Pollard Banknote’s Exclusive PlayBook® Making Big Splash Down Under For Lotterywest

WINNIPEG, Manitoba, June 16, 2014 /CNW/ – Pollard Banknote Limited (TSX: PBL) (Pollard Banknote) is pleased to announce the impressive sales achieved by Lotterywest—the official state lottery of Western Australia—in the launch of its first PlayBook^® instant ticket, a patented innovation by Pollard Banknote. Launched in November 2013, during Australia’s summer, Summertime Game Book made Lotterywest’s record book. At its peak, the game generated one-week sales of $518,000—a best in the Lottery’s history! This successful $20 game was also a major contributor to the Lottery’s excellent third quarter sales.

Pollard Banknote’s exclusive PlayBook^® brings multiple games together in a unique booklet format, enabling players to enjoy a wide variety of play experiences and a number of different games in a new, exciting way. More than 40 PlayBook^® games have been launched in jurisdictions around the world, achieving approximately $750 million in retail sales.

“Our collaboration with Pollard Banknote has given us a chance to introduce some unique instant scratch products into the Western Australian market. We believed the PlayBook^® would make an ideal instant game to launch during the holiday season, and we were right. The broad appeal of a summer theme coupled with the extraordinary play value of nine different games has proven to be a winning combination,” explained Jan Stewart, Chief Executive Officer, Lotterywest. “Summertime Game Book boosted our overall holiday sales and built momentum going into 2014. Based on its success, we are launching a new PlayBook^®, Lucky Game Book, this August.”

“We at Pollard Banknote congratulate Lotterywest on the sales success of its first PlayBook^®. Players’ appreciation of Summertime Game Book’s unique concept and exceptional value translated into sales for the Lottery and its good causes,” commented Doug Pollard, Co-Chief Executive Officer. “It is rewarding to be a contributing partner in Lotterywest’s support of Western Australian communities. We look forward to introducing more Pollard innovations into this market to further grow proceeds for good causes.” 

In 2013, Lotterywest awarded Pollard Banknote a two-year contract for the manufacture and supply of instant lottery tickets, its first contract with the company. This contract provides Lotterywest with three optional one-year extensions.

As the official state lottery for Western Australia, Lotterywest is responsible for selling lottery games and distributing the proceeds for the benefit of Western Australian communities. Lotterywest contributes to building Western Australia’s quality of life through proceeds to many charitable, community, and local government organizations, such as sporting organizations, arts and culture groups, and health services. In the 2012/13 fiscal year, Lotterywest contributed $274 million AUD to communities in Western Australia.

About Pollard Banknote

Pollard Banknote is a leading lottery partner to more than 50 lotteries worldwide, providing high quality instant ticket products, licensed games, and strategic marketing and management services for both traditional instant games and the emerging iLottery space of web, mobile, and social channels. The company is a proven innovator and has decades of experience helping lotteries to maximize player engagement, sales, and proceeds for good causes. Pollard Banknote also plays a major role in the charitable pull-tab and bingo markets in North America. Established in 1907, Pollard Banknote is owned approximately 73.5% by the Pollard family and 26.5% by public shareholders and is publicly traded on the TSX (PBL). For more information, please visit our website at www.pollardbanknote.com.

Forward-looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release may constitute “forward-looking” statements and information, which involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. When used in this document, such statements include such words as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “believe,” “plan,” and other similar terminology. These statements reflect management’s current expectations regarding future events and operating performance and speak only as of the date of this document. There should not be an expectation that such information will in all circumstances be updated, supplemented, or revised whether as a result of new information, changing circumstances, future events, or otherwise.

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