Page 49 - Public Gaming International September/October 2017

Linq3 and Blackhawk Network Collaborate
to Enable Lotteries to Offer New Way In-Lane
Purchasing of Lottery tickets

This breakthrough solution allows shop- channel tied to the retailers point of sale system.
pers to purchase mobile-enabled Powerball Shoppers playing lottery games in this new way
and Mega Millions tickets at grocery check- will activate their purchase via text and have their
out lines lottery numbers delivered in real time to a mobile
The Lottery industry already knows Linq3 phone with text and picture messaging capability.
as the provider of the technology that enables Shoppers will also be able to track their results
consumers to buy lottery tickets right at the virtually and have most prizes paid electronically.
transaction-processing monitor at the gas “We look forward to leveraging our lead-
pump. “Play-at-the-Pump” and its epony- ing-edge lottery platform within Blackhawk
mous acronym PATP. The same technology Network’s vast distribution footprint of premier
enables all credit and bank card processing retailers. This provides Lottery a new and effi-
monitors to sell Lottery tickets. That includes cient way to offer products to their customers,
ATMs, Taxis, and of course, Mobile phones. giving them access to a new lottery experience
It also includes the check-out registers in large that’s interesting and exciting,” said Daniel Cage,
retail establishments like grocery and depart- founder and president of Linq3. “This program
like. The games available in this format ment stores … is designed to operate within current regulatory
will be Powerball and Mega Millions. guidelines and provides lotteries the ability to
Subject to individual lottery approval, U.S. significantly impact the growth of lottery reve-
2. Next, the consumer hands the shoppers will soon be able to purchase jackpot nues for their states.”
card to the cashier and proceeds to games such as Powerball and Mega Millions at Linq3 is a technology solution provider that
grocery retail checkout and have the numbers
check out and process the transaction sent to their mobile device. The benefits of this makes lottery tickets purchasing Lottery tickets
along with the other items in the basket. innovation are massive. It makes playing the fast, easy, and convenient. Its innovative tech-
There is no other decision or action to lottery more convenient and fun for the play- nology creates an immediate playing experience
be made at the check-out lane. ers. Making the product available for purchase that reaches more consumers and wherever they
are – at the gas pump, the ATM, in the checkout
in the check-out lanes of grocery and depart- lane, a taxi, or right on their mobile phone. For
3. Step 3 is to activate the card just ment stores dramatically increases the number of consumers, it’s convenient and cool. For lotteries,
like you would a gift card. The player POS’s, exposing lottery to entirely new consumer it’s a channel to reach new players. And for retail-
opens the card carrier to remove the groups. But it is really much more than all that. ers, it means more customers – and a boost to the
plastic card inside, scratches the back Enabling in-lane purchasing with a Mobile app bottom line. Linq3 holds regulatory approvals
and state licenses that allow it to generate and
of the card to reveal a security code, brings Lottery into the life-styles and world-views distribute lottery tickets through a proprietary
and texts that five-digit security code of the modern consumer. In effect, it provides a technology platform. This platform uses exist-
to Linq3, at which point the card is whole new way to play the Lottery. ing point of sale (POS) devices at major retailers
This unique innovation is the result of an
activated and your quick picks are sent exclusive partnership between lottery technology across the United States.
Linq3 has offices in Atlanta, Ga. and Long
right to your mobile device. provider Linq3 (other Linq3 solutions include Beach, Ca.
Play-at-the-Pump technology) and Blackhawk Blackhawk Network Holdings is a global
I would think it should be a top priority Network (a global financial technology company financial technology company and a leader in
for both retailers and Lottery to integrate and leader in connecting brands and people connecting brands and people through branded
Mobile into the retail shopping experience. through branded value solutions). The program value solutions. Blackhawk platforms and solu-
is subject to individual state Lottery approval and tions enable the management of stored value
Daniel Cage: is expected be available in participating states and products, promotions and incentive programs
in retail, ecommerce, financial services and
Yes. Retail plus Mobile expands the grocery retailers starting in late 2017. mobile wallets. Blackhawk’s Hawk Commerce
“With the live ticket technology, shoppers will
retailers’ customer reach, creates a great be able to easily purchase lottery tickets in the division offers technology solutions to businesses
experience for the player,. The purchase grocery locations they regularly frequent and and direct to consumers. The Hawk Incentives
transaction is at the brick and mortar have lottery numbers sent to their mobile phone, division offers enterprise, SMB and reseller
partners an array of platforms and branded
store and the customer experience is providing them with a streamlined experience,” value products to incent and reward consumers,
on the consumer’s mobile device. And said David Tate, Blackhawk Network senior employees and sales channels. Headquartered
I agree that the next paradigm shift in vice president, U.S. Business. “Additionally, it in Pleasanton, Calif., Blackhawk operates in
the industry will be driven by the combi- simplifies the lottery purchasing path, which 26 countries. For more information, please visit
nation of Retail and Mobile and that is is expected to make this a more popular choice blackhawknetwork.com, hawkcommerce.com,
hawkincentives.com or our product websites
what the Linq3 – Blackhawk collabora- among retailers’ customers.” giftcards.com, giftcardmall.com, cardpool.com,
tion does. n Big jackpot games will be available for sale giftcardlab.com and omnicard.com. n
at participating retail checkout lanes across
the U.S., as states approve the new distribution

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