Q&A With Khalid Jones, CEO of Allwyn North America, Operator of the Illinois Lottery

As the private manager of the Illinois Lottery, Allwyn North America works in partnership with the Illinois Department of the Lottery to drive innovation, support responsible play, and generate vital funding for K-12 public education and specialty causes across the state. Allwyn North America is a subsidiary of Allwyn AG, a leading global gaming entertainment company with a presence across North America and Europe. In this Q&A, Chief Executive Officer Khalid Jones discusses his recent transition to Allwyn North America from serving as Executive Director of the Virginia Lottery, the evolving technology shaping the industry, and the core values driving the company forward.

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Q: You’ve gone from running a state lottery and regulating online sports betting and casinos to running a private company that operates in the lottery space. What has surprised you most about being on the other side of the table?

A: What stands out most is the opportunity to operate on a national and global scale. Globally, Allwyn has operations covering more than 100,000 points of sale worldwide across seven jurisdictions where we serve as the operator. We are creating the products that we then use ourselves. That is incredibly helpful when I think about how we serve lotteries here in North America.

When I was the Director of the Virginia Lottery, our operational footprint stopped at the state line. On the business side at Allwyn, my primary focus is looking at the entire national landscape. I am working to leverage our people and expertise to benefit every lottery across the globe.

Globally, Allwyn has operations covering more than 100,000 points of sale worldwide across seven jurisdictions where we serve as the operator. We are creating the products that we then use ourselves. That is incredibly helpful when I think about how we serve lotteries here in North America.

A lot of advancements happen in Europe before they reach North America. A few years ago, at a conference in Chicago, our team from Czechia demonstrated how they were recycling scratch-off card shavings into skate parks and shoes. Being on this side allows us to take those international innovations and use them here at home.

Q: You’ve spent your career around lotteries and gaming. What is it about this industry that keeps you interested, and what do people outside the industry fundamentally misunderstand about it?

A: The sheer scale and public impact kept me hooked. The North American lottery industry generates well over $110 billion in annual sales, and 100% of state lottery profits go back to good causes—whether that’s K-12 public education here in Illinois, environmental causes in Colorado, or veterans services in Texas.

What people outside the industry fundamentally misunderstand is the core model. Popular consumer brands like Bombas socks or Warby Parker glasses are known for their social impact. But the “buy something, someone gets something” model has been the lottery’s business model from the very beginning. Every time, 100% of profits go back to good causes. Whether you win or lose, you’ve supported a good cause with your play.

We also need to change the perception that the lottery is an outdated game for older generations. When Powerball launched in the UK, research showed strong popularity among the 24-to-34 demographic because the marketing posed aspirational questions like, “Would you start your own music festival or buy your local football club?” The way you talk about the games changes who they resonate with.

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Q: What future game formats or retail concepts excite you most?

A: Right now, up to 90% of lottery retailers in some states are convenience stores and grocery stores, which cater to a two to three-minute customer visit. I believe the next shift in the market will come from rethinking what a lottery retailer can be. A: Right now, up to 90% of lottery retailers in some states are convenience stores and grocery stores, which cater to a two- to three-minute length of stay. I believe the next shift in the market will come from rethinking what a lottery retailer can be. What does the lottery look like in an establishment, a service business, or an online retail environment where people stay longer?

You see Netflix shows that are “Choose Your Own Adventure” or micro-dramas on Instagram, so I’m thinking a lot about bringing storytelling into the lottery, where the game is embedded in watching a narrative unfold. I’m also looking at player-versus-player games and developing ideas around the team experience.

I want to borrow concepts that are common in casual and online gaming, such as teams, leaderboards, and playing a game over a longer period, like a season in a fantasy sports league. Anything that draws on community, storytelling, and engagement is the direction I’m going.

Q: What makes a lottery experience genuinely fun without crossing the line into encouraging irresponsible play?

A: The lottery is entertainment, plain and simple. It is not a financial management plan, a get-rich-quick scheme, or a tool for earning income. When someone spends $2 on Powerball, they are buying the opportunity to dream about what they would do if they won until the draw takes place. No other product offers that experience at that price point.

Responsible gaming means knowing your limits, sticking to a budget, and stopping when it’s no longer fun. In gaming, player protection is actively promoting our safety guardrails, so players know we have strong protections in place.  I am unwavering when it comes to this issue.

Q: What specific technology solutions are you most excited to build and deploy at Allwyn North America?

A: I’m thrilled about our core product suite: Genesis, our modern iLottery platform; Delphi, our next-generation central gaming system; and Relay, our online retail connection.

Relay is particularly exciting because it connects lottery systems directly to retail points of sale and mobile platforms. For example, a food delivery app could offer a $1 add-on for a chance to win the customer’s order for free. It expands the definition of what the lottery can be and allows new types of businesses to become part of the lottery community.

Q: How would you describe your personal approach to leadership and building an organizational culture?

A: My core philosophy is that if you aren’t willing to do every job in the organization, you don’t deserve to do any job in the organization. That means taking customer service calls, going on sales routes with reps, and working as hard as anyone else in the building. As a former colleague of mine, a Virginia Lottery leader Tony Russell used to say, “It’s all about the people.”

I also strongly believe that the strength of an idea is not determined by your position on the org chart. If anyone has a great idea, there should be a mechanism to ensure it is heard and acted upon.

Furthermore, I believe employee happiness directly drives high performance. When I look back at my time in Virginia, we set sales records and opened casinos, but what I’m most proud of is that every employee survey set a record for the highest level of employee satisfaction across both our organization and the Virginia state government.

Q: What is a key career lesson that guides you, and how do you unplug outside of work?

A: As a 24-year-old first-year associate at White & Case in New York, the global managing partner told our orientation class, “If you feel that you cannot take your vacation, you have vastly overestimated your value to this organization.”

What he meant was twofold: First, he really meant it — we need you recharged. Second, we’re all here to help each other. When you’re out, someone is helping out. When they’re out, you’re helping out. So I always want to make sure people are working as hard as they can while also making sure they’re taking the proper time for self-care.

When I’m not thinking about lotteries or business, my ultimate reset is reading, spending time with my family and my four-year-old daughter and watching an unhealthy amount of Neil deGrasse Tyson videos on astrophysics. Having recently moved to Chicago, I’ve been spending my time exploring everything the city has to offer, and my lifelong sports passion is with the New York Knicks.

And when it comes to competition, I hate losing at anything — whether it’s basketball, cards, or cornhole. I even picked up chess and got a private chess tutor because I refuse to lose. As I tell our team: If we’re keeping score, I’m playing to win and will do everything in my power to ensure that we do.

This article is sponsored content produced by Allwyn North America.

Sponsorship revenue supports Capitol News Illinois’ not-for-profit mission and helps make CNI’s journalism freely available to audiences and media partners across Illinois. CNI’s editorial staff did not have any role in producing this article.