Smartplay International is the pre-eminent lottery equipment supplier in the industry. VP of sales Darrell Smith tells Gaming Intelligence how the company’s expansion into the live casino sector is driving its next phase of growth.
Smartplay may not be a household name outside the lottery industry, but its products are omnipresent. If you’ve watched a televised lottery draw recently – be it the US Powerballs, UK National Lottery or the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) – the machines ensuring randomness likely originated from this New Jersey-based company.
Even the spinning wheels and Plinko-style boards popular in online live game shows often bear the Smartplay mark.
Beyond lotteries, Smartplay provides physical draw equipment and digital Random Number Generator (RNG) systems for bingo, keno, and other number-based games worldwide.
“When we started, no US companies focused on drawing equipment. The sector was in its infancy, with machines made by prop shops,” explains Darrell Smith, VP of sales at Smartplay. “With its focus on creating high-quality drawing equipment, the company quickly gained traction and now provides equipment for 32 US lotteries and 127 countries. About 20 years ago, we developed a digital RNG system – the Origin – now used by most state lotteries.”
Early Expansion in the Emirates
While Aristocrat recently made headlines as the first commercial gaming supplier approved by the UAE’s General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), Smartplay quietly achieved its own milestone: becoming the first company to secure a Gaming Related Vendor License there.
For Smartplay, this approval was a mere formality, given its established presence with several UAE lotteries long before the GCGRA’s formation in September 2023.
However, the GCGRA wasted no time making waves. One of its first moves was to issue cease-and-desist orders to all lottery operators in its jurisdiction, halting their activities in late 2023.
“We’ve been working in the UAE since 2018 with several operators including Mahzooz, and Emirates Draw,” Smith shares. “The region was clearly growing as operators refined their strategies for operating appropriately in the middle east.”
Currently, The Game is the only licensed lottery operator in the UAE, with the first draw taking place on 14 December. Additionally, the Federal Law by Decree establishing the GCGRA permits certain pre-existing lottery activities to continue. Within this framework, only Big Ticket and Dubai Duty Free – airport lotteries that have been operating for 30 years – are authorised to continue operations.
Anticipation surrounds the GCGRA’s efforts to establish a regulated commercial gaming sector, but the path forward is murky.
Despite the uncertainty, Smith is optimistic.
“The Middle East is gradually opening to gaming and lotteries as entertainment,” he continues. “We’re in discussions with many stakeholders in the region about various concepts. It’s exciting to see what the future holds.”
Entering the Live Casino market
While Smartplay built its reputation on traditional lottery equipment, the company is increasingly pivoting toward the booming iGaming sector.
“Many online casino and live game operators run 24/7 games,” Smith explains. “We’ve adapted our products to meet these high-frequency demands, with draws occurring as often as every two minutes. And, customization is often necessary to meet aesthetic and gameplay requirements.”
Smartplay’s fabrication capabilities along with their focus on quality and certification positions it well for this expansion.
“Navigating certification requirements for live gaming can be challenging, but our team has the expertise to meet those needs,” Smith says. “Our goal is to be a creative and engineering partner for these studios. Live gaming places high demands on equipment. We can help studios innovate while ensuring reliable operation in an ‘always-on’ environment.
Part of a larger ecosystem
In 2022, ATL Group acquired Smartplay, enabling the company to collaborate with ALOT Systems and ATL Prizes.
Together, the trio offers a comprehensive suite of lottery products and services, ranging from equipment and software to prize coverage for jackpots.
“We’re further integrating our offerings to provide even greater value to lottery operators,” Smith notes. “For example, in our collaboration with ALOT Systems we have developed new security and transparency, allowing us to offer equipment and large jackpots in regions where security and transparency were previously concerns.”
Smartplay is also focused on improving the mobile lottery experience, blending traditional and digital elements.
“We’re working to integrate physical draw broadcasts or digitally animated sequences into ALOT’s lottery platform, creating a more immersive mobile experience,” Smith explains.
With its expanding reach, technological advancements, and commitment to innovation, Smartplay is continuing to shape the future of gaming and lottery entertainment across the globe.
This article was first published in the January 2025 issue of GIQ magazine