News

Circle K gives Calif. users lottery via kiosks

October 20, 2003

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Circle K convenience stores has launched a self-serve lottery feature on selected ZapLink Web-based kiosks in its California stores. The innovative offering was created for Circle K in conjunction with Info Touch Technologies, GTECH Holdings Corp. and the California Lottery.

According to a news release, Circle K is the first retailer in the country to offer customers the convenience of purchasing lottery tickets on a kiosk using a simple Internet Protocol solution.

Placing the lottery function on ZapLink improves the gaming experience and eliminates the need for lottery customers to go through a cashier to purchase online tickets. Customers may still purchase lottery tickets from a cashier if they choose to do so.

"Playing lottery games on the ZapLink kiosk provides players with a fun, exciting playing alternative," said Scott Templeton, innovations group manager for Circle K. "The addition of the lottery sales capability creates a significant convenience for our many customers who are lottery players, while at the same time satisfying our desire to keep lines at the counter shorter, especially when sales increase during large jackpots."

Said Hamed Shahbazi, chairman and chief executive officer of Info Touch Technologies, "We are pleased to team up with such an outstanding group of partners in what we believe is a natural fit and product offering for our convenience store network and their customers."

James Breindel, retail product manager of GTECH, said, "We believe the creation of the self-serve lottery application will expand both lottery and retail opportunities to customers in a way that captures and harnesses the power of emerging technologies."

In addition to the opportunity to play the lottery on a self-serve basis, customers use the ZapLink kiosks to pay utility bills, and purchase pre-paid telecommunications services such as long distance and cellular.

The kiosks also allow customers to access news and information over the Internet, including a locator service for maps and driving directions; e-mail; online shopping; Internet surfing; access to entertainment and games; and the capability to download electronic media, such as music and software, to portable customer devices.

[Editor's note: Info Touch Technologies became Tio Networks in April 2006.]