Scientific Games announces the official ribbon-cutting of its newest, most advanced lottery instant game technology at the Company’s Leeds, UK production facility which serves the UK National Lottery and 50 lotteries in Europe and internationally. With the new technology, the world’s largest creator, manufacturer and services provider of lottery instant “scratch” games expands its global production capacity by 20%. The additional production volume is expected to add an estimated 175 employees to the Company’s UK workforce. Scientific Games’ Leeds facility is one of five global instant games production centers serving the worldwide lottery industry with products representing 70% of global retail sales.
Hilary Benn, Member of Parliament for Leeds Central, participated in a COVID-safe ribbon-cutting ceremony and tour with Scientific Games executives Mark Scholey, VP Global Manufacturing, and Kevin Anderson, VP Global Strategic Accounts EMEA, as well as a host of the Company’s UK employees.
“Our investment in this UK production expansion represents our strong commitment to serve the UK National Lottery and lotteries throughout Europe, and to entertain the world’s players through our instant game innovation,” said Anderson.
Scientific Games has produced instant games for the UK National Lottery since its inception in 1994. Serving as the National Lottery’s exclusive instant game provider, the Company played a key role in helping the Lottery’s instant game business grow to become a $4.7 billion (USD) consumer product category that funds its UK beneficiary programs. The National Lottery is currently ranked sixth in the world for total instant game sales (La Fleur’s 2020 Almanac, per capita retail sales).
“This technology expansion allows lotteries to bring new games to market more quickly so they can offer just-in-time inventory at retail. The expansion strengthens our nearly 50 years of global leadership in lottery instant products, and importantly helps our lottery customers drive maximum proceeds to support their beneficiary programs,” said Scholey.
The new instant games production technology at Scientific Games’ Leeds facility is the most advanced in the world, offering a wide range of flexibility in game innovation including playstyle, color, images, ticket sizes, and specialty papers and finishes. The technology manufactures instant game tickets at 1,000 feet per minute and supports the Company’s commitment to quality environmental practices with the use of green technology, recyclable paper, water-based inks and energy-efficient processes. It was custom-designed by Scientific Games engineers and TRESU a global provider of uniquely engineered, advanced technology solutions.
The Company developed the technology that launched the world’s very first secure instant lottery game in 1974 and continues to set the global lottery industry’s gold standard for game programming security. Scientific Games is certified by the World Lottery Association as a Responsible Gaming supplier and currently designs and manufactures lottery instant games for more than 100 lotteries worldwide, including 19 of the Top 20 performing instant game lotteries worldwide (La Fleur’s 2020 Almanac, per capita retail sales).
Scientific Games is the largest lottery systems technology provider in Europe and a leading provider of digital lottery games, mobile apps, and player loyalty programs. Recently, the Company acquired UK-based Sideplay Entertainment to expand its digital lottery eInstant game studios globally.