PGRI (September 22, 2024) – A new slate of Board officers and Product Group chairs has stepped up to lead the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) through its next strategic undertaking – the development and potential rollout of multiple new product offerings. It’s an aggressive product development schedule and one that MUSL has been sharing industry-wide to get lotteries and vendors united behind future product opportunities.
Sept. 2024 – Jackpot USA™ fast play game
Fall 2025 – NFL national game
Spring 2026 – National for Life game
Fall 2026 – potential Powerball® enhancement
Leading the charge through this development Renaissance will be Board President Drew Svitko, executive director of the Pennsylvania Lottery. Svitko previously served as Chair of the Powerball Product Group for the past two years and was Chair of the Development Committee from 2019 – 2021. He was a driving force in the development of a third weekly Powerball drawing and the Double Play® add-on feature.
"Lottery stakeholders should buckle up. It’s going to be another year of ‘foot, gas, go.’”
“The national games category has seen exceptional growth in the past two to three years, and it underscores MUSL’s commitment to support member lotteries with new development initiatives,” said Svitko. “MUSL has established a bold product development timeline with exciting new offerings. Lottery stakeholders should buckle up. It’s going to be another year of ‘foot, gas, go.’”
The pedal to the metal approach continues to gain momentum. For the second year in a row, MUSL has achieved a fiscal year sales record, with sales of products facilitated by the Association, including Mega Millions® sales by member lotteries, totaling $11.7 billion. The record year extended to Powerball®, Power Play® and Double Play®, which all produced record game sales in Fiscal Year 2024.
The Powerball Product Group will have a new resource to aid future game development. MUSL just completed its first-ever comprehensive brand research on Powerball at the national, regional, and state levels. Matt Strawn, CEO of the Iowa Lottery, has taken the reins as Powerball Product Group Chair and is looking forward to utilizing the research findings.
“The brand research is our gateway to further optimize the Powerball product, from jackpot marketing campaigns to the selection of future partners,” said Strawn. “As my colleagues and I look ahead to what’s next for Powerball, we have the ability to make informed decisions to ensure the game’s responsible growth, so that it continues to be a reliable source of funding for lottery beneficiaries well into the future.”
Jackpot USA™ will be the first product launch on the new timeline. The fast play product is priced at $20 and offers a progressive jackpot that starts at $1 million. The game also offers a bonus game of key-symbol matching with prizes ranging from $10 to $50. The launch of the Jackpot USA fast play product is slated for late September.
The much-anticipated NFL national product continues to progress, with both the NFL and MUSL working on the game concept and development. The collaboration has given MUSL direct access to the NFL fan base, including concept and insight studies. The final product concept for the NFL-themed game will be presented to the MUSL Board of Directors for approval this fall, with a scheduled launch in fall 2025.
A new National for Life Product Group has been established at MUSL in the past year, which is led by Colorado Lottery Director Tom Seaver. The Product Group has already evaluated $2 and $5 game models, with a final decision expected soon. MUSL leaders have tentatively slated a spring 2025 launch date for the new National for Life game but depending on the progress of the NFL-themed game, MUSL leaders have a contingency to swap the two launch dates to keep the product rollouts progressing.
“The MUSL Board of Directors has indicated a desire to execute strategies in a proactive manner” noted J. Bret Toyne, MUSL Executive Director. “MUSL has developed the FLEX game management system to support product rollouts, Powerball brand research has been completed, and we’re ready to assist lotteries in maximizing the national games category.”