Ohio Lottery Awards 10-Year Contract to IGT, Replacing Intralot

Ohio is shaking up its gambling landscape with a significant shift in its lottery operations. The Ohio Lottery has awarded a new 10-year contract to IGT, a London-based company renowned for its wide-ranging involvement in state lottery affairs globally. Valued at $50 million, this contract marks the end of Intralot’s decade-long oversight of over 10,000 slot-like gambling machines across the state’s seven racinos. This change is noteworthy as it signifies the first competitive bidding accepted for Ohio’s Video Lottery Terminal (VLT) contract, a considerable departure from the past.

Intralot, a Greek company specializing in integrated gambling and systems solutions, had managed these operations since Gov. John Kasich approved VLTs in 2011. Their responsibilities extended to monitoring machine inputs, payouts, and user behavior, ensuring compliance with state regulations. Over the years, Intralot received approximately $48.8 million for its services, but with the contract now transitioning to IGT, the new agreement is set at around $47.7 million. The arrangement will see IGT take over supervisory duties, including maintaining software integrity, tracking user interactions, and ensuring all games comply with payout standards. Kickstarting in June, the shift comes after consultations with

The recent decision by Ohio Lottery officials to embrace competitive bidding emphasizes the state’s aim to bring more dynamism and transparency into its gambling sector. Notably, IGT’s win is significant as it demonstrates the state’s openness to tapping into diverse expertise within the gaming industry, potentially leading to more innovative and efficient oversight of VLTs. Intralot, although losing this particular contract, still retains other essential agreements, such as the “type C” sports gaming and a central gaming contract, both pivotal to Ohio’s gambling framework. The central gaming contract itself has recently been under competitive bidding, with the winner slated to be announced in October, signaling an ongoing trend towards more competitive engagements in the state’s lottery operations.

For players and stakeholders within Ohio’s gambling community, this shift brings fresh perspectives and potentially enhancements in user experience and regulatory compliance. This evolution is part of a broader strategy to keep the gambling environment robust, competitive, and responsible. As VLTs continue to generate substantial revenue—over $15 billion in 2023 alone, with $1.35 billion in profits shared among the state Lottery, the Racino Commission, and problem gambling services—the importance of having a strong, reliable oversight mechanism cannot be overstated.

IGT’s involvement promises a