Digital lottery platforms have transformed how lotteries understand players and deliver value, enabling a connected experience that extends beyond the moment of purchase.
Pollard Banknote’s Amy Drooker, SVP of Retail Lottery Strategy and Solutions, and Shannon DeHaven, SVP of Digital Engagement, with a combined four decades of experience, come together at a pivotal industry moment. Amy has driven retail lottery growth within some of the most competitive US jurisdictions and now leads Pollard’s retail team, working closely with lotteries to strengthen retail innovation through data-driven merchandising and promotional strategies. Complementing this, Shannon has led the evolution of digital engagement and iLottery from Michigan Lottery’s early iLottery beginnings to the launch of Pollard Banknote’s digital offering.
Together they illustrate how retail and digital expertise combine to support a unified player journey and shape the future of lottery. It’s this collaboration in practice that helps lotteries build long-term sustainability.
SD: Bringing retail and digital leadership together creates a real opportunity to learn from one another, combining retail expertise with digital insight to better understand players and drive growth across the full lottery ecosystem.
AD: And that alignment is essential. It’s not about siloing channels; it’s about strengthening across channels in a way that feels seamless for players and sustainable for lotteries.
SD: That’s where digital really adds value from the jump. It helps us understand why and how, not just what. With loyalty and iLottery platforms, like Pollard’s PlayOn® Loyalty Program and the Pollard Catalyst™ Gaming Platform, lotteries uncover player behavior, allowing interactions to feel intentional and timely. As a result, customer relationship management becomes about listening and responding to behaviors; and when that mindset carries into retail, it supports a connected player experience overall.
AD: For retail, player visibility and relationships, beyond initial purchase, were missing. Digital unlocked that layer, allowing retail to understand who’s engaging and what motivates them, thereby driving smarter promotions, product positioning, and experiences.
SD: Digital Playslips are a strong example of extending player convenience. In iLottery, they make it easy for players to save numbers, select add-ons, and complete entries.
AD: That same approach applies in retail. Moving from Paper to Digital Playslips reduces friction, and when draw entries come through digitally, add-on selection increases because options are presented at the moment of play.
SD: Relevance shows up in recommendations as well. In iLottery, players are introduced to games they’re likely to enjoy, while in retail, loyalty enables personalized offers or follow-up messaging that extends value, rather than feels promotional.
AD: Jackpots follow the same pattern. Across both digital and retail, they act as powerful acquisition tools and often introduce players to other products.
SD: Once a player registers, digital extends those moments through automated follow-ups, offers, and timely jackpot reminders. Supported by in-store touchpoints like Digital Menu Boards, what starts at retail continues beyond the draw.
AD: How does digital support a holistic player-led relationship?
SD: Digital connects the dots giving retail access to the same signals digital relies on: frequency, preferences, responsiveness, and patterns. A player is the same person whether they’re online or in-store, and digital ensures engagement doesn’t reset after each visit. That continuity:
- Increases player engagement
- Builds stronger brand loyalty
- Enables meaningful responsible play communication
- Supports player evolution
Digital learning has also introduced player segmentation into the lottery vernacular, especially through player personas which reveal how and why players engage, not just when they play.
AD: Retail can do the same through loyalty. Once a player is identified as highly engaged, regular, or occasional, engagement becomes more intentional.
SD: You can see this directly in messaging. A highly engaged player might receive a value-driven message like “50 Free Points Inside,” while an occasional player may respond better to something more inviting, like “A Free Reward Is Waiting for You.”
AD: We know that user experience matters everywhere. In your opinion, what digital UX lessons matter most for retail?
SD: Value and clarity. Players want to understand why they should register, what they get, and how quickly they’ll see value. Whether that comes through a reward or a gamified digital reveal at retail, like The Big Spin, the experience needs to be clear and immediate.
AD: Let me close with this. When digital insight informs retail strategy, what does the future look like?
SD: Retail that feels smarter, more intuitive, and more rewarding. The experience stays familiar for players, while everything behind the scenes is more informed.
AD: A true collaboration aligned around the same player journey, strengthening relationships without changing what makes retail work.
One player. One portfolio.
Many connected moments.
That’s the future of lottery.