First U.S. lottery ticket receipt printed at gas dispenser in Greater Minneapolis area in November.

VeriFone Systems Inc. has announced the first U.S. lottery ticket sale at the fuel pump was printed at a Greater Minneapolis area convenience store and gas station in November. Lottery sales at the pump and other self-service locations represent a major untapped market segment for state lottery commissions across the U.S.

VeriFone and partner Linq3 have implemented “play at the pump” at nine locations in Minneapolis under auspices of the Minnesota State Lottery. At gas pumps equipped with VeriFone’s payment enabled media solution, PAYMEDIA, consumers can buy quick pick numbers for Powerball and Mega Millions drawings utilizing debit card payments at the same time they fill up their tanks. The first sale was completed Nov. 13 at the Gramsie Mart on Rice Street in Shoreview, Minn.

“We believe that play at the pump allows us to easily expand the distribution of lottery products and make the purchase of a ticket more convenient,” said Ed Van Petten, executive director of the Minnesota State Lottery. “This delivery method reaches a casual player who may want the convenience of making a lottery purchase while at these locations. It is a means for the Minnesota State Lottery to generate additional revenue for the state and its’ important beneficiaries. It will also provide additional revenue and media elements to help lottery retailers grow their business.”

PAYMEDIA for Secure PumpPAY delivers video and audio that informs and entertains consumers—including promotions on lottery jackpots—while ensuring secure, PCI- and EMV-compliant payments. Consumers are age-verified and enrolled in a quick process at the pump, which enables them to make debit card purchases of tickets whenever they pull up to a participating location. Winnings under $600 are automatically deposited to the debit card-linked account and consumers can check purchases on the web and sign up for mobile text notifications.

“Many consumers forget to play the lottery or just simply don’t have the time to make an extra stop, so VeriFone’s media solution makes it easy for them to play,” said Jennifer Miles, executive vice president, VeriFone North America.

VeriFone’s payment-enabled solutions for gas pumps, taxis and other point of sale locations represent an opportunity for lotteries to expand sales channels in new and innovative ways. Linq3 has forged secured payments processing integration with many of the nations leading payments and ATM processors, creating a nationwide network to securely process lottery transactions.