Mobile lottery takes a leap

Mobile technology has revolutionised almost every aspect of our daily lives, including how we play games. George Zenzefilis, general director of INTRALOT Interactive explains how emerging technology has led to a new era in gaming and lottery play

It is widely accepted that society and the global economy are in the midst of a communication revolution dominated by mobile. From the advent of human language thousands of years ago, there have been a number of moments in history that have changed the way we entertain ourselves, share ideas and ultimately, live our lives. The enthusiasm for mobile satisfies the fundamental human need of always being connected and stems, in part, from its ability to liberate people by provoking an instinct for exploration.
Gaming is perfectly positioned to take advantage of this new era and provide exciting new opportunities for entertainment. At INTRALOT Interactive we are developing the next generation of mobile gaming based on the primary ingredients that define the new user experience: convenience, relevance and excitement. Our strategy and product roadmaps center on developments at the very nature of game mechanics, but also at the level of the Games Ecosystem Platform that aggregates and integrates the gaming content together with novel player features.

Convenience

The most inherent advantage of the mobile platform is the convenience of use and access enabled at all places and times. A mobile user has immediate access to his mobile for most of the day, which opens up a new manner of gaming that has not been possible before. It not only includes the possibility of direct participation during a live gaming session but also allows the purchase of lottery tickets. Access to new and emerging technology concepts such as QR Codes also allows for personalized and location-based marketing communications and near field technology (NFC) that enables the mobile wallet.

At INTRALOT we have taken NFC technology further into the mobile gaming space, with INTRALOT’s Augmented Reality applications, which pull graphics out of NFC gaming posters and integrate them into the real-world. Adding graphics and sounds to the game player’s experience through posters in or out of stores, converts the retail channel into a modern and interactive environment.

Relevance

The number of mobile users presents a lucrative opportunity for lottery and gaming operators due to the near ubiquity of mobile handsets in the 18-35 year old male demographic. Mobile gaming is also advantageous in that it attracts the more casual gamer who now has the option to ‘try out his chance’ from the privacy of his home. However, accessibility to this consumer base is also a challenge for the operator since the communication needs to be relevant to the state of the consumer during his daily activities. Relevance is also connected to the capabilities of the consumer device at hand and the market preferences per smart phone and tablet model. 


Recently we launched an innovative and attractive native application for Android mobile devices in Peru. The application offers players the opportunity to play lottery and sports betting games, and also check the latest results, jackpots and programs by using their Android smartphone. Through this application we provide our customers easy access to our products with the highest level of security, always complying with the highest international standards.

Excitement

It is the game itself that makes it stand out from competition and be consumed for a longer period of time. We expect a proliferation of new gaming concepts that introduce smart gaming mechanics, which will combine traditional random number generator (RNG) gaming with elements that extend the game-play and involve players’ wider social graph. New technologies will render the visual appearance of games with the introduction of 3D graphic assets to complement the game mechanics and produce an aesthetic result that appeals to the new, savvy players.

At INTRALOT we have developed the InstantMobileGames framework via the GAMEZ-ON patent-pending gaming platform which capitalizes on HTML5 mobile development to bring instant win and e-Scratch excitement into a cross-platform and device-optimised model, available through iOS, Android smartphones and tablets. The first series of InstantMobileGames were showcased at the June 2013 European Lotteries Conference in Tel Aviv. They attracted the attention of the lottery industry’s key executives for the novelties they incorporate in their entertaining themes, especially coupled with advance tablet and mobile technology that define new play styles. It is this type of product that will shape the future of egaming.

George Zenzefilis, general director of INTRALOT Interactive, leads INTRALOT Group’s exciting developments in interactive gaming for Lotteries and large scale operators. Prior to joining INTRALOT in 2008, he held senior management positions in Information Technology and Telecommunications, Oil and Gas and Transport and Logistics industries.