What Montana's Lottery contract means for players and the state

Montana just locked in its lottery future. The state awarded its central gaming system contract to Intralot, Inc. after a competitive bidding process. But here's the question: what does this seven-year deal actually mean for Montana players and the state's lottery operations?

Intralot wins the Montana contract

The Montana Lottery Commission approved Intralot's proposal at their recent meeting. The Georgia-based company beat out competitors in a process overseen by the State Procurement Services Division.

What did Intralot promise? The company will supply terminals, communication systems, and software to roughly 1,300 lottery retailers across Montana. That's every gas station, convenience store, and grocery shop where you buy your tickets.

The contract runs seven years with three optional one-year extensions. That means Montana could stick with Intralot for up to ten years if things go well.

What this means for Montana players

Will your lottery experience change? Probably not dramatically, but improvements could happen behind the scenes.

New terminals might process tickets faster. Updated software could reduce system downtime. Better communication networks might prevent those frustrating moments when retailers can't sell tickets due to technical issues.

The evaluation committee called Intralot's proposal "most advantageous to the State." That suggests Montana expects to get good value from this partnership.

But here's where it gets interesting

The Maryland Lottery just went through a lottery contract drama that should make Montana pay attention. The Maryland Lottery initially awarded a similar contract to Intralot in July. Then they reversed course in August.

Why the reversal? Maryland discovered Intralot's proposal didn't fully meet procurement requirements after a deeper review. Scientific Games, originally ranked second, now gets the contract instead.

Could Montana face similar issues?

This raises questions. Did Montana's evaluation process catch what Maryland's initially missed? How thorough was the technical review of Intralot's proposal?

Montana's procurement officials approved the contract, suggesting they believe it meets all requirements. But Maryland thought the same thing initially.

The stakes are significant

This contract affects every Montana lottery player. System reliability, ticket processing speed, and retailer network stability all depend on Intralot's performance. For the state, lottery revenue funds various programs. Technical problems could impact sales and reduce state funding.

Montana generated over $50 million in lottery revenue in recent years. A seven-year contract protecting that revenue stream matters.

What to watch next

The Montana Lottery Commission meets again on September 11. That meeting is open to the public and could provide more details about implementation timelines.