Fostering Sustainable Play in Italy & Beyond

Some lotteries have advanced along the path towards more environmentally friendly programs and policies, and others are just getting started. What actions can lotteries around the world adopt right now to demonstrate conscious use of natural resources in producing products?

Several practical ideas were offered in a recent presentation by IGT’s Wendy Montgomery, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Communications and Sustainability, and Laura Feliziani, Product Communication Senior Manager for IGT Italy, as lottery leaders gathered in Salzburg, Austria, for the European Lotteries’ (EL) Industry Days 2024.

Addressing the event’s theme, creating positive social impact, the two shared an overview of IGT’s company-wide Sustainable Play™ initiative and highlighted several targeted approaches IGT has recently implemented to reduce the impacts of lottery on the environment.

Research by global trends agency Foresight Factory confirms many consumers are eager to personally protect the environment and consume in ways that are compatible with their eco-ethical values. However, as Feliziani noted, “We know that sometimes, sustainability considerations can fall to the wayside at checkout, where other matters come into focus for consumers, such as price, convenience, quality, and habit.”

The initiatives enacted by IGT in Italy make it easier for consumers to incorporate sustainable actions relative to lottery play, and are adaptable to other lottery markets:

• Using only paper sourced from FSC certified suppliers: In Italy, IGT went through a year-long process with its paper suppliers for tickets, play slips, and register receipts to ensure that all are now derived from sustainable sources and also certified by the internationally recognized Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). The resulting printed games display the FSC label to consumers.

• Implementing digital solutions as an alternative to paper:  In markets like Italy, where the relationship with retailers is strongly digitalized, lotteries can use digital means to significantly contribute to the achievement of their sustainability goals: for example, by using a web portal and lottery app for retailer communications and training, and by using dedicated monitors at the point of sale to communicate promotions and product news in real-time. Actions such as these, along with digital Lotto play slips and other paperless options, support the reduction of paper materials.

• Deploying branded and permanent point-of-sale materials: The team in Italy has introduced hard-wearing materials to increase the life cycle and reduce single-use materials in store, and sends them only upon request from retailers, to avoid waste.

Recognizing that awareness was essential to its efforts ─ many players surveyed in Italy did not know that scratch tickets are recyclable in the paper bin ─ IGT Italy created a campaign to promote virtuous retailer and player behavior, with the message: “Make the environment win!  Recycle non-winning tickets and receipts in the paper bin.”  This engagement campaign was carried out via point of sale, web, app, and retailer communications, and was customized to different target audiences to better engage with draw game and instant ticket players. For example, an origami elephant composed of scratch tickets appears at the end of the video shown below, recalling the theme of sustainability. In order to use this campaign on social media and corporate media (since in Italy there is an advertising ban), IGT Italy developed a neutral campaign with only the IGT and Sustainable Play logos. 

To enrich the storytelling, the team developed a new communication style to show the lifecycle of the paper used in its products. With versions targeting various audiences, the new communications combine colorful shapes and movement to create an engaging and distinctive world.

Sustainable Play

IGT framed the larger discussion within its Sustainable Play initiatives, company-wide efforts that brings to life the various aspects of IGT’s ongoing commitment to people and the planet.

Sustainable Play is organized according to four pillars: Valuing and Protecting Our People, Advancing Responsibility, Supporting Our Communities, and Fostering Sustainable Operations. A number of IGT’s 2023 achievements within each of the four pillars of IGT’s Sustainable Play initiative are highlighted below this article (see graphic).

IGT was among the earliest in the industry to formally prioritize its sustainability efforts, and has issued a report on its progress for the past 17 years. Montgomery shared how the company has aligned itself with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and implemented a structured and dedicated governance framework for its Sustainability initiatives, which includes high standards of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices.

IGT 2023 Sustainability Highlights