25 PUBLIC GAMING INTERNATIONAL • MARCH/APRIL 2026 Coast,” Weyant said. “Broader coverage across the U.S. would benefit all of us. A rising tide lifts all ships.” She argued that states with established iLottery programs stand ready to help those still on the sidelines. “Anything we can do as an industry to learn together and support each other is critically important,” she said. Lisiecki framed that idea even more simply. “Learn,” he said. “This is one of the few industries where lotteries can openly talk to each other. Vendors are willing to share their extensive global experiences. iLottery is constantly evolving, and the best thing you can do is learn from peers who’ve already walked the path.” Williams emphasized how much the industry has matured. “This isn’t 2015 anymore,” she said. “We’re no longer debating whether iLottery harms retail. Years of data clearly show it does not cannibalize retail sales. When executed thoughtfully, cross-promotions and an integrated, multi-channel marketing approach actually strengthen retail performance.” That body of data, Williams added, has become critical in legislative discussions. “When states evaluate iLottery, it comes down to clear communication, research, and evidence,” she said. “Today, we can demonstrate that iLottery is a net positive for lotteries and the communities they serve.” Wolf framed the issue in mission-driven terms. “We are on a mission,” she said. “And that mission is growing funds for good causes. When I started in this industry, growth came from things like Powerball cross-selling and game tweaks. Going forward, that alone won’t be enough to fuel sustainable growth.” Wolf noted that players who engage both online and at retail are demonstrably more engaged overall. “It’s no different than Starbucks or Target,” she said. “Omnichannel players are more valuable players.” DeHaven concluded the segment with a warning about accessibility. “Our products are simply not as accessible as they once were,” she said. “iLottery helps solve that. Consumer behavior is changing daily, and we can’t keep up fast enough. My hope is that the map showing U.S. lotteries with online offerings fills in quickly and that more states move to adopt iLottery.” Coexistence, Not Conflict: iLottery and Retail Jones then turned to one of the most persistent questions surrounding iLottery: How to ensure that iLottery complements and augments your retail channel? Weyant, representing one of the longestrunning U.S. iLottery programs, emphasized that alignment must begin inside the organization. “It starts internally,” she said. “If leadership isn’t aligned, that misalignment shows up externally. In Pennsylvania, we have integrated teams responsible for growing sales across all channels.” She recalled early concerns among sales staff. “Some people worried about losing their job. That didn’t happen,” Weyant said. “You have to explain the ‘why’ — the strategy — so everyone delivers the same message to retailers.” Jones asked vendors how they support lotteries in telling that story. Williams also highlighted the importance of active retailer engagement. “It’s critical that retailers understand this is not a single-channel strategy, but an interconnected ecosystem,” she said. “The objective is growth across the entire portfolio. A more engaged omni-channel player ultimately becomes a stronger retail customer.” Lisiecki offered a consumer-centric analogy. “Think about your favorite brand,” he told the audience. “Mine’s Titleist. When you get something physical from that brand, it feels good. Retail isn’t going anywhere because it alone provides that tactile, personal, real-world experience that consumers, i.e. people, will always crave.” He argued that physical tickets remain a powerful differentiator. “There’s something meaningful about holding a ticket, scratching it, feeling that excitement,” Lisiecki said. “That’s why retail and digital complement each other.” Wolf added that lessons from other industries reinforce the same conclusion. “My favorite brand is Rent the Runway,” she said. “It’s incredibly digital and datadriven, but there’s still a tactile, physical product involved. The key is personalization and engagement, not replacement.” She urged lotteries to leverage the experience of peers. “You won’t be the first lottery to go online,” Wolf said. “Talk to others who’ve been through it. From the partner side, we can provide transparent data — including third-party data — to help tell the story.” DeHaven reframed the issue: “These aren’t iLottery conversations,” she said. “They’re lottery conversations. Different channels. But, there’s one brand. One mission.” She cautioned that data alone is not enough. “You can give retailers numbers, but you also need a strategy that shows how you’re continuing to support them,” DeHaven said. “When they understand the broader plan, the numbers make sense.” iLottery 2.0: A Mature Conversation If iLottery 1.0 was about permission— legal, cultural, and operational—then iLottery 2.0 is about performance. The panel made clear that the industry has entered a new phase: one defined less by debate over whether iLottery belongs, and more by how effectively it is integrated into the broader lottery enterprise. As Jones said, “We’re past the introduction. Now it’s about execution.” For lotteries facing mounting competition, shifting consumer behavior, and increasing pressure on revenue growth, the message from this panel was unambiguous: digital is not the future of lottery — it is the present. iLottery 2.0 (Part II): Competition, Coexistence, and the Next Frontier If the first half of the iLottery 2.0 panel established that digital lottery is no longer optional, the second half confronted a more uncomfortable question: What happens when lotteries are no longer the dominant digital gaming option in their own markets? Moderator Khalid Jones moved decisively to examine competition from sports betting and iGaming, the economics of digital margins, and how lotteries can position themselves strategically rather than defensively in an increasingly crowded online marketplace. Please go to PGRI news website PublicGaming.com to view the rest of this article.
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