The Lottery of the Future: How Digital Technology Will Transform Experience and Impact

Growing demands for businesses to demonstrate that they are purposeful, accountable and worthy of trust will combine with new digital technologies to transform the experience and impact of lotteries in the coming decade, according to a new report published by Allwyn, the leading multi-national lottery operator. Global lottery sales are expected to grow to more than half a trillion US Dollars by 2035, and by more than 40% compared with 2025, according to H2 Gambling Capital.

Working with The Future Laboratory, a strategic foresight consultancy, Allwyn has produced the industry’s first in-depth analysis of the future lottery experience. In The Future of Lottery: A Game for Change, experts say that lotteries are well positioned to meet the expectations of the consumers of 2035.

The emphasis on social responsibility, transparency and meaning from younger adults will see lottery brands double down on their commitment to supporting socially driven causes and responsible gaming, the report says.

“It’s impossible to ignore the power of purpose when considering how Gen Z or young millennials think about where and how they will spend their money in the future,” says Martin Raymond, co-founder of The Future Laboratory.

As digital natives, these groups will also look to brands to embrace new technological possibilities, such as augmented reality and new forms of community engagement and social play.

The report outlines a number of ways in which lotteries could innovate to improve the player experience. For example:

• Making the social impact of lotteries more visible: The use of smartphone apps, QR codes and interactive terminals can tell engaging stories about where lottery returns or taxes are directed – such as supporting investments in sports facilities, arts and cultural institutions or other types of community funding. The report says this heightened transparency could resonate with younger adult consumers’ desire for progress and activism.
• Enhancing the social dimension of game play: Younger adults who play the lottery want to do so within their social circle, sharing their experiences with others. Technology could enable new multi-player formats to promote community and a sense of camaraderie both in the play itself but also in crowdsourcing funds for specific themes or issues.
• Involving players in how lottery funds are spent: Lottery players could collaborate alongside traditional distributors of funds – even between different countries – to help decide the causes, projects or charities that are most deserving of their funds, perhaps choosing between a range of options presented digitally. Multi-national lottery operators have the opportunity to build links and communities between players and causes that transcend traditional geographic boundaries. “As lotteries become more international, they have the potential to become vehicles for achieving broader goals, such as addressing climate change or reducing social inequalities, by focusing on a coordinating a critical mass of inter-related micro solutions,” says the report.
• Using virtual worlds and augmented reality (AR): Lotteries could use virtual worlds to show players how their money is making positive contributions to make the social impact more vivid. AR could allow customers to use their smartphones to scan physical objects to reveal hidden digital lottery tickets or participate in location-based games to win prizes.

Robert Chvátal, CEO of Allwyn Group, said: “Allwyn’s success in running lotteries is because we keep innovating to meet the needs and expectations of both current and new customers. While not every prediction in The Future of Lottery report will come to pass, every word of it will act as a catalyst for us at Allwyn to keep developing lotteries to meet the demands of players in the future, thereby returning more money to governments and good causes.”

Pavel Turek, Allwyn’s Chief Global Brand, Corporate Communication and CSR Officer, said: “As regulated businesses, trust is the cornerstone of the lottery industry’s relationship with the public. As younger generations of consumers expect more from businesses, lotteries have the potential to double down on being a positive force for change in their communities over the next decade.”

Martin Raymond, co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Future Laboratory, said: “Far from a game of chance and luck, the lottery of the future has the opportunity to be a positive vehicle of change for individuals, for communities and for societies at large. Now, thanks to next-generation tech, the industry has more channels that ever to address emerging audiences – bringing the value-focused adult Gen Zs along for the journey with immersive game experiences, responsible strategies and play that has purpose at its core.”

Experts who contributed to the report include Anthony Steed, head of virtual new environments and computer graphics at University College London, Katie Hillier, chief digital anthropologist at Liiv Group and Rosanna Iacono, CEO of The Growth Activists.