Spinola to take lotteries online amid Covid-19 shut down
Lottery solutions provider Spinola Gaming is offering immediate support to lottery operators looking to mitigate the shut down of retail lottery sales as a result of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic by powering the rapid launch of digital offerings.
Governments around the world have introduced measures to slow the spread of the virus, with country-wide lockdowns temporarily closing gambling venues and outlets selling lottery products. This has already prompted Spain's Sociedad Estatal Loterías y Apuestas del Estado (SELAE) to suspend ticket sales and lottery draws from 16 March.
Spinola said it can support operators affected by the measures by helping them to set up an online platform, that can both players engaged by offering high value jackpots.
“These unprecedented times have highlighted how fragile certain business models can be, as more and more countries enforce lockdowns making traditional physical lottery ticket purchase no longer an option for players,” Spinola chief executive Ade Repcenko explained.
“The need for national lottery operators to make the shift and be available online in order to continue to reach their players is imperative.
“We are offering a way to quickly convert to an online operation, in order to keep players engaged and to continue to provide draws to their players, and most importantly continue to support the good causes that land-based charity lotteries contribute towards.”
Spinola also said it can work with existing online operators in the casino and sportsbook sectors to introduce new games and help keep players engaged during the shutdown of sports events around the world. Football’s English Premier League and the UEFA European Championship are among the major events to have been affected by Covid-19.
“We are ready and able to provide a quick and reliable solution that can immediately address the current unfortunate situation facing many in the industry,” Repcenko said.
The pledge comes after Spinola this week also announced a new initiative to help governments, state-run operators and public/private partnerships (PPP) across emerging markets to launch their lotteries online.
Spinola said that it would seek out partnerships with businesses in Latin America, Asia, Africa and the South Pacific that have traditionally operated in a paper environment.