PRODUCT MANAGEMENT
AGENDA
The Vendor Meet and Greet will be held at the Hilton Omaha, Grand Central Ballroom, 2nd Floor. All other PDS sessions will be held at the CHI Health Convention Center at 455 North 10th St, Omaha, NE 68102
Monday, July 22
Noon - 3:45pm
Mega Millions Standard & Guidance Committee Meeting (CLOSED MEETING by Invite Only)
2:00pm - 7:00pm
Registration Open
3:00pm – 5:30pm
MUSL Security Meeting (CLOSED MEETING by Invite Only)
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5:30pm – 8:30pm
Vendor Meet & Greet
Hilton Omaha, Grand Central Ballroom, 2nd Floor
Tuesday, July 23
9:00am – 9:15am
Conference Kickoff
Brian Rockey, Director, Nebraska Lottery
9:15am – 10:15am
General Session Keynote
Todd Simon, Chairman and Chief Steak Evangelist, Omaha Steaks
10:15am – 10:30am
Networking Break
10:45am – 11:15am
Roundtable Discussion – What’s Going On in Your Jurisdiction?
11:30am - Noon
2024 Update: Lower Price Point Instant Scratch Games in Today’s Lottery Landscape
Angie Saviano, Director of Marketing, Scientific Games
Rob Thompson, Director of Analytics & Insights, Scientific Games
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The question of how lower price point games fit into a lottery’s overall product plan remains an important conversation. A follow-up to last year's PDS discussion, this presentation provides an update on $1 and $2 game trends across the US, including sales, number of games launched, and more. Scientific Games will also introduce their newest research study, designed to better understand the role that individual price points play in the hearts and minds of consumers. The presentation provides examples of how the findings from this research can be applied by lotteries to create compelling games that fulfill the needs of players at the lower price points. This session is intended to continue the conversation around what players seek in $1 and $2 instant scratch-off games and how this knowledge can be practically applied to create innovative game plans that strengthen the entire product portfolio.
Combined session with Research
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Noon – 1:30pm
LUNCH
Lunch sponsored by Allwyn and Aristocrat Interactive
1:45pm – 2:45pm
General Session – Lotteries in the Gaming Space
Helene Keeley, Director, Delaware Lottery
Matt Strawn, Chief Executive Officer, Iowa Lottery
Laurie Holman, Committee Counsel, Nebraska General Affairs CommitteeMichael J. Pollock, Senior Policy Advisor, Spectrum Gaming Group, Executive Director, National Council of Legislators From Gaming States
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2:45pm – 3:00pm
Networking Break
3:15pm – 3:45pm
A Quick Win: How Georgia’s iLottery Launch of Quick Win Created Instant Impact
Ben Nicolls, Product Director, Georgia Lottery
Vasia Bakalis, Senior Interactive Marketing Manager, IGT
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Join us as we unveil the details behind the Georgia Lottery’s launch of Quick Win through its iLottery program. Discover how this first-of-its-kind offering has quickly become a key player in the Lottery’s product portfolio. The session will provide an overview of how the Lottery rebranded, repositioned, and relaunched their Fast Play category. You’ll learn about the strategy, opportunity evaluation and unique product features that have contributed to its success, as well as player reception to the new product. Valuable insights into the product’s role in the portfolio, player engagement and the overall business impact will arm attendees with the keys to replicate a successful launch in their own jurisdiction.
4:00pm – 4:30pm
Unwrap Top-Selling Holiday Inspiration
Donna Preziotti, Senior Director, Sales & Marketing, Pollard Banknote
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The holiday season is still months away, but lotteries across North America already have visions of new holiday games dancing in their heads. And with good reason. Holiday-themed games, released during a period when gifting is extremely common, are an effective tool for attracting new players, increasing sales, and maximizing proceeds for the worthy causes that lotteries support. This presentation will unwrap new ideas and solutions for lotteries to maximize the ho ho ho-liday season, including launch strategies, prize structures, and specialty holiday ticket features to help lotteries find success during this increasingly important season of instant ticket sales.
4:45pm – 5:15pm
Powers Awards and Ott Brown Scholarship Presentation
Celebrate industry excellence with the annual Powers Awards and Ott Brown Scholarship!
The prestigious annual NASPL Powers Awards are presented in recognition of the significant contributions lottery and vendor employees have made through exceptional job performance. NASPL also awards one lottery professional the Ott Brown Scholarship each year, enabling the recipient to participate in the NASPL Lottery Leadership Institute at no cost.
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5:15pm – 6:15pm
Women In Lottery Leadership (WILL)
Rebecca Paul, President & CEO, Tennessee Education Lottery
Terri Rose, DED, Brand Management and Communications, North Carolina Education Lottery
Wednesday, July 24
9:00am – 10:15am
General Session Keynote – Leadership & Overcoming Obstacles for Pioneering Innovation
Jeff Koterba, Speaker, Author, and Creativity Coach
10:15am – 10:30am
Networking Break
10:45am – 11:15am
Product Stream: iLottery Player Experience Compliance Through Innovation
Sidney Sabbag, Director, Product & Solution, Aristocrat Interactive
Ohad Sclomoff, Vice President, Product, Aristocrat Interactive
11:30am – Noon
The Power of Powerball in 2024
Simon Jaworski, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Lotto Research
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In 2024, MUSL commissioned Lotto Research to conduct the most expansive Powerball research study ever conducted in the United States. With more than 43,000 completed interviews, the research examines the literal “power” of the Powerball brand, and its place among some of the most recognized brands in America. Take a deep dive into the brand values Powerball currently embodies, where it needs to improve, which brands Powerball should partner with moving forwards, and the words and phrases most connected with the leading lottery brand in America.
Combined session with Marketing, Research and Sales
Noon – 1:30pm
LUNCH
1:45pm – 2:15pm
Fast Growth Through Fast Play
Leslie Badger, Vice President of Terminal-Based Game Content, Scientific Games
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Growing in popularity, 26 U.S. lotteries currently sell Fast Play games, generating $1.4 billion in sales, or 3.8% of all terminal-generated games in 2023. Learn how portfolio optimization of these games is providing players rewarding instant win experiences, thus driving lottery profitability.
2:30pm – 3:00pm
iLottery Is Opening the Innovation Floodgates
Bradford Cummings, Chief Executive Officer, EQL Games
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The quantum leap that iLottery will make in just the next few years – as operators open up to new ideas and technology and new content creators enter the market – will create an opportunity for lotteries to take their offerings to the next level. The floodgates are opening! New tech and fresh approaches to lottery games mean not only higher quality products that entertain more, but also greater accessibility and reach, as iLottery can adapt to users' needs and wants much faster than physical media. Join EQL Games CEO Brad Cummings as he discusses the current trends hitting the lottery industry and how those developments will make for a much better lottery experience for all involved.
3:00pm – 3:15pm
Networking Break
3:30pm – 4:00pm
Roundtable Discussion – What's Going On in Your Jurisdiction?
4:15pm – 4:45pm
New Jersey Lottery: Winning the Under-40 Crowd
James Carey, Executive Director, New Jersey Lottery
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5:30pm – 7:30pm
NASPL Networking Reception
The Durham Museum
Thursday, July 25
9:00am – 9:15am
Closing Remarks From Our Host
Brian Rockey, Director, Nebraska Lottery
9:15am – 10:15am
General Session Keynote – Integrity Aligns Destiny
Willie Miller, BSN, RN
10:15am – 10:30am
Networking Break
10:30am – 11:15am
General Session – Identifying and Mitigating Points of Failure: Building a Business Resiliency Program
Cathleen Atchison, Business Continuity Program Manager, Oregon Lottery
11:30am – Noon
When Office Pools Become Sophisticated Syndicates
Phil Bauer, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Scientific Games
Beth Bresnahan, Chief Communications & Brand Officer, Scientific Games
Office lottery pools have long been a strategy for groups of players to compile cash and buy more tickets to increase their chances of winning. In the mid-2000s, the lottery industry saw this strategy evolve as residents of a small Michigan town and a group of MIT students pooled and risked significant sums of money, each embarking on a gamification of how to play the odds in the niche Cash WinFall game. Fast forward nearly two decades and another well-financed group has emerged in multiple states leveraging publicly available data, including top prizes remaining, to buy out game inventory. Each of these groups played within lottery and game rules, but how does their existence and repeated wins impact the perception of lottery? In this roundtable, we’ll discuss where we are as an industry in protecting the perceived fairness and integrity of lottery games; what are we doing to protect the integrity of games while upholding statutory requirements; and what jurisdictional rules about information sharing should be reconsidered in light of advances in AI and other technology to keep fair play for all.
Combined session with Legal
Noon – 1:30pm
LUNCH
1:45pm – 2:00pm
Activate Your Sports Sponsorships Though Player/Fan Engagement Contests
Jackie Walker, Director, Lottery Business Development, SCA Promotions
Jason Mueller, Senior Manager, Public Relations, Sponsorships & Event Marketing, Hoosier Lottery
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The Hoosier Lottery and SCA Promotions present case studies exploring how marketers leverage new and existing sponsorships to engage and entertain fans at sporting events. In an ever-competitive market among a desired demographic, learn how to cash in on the affinity of sports. Connect with fans by offering relevant prizes and entertainment. Use cases will include a Hoosier Lottery/Colts & Pacers partnership and a Texas Lottery/Houston Texans partnership, among others.
Combined session with Sales
2:00pm – 2:15pm
Maryland Lottery 50th Anniversary Celebration and Second Chance to Win $5 Million
Jackie Walker, Director, Lottery Business Development, SCA Promotions
Kate Airey, Director, Product Development, Maryland Lottery & Gaming
Amy Warner, VP, Digital Business Development, Scientific Games
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Dive into 50 years of fun and games with the Maryland Lottery and learn how the Lottery leveraged their 50th anniversary to launch a new $50 instant ticket, engage with players across all games and drive acquisition to their My Rewards club with a grand finale second chance opportunity to win $5 million at the state fair!
Combined session with Sales
2:30pm – 3:00pm
Roundtable Discussion – What's Going On in Your Jurisdiction
3:00pm – 3:30pm
Final Networking Break
The connections made at PDS lead to new ideas, friendships and business successes. Spend this dedicated time mingling, establishing new professional relationships, and strengthening existing ones. Share a beverage, exchange contact information and connect with others before departing.