Oregon Lottery and SBTech launch state's first sports betting app Scoreboard

Oregon Lottery Scoreboard, the state’s first and only legal online sports betting program and app, was launched Wednesday powered by SBTech, offering players a range of opportunities to wager on their professional sports.

The Scoreboard mobile app is available for both iOS and Android devices, and a desktop version is accessible from the Oregon Lottery website. While the iOS app is available in Apple’s App Store, Android users will download their app directly from the Oregon Lottery’s website.

This is the Oregon Lottery’s first entry into online sales and gameplay, with plans to add in-venue sports betting at select Oregon Lottery retail locations in 2020. It previously had a sports betting game called, "Sports Action," which ended in 2007.

Upon online registration and verification, players may fund their accounts and set wagers on a variety of professional sports, including NFL, NBA, MLS, NWSL, MLB and even NASCAR. Betting options cover a wide variety as well, including single-game wagers, parlay, live, in-game betting and more. Geolocation services ensure Oregon Lottery Scoreboard play occurs within state boundaries, and not on tribal lands.

“This is an exciting time for the Oregon Lottery, as we leverage technology to enable Oregonians to legally and safely bet on their favorite sports. SBTech is an invaluable partner to us, and we look forward to using SBTech’s innovative products to provide an engaging, entertaining and seamless experience for our players,” said Oregon Lottery Director Barry Pack.  

“We are thrilled to be working hand-in-hand with the Oregon Lottery to launch this exciting new form of entertainment in the state. The Oregon Lottery is truly a pioneer in this space, being the first lottery in the US to launch on-line sports betting. We look forward to providing our innovative and experience-driven products, alongside our full range of managed services, to make this endeavor a huge success for the state of Oregon and its citizens,” said Melissa Riahei, President of SBTech US.

In order to ensure the highest level of security, Lottery has set the automatic identification validation to the most stringent setting. Players who input incorrect or incomplete data may be required to validate identification through a manual process to establish an account.

A spokesman for the Oregon Lottery said now that the U.S. Supreme Court determined sports betting is legal, the lottery decided to improve its presence so that the new Scoreboard app appeals to a variety of sports fans.

"Rather than having a game like 'Sports Action,' that started and ended when the NFL started and ended, now we've got a true sports book with 'Scoreboard'," said spokesman Chuck Baumann. "It offers NFL, NBA, major leagues, soccer, auto racing, cricket, darts. There are all sorts of things — all the games that you would find on (a) sports book."

The Oregon Lottery is also making strides to better address gambling addiction, since it is possible for any lottery game to be played beyond its means. The Scoreboard will offer players the ability to set parameters and limits, like how much they want to bet and how much time they can spend playing the game.

"Oregon Lottery 'Scoreboard' is unique, in that players are going to go in and create an account, Baumann said. "This is the first time that we've had a lottery game that is not anonymous play. So, you'll go in, create the account, your name, and say, 'I'm going to fund my account and with my winnings.' We'll also be able to notice, and the players as well, how much they've been spending."

The game will send email alerts to players, letting them know if they are at or beyond the limit they've set for themselves. A high percentage of the lottery dollars are state-mandated on where funding will go. The goal is to use taxpayer dollars the way they are desired.

While the Oregon State Lottery is SBTech’s first lottery partner in the US, the company has extensive experience working with tier one lotteries around the world, including Denmark, the Czech Republic, and Azerbaijan, and most recently entering into lottery partnerships in South Africa, Finland and Sweden. Since PASPA was repealed in 2018, SBTech has established a strong foothold in the US, partnering with leading US operators such as Churchill Downs, Resorts Casino Hotel, and the Golden Nugget.