IGT's Renato Ascoli to be inducted into Lottery Industry Hall of Fame

Renato Ascoli, IGT CEO of Global Lottery, will be inducted into the Lottery Industry Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2024, International Game Technology PLC (IGT) announced on Wednesday.

Ascoli will be honored later this year at an event hosted by the Public Gaming Research Institute (PGRI) in conjunction with the World Lottery Summit in Paris.

"With nearly 20 years of experience serving in high-level positions in the lottery and gaming industries, Renato Ascoli is an accomplished senior executive whose leadership has been paramount in driving new business and innovation," said Vince Sadusky, IGT CEO. 

"Renato has a keen ability to identify and realize business growth opportunities, and his contributions will benefit the lottery industry for years to come. IGT congratulates Renato on his well-deserved induction into this year's Lottery Industry Hall of Fame."

Ascoli added: "I am incredibly honored to be inducted into the Lottery Industry Hall of Fame's Class of 2024. Working in the lottery industry with many great leaders and innovators has been an absolute privilege. 

"The future of the lottery industry is bright, and I look forward to helping our customers propel the modernization of lottery worldwide while continuing to generate funds for philanthropic causes."

In his current role, Ascoli is responsible for global lottery and iLottery sales and operations, product and sales development, and technology and support for IGT's 90-plus lottery customers worldwide.

Since the merger of GTECH and IGT in 2015, Ascoli has led both the Global Lottery and Global Gaming business units for the company. Some of the key achievements within his tenure have been launching sports betting with the Rhode Island Lottery, partnering with the Mississippi Lottery to initiate operations, deploying lottery terminals in Walmart retail stores, and rolling out IGT's proprietary Cash Pop draw game, which is now live in over 15 jurisdictions, the company said.

Ascoli previously served as General Manager of GTECH S.p.A. (formerly known as Lottomatica Group S.p.A. and Lottomatica S.p.A.) and President of GTECH Products and Services, where he was responsible for overseeing the design, development, and delivery of state-of-the-art platforms, products, and services. Ascoli had also served as Head of Italian Operations in which he was responsible for the strategic direction and operations of the company's Italian businesses.

During his tenure leading Lottomatica, one of the largest lotteries in the world, Ascoli sustained the launch of the Gratta e Vinci (Scratch & Win) instant ticket brand in Italy. Additionally, he was instrumental in gaining the exclusive Lotto concession in Italy with a consortium led by IGT, Lottoitalia S.r.l. The Italian Lotto, and its associated games 10eLotto and MillionDAY, are among the most popular and successful games in Italy.

The Lottery Industry Hall of Fame was founded by PGRI in 2005 as a means of honoring those who have done the most to advance the lottery industry. Membership is reserved for lottery professionals who have promoted excellence and integrity throughout their careers. Each year, former inductees nominate and vote on the final recipients.