Published November 19, 2024
As we head into the Thanksgiving holiday, the remnants of one of the most memorable World Lottery Summits are still around. “Ce qui se passe à Paris, reste à Paris” translates as “What happens in Paris, stays in Paris.” I’ll have to break that rule and comment on a few outstanding notable things.
Firstly, the NASPL lottery contingent was strong with more than 20 lotteries participating, the highest number ever for a summit held outside of North America. I was proud to see us there in force, participating in panel discussions, winning awards, and working with the WLA Executive Committee on the business of the day. Special thanks to MUSL for helping to facilitate the participation of their member lotteries. And thank you to Rebecca Paul, Josh Johnston, Gretchen Corbin, Rose Hudson, Sarah Taylor, Pat Davis, Jean-François Bergeron, Brett Toyne and more for joining me in representing the North American lottery industry during the summit’s many educational panels and presentations.
Secondly, Rebecca Paul was honored as she concluded her tenure as WLA President, passing the gavel to Andreas Kötter, from Westdeutsche Lotterie. After four years, the living legend has stepped down. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house as we celebrated her many contributions to the lottery industry on an international stage. Well-deserved kudos to Rebecca!
It almost goes without saying that Paris itself needs no kudos. From the Palais des Congrès de Paris, where the conference was held, to the closing dinner at Opera Garnier, Paris did not disappoint as the backdrop for this event. Our host, Groupe FDJ (Française des Jeux), pulled out all of the stops to ensure an informative and entertaining good time was had by all, with keynotes that were notable and inspiring and discussions that left you wanting more. Our sister associations were in attendance as well: the ALA (African Lottery Association), APLA (Asia Pacific Lottery Association), CIBELAE (Ibero-American Corporation of Lotteries and State Betting), and EL (European Lotteries).
I am hopeful that more U.S. lotteries will see the value in building international relationships and understanding the global lottery landscape to help broaden our perspective on growing and maturing our lotteries at home. I am excited to hear that next WLS will be held in Australia in two years. I hope to see you there.
As we get closer to the end of the year, I also want to encourage you to register for NASPL’s first Seminar on Responsible Gambling and Corporate Social Responsibility that is planned for January 7-9 in Atlanta, hosted by Gretchen Corbin and the Georgia Lottery. Registration has just opened and the deadline to book your hotel is December 17. We are partnering with WLA for our first event of the year and will hit the ground running to provide you with useful and actionable information to help get your RG/CSR program started, or to improve the program you have.
As I mentioned above, the holiday season is upon us, and I know how important this season is to our business. I wish you a successful season, and a joyous holiday for you and your family.
Harold Mays
Director, Illinois Lottery
NASPL President