Arkansas Scholarship Lottery Report Record Sales for All
Products in March
Increases Seen in Draw
Games, Instant Tickets, Total Sales
LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas (April 9,
2018) -- The Arkansas Scholarship Lottery is reporting the best-ever March for
prizes, ticket sales, total revenue, and retailer commissions in its history.
Total sales were up more than $10 million (23 percent) over the same period
last year, driven largely by instant ticket sales and the national draw games
Powerball® and Mega Millions.®
Year to date, the Lottery is up 13.5
percent, or nearly $45 million, in total sales versus the same period last year
and is $6.5 million (including unclaimed prizes) over budget for
proceeds this fiscal year.
March was additionally the highest
Cash 4 sales month ever, the highest Fast Play sales month ever, and the
highest Cash 3 sales month since March 2010. In total, March was the
second-highest sales month ever for the lottery since it launched in 2009.
The full report was released to the
Lottery Oversight Committee today, and it, and previous reports, are available
to the public at the Lottery website: MyArkansasLottery.com/about/reports
These are incredible
numbers, and something that everyone here works hard at every day so,
the credit goes to lottery employees, to our nearly 2,000 retailers statewide,
and to our players, Arkansas Scholarship Lottery Director Bishop
Woosley said. Now, to date, the Arkansas lottery has helped raise $752
million for well over a quarter of a million in-state scholarships, and
were proud of those numbers, too. In fact, with the scholarship deadline
approaching in June, we encourage all interested Arkansas students to apply at
Scholarships.ADHE.edu..
About the Arkansas Scholarship
Lottery
More than 92 cents of every dollar
of Lottery revenue goes to prizes, scholarships, retailer commissions, and
other expenses in Arkansas. Since Lottery sales started in 2009, the Arkansas
Scholarship Lottery has provided more than $752 million for in-state college
scholarships to Arkansas students, $2.5 billion+ in prizes to players, and more
than $217 million in commissions to Lottery retailers.
Follow the Arkansas Scholarship
Lottery on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Visit MyArkansasLottery.com for
more information on scholarships, winners, games, odds, promotions -- and to
join The Club for free. To hear winning numbers, call the Winning Numbers
Hotline at 501-682-IWON (4966). To get help with problem gambling, contact the
National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
CONTACT: Donna Bragg at
501-683-1866.
SOURCE: Arkansas Scholarship
Lottery.
Gaming
Laboratories International (GLI®) Names Johan Jonsson-Granberg Client
Services Manager
LAS VEGAS, NV (April 9, 2018)
Gaming Laboratories International (GLI) is pleased to announce Johan
Jonsson-Granberg has joined its European client services team as Client
Services Manager. In his new capacity, Jonsson-Granberg will be responsible for
delivering world-class customer service for GLIs expanding portfolio of
valued clients throughout Europe and around the world.
He will be based out of GLIs
London office.
We are delighted to welcome
Johan to GLI, said James Illingworth, Director of European Client
Services.
Johan joins us during an
exciting time of opportunity for GLI in Europe. With Sweden gearing up for new
gaming legislation, Johans Swedish heritage and his understanding of the
unique aspects of the Scandinavian market will help position GLI for continued
growth. Johans excellent credentials in online gaming, as well as other
fields, will assist us in expanding our client base and market share throughout
the region.
Immediately prior to joining GLI,
Jonsson-Granberg was the content sales manager for Playtech, a leading supplier
of innovative online gaming software, technology, and content solutions.
 |
Johan Jonsson-Granberg |
With more than seven years of online
gaming experience, Jonsson-Granberg previously served as an account manager for
iSoftBet, a major provider of online and mobile casino games and e-gaming
products.
About Gaming Laboratories
International
Gaming Laboratories International,
LLC delivers the highest quality land-based, lottery and iGaming testing and
assessment services.
GLIs laboratory locations are
found on six continents, and the company holds U.S. and international
accreditations for compliance with ISO/IEC 17025, 17020, and 17065 standards
for technical competence in the gaming, wagering and lottery industries.
GLI also holds ISTBQ certification.
For more information, visit gaminglabs.com.
CONTACT: Christie Eickelman, Vice
President of Global Marketing, T: +1 (702) 914-2220 or E:
c.eickelman@gaminglabs.com.
SOURCE: Gaming Laboratories
International, LLC.
Kentucky Lottery Sales Began 29 Years Ago
Anniversary comes on the heels of near record-breaking sales in
March
LOUISVILLE, KY (April 9, 2018) --
Twenty-nine years ago Wednesday (April 4, 1989), lottery tickets first went on
sale in Kentucky. Nearly three decades later, the Kentucky Lottery Corporation
(KLC) announced today the second-highest sales month in the history of the
corporation.
Fueled by two large jackpots in Mega
Millions and Powerball in addition to near historic Scratch-off ticket
sales Kentucky Lottery sales for March 2018 were $104.1 million. This is
second only to January 2016, when $105.1 million in sales were realized during
the run-up to the world record-breaking $1.6 billion Powerball jackpot.
March Scratch-off ticket sales were
surpassed only by the first month of lottery sales in the state. Scratch-off
sales for the month were $60.3 million. This is second only to April 1989 when
lottery sales first began with $68.1 million in sales.
In addition, three products saw
their highest sales month in history:
- Pick 3 ($13.9 million)
- Keno ($8.7 million)
- iLottery Instant Play games ($1.1 million)
Kentucky Lottery President and CEO
Tom Delacenserie said key changes in marketing efforts and Scratch-off products
helped contribute to the increased sales.
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Weve reconfigured our
marketing efforts behind game-specific ads which help increase awareness of new
tickets, and weve changed our prize structure to add better prizes that
players enjoy, said Delacenserie.
Our retailers have also been
hugely supportive in this effort. Around 90% of the new game launch tickets we
shipped in March were on sale and ready for purchase within three days of being
shipped. Combine this with the increased product awareness, and thats how
you set records, Delacenserie said.
Delacenserie also pointed to new
jackpot alert strategies which kicked in when both Powerball and Mega Millions
jackpots were in excess of $400 million, and how increased media efforts also
helped raise awareness of the games.
Its been a great effort
by our staff to reach these levels, and we know at the end of the day our work
helps send Kentucky kids to college here at home.
Thats an important cause which
constantly drives us, Delacenserie said.
The Kentucky Lottery has earned more
than $5 billion for the Commonwealth since 1989. KLC dividends pay for college
scholarships, grants and literacy programs.
Visit www.kheaa.com to find out more about grants and
scholarships paid for by the KLC.
For More Information CONTACT: Chip
Polston, Jennifer Cunningham or Sara Westerman, T: (502) 560-1675.
SOURCE: Kentucky Lottery
Corporation.
Three
Arkansas Players to Participate in BILLION DOLLAR
CHALLENGE
Winners hail from Hope,
Berryville, and Wooster
LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas (April 9,
2018) -- Vegas awaits Ruby Miller of Hope, Diana McNeil of Berryville and Jim
Jolly of Wooster, as these three lucky Arkansas players are the states
winners of trips to Las Vegas for the opportunity to participate in the BILLION
DOLLAR CHALLENGE with the chance win up to $1 billion!
These three Arkansas players were
selected after they entered their non-winning WILLY WONKA GOLDEN TICKET
into this promotional second-chance drawing. Each winner will receive airfare
for two, a hotel room, and $1,000 spending money. Similar players from lottery
states across the country will participate in the BILLION DOLLAR CHALLENGE in
Las Vegas on April 18th at the LINQ Hotel & Casino -- with one finalist
having the chance to win a prize of up to $1 billion.
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The WILLY WONKA GOLDEN
TICKET has generated real excitement in the state, especially with three
Arkansas players being represented in the BILLION DOLLAR CHALLENGE,
Arkansas Scholarship Lottery Director Bishop Woosley said. We hope one
of our Arkansas players is up for the CHALLENGE!
While Diana of Berryville has never
been to Las Vegas, Ruby of Hope has a sister who lives in Las Vegas -- who Ruby
hasnt seen for 20 years.
Ive never won
anything!, she said. When Ruby found out shed won, she said,
man, I got to hollering! Meanwhile, Jim of Wooster said hes
won smaller amounts several times in the past, and entered less than
20 lottery tickets in the drawing he won: Id forgotten
all about it!, Jim admitted.
About the WILLY WONKA GOLDEN
TICKET
The WILLY WONKA GOLDEN TICKET
is a $10 instant Arkansas Scholarship Lottery game that launched in June 2017.
More than $500,000 in cash prizes remains to be claimed on this ticket. Overall
odds for this game are 1 in 2.98. (The Arkansas Scholarship Lottery is unable
to determine how many winning tickets are lost or purchased but still remain
unclaimed. Prizes remaining are updated daily.)
About the Arkansas Scholarship
Lottery
More than 92 cents of every dollar
of Lottery revenue goes to prizes, scholarships, retailer commissions, and
other expenses in Arkansas. Since Lottery sales started in 2009, the Arkansas
Scholarship Lottery has provided more than $752 million for in-state college
scholarships to Arkansas students, $2.5 billion+ in prizes to players, and more
than $217 million in commissions to Lottery retailers.
Follow the Arkansas Scholarship
Lottery on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Visit MyArkansasLottery.com for
more information on scholarships, winners, games, odds, promotions -- and to
join The Club for free. To hear winning numbers, call the Winning Numbers
Hotline at 501-682-IWON (4966). To get help with problem gambling, contact the
National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
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About Warner Bros. Consumer
Products
Warner Bros. Consumer Products
(WBCP), a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, extends the Studios
powerful portfolio of entertainment brands and franchises into the lives of
fans around the world. WBCP partners with best-in-class licensees
globally on an award-winning range of toys, fashion, home décor, and
publishing inspired by franchises and properties such as DC, J.K.
Rowlings Wizarding World, Looney Tunes and Hanna-Barbera. The
divisions successful global themed entertainment business includes
groundbreaking experiences such as The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and
Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi (opening 2018). With innovative global licensing
and merchandising programs, retail initiatives, promotional partnerships and
themed experiences, WBCP is one of the leading licensing and retail
merchandising organizations in the world.
WILLY WONKA & THE CHOCOLATE
FACTORY and all related characters and elements © and Warner Bros.
Entertainment Inc. (s18).
CONTACT: Donna Bragg at
501-683-1866.
SOURCE: Arkansas Scholarship
Lottery.
WyoLotto Transfers $1.4 Million to Wyoming
CHEYENNE, Wyoming (April 9, 2018)
On Thursday, April 5, WyoLottoTM transferred $1,405,492 to the State
Treasurers Office, where the funds will be distributed to Wyomings
cities, towns and counties. This is a record amount that the Wyoming Lottery
has transferred to the state since launching in 2014.
These quarterly transfers are a
critical part of the Wyoming Lotterys mission. More than $7.9 million has
been transferred to the State of Wyoming since launching in 2014. The first
transfer was made in April 2016.
This record transfer is a
demonstration from our staff, partners and vendors that giving back as much as
we can to the state is our number one priority. Thanks to paying off our start
up loan early, we were able to start these transfers two years ago,
said Jon Clontz, WyoLotto CEO.
Clontz said he looks forward to the
coming year as the team at WyoLotto gets to focus on growth and giving back now
that the dust is settling on launching a startup. We worked hard to
establish our brand and become recognized by players, and we are happy we get
to contribute to the communities that support us, Clontz said.
Not only are Wyoming communities
winning, but players and retailers are also winning. Since 2014, the Wyoming
Lottery has seen more than 2.9 million WyoLotto players take home approximately
$39.7 million in winnings.
There are nearly 450 WyoLotto
retailers around the state.
Additionally, retailers have earned
more than $6 million in commissions from August 2014-March 2018. Small
businesses around the state have been able to see the benefits from a new
revenue source that also drives additional traffic to those stores that used to
go out of the state.
We hope that every dollar
we can give back to the state helps, Clontz said.
Large jackpots, like the recent Mega
MillionsⓇ
witnessed last Friday with more than half a billion dollars up for grabs,
hugely impacts sales forecasts on a positive note.
By state statute, at least 45% of
net proceeds from lottery sales must go to the prize pool. In 2015 and 2016,
approximately 55% each year went to the prize pool. This number rose to 57% in
2017. Prizes paid to winners have increased every year since inception of
WyoLotto from 54% in 2015 to a projected 66% in 2018.

SOURCE: Wyoming Lottery.
Four
New Florida Lottery Scratch-Off Games Offer Millions in Cash
Prizes!
TALLAHASSEE, Florida (April 9, 2018)
-- The Florida Lottery introduces four new Scratch-Off games today that offer
more than $176 million in total cash prizes.
The games, 24 KARAT CASH, THE PRICE
IS RIGHT, NEON 7S, and $100 IN A FLASH, range in price from $1 to $10.
All Lottery retailers are expected to have these new tickets in stock and
available for purchase within 72 hours.
24 KARAT CASH offers four top prizes
of $2 million! This $10 game also features more than 152,500 prizes from $100
to $10,000. The games overall odds of winning are one-in-3.57.
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The $5 game, THE PRICE IS RIGHT,
gives players the chance to win up to 22 times on one ticket! The game features
more than $59 million in prizes, including six top prizes of $1 million! The
games overall odds of winning are one-in-4.19.
NEON 7S offers players the
chance to win up to $30,000 instantly! This $2 game features more than five
million winning tickets, and overall odds of winning are one-in-4.41.
For just $1, players can win up to
$3,000 with $100 IN A FLASH. This game features more than $2.4 million in $100
prizes!
The games overall odds of
winning are one-in-4.97.
Scratch-Offs are an important part
of the Lottery's portfolio of games, comprising approximately 68 percent of
ticket sales and generating more than $784 million for the Educational
Enhancement Trust Fund (EETF) in fiscal year 2016-17.
ABOUT THE FLORIDA LOTTERY
The Florida Lottery is responsible
for contributing more than $33 billion to education and sending more than
775,000 students to college through the Bright Futures Scholarship Program. The
Florida Lottery reinvests 98 percent of its revenue back into Floridas
economy through prize payouts, commissions to more than 13,000 Florida
retailers and transfers to education. Since 1988, Florida Lottery games have
paid more than $56.3 billion in prizes and made more than 2,000 people
millionaires. For more information, please visit:
www.flalottery.com.
CONTACT: Florida Lottery
Communications, T: (850) 487-7727.

SOURCE: Florida Lottery (www.flalottery.com).
Missouri Lottery Honored for Accounting
Excellence
JEFFERSON CITY, MO (April 5, 2018)
-- For the 18th consecutive year, the Missouri Lottery has received the highest
form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial
reporting. The Lotterys comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR) for
FY17 was awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial
Reporting by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) of the United
States and Canada.
We are honored to accept the
GFOA award again this year, and we are proud of our track record for clearly
communicating the Missouri Lotterys financial story, said May
Scheve Reardon, executive director for the Lottery. Were here to
provide funds for public education, so its important that we are
transparent in how we operate. Our chief financial officer, Judy Martin, and
her staff work hard to make sure our CAFR fully communicates our finances in
order to meet those expectations.
The GFOA is a major professional
association serving approximately 19,000 appointed and elected local, state,
and provincial-level government finance professionals. The association is
headquartered in Chicago, with offices in Washington, D.C.
About the Missouri Lottery
(MOLottery.com)
In 1984, more than 70 percent of
Missouri voters approved a lottery. Currently, the Lottery is the sixth-largest
source of state income. Since sales started in 1986, the Missouri Lottery has
generated more than $5.9 billion for the state and public education, and annual
Lottery proceeds make up approximately 4 percent of the states funding
for public education. Lottery players have won more than $13.1 billion in
prizes, and retailers have earned more than $1.3 billion in commissions. Each
year, the Lottery generates more than $286 million for vital education
programs, including A+ scholarships. When you play the Missouri Lottery, you
Play It Forward!
Follow the Missouri Lottery on
Facebook (www.facebook.com/MOLottery), Twitter (www.twitter.com/MissouriLottery) and YouTube (www.youtube.com/MissouriLotteryOfficial).
SOURCE: Missouri Lottery.
CT
Lottery Interim President and CEO Awarded Responsible Gambling Award by
Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling
Chelsea Turner Accepts Responsible
Gambling Industry Award
ROCKY HILL, CT/April 5, 2018
Chelsea Turner, Interim President and CEO of the CT Lottery, was awarded the
Responsible Gambling Award by the Massachusetts Council on Compulsive
Gambling.
The award was presented on March 20,
2018 at the 2018 Conference on Gambling Problems in Massachusetts.
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The annual award is presented to an
individual or organization that demonstrates an exemplary effort in
implementing or promoting a responsible gambling program within the
industry.
The award recognizes industry
operators that have gone the extra mile to provide information on problem
gambling for both their customers and employees.
The recipient not only meets, but
goes above and beyond the criteria by requiring that all facility employees
participate in the responsible gambling program and understands their role in
providing assistance to persons in need.
Chelsea is not only a
colleague, but a true leader as an Industry Operator, continuously setting high
standards for her exceptional work in the responsible and problem gambling
world, said Marlene Warner, Executive Director of the Massachusetts
Council on Compulsive Gambling.
She has tirelessly
advocated to introduce new and innovative programs, like GameSense, and to
train and educate lottery staff about problem and responsible
gambling.
 |
Chelsea Turner awarded the Responsible Gambling
Award |
I am very proud to accept
this award and want to thank all our CT Lottery staff, especially the Corporate
Responsibility team, Turner said. This award
exemplifies our commitment to reaching the highest industry standards of
responsible gambling and corporate social responsibility.
The CT Lottery recently supported
the Problem Gambling Awareness Month by partnering with the National Council on
Problem Gambling. Every day this past March, CT Lottery displayed
responsible gambling messages through various mediums, distributed resources
and strategies to players and facilitated training to retailers and staff.
Since 1996, the Lottery has provided
$33,823,000 to the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services Chronic
Gamblers Treatment and Rehabilitation Fund. In fiscal year 2018, the CT
Lottery contributed $2.3 million to the fund. The Lottery also
contributes resources above and beyond this statutory requirement.
About CT Lottery
Corporation:
Lottery sales benefit Connecticut's
residents in valuable ways. In fiscal year 2017, players won more than
$756.3 million in prize money and retailers earned $68 million in
commissions. At the same time, the CT Lottery provided $330 million to
support the valuable services and programs funded by the states General
Fund including public health, libraries, public safety, education and
more. Since the Lottery began in 1972, our contributions to the General
Fund have exceeded $9.4 billion.
The CT Lottery reminds the public
that purchasers must be 18 or older. If you gamble, use your GameSense.
For information about the CT Lottery, stop by any CT Lottery retailer,
visit CTLOTTERY.ORG, join us on Facebook (facebook.com/CTLottery), Instagram
(Instagram.com/ctlottery), Twitter (twitter.com/ctlottery), or call (860)
713-2700.
SOURCE: CT Lottery Corporation.
Sales
of Lottery Scratch Tickets In Iowa Set New Overall Monthly
Record
March 2018 Saw The Iowa
Lotterys Highest Monthly Sales Ever For Scratch Games
CLIVE, Iowa (April 5, 2018) -- Sales
of lottery instant-scratch tickets in Iowa set an all-time monthly record in
March, helped by the release of a game with oversized, double-sided
tickets.
The Iowa Lotterys scratch-game
sales totaled nearly $24 million in March, an increase of more than $900,000
from the lotterys previous monthly sales record for that product set a
year earlier. That previous record, of $23.04 million, was hit in March
2017.
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Iowa Lottery CEO Terry Rich said
that the lottery continues to concentrate on the mix of games it has in the
field, and likes to try new innovations, like the double-sided Colossal
Crossword game that debuted March 5. A scratch game was the first product
introduced by the Iowa Lottery back when it started in 1985, and scratch
tickets have traditionally been the lotterys leading sales category.
We know that our
players look for variety and new options in our games just like they do with
other items they choose to buy, Rich said. Part of the fun for us
is investigating new ideas about what we think will appeal to players, and then
releasing the resulting products to see if our predictions will hold true.
Its all part of our mission to provide entertainment to the public while
raising proceeds for the vital state programs that benefit all
Iowans.
The lotterys top three months
for scratch-ticket sales have all been in March, from 2016 to 2018:
- March 2018: $23.96 million
- March 2017: $23.04 million
- March 2016: $22.75 million
Weve theorized that
maybe theres a spring-fever phenomenon that gets all of us out and about
more in March after the long winter, and that could be reflected in our
numbers, Rich said.
Since the Iowa Lotterys start
in 1985, its players have won more than $4.1 billion in prizes while the
lottery has raised more than $1.8 billion for state causes.
Today, lottery proceeds in Iowa have
three main purposes: They provide support for Iowa veterans and their families
through the Iowa Veterans Trust Fund; help for a variety of significant
projects through the state General Fund; and backing for the Vision Iowa
program, which was implemented to create tourism destinations and community
attractions in the state and build and repair schools.
SOURCE: Iowa Lottery.
iSoftBets Latest Game, Legend of Loki, to Intrigue
Players Everywhere
Players take on the
mysterious, shape shifting Norse god Loki in suppliers latest blockbuster
slot
LONDON, United Kingdom (April 5,
2018) -- Casino content provider iSoftBet is pleased to announce the release of
Legend of Loki, its latest blockbuster game.
Legend of Loki draws on the
mysteries of Norse mythology to produce a video slot that is both intriguing
and captivating, while offering dynamic gameplay mechanics and a distinctive
5-reel layout.
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Legend tells us Loki is the wily
trickster god of Norse mythology. By nature, he is helpful, benevolent even
. yet with a cheeky, mischievous side. And that certainly shows through
in this 20-line game.
Ever the entertainer, Loki has the
power to unleash a barrage of exciting features, including Wild Strikes,
Stacked Respins and Storm Showers plus a Free Spins round with a unique
sticky symbol.
At the start of any normal spin,
Loki can summon his sceptre and add a random number of Sticky Wilds to the
reels for that spin. Three or more Scatter symbols will reward players with 10
Free Spins, while the special sticky symbol can deliver multiple wins.
Legend of Loki proves that even the
greyest storm clouds really can have a silver lining: The Storm Shower feature
can strike after any losing spin and turn random positions into the same symbol
to help boost a players winnings.
In addition, matching symbols on
reel one will trigger a sticky respin series, which continues as long as more
of the same symbols appear.
Michael Probert, Head of Business
Development at iSoftBet, said While we know that our players appreciate
technical quality, we know that an element of mystery adds real excitement to a
game. So, we paired our signature audio-visual excellence and unique mechanics
with the Norse Legend of Loki to produce a game that we know will keep players
on the edge of their seats.
Developed using iSoftBets
Pulse platform, Legend of Loki is HTML5-native, ready to deploy today across
desktop and mobile, with a demo available from the iSoftBet website.
The games RTP is 96.23%, with
a hit rate of 27.54%. Free spins trigger approximately once every 170 spins and
Wild Strikes every 115 spins. Storm Showers rain down every 199 spins and
Stacked Respins every 89.
For more information about Legend of
Loki or any other game in the iSoftBet portfolio, contact
sales@isoftbet.com.
SOURCE: iSoftBet.
ARJEL
Review of the 2017 Authorized Online Game Market
PARIS, France (April 8, 2018) -- The
ARJEL has just made public the figures of the approved market online for the
year 2017. The light last year is confirmed and for the first time since 2010,
the three segments - sports betting, horse betting and poker - recorded a rise
in activity with positive results on both the bets, the gross product of the
games and the number of players accounts assets.
On the entire online market, there
are 9.2 billion euros in bets and entry fees an increase of 9%, 962 million
euros of gross product of the games is an increase of 18% and a 13% increase in
active player accounts.
These results are encouraging: they
testify to the dynamism of the approved operators and account of the determined
action of the regulator: it is his responsibility to support this market and
fight the illegal offer because it is the most protective for the player.
However, the disparities between the
three markets remain very present.
- sports bets confirm their pre-eminence with a
record amount of bets - 2,510 millions of euros-, 2 million active players
accounts against 1.6 million in 2016. In 2018, the prospect of the football
world cup in particular portends new margins of progress.
- Online horse betting activity starts again after
four consecutive years of decline. AT the origin of this reversal of the trend,
the effects of a renewal of the offer of gambling and the increase in the
return rate punters eagerly awaited by the turfists. The growth of the number
of active player accounts that followed - 523,000 against 484,000 in 2016, an
increase of 7% confirms the validity of these measures.
- as for poker, the turnaround was all the more
expected as the numbers were down, cash game, since 2011. Even if it remains
modest, the growth is back: 3,601 million compared to 3,556
million last year a 1% increase in cash games and a 9% increase in entry fees
for tournaments. As with horse betting, the diversification of supply and the
mobilization of new liquidity were decisive factors. The arrival of the
European tables of poker should help consolidate and amplify this thrill.
As a result, a relative fragility
remains, which will be lifted only through structural reforms and in
particular, the change of tax base. The current regime taxes operators on while
they return a significant share to players in the form of earnings. A plate on
the PBJ1 would give a boost to this business sector by aligning it with its
European partners. In 2017, the amount of compulsory deductions reached 439
million euros, ie 13% increase for public finances compared to 2016.
Finally, if the regulator welcomes
the dynamism found of the approved online market, it is his responsibility to
at the same time, ensure that the protection of players' health is not
affected.
The product "gambling online" must
remain recreational and the ARJEL monitors particularly the evolution of the
expenses of the players: in 2017, the amount of the average expenditure on the
three online gambling segments is 343 per year compared to 328 in
2016. An increase of small scale therefore, which should be followed carefully.
An action plan on this point will be presented in the coming weeks.
SOURCE: ARJEL press release.
Re-Regulation of the Swedish Gambling Market Licence
System to be Introduced
SWEDEN (April 5, 2018) -- The
Government today adopted the Bill A re-regulated gambling market.
The proposal will mean introducing a new gambling act and a licence system.
"Unregulated gambling has taken
over and gambling is used in criminal activities. It is 14 years since the
first of a line of gambling inquiries was appointed. It is now time for us to
move from words to action and regain control of the Swedish gambling
market," says Minister for Public Administration Ardalan Shekarabi.
The gambling act now being proposed
will mean that anyone operating in the Swedish gambling market must have an
authorised licence and that operators without a licence will be shut out.
There must be stronger consumer
protection in place for gambling, and the negative effects of gambling must be
limited. A new offence, gambling fraud, will be introduced and a special
cooperation council will be established to tackle match fixing.
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The gambling market will be divided
up into sectors: a competitive sector, primarily including online gambling and
betting; a sector reserved for non-profit purposes, primarily including
lotteries and bingo; and a sector reserved for the central government,
primarily including state-owned casinos and gambling on token machines.
Gambling subject to licensing will
be taxed at 18 per cent. Gambling for non-profit purposes will continue to be
tax exempt. Winnings will be taxed when players win money on unlicensed
gambling websites.
"We are reinforcing the Swedish
Gambling Authority, granting it more and sharper tools. Unlicensed operators
will be shut out of the market and licence-holders must conduct their
activities in accordance with the law. Today we are also instructing the
Swedish Agency for Public Management to follow up the reform to quickly make
any amendments to the act if the goals of the reform are not achieved,"
says Mr Shekarabi.
Further proposals in the Bill:
- Licensed operators must have a comprehensive duty
to protect gamblers from excessive gambling.
- Strict requirements for moderation in marketing
gambling will apply.
- Gamblers must be able to bar themselves from all
gambling, and bonuses will not be permitted at any time other than the first
gambling occasion.
- The possibility of blocking payment transactions
between gamblers and unlicensed gambling operators will be introduced to ensure
unlicensed operators are shut out of the market.
- The Swedish Gambling Authority will also be able to
order internet service providers to set up warning messages for websites
offering unlicensed gambling.
- Promoting gambling without a licence, for example
through advertising, will be criminalised.
It is proposed that the new
regulations enter into force on 1 January 2019.
CONTACT: Matilda Glas, Press
Secretary to Minister for Public Administration Ardalan Shekarabi, Phone
(switchboard) +46 8 405 10 00, Mobile +46 (0)70-3670364.
SOURCE:
Lotteriinspektionen.
Creative Sports Lottery Marketing Campaign by
AGTech
Concludes With Millions
of Alipay Customers Participating and Top Lottery Prize Won
Successfully Raises Brand
Awareness and Attracts New Breed of Customers
- Fully Illustrating the Power of Combining
Online and Offline Resources
- Integrating China Sports Lottery with
Alibaba's Ecosystem to Elevate the Lottery Experience
HONG KONG, SAR (April 10, 2018) -
AGTech Holdings Limited ("AGTech" or the "Company", HKEX stock code: 08279),
China's leading integrated lottery, games and entertainment technology company,
is pleased to announce that since the launch of its unique marketing and
promotional campaign for China Sports Lottery on 9 March 2018 across 31
provinces nationwide, millions of Alipay users have participated in the
innovative promotion to win China Sports Lottery's signature instant scratch
lottery tickets, "Ding Gua Gua", with one lucky participant winning the top
lottery prize of RMB1million on 9 April.
By implementing this nationwide
innovative online-offline promotional model while leveraging Alipay's enormous
presence and user base, AGTech effectively increased China Sports Lottery's
brand exposure and helped elevate its brand with a new breed of online
customers. Our strategic marketing campaign generated over a billion
impressions across China's most popular online media channels, reaching both
lottery and non-lottery customers from across the country. In addition, the
campaign strategically placed China Sport Lottery's household brand across
multiple touchpoints in the ubiquitous mobile Alipay, fully immersing lottery
into Alipay users' everyday life. These efforts ultimately drove hundreds of
thousands of online customers to China Sports Lottery's vast land-based network
around the country to experience lottery in person, demonstrating the power of
driving online traffic to offline engagement, and notably generating above
average engagement and conversion rates when compared with other typical online
marketing campaigns. Of note, one lucky participant from Shandong Province won
a RMB20 instant scratch lottery ticket after using Alipay to pay for his
take-away food ordered via Ele.me, leading to his RMB1million lottery win after
redeeming the lottery ticket at a neighborhood Sports Lottery retail store.
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Importantly, this campaign
successfully attracted a new breed of customers to experience lottery, thanks
to the diversified user base of Alipay. Of the millions of Alipay customers who
participated, the Company found that the campaign attracted a higher percentage
of females, higher income and younger customers compared to traditional lottery
customers, truly demonstrating the campaign's effectiveness in expanding the
access and appeal of lottery as a whole to a new breed of customers, ultimately
creating new growth drivers for the sales of sports lottery to further advance
welfare and social causes.
Lastly, the campaign also enhanced
users' engagement by leveraging and integrating Alibaba's powerful e-commerce
resources, providing participants with various attractive coupons and discounts
from merchants ranging from Tmall coupons, Youku subscriptions, Taobao Waimai
coupons, Fliggy traveling coupons and other third party merchants. Over the
past month, more than RMB34 million worth of coupons and discounts have been
claimed through AGTech's proprietary digital engagement platform, further
enhancing customers' experience with the lottery while bringing additional
traffic to Alibaba's merchants and enhancing the users' loyalty.
John Sun, Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer of AGTech, said, "We are pleased that the market has
responded enthusiastically to this partnership among China Sports Lottery,
AGTech and Alipay. Extensive user engagement and encouraging conversion rates
demonstrate AGTech's ability to promote true innovation and help usher in a new
direction of growth in the lottery industry, as we continue to leverage our
position as a leader in lottery while combining our deep industry experiences
with the enormous resources of Alibaba Group, our parent company. In the
future, we will continue to focus on the sustainable and healthy development of
the lottery industry and continuously explore new models of operation and
promotion, ultimately helping to expand the lottery market and contributing to
the welfare of the country as a whole."
About AGTech Holdings
Limited
AGTech was incorporated in Bermuda
and its Shares are listed on GEM (Stock Code: 8279). AGTech is an integrated
technology and services company engaged in the lottery and mobile games and
entertainment market with a focus on China and select international markets. A
member of the Alibaba Group with around 400 employees, AGTech is the exclusive
lottery platform of Alibaba Group and Ant Financial Group.
AGTech's businesses are broadly
divided into two categories:
- Lottery (including games and systems, hardware and
distribution); and
- Games and Entertainment.
AGTech is a Gold Contributor of the
World Lottery Association (WLA), an associate member of
the Asia Pacific Lottery Association (APLA), an official organiser and operator
of the competition card games Guan Dan and Two-on-One poker in China, and an
official partner of the International Mind Sports Association (IMSA).
For more information, please visit
www.agtech.com.
SOURCE: AGTech.
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