illinois lottery
Two private companies were named as finalists Monday for a lucrative, first-of-its-kind contract to manage Illinois' lottery and will give public presentations on their proposals next week, state officials said.
Still in contention are Northstar Lottery Group – a partnership between lottery giants GTECH and Scientific Games – and Camelot Illinois, a subsidiary of the Canadian company Camelot Group, which runs the United Kingdom's lottery, said Sue Hofer, spokeswoman for the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.
She would not release the names of other companies that bid for the contract nor say how many bids were submitted. She said the ultimate value of the contract to the winning company would only be known once final details are worked out.
Illinois would be the first state to entirely privatize the management and marketing of its lottery, a move mandated in legislation pushed by Illinois Senate President John Cullerton as a way to help boost revenue and attract new gamers. The state still would retain ownership and regulatory oversight.
The Illinois lottery has annual sales of more than $2 billion, and revenues help fund education and capital projects.
A public hearing is scheduled for next Wednesday, and Gov. Pat Quinn must choose a winner of the 10-year contract by Sept. 15.
Northstar already has a presence in Illinois through its partners. GTECH, based in Rhode Island and a subsidiary of Italy-based Lottomatica Group, one of the world's largest lottery companies, manages the state's lottery terminals. New York-based Scientific Games provides the Illinois instant tickets.
"We are very excited about the potential opportunity (in Illinois)," GTECH spokesman Bob Vincent said Monday, adding that Illinois' contract will be "very unique" by allowing a private operator great flexibility to run and promote the lottery.
GTECH provides management of at least some lottery services in 25 states, including its Illinois contract, but the broader contract will be "a bit of a pioneering effort" on the part of Illinois, he said
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