Panama's National Lottery Seeks Automation for Ticket Classification

The National Lottery of Charity (LNB) in Panama is grappling with an outdated, manual system for classifying lottery tickets, a process that involves around 80 employees meticulously sorting and verifying each batch by hand. This labor-intensive operation, conducted under strict security measures, can take many hours before tickets are ready for distribution to vendors across the country.

For the first time, the LNB allowed media access to this internal process, aiming to highlight both its internal workings and the significant challenges it faces. Director Isidro Carbonell Olmos emphasized the high security in the area, noting that staff must leave personal belongings and are under constant surveillance due to the substantial value represented by the tickets.

However, the sight of dozens of employees manually handling tickets underscores a reality the institution acknowledges as a major hurdle: the lack of automation. Carbonell Olmos confirmed that the LNB is developing a plan to modernize operations, starting with the printing process. The proposed technological integration aims to automatically classify and verify tickets, drastically reducing the time currently spent on manual labor.

This modernization effort is also intended to address a common complaint from ticket vendors regarding lengthy waiting periods for ticket collection. By automating parts of the process, the LNB expects to expedite distribution and enhance its service. Additionally, the lottery is pursuing a draft law to criminalize the clandestine sale of lottery products and update existing regulations.

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Here there are values. From printing, we can achieve that this is reduced in time and that the personnel do not have to be carrying out these types of activities.