INTRALOT has already deployed self-service vending terminals with touchscreen technology in numerous U.S. states, attracting new customers and thus leading to significant sales increases for the operators. In 2016, INTRALOTinstalled the DREAMTOUCH in Montana; it is in the rollout phase of the DREAMTOUCH Compact terminal for a lottery in Europe. “The word is rapidly spreading that touchscreen technology defines the new approach of interacting with gaming machines. At the moment, it provides maximum content experience, drives customer’s entertainment and remarkably increases player loyalty,” said Thomas Filippou, Commercial Retail Solution Director, INTRALOT S.A.
Self-Service Choices
According to Filippou, “INTRALOT’s Self-Service Terminal (SST) is the only 23-inch dual display cabinet in the market incorporating the latest technology in smartcard reading (chip or NFC), barcode reading, ticket printing, bill validating, coin insertion and play-slip scanning. Cashless gaming is also supported, provided the respective banking software is mounted. All these features give end-users the freedom to access their players’ accounts in multiple ways and get directly into gaming action without having to interact with retailers.”
“Like other INTRALOT gaming terminals, the SST is on the receiving end of an omnichannel content approach, allowing it to enhance the gaming experience, host promotional signage and facilitate cross-selling through its impressive user interface. Live video and game content is viewed in the upper screen, while touchscreen gameplay in the screen below, making it the ideal approach for delivering side games along with each primary game category,” said Filippou. “Overall, the SST has been designed from player to operator and operator to hardware. The player’s journey is always the backbone upon which we build our ideas because, at the end of the day, the level of gaming convenience is what boosts or thwarts excitement. How to conveniently thrill end-users is clearly more important than the playing outcome. Overall, the SST drives sales, satisfaction and loyalty by enriching the player experience at the retail point of play. Appealing and convenient, this terminal can be used for attracting more players, especially from young, tech-savvy generations.”
INTRALOT notes that ever since their introduction in smartphones where they gained huge popularity, touchscreens have remained the most popular, widely-used and preferred interface for consumers of all sorts of products. They evidently upgrade the overall user experience and people value them.
“This familiarity and positivity around touchscreens has led us to adapt these displays into our gaming terminals, where the challenge is to equally appeal to operators and players, and fulfill their needs for autonomous playing,” explained Filippou. “We currently offer a range of self-service solutions that vary in size and feature high resolution single or dual touchscreen displays. From the business end of the spectrum, our assortment enables operators to choose the solution that best fits their strategies and spatial requirements. On the other end, consumers embrace the HD touchscreen display as the most intriguing, entertaining and handy gaming interface.”
“Our touchscreen self-service terminals manage to redefine the analogies between gaming interface and hardware volume. Actual content is increasingly taking up more room in less machine bodywork, meaning that every player’s gaming experience is being maximized in less physical space. This increase in content area combined with cashless payment options enhances impulse gaming and player loyalty, as well as cross-selling and trade,” said Filippou.
Cashless Consumer
Compared to traditional monetary transactions, it is well proven that cashless means of payment enhance speed, convenience, flexibility, and even enable remoteness. “Their evolutionary combination has created such a strong advantage over tangible money that the cashless trend has led to the redefining of product and service propositions in several active markets. Inevitably, the lottery industry has not remained unaffected by this trend. Changes in self-service playing journeys and the boosting of gaming vending machines have already been triggered,” said Filippou. “Speed and convenience of cashless transaction playing seems to gain ground compared to notes and coins. On one hand, consumers have simply followed technology and progressed along. On the other hand, tangible money has often been the barrier of convenience for non-players, meaning that the cashless option represents a portal of appeal for potential players and ‘newbies’. Attracting such as segment therefore, automatically translates to a broadened customer base for lotteries, with increased revenues and profits.”