Polish national lottery awards IGT new technology tender
Polish state-owned lottery and gaming operator Totalizator Sportowy has awarded a consortium fronted by existing partner International Game Technology (IGT) a contract to overhaul its retail and online lottery offering.
The contract, awarded following a competitive procurement process, will see IGT provide Totalizator Sportowy with a revamped central system for operating draw-based games, as well as an interactive platform and business support software, replacing the operator’s current systems.
It replaces an existing agreement - also with IGT and ending in November this year - with the new contract running until December 2028, and comes with an option for a three year extension.
Point of sale equipment installed in Lotto and Scratch retailers will also be replaced gradually, with a view to having all-new technology in place by late 2023.
In addition, the lottery’s Lotto.pl site is to be overhauled, with new functionality and content to be added from early 2021, again part of a phased approach to replacing all current elements with new solutions from the supplier.
“The [current] contract, which is valid until the end of November 2021, is basically not comparable to the new one that has just been signed,” Totalizator Sportowy management board president Olgierd Cieślik explained. “Everything has changed; the cooperation model, which now gives [Totalizator Sportowy] greater control, the commercial agreement with the supplier, and the conditions for the quality of services.”
“We will be provided with more services and software, and at the same time we will be given more freedom in our daily operations,” Cieślik added
He explained that it was difficult for the company to achieve its ambitions with the old systems, and the new solutions would aid its retailers and business partners, as well as providing better customer service at points of sale.
“We are glad that IGT will have the opportunity to provide the latest technological and operational solutions to support Polish players and lottery outlets,” IGT Poland chief executive Wojciech Włodarczyk said. “On one hand, it will be a continuation of our long-term cooperation with Totalizator Sportowy, on the other, however, each implementation means new challenges, completely different hardware and organisational requirements, which can only be met with many years of experience in the lottery market and the extensive R&D centre that we have here in Poland.
“By employing nearly 300 people in Warsaw, we are able to delegate our best and most experienced specialists to this project, which will guarantee a painless implementation process.”
While IGT provides its lottery solutions, Totalizator Sportowy also offers scratchcards from Pollard Banknote and Scientific Games, as well as an online casino - the only legal product of its kind in the market - powered by Playtech. It also hosts content from nine different providers in its gaming halls.