Gone are the days when operators could be one-trick-ponies. To survive and thrive in the modern egaming industry, they must be all things to all people in order to reduce churn and stop their players going elsewhere. And while some are well on their way to becoming true multi-vertical operators, the vast majority are dropping the ball when it comes to one particular type of game, and that is lottery. But this will change over the next 12 months, with lottery games taking centre stage.
Before that happens, however, the vertical needs a bit of a shakeup. Platforms and games are often run by government or state operators, and are tired and dusty. They lack innovation and excitement, and fail to tap into the psyche of younger audiences, particularly the much sought after millennial demographic. To this end, lottery has a lot to learn from casino when it comes to the style, speed and format of the games offered to players.
Younger audiences seek instant gratification. Lottery draws should give players the chance to engage with lottery games, whilst maintaining attractive jackpots that are large enough to gain their attention. The platforms powering these games need to be mobile friendly, and wrapped up in themes and designs that are colourful, bold, and fun. The casino and sportsbetting verticals have` plenty to offer in this regard.
Not only will lottery become a substantial vertical in its own right, but it will also act as the glue between RNG and sportsbook, and vice versa. Slots players unfamiliar with sports betting will be drawn to lottery as a middle ground, and if lottery games embrace some of the sportsbook DNA, it will be possible to cross-sell these customers to sport betting products over time. The same works for sportsbook punters accessing casino and slots games for the first time.
As suppliers, it is our job to bang the drum for innovation and continue to drive growth. We have all invested resources and cash in casino and delivering the best possible experience to players. But now it is time to turn our attention to the lottery vertical, and push the boundaries there. Here at Bit8 we employ some of the smartest people in the industry, and they are passionate about developing great platforms and products for all verticals, but they are really excited by what lottery has to offer.
The pace at which online casino has grown this year has left many of us swirling round in the slipstream, but we need to step back, regroup, and shift our efforts towards lottery. The vertical offers huge untapped potential, and with the right approach and products, we can unlock it.
