WINNIPEG, March 31, 2014 /CNW/ - Pollard Banknote Limited (TSX: PBL) ("Pollard Banknote"), one of the world's leading full-service
lottery vendors, and NeoGames, a leading global internet lottery
provider with strong expertise in online and mobile products, today
announced the formation of NeoPollard Interactive, a joint venture
arrangement. NeoPollard Interactive combines the marketing expertise
and extensive worldwide lottery experience of Pollard Banknote with the
proven leadership and technology of NeoGames in launching new iLottery
channels and mobile gaming products and services in response to an
ever-evolving marketplace. The joint venture will leverage the
strengths of both companies to develop, implement, operate, and
maintain innovative iLottery services for regulated lottery clients in
order to generate revenues for good causes.
Together, Pollard Banknote and NeoGames recently won a contract to
provide iLottery services to the Michigan Lottery. With this success,
the two companies have formalized their relationship as a joint
venture, making services available to other lotteries—with a primary
focus on the emerging iLottery market within North America. NeoPollard
Interactive will provide lotteries with customized iLottery solutions
including modular and full turnkey offerings to create and operate
interactive web and mobile channels to help grow their player base,
optimize player engagement and retention, and build their brand by
cross-promoting across all channels. This combination of market-proven
expertise and technological innovation will help lotteries expand their
portfolios into the critical channels of online and mobile gaming.
"We are very excited to join forces with NeoGames to help lotteries
expand their game portfolios and add new distribution channels," stated
Doug Pollard, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Pollard Banknote. "The
strength of NeoPollard Interactive will be our collective ability to
leverage all lottery channels—from 'bricks and mortar' retail to
interactive gaming—in response to how players want to play in our
consumer-driven culture. With the addition of iLottery, we hope to help
lotteries optimize sales and contributions to good causes."
"A lottery is made up of a network of interactions across various sales
channels. This 'ecosystem' thrives and evolves when a lottery
successfully utilizes these channels to increase player engagement,"
said Ilan Rosen, Chief Executive Officer, NeoGames. He added, "Our
research and experience show that an exceptional, jurisdiction-specific
iLottery portfolio helps lotteries encourage players of traditional
lottery products to develop and expand into multi-channel players in an
increasingly complex omni-channel lottery ecosystem. Additionally, it
reaches new target markets, a challenge currently faced by most
lotteries. NeoPollard Interactive will offer a comprehensive iLottery
solution that will help lotteries create a seamless lottery experience
through all available channels."
About Pollard Banknote
Pollard Banknote is one of the world's leading full-service lottery
vendors and is a major supplier to North America's charitable gaming
industry. The company manufactures instant lottery tickets and provides
related programming, design and marketing support. As well, Pollard
Banknote manufactures pull-tab tickets and bingo paper, and supplies
lottery management services (including warehousing and distribution).
Established in 1907, Pollard Banknote is owned approximately 73.5% by
the Pollard family and 26.5% by public shareholders and currently
serves more than 50 lotteries worldwide, including some of the largest
and most respected lotteries in the United States, Canada, Europe,
Asia, and Central and South America. For more information, please visit
our website at www.pollardbanknote.com.
About NeoGames
NeoGames is a leading software and service provider specializing in the
development of interactive instant win and lottery games since 2005.
The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of multi-channel,
internet, mobile and tablet soft gaming solutions and with its robust
and flexible gaming system, enables lotteries and commercial gaming
operators around the world to tailor the most effective offerings for
their specific markets. NeoGames provides leading-edge operational and
marketing services that help its partners maximize revenues from
interactive channels in a dynamic market environment.
NeoGames currently serves over two million active players around the
world. With an 'act local, be global' approach to strategy and sales.
For more information, please visit our website at www.neogames.com.
Forward-looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release may constitute
"forward-looking" statements and information, which involve known and
unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual
results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from
any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied
by such forward-looking statements. When used in this document, such
statements include such words as "may," "will," "expect," "believe,"
"plan," and other similar terminology. These statements reflect
management's current expectations regarding future events and operating
performance and speak only as of the date of this document. There
should not be an expectation that such information will in all
circumstances be updated, supplemented, or revised whether as a result
of new information, changing circumstances, future events, or
otherwise.
SOURCE Pollard Banknote Limited
