LottoInteractive
- Founded
- 2012-01-01 in Los Angeles, California, United States
- Headquarters
- Los Angeles, California, United States
LottoInteractive is a mobile games development and publishing company that specialized in creating immersive, skill-based digital lottery experiences for regulated state lotteries. Founded in 2012 in Los Angeles, California, by Brian Ward, the company aimed to bridge the $35 billion mobile games industry with the $300 billion global lottery market. Its flagship product, Star Match, was a match-3 puzzle game integrated with instant-win digital scratcher prizes, first launched in 2016 for the Georgia Lottery via IGT’s iLottery platform. The company positioned itself as a “first-of-its-kind” crossover between casual mobile gaming and lottery wagering, combining AAA game development, data analytics, and mobile best practices. In March 2021, LottoInteractive was acquired by Solai Technology for an undisclosed sum. The company’s initial executive team included CEO/founder Brian Ward, COO Tricia Bertero, and President Kurt Freedlund. No subsequent leadership changes or ongoing operations have been publicly confirmed following the acquisition, and the company’s website is not publicly indexed.
Detailed Review
History and Founding
LottoInteractive was founded in 2012 by Brian Ward, a 20-year veteran of the video game industry, with the mission to modernize lottery offerings by developing mobile-first, skill-based games that appealed to younger, digitally native audiences. Rather than traditional draw-based lotteries or instant tickets, LottoInteractive created games that required player interaction—puzzle mechanics, point accumulation, and bonus rounds—culminating in the reveal of a cash prize.
Flagship Product: Star Match
The company’s lead product, Star Match, launched on September 16, 2016, for the Georgia Lottery Corporation. It was a match-3 game featuring Hollywood icons; players earned stars and bonuses before a digital scratcher revealed their cash prize. The game was powered by IGT’s iLottery platform and was available on iOS, Android, PC, and Mac, with free trials offered globally.
Business Model
LottoInteractive’s revenue model relied on licensing its games to state lotteries. The company’s value proposition was to attract new players who played casual mobile games but had never bought a lottery ticket, while also giving traditional lottery players an engaging digital alternative. The initial management team included CEO Brian Ward, COO Tricia Bertero (17 years of mobile and gaming sales experience), and President Kurt Freedlund (20 years of lottery operations experience at the Illinois and Georgia lotteries).
Acquisition and Aftermath
In March 2021, LottoInteractive was acquired by Solai Technology (a holding company, sometimes spelled “Solai Technology” in public records). The terms were not disclosed, and the company effectively ceased to operate as an independent entity. Post-acquisition, no public announcements have been made regarding product pipelines, leadership changes, or active partnerships. The company’s LinkedIn page remains dormant with no employee updates since 2021. Despite its early innovation, LottoInteractive’s impact on the lottery industry was limited to its single known deployment, and it has been removed from many industry directories. The acquisition likely integrated its technology and talent into Solai’s broader portfolio, though this cannot be verified.
Key Products
Star Match
A match-3 puzzle game combined with an instant-win digital scratcher. Players matched three or more Hollywood icons to collect stars and unlock a cash prize. Launched for the Georgia Lottery in 2016.
iLottery Game Slate
LottoInteractive developed a planned portfolio of skill-based games across popular casual mobile genres (puzzle, arcade, etc.), each integrated with instant-win prizing. Only Star Match was publicly released.
Key Persons
- Brian Ward
Founder & CEO