Brightstar Lottery

History and Formation

Brightstar Lottery traces its roots to 1976, when a small group of entrepreneurs in Providence, Rhode Island founded GTECH, a pioneer in lottery technology that introduced the first central lottery system and terminal. In 1990, Lottomatica was formed in Rome as a consortium to automate Italy's LOTTO services, later becoming the world’s first B2C lottery operator in 2004. The two companies merged in 2006, creating the largest lottery company globally. That entity combined with IGT in 2015 to form the world’s leading gaming company. In 2025, IGT sold its Gaming & Digital division to Apollo Global Management for approximately $4.0 billion in net cash proceeds, and the remaining lottery business was renamed Brightstar Lottery, beginning trading on the NYSE as BRSL on July 2, 2025.

Business Model and Revenue

Brightstar operates as a B2B supplier to government-licensed lotteries, generating revenue through long-term contracts for technology, managed services, and product supply. The company also enters into private lottery management contracts, such as those with Illinois, Indiana, and New Jersey. Financially, Brightstar returned over $1 billion to shareholders in 2025 through dividends and share repurchases, reduced debt by $2.0 billion, and maintains a target net debt leverage of around 3.0x. The company has a strong pipeline of contract wins and extensions, including a seven-year extension with Washington’s Lottery in July 2026.

Products and Platforms

Brightstar’s product portfolio includes retail lottery solutions (central systems, terminals, and self-service vending machines), digital solutions (iLottery platforms, mobile apps, and cashless payment options including PayPal, Apple Pay, and credit cards), instant ticket services (design, printing, and distribution), and a wide range of draw-based and instant games. The Omnia platform is a highly configurable, player-centric system deployed for lotteries such as the Missouri Lottery. The company also provides managed services, field support, supply chain, and customer support for lottery operators.

Market Position and Competition

As a pure-play lottery supplier, Brightstar is a trusted partner to governments and regulators, leveraging nearly 50 years of experience. Its principal competitors include other large lottery technology providers such as Scientific Games (now Light & Wonder) and INTRALOT. Brightstar’s global reach spans North America, Europe, and other regulated markets, with a strong presence in the United States and Italy.

Licensing and Regulation

Brightstar is licensed by the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA/B2B/949/2022) for Type 1 critical gaming supplies, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards across jurisdictions. The company prioritizes responsible gaming; in March 2026, it became the first lottery industry supplier to financially support the International Problem Gambling and Gaming, funding problem gambling counsellor certifications. Brightstar released its 19th annual sustainability report in 2025, focusing on empowering people, collaborating with partners, and preserving the planet.

Recent Developments

In 2025, Brightstar announced changes to its lottery operations leadership: Renato Ascoli will step down as CEO of Global Lottery on June 30, 2026, with Marco Tasso succeeding as EVP and COO of Global Lottery on July 1, 2026. The company continues to innovate, modernizing retail and digital solutions for clients like the Missouri Lottery with the Omnia deployment.