Following a competitive tendering process, International Game Technology (IGT) has won a contract to provide the Florida Lottery with a selection of solutions and services through to 2031.

London-based IGT revealed that the ten-year deal agreed via its IGT Global Solutions Corporation subsidiary contains a trio of three-year renewal options, the first of which has been immediately exercised by the lottery operator.

“Since 2005, the Florida Lottery and IGT have worked together to implement solutions and initiatives that have been key to the growth of the Florida Lottery,” said Jay Gendron, North America Lottery Senior Vice President for IGT. “The Florida Lottery’s close attention to the needs of players and retailers has been instrumental in making it among the world’s most successful and respected lotteries and serves as a model for driving lottery growth through effective branding and innovation. Working together, our aligned organizations can build on this success even further for the benefit of Florida’s education program.”

Under the terms of the contract, IGT stated that it intends to provide the Florida Lottery with a range of solutions including its Aurora innovation that have been developed, in large part, based on “lottery-customer and retailer insights”. It explained that it will additionally replace the operator’s retail terminal estate with its new Altura Flex machines, which will provide “a state-of-the-art platform for retailers to efficiently interact with and service players” by “leveraging a modular [and] open architecture and retailer-friendly design”.

The deal is to moreover see the gaming technologies giant provide the Florida Lottery with its Aurora MultiMedia in-store signage and self-service Gemini lottery vending machines, which offer instant and draw-based games via an integrated display.

As if this wasn’t enough, the agreement will also see Florida Lottery retailers given the chance to utilize Ticket-Scan Plus self-service ticket checkers while IGT is to upgrade the operator’s existing communications network using a combination of next-generation VSAT technology and its patented Dual Comm Inside solution.

“IGT will continue to provide ongoing services to the Florida Lottery including system design, delivery and ongoing support operations, terminal installation and maintenance, retailer training, hotline management and telecommunications network management and maintenance,” read a statement from IGT.

Last year saw the Florida Lottery generate record sales of approximately $6.06 billion, which represented a fifth consecutive record-breaking twelve months, while it has contributed more than $30 billion to educational programs throughout the state since its formation in 1988.