The online lottery messenger service was once a very niche market sector, existing on the fringes of eGaming with nobody quite certain of whether it was legal or not, but in the past two years it has become mainstream. Nothing represents this better than the 2016's Global Lottery Messenger Forum (GLMF) in Sofia, which featured leading figures from the Isle of Man gaming industry, including IoM Post Office commercial manager Niall Carey.
Of course, we're not here to discuss the industry in depth, but it's a topic we haven't really touched on before and it strikes me that lotteries lend themselves perfectly to the Direct Mail channel. The world's richest lotteries have an almost universal appeal and prizes that not even the richest Las Vegas casino can match. The record jackpot on the US Mega Millions lottery is $656 Million, for example, while Spain's annual Christmas El Gordo draw gives away up to €2.6 billion each year.
We've been talking in this blog about the importance of adding 'emotion' and 'value' to your DM campaigns and I can't think of anything more likely to generate interest than numbers like those. It's not all about jackpots either. Some games, like Spain's twice-weekly La Primitiva millionaire raffle, offer winnings odds as high as 1-in-3.
Of course challenges do remain. Lotteries were historically the most scam-prone gambling sector, with fraudsters targeting UK households using counterfeit or entirely fictional lottery games. This problem is not as prevalent as it once was thanks to widespread media coverage and responsible operating by the established online operators, but it's still vital to establish your credentials in any DM campaign.
While the online lottery sector has come a long way in 10 years, it's still a relatively untapped market with millions of active gamblers who have never played and may even not be aware of it. This represents a huge opportunity for existing lottery sites, established brands looking to expand and new entrants to the market. As ever, the enhanced perception of Direct Mail makes it the perfect channel to introduce the concept and get players signed up.
If you're looking to launch or promote your online lottery brand, get in touch with the Secure Direct Mail team to find out how we can help on 01624 698488 or email securedirectmail@iompost.com.