New Zealand Lotteries launches online sales

New Zealand Lotteries has launched its new online sales channel, mylotto.co.nz, that will enable lottery players to purchase tickets through the Internet.

The Chief Executive Todd McLeay of the company says the introduction of MyLotto is in response to strong customer demand for online sales of lottery products.

“We decided to call our online sales channel ‘MyLotto’, as it symbolizes the direct and personal relationship with customers that can be offered via the Internet. “Lotto, Strike, Powerball, Big Wednesday and Keno games will now be available through the new Internet channel. Instant Kiwi tickets will continue to be sold only through our retail channel.

We anticipate attracting infrequent players of lottery games who are attracted by the convenience of buying over the Internet,” McLeay says.

NZ Lotteries has spent the past year developing the infrastructure to enable safe and secure online sales. The technology has been developed by leading international gaming system provider Gtech, in association with New Zealand suppliers Datacom and Gen-i and other key vendors.

“We have also worked closely with the Government and our regulators to develop an online sales platform that minimizes the risk of problem gambling. All players will have to complete a registration process before they can purchase a ticket. There will also be set spending limits, and players also have the option of setting their own limits or exclude themselves from games” McLeay says.

Based on overseas lottery experiences, NZ Lotteries estimates up to a few percent of its annual sales will come from the online channel in the next few years. “Our traditional retail channel will remain the main source of NZ Lotteries’ sales, but this additional online channel will enable us to better meet the demands of the ever-growing online community who prefer shopping via the Internet,” McLeay says.

“This will help NZ Lotteries to maintain a good level of returns to the Lottery Grants Board, in order for funds to be distributed to arts, sporting and cultural groups, and more than 3,000 worthy community causes per year,” he says.