day operations and decision-making” and demonstrate continuous improvement in these areas.

Only five other U.S. lotteries have earned this prestigious honor.

“We are proud of this accomplishment and the recognition of our ongoing commitment to responsible gaming,” said Rebecca Hargrove, President and CEO of the Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation.

“We work hard to incorporate a framework of responsible play in all of our operations, from game design and marketing to player education and treatment referral.”

The Lottery also earned the WLA’s “Flagship Responsible Gaming Award” recently for “showcasing best practices and innovation” in designing its games.

The WLA is a member-based organization of over 140 state lottery and gaming organizations from more than 80 countries on six continents. Its mission is to advance the interests of state-authorized lotteries through a variety of programs that foster relationships and establish best practices for lotteries across the globe.

About the Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation

The Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation operates entirely from the revenue it generates through the sale of its products. Since January 20, 2004, the Lottery has raised more than $4.7 billion to fund designated education programs, including after-school programs, college grants and scholarships and the Governor’s Drive to 55 initiatives.

In addition to the educational beneficiaries, players have won more than $12.9 billion in prizes and Lottery retailers have earned more than $1.2 billion in retailer commissions.

For additional information, visit tnlottery.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram. Have Fun. Play Responsibly.

CONTACT: Kym Gerlock, T: 615-324-6556, E: kym.gerlock@tnlottery.com.

SOURCE: The Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation.

New Decade, New Logo; Kentucky Lottery Unveils New Logo as Part of 30th Anniversary Celebration

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (January 8, 2019) -- With the Kentucky Lottery’s 30th anniversary occurring in 2019, a new logo that better represents its roots in the Bluegrass has been unveiled.

“The lottery is a different organization than we were ten years ago when the last logo was rolled out, and I felt it was time for a redo,” said Lottery President and CEO Tom Delacenserie. 

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He said players and the public should see a gradual rollout of the logo over the course of the next year.

The new art, developed by Louisville advertising agency Bandy Carroll Hellige (BCH), was specifically designed to connect the Kentucky Lottery and Kentucky itself.

“We want consumers to think about the fun of the games and feel good about the lottery’s dedication to the state,” said Gary Sloboda, BCH partner and executive creative director.

“This new logo effectively reinforces that Kentucky is the focus of the lottery’s mission. The horse represents pride in Kentucky history, and the depiction of ‘fast motion’ captures the lottery’s commitment to innovation and forward thinking. We played around with a variation of designs and colors, but nothing spoke to us quite like the thoroughbred.”

Modern lottery sales began in Kentucky on April 4, 1989. Delacenserie said a number of events are planned around the date in 2019, including the launch of what he called “a ticket unlike anything ever offered in Kentucky” closer to the anniversary date.

CONTACT: Chip Polston | Sr. VP of Communications, PR and Social Responsibility, P: +1 502 560-1675.

SOURCE: Kentucky Lottery Corporation.

Maryland Lottery Receives Responsible Gambling Certification

BALTIMORE, Maryland (January 9, 2018) -- As part of its ongoing commitment to responsible gambling, the Maryland Lottery is proud to announce that it has been approved for Level 3 certification by the World Lottery Association (WLA).

Based in Basel, Switzerland, the WLA is a global organization that offers four levels of responsible gambling certification. Member lottery organizations must demonstrate adherence to the WLA’s Responsible Gambling Principles and Framework by documenting their practices across the entire range of operations, including game design, marketing, sales, advertising, player education and engagement with other gambling stakeholders.

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In its application for Level 3 status, the Maryland Lottery reviewed its responsible gambling initiatives and committed to developing additional programs that will be necessary to achieve Level 4, the most advanced WLA certification. Applications are reviewed by the WLA’s Independent Assessment Panel (IAP), which is comprised of lottery industry and problem gambling experts.

“We’ve made an organizational commitment to promoting responsible play, and it’s an honor to receive recognition from the WLA,” said Maryland Lottery and Gaming Director Gordon Medenica. “We thank the members of the IAP for their evaluation and assessments, which will be invaluable as we continue to develop new responsible gambling efforts.”

Lottery and gaming organizations from 20 U.S. states and more than 80 nations on six continents are members of the WLA. Eight U.S. lotteries have achieved Level 4 status.

The Maryland Lottery includes responsible play messaging on all of its tickets, advertising and point-of-sale materials, along with the 1-800-GAMBLER helpline number. Callers to the helpline can receive confidential assistance 24 hours a day. The Lottery also conducts multi-tiered reviews of its games and promotions to ensure that they do not encourage excessive play and that they are not marketed to minors.

In 2010, Maryland Lottery and Gaming formed the Maryland Alliance for Responsible Gambling (MARG), a collaborative forum through which the state’s gambling stakeholders work together to develop and enhance resources to help those impacted by problem gambling.

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Among the founding members of MARG is the Maryland Center of Excellence on Problem Gambling, which provides free problem gambling assessment and treatment to Maryland residents. Maryland’s casino operators pay annual assessments into the state’s problem gambling fund, which helps pay for the Center of Excellence’s operations.

In Fiscal Year 2018, these assessments totaled more than $5.2 million. Maryland is among the top 10 U.S. states in terms of per capita funding for problem gambling programs.

“Congratulations to the Maryland Lottery on its WLA certification,” said Lori Rugle, Responsible Gambling Specialist with the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries. “The Lottery has played a key role in Maryland, assuring that help is available for individuals who struggle with gambling problems. I’m confident its efforts will continue to develop.”

Since its inception in 1973, Maryland Lottery and Gaming has awarded more than $25.6 billion in prizes to Lottery players and more than $16 billion in Lottery revenue to the State of Maryland.

One of Maryland’s largest revenue sources, the Lottery supports important state programs and services including education, public safety and health, human resources and the environment.

For more information, go to mdlottery.com. Please remember to play responsibly and within your budget. For confidential help or information about gambling problems, visit mdgamblinghelp.org or call 1-800-GAMBLER.

CONTACT: Carole Bober Gentry, 410-230-8725 (office), 410-365-6384 (cell), E: carole.gentry@maryland.gov.

SOURCE: Maryland Lottery and Gaming.

Montana Lottery Commission Proposes Amendments and Adoption to Rules

HELENA, Montana (January 7, 2019) -- On February 12, 2019, the State Lottery Commission proposes to amend and adopt rules governing the Montana Lottery.

The rules proposed for amendment are ARM 2.63.204, 2.63.407, 2.63.606 and 2.63.1201 and cover general provisions, retailer commission, duplicate licenses and prizes and adoption of New Rule I pertaining to acceptable forms of payment.

Any questions or comments concerning these rules should be directed to Bryan Costigan, Security Director for the Montana Lottery, by phone: (406) 444-5804 or email: bcostigan@mt.gov.

Comments must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. on February 8, 2019.

An electronic copy of the full proposal notice can be found on our website.

The Montana Lottery was created by referendum in 1986. Since then, it has paid over $590 million in prizes and returned approximately $259 million to the State of Montana.

SOURCE: The Montana Lottery.

Maryland Casinos Generate $148.4 Million During December

Casino gaming revenue contributes $61 million to the state

Baltimore, MD (January 7, 2019) -- Maryland Lottery and Gaming today announced that December 2018 gaming revenues for the state’s six casinos totaled a $148,381,413 an increase of $7,347,286 (5.2%) compared to the December 2017 total of $141,034,126.

Contributions to the State of Maryland from December 2018 casino gaming revenue totaled $61,032,048, including $45,792,178 for the Education Trust Fund.

Casino gaming revenues also support local communities and jurisdictions where the six casinos are located, as well as Maryland’s horse racing industry.

Maryland has six privately owned casinos that offer both slot machines and table games: MGM National Harbor in Prince George’s County; Live! Casino & Hotel in Anne Arundel County; Horseshoe Casino Baltimore in Baltimore City; Hollywood Casino Perryville in Cecil County; Ocean Downs Casino in Worcester County; and Rocky Gap Casino Resort in Allegany County.

Five of the six casinos saw year-over-year increases compared to their December 2017 gaming revenue totals:

• MGM National Harbor (3,137 slot machines, 198 table games) $59,916,626 in December 2018, an increase of $3,340,758 (5.9%) from December 2017.
• Live! Casino & Hotel (3,825 slot machines, 198 table games) $50,075,907 in December 2018, an increase of $2,876,453 (6.1%) from December 2017.
• Horseshoe Casino Baltimore (2,194 slot machines, 158 table games) $22,226,466 in December 2018, a decrease of $1,735,771 (-7.2%) from December 2017.
• Hollywood Casino Perryville (822 slot machines, 19 table games) $6,286,511 in December 2018, an increase of $528,681 (9.2%) from December 2017.
• Ocean Downs Casino (892 slot machines, 18 table games) $5,441,771 in December 2018, an increase of $1,693,317 (45.2%) from December 2017.
• Rocky Gap Casino Resort (665 slot machines, 17 table games) $4,434,132 in December 2018, an increase of $643,849 (17.0%) from December 2017.

Maryland Lottery and Gaming is responsible for oversight of the state’s casinos. In this role, the agency provides direction and guidance to its casino partners on financial, security, regulatory and licensing procedures for the facilities. To keep Marylanders informed and to maintain transparency of casino operations, monthly financial reports are posted on gaming.mdlottery.com. Maryland Lottery and Gaming reminds players to play responsibly and within their budget; resources are available at mdgamblinghelp.org or by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.

SOURCE: Maryland Lottery and Gaming.

Malta Gaming Authority Implements First Phase of its Sandbox Framework for the Acceptance of VFA and the use of DLT within the Gaming Industry

MALTA (January 3, 2019) -- As announced earlier in 2018, the Malta Gaming Authority has launched the first of two phases of its Sandbox Framework for the acceptance of Virtual Financial Assets (VFA) and the use of Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) within the Gaming Industry on 1 January 2019.

During this phase, the Authority will be accepting applications for the use of DLT assets, directly or through third party service providers, by its respective licensees. This phase is planned to last for a period of 10 (ten) months, subject to an extension if deemed fit by the MGA.

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The Authority has also updated its Licensee Relationship Management System (LRMS) to allow:

• New operators to apply for approvals for the use of DLT assets as part of a New Licence Application;
• Existing licensees to apply for approvals for the use of DLT assets through the application type – New or Change in Payment Methods / Financial Management Information; and
• Existing licensees participating in the sandbox environment to report VFA player liabilities through the monthly Player Funds Report. Licensees will also need to report any failed return transactions, with respect to any invalid deposits.

An approval to participate in the Sandbox Framework is conditional on the applicant holding the relevant licence issued by the MGA, without prejudice to any other regulatory requirements stemming from other applicable legislation, including but not limited to the VFA Act and regulations issued thereunder.

Kindly contact the Innovation Team on innovation.mga@mga.org.mt for any queries related to this phase of the Sandbox Framework.

Best Regards,

Malta Gaming Authority

Gaming Innovation Group Signs Agreement with MegaLotto and Enters the Lottery Vertical

MALTA (January 7, 2019) -- Gaming Innovation Group Inc. (GiG) has signed a long-term contract with MegaLotto for the provision of its technical platform services and casino games. With this agreement, GiG enters the Lottery betting vertical.

MegaLotto is a new startup initiated and backed by Optimizer Invest and will provide lottery betting services which allows users to bet on the outcome of the largest lotteries in the world.

GiG will support MegaLotto in its strategy of offering betting on multi-country lotteries and casino games to its end users in various markets. Launch is planned for mid-2019 and hence, is expected to have limited impact on GiG’s revenues in 2019, with an increase from there onwards.

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Petter Moldenius, CEO at Optimizer Invest, says: “We are very excited to launch MegaLotto with GiG and its state-of-the-art services. This is an important project and we are confident GiG is the right partner for us to grow this business into a big player in the industry.”

Ben Clemes, CCO at GiG, says: “I am delighted to add further growth potential for GiG by entering the Lottery vertical with MegaLotto. We share the same ambitions of a fun, fair, responsible and innovative user experience. GiG covers all verticals in iGaming, by adding lottery to our games vertical, we are strengthening our competitive advantage as a global full service provider.”

About Gaming Innovation Group (GiG):

Gaming Innovation Group Inc. is a technology company providing solutions, products and services throughout the entire value chain in the iGaming industry. Founded in 2012, Gaming Innovation Group’s vision is ‘To open up iGaming and make it fair and fun for all’. Through the ecosystem of products and services, GiG is connecting operators, suppliers and users, to create the best iGaming experiences in the world. Gaming Innovation Group operates out of Malta and is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol GIG.

For more information about GiG also see: www.gig.com.

SOURCE: Gaming Innovation Group Inc. press release.

Loto Quebec to Stream Live Casino from Evolution’s Canadian Studio

RIGA, Latvia [January 7, 2019] -- Evolution Gaming, leading provider of Live Casino solutions, has announced that it has signed a major agreement with lotoquebec.com to provide the provincial Crown corporation with Live Casino services from Evolution’s production studio in Vancouver.

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Lotoquebec.com will be the second online game site operating out of Evolution’s Live Casino production studio in Vancouver, which opened in 2018. Since February, BCLC (British Columbia Lottery Corporation) has offered Live Casino to British Columbia and Manitoba, with Evolution the only regulated Live Casino provider in Canada.

The studio is now being expanded to meet projected high demand from players in Quebec. Quebec is Canada’s second most populous province after Ontario, and home to more than 8 million predominantly French speaking people.

In its first move into Live Casino (named Casino en direct in French), lotoquebec.com will offer its players six dedicated tables, five of which will be hosted by French speaking game presenters, as well as four existing tables. The service is expected to go live in January 2019.

Lotoquebec.com’s Live Casino games will all be available on desktop, tablet and smartphone, where the provincial Crown corporation already offers online casino games, poker, sportsbetting, lottery, bingo and XP Games.

Sovanna Phan, Online Product Manager at lotoquebec.com, said: “We’re thrilled to be launching Casino en direct! It’s innovative, and a great addition to what we already offer our customers on lotoquebec.com. It fits hand in glove with our click-and-mortar strategy to engage with customers both online and face-to-face at our casinos.”

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Phan added: “We selected Evolution because we wanted a partner with the vision, innovation and capability to deliver localised, convergent solutions that will allow lotoquebec.com to deliver Live Casino in so many ways, to appeal to different players.”

James Stern, Evolution’s Chief Business Officer – America & Land-based, added: “The service we will be providing to lotoquebec.com underlines the flexibility of our Vancouver studio and our vast experience in the provision of Live Casino solutions.

Our track record in providing native speaking dealer solutions is a key factor, with lotoquebec.com’s French speaking presenter tables being a key USP when serving the province’s predominantly French speaking population.”

The lotoquebec.com signing follows not only the BCLC agreement in Canada, but also a stream of new business wins for Evolution’s recently opened New Jersey production studio.

Together these successes underline Evolution’s growing Canadian and American presence and an extension of the company’s dominance outside of its traditional stronghold in Europe.

SOURCE: Evolution Gaming press release.

Statement by ZEAL Network SE in Response to Public Letter from Lottoland

LONDON, U.K. (January 8, 2019) -- ZEAL Network SE ('ZEAL') acknowledges yesterday's comments from secondary lottery operator Lottoland Holdings ('Lottoland') about ZEAL's planned public takeover offer for Lotto24 AG ('Lotto24'), and its suggestion of it making an unspecified offer for unspecified assets of the ZEAL Group by 31 January 2019.

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Since the announcement of the planned takeover of Lotto24 seven weeks ago, ZEAL has not received any proposals for alternative transactions. ZEAL remains open to discussing serious alternative proposals until 18 January 2019 when the Extraordinary General Meeting will take place as planned.

ZEAL believes that the intention behind Lottoland's comments is to interfere with the planned takeover of Lotto24 and spread uncertainty.

Given Lottoland's obvious position as a direct competitor, ZEAL cautions all shareholders to treat their comments with due scepticism.

ZEAL advises its shareholders, in considering how to vote at the shareholder meeting, to take note of the information in the shareholder circular and notice sent in connection with the meeting, which is also available online at www.zeal-offer.com.

Dr Helmut Becker, CEO, ZEAL, commented: 'We firmly believe that, of the alternatives we have considered, our proposal to reunite ZEAL and Lotto24 has the strongest strategic rationale, offers the best opportunity for sustainable growth and creates the most value for ZEAL's shareholders.

Strong opposition from a competing secondary lottery operator is clear and compelling evidence that our transaction is the best way forward for our company and our shareholders.'

SOURCE: ZEAL Network SE press release.