Fiscal 2021 (FY21) unaudited U.S. iLottery sales saw tremendous growth as a category, with most states doubling their primary reported iLottery metric from the previous year.
La Fleur’s Magazine estimates U.S. lotteries’ combined Internet draw (iDraw) and Internet instant (eInstant) sales topped $4 billion in fiscal 2021.
U.S. lotteries’ eInstant sales are estimated at $3.7 billion. U.S. lotteries’ eInstant gross gaming revenues (GGR) are estimated at $536 million. U.S. lotteries’ Internet draw sales totaled $471.4 million.
Reporting Differences
As of now, lotteries are reporting eInstants revenues differently. Consider:
Lotteries like the Georgia Lottery Corp. only report total eInstant sales. Lotteries like Michigan only report total eInstant Gross Gaming Revenues (GGR), which removes prizes from the sales. Finally, New Hampshire Lottery only reports Net Gaming Revenue (NGR), which is GGR minus bonuses and promotional gaming credits. The other states (D.C., Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Virginia lotteries) report both eInstant sales and eInstant GGR.
U.S. iLottery Results
The DC Lottery launched eInstant and Internet draw game sales in December 2020 so there is no year-over-year (YOY) comparison. Total iDraw sales and eInstant GGR totaled $798,057 for the six months ended June 30, 2021.
The Georgia Lottery’s Diggi (eInstant) sales grew by 156.0%. iDraw sales increased by 63.9%.
The Kentucky Lottery Corp. sells eInstant and draw games over the internet. The lottery reported the largest growth in sales in its fiscal sales. Kentucky Lottery’s eInstant sales increased by 256.7%. Its eInstant GGR increased by 155.9%. Kentucky Lottery’s iDraw sales increased by 57.3%.
Illinois Lottery only sells draw games over the internet. In fiscal 2021, the lottery sold $170.1 million in draw game sales, which is 71.6% larger than the lottery with the next highest iDraw game sales, the Georgia Lottery with $98.5 million. The Illinois Lottery’s iDraw category grew by 97.5% in FY21.
The Michigan Lottery’s fiscal year runs from October to September. As such, the lottery staff has estimated their FY21 sales. The lottery projected a decline in iLottery revenues. eInstant GGR is expected to decrease 14.4% YOY. iDraw sales are projected to decrease by 7.6%. The decline in iLottery sales may be the result of the introduction of iCasinos in January 2021.
The New Hampshire Lottery has more than doubled its eInstant and iDraw categories. Its eInstant NGR has increased by 117.4%, and its iDraw has increased by more than 169.5%.
The North Carolina Education Lottery only sells draw games over the internet. iDraw sales increased by 157.4%. The lottery has the third highest draw game sales in the United States.
The North Dakota Lottery’s FY21 internet draw sales increased 52.0%.
The Pennsylvania Lottery sells both draw games and eInstants over the internet. Pennsylvania saw the largest growth in iDraw over the past year, increasing sales by 410.4%. However, this was likely due to the full year of sales of draw games. Powerball and Mega Millions were added to the iLottery platform in January 2020, and Cash4Life and Treasure Hunt were added in August of 2020.
The Rhode Island Lottery began selling keno and eInstants over the internet in May 2020. The lottery only reports total Internet sales and does not separate eInstants from Keno. It reported a 447.8% growth in total iLottery sales.
The Virginia Lottery started selling eInstants in July 2020. It generated $758.3 million in eInstant sales and $91.5 million in eInstant GGR. After its first year of sales, Virginia Lottery already has the third highest eInstant GGR out of the U.S. lotteries that report eInstant GGR.
Virginia Lottery also sells iDraw games. It reported a 131.5% increase in the category.
Canadian iLottery Results
The Canadian lottery market also saw tremendous growth in internet sales. However, the market is very different from the United States.
Atlantic Lottery’s iGames includes eInstants, iBingo and iCasino. Total iGames’ GGR increased by 282.2%, to C$50.7 million in FY21. eInstant GGR was C$43.4 million, which represents 86.4% of the lottery’s iGames’ GGR. eInstant GGR grew by 227%. iDraw games also grew significantly, increasing 147.5% in FY21. ALC’s FY21 iDraw game category totaled C$64.9 million.
BCLC only reports eCasino games revenues. There is no breakout for lottery eInstants. In FY21, BCLC’s eCasino GGR grew to C$412.3 million, a YOY increase of 118.8%.
Loto-Québec had the largest eInstant growth of any jurisdiction that LaFleur’s Magazine reported on in this issue. YOY eInstant GGR increased 2,762.7% in FY21. Loto-Québec ranked #1 in iDraw sales, with C$230.0 million in sales, which represents an increase of 164.7%.
Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation’s iDraw sales increased by 303.4% in FY21.