MAGAZINE OF THE EUROPEAN LOTTERIES, 2011, SEPTEMBER ...
MAGAZINE OF THE EUROPEAN LOTTERIES, 2011, SEPTEMBER ...
MAGAZINE OF THE EUROPEAN LOTTERIES, 2011, SEPTEMBER ...
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ways of checking whether or not a ticket is a winner,<br />
which may include details at the Lottery website,<br />
Lottery hotline centre, newspapers published<br />
results, win checkers in agents/retailers.<br />
• Clear advice for players on personalising the ticket<br />
by writing or signing their names on the ticket at<br />
time of purchase not just when it is believed to be a<br />
winner.<br />
• A clear set of guidelines and guidance for retailers/<br />
agents when checking a ticket, paying out a winner<br />
etc.<br />
• A comprehensive training programme for retailers<br />
and staff that includes the payment of prizes and<br />
the checking of tickets.<br />
• A robust sanction process in place for agents who<br />
do not comply with guidance and formal retailer<br />
agreement.<br />
• A system for when a winning ticket is scanned on<br />
a Lottery terminal - an audible fanfare and flashing<br />
light indicating the status of the ticket.<br />
(System cannot be interfered with e.g. turned down<br />
or off etc)<br />
• A customer facing screen that informs players in<br />
real time whether or not the ticket being scanned<br />
is a winner (Must not be able to be disabled by the<br />
retailer).<br />
• At retailers / agents ‘win checkers” machines installed<br />
that enable a player privately to self check a<br />
ticket.<br />
• As part of the retailer agreement an obligation to<br />
give a written record / receipt showing the status of<br />
a ticket when it has been scanned.<br />
• Vigorous and comprehensive vetting of all retailers<br />
and potential retailers to ensure they are suitable<br />
to be operating the Lottery.<br />
• A ‘free’ hot line for ticket checking and the registering<br />
of complaints, advice etc.<br />
• A system / process for monitoring of unusual retailer<br />
activity including excessive cancellations of<br />
tickets, excessive attempts at validations of non<br />
winning tickets and player complaints regarding<br />
allegations of under payment or non payment of<br />
prizes.<br />
• A system to track all prizes over a set reasonable<br />
limit (dependant on local circumstances) to ascertain<br />
whether the claimant is a retailer, a member of<br />
the retailer staff or in any other way involved with<br />
the lottery.<br />
• A system for a terminal to be frozen when a high<br />
tier winning ticket is scanned (Local circumstances<br />
dictate level).<br />
• High tier winners paid out at nominated Lottery<br />
premises and subjected to rigorous checks to ensure<br />
integrity without compromising the winning<br />
experience.<br />
It is not proposed for one moment that any Lottery<br />
would implement all of the above and it is suggested<br />
that a suitable strategy should be a layered (onion<br />
skin) approach. If one preventative measure is compromised<br />
there is another back up action from a different<br />
perspective.<br />
With the above in place a Lottery and regulator needs<br />
EL ACTIVITIES<br />
to be satisfied and sure that the measures in place are<br />
working. How can this be carried out?<br />
Some Lotteries have implemented a ‘mystery shopper’<br />
programme for reviewing procedures at agents/<br />
retailers with strong sanctions in place if it is discovered<br />
that a retailer or member of staff is not complying<br />
with the retailer agreement or operator directives.<br />
The schemes seem to work best when the process is<br />
heavily publicised and the retailer is aware that they<br />
are likely to be visited. They, of course, have no idea<br />
of the exact date and time of any visits.<br />
A number of Lotteries in North America and one in<br />
Europe have taken the mystery shopper concept one<br />
stage further and visit retailers with winning tickets<br />
which the retailer is requested to check. They have<br />
no idea that the request is made by a Lottery employee<br />
and it is very apparent whether or not they<br />
are complying with the agreed process and paying<br />
the correct prize.<br />
Again advanced generic publicity of the scheme is an<br />
important deterrent factor with dishonest retailers<br />
possibly liable to criminal prosecution. For higher<br />
tier winners the cooperation and involvement of<br />
ticket manufactures to work in partnership with the<br />
operator has been a fundamental key to the overall<br />
success of the operation.<br />
A mystery shopper project can be targeted on “suspected”<br />
retailers or, as in Europe cover the whole<br />
retailer estate with over 20,000 visits per year. A massive<br />
undertaking but considered cost effective for the<br />
reassurance, public trust and confidence it gives.<br />
The Lotteries involved can never be accused of ignoring<br />
the possibility of retailer fraud or of not taking<br />
the issue seriously.<br />
Another alternative solution is by a European Lottery<br />
which has a well developed and refined player<br />
registration programme. In this jurisdiction you are<br />
not able to play the lottery unless registered to do so.<br />
This ensures that prizes are paid automatically with<br />
no possibility of retailer fraud and no unclaimed<br />
prizes. However the registration card programme<br />
may not be suitable for every operator.<br />
As far as integrity and security are concerned tremendous<br />
progress has been made over the last few<br />
years, but with the real possibility of a breakdown of<br />
player trust and confidence it is felt that the payment<br />
of prizes and retailer fraud will continue to be a major<br />
concern for Lottery operators. Undoubtedly future<br />
lottery security seminars will have this as a main<br />
presentation session and discussion.<br />
John Branscombe<br />
J2B Security Ltd.<br />
23 NEWS 37 <strong>SEPTEMBER</strong> <strong>2011</strong>