Moving U.S. Lotteries Online Due To Corona Pandemic
The ongoing pandemic has greatly affected many industries big or small. The travel industry has been hit hard and it has affected many hotel industries including casino resorts. In Palm Springs, California, a digital sign blinks on the Agua Caliente Casino shopping center that reads “We will get through this together Coachella Valley.” No business had been exempted from this pandemic.
In the SBC Digital summit, the discussion about the corona pandemic may lead lotteries in the United States to a major digital transformation.
Coronavirus Emergency Digital Transformation Plan
Barry Pack, CEO of the Oregon Lottery Company, discussed the American lottery during the coronavirus outbreak and considered the best way to recover the lottery online. Since 2019, Oregon has started sports betting through the scoreboard lottery application, which is available on Chinook Winds Tribal Casino and mobile devices nationwide.
But even with the developments in Lotteries, the state had been very sluggish to digital transformation. However, Pack said this is going to change. The CEO of the Oregon Lottery said: “I believe that recovering from this pandemic will push digital transformation in the lotteries at a much faster rate than we usually see.
“The road map started with mobile sports betting and plan to switch to other forms of digital games. At first, our legislators encountered some problems, but when they met at a special meeting and realized the deficit was 1 billion USD, Their resistance to gaming online maybe reduced.”
With gambling set on a digital platform, there could still be some people to oppose this. But to rely on a landbased sales channel is not the best way to move forward particularly in the next two years. so the call to fast transformation to digital format is possible. And there could be creative ways to work with landbased partners.
Gordon Medenica, director of Maryland Lottery and Gaming, agreed and reiterated that his state must go live online. This move may not be permitted at the moment because a law had been implemented three years ago that prohibits lottery sales online. Medenica also said that this could be a great change in the lotteries.
People understand that there is no real difference when lotteries are sold online or in any other place. Both sales channels still post a danger. If there’s anything that could be done to manage this, it is to enforce responsible gaming.
Digital transformation is a trend for many businesses. And it is no different with lotteries. The move to a digital environment could be the only way to recuperate from the huge deficit the industry is currently facing.