Brightstar Extends Ghostbusters License for Five Years

Brightstar Lottery Secures Five-Year Ghostbusters License Extension – Expands Global Omnichannel Lottery Portfolio

Key Takeaways

• Brightstar Lottery has signed a new five-year exclusive licensing agreement for the Ghostbusters franchise.
• The deal allows Brightstar to continue developing and distributing Ghostbusters-themed omnichannel lottery games globally.
• Since 2015, the collaboration has resulted in more than 25 games across over 20 lotteries worldwide.
• Brightstar shares closed 3.92 percent higher at $11.14 on the NYSE following the announcement.

Five-Year Extension Secures Exclusive Ghostbusters Rights

Brightstar Lottery has entered into a new five-year agreement securing exclusive licensing rights to the Ghostbusters franchise. The American supernatural comedy film series remains a widely recognized entertainment property, and the renewal enables Brightstar to continue producing lottery games based on the brand.

Under the extended contract, Brightstar will maintain the right to develop and distribute Ghostbusters-themed lottery products across global markets. The agreement covers omnichannel lottery games, allowing the company to integrate the franchise into multiple formats and distribution channels.

Stacey Kerr, senior vice president of global licensing at Sony Pictures Entertainment, stated that Brightstar has played a key role in connecting the franchise with both long-time fans and new audiences. According to Kerr, the renewed collaboration will focus on delivering high-quality lottery experiences aligned with the brand.

More Than a Decade of Collaboration

Brightstar has held the Ghostbusters license since 2015. Over that period, the partnership has led to the launch of more than 25 individual games across over 20 lotteries globally.

Matthew Whalen, Brightstar senior vice president of global instant ticket services, confirmed that the company has developed a range of products under the franchise. These include traditional instant tickets featuring high-definition symbols, Brightstar’s patented Infinity Instants lottery tickets, Fast Play games, and an exclusive eInstant game.

The variety of formats reflects the company’s approach to omnichannel lottery distribution. Instant tickets represent retail-based products, while Fast Play and eInstant games extend the offering into digital channels. By combining these formats, Brightstar integrates branded content into both physical and online lottery environments.

The new five-year extension ensures that this multi-format strategy can continue under the Ghostbusters brand. According to Whalen, the company plans to expand the franchise through new omnichannel experiences designed to increase player engagement.

Omnichannel Strategy in Focus

The term omnichannel refers to the coordinated use of multiple sales and distribution channels to reach players. In the lottery sector, this typically includes retail ticket sales, digital instant games, and online lottery platforms. The Ghostbusters agreement explicitly supports this integrated model.

By retaining exclusive rights, Brightstar maintains control over how the franchise is used within lottery products. This structure allows the company to align branding, design elements, and game mechanics across formats while distributing the content internationally.

For lotteries working with licensed content, established entertainment franchises can serve as thematic frameworks for game design. In this case, Brightstar’s long-standing relationship with Sony Pictures Entertainment provides continuity in product development and branding across different jurisdictions.

The agreement does not specify individual markets or new territories. However, the existing track record of more than 20 lotteries indicates that the franchise has already been deployed in a broad international context.

Market Reaction and Share Price Movement

Shares in Brightstar Lottery plc, listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker BRSL, closed 3.92 percent higher at $11.14 on Wednesday following the announcement.

The share price movement occurred on the same day the licensing extension was reported. While the company did not disclose financial details of the agreement, the market reaction indicates that investors registered the contract renewal as a material corporate development.

No additional financial terms, projected revenues, or cost structures were disclosed in connection with the five-year extension. The announcement focused on the continuation of exclusive rights and the expansion of omnichannel offerings tied to the Ghostbusters brand.

Implications for Lottery Operators and Players

For lottery operators partnering with Brightstar, the extension ensures continued access to a globally recognized entertainment property within their product portfolios. The agreement allows lotteries already offering Ghostbusters-themed games to maintain those products and potentially introduce new iterations.

For players, the renewal signals that existing branded formats such as instant tickets, Fast Play, Infinity Instants, and eInstant games may continue to feature Ghostbusters content. The company has indicated that future developments will focus on immersive omnichannel experiences, though specific new products have not yet been detailed.

The extension also reflects the durability of licensed intellectual property within lottery game development. Since the initial partnership began in 2015, Brightstar has consistently incorporated the franchise into multiple lottery formats across numerous jurisdictions.

Our Assessment

The five-year extension secures Brightstar Lottery’s exclusive rights to develop and distribute Ghostbusters-themed lottery games globally. The agreement continues a partnership that has produced more than 25 games across over 20 lotteries since 2015 and supports Brightstar’s omnichannel strategy spanning retail and digital formats. The announcement coincided with a 3.92 percent increase in the company’s share price to $11.14 on the NYSE. No financial terms were disclosed.