SCRATCH CARDS - PART 3
The questionable marketing strategies of ONCE's Scratch Cards (Rascas de la ONCE)

Since 2006, within ONCE's gaming offerings, scratch and win products have become increasingly significant. The launch of these types of games was under the brand "El Rasca," and from their initial sales in May 2006 to February 2008, the results were moderate, forcing a halt in the sale of these tickets for a while to relaunch them after a brand change.

In any case, even in this initial phase, specific products like "El Rasca de Navidad" confirmed the immense potential that instant lottery had to boost ONCE's sales after the also successful case of special draws.

We'll overlook the evident fact of how ONCE's kiosks and sales points have become striking landmarks in the urban landscape, thanks to the hundreds of instant lottery tickets with attractive designs that showcase to passersby of all ages the psychological allure of immediate gratification... From now on, we'll focus primarily on how ONCE has transferred this aggressive commercial strategy to the digital world.

From gaining a presence on the streets to doing so in the minds of Spaniards

By 2023, Scratch Cards represent a significant portion of ONCE's game catalog and are increasingly popular among players, in addition to starring in prominent press campaigns. Understandably, this has raised concerns among responsible gaming associations because these scratch cards offer players an accessible and immediate experience often linked to problematic behaviors in individuals with impulsive tendencies.

In fact, unlike other lottery games like the daily coupon or ONCE's special draws, with Scratch Cards, there's no need to wait for a draw or a result; the outcome is immediate. This is a key factor in justifying that, in the online gaming segment, there has been a time and financial limit set for slot sessions or slot machines for years.

In addition to this immediate gratification feature of winning instant prizes by scratching off a protective layer and seeing the reward, ONCE has leveraged other factors that have contributed to its success and, in many cases, its addictiveness:

• A thematic variety and range of prizes that cater to different player tastes and preferences: ONCE constantly innovates its scratch products, introducing new designs, appealing themes, and prices of all kinds. This allows players to find games that match their interests, increasing diversity and excitement within these scratch card offerings

• Replicating the formula of the "special draws," Scratch Cards have also had special versions that have become more frequent and recurring over time. And they are always backed by massive advertising campaigns. This is the case with "Rasca y Gana Millonario" and more aggressive versions from ONCE like the current 'Rasca Mega Millonario,' which is the scratch game with the highest prizes in Spain, where for 10 euros, one can win up to 1,000,000. Its success is clearly not only due to the prize and ease but also its attractive design and marketing campaigns highlighting its high probability of secondary prizes and the thrill of playing for large sums of money.

• Psychological and design reasons: in ONCE's Scratch Cards, the sensation of being close (the ticket shows symbols that are often "almost" aligned or very close to being a winning combination) and intermittent reinforcement (thanks to secondary prizes that allow occasional wins) encourage continued play, hoping the next ticket will be the winner.

Related this, videos have even appeared on YouTube with thousands of visits that use scratchers as ASMR, acronyms that correspond to the concept of "Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response" and that basically use the sound of certain actions (in this case scratching a coin with a coin). In that case "Scratch" card to bring calm and tranquility to whoever watch it.

Clarifying "affordable price" and "high prizes"

Affordable price and high prizes are two of the incentives that ONCE's scratch and win games use in their promotions. A very questionable way to engage in gambling when in both cases the reality may indicate that some of ONCE's scratch tickets can be purchased at an affordable price, allowing a wide range of players to participate and have the opportunity to win prizes. However, in terms of prizes, the "payout" or return to player rate is extremely low compared to most marketed gaming products.

For ONCE's Scratch Cards, the payout can vary depending on the type of scratch and its price, but according to available data, the average payout is usually around 70%. This variable is a percentage that indicates how much money is returned to players in prizes from all the money collected from a game's sales. That is, with this 70% payout, for every 100 euros collected in sales, ONCE allocates 70 euros to prizes for players.

The dirty war on Google

We already saw that given SELA's indecision about offering these gaming products, the two operators currently offering them (Loteries de Catalunya and ONCE) also compete in online acquisition channels. And one of the fiercest battles to attract potential online customers is in the realm of paid positioning on Google.

At INFOPLAY, we have noted how in recent years ONCE has successfully positioned itself (after paying Google) in the top spot for keyword searches related to Rasca Ràpid from Loteries de Catalunya.

For example, if we search for "Rasca Rapid" on Google from a Catalan location, we can see ONCE appearing as the first option (through sponsorship or payment), surpassing the natural positioning of the official Rasca Ràpid products.

Landing Pages and Ads

The promotional aggressiveness that we have observed in paid Google searches and the one we see in kiosks is reflected in the advertising information that the internet user receives when browsing. This is also evident in the "landing pages" or "landing websites" when we click on banners or ads promoting ONCE's games.

For instance, in any Google search related to scratch cards, we can see how the information available on the search page and the ads that ONCE pays Google to give visibility to their scratch cards prioritize mentions like "one million euro prizes," "instant prizes," or the "many game options and the ability to play online instantly."



Another example - the one above - allows us to assess the marketing approach of ONCE's games and helps us understand why they have achieved the undeniable visibility they have on the internet.

Is Everything Allowed to Fund Social Programs?

The communication "tricks" we are seeing in this SPECIAL, although legal, challenge the famous "social function" that ONCE always boasts about with its "dual function": not only to provide entertainment and excitement to players but also to contribute to the social mission.

Thus, although part of the revenue generated by these games is allocated to finance programs and services aimed at improving the quality of life of blind or visually impaired people, which can obviously create added value for the players participating in them; the debate about the use of these "scratch and win" products and the way they are promoted should at least be present in society, as has been the case with SELAE and the possibility of offering their own scratch cards.

What is also being noticed is how ONCE scratch cards have become a regular theme on YouTube channels. The emotional pull of scratch cards makes sharing hope, disappointment or joy together with the video creator, making videos of players scratching dozens of cards viral and keeping viewers coming back for more content. Compared to other types of gaming content, recording and posting ticket ripping videos is relatively simple and does not require major productions, allowing creators to regularly post content.