Who Owns Scientific Games?

Scientific Games Before the Restructuring

Founded in 1973, Scientific Games started as a pioneer in instant lottery tickets and grew into one of the most diversified companies in the gambling technology sector.

For decades, it operated as a public company listed on the NASDAQ, expanding its reach through acquisitions of industry giants like Bally, WMS, NYX, and OpenBet. These moves gave it a major presence not only in lottery services but also in casino gaming, digital betting, and content development.

By the early 2020s, the company’s structure had become increasingly complex. Faced with significant debt and a shifting competitive landscape, the leadership team opted for a radical change in direction.

Brookfield’s Acquisition of Scientific Games

In October 2021, Scientific Games Corporation announced the sale of its entire lottery division to Brookfield Business Partners L.P., a division of Brookfield Asset Management. The deal, worth $6.05 billion, was finalized on April 4, 2022. This marked the functional separation of the Scientific Games lottery business from the public company, which had rebranded as Light & Wonder in March 2022.

Brookfield took over full control of the lottery business, transforming Scientific Games into a privately owned company focused solely on lottery technology. The business retained its long-time CEO, Pat McHugh, and continued to operate out of its headquarters in the metro Atlanta area.

Brookfield’s acquisition was part of a broader investment strategy in infrastructure and long-term cash-generating assets, and the lottery sector—with its highly regulated, government-backed contracts—fit that profile perfectly.

Lottery Solutions Offered by Scientific Games

Scientific Games delivers a wide range of technology and services to over 130 lotteries in more than 50 countries. Its core capabilities include instant ticket production, draw-based systems, point-of-sale hardware, and digital lottery platforms.

Since selling OpenBet in 2022, Scientific Games no longer operates in the broader sportsbook market. Its current sports betting solutions are limited to select lotteries in regulated jurisdictions.

One of the company’s most advanced facilities is located in Alpharetta, Georgia, where billions of secure instant tickets are printed annually. This site remains one of the largest and most sophisticated of its kind anywhere in the world.

Scientific Games has also invested heavily in digital transformation, supporting omnichannel lottery products that bridge traditional retail with modern mobile platforms.

Office Locations

The company operates a truly international network of offices and technology hubs. Its key locations include:

• Alpharetta (Metro Atlanta), USA

• Montreal, Kanada

• Vienna, Austria

• Leeds, UK

• Santiago, Chile

What Happened to the Casino and iGaming Divisions?

The sale of the lottery business to Brookfield was part of a larger breakup of the former Scientific Games Corporation. The remaining assets—slot machines, casino systems, online platforms, and social gaming—were reorganized under a new name: Light & Wonder, Inc. \

Light & Wonder is headquartered in Las Vegas and led by its own management team. It continues to operate in the casino and iGaming sectors, developing content, platforms, and land-based gaming products.