"Our goal in offering our players the option for online/mobile play in May 2018 was simply to meet players where they are, which is online, and it has been exceptionally well-received," said Drew Svitko, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Lottery. "During this unprecedented time, we are reminding Lottery players that they have the option to take advantage of playing PA Lottery online games at pailottery.com. This is the only place where PA Lottery players can buy their Powerball® and Mega Millions® tickets without having to leave their homes. This is also another way people can support older Pennsylvanians during this challenging time."
Svitko went on to say that the PA iLottery program has helped protect vital funding for state programs benefitting older Pennsylvanians.
The Pennsylvania iLottery program is powered by Scientific Games' OGS, the industry leading content aggregation platform, and OpenPlatform™, a player account management suite that includes responsible gaming tools, and an innovative affiliate program that benefits the Lottery's retailers. As part of the affiliate program, the Lottery currently has a partnership with about 500 of its 9,800 retailers to encourage players to sign up for online/mobile play. During the first full fiscal year of iLottery, Pennsylvania's traditional lottery sales—or sales at brick-and-mortar retailers—grew 7.2% over the prior fiscal year and Scratch-Off sales grew 5.9%.
The Pennsylvania Lottery, which already had the highest performing combined retail and digital instant lottery program in North America, continues to break records with an 80% jump in iLottery revenues (current weeks vs. pre-COVID weeks) and a 200% uptick in first time players. The state's iLottery sales recently hit a record $4.2 million in online/mobile sales in a single day and are currently averaging over $3 million per day.
"What's encouraging to states looking to launch online/mobile lottery sales is that when the COVID crisis happened, Pennsylvania had a partnership and program in place to protect vital funding—including effective management of the combined retail and digital game portfolio, an iLottery platform and services to attract and retain players, integrated to support retailers while continuing the strategic management of traditional lottery products sold in stores," said Pat McHugh, Group Chief Executive, Lottery for Scientific Games.
Currently, 13 of 46 U.S. lotteries allow lottery games to be purchased online, but only seven of those, including Pennsylvania, offer eInstant games. The Pennsylvania Lottery currently offers players 70 different eInstant games.
"Many states will look to Pennsylvania's program to modernize lottery products online and at retail," said McHugh. "Pennsylvania has effectively managed high-performing retail and digital instant games creating benefits for players, retailers and the Commonwealth's programs supporting older Pennsylvanians."
In addition to retail and digital game portfolio management, Scientific Games provides the Pennsylvania Lottery with consumer research, player acquisition and retention programs, and an omni-channel iLottery platform, as well as a team of marketing experts who use powerful CRM tools and bonusing programs that engage and retain lottery players. The Company is also the Lottery's longtime systems technology and retail instant game provider.
Scientific Games launched the world's first secure retail instant game in 1974, the first digital instant game in the U.S. in 2014, and is the leading provider of lottery interactive games, mobile apps, player loyalty programs and other interactive products and services in the U.S. lottery industry.
