Gtech bolsters its instant tickets RFID Intellectual Property portfolio

“With the addition of this patent, we have significantly strengthened Gtech’s IP portfolio, particularly in the area of instant-ticket management and inventory control, a critical component to the success of any lottery enterprise,” said Connie Laverty O’Connor, Gtech Senior VP and Chief Marketing Officer.

“We are committed to finding and investing in innovative solutions for our customers. We have recognized the labor intensiveness of instant-ticket inventory management – from the time a ticket is printed, to the time it leaves the warehouse, to its arrival at the retailer – tracking these tickets at all times is essential, given the cash value and the potential winning value of the tickets.”

“As instant tickets continue to go up in face value, it is becoming common-place to have us$ 20 and us$ 30 tickets at lottery retailers. As the price point increases, the opportunity for theft or fraud also increases,” said Ross Dalton, Gtech Senior VP of Printed Products and Licensed Content.

“The future use of RFID for ticket-by-ticket activation would be one way to mitigate these issues. With embedded RFID, lotteries will be better able to control instant-ticket inventory in real-time, and retailers will be able to provide players with faster transactions at the point-of-sale. We believe that RFID technology has a promising future for the lottery industry.”

Gtech’s IP portfolio associated with RFID encompasses inventory control, dispensing at the point-of-sale, activation, validation and security. As RFID technology continues to evolve and become more cost effective. The firm will look to leverage its IP portfolio in direct support of customers’ needs.