National Lottery
Official National Lottery Operator of Malta
The global lottery market, encompassing various products, was valued at $336 billion in 2019 and is expected to reach $433 billion by the end of 2026, growing at a CAGR of 4.05%. In Malta the lottery market constitutes 33% of the total land-based market in terms of value but is by far the most popular type of game, with over 122,000 persons engaged in some form of lottery product on a weekly basis.
The Group has taken over the operation of the national lottery of Malta from Maltco Lotteries on July 5th, 2022, after the latter had been operating the lottery of Malta since the first privatisation in 2004. IZI Group through its subsidiary National Lottery becomes the first fully owned Maltese private company to administer and operate the national lottery.
Dragonara Casino
Market Leaders since 2010
The global casino industry is estimated at €188 Billion annually with nearly 12% of this value generated in Europe. In Malta, the casino sector is the largest gaming vertical contributing 51% of the total land-based gaming market. IZI Group has been a market leader in this sector since taking the helm of the Dragonara Casino in 2010. The Group generates 58% of its total revenues from its casino operation.
Established in 1964, the Dragonara Casino is Malta’s foremost casino. Housed in a historic 19th-century palace, the Dragonara is considered the most prestigious casino in Malta and one of the finest in the Mediterranean.
Sportsbook
Leading Sportsbook since 2015
With global revenues close to €168 billion, sports betting is one of the fastest-growing gaming verticals. The sports betting market is projected to witness considerable growth primarily due to the inclination of governments to regulate the sector. The local retail sports betting market contributes a total of 9% of the total land-based market value, estimated at €9.5M per annum. IZI Group is the local market leader in retail sports betting through the distribution of the IZIBET sports betting product. Sports betting revenues generate 19% of the total revenues for the Group.
IZI Group ventured into the sports betting vertical through the introduction of the IZIBET sports betting product in 2015. Currently available through a network of 40 high-street betting shops. IZIBET became the fastest-growing retail sports betting brand before attaining market leadership a mere 2 years from launch.
Video Lottery
Embracing a Highly Regulated Market
Video Lottery is typically a well-regulated gaming vertical offering entertaining, fair games in safe and controlled environments, designed to raise significant gaming tax revenues to fund key government programmes and initiatives. The history of Video Lottery has been very dynamic and highly controlled.
IZI Group is the reference operator of Video Lottery Terminals (VLTs) in the ‘Controlled Gaming Premises’ sector. The investment in be-spoke VLT technology and games has enabled IZI Group to attain market leadership in this category. VLTs have been the foundation of the retail gaming sector since the market was further regulated in 2011 and today generates approximately 20% of the Group’s revenues.
IZI Group introduced VLTs in its retail network in 2012. Since then, the Group has been growing from strength to strength introducing new games in line with market demand and regulations.
VirtualZ and Esports
The Future Today
Virtual Sports is a fixed-odds betting product utilising a random number generator to determine the outcome of a simulated sporting event. Virtual Sports have experienced exponential growth in the last 5 years, providing operators with as much as 20% of their sports betting revenues. IZI Group was the first operator in Malta to introduce virtual sports betting after teaming up with leading international content providers. Virtuals Sports betting can be found exclusively through the National Lottery retail network under the new name VIRTUALZ.
Esports is a new game concept that engages customers in real-time player-vs-player game formats. This event-based format has seen Esports events gather more than 100,000 spectators in venues with millions watching online. Esports has now become a new sports betting product and is expected to generate further growth in the industry.
The drive for innovation within IZI Group has propelled the Group to invest in this new concept and introduce virtual sports in the retail and online channels. The investment in high-end video display systems across the retail network and the design elements to create the right ambience inside the National Lottery outlets have enabled the Group to leverage this growth opportunity witnessing increased player retention in the process. The introduction of Esports as a new game format will further enrich the product portfolio of the online portal www.izibet.com.
Interactive
Drive for Innovation
IZI Group established IZI INTERACTIVE in 2016 as part of its innovative drive to make its products more accessible. Through the online portals, www.dragonara.com and www.izibet.com the Group provides a rich portfolio of casino, sports betting, virtual & esports in the local and other regulated markets. This forms part of the Group’s innovative strategy to make all its products accessible to different markets and audiences.
Bingo
Merging Tradition & Innovation
Bingo, or Tombola as it is commonly known, is a game of chance in which players mark their numbers on pre-printed scorecards as numbers typically from 1-90 are drawn randomly. The European Bingo market makes up around 4.3% of the total gaming revenues, similar to the contribution that Bingo makes to the local land-based market. Despite its popularity as a game, especially with an older demographic, Bingo is one of the only product verticals that is registering a decline locally. Since 2002, IZI Group has operated Malta’s leading Bingo Hall and continues to look at innovative ways of reviving the product. The Group is also considering other investments in the Bingo sector that could propel this vertical to new heights.
Historic Horse Racing
New Revenues for the Racing Industry
Historic Horse Racing Terminals or instant racing as it is more commonly known, allows players and racing enthusiasts to place bets on replays of historic horse races, via a player interface. Historic horse race wagering is becoming a vital source of revenue for the horse racing industry. This innovative form of gaming is being supported by international horse racing regulators the world over. As part of its internationalisation strategy, IZI Group has partnered with leading technology providers and horse racing bodies in Europe to launch this new game format in selected racetracks. This innovative wagering product is set to become the single most important source of on-track gaming revenue for the horse racing industry in the next years.