The technology for Scientific Games' best-selling scratch cards in the United States
Scientific Games and the North Carolina Education Lottery (NCEL) are expanding the rollout of SCiQ technology to a total of 2,000 retail outlets in the U.S. state of North Carolina, following strong increases in scratch card sales at retailers such as 7-Eleven, Circle K, Kroger and Harris Teeter supermarkets.
According to the company's data, as of early August, NCEL scratch sales at SCiQ-equipped Harris Teeter stores had grown by an average of 23.5%, prompting both organizations to accelerate the system's expansion to the state's entire retail network.
Mark Michalko, CEO and executive director of the North Carolina Education Lottery, said the goal of the lottery is to responsibly increase contributions to education in North Carolina, and that part of that plan is to strengthen the security and sales of scratch card games in its distribution network. According to Michalko, the installation of SCiQ in key stores has generated significant sales increases, with notable increases in some outlets.
Scientific Games comprehensively manages the deployment of SCiQ, from planning to installation and retailer training, working in coordination with the lottery team and its business partners to adapt to the particular needs of each establishment. The technology is currently operational in more than 18 markets between the United States and Europe.
Michael Martin, Vice President of Retail Solutions at Scientific Games, explained that SCiQ optimizes the management and sale of scratch card games at the point of sale by connecting lotteries, retailers and players through real-time data and insights. The system improves retailers' operational management through store-level data and strategic analytics for lotteries, resulting in increased sales and ultimately more funding for the lottery's good cause programs.
Among its features, SCiQ incorporates fully integrated digital menu boards for modern product display, as well as real-time, store-specific sales reports and shopping cart analytics. The system also bolsters security through containers that automatically dispense tickets and allow each ticket to be tracked individually, helping to reduce product theft.
NCEL's scratch card games generated more than $2.84 billion in retail sales during fiscal year 2025, ranking the lottery fifth in the U.S. by weekly per capita scratch card sales and among the top five best-performing instant lotteries globally, according to La Fleur's 2026 World Almanac. Scientific Games also supplies NCEL with its instant games and manages the products through its Enhanced Partnership program from its facility near Raleigh, North Carolina.
With a presence in more than 150 lotteries in 50 countries, Scientific Games is the world's largest lottery gaming company and the fastest-growing lottery systems technology partner in North America.
