The World Lottery Summit 2024, organized and hosted by the World Lottery Association (WLA) and Groupe La Française des Jeux (FDJ), concluded successfully after being held in Paris from the 21st to the 24th of October 2024.
Over 1,000 participants from regulated lottery and sports betting industry gathered for the biennial event with the theme Impacting Society Together. APLA members made a strong presence at the summit with sizable delegations from Australia, Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, the Philippines, Korea and Singapore.
Prior to the official commencement of the Summit, The Global Lotteries Associations held a meeting to explore further ways to enhance collaboration between the WLA and the regional associations. Initiatives on further alignment of the Responsible Gambling (RG) certification process, data collection, and a global joint project focusing on combating illegal gaming were discussed. APLA Executive Director John Teo attended the meeting as the regional Association’s representative.
During the Summit, speakers from lottery industry, sponsors and cross-industry experts provided profound insights and engaged in discussions with participants on various topics related to the theme, including:
- Innovation and creativity, disruption and the impact of technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI on the lotteries
- Sport and how to protect its integrity
- Global efforts to combat illegal betting and growing sports competition manipulation
- Aspects of CSR, including importance and benefits to achieve and maintain WLA RG certification
- Ways to deliver environmentally sustainable operations
- Lottery contributions to society and good causes
Notably, APLA Chairman Michael Fitzsimons participated in a parallel session focusing on sports and industry disruptions. Michael also engaged in a roundtable discussion moderated by Rebecca Paul, President of WLA, delving into the societal impacts of lotteries, sustainability initiatives, as well as innovation and disruptions within the industry.
APLA Vice Chairman Lam Chee Weng took part in another parallel session that discussed lotteries’ use of generative AI. Immediate Past Chairman, Sue van der Merwe spoke at the session on evolution of the lottery sector. The chief executives of APLA members Dato Lawrence Lim of Magnum Corporation and Jason Delamore of Lotto New Zealand were also speakers in other sessions.
The WLA General Assembly was held on the Summit’s final day and featured a presentation of APLA by the Immediate Past Chairman, Sue van der Merwe. A new Executive Committee for WLA was elected, with Andreas Kotter as the new President who succeeded Rebecca Paul. Sue Van der Merwe took over as the Senior Vice President and APLA Chairman Michael Fitzsimons was appointed as the Asia Pacific’s representative on the WLA Executive Committee.
The Summit also showcased a remarkable Trade Show where APLA members/sponsors including IGT, Pollard Banknote, Scientific Games and Carmanah Signs were among major exhibitors to showcase their products and latest technologies.
As the end of the Summit, WLA announced that the next World Lottery Summit (WLS 2026) will move to Asia, to be held in Sydney, Australia, with The Lottery Corporation serving as the host. We look forward to the next Summit!