Digital transformation in the time of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic lockdown has forced us to adapt many aspects of our daily lives. Prolonged indoor stays are accelerating the evolution of eCommerce, have made home office the current standard working model for many, and have brought the classrooms of our school children into our homes. But what will remain of this adaptive behavior once the lockdown has been lifted?

06Apr2020

Lottery, sports betting, and gaming sectors battered by coronavirus

Insight

virus with lottery ball illustration

COVID-19 cases top 1.25 million as one-third of the world goes on lockdown
Lottomatica, SELAE, and ONCE suspend all sales as China Sports and China Welfare resume operations on a rolling basis
North American lotteries suspend VLT operations and close prize redemption claim centers
Sports betting hit by adjournment of major events and competitions including the English Premier League, Italy’s Serie A, Euro 2020, and the 2020 Summer Olympics
All casinos in Las Vegas close as Macau casinos cautiously reopen
Major turf events including the Kentucky Derby and the Grand National postponed as horse racing is cancelled or moved behind closed doors
US congress approves USD 2.2 trillion relief package as 10 million Americans file for unemployment
H2 Global Gaming's 2020 total gambling forecast now downgraded 12.1% on pre-outbreak estimates.

20Apr2020

Innovation and sustainable development for lotteries in Africa

WLA Events

Members of ALA and LONACI gather for a group photo after the WLA/ALA joint seminar on innovation and sustainable development.

Coinciding with the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of the National Lottery of Côte d’Ivoire (LONACI) members of the African Lottery Association (ALA) came together to discuss innovation and sustainable development in an Africa lottery context in Abidjan on March 4 and 5, 2020.

02Apr2020

Apple extends deadline for conversion of real-money gaming apps

Insight

App Store Review Guidelines

As reported in the WLA blog back mid-last year, Apple announced numerous changes to their App Store Review Guidelines on Monday, June 3 2019, including new requirements for real-money gaming apps. The changes to the guidelines, which were announced rather abruptly and with little warning, were intended to ensure Apple could have the final say on which lottery and betting apps, if any, were qualified for the App Store.