The Colorado Lottery is partnering with ETHDenver, Ethereum’s largest hackathon, to spur the slapdash development of a decentralized web-based game of chance.
The pair are calling on developers to compete in their July 31 “GameJam” hackathon that aims to build Web 3.0 novelties for the state-run lottery. Winners could ultimately see their finished projects premiere in Colorado bars and restaurants. First place will net a $10,000 payout.
Developers will get a goal (build a chance-based game), a deadline (nine days), a suggestion (make it decentralized web-friendly) and not much else, said John Paller, who runs ETHDenver. “We've intentionally not put huge rails on this,” he said. “We didn't want to stifle creativity.”
Paller said that premiering winners’ games on decentralized infrastructure (an Ethereum-based game, say) is “on the table.” But he cautioned that “full Web 3.0 would be a Phase 2 thing” that depends on winners’ tech specs and ongoing discussions with the state.
Colorado is betting this jam will yield novel lottery products with broad gamer appeal, said Meghan Dougherty, communications director for the Colorado Lottery. “The lottery is really looking to grow into a billion-dollar organization by 2023, so we’re really trying to reimagine our game offerings,” she told CoinDesk.
More lottery revenue equals more funding for state parks and schools - $13.7 million went to Colorado Parks and Wildlife last fiscal year.
The pair are shooting for 200 registrants and at least 15 final submissions to yield three winners that could turn into lottery games, according to Paller.