22 PUBLIC GAMING INTERNATIONAL • MARCH/APRIL 2026 Prock also framed the partnership as a bridge to “next generation” consumers, an audience the draw category must win if it wants to shape what lottery looks like in 2030. “MUSL has proven with NASCAR and other brand collaborations that we can take experiential prizes and connect with that newer player,” he said. “So we are really excited about it.” Strawn underscored the scale and the ambition. With states and consumer markets comprising roughly 150 million in population already committed at the time of the panel, he emphasized that the NFL’s own research suggested MUSL could have pushed ticket pricing higher than was ultimately chosen, because the “money can’t buy” element changes the value equation. “We’re not talking just tickets to go see your local team play,” Strawn said. “We’re putting you in a suite at the Super Bowl. We’re putting you at a podium on draft night potentially making a pick for your favorite team.” Svitko, speaking from the perspective of selling the concept to jurisdictions still on the fence, said “It’s pretty easy to justify on brand power alone,” he said. “Powerball has 85% awareness among adults 35 to 54 and beyond. And the NFL is probably one of the few brands bigger than Powerball.” But he also emphasized a deeper strategic point: MUSL’s brand research showed players want these partnerships. “Our research highlighted not only the ability for us to reach out to big brands and prove the value of Powerball,” Svitko said, “but also that our players want us to do that.” That is where Mary Harville became the panel’s most passionate advocate: if you’re a MUSL member, participate. Not because it’s safe, but because success depends on breadth. “Not every lottery is participating,” Harville said. “But you should.” She went on to address the usual objections in a way only a former general counsel could. “I’ve heard, ‘Our state already has a pro team.’ I’ve heard, ‘Our state does not have a pro team.’ I’ve heard, ‘We’ll wait and see how it goes,’” she said. “Folks, this is not multiple choice. The answer is D: none of the above are good reasons not to participate.” Harville also offered a telling detail about how far MUSL has come in negotiating with world-class brands. The NFL’s initial terms were daunting. “When we started negotiating with the NFL, the fee they were proposing was much higher than the fee we ultimately agreed to,” she said. “In the beginning, they acted like we were privileged that they were even talking to us.” What changed? New decision-makers on the NFL side and a clearer recognition on the MUSL side of what Powerball represents. “The NFL brought in new staff,” she said, “and I think he heard us. He saw the value of the Powerball brand, and they did the deal with us. I was amazed at the deal that was ultimately negotiated. Win-Win.” The take-away: if Powerball is going to keep growing, it must meet consumers where they are, behaviorally, digitally, and emotionally. That is exactly why the next initiative became the panel’s pivot point. The Powerball App: Protecting the Brand, Creating National Scale Strawn acknowledged that a national Powerball app had been discussed for years: often budgeted for, often delayed. Now it is imminent, slated to launch in August 2026, alongside the NFL game and its promotional prizing. “This app has been in the strategic plan every year,” Strawn said. “We’re on the doorstep now to have a Powerball app that not only provides nation-wide access to check Powerball tickets, but enables the functionality for those experiential prizing opportunities in the NFL game.” The app’s rationale comes down to two ideas: scalability and brand protection. Strawn shared a startling data point: during a major Powerball jackpot run, eight of the top ten downloaded “Powerball apps” were not Powerball apps at all. “They were imposters,” he said. “I was nervous about a Powerball app at first,” Svitko said. “Being an iLottery state, we have an app, and we want that digital relationship with our players. But we voted to move forward because we know it’s best for the organization as a whole.” Crucially, he emphasized that the app is being designed to integrate and augment rather than compete in-state digital apps and initiatives. “We’re designing it in a way that will interact with the state’s own app,” Svitko said. “The two work well together.” And the strategic objective is not just ticket checking; it is engagement that drives retail, strengthens the brand’s legitimacy, and prevents others from monetizing Powerball’s name. “There’s a ton of value in meeting players where they are,” Svitko said, “providing them an app, interacting with them, and then using that relationship to drive them into retail and sell more tickets.” Adam Prock brought it back to the user experience and the reputational risk of letting third parties own the consumer’s first impression. “We’ve got to make real investments in our players’ experience,” Prock said. “If those players are going to one of those imposter websites, they are not likely to have a great experience, and that reflects badly on our brand. We’ve got an opportunity to control and grow our digital footprint, presence, and mind-share, so that’s what we are doing.” Strawn offered an even larger view of consumer behavior: loyalty isn’t to channel; it’s to experience. “During the jackpot run that concluded with that September 6 drawing, Powerball.com had 442.4 million engagements,” Strawn said. “They weren’t looking for or coming to the Iowa Lottery website, or the Minnesota Lottery website. They were looking for Powerball.” Toyne described the app’s launch functionality as familiar but necessary, and its next-phase value as foundational for the NFL partnership. “It’s going to have that functionality at launch for players to check their ticket for winning numbers,” Toyne said. “The bigger lift for X’s & O’s will be with promotional prizing: you check your ticket, you get points, you allocate your points in prize buckets, or reallocate if you change your mind.” He framed the app as a prerequisite for Powerball to act like a true national brand. “My board talks about Powerball being a national brand,” Toyne said. “I don’t think you could find a national brand that doesn’t have its own app.” Partnerships as a Pipeline: NASCAR Renewals, New Targets, New Audiences With the app as infrastructure, MUSL leaders described brand partnerships as the content engine—something that can diversify the draw category while also invigorating relevance for different demographics. 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