Autotote and eLottery Pool Resources, Gear for Online Lottery Ticket Sales

13 May 1999
With exceptions to government-operated lotteries firmly embedded in the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act--which continues to gain momentum in the U.S. Senate--potential online distributors are jockeying to get an edge on the ensuing feeding frenzy. Autotote Corporation and eLottery, Inc. have strengthened their positions in this market by putting their resources together.

The two companies have formed a strategic partnership in which tickets for eLottery's Web-based lottery will be made available to Autotote's domestic and international governmental lottery customers. The plan is to develop an interface that will allow Autotote's lottery systems to process eLottery's web-based retailing of lottery tickets. In addition, eLottery agreed to license its instant ticket gaming systems to Autotote for use by its lottery clients and other selected state lotteries.

"The combination of eLottery's web-based retailing with Autotote's locations and services means that both our companies will benefit," eLottery President Michael Yacenda said. "We will now be able to jointly market to governmental lotteries our proven, on-net retail distribution technology for lottery tickets."

eLottery's incoming chairman Robert Berman said, "This agreement with Autotote is an important milestone for eLottery. It affirms our belief that our Web-based lottery ticket retailing for governmental lotteries is complementary, not competitive, with traditional lottery companies such as Autotote. We expect that other traditional lottery companies will agree." (Imagine if casino corporation in the U.S. maintained this philosophy…)

eLottery, Inc., a subsidiary of Executone Information Systems, has its sights set on becoming a Web-based retailer of governmental lottery tickets. With its past experience and its market-tested products, the company has committed itself to leading the governmental lottery industry into the eCommerce market. It has developed, installed and operated systems that have processed 10 million e-commerce lottery ticket sales and transactions. Its corporate site is located at http://www.elottery.com.

Autotote is a leading maker and operator of computerized wagering equipment for use in racetracks, jai alai frontons, and off-track betting establishments. Its products include CPUs, lottery terminals, peripherals and software, and ticket-issuing terminals. The company has more than 100 North American customers, and its systems are used in the Americas, Europe, the Far East, and New Zealand. The company also operates video poker, blackjack, and keno machines at two West Virginia racetracks, and equips and manages the Connecticut Lottery.