Program Highlights
2009
- OLG announces that beginning on November 3rd, retailers will be banned from purchasing lottery tickets in their own stores. This new action builds on OLG's previously existing policy which bars OLG employees from playing lotteries
- OLG allocates approximately $3 million annually to implement real-time data analysis to immediately flag suspicious lottery transactional behaviours and limit potential fraudulent activities
- Established Data Analysis Support Team responsible for monitoring lottery terminal activity and conducting data analysis to support lottery investigations
- Transfer of the lottery prize payment process to Investigative Services to ensure investigative focus on all prize claims of $1,000 or more
- The audit of 13 years of lottery transactional data conducted by independent, external audit firm, Deloitte and Touche indicates that player protection measures initiated by OLG over the past two years have had a positive impact on limiting potential fraudulent activities
2008
- New Instant Ticket barcode introduced to enhance security and allow customers to use in-store scanners to check their own tickets
- Established Office of Player Protection by combining Investigations, Security, Surveillance, Compliance and Information Access and Privacy Services. The new department strengthens the integrity of OLG systems and protects the interest of players
- Terminal Freeze threshold for all lottery ticket validations reduced from $10,000 to $5,000
- Unclaimed INSTANT prize lists are automatically printed from the lottery terminal each day. These lists are posted for the information of customers
- Easier to understand Customer Receipts are introduced
- All INSTANT games with TOP prizes of $100,000 or greater are removed from sale once all the top prizes have been claimed
- Customer Receipts for winning tickets of $5,000 or more now include notification that OLG will call the customer at the store momentarily
- New Language Line added to our toll-free customer service telephone line. Now, Customer Service Representatives access interpreters to assist with callers in more than 150 languages
- ID 25 program enhanced by building this requirement into the lottery retail compliance program. Before selling or validating a lottery ticket, retailers are now required to ask for government-issued photo ID from anyone who appears to be under the age of 25
- OLG asks independent, external audit firm, Deloitte and Touche, to conduct a comprehensive audit of past lottery wins and trends in winning. Any findings that suggest wrongful or criminal behaviour will be turned over to the Ontario Provincial Police. Key findings will be made public.
- Customers must sign their tickets before a retailer can validate them
- A signature box is added to the front of INSTANT tickets
- New winning and non-winning musical tones with voice-over messages are introduced on lottery terminals
- The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) assumes its regulatory and oversight role of OLG lotteries
- Related Party/Insider Win (including suspicious wins) policy and procedures takes effect
- A new retailer compliance program takes effect that includes escalating penalties for non-compliance
- News releases of all lottery wins of $10,000 or more are posted on OLG.ca
- News releases of all lottery wins of $10,000 or more by 'insiders' are posted on OLG.ca and publicized for 30 days before the prize is paid
2007
- Retailers are required to return all winning and non-winning tickets to customers
- Retailers and their staff identify themselves as insiders via lottery terminal software
- The Retail Play Button is introduced on the lottery terminal to identify retailer personal play
- Lottery terminals can be automatically suspended due to unusual retailer activity
- A signature line is added to the front of LOTTO tickets
- The retailer contract is revised to include "zero tolerance" policy for fraud, theft or dishonest behaviour
- The AGCO begins the process of registering all OLG lottery retailers
- A Direct-to-Consumer Ambassador Program runs through the summer months
- Legislation is enacted for the AGCO to oversee OLG lotteries
- Ticket Checkers are installed at all lottery terminal locations
- Terminal Freeze functionality is extended to all (LOTTO and INSTANT) lottery ticket validations of $10,000 or more
- All OLG investigators receive third-party training
- Lottery Sales force staff no longer involved in retailer compliance matters
- All calls regarding theft, fraud and dishonesty routed to Corporate Security and Surveillance
- The ticket validation program is enhanced to a five-step validation program:
- Check whether tickets are signed before validating
- If tickets are not signed, ask the customer to sign them. Retailers cannot validate tickets that have not been signed.
- Tear through the bar code of all paid-out tickets, and return all validated tickets, winners and non-winners, to customers along with the corresponding Customer Receipt.
- Keep clutter away from the lottery terminal or INSTANT ticket device and the printer.
- Ensure the lottery Customer Display Screen is visible to the customer at all times.
- 'Winner' or 'non-winner' is printed on LOTTO tickets that are checked through lottery terminals
- Text messaging on the Customer Display Screen is improved
- The OLG Prize Centre begins to track insider wins, including retailer wins, of $1,000 and more
- All customer complaints received by OLG regarding retailer theft, fraud and dishonesty are logged in a single database
- Ontario's Ombudsman releases his report and OLG commits to completing all recommendations
2006
- KPMG begins a review of OLG lotteries that delivers 40 recommendations
- The major lottery prize win threshold is reduced from $50,000 to $10,000
- Terminal Freeze functionality is introduced for LOTTO ticket validations of $10,000 or more at retail
- An ongoing public awareness campaign begins, focusing on signing your ticket, checking your ticket and using Ticket Checkers
- A three-step ticket validation program that includes compliance audits conducted by third parties is introduced at retail:
- Check whether tickets are signed before validating
- If tickets are not signed, ask the customer to sign them. Retailers cannot validate tickets that have not been signed.
- Tear through the bar code of all paid-out tickets, and return all validated tickets, winners and non-winners, to customers along with the corresponding Customer Receipt.
- Ticket Receipts are provided to customers for all ticket validation transactions at the lottery terminal
- OLG Investigations conducts all insider wins, including retailer wins, of $10,000 or more
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