The Advantages of Lottery Licensing
For property owners, lottery licensing is a rich source of not only royalties but brand exposure. “The greatest benefit is the exposure,” argues Ita Golzman of King Features, whose “Betty Boop,” “Popeye,” and other comic strips have long had a presence in slots and lotteries. “When you walk on the floor of some of the casinos, Betty Boop is front and center,” she says. “And cities put the character on buses and banners to promote the lottery.”
“It’s certainly lucrative, but it also gives our fans one more fun, engaging way to relate to our properties,” adds a representative of CBS Consumer Products, which has licensed brands ranging from “Star Trek” and “I Love Lucy” to “The Amazing Race” and “Judge Judy” for both lotteries and slots.
Monopoly Rules the Lottery Roost
No property has more of a presence in the lottery and gaming sector than Hasbro’s Monopoly. Besides appealing to the core audience of women age 25 to 50 (and up), Monopoly has the combination of characteristics that make it a perfect fit: It’s well known and well-liked and it’s a game associated with the opportunity to win something, and the fantasy of wealth creation.
Other licensed property types that have been licensed for lottery games, typically of the instant and scratch-off variety, include:
- Traditional toys and games, like Magic 8 Ball and Scrabble;
- Character/entertainment, including game shows like Wheel of Fortune and the Price Is Right, and TV shows—both vintage (I Love Lucy, Cheers) and new (The Walking Dead);
- Automotive, including Ford, GM and Harley Davidson;
- Hotels and resorts such as Caesar’s; and
- Professional sports league franchises, especially from the NFL and MLB.
Licensed Property | State Lottery Licensee(s) |
---|---|
Monopoly (Hasbro) | AZ, FL, GA, IN, IA, KY, ME, MI, MN, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NY, OH, RI, SD, TX, TN |
The Walking Dead (Striker Entertainment) | AZ, CO, ME, MO, NJ, NY, OH, RI, TN, VT |
NFL Team Name/Logo | GA (Falcons), MA/NH/RI (Patriots), MI (Lions), MO (Rams/Chiefs), TX (Cowboys/Texans), WA (Seahawks), WI (Packers) |
Margaritaville (Margaritaville Holdings) | (Escape to Margaritaville game) DE, FL, ME, NH, NJ |
MLB Team Name/Logo | MA/NH (Red Sox), MI (Tigers), MO (Cardinals/Royals) |
Harley Davidson | GA, MA, MO |
Betty Boop (King Features Syndicate) | IA, NH, NM, OH, RI |
Caesar’s | NH, SD, TX |
Cadillac | MI, NY |
Magic 8 Ball (Mattel) | MA, OH |
Wheel of Fortune (Sony Pictures Consumer Products) | CA, MA, NY |
The Price Is Right (FremantleMedia) | FL, MA |
Frogger (Konami Digital Entertainment) | KA, VT |
NHL Team Name/Logo | MA (Bruins), MO (Blues) |
MLS Team Name/Logo | KA (Sporting Kansas City) |
NBA Team Name/Logo | MA (Celtics) |
Ford Mustang | NM |
Chevy Corvette | KA |
Cornhole | SD |
Pac Man (Namco) | MT |
Tetris (Blue Planet Software) | TX |
Zuma (PopCap Games) | MI |
Scrabble (Hasbro) | IL |
NCAA School Name/Logo | WA (Washington State Univ.) |
Three Stooges (C3 Entertainment) | CT |
Duck Dynasty (Brandgenuity) | LA |
Cheers (CBS Consumer Products) | ID |
Deer Camp (Bonnier) | MI |
Wizard of Oz (Warner Bros. Consumer Products) | PA |
7-Eleven | VA |
The Venetian | VA |