Self-Service Lottery Machines Now Popping Up at Iowa Retailers
Lottery gaming technology provider Scientific Games has installed several terminals in Iowa that allow consumers to purchase tickets for the popular state lottery.
Iowa now offers lottery ticket gaming terminals.
Key Facts:
- New self-serve gaming terminals are a result of an on-going partnership between Scientific Games and the Iowa Lottery
- The so-called “SCiQ system” tracks sales data and provides analytics to improve gaming offerings in Hawkeye State
- Game terminals are now available at select Iowa Lottery retail locations
Scientific Games has advanced its collaboration with the Iowa Lottery by successfully deploying its PlayCentral Powered by SCiQ self-service terminals at select retail locations across the state.
The expansion of the self-serve gaming terminals further enhances retailer operations and the player experience through advanced lottery technology. Many of the software features present in the systems are proprietary to Scientific Games.
Founded in 1973, Scientific Games, according to its website, has “led the lottery industry in innovative, secure and purpose-driven game entertainment experiences from cutting-edge backend systems …”. It operates in more than two dozen countries and more than a quarter of the states in the United States.
The integration of SCiQ within the PlayCentral terminals modernizes instant game management, offering real-time sales data, detailed inventory tracking, and automated analytics.
These features streamline retailer operations and ensure efficient product availability, ultimately benefiting both retailers and customers.
Mike Cardell, Senior Vice President of Americas Systems for Scientific Games, emphasized the impact of the rollout: “SCiQ is revolutionizing how lottery products are managed at retail by delivering both tactical and strategic analytics.”
” We’ve incorporated all of SCiQ’s benefits within our industry-leading PlayCentral self-service machines. It’s not only a win-win for the entire retail ecosystem but for the player experience as well. And we commend the Iowa Lottery for its innovative approach to modernize with new technology continually.”
A Long-Standing Partnership
Scientific Games has been a long-standing partner of the Iowa Lottery since that state-sponsored gaming activity launched in 1985.
The company provides key gaming infrastructure, including retail POS (point-of-sale) technology, instant scratch games, and licensed brands for lottery games. This latest deployment further solidifies the company’s role in advancing lottery systems.
In excess of 14,000 PlayCentral terminals are installed in 13 North American jurisdictions. Of those, over 8,000 include SCiQ technology. Scientific Games plans more installations domestically and in global markets in 2025.
New Technology in Iowa
By integrating SCiQ technology, the Iowa Lottery is taking another step forward in transforming its retail operations, leveraging innovation to optimize sales, efficiency, and engagement in the lottery industry.
In 2024, Matt Lynch, President of Digital for Scientific Games, underscored the emerging influence of technology on lottery industry. Lotteries, Lynch said, are “underpenetrated” from a digital perspective in the US – both from a pure digital play experience and an omnichannel approach.
Lynch went on to explain the gigantic impact the industry has on states, explaining that “lotteries generate $371 billion in revenue annually, contributing billions of dollars in funding to programs and good causes in their jurisdictions to improve the quality of life in local communities.”
Scientific Games announced last month that its self-service terminals in Kansas have helped drive lottery and scratch-off ticket sales in that state. Also in February, the company was awarded a 10-year contract to be New Mexico’s gaming technology provider.
Scientific Games debuted its SCiQ system, which is the same one that was used in Iowa and the United Kingdom last month. It marked the first time that such a gaming system had been utilized in Europe.
