Openlot Rolls Out Mobile Phone Gaming in Tanzania

Tanzania (September 26, 2005) :
Tanzanians are the first on the African continent that can play the lottery with a regular mobile phone. Selcom Gaming, the Tanzanian lottery operator, partnered with Openlot Systems to launch a mobile lottery within five months. The lottery offers both sports betting and numbers games. Consumers pay with their mobile phone using SMS. Prizes are redeemed through a player account. An age check is performed and Openlot's SMS Secure technology provides end-to-end security.
Layers are informed about the results of the games in either English or Swahili through the phone, the Internet or call center and receive an SMS text message if they have won a prize. Winners are directed towards a partner bank branch where they identify themselves and receive the prize money. Regulators and lottery management can follow ticket sales in real-time.
Says Sameer Hirji, Managing Director of Selcom Gaming: "Openlot provided not only an end-to-end technical solution but also the games, the expertise and the training to make this offering a success. Openlot delivered on-time and within budget and the team was a pleasure to work with. With a cellular growth rate of 85% and more mobile phones than Internet connections in Tanzania, we are excited to offer the Tanzanian public the opportunity to play wherever they are. Lottery proceeds benefit several government programs."
penlot partner HP provided hardware and expertise for the implementation. Says Bram Cohen, Openlot Project Manager: "We were thrilled to work with the lottery management team in fine tuning the end-product. It is easy to play and fun. We think Africa offers some great opportunities for lottery operators and our experience with the lottery in Tanzania has proven that."