37 PUBLIC GAMING INTERNATIONAL • JULY/AUGUST 2026 Data, Retailers, and Customization How important has data become in managing retail and the portfolio? T. Seaver: Data-driven insights are becoming mission-critical. It has enabled the Colorado Lottery to increasingly customize inventory at the store level. Some locations perform exceptionally well with $50 games, while others perform better with crossword games, bingo products, or extended-play games. Rather than forcing identical assortments into every location, we increasingly match inventory to actual consumer demand. The sales force remains critically important because relationships still matter, but representatives now have much better information to support their recommendations. Retailers are much more likely to embrace changes when recommendations are supported by performance data. The combination of strong relationships and strong data allows both retailers and the lottery to make better decisions while ensuring that products are placed where they have the greatest opportunity to succeed. Draw Games and the Portfolio Talk about the distinctive role that Colorado Lotto Plus plays in the portfolio. T. Seaver: Colorado Lotto Plus is Colorado's game. It is sold and won here where the winners are our neighbors. Because Colorado is a relatively small state (in population), we do not produce the same number of Powerball winners as larger jurisdictions, so that local feeling really resonates with Colorado players. Colorado Lotto Plus gives players meaningful jackpots with considerably better odds and the feeling that they are more likely to win. When the jackpot reaches four million dollars, we see a measurable sales response because players understand that somebody from Colorado is likely to win. Not every state necessarily needs an in-state Lotto game because every market is different. But for Colorado, the game remains an important component of the portfolio because it offers something the national games do not, and frankly cannot. Brands, Partnerships, and Competition What lessons have you learned from licensed products and partnerships? T. Seaver: Powerball X's and O's is a good example. The NFL is obviously one of the strongest brands in America, but a lottery game cannot simply depend upon the strength of a partner brand. The game itself must deliver value to lottery players. The challenge is connecting the lottery product with the NFL experience in a contextually relevant way and ensuring that the game stands on its own merits. Consumers encounter NFL branding everywhere. The lottery product must still deliver something unique that cannot be obtained elsewhere. It still has to be a good lottery game, and deliver lottery benefits. Sports-betting operators have become incredibly sophisticated marketers. Consumers have more choices than ever before. The environment continues changing, and it will continue changing. Nobody knew what Prediction Markets were a couple of years ago, and now they are being integrated into the platforms of DraftKings and Fanduel. The question for lotteries is not whether competition exists. The question is how we continue creating products and experiences that remain relevant. From Anonymous Players to Known Players Why is it so important to transition from anonymous players to known players? T. Seaver: I think that may be one of the biggest opportunities facing the industry. Going from anonymous customers to customers that we know and with whom we can have personal relationships changes everything. Research remains extremely valuable, but there is no substitute for understanding actual behavior. Knowing what products people buy, how they play, what motivates them, and how they engage allows us to create better products, better communications, and better experiences. We can stop guessing and begin understanding customers at a much deeper level. At the same time, greater knowledge creates greater responsibility. A couple of years ago, we hired a dedicated Player Health Manager because responsible gaming must become an integral part of customer relationships. If lotteries are going to know more about their players, they also assume greater responsibility for helping those players maintain healthy relationships with lottery products. Sports-betting and courier operators already possess these capabilities. If lotteries want to remain relevant, we must establish these relationships ourselves. That does not simply mean sending promotions or marketing offers. It means understanding customers, helping them play responsibly, and building long-term relationships based upon trust. Looking Ahead As you look toward the future, what do you think matters most? T. Seaver: Competition is real, but I do not believe the answer is to imitate other forms of gambling, or compete with them on their terms. The answer is to become better at what we do by understanding players, delivering value, and building relationships. I believe the future of lottery depends upon moving from transactions to relationships. For decades lottery has largely operated through anonymous retail transactions. Digital channels now create opportunities to know customers better, communicate more effectively, and create products that better meet players' needs. Those opportunities also create new obligations. The better lotteries know their players, the greater their responsibility to support healthy play, maintain trust, and create products that continue delivering meaningful value. Products will change. Technology will evolve. Competition will continue to intensify. But lotteries that understand their players, deliver meaningful value, and build trusted relationships with both players and retailers may discover that their greatest competitive advantage has been there all along. n Competing Through Value: Portfolio Management, Retail, and the Future of Lottery — continued from page 14
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