Through a decade-long partnership with Scientific Games, Olifėja transformed instant scratchcard games from an underperformer into a reliable growth engine. For years, Lithuania’s lottery market struggled to unlock the potential of instant scratchcard games. Today, it’s a very different story: scratchcard sales are up 12% year-to-date in 2025 compared to 2024 and these games have become the backbone of growth for Olifėja, the country’s largest and oldest lottery. The turnaround, more than a decade in the making, offers valuable lessons for lotteries worldwide. From Modest Beginnings to Missed Potential Founded in 1992, Olifėja is Lithuania’s longest-running lottery operator, offering instant games and major draw-based games such as Teleloto, Vikinglotto, Eurojackpot, Kenoloto and Jėga. But until 2010, the instant product category was a persistent underperformer. The games were supplied by a local printer with limited lottery expertise, and little effort was made to optimize the portfolio. As a result, sales lagged, and the scratchcards failed to fulfill their potential. A Turning Point: Partnership with Scientific Games The tide began to turn in 2011, when Olifėja entered a retail point-of-sale partnership with Scientific Games. Together, their teams applied research-based portfolio management and global best practices to the Lithuanian market. New price points were introduced, Olifėja’s instant game portfolio was expanded, and product innovation was guided by consumer research. In 2022, a major optimization initiative further refined the portfolio based on detailed player insights. It wasn’t all smooth sailing. The 2015 transition from the Lithuanian litas to the euro presented operational hurdles, while the global COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the market in ways no one could have anticipated. Yet the strategy proved resilient, ensuring steady growth through uncertain times. Innovation Driven by Product Changes A significant part of Olifėja’s success has been driven by its innovative approaches, such as selling instant games directly through retail checkout counters. The process is as simple as purchasing milk or bread: while the cashier scans their groceries, customers can choose their preferred game from a display stand at the counter. Working with Scientific Games to improve product quality, Olifėja has expanded the range of games available at partner checkouts from 10 to 25 different options. Yet innovation did not stop there. In 2024, the company introduced a unique solution whereby instant game tickets are activated only upon payment at the register. This enhancement has made both selling and purchasing the games even more secure, boosted sales by nearly 10%, and earned strong approval from retail partners. Importantly, it also unlocked the ability to sell instant games through self-checkout terminals. Results: A Decade of Sustainable Growth “Our 15-year cooperation with Scientific Games has been marked by trust, reliability and strong results. Thanks to our close collaboration, they have played a key role in delivering innovative and high-quality products which offer entertainment and value to our players in Lithuania,” said Antanas Muraška, CEO of Olifėja. The results speak for themselves. Since 2011, the instant category has experienced continuous growth, transforming from the lottery’s weakest link to its most important growth engine. BIG LESSONS FROM A SMALLER LOTTERY MARKET: LITHUANIA’S GROWTH STORY
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