American Games

What American Games does

American Games, founded in 1985 and headquartered in Council Bluffs, Iowa, is a manufacturer of pull-tab tickets, electronic pull-tab gaming systems, pull-tab vending machines (PTVMs), bingo paper and equipment, and ink daubers for the charitable gaming and lottery industries. The company operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Pollard Charitable Games Group, a division of publicly-traded Canadian parent Pollard Banknote Limited (TSX: PBL). Sister brands include International Gamco (Omaha, NE), Diamond Game (Chatsworth, CA and Stoney Creek, ON), CJ Venne (Bristol, PA), and Pacific Gaming (Kyle, TX), collectively serving charitable gaming organizations, state and provincial lotteries, and retail/social establishments across North America and select international markets through a network of distributors and direct sales.

The product portfolio spans both physical and electronic gaming formats. Physical products include break-open pull-tab tickets, bingo paper, ball blowers, flashboards, and the Dab-O-Ink/Dazzle/SunSational/Super Bright dauber lines. Electronic offerings include the ICON cabinet eTab system, NexPlay and NexPlay Go dispensers, Super 8 and Turbo NEO bingo tablets, and the Smart Maxim vending platform — successor to the legacy MAXIM line of PTVMs, of which thousands of units have been deployed globally since the early 1990s. The company claims to have pioneered video verification technology for pull-tabs, criss cross play, event games, progressive games, and patented electronic pull-tab dispensers.

Revenue is generated through B2B hardware and consumables sales to charitable gaming distributors, state and provincial lotteries, and direct retail establishments, under multi-year contracts on a quote-based pricing model (no public pricing). Distribution combines direct enterprise sales teams for lottery accounts with channel sales through authorized charitable gaming distributors. The company has received consecutive "Best Places to Work" recognition in 2024 and 2025 and operates dedicated career portals for each subsidiary brand under pollardgames.com.

Name

American Games

Legal name

American Games

Website

https://americangames.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

American Games, founded in 1985 and based in Council Bluffs, Iowa, manufactures pull-tab tickets, electronic pull-tab gaming systems, vending machines, and bingo products for charitable gaming organizations, state and provincial lotteries, and retail establishments across North America as part of Pollard Charitable Games Group (a division of TSX-listed Pollard Banknote Limited).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable and Lottery Gaming Products

NAICS

Other Gambling Industries (713290)

SIC

Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) (3944)

akta.pro primary industry

Lottery Ticket & Instant Games (Scratch-Off) Publishing/Printing (MPAEAFAC)

Keywords

• Pull-tab tickets
• Charitable gaming products
• Electronic pull-tab systems
• Bingo paper supplies
• Lottery vending machines

Headquarters

HQ city

Council Bluffs

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Pull-Tab Tickets: Physical pull-tab tickets (break-open tickets) sold to charitable gaming organizations and lotteries
2. Electronic Pull-Tab Gaming (eTabs): Electronic pull-tab gaming systems with cabinet or iPad configurations, generating revenue through game play
3. Pull-Tab Vending Machines (PTVMs): Sale of Maxim brand ticket vending machines to retailers and charities
4. Bingo Products: Bingo paper, bingo equipment including ball blowers and flashboards, and accessories
5. Ink Daubers: Premium bingo markers and craft supplies including Dab-O-Ink, Dazzle, SunSational, Super Bright product lines

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

American Games is a manufacturer and supplier of charitable and lottery gaming products, including physical pull-tab (break-open) tickets, electronic pull-tab (eTab) gaming systems, pull-tab vending machines, bingo paper and equipment, and ink daubers/markers. The company designs and manufactures these products for distribution through a network of charitable gaming distributors and direct sales to state and provincial lotteries across North America.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MAXIM: Pull-tab vending machines (PTVMs) manufactured by American Games
• eTabs
• NexPlay
• NexPlay Go
• Super 8
• Turbo NEO
• Dab-O-Ink
• Dazzle
• SunSational
• Super Bright
• Dab 'N Stic
• LT-3
• easyVEND

Products and services

• Pull-Tab Tickets (Break-Open Tickets)

Quantifiable outcome

• Billions of secure gaming products vended worldwide
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Pollard Banknote LimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company of Pollard Charitable Games Group. Pollard Banknote has been rooted in the print industry since 1907 and provides the strategic foundation combining outstanding games, retail excellence, and digital innovation.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Scientific Games (now Light & Wonder): Light & Wonder (formerly Scientific Games) is one of the world's largest lottery instant ticket printers and gaming equipment suppliers, directly comparable to American Games' pull-tab and charitable gaming products. Both supply instant tickets, vending technology and electronic gaming systems to lotteries and charitable operators worldwide.
• INTRALOT: INTRALOT is a global lottery and gaming systems supplier offering instant tickets, terminals, and interactive lottery platforms, comparable to American Games' pull-tab, vending machine and eTab product suite serving state and provincial lotteries.
• Everi Holdings: Everi provides gaming machines, casino equipment, and financial technology services to gaming operators. While focused on casino floors, its gaming hardware portfolio overlaps with American Games' electronic pull-tab cabinets and vending machines for charitable and lottery customers.
• Gaming Arts: Gaming Arts designs and manufactures gaming machines, bingo products, and lottery-style games for casinos, charitable gaming and lottery operators — directly comparable to American Games' bingo, pull-tab, and electronic gaming cabinets.
• Inspired Entertainment: Inspired Entertainment supplies gaming terminals, server-based gaming systems, and lottery products to operators worldwide, including electronic pull-tab-style products for charitable and lottery markets — a close functional peer to American Games' eTab and NexPlay dispenser lines.
• International Game Technology (IGT): IGT operates a leading global lottery business including instant ticket printing, lottery systems, and gaming terminals, overlapping directly with American Games' pull-tab, vending machine and eTab offerings to state and provincial lotteries.

Broad incumbents

• Aristocrat Leisure Limited: Aristocrat is a global gaming and digital content provider that, through its recent NeoGames and Pixel United acquisitions, has expanded into iLottery and instant ticket-adjacent products — overlapping with American Games' lottery and charitable gaming footprint as a broad incumbent.
• Pollard Banknote Limited: Pollard Banknote is American Games' publicly traded parent (TSX: PBL) and a global instant ticket printing leader. As the broader incumbent owner of American Games and Charitable Games Group, it is the closest reference point for the company's strategic and financial trajectory.
• Tabcorp Holdings: Tabcorp operates lotteries and gaming services across Australia, including Keno and instant-style products. As a vertically integrated lottery and gaming operator, it offers a broader incumbent benchmark for how American Games' pull-tab and eTab customers are evolving their product mix.

Regional players

• Jumbo Interactive: Jumbo Interactive is an Australia-based digital lottery and gaming SaaS provider. While geographically focused on Australia/UK, its online lottery and instant ticket distribution model is a forward-looking reference for the digital direction of American Games' charitable and pull-tab products.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about American Games