With the launch of the new Super5 on July 4th, Malta’s iconic jackpot lottery game has just entered a new chapter, one built around convenience, excitement, and accessibility. In this Q&A interview, IZI Group CCO Franco De Gabriele discusses how National Lottery plc, a subsidiary of IZI Group, is bringing the lottery closer to the people, and how the new Super5 will crystallise this ambition.

IZI Group is entering a bold new period in its custodianship of the national lottery of Malta. Three years after assuming the operations of the national lottery of Malta through its subsidiary National Lottery plc, IZI Group is once again raising the bar in a bid to redefine lottery. This time it’s doing it with the launch of the new Super5, one of its core national lottery games.

Let’s start with the core idea behind the concept of ‘bringing the lottery closer to the people.’ What does this mean for you?

This concept is very clear in our minds and is reflected across all levels of the Group. It means making the lottery more relatable, more exciting, and more accessible to people’s everyday lives.

The lottery should feel like a natural part of local culture, something that’s both familiar and fun. For us, it’s about removing barriers, whether they’re technological, generational or even emotional, while creating a portfolio of products and services that people trust, enjoy and look forward to engaging with.

This concept has been our driving force from the first day we took over the national lottery in July 2022. Through this philosophy, we managed to fulfil three core objectives; first, to grow the lottery to unprecedented levels; second, to increase the monies going back to players in terms of winnings; and third, to provide the Government with additional revenues in a bid to then have more resources for good social and cultural causes.

Could you elaborate further on these core objectives and the driving forces that enabled you to reach these objectives?

The most important element for reaching these ambitious goals is to ensure that everybody within our family is aware of these core objectives and has a clear path on how they can be attained.

Our employees are the main driving force behind our achievements. We have created a culture that allows everybody to understand how their efforts can support the common goals. Our direct line of clear communication through what is relatively a flat organisational structure has been the determining factor for the attainment of our goals.

We are proud that in the past three years we have more than doubled the annual sales and player winnings, while proceeds to Government have grown by 64 per cent.

Your next big project is to re-position one of the legacy games of the national lottery – the Super5. So, what’s changing with Super5 in July?

We have noticed that the appeal for Super5 has diminished over time. Given the importance of this game within our portfolio we have set ourselves a target of reversing this declining trend.

In recent months we’ve undertaken the most comprehensive market study related to the game to ensure that we better understand the underpinning demand for it. The results were very clear. While people have a strong emotional connection to the game, they expect larger returns in the form of jackpots.

To this end, we are now guaranteeing higher jackpots and larger weekly increments. By so doing, the overall jackpot amounts will be higher, reaching the desired €1M threshold within shorter timeframes. Therefore, while we made sure that the core of the game remains identical to the current one, we have undertaken changes to make the game more appealing.

Changes to the Super5 require a balance between tradition and innovation. How do you go about this?

We respect tradition and the trust that the national lottery games enjoy within our local communities. We took over the responsibility of building further appeal and strengthening the trust of the games when we took over the custodianship of the national lottery.

But we also know that if we don’t innovate, we risk losing relevance. That’s why everything we introduce, whether bigger prizes, second draws, or new game concepts, is always built on the foundation of fairness, simplicity and local relevance.

With Super5, the innovation is layered. We’ve retained the game concept but have reimagined the game mechanics. We’ve also ensured that the game is more appealing to younger adults who demand better accessibility and larger jackpots as they commence a new and important chapter in their lives. To this end, the digital experience for Super5 is essential.

What role does player engagement play in all this?

Player engagement is an essential part of this project. We reached out to the market, to our active players, to non-players, and our agents, to capture their preferences. We wanted to create moments with them. Our research ensured that we get direct feedback, and I can assure you that we’ve learned a lot about what people value, more importantly, what excites them. Super5 is being shaped by these insights. This isn’t just about launching a new version of a game. It’s about creating an experience, one that is tuned into people’s lives, habits and aspirations.

What should players expect from the new Super5?

Players can expect a lottery game that feels bigger, more rewarding, and more exciting. We have made changes to the commercial proposition to enable us to double both the starting jackpot to €500,000 and the weekly jackpot increments to €50,000.

This new game structure supports the notion of million EURO jackpots more frequently. The benefits of the new Super5 are also be communicated in a nationwide campaign bringing energy to every corner of the island.

Super5 will be everywhere, in retail, in digital, in your social feeds, on TV, and most importantly, in the conversations people have around excitement, dreams and winning.

Final thoughts?

The new Super5 is a step forward, not just for the game but for the entire lottery experience in Malta. It’s a promise that we’re here to entertain and engage with people in meaningful ways.

Bringing the lottery closer to the people means more than accessibility, it means creating memories and belonging. Our aim is to allow people to play a game that excites them, a game that they trust and allows them to dream big with every draw.