In today’s dynamic digital landscape, player engagement is no longer transactional—it’s an ongoing relationship. Recognizing this early, Kansas Lottery launched PlayOn® in 2017, a flexible loyalty ecosystem built to grow with its players. PlayOn® went beyond rewards by generating valuable behavioral insights that helped shape more personalized and engaging experiences for players.
Kansas Lottery’s digital transformation was built on a strong foundation of player engagement. The evolution from a traditional Player’s Club to the PlayOn® Loyalty Program—and eventually to iLottery—showcases how strategic digital investments paved the way for sustained growth and innovation. PlayOn® Loyalty played a pivotal role in shaping a digitally fluent, highly engaged player base. This foundation not only bolstered retail sales but also created the perfect environment for eventual iLottery success. So, when the time came to launch iLottery, Kansas Lottery was able to leverage an already activated audience, ensuring the transition was smooth and fueled by trust.
In 2024, Kansas Lottery took another step forward with the integration of Bloomreach into the PlayOn® ecosystem. Bloomreach, a powerful Customer Data and Experience Platform (CDXP), enhanced PlayOn® by providing in-depth real-time insights into player behavior. This enabled smarter, data-driven decisions and a more unified approach to player engagement.
Amidst a competitive market, PlayOn® became a key driver of sustainable growth, ensuring effective player acquisition and retention across channels. Designed for lasting engagement, it delivered tens of thousands of new registrations, increased revenue, and improved marketing efficiency. Its success set the stage for the next phase of digital growth: the iLottery launch.
The launch of Kansas iLottery was more than just a new feature—it was a strategic step toward building sustainable, long-term value. That vision became reality in early 2025 with the introduction of online play for Kansas PlayOn® members—235,000, many of whom had long anticipated this opportunity. This milestone marked a defining moment, ushering in a new era of growth, innovation and deeper digital engagement.
The success of Kansas iLottery’s launch can be attributed to the strength of the player base cultivated through PlayOn®. With 88% of new Catalyst™ players coming from PlayOn®, it was clear that PlayOn® had created a truly engaged audience—not just a database, but a community of players emotionally connected to the brand. This engagement was measurable: 65% of active PlayOn® Loyalty members were participating in online play within the first 60 days. Through personalized marketing, real-time player segmentation, and intelligent campaign strategies, PlayOn® cultivated this deeply engaged audience—players who weren’t just active, but invested. As a result, when Catalyst™ iLottery launched on February 13, 2025, the player base was not only larger but significantly more likely to register and participate—driven by their trust in the program and enthusiasm for the product.
Since its mid-February debut, Catalyst™ has generated significant buzz across Kansas and the industry, thanks to its record-setting speed. Though years in planning, the full rollout, including a complete overhaul of the PlayOn® website and mobile app, was executed in just 10 months—making it the fastest full-featured iLottery launch in U.S. history. The momentum continues with exceptional early performance, setting a powerful precedent for the impact of strategic vision and flawless execution. For further details, please see Figure 1.
60 days from launch, the Kansas Catalyst™ Platform saw:
- 74K PlayOn® Loyalty members became fully verified to play online games
- 86% of first-time depositors coming from the Kansas PlayOn® Loyalty player base
- PlayOn® Loyalty players who migrated over were 75% more valuable—spending 75% more—than new players who signed up for iLottery without a prior PlayOn® Loyalty account
- 96% of purchases came from mobile activity
- Over $12M in sales setting a new standard for industry excellence
- Through its first 60 days, Kansas set new per capita records across key revenue-driving metrics, including Registrations, Deposits, and Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) when compared to other iLottery launches in the U.S.
Delivering a state-of-the-art iLottery solution was no small feat, but Kansas Lottery’s approach was guided by three strategic pillars. With a focus on creating a lasting impact without disrupting players, they carefully planned and executed each phase to ensure success.
1) Create a Solid Foundation by Leveraging Loyalty First
The success of Kansas Lottery’s Catalyst™ iLottery launch can be traced to a clear strategic decision: leveraging the existing PlayOn® platform. Designed to deeply engage players, PlayOn® provided the ideal foundation, enabling Kansas to activate a ready-made audience of over 235,000 engaged users—building relationships efficiently and effectively.
Rather than immediately investing in external paid marketing, Kansas focused on activating its internal PlayOn® base. Familiar with the platform, these players converted more quickly and easily. This approach accelerated adoption and laid a strong foundation for long-term, sustainable growth.
“When it came time to launch iLottery, we were in a strong position,” says Steve Ortiz, Director of Sales & Marketing at Kansas Lottery. “Our PlayOn® members were not just users—they were an active, loyal community, deeply engaged with our platform. These players formed the top of our funnel and became critical to the early success of iLottery. Given our strategic decision to take a conservative approach to the launch, we leaned heavily on this trusted group to drive initial momentum.”
2) Speed to Market
Kansas Lottery set a new benchmark for iLottery speed to market by strategically leveraging its existing PlayOn® website and mobile infrastructure. By narrowing focus to high-impact draw games—Mega Millions and Powerball—the Lottery was able to accelerate delivery without compromising quality or scope. A critical factor in this success was the deep collaboration with Pollard Banknote, whose proven track record and technical expertise ensured alignment across all phases of the project.
Central to the rapid launch was Pollard’s modular, cloud-based iLottery platform, Catalyst™. Its highly flexible architecture enabled rapid deployment tailored to Kansas Lottery’s specific operational requirements. With robust support for third-party integrations—demonstrated by the successful implementation of the Bloomreach CDXP within the PlayOn® Loyalty program—Catalyst™ allowed the Lottery to maximize existing investments and avoid redundant development efforts.
This highly configurable environment not only supported the aggressive launch timeline but also positioned the Lottery for long-term agility. By choosing a technology partner with both the strategic vision and technical infrastructure to deliver at scale, Kansas Lottery achieved an unprecedented rollout, setting a new standard for speed, precision, and efficiency in the U.S. iLottery market.
3) Choose the Right Partner—and Lead With Purpose
A strong partnership was key to the successful launch of Catalyst™, and the collaboration between Kansas Lottery and Pollard Banknote exemplified that. Success depended on aligned goals, mutual trust, and a shared commitment to delivering value at every stage. A healthy partnership enables teams to challenge each other and improve outcomes through open, constructive dialogue—whether addressing ticket pricing limits or player experience friction points.
This collaborative spirit was central to the success of Catalyst™. Pollard Banknote immersed itself in Lottery operations, gaining deep insight into the business and its players while proactively identifying improvement opportunities. With speed as a priority, time became a vital currency—making clear requirements and streamlined context essential for alignment across the Lottery, development teams, and stakeholders.
As Ortiz put it, “Over the past 10 months, the Pollard Banknote team has been deeply embedded with ours, working side by side every day. Through the challenges and successes, we’ve grown into one big family. This journey has been incredible—not just because of what we delivered, but because of how we did it together. One of the key factors in the success of this project was our ability to move at speed while maintaining confidence in hitting our deliverable dates. That kind of trust and collaboration made all the difference.”
The strength of this partnership extended beyond execution—it reflected a shared commitment to integrity, responsibility, and player-first principles. From the start, Kansas Lottery made deliberate choices to keep offerings distinctly lottery-focused, launching an eInstant portfolio based on familiar playstyles like Key Number Match, Crossword, and Pulltab games. These approachable mechanics helped drive strong acquisition and retention.
Rather than emulating more aggressive gaming sectors, Kansas adopted a measured speed of play and intentionally launched with familiar play styles similar to games at retail. Player health and program integrity were prioritized over short-term gains—a philosophy that made the program’s record-setting success even more meaningful. Responsible gaming was a core focus, backed by comprehensive staff training, the appointment of a dedicated Responsible Gaming Manager, and the integration of responsible practices at every phase. Bonuses followed traditional lottery approaches, intentionally avoiding pressure tactics or excessive promotions targeting high-value players.
The result: a high-performing, values-led partnership that delivered measurable results, upheld the highest standards of responsible play, and set a strong foundation for what comes next.
A Launch That Sets the Standard
The Catalyst™ launch was a historic milestone for Kansas Lottery. In just 60 days, the launch not only broke speed records but also delivered the most successful iLottery launch to date, surpassing previous per capita benchmarks for registrations, deposits, and revenue. By leveraging their established PlayOn® loyalty platform, prioritizing rapid execution, and partnering with Pollard Banknote, Kansas set a new pace for iLottery rollouts in the U.S., achieving remarkable early results.
From PlayOn® to Catalyst™, Kansas Lottery’s journey reflects strategic vision, smart innovation, and a deep focus on player needs. The launch balanced speed with responsibility, driving immediate success while setting the stage for long-term growth. With the platform now live and proving its success, Kansas is positioned to continue leading the digital lottery space, expanding their iLottery ecosystem, and creating meaningful experiences that drive lasting impact.
