THE FUTURE OF THE LOTTERY

Perhaps the most unanswerable question when it comes to the lottery is what the future holds for it. Much like with punters that scoop the big prize, will things be handled sensibly or will we end up in a situation where the whole thing eats itself?

What is beyond doubt is that the lottery will move more and more into online play as the medium develops. The gambling industry knows more than most how important it is to engage customers via the internet and mobile phone applications, given that money taken online by bookmakers far outstrips any money taken in high street shops. Oakland Lottery is already pretty much there, but there’s no centralised system in the California to allow players to use an app or play easily on the internet.

How the various companies begin to develop the lottery’s future with the advancements in technology remains to be seen, but it’s beyond doubt that how they integrate the likes of virtual reality and augmented reality will dictate how popular the lotto is with young generations. It’s important for companies to engage with Millennials and kids that are growing up now if they hope to survive as businesses. In truth, the shrinking economy around the globe means that winnings large amounts of money from a small investment is unlikely to become undesirable any time soon, but the various organisers will need to ensure that prizes are winnable and not just aspirational.