We Are the People’s Business

Published October 21, 2025

It’s hard to believe we’re already beyond the 2025 NASPL Conference in Niagara Falls. It was such a great program, with top-notch facilities and arrangements, and our hosts at OLG really outdid themselves. Again, congratulations to Harold Mays for his successful and very busy term as President of NASPL.

Thanks to everyone who attended the conference and engaged with NASPL throughout the year. One of the foundational strengths of our industry is the depth of experience and shared knowledge we all bring to the table, and the Annual Conference is a testimonial to that.

If you were at the event, you witnessed this throughout the agenda – from our keynote speakers to our breakout sessions, and from the educational panels to the expansive tradeshow.

If you were at the closing dinner, this column may sound familiar.

That knowledge and experience are integral to the success of the industry and shape our collective impact for the public good. In a crowded and competitive gaming and entertainment landscape, we are the people’s business. However, as public entities we are sometimes at a disadvantage when it comes to capturing the attention of media and policymakers when the gaming landscape is being considered.

Let’s emphasize our strong points:

• Our lottery organizations were created with the approval of the voters, and we function within the public policy environment.

• Our profits support projects that benefit people from all walks of life, and lotteries return more to public causes than other forms of gaming.

• We embrace and support responsible gaming and hold ourselves to standards of social responsibility.

• Our business vendor partners employ people across the world and deliver products and services of the highest quality.

• Our retailer partners serve customers daily with friendly smiles and personal relationships.

This is an industry of talented and committed professionals. From those who are brand new to the team, who bring new questions and ideas, to those of us who tell stories from the “before times,” we are all doing the public’s work and can learn from one another.

We can all rely on each other, and we must all work together to tell the story of our industry to players and nonplayers, retailers, beneficiaries and policymakers.

In the coming year, my goal is to facilitate that process. I look forward to working with you all to bring our rich story to the populations we serve.

Brian Rockey

Director, Nebraska Lottery

NASPL President

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