20 PUBLIC GAMING INTERNATIONAL • MARCH/APRIL 2026 By the time the post-lunch crowd settled back into their seats, Matt Strawn was already framing the moment as something more consequential than an ordinary panel. The Multi-State Lottery Association and the Powerball Group weren’t just managing a successful product; they are stewards of a global property, one of the most recognized lottery brands anywhere in the world. “We have the opportunity to contemplate some of these initiatives today only because of the work of so many who went before us,” Strawn told the room. “Powerball is the brand that represents global lottery. We are just temporary custodians and trustees of that brand.” The organizing principle behind the entire discussion: how do you protect what Powerball stands for while pushing it forward with more ambition than in any period in MUSL’s history? Matt Strawn, President and CEO of the Iowa Lottery and Chair of the Powerball Group Panelists: David Barden, President and CEO, New Mexico Lottery Mary Harville, President and CEO, Kentucky Lottery Drew Svitko, Director, Pennsylvania Lottery; President of MUSL Bret Toyne, Executive Director, MUSL Adam Prock, Director, Minnesota Lottery Together, they described a strategic plan built on a blunt premise that has become a mantra inside MUSL meetings: “Legacy brands don’t evolve by doing what’s always worked.” As Drew Svitko put it, the organization has reached an inflection point, created by Powerball’s scale, the impetus to generate more funds for good causes, and a consumer market that demands more relevance, more engagement, and more disciplined innovation. “It’s going to take aggressive, progressive, active management to fulfil the promise of this humongous gaming brand.” What follows is a look at the initiatives already in flight; new draw games, new brand partnerships, a national Powerball mobile app, and a more expansive vision of what MUSL can become by 2030. A Strategic Pivot: From One Big Game to a Portfolio MUSL’s leaders were candid about a practical reality: Powerball can be the strongest brand in draw games and still experience the familiar peaks and valleys that come with jackpot-driven behavior. The strategic solution is to build a portfolio with new national games that diversify the draw category and deliver steadier performance. “One of the things the MUSL group is looking at is building a portfolio of games, not just being dependent on one game,” said David Barden. “When we do have those jackpot peaks and valleys, the other games in the portfolio pick up where Powerball and Mega Millions encounter their inevitable valleys.” That portfolio strategy is already taking shape through a major consolidation and refresh: Millionaire for Life. Millionaire for Life: A New National Draw Game at a Higher Price Point Bret Toyne described Millionaire for Life as the product of a clear opportunity. Two popular “for life” game families, Lucky for Life and Cash for Life, had proven the concept. The next step was to merge and modernize the offering with a bigger top prize and a simpler national proposition. “There was an opportunity to merge those two games into something that may be more attractive to consumers,” Toyne said. “So now we have a game—Millionaire for Life, with a plan to launch February 22, 2026.” The headline prize is designed to compete on aspiration, not just odds. “Top prize is a million dollars a year for life,” Toyne said. “Second prize is $100,000 a year for life, which is still enough to get your attention.” And the product introduces a $5 price point—an intentional appeal to value perception over price sensitivity. It will be PANEL DISCUSSION This Article is based on a panel discussion held at PGRI Lottery Expo Nashville on November 6 Left to right: Adam Prock, Mary Harville, David Barden, Bret Toyne, Drew Svitko, Matt Strawn The Future of MUSL: New Games, New Partners, and a Bigger Vision for Powerball®
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