A new player
ONLINE BOOM? BREAKING DOWN COSTA RICA’S NEW ONLINE LOTTERY ESMERELDA BRITTON GONZÁLEZ, President
of Costa Rica’s Junta de Protección Social, analyses the the impact of launching an online lottery in the country during the pandemic and how the diversification of the product portfolio is essential to success in the 2020s BY CHARLIE HORNER
I
t seems that in the 21st Century, we are witnessing mass migration of traditional activities to various online platforms. Beginning in the 90s with Jeff Bezos’ Amazon taking book shops online, a whole host of industries have been digitally reimagined for a modern audience. No other factor has sped up this process more than the Covid-19 pandemic, with the retail world closing abruptly, forcing businesses to adapt in order to survive. The change in consumer demands in the last two years has been stark too, as businesses adjust to the ‘new normal’. The gaming industry is certainly no stranger to the online world, with igaming and online sports betting booming in popularity in recent years and regulatory frameworks quickly catching up. However, it appears that lotteries have gone under the radar in this conversation, lost amongst the glitz and glamour of the flashing lights of online slots and the adrenaline rush of the last gasp
42 SBC LEADERS • OCTOBER 2021
winner for a sports wager victory. Yet, according to a YouGov poll on online gaming last year, 42% of all respondents claimed they had played any form of lottery online within the last 12 months, outperforming sports betting (36%), online casinos (13%) and bingo (11%). For Esmerelda Britton González, President of Costa Rica’s Junta de Protección Social, which launched an online lottery product in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, providing
THE ONLINE LOTTERY GIVES A PURCHASE OPTION TO A LARGE SECTOR OF THE POPULATION THAT DOESN’T USUALLY GO OUT TO BUY LOTTERY TICKETS
online products is essential to keep up with changing consumer demands globally. When asked whether the launch of an online lottery in Costa Rica during 2020 has had any material impact on attracting a different type of customer, Britton González replied: “Of course. The dynamic of commerce has changed worldwide with the growth of e-commerce. Many consumers are now used to purchasing products and services from the comfort of their mobile devices without having to move anywhere at all. “The online lottery gives a purchase option to a large sector of the population that doesn’t usually go out to buy lottery tickets, but thanks to the benefits of online shopping and the immediate payment of prizes, they can