Skilrock: "Our focus at WLS will be on building new partnerships and showcasing our INFINITI omni-channel lottery platform"

Skilrock Technologies is set to participate in the upcoming World Lottery Summit 2022, to be held from October 16-20 at the Vancouver Convention Centre in Vancouver, Canada. The software products and services provider, a Gold Contributor to the World Lottery Association, will be showcasing its solutions for high-frequency games, scratch, e-scratch lotteries, sports lottery, iGaming solutions, and more.

Ahead of the event, Alexandre Tauszig, regional manager for LatAm of Skilrock, explained in an interview what are the company's expectations for the expo and what will the business focus on while there. Additionally, the executive discussed changes in the lottery sector, new technologies hitting the market, and what role the firm can play in helping its clients modernize their offerings.

What are your expectations for Skilrock’s participation in the event and what will make the company stand out from the competition?

Skilrock is all about sensing change and responding ahead of time. By understanding the emerging changes in our industry, we respond in ways that make lottery and gaming stronger. 

In simple words, we desire to assemble and utilize the capabilities needed for a new, rejuvenated industry. Of course, we wish to join hands with interested parties who are also eager to ride the wave of change. Hence, our presence is quite appealing to visitors. 

Being a WLA Gold Contributor, what do you consider to be your primary focus at the summit?

There is a rigorous process to become a Gold Contributor for WLA. This validates our seriousness towards lottery and showcases our strong domain experience, which is much needed in this niche industry.

Our focus will be on building new partnerships and showcasing our omni-channel lottery platform called INFINITI. Our platform is customized for every requirement and has the ability to manage multiple channels simultaneously.

The industry is undergoing massive changes. What would you consider your priority actions in such scenarios?

The lottery and gaming industry is a great place to be! However, nothing is immune to change, and if the industry is in the midst of a radical shift, you’ll eventually have to adapt. There’s no escape from it. 

In many countries, there is a rise in the popularity of draw-based games and scratch-off instant games, which may positively impact the growth of the market.

The increased penetration of smartphones is giving rise to a number of mobile application-based lottery games. The end users have the convenience and comfort of playing within the comfort of their own space, which is one of the major drivers of the segment.

Customer/client service is where I see the true value of a company’s competence. So, we believe in going above and beyond for the customer. Another important aspect is innovation - which can be both unpredictable and risky, yet also one of the smartest ways to differentiate yourself. In fact, we are about to change the nature of business.

I would like to add that we want to lead innovation practices because we understand both the business, its needs and the technology changes.

What are the keys behind the omni-channel Inifinity Platform?

Smartphones, sophisticated instant games and demands for convenience have given birth to new industry dynamics. Our platform fulfills this need by addressing the needs of diverse markets - games, channels, and technologies - of today while also being fully extensible for tomorrow. Our solutions include smart retail, a unified scratch lottery system, digital gaming, personalized services, cashless casinos, and much more. 

What are the challenges paper lottery operators face in LatAm and how can we overcome this using technology?

Some countries in our region still have their operations based on the traditional paper lottery. The pressing needs of the pandemic have helped some of these lotteries take the first step towards modernization, but it has been rushed and unplanned.

Skilrock played a key role in the digitization of lotteries in India 20 years ago. So we have the experience and expertise to do the same in Latin America, a region that in many ways has similar characteristics to the country where our company is based.

There are different ways to transform the lottery from paper to digital, which can be in a complete, phased or hybrid way. Technology cannot be a villain, but an ally. Cultural aspects, habits and even the workforce that exists around the lottery cannot be ignored and need to be respected. Our projects include consulting work so that technological solutions can address all these issues.

What assessment do you make of the regulatory situation in LatAm?

Our region has a diversity of countries with very different regulatory situations. We have Colombia, for example, with a very complex and mature regulatory system, as opposed to Brazil, a country where I live and know well. Brazil is a country where several types of games are still considered illegal, and where state lotteries are in the process of being formed.

Due to our experience in almost 30 different emerging countries, today we are fully capable of helping lotteries in different situations. We can provide complete and complex systems in countries where regulation is already quite mature. And at the same time we can support customers, especially by providing best market practices, in the dialogue with regulators in order to help create an environment that is favorable for all: operators, customers, and government.