Electronic Scratch Cards

The tiny Island of Jersey is set about to become the first place in Europe where customers can play electronic scratch card games.

Jersey’s government says it will approve the use of scratchcard-style lottery machines in shops on the Island. The electronic terminals or EIT (Electronic Instant Ticket) machines allow a customer to buy a virtual card and then scratch off the panels on a computer screen.

The EIT machines will be available at all shops and retail outlets that currently sell Channel Island Lottery scratchcards. The Jersey government also stated that it had no plans to scrap the traditional scratch cards.

The director of the company that will supply and run the new machines (The Global Draw) said: “We believe electronic instant tickets offer a new opportunity for lottery revenue growth and we are excited to pioneer this technology in Jersey. The Global Draw is the market leader in this field with over 43% market share operating machines in over 3,500 venues with all the major bookmakers and independent operators.

“Not only do our new EIT terminals comply with the highest security standards, they also introduce a new and entertaining way to buy lottery tickets, which we believe will lead to increased support for local charities and good causes.”

In the current economic climate, gaming machines that can drive revenues for local and national governments will be seen favourably by many regulators. Jersey’s Economic Development Minister, said: “We are excited about the potential increase in revenue this may generate for local good causes.” Often scratch cards are considered ‘soft gaming’ by government and as such are not overly regulated.

These machines represent a new way to play scratch cards in the physical world, but online players have enjoyed the benefits of these electronic cards for sometime. Jackpot Joy introduced it’s first online Scratch Card game 7 years ago!