Camelot wins $2.2bn Illinois Lottery contract
UK-based firm pledges to introduce a “next generation ilottery platform” to boost online sales
Camelot Illinois, a subsidiary of UK national lottery operator Camelot, has won a contract to operate the Illinois Lottery.
The deal is reported to be a 10-year contract worth $2.2bn annually, according to Illinois Lottery representatives.
Camelot will replace the beleaguered Northstar – a joint venture between GTech and Scientific Games – which saw its contract terminated early last year after flat sales and missed revenue targets.
Acting Illinois Lottery director Greg Smith said the new agreement with Camelot aligned their financial incentives and included new games, as well as a “next-generation iLottery platform that supports omni-channel lottery participation.”
Camelot said it would introduce more prominent displays for retail sales, increased marketing of online sales, and better technology such as a mobile app.
“We have an ambitious plan but the plan’s also proven,” CEO Nigel Railton said, pointing to the firm’s history of online lottery provision around the world.
Camelot said in a statement it looked forward to “solidifying our partnership with the state to transform the Illinois Lottery and create long-term, sustainable benefits for the people of Illinois.”
Illinois was the first state to privatize its lottery when lawmakers voted to do so in 2009, initially choosing Northstar to run the platform over Camelot.