West Virginia Lottery introduces new digital platform to allow for more user accessibility

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Lottery is introducing a new digital platform to allow customers to make purchases on their mobile devices.

The platform, which is also put on by third-party vendor partner NeoPollard Interactive (NPi), is called iPlay and will allow lottery players to buy lottery tickets and play e-moments at the click of a button.

In addition to iPlay, the West Virginia Lottery is introducing a new loyalty program called PlayOn. PlayOn and a more user-friendly website are being implemented to allow users to manage their accounts, stay up-to-date with news and check numbers. The website address will remain wvlottery.com.

West Virginia Lottery Assistant Director Randy Burnside says the new options will benefit customers in several ways.

“It’s going to be so great to be able, from the palm of your hand, to make the purchases that you want to make, and at the same time, when you go to the store, you’re going to get a bonus for it,” Burnside said. “You will get opportunities to win more money and different types of prizes through PlayOn.”

Burnside says they listened to customer feedback that said more mobile accessibility was needed.

“One of the big things we’ve heard a lot from our players is, ‘hey, I want to be able to buy my Power Ball tickets and my Mega Millions tickets from my phone,'” Burnside said. “Until now, you haven’t been able to do that through the lottery, and now you get that opportunity.”

Burnside also says that the additions were needed as the current societal climate shows that more and more shopping platforms are going digital.

“We live in a cashless society, and I think when you look at the data, you can see that people’s buying habits are changing,” Burnside said. “People don’t have as much money in their wallets anymore as they used to.”

While Burnside points out that a more “cashless” society is the current era, he alluded to the fact that traditional retailers selling lottery tickets and games will not be left in the dust.

With the introduction of the iPlay platform, retailers can still expect customers, as traditional items purchased in the store will have web codes that can often be used for additional cash prizes and draws, and users who prefer to make purchases in person can continue to do so and enjoy also additional benefits with the new digital programs.

Burnside says there is still a big role for lottery retailers.

“The data shows that when you launch a rewards program alongside your iLottery, it’s also driven sales in your brick-and-mortar stores,” Burnside said. “I think we have buy-in from everyone in an omni-channel approach.”

There will be synchronization between iPlay and PlayOn, meaning that anyone who signs up for an iPlay account will be signed up for PlayOn.

The iPlay and PlayOn programs were officially launched on Thursday morning.