Instant Ticket Featuring Pollard Banknote's Flip Scratch™ Innovation Successful for Slovakia's Niké

WINNIPEG, Jan. 25, 2016 /CNW/ - Pollard Banknote Limited (TSX: PBL) (Pollard Banknote) congratulates Niké, Slovakia's largest sports betting company, on the success of its instant ticket Oko berie (blackjack). Oko berie, printed and designed by Pollard Banknote, has achieved high honours in the Niké record book, with sales matching those of the company's best-selling 5€ instant game.

Launched in October 2015, Oko berie represents the lottery industry's debut of Pollard Banknote's latest print innovation—Flip Scratch™.

Flip Scratch™ is a patented Fusion® product that combines pop-open windows and scratch-off areas, enhancing the play value and doubling the excitement. Players pop open windows to reveal play data on the back of each window and a scratch area that covers additional play symbols.

In addition to blackjack, Flip Scratch™ accommodates a variety of play styles, including symbol match, slots, and other popular card games such as poker and high low.

The Flip Scratch™ innovation blends seamlessly with Oko berie game play, providing players with the thrill of flipping over the dealer's cards and then scratching to reveal their own cards. An instant reveal bonus area adds yet another layer of play and offers four more chances to win.

"Niké has been dealt a winning hand with Oko berie. We are always looking for new and innovative ways to entertain our players and this game has exceeded our expectations," said Michal Dáni, Lottery Director, Niké. "Oko berie is the first instant ticket that we have launched with a card game theme in the Slovakian market, and with Flip Scratch™, the ticket simulates the excitement of live blackjack. Our players appreciate this enhanced play value."

"Pollard Banknote is thrilled about Niké's success with our Flip Scratch™ innovation," said Nancy Bettcher, Vice President, Product Innovation & Development, Pollard Banknote. "The Oko berie ticket offers a new game and play style that is clearly drawing player attention at Slovakian retailers. We look forward to other lotteries following suit with this unique product."

Niké, the first betting company in Slovakia, has been operating since January 29, 1991. Since Niké's establishment, it has been the largest betting company in the territory of Slovakia with more than 900 branches distributed throughout the region. The company's main activity is fixed-odds betting, approved by the Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic. Pollard Banknote is the company's sole supplier of instant scratch tickets.

About Pollard Banknote

Pollard Banknote is a leading lottery partner to more than 50 lotteries worldwide, providing high quality instant ticket products, licensed games, and strategic marketing and management services for both traditional instant games and the emerging iLottery space of web, mobile, and social channels. The company is a proven innovator and has decades of experience helping lotteries to maximize player engagement, sales, and proceeds for good causes. Pollard Banknote also plays a major role in the charitable pull-tab and bingo markets in North America. Established in 1907, Pollard Banknote is owned approximately 73.5% by the Pollard family and 26.5% by public shareholders and is publicly traded on the TSX (PBL). For more information, please visit our website at www.pollardbanknote.com.

Forward-looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release may constitute "forward-looking" statements and information, which involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. When used in this document, such statements include such words as "may," "will," "expect," "believe," "plan," and other similar terminology. These statements reflect management's current expectations regarding future events and operating performance and speak only as of the date of this document. There should not be an expectation that such information will in all circumstances be updated, supplemented, or revised whether as a result of new information, changing circumstances, future events, or otherwise.

SOURCE Pollard Banknote Limited

Image with caption: "Pollard Banknote's Flip Scratch™™ innovation for Slovakia's Niké Oko berie ticket. (CNW Group/Pollard Banknote Limited)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160125_C3909_PHOTO_EN_605038.jpg

Doug Pollard, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Telephone: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]; John Pollard, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Telephone: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]; Rob Rose, Chief Financial Officer, Telephone: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]