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The Lottery of the Future: How Digital Technology Will Transform Experience and Impact

Published

1 month ago

April 10, 2024

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Growing demands for businesses to demonstrate that they are purposeful, accountable and worthy of trust will combine with new digital technologies to transform the experience and impact of lotteries in the coming decade, according to a new report published by Allwyn, the leading multi-national lottery operator. Global lottery sales are expected to grow to more than half a trillion US Dollars by 2035, and by more than 40% compared with 2025, according to H2 Gambling Capital.

Working with The Future Laboratory, a strategic foresight consultancy, Allwyn has produced the industry’s first in-depth analysis of the future lottery experience. In The Future of Lottery: A Game for Change, experts say that lotteries are well positioned to meet the expectations of the consumers of 2035.

The emphasis on social responsibility, transparency and meaning from younger adults will see lottery brands double down on their commitment to supporting socially driven causes and responsible gaming, the report says.

“It’s impossible to ignore the power of purpose when considering how Gen Z or young millennials think about where and how they will spend their money in the future,” says Martin Raymond, co-founder of The Future Laboratory.

As digital natives, these groups will also look to brands to embrace new technological possibilities, such as augmented reality and new forms of community engagement and social play.

The report outlines a number of ways in which lotteries could innovate to improve the player experience. For example:

Making the social impact of lotteries more visible: The use of smartphone apps, QR codes and interactive terminals can tell engaging stories about where lottery returns or taxes are directed – such as supporting investments in sports facilities, arts and cultural institutions or other types of community funding. The report says this heightened transparency could resonate with younger adult consumers’ desire for progress and activism.
Enhancing the social dimension of game play: Younger adults who play the lottery want to do so within their social circle, sharing their experiences with others. Technology could enable new multi-player formats to promote community and a sense of camaraderie both in the play itself but also in crowdsourcing funds for specific themes or issues.
Involving players in how lottery funds are spent: Lottery players could collaborate alongside traditional distributors of funds – even between different countries – to help decide the causes, projects or charities that are most deserving of their funds, perhaps choosing between a range of options presented digitally. Multi-national lottery operators have the opportunity to build links and communities between players and causes that transcend traditional geographic boundaries. “As lotteries become more international, they have the potential to become vehicles for achieving broader goals, such as addressing climate change or reducing social inequalities, by focusing on a coordinating a critical mass of inter-related micro solutions,” says the report.
Using virtual worlds and augmented reality (AR): Lotteries could use virtual worlds to show players how their money is making positive contributions to make the social impact more vivid. AR could allow customers to use their smartphones to scan physical objects to reveal hidden digital lottery tickets or participate in location-based games to win prizes.

Robert Chvátal, CEO of Allwyn Group, said: “Allwyn’s success in running lotteries is because we keep innovating to meet the needs and expectations of both current and new customers. While not every prediction in The Future of Lottery report will come to pass, every word of it will act as a catalyst for us at Allwyn to keep developing lotteries to meet the demands of players in the future, thereby returning more money to governments and good causes.”

Pavel Turek, Allwyn’s Chief Global Brand, Corporate Communication and CSR Officer, said: “As regulated businesses, trust is the cornerstone of the lottery industry’s relationship with the public. As younger generations of consumers expect more from businesses, lotteries have the potential to double down on being a positive force for change in their communities over the next decade.”

Martin Raymond, co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Future Laboratory, said: “Far from a game of chance and luck, the lottery of the future has the opportunity to be a positive vehicle of change for individuals, for communities and for societies at large. Now, thanks to next-generation tech, the industry has more channels that ever to address emerging audiences – bringing the value-focused adult Gen Zs along for the journey with immersive game experiences, responsible strategies and play that has purpose at its core.”

Experts who contributed to the report include Anthony Steed, head of virtual new environments and computer graphics at University College London, Katie Hillier, chief digital anthropologist at Liiv Group and Rosanna Iacono, CEO of The Growth Activists.

The post The Lottery of the Future: How Digital Technology Will Transform Experience and Impact appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Push Gaming and Jokerstar.de partner in Germany

Published

14 mins ago

May 21, 2024

George Miller

Reading Time: < 1 minute

B2B gaming supplier Push Gaming has marked its latest European growth via a partnership with Jokerstar.de in Germany.

A selection of 20 titles from Push’s slot portfolio is now available to the brand’s players, including Jammin’ Jars, Big Bamboo and the iconic hit Razor Shark.

The hugely popular aquatic-themed original, which recently saw the release of a sequel, Razor Returns, still attracts a huge player following in Germany. Razor Shark continues to return incredibly strong numbers at Jokerstar.de and sits at the top of the operator’s most-played chart.

Jokerstar.de is the iGaming arm of established operator The Kling Group. It uses its heritage to curate nearly 200 locations across its home market to establish itself at the forefront of the online sector.

This new partnership with Push is the latest European deal for the studio, which maintains its growth ambitions and raises its profile in one of the continent’s largest gaming markets.

Fiona Hickey, Chief Business Development Officer at Push Gaming, said: “Jokerstar.de is an up-and-coming brand in Germany enjoying ever-increasing success. This growing customer base is ideal to introduce to the Push Gaming portfolio and we’re confident the wide selection of game types and themes will resonate with them.

“Partnering with another important brand in Germany is also a boost to our growth strategy as we look to enhance our standing there and across Europe.”

Nico Müller, Project Manager at Jokerstar.de, added: “Push Gaming’s content is well known among player communities and is in great demand, so it was important for us to offer its incredible games on our platform.

“We’re all about quality at Jokerstar.de and this is personified perfectly in this new partnership. Our players will be impressed with the new titles they can now get their hands on.”

The post Push Gaming and Jokerstar.de partner in Germany appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Evoplay presents an inferno of blazing riches in Belfry Bliss

Published

14 mins ago

May 21, 2024

George Miller

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Evoplay has rolled out its latest release Belfry Bliss, a sizzling feature-rich slot that showcases the Hells Bells round, awarding multiple money values in conjunction with the hell-raising Dante symbol.

The Devil’s Luck feature comes into play in the base game and free spins as two to three random icons can be replaced by Scatters should just one of them land on a spin. Five Scatters award the maximum of 18 free spins, with four granting 12, and three triggering eight.

Once the free spins bonus is unlocked, the grid changes shape as the five reels are formed by six cells in the middle three rows and three in the outside two, increasing the number of Win Ways from 576 to 1,944.

As free spins progress, the chances of uncovering the Hells Bells mode increase as the Dante symbol makes further appearances, whilst extra free spins are rewarded when more Scatters land.

The Bonus Buy feature is also available in certain regions, allowing players to purchase 8, 12 or 18 free spins from the start of the game.

Ivan Kravchuk, CEO at Evoplay, said: “Belfry Bliss takes players on a voyage to the abyss, where a plethora of features can massively boost win potential on this engaging slot.

“This slot is stacked with multiple ways to win and its vibrant graphics and dramatic gameplay make it a great addition to our portfolio.”

The post Evoplay presents an inferno of blazing riches in Belfry Bliss appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Relax Gaming levels up with the release of arcade-inspired Line Busters Dream Drop

Published

14 mins ago

May 21, 2024

George Miller

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Relax Gaming is bringing classic 8-bit sprites to the reels in its brand-new arcade-themed release, Line Busters Dream Drop.

This high volatility three-reel slot allows players a chance to win a maximum of 5,000x their stake through a lucrative free spins bonus. The legendary Dream Drop Jackpot can also be triggered at any moment, potentially landing players the €3,000,000 Mega Jackpot.

This super-fast title sees players trigger the free spins bonus whenever arrows on reels one and two are connected with a free spins symbol on reel three. Multipliers on the arrows will multiply and apply to the number of free spins received. During the bonus symbols can be stacked up to five.

The Dream Drop Jackpot is triggered randomly at the start of any spin. Once in the Dream Drop bonus two symbols landing on reels one and two will guarantee a prize. The jackpot level will be determined by the symbol that lands on the third reel.

Those wishing to jump straight into the bonus action can do so by utilising the Buy Feature for the cost of a standard spin. Players can opt to receive extra free spins, or a mystery prize.

Shelley Hannah, CPO at Relax Gaming, said: “We’re excited to add another fast-paced slot to our successful Dream Drop collection. Retro-style slots are hugely popular with players right now, and over the years we’ve delivered some wonderful old-school titles that appeal to players.

“The release of Line Busters Dream Drop is the latest in a line of top-quality themed games and we are confident that this game will be a huge hit thanks to its epic features and strong win potential.”

Established as one of the industry’s leading B2B suppliers, Relax Gaming was awarded GGA’s Product Launch of the Year in February 2023 for Dream Drop Jackpots. Money Train 3 names the 2023 CasinoBeats Game Developer Awards amongst its 6 Slot of the Year titles, while the brand also won the award for Skill Games Supplier at the 2023 EGR B2B Awards along with the Innovation in Mobile award at the 2023 SBC Awards.

Relax Gaming provides more than 4,000 online casino games, from its high-performing proprietary slots to a significant, varied library of content from hand-picked third-party studios via its partnership programmes.

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