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// PUBLIC GAMING INTERNATIONAL // September/October 2016
Paul Jason:
Describe your relation-
ship with stakeholders over the past four
years as regards to the implementation
of online gaming in Delaware. Have
the general media, land-based casinos,
legislators, and the lottery all been in
agreement with how casino-style inter-
net gaming should be implemented and
managed in Delaware?
Vernon Kirk:
The Delaware
Gaming and Competiveness Act of
2012 which, among other things,
authorized iGaming, put forth some
requirements of operations (i.e.
must be in the State of Delaware
to play), but gave the Lottery wide
latitude for implementation and op-
eration. Delaware’s three land-based
casinos are in partnership with the
State as the Lottery has administra-
tive and regulatory oversight of their
gaming activity and the State shares
in the profit distribution. iGaming
in Delaware is required to be offered
only through the websites of the ca-
sinos, but the platform is provided
by the Lottery through its vendors,
Scientific Games and 888 Holdings.
The State, the vendors, and the casi-
nos all worked hand-in-hand during
the long, complicated development
of the product and in the end, all
stakeholders had ownership.
What do you do to nurture and manage
positive relationships with all the differ-
ent interest groups?
V. Kirk:
There is constant com-
munication with all of the groups
involved. We have regularly sched-
uled meetings and phone confer-
ences to assess what is working well,
what may not be working the way
we thought it would and what can
we do to improve and make the cus-
tomer experience better.
Further to the previous question: I
would think some stakeholders press for a
focus on a slow, steady, responsible gam-
ing approach towards growing the online
business. And others press for higher rev-
enues. And aren’t there are countless oth-
er issues to resolve into a singular strategy
for the Lottery to pursue. How do you
clarify objectives and execution to satisfy
stakeholder agendas that sometimes con-
flict with each other?
V. Kirk:
From the very beginning,
Delaware emphasized providing a
safe, secure and stable platform for
its iGaming. I know Nevada and NJ
were similarly focused. It was critical
PUBLIC GAMING
INTERVIEWS
Vernon
KIRK
Executive Director, Delaware Lottery
Lessons from the U.S. Lottery which Sells Casino-Style Games Online
PGRI Introduction:
Now in its 41st year of
operation, the Delaware State Lottery of-
fers the largest variety of game-of-chance
through a wider variety of distribution chan-
nels and media than any lottery in the U.S.
Video Lottery games were introduce in
1995. Sports-betting was launched in
2009, and casino gaming was launched at
three racetrack casinos in 2010. A couple
years later, Sports Lottery was expanded
to select Sports Lottery Retail locations
throughout the state.
On November 7, 2013, the Delaware Lottery
launched its online gaming system offering
casino-style games such as poker, blackjack
and more, making them available for play on
the websites of Delaware’s three casinos:
Delaware Park, Dover Downs, and Har-
rington Raceway & Casino. The roll-out has
been one of steady development. By design,
no high impact promotion or PR to drive
rapid growth. With traction building, and per-
haps reaching a tipping point, the first half
of 2016 was almost double the net revenues
over the first half of 2015. Now is a good time
to ask Director Kirk to reflect on the impacts
and insights gained from these first few years
of online gaming.