36 PUBLIC GAMING INTERNATIONAL • JULY/AUGUST 2026 Distribution, she said, is the unlock. Courier scratch, where allowed, demonstrates how familiar products can be placed into modern purchase flows. Wheeler made the case for fast-play as a high-growth “instant-adjacent” category, with its own challenge: awareness and retail execution. “Fast-play grew 29% last year. One of the challenges versus physical scratch is awareness. That requires thinking hard about in-store execution. It also opens other opportunities. We launched a multistate progressive fast-play game with a million-dollar jackpot called Jackpot USA, live in three states, more to come.” Elder emphasized the “bridge” concept: keep the physical experience for those who love it, but use digital layers (QR, scan-to-play, loyalty) to connect to younger expectations. Carney closed the instant segment with a valuable operational lesson: even experienced portfolio managers can be surprised by who is playing what. New printing and game capabilities matter, but player insight matters more. “We had an ‘aha’ moment after a new game launched. It had performed well, and as the team was developing version two for release, instead of leaning into assumptions, we did the research to ask: who is actually playing this game? It wasn’t who we expected. Some numbers players were buying it, and they had specific preferences. They wanted more extended play, puzzles, color match. It was a reminder: You think you know your players, but you may not know who’s migrated into a game. Using insights and research to refine instant strategy can change your approach dramatically.” The lesson is simple: portfolio management improves when data challenges your assumptions. Responsible Gaming as a Differentiator If any theme unified the panel, it was the belief that responsible gaming should not be treated as a compliance obligation, but as a competitive advantage. “With better data and AI, we can identify risky patterns earlier,” Elder said. “We can support limits, pauses, and education in ways that weren’t possible before.” Wheeler emphasized that these tools are most effective when applied seamlessly across channels. Shaw noted that registered play enables many of these protections. Cardell addressed a responsible gaming concern directly. “There’s a perception that digital may automatically mean more harm,” he said. “But anonymity is the bigger risk. At retail, play is mostly invisible. With digital play, you can responsibly identify playing patterns, and you can actually help and protect consumers better.” Carney offered a metaphor that resonated with the audience. “Responsible gaming should be about prevention, not just treatment,” she said. “You don’t go to the beach planning to fix a sunburn later. You put on sunscreen. Education and tools upfront can become a true differentiator for lottery.” Closing Thought: Modernize Without Losing the Soul The panel did not argue that lottery should become something it is not. The next five years will reward lotteries that behave like modern consumer brands without surrendering what makes them uniquely lottery. The next five years will not be won by copying commercial gaming’s economics, becoming “more like sports betting,” or by relying solely on legacy growth levers. They will be won by lotteries that make themselves easier to discover, easier to play, and easier to trust — while reminding players, regulators, and the public why lottery remains a uniquely valuable institution. That’s not a defensive posture. It’s a strategy: modernize the experience, protect the brand, and make the public-good value proposition feel current, not nostalgic. You win it by meeting people where they are, in the moments they’re already living. n New Directions: How might Lottery Gaming change over the next five years? — continued from page 24 Houston, have you seen the latest issue of Public Gaming Magazine?
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