From Points to Possibilities: Unlocking the Future of Loyalty

By Pollard Banknote Limited

Published November 18, 2025

In today’s rapidly evolving lottery landscape, loyalty programs are no longer just about points and promotions – they’re about creating meaningful, personalized experiences that engage players in real time. As competition in the gaming market intensifies and player expectations rise, lotteries must rethink how they connect with their audiences. The Arizona Lottery, in partnership with Pollard Banknote, has done just that – using innovation to transform its loyalty program into a dynamic, data-driven engagement engine powered by Pollard Banknote’s PlayOn® cutting-edge technology.

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Loyalty That Delivers More

The value of a well-designed loyalty program is undeniable. Players who engage with loyalty, online and at retail, are up to six times more valuable than those who don’t. But having a loyalty program isn’t enough. It’s about having the right loyalty program. Among the lotteries using Pollard Banknote’s PlayOn® loyalty solution, instant ticket sales at retail have grown by an average of 38% over the past five years, underscoring the impact of a well-executed strategy.

PlayOn®, a full-featured loyalty platform designed and built by Pollard Banknote specifically for the lottery sector, is the foundation of the Arizona Lottery’s Players Club. Built with an innovative suite of engagement tools, flexible campaign capabilities, and seamless integration, PlayOn® empowers lotteries to deliver personalized experiences at scale.

Since 2020, Arizona’s Players Club has seen 161% growth in membership, a testament to the power of strategic investment in loyalty infrastructure.

Campaigns with Collaboration and Continuous Improvement

Building a future-ready loyalty program requires more than technology – it demands a mindset of continuous improvement. Arizona Lottery’s commitment to innovative player engagement, when combined with Pollard Banknote’s expertise in segmented campaign strategies, creates a partnership that consistently delivers rich, personalized experiences to Arizona players.

By approaching every campaign as a learning opportunity, the team continuously refines segmentation strategies, identifies automation opportunities, and explores new testing methods – unlocking fresh digital engagement touchpoints with winning results.

Digital Engagement in Action: Collaborative Campaigns with the Arizona Lottery

Building on the Arizona Lottery’s commitment to innovation, the following campaigns exemplify how collaborative efforts with Pollard Banknote have driven impactful digital engagement and increased lottery sales overall.

Level Up Campaign

In response to a dip in sales at higher price points, the Level Up campaign targeted players who typically purchase $10 or lower Scratchers® tickets and encouraged them to explore higher-tier play. Through segmented messaging and triggered callouts, players were guided along their journey toward $20 Scratchers purchases. The results were impressive: after the first week, the campaign saw an 84% retention rate, the overall campaign engagement rate exceeded the intended goal by 23%, and half of the challenge completers continued to make multiple $20 purchases across other lottery categories. 

CASH EXPLOSION® Million Dollar Giveaway Promotion

Designed to boost engagement and support retail spend, the CASH EXPLOSION® Million Dollar Giveaway reinforced the launch of two Scratchers tickets with a monthly $1 million dollar draw, and a fun twist – Loaded Weeks. These surprise, week-long offers popped up throughout the campaign, giving players the chance to win one of 20 prizes of $5,000. Overall, the CASH EXPLOSION® Million Dollar Giveaway generated an 18% increase in ticket sales at the $20 price point when compared to the pre-promotion baseline – demonstrating how featured ticket promotions support retail sale efforts.

Jackpot Run Engagement

As the Powerball® jackpot climbed toward its near record-breaking $1.8 billion in September 2025, the Arizona Lottery leveraged the growing excitement to drive Players Club engagement. Segmented communications reached players who hadn’t previously entered tickets into Players Club, prompting new activity. A 4X points bonus campaign promoted via in-app messaging led to a 93% spike in engagement on message days.

In the wake of the Powerball jackpot win, the growing Mega Millions® jackpot provided another opportunity to showcase the power of timely communications. Targeted in-app and push messaging promoted a BOGO offer – a $1 The Pick™ ticket free with a $5 Mega Millions purchase – driving over 9,700 redemptions, a 50% lift over monthly 2025 averages.

Loyalty That Drives Strategic Growth

These results highlight the critical role of having the right technology and the right partner to build a loyalty program that fosters lasting, meaningful player engagement. While loyalty is just one component of a comprehensive lottery strategy, its impact on instant ticket sales is undeniable. The Arizona Lottery’s success – currently ranked fourth in U.S. Scratchers growth during the first quarter of the 2026 fiscal year – demonstrates how thoughtfully designed and expertly executed loyalty campaigns that reinforce a lottery’s overarching goals can be a powerful driver of overall performance and future possibilities.

'CASH EXPLOSION®' is a registered trademark of the Ohio Lottery Commission.