What We Saw at CES

Highlights from the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show and the relevance for lottery

By Brightstar Lottery

Published March 17, 2026

The chance to be the first to experience what’s next in consumer-facing tech is why visitors from around the world throng to the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas each year.

A team from Brightstar is among those making the annual pilgrimage. Walking the halls of CES 2026 in January, you couldn’t miss that the world’s biggest consumer tech show was awash with examples of how digital systems are overlaying daily life – a direct connection to the themes explored in Brightstar’s recent 2026 trend report, “Decoding Digital Life.”

Below, Michelle Carney, Brightstar Vice President Global Lottery Marketing, shares some of the most interesting innovations she and the Brightstar team spotted at this year’s CES − and how lottery may intersect with these products and trends in the future: 

What we saw at CES: Phones becoming pocket studios for creativity

Samsung’s Galaxy Z TriFold mobile phone drew major attention: a device that unfolds twice to expand into a seamless 10-inch tablet-class screen for multitasking and immersive viewing. The phone’s multimodal AI interprets what users see, say, and do—letting them ask contextual questions, get real-time help, and move across tasks without switching apps. With its expanded canvas, the device can even offer design suggestions based on what’s shown on-screen. Features that flexibly adapt to Galaxy AI − like Photo Assist, Generative Edit, and Sketch to Image − effectively turn the TriFold into a versatile, on‑the‑go creative studio.

Why it matters for lottery:

In line with the trend “Time to Optimize,” detailed in Brightstar’s 2026 trend report, consumers are now optimizing whatever and wherever they can—health, finances, even finding ways to optimize their personal lottery strategy. A pocketable, task‑dense device such as this could facilitate learning and creating while you play: Perhaps consumers will be able to choose their own graphics or theme for the game they’re playing on mobile, creating true content-on-demand for lotteries. Other possibilities: richer “how‑to” overlays to inform play strategies, or interactive explainers that teach the odds and beneficiary impacts as someone explores a game.

What we saw at CES: AI as companion, concierge, and co‑pilot

In the AI companion category, AiMe—a modular, emotive home robot—can serve as a personal assistant to support adults with daily tasks, among other uses, and can adapt to different spaces and needs. Elsewhere at the show, automakers were doubling down on in-cabin experiences, such as AI assistants, unified dashboards, and holographic displays that also provide entertainment options for passengers.

Why it matters for lottery:

Research by Brightstar Lottery and Foresight Factory (April 2025) found that the global percentage of weekly lottery players who have used Generative AI “to research products to buy” is rising − now at 20%, up from 15% in 2024. The finding coincides with a trend referred to in Brightstar’s report as “Anticipation Default”: As AI becomes embedded in everyday life, consumers, including lottery players, will increasingly expect brands to understand their habits, recognize patterns, and predict their interests. Imagine lottery information appearing on the dashboard of tools such as these, based on predictive modeling of what is most relevant for each consumer. These communications could also provide detail to reinforce how lottery funds support local good causes, as well as directions to the closest lottery retail location. For example:  A voice-alert or an infotainment card that pops up during a trip to inform: “Cats & Dogs scratcher now at the next exit • Today’s SPCA adoption event is lottery‑funded • Navigate to closest retailer?” All privacy‑safe and opt‑in.

What we saw at CES: Screen‑free wonder returns—now with sensors, sound, and story

The LEGO SMART Play System drew crowds by turning classic LEGO bricks into responsive SMART Bricks that light up, sense motion and proximity, and play sounds—no phone or app required. The bricks represent the thoughtful integration of tactility and invisible tech.

Why it matters for lottery:

As detailed in Brightstar’s 2026 trend report, the broader push toward digital in consumers’ lives is paradoxically creating a greater demand for analog experiences. The trend “Unplugged & Present” speaks of consumers seeking sensations that make them feel alive and in the physical moment. In particular, lottery players still cherish tactile instant tickets. The accompanying physical sensations— tear, scratch, reveal—are assets, not relics. The opportunity is to continue to explore ways to ground lottery experiences in the real world, then offer digital extensions as an option, not a mandate. There may be a future with lottery tickets embedded with tiny lights, sensors and speakers. In the near term, practical applications might be about how more of the physical ticket experience can be brought into the digital world.

What we saw beyond CES: Individuals + story = staying power

As social media feeds get noisier, brands that feel crafted for one win. A standout case: A limited-run print ’zine from the spirits brand Belvedere, following a popular influencer who offers an inside view of New York City nightlife and fashion. Limited to 1,000 copies, the ’zine is positioned as a cultural artifact rather than content that’s forgotten within minutes.

Why it matters for lottery:

In an AI-saturated world, human originality and storytelling are at a premium. Lottery players have become quickly fed up with AI slop and generic content. Rather, they are looking to brands for emotionally attuned storytelling that feels crafted for one, not broadcast to many. As detailed in the “Personalized Storytelling” trend in Brightstar’s 2026 report, 66% of global weekly lottery players (vs. 58% of consumers) agree they have a need to buy from brands and companies that reflect their personal values (Foresight Factory research, April 2025). A new opportunity is emerging for lotteries to retell their history and connect to consumers’ personal values through the causes they support. Lotteries that show up with warmth, clear purpose, and visible contributions to communities don’t just earn attention, they build trust and long-term loyalty.

Connecting this with the “Unplugged & Present” trend, lotteries can look for ways to encourage consumers to get hands-on: What lo-fi, manual activities are your target customers passionate about? (for example, cooking, pets) Weave messaging into these contexts, partner with brands across sectors (food brands and podcasts) or adjust loyalty rewards and metrics for the customer’s favorite tactile experience, such as attending an event.​

From Insight to Action

Consumer products and trends such as these are among the many inputs that Brightstar uses to develop product roadmaps and pressure test the company’s strategies against different player and technology trajectories. These inputs also inform how the company prioritizes investments in lottery technology and content.

Here’s where lotteries can act on some of the insights now:

Double down on omnichannel retail. Scale in‑lane, digital-in-retail opportunities, and high‑capacity vending so players can buy where they already are.

Operationalize predictive experiences. Use responsible AI to pre‑surface content, curate retail assortments, and send anticipatory prompts (cash‑by dates, nearby retailer stocking). Keep player consent and transparency non‑negotiable.

Elevate the product narrative. Build a values‑led storytelling engine that personalizes beneficiary impact and player wins.

Modernize payments and journeys. Reduce friction from checkout to prize claims, informed by payment and retail‑preference insights.

What’s ahead is exciting as the lottery industry continues to build a future that is seamless, personal, and unmistakably human.

Click here for Brightstar’s 2026 trend report “Decoding Digital Life.”