Lottoland launches US subsidiary
Lottoland USA office set up in New York as operator aims to tap into the B2G market
Lottoland has continued its international expansion with the launch of a new US subsidiary, EGR has learned.
The bet-on-lotteries firm has appointed former lotteries and public affairs consultant Thomas Metzger to lead the new Lottoland USA division, which will operate out of a New York office.
Metzger also has experience at Scientific Games, having been vice president of lottery development for the provider from 2011 to 2013.
The new division will take a slightly different approach from Lottoland’s existing operations by focusing on the B2G sector.
Specifically Lottoland will aim to provide state lotteries with its “innovative products and solutions”, including instant win games and insurance-backed draws.
Metzger said only four off 44 states with lotteries were currently transacting online, and states in the process of regulating online lottery would be priorities, including New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
“It’s well known the US lottery market is controlled by an oligopoly of technology suppliers, “Metzger told EGR.
“And there’s been a natural tendency to protect their legacy business which revolves around printing scratch tickets and the manufacturing and servicing of the lottery terminal infrastructure. To that end the current suppliers have discouraged the states from going online.
“Our primary goal here is to help states growth their revenues and increase return to beneficiaries. We are coming in as an ally of the state lotteries.”
Metzger said the new collaborative approach was in part informed by the backlash which faced Lottoland in the UK and Australia, but also by the fragmented nature of US market.
He refused to be drawn on the headcount of the new Lottoland USA business, only saying it was “still in start-up mode”.