8 PUBLIC GAMING INTERNATIONAL • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2025 From the Publisher Susan and I are so looking forward to seeing you at the three big lottery conference events this fall. First up is NASPL Niagara Falls where at least some of you are right now as you read this. And right after this week wraps, we head straight to Bern, Switzerland, for the bi-annual EL Congress. And just a few weeks later we’ll be in Nashville, November 4–6, for our own PGRI Lottery Expo. Check out NASPL.org, European-Lotteries. org, and PublicGaming.org for more on these organizations and their events. The theme of EL Congress is “Building a Better World.” EL President Romana Girandon is a true champion of that vision — lotteries not only serving good causes, but of lotteries as active agents of societal progress, shaping communities and driving change far beyond the role of selling lottery tickets. Which brings us to the extraordinary story of ONCE. What started in 1938 as a way to create dignified work for the blind has grown into the world’s largest employer of people with disabilities and a global model for the social economy. Ángel Sánchez explains how ONCE keeps evolving its unique business model. This isn’t just smart leadership — it’s social transformation in action. Europe has long been caught up in waves of regulatory change. On one side are the political and economic forces pressing for gambling to be treated like any other consumer product. On the other are the voices of reason who point out the obvious — that gambling is different because it carries higher social costs and generates oversized profits, so it demands a different set of regulations. The monopoly model best protects consumers and ensures funds flow to good causes. In the U.S., that’s never really been debated. States have the clear right to run a monopoly lottery if they choose. In Europe, it’s much less straightforward. The changing European regulatory scene, and the lack of clarity about what the EU Commission and Court of Justice expect of member states, has left space for confusion. And where there’s confusion, illegal operators thrive — working in gray zones where laws are vague or unenforceable. Philippe Vlaemminck’s article sorts out this somewhat complicated scenario to explain how and why lottery needs a safe harbor. Veikkaus has long been admired for its pioneering spirit, its ambitious approach towards technological and business-process innovation, and the stability of its gamesof-chance market. Finland is now rewriting the rules of gambling, and Veikkaus is at the center of it. As the country shifts from a monopoly model to a competitive multilicense system in many game categories (though not in lottery), CEO Olli Sarekoski sees not just disruption but opportunity. In this candid interview, he explains how Veikkaus is preparing to lead in a more competitive market — leveraging data, AI, and international expansion—while keeping responsibility and player protection at its core. His vision reveals how a national lottery can transform regulatory upheaval into strategic advantage. Simon Jaworski conducts valuable research on brand awareness, player behavior, and changing play styles — currently with a spotlight on Powerball® and Mega Millions®. And speaking of those games, see the slightly edited transcript of a wonderful panel discussion with the leaders of the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL). They are on quite a tear, have been for the last five years, forging collaborations with iconic brands like Nascar and the NFL and launching new games and moving forward at a fast and furious pace. As lotteries strategically reshape their operations to adapt to changes in consumer behavior, digitalization, and new forms of competition for players’ attention, taking action requires flexible solutions that meet current needs and support ongoing evolution. In its transformation to Brightstar Lottery from IGT Lottery, Brightstar has set the stage by purposefully evolving its lottery product roadmaps and aligning its resources with these objectives in mind. The result is forward-looking products and services that meet the challenges lotteries have cited as high priorities. Brightstar Lottery has a huge story to tell and we are so pleased to feature it so prominently. The world of Instant Games is more exciting than ever. Just check out the article on Scientific Games explosive, bold portfolio of ultra-premium enhanced scratch games called Obsidian. Named for their dark, glasslike appearance like naturally occurring obsidian rock, the games feature a dramatic combination of all-black and holographics and represent the next generation of lotteryplaying experiences. The new world of iLottery is reshaping the player experience, enabling two-way interactive communication, and a variety of new tools to improve access and manage play, like digital wallets. Cloud-native technology platforms are the pathway towards managing the complexity by transforming innovation, scalability, and security, offering a clear path for lotteries to stay competitive in today’s digital world. Pollard Banknote and Brightstar Lottery have both contributed insightful articles that bring us up to speed on this ground-breaking topic. And DraftKings challenges us to think about how the modern shopping experience is changing towards a concept known as distributed commerce — a model where brands embed shopping opportunities directly into the platforms and ecosystems consumers already frequent. Consumers are making purchases in the same digital spaces where they scroll, chat, and browse. And increasingly, these platforms don’t just sell—they fulfill. See you in Niagara Falls, Bern, and Nashville! Paul Jason, Publisher Public Gaming International Magazine
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