Western Canada Lottery Corporation selected Scientific Games on August 13, 2026, to replace retail technology across more than 5,000 lottery outlets in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut participate in WCLC as associate members.

The contract covers WAVE point-of-sale terminals, PlayCentral self-service kiosks with artificial intelligence and advanced analytics, and updated retailer terminal software. The equipment will support lottery sales and sports wagering operations across WCLC's retail network.

A shared network across the Prairies

WCLC acts as an agent for the governments of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. It also works with territorial lottery organizations in the North.

The corporation operates a shared regional system rather than separate retail networks for each province. The replacement program will therefore affect retailers across all three Prairie provinces. The territories remain associate members of the wider WCLC structure.

What the technology package includes

WCLC's fiscal 2026 annual report describes the terminal replacement as a multi-year project. It follows planned improvements to the corporation's digital sales channel and the launch of a new iLottery platform.

  • WAVE terminals: Clerk-operated point-of-sale equipment for retail transactions.
  • PlayCentral kiosks: Self-service machines that Scientific Games says will use artificial intelligence and analytics.
  • Retailer software: Updated systems for managing lottery sales and related store operations.

The August 13 announcement did not provide a province-by-province installation schedule. It also did not disclose specific changes to payment processing, identity checks, geolocation, cybersecurity controls or data-retention practices.

Retailers and players know the technology package, but not yet when each location will be upgraded or how the new equipment will affect daily operations.

Sales show the system's scale

Scientific Games said WCLC sales exceeded C$1.56 billion in 2025. The corporation also returned more than C$481 million to member jurisdictions. The C$1.56 billion figure refers to sales, not gaming revenue or gross gaming revenue.

WCLC's fiscal 2026 report recorded C$1.50 billion in sales for the year ended March 31, 2026. The report also recorded:

  • C$106.45 million in sports sales.
  • C$353.54 million from Scratch & Win products.
  • C$97.40 million in retailer commissions.

The difference between the C$1.56 billion figure cited by Scientific Games for 2025 and the C$1.50 billion reported for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026 reflects different reporting periods. The figures should not be treated as a direct year-over-year comparison without matching the periods.

Retailers sell tickets, process transactions and redeem prizes in major cities, small communities and northern locations. The terminal replacement will affect WCLC's operations and the day-to-day work of thousands of retail partners.

Sports wagering remains part of the relationship

According to Scientific Games' announcement, the company has supplied WCLC's central gaming system and sports wagering platform since 1999. In 2021, the organizations introduced real-time odds, futures and single-event sports betting through WCLC's SPORT SELECT products.

The 2026 contract announcement focuses on retail technology. It does not state that the new WAVE terminals or PlayCentral kiosks will change wagering limits, betting rules or player-protection requirements in Alberta, Saskatchewan or Manitoba.

What happens next

WCLC describes the replacement as a multi-year modernization effort. The immediate development is the selection of a technology supplier, not the creation of a national gambling system or a uniform set of provincial rules.

The next announcements will need to address installation dates, kiosk availability, accessibility, privacy safeguards, outage procedures and the operation of responsible-play tools on the new equipment.