Falling into Great Ideas

A series of breakout sessions covered topics such as instant and draw games, iLottery marketing, retail partnerships, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, player health, community relationships, and entertainment trends.

By Patricia McQueen

(With additional reporting by NASPL’s Denise Lechak and speakers Scott Morasch and Kim Clark.)

Published October 21, 2025

The US Landscape of Draw Games

Tom Seaver, Colorado Lottery; Jay Finks, Oklahoma Lottery; Joshua Johnston, Washington’s Lottery. Moderator: Adam Caughill, OLG

This session was all about diversification of the draw game portfolio, following the industry’s success with a great variety of instant games. “We are all portfolio managers; we want to create a relevant mix of games for our players,” said Seaver. The discussion centered on three new developments intended to provide different propositions to players, all at the $5 price point. There’s a strong interest in developing products that appeal to younger players.

The first was Mega Millions, which moved to $5 last April as a way to differentiate the game from Powerball; the two were very similar propositions. Research had shown that players, particularly younger players, would accept the $5 price point, explained Johnston, who is the lead director of the Mega Millions Consortium.

Seaver discussed the upcoming Millionaire For Life, which will replace the duo of Lucky for Life and Cash4Life in February. He noted that the top prize in the current games just isn’t high enough, so a $1 million a year for life is a great proposition, especially when it’s not dependent on a jackpot. “We wanted to turbocharge the stream-of-income concept with a life-changing value proposition that doesn’t change.” He added that lifetime games are more attractive to younger players.

Powerball Xs and Os will debut next September. “It’s designed to be different; the NFL’s business development team created this game,” noted Finks. Based on consumer research, the game will be attractive to light lottery players and will hopefully turn avid NFL fans into those players. Powerball Xs and Os includes a robust second-chance program.

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Leveraging AI for Lottery Innovation

Rohit Nair, Ipsos; Scott Morasch, Ipsos

A majority of people don’t trust companies to use AI and protect their data, and public AI tools like ChatGPT are not secure for developing new products. Any proprietary information, client data, or innovation intelligence entered into these systems can become public, making data security and confidentiality a primary concern that must be addressed with closed, “sandbox” AI systems.

The Ipsos team emphasized the need to use a combination of both AI and human expertise and intuition (HI) to avoid common pitfalls like algorithmic bias and “hallucination” (factually incorrect outputs). The innovation process should begin by collecting fresh, purposeful data directly from consumers to understand their unmet needs and pain points. This authentic data is then used to train and guide the AI, ensuring the ideas and concepts it generates are relevant, consumer-centric, and grounded in reality rather than stereotypes. This approach dramatically shortens innovation cycles and are proven to turn consumer frustrations into opportunities.

One case study on how to attract younger players using the HI + AI process uncovered 51 unmet needs from Gen Z (related to community/belonging, engagement, convenience, and personalization) and generated over 300 product, communication, promotion, and website ideas, which led to the development of 13 potential new lottery concepts. This process took place over a matter of days, as opposed to typical lottery innovation planning cycles which could take months or years.

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Keeping Up With the Joneses: The Retailer Panel

Sandra Kayyali, Gateway Market Canada Inc.; Jack Lau, Walmart Canada; Galeeb Mehdi, Pizza Pizza & Pizza 73. Moderator: Darcy Lynch, OLG

This panel discussed a number of topics relevant to today’s progressive retailers. First and foremost, lottery is a way to drive foot traffic into stores and restaurants. For Mehdi, customers “can buy lottery on the self-service terminals while waiting for their food.” For retail stores like Gateway and Walmart, having lottery available can build the customer’s basket size, especially last-minute impulse purchases. And that increases profit. “It’s competitive out there, and lottery is just one more thing,” said Lau. “Lottery creates a sense of community, conversation, it’s fun, it’s exciting, everyone wants to dream big,” added Kayyali. “That’s a conversation starter at the retail level, and it creates a positive association with that particular retailer and with the lottery as well.

Gateway sees lottery as part of a broader customer experience, and finds that offering promotional bundles with a high-frequency product like coffee or snacks can be very successful. All speakers agreed that lotteries need to do more to capitalize on the increasing power of customer loyalty. Merging the loyalty programs of a lottery and a retailer could open up plenty of opportunities for cross promotion

They’d like to see less paper with lottery and more adoption of technology, like the ability for players to simply tap their phone to purchase and a less onerous process for onboarding new locations. And is there a way to combine lottery tickets with a grocery delivery service?

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Entertainment Trends 2025: Inspiration for Lottery Game Evolution

Shelby Walsh, Dig Insights

Walsh provided a detailed look into emerging trends in gaming and entertainment, emphasizing that these trends power insights to captivate new audiences, increase engagement, and electrify the player base. There are a few key drivers of change:

• The quest for connection – loneliness is real. Younger people are seeing deeper meanings.

• A high-stakes attention economy – the battle for attention is fiercer than every.

• The paradox of endless boredom – people are unfulfilled.

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Let’s Get Digital: iLottery Marketing

Krista Harrison, Atlantic Lottery; Stephen Durrell, Kansas Lottery; Khalid Jones, Virginia Lottery. Moderator: Andrew Darley, OLG

This panel represented a wide range of iLottery experience. Atlantic Lottery has been in the business a long time, and continues to focus on both acquiring new players and retaining known ones – it’s important to have balanced strategies. Harrison explained that the onnichannel approach has accelerated iLottery growth, driven by the 2Chance program that taps into the retail base. (That program will be replaced by a Player Rewards program early in 2026.) She also emphasized the need to use data to retain and engage players. “Data is a superpower.”

Jones noted that the Virginia Lottery has evolved from its early efforts focused on acquiring new players, to getting a deeper understanding of the customer and diversifying the product offerings. The Kansas Lottery is relatively new to iLottery, and it grew quickly from the Lottery’s very robust existing player loyalty program, without the need for initial marketing. Durrell emphasized the need to be careful about your presentation of iLottery. “We don’t want an iLottery page that makes it look like there are thousands of things a player has to choose from to make a decision.”

Everyone agreed that personalization is key, and not just to drive sales. “We are social purpose organizations,” said Harrison. “Personalization is about understanding our customers better and doing better for them.”

There are challenges. The industry needs to shorten the time it takes to make changes to get ahead of what players want, noted Durrell. “Amazon can make a change in 36 hours. We take sometimes six months or longer. The lottery industry needs to speed up if it’s going to meet the expectations and needs of players.” Jones agreed, but noted differences that private industry doesn’t have to deal with. Yet there’s a way to compensate to some degree. “Don’t be afraid to do everything you can do,” he said. “If there’s a feature you want, just try it!” Virginia recently launched virtual sports, for example. Trying something new means you’re ready the the moment the rules change. “Not being prepared to take advantage of an opportunity that does arrive is just as bad as our inability to move quickly in the current marketplace,” added Jones.

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Maximizing Player Health for Sustainable Lottery Play

Gretchen Corbin, Georgia Lottery Corporation; Aaron GlynWilliams, OLG; Andreas Kötter, World Lottery Association and WestLotto; Marlene Warner, Massachusetts Council on Gaming and Health). Moderator: Michelle Eaton, OLG

Panelists shared key initiatives supporting responsible play. MCGH is using evidence to meet players where they are; for example, using GameSense to encourage and help players gamble safely. The Georgia Lottery is trying to make sure players are aware of all the responsible gambling resources available, and also to normalize the discussion so people know that it’s okay to speak about any gambling problems they might have. GlynWilliams noted that OLG is trying to shift the focus from “responsible gambling” to “safer gambling.”

Access to lottery play has expanded across retail, self-service, and digital platforms; speakers discussed how the player health risk profile is evolving and what trends should lotteries be focusing on. Kötter indicated that there is gaming and gambling everywhere, and younger demographics are entering the market. In Germany, kids are getting exposed to lottery-type games at younger and younger ages. In addition, online casino-style games encourage them to spend money to win a prize of some sort. As a result, the German lotteries are starting to educate school-age children on the risks of gambling. It takes a sustainable player to make a sustainable business.

All the panelists agreed that player education is extremely important. Players need to have a full understanding of the games and feel comfortable with various tools including self-exclusion. “The biggest issue we are facing is gambling illiteracy,” noted Warner. “We need to do a better job talking to players about the risks involved and how the games work. We need the consumers to feel protected, informed and as a partner in gambling.”

Corbin explained that her biggest challenge is retailer training – it is tough to find the best ways to train them to convey the responsible gambling message to consumers. She added that a good time to promote the responsible gambling message is during times of big jackpots, “when so many eyes are on us.”

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The Future of Lottery Courier Services

Alec Thomson, Arizona Lottery; Tom Seaver, Colorado Lottery; Tom Metzger, Lotto.com; Peter Sullivan, DraftKings. Moderator: Sharon Strong, Arkansas Scholarship Lottery

This session discussed how lottery couriers exist in a variety of regulatory frameworks. Metzter noted that there are a lot of misconceptions in the lottery industry – couriers do not sell lottery tickets, they take orders for tickets and then deliver them. “We like to compare ourselves to Uber Eats.”

In Colorado, each courier must have an agreement with a traditional lottery retailer, and that retailer has to comply with all lottery regulations (updated to include couriers). “We feel confident that the retailer and couriers are all operating within Colorado Lottery rules,” said Seaver. He thinks that the couriers have helped Colorado players get familiar with playing on a digital platform, to be ready when the time comes for iLottery. The couriers’ success might even help increase support for iLottery.

The Arizona Lottery has worked to develop regulations for couriers that are included in each contract. “We took that approach because it’s such a new territory,” explained Thompson. “The couriers get the flexibility to adapt to market changes and policy changes.” He admits to being an early skeptic, but has learned that with all the security and safety protocols in place, couriers help engage a new audience of players.

In Arkansas, couriers must partner with a retailer, and there’s an additional courier agreement with the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery. “It’s easier to modify that instead of having to change the rules or the laws,” said Strong.

While draw games are the most common products for couriers, a few jurisdictions allow the sale of scratch tickets. With jackpot game sales generally declining (subject to a massive billion-dollar jackpot), adding scratch ticket sales through couriers can be significant.

Both Metzger and Sullivan explained that they follow best practices and maintain the same high standards no matter the jurisdiction, and ensure that they conform to any rule and regulations that do exist. They emphasize that the income of their average customer is considerably higher than a typical lottery player, and the companies spend millions advertising a lottery’s own products and even do national advertising. They also have to keep educating lotteries and their stakeholders about what couriers are and what they aren’t, and that they continue to invest in safeguards. There are a number of jurisdictions currently working on regulations to define a framework. “We want to be regulated, we want to work with the lotteries,” said Sullivan.

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AI & Cybersecurity: Staying Ahead of Evolving Threats in Lottery Operations

Karl Rempel, Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario; Fabiano Rosa, EY; Nick Selvaggio, Microsoft. Moderator: Graham Reed, OLG

Attendees were very engaged in this session that discussed the use of AI in cybersecurity strategies. Without following strict guardrails and protocols, AI can lead to loss of integrity and the breech of personal identifiable information. To mitigate that possibility, explained Rempel, lotteries need to do things to track and classify data; conduct ongoing audits of AI systems; integrate data loss prevention; and conduct extensive employee training and awareness in how to use AI tools safely. The latter is especially important with the continued improvement in deep fake audio and video content. “That makes it harder for employees to determine what’s correct,” said Selvaggio, adding that AI can be used to simulate fishing campaigns to fully test your systems.

One very helpful use of AI for cybersecurity involves pattern detection, even with inside threats. “AI can quickly find discrepancies, such as an employee (or retailer) doing something they don’t normally do,” emphasized Rempel, who continued to emphasize the human element. “You must upskill in AI and cybersecurity. AI tools augment the human touch, they don’t replace it.”

Data privacy will continue to be a threat with AI, but there are other concerns. “I’m concerned about the loss of human knowledge and the ability to oversee the system,” said Rempel. Added Rosa, “If people aren’t curious, they might stop learning.”

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From Insight to Impact: The Power of Customer Centricity in an Ever-Changing Market

Kim Clark, OLG; Joe Jackman, Jackman Brands

“Change is hard. Irrelevancy is harder.” That’s the underlying message from Joe Jackman, a specialist in how to reinvent brands. Consumer preferences and options are changing every day. Customers today have higher expectations than ever before – they want value, they care about values, and they demand ease. From in-store to online shopping, to increased entertainment options, and from in-person to online socialization, everything about how people access entertainment is changing. Attention is fragmented and trust is very fragile. As a result of all these trends, how you meet customers where they are, to serve them what they need, requires a strong customer-centric strategy with clear action.

The central idea is that it’s not enough to be the best at what you do, you need to be the only ones who do what you do! Too many priorities dilutes focus and execution. The best way to build strategy is to build clarity across three components:

• Consider what your brand stands for.

• Prioritize your customer segment and understand what they value.

• Determine how you win relative to your competition, and prioritize those strategies and initiatives clearly.

Important lessons:

• Gain alignment with stakeholders through data, and share early and often. When the thoughts of one become the belief of many, the confidence and action will build.

• It’s important to start. If you have a burning platform, define your strategy and start trialing initiatives quickly to learn and adapt. Don’t let perfection be the goal.

• The strategy will be most successful when you gain the “Head, Hands and Heart” of the organization. Explain the “why” and the logic to gain the head. Give the people the hands by enabling the tools, training and systems to take action and deliver. Most importantly, gain hearts by getting people personally connected to the vision and to see themselves in the success.

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Fraud, Impersonation, Cybercrime: Supporting Players and Protecting Winners

Lynn Danis, Ontario Provincial Police

This discussion focused on the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC), jointly managed by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Competition Bureau Canada, and the Ontario Provincial Police. CAFC is a repository of reported fraud; it is not an investigative body. Danis said that there is increasing use of AI to perpetrate fraud, and that fraudsters routinely share lists of victims whose money has been stolen through fraud. Once someone has paid money to one bad actor, they are more likely to fall victim to another scam. The CAFC has to rely on its website to gather fraud reports – it is severely underfunded; typically less than 10% of incoming phone calls are actually answered.

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You Asked, They Answered: Future-Proofing the Scratch Category With Industry Experts

Sheila Capone-Wulson, Massachusetts Lottery; Chris Rogers, Arizona Lottery; John Martin, Maryland Lottery and Gaming. Moderator: Luke Stilin, OLG

A variety of topics on instant game and portfolio strategies were covered in this lively session. Martin started it off by marveling that old school technology still works – just by tweaking the launch cycle (releasing new tickets on Fridays, before the weekend, instead of Mondays), the Maryland Lottery has seen incredible success, with great sales on the first weekend. The Arizona Lottery has undergone a prize and payout optimization process, getting more in line with national standards especially on $1 and $2 games. The result of these small tweaks has been an 8.1% increase in instant sales since the start of the current fiscal year.

Asked what are the biggest challenges to the instant category, panelists agreed that bulk purchasing was a big one. “That is an area of concern, primarily because it hits the integrity of what we do,” emphasized Martin. “Everyone needs to have policies and procedures in place regarding bulk purchases.”

Rogers said that one of the biggest challenges was also a big opportunity. “So many players are expecting to experience games in new and different kinds of ways.” With printing enhancements and other new developments, players will respond. “But I’d like to see the process by which we develop games speed up. We need to be a little more nimble.”

For the Massachusetts Lottery, it’s all about providing as much value as possible to the players, who have responded well to extended play games and Scratch My Back games. “They are looking for new and fresh ideas,” said Capone-Wulson. “We have a very strict set of standards and criteria we have to abide by,” so it’s hard to be creative with a 52-year-old lottery.

Other topics included how to attract the next generation of lottery players; the impact of high-dollar, but low-margin, tickets; game designs or elements that make a difference; licensed properties (national or local interest); success with sports partnerships; challenges at retail with erosion in traditional convenience stores; in-store activations and promotions; incentive programs; and marketing and advertising strategies.

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Community Giveback: Appealing to a New Generation of Players Who Expect Brands to Act as Responsible Corporate Citizens

Iain Crerar, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Partnership; Roiana:kens, OLG; Dustin Rideout, Arrivals + Departures. Moderator: Greg Dermer, OLG

Panelists discussed how ideas for advertising are developed with an eye on appealing to a younger generation of players. They have found that working together to leverage the power of sports creates marketing campaigns with that kind of appeal. OLG has had particular success researching indigenous communities in Canada, which leads to meaningful strategies that have a lasting effect on younger customers.

They have found that their most successful campaigns are focused on preserving history and sharing untold stories. One example was the Emily Mandamin story, which highlighted an indigenous community and also helped to give back to this community. The campaign achieved its goals by increasing awareness and impressions and reconnecting with the younger audience. Another was when OLG partnered with Major League Baseball to immortalize the 1934 Chatham Coloured All-Stars, the first all-Black team to win an Ontario Baseball Association Championship.

When creating a marketing campaign, it’s important to create opportunities for participation or interaction, and be sure to keep up with different generational needs. Increasingly, customers are seeking more personalized experiences and authentic connections with brands. Therefore, marketing now is focused on more individualized marketing.

Check out all the photos from NASPL 2025 produced by Uptown Media.

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