▶ Black Executives On The Rise ▲

June 2026

Harold Mays

Illinois Department of the Lottery Director

Hometown:

Chicago, Illinois

First job in the gaming industry:

I served as the Chief of Operations and Technology for the Illinois Lottery 13 years ago, overseeing the day-to-day operations, facilities and technology needs of the agency.

What do you like about working in gaming?

My affinity for gaming is colored by the lens of the lottery industry. I like the people involved with lottery; our players, retailers, staff, stakeholders and vendors who make the lottery work. I like our mission to responsibly generate funding for education and good causes. And I like our ability to make a difference in the communities we serve and actually change lives.

Did anything surprise you about the industry when you first started?

I was pleasantly surprised about how big the industry is worldwide and yet small when it came to supporting one another. We don’t compete with each other. From day one I had a network of supporters who didn’t know me but were willing to offer advice, answer questions and help me with my journey of learning about the industry and my job. I still value and leverage that benefit every day.

Were you familiar with gambling before landing a job in the industry? What were your thoughts about gaming before starting to work in the industry?

Gambling was definitely part of my upbringing. My mother was an avid lottery player for 40 years before she passed away. I also played before I started working for the lottery. I remember going to see horse racing when I was a child and going to casinos as an adult, mostly to take my mother and for family outings. I viewed it as a form of recreation and leisure more than gambling and my thoughts were fairly neutral. I enjoyed hanging out with my family and occasionally someone would win. I didn’t understand how any of it really worked until I started working for the industry. I came in with no pre-conceived notions.

Has your impression of the industry changed at all?

My impression of the industry has changed significantly. Almost everyone is familiar with the lottery but very few people actually know how it works and what it takes to run one. I’m sure the same can be said about other forms of gambling. I went from knowing very little as a player and enjoying the lottery for what it was to me and my family, to having a great deal of respect and appreciation for it and the people that support and participate in it. I see the power in what it represents, the responsibility it demands and its ability to connect with multiple generations of people across all racial demographics.

What major trends do you see emerging in the gaming industry over the next 5 to 10 years?

Five to 10 years in the industry is a long time. If I look back 10 years ago and how different things were, no one would have envisioned where we are now with the legalization of sports betting in the US and the development of prediction markets. So, my crystal ball is cloudy. I will say that a few things are clear, in Illinois our per capita spend on gambling has more than doubled in the past 6 years. The rate of growth has slowed, but that number is likely to stay high. We can see that players are looking for convenience, choice, value and a chance to win. That trend will continue. Those who can meet those needs responsibly will have a shot at remaining competitive, starting and continuing conversations with players, old and new. Leveraging technology, data, research, AI, etc. to learn more about our players, retailers and the environment we work and live in will help us come up with solutions and products to help us stay ahead of the curve and meet the demand.

What advice would you give to aspiring leaders in the gaming industry?

Be a student of the industry, be curious. No one knows it all and there are very few absolutes.

Learn from everyone. Most lessons don’t bear fruit right away but are there to pull from when you need them.

It’s hard to lead without knowing how to be led. Emotional intelligence is built on empathy and putting yourself in the shoes of others. Know and understand what drives and motivates the people around you, care about those things and find commonalities with your mission and the mission of the agency/company.

Is there anything else you want to share about yourself, your journey or the industry.

My journey has led me to gaming, it wasn’t planned or predestined. I am staunch believer in public service and have been honored to serve the people in the great State of Illinois for the past 20 years. The gaming industry is at a nexus point, almost redefining itself in real time. I am excited by what lies ahead and being part of the conversation about its future.