Illinois seeks new lottery manager to boost online sales

 State searching for a replacement for failed IGT/Scientific Game partnership

 Illinois has issued an RFP for a new private partner to run the state lottery, with a focus on boosting online sales.

The Illinois lottery was the first in the nation to sell tickets online and one of only eight states with any online features.

It was privatized back in 2010, with the contract going to Northstar Lottery Group – a partnership between lottery giants GTECH and Scientific Games.

The firm promised to generate $4.8bn in net income over the first five years of the contract, but never came close to hitting those targets.

The state recently negotiated itself out of that contract and has issued a call for a new partner that “shares the Lottery’s goals of increasing profits to the state, responsibly broadening its player base, introducing new technology and innovation, and ensuring responsiveness to public needs and concerns”.

“Today, the State of Illinois is transforming the Lottery by seeking a new private management contract,” said Rauner. “Under this proposal, we are eliminating historical conflicts of interest, incentivizing innovation and growth, and creating opportunities for new businesses to thrive in this industry.”

A statement from the Governor’s office emphasized the importance of developing the online channels, adding: “The private manager will be heavily evaluated on its ability to grow the Lottery through innovation.  There will be an emphasis placed on finding a partner that can develop new products and reach new customers.”