Michelle Carney has spent 25 years helping shape the lottery world—and now she’s getting one of the industry’s highest honors. She’s being inducted into the Lottery Industry Hall of Fame, a recognition that celebrates the people who’ve made a real impact on how lotteries work and grow. Brightstar, where Carney leads global lottery marketing, announced the news and said she’ll officially join the Hall this September in Ontario, Canada.

  • The Hall of Fame ceremony will take place during a key lottery industry event co-hosted by the Public Gaming Research Institute and NASPL. Carney will join other respected names in the Class of 2025. The award celebrates her long-standing contributions to the lottery space.

  • Carney currently heads up marketing for Brightstar’s entire lottery business. That means overseeing strategy for new product launches, organizing the company’s presence at major events, and creating campaigns to help clients bring games to market. She also manages Brightstar’s partnerships with industry groups like WLA, EL and NASPL.

  • One of her biggest projects in 2025 was launching the new $5 Mega Millions game in April. Carney led the effort from start to finish, building a rollout plan that brought together 47 U.S. lotteries and multiple vendors. She coordinated 11 different working groups to get every technical and retail piece in place—and the game launched without a hitch.

  • This isn’t the first time she’s been part of a major lottery rollout. Earlier in her career, she helped lead multi-state game expansions like Cross-Sell, $2 Powerball, and Cash 4 Life. Her focus has always been on finding ways to align the tech side, the operations, and the retail experience so new games can succeed across jurisdictions.

  • Brightstar CEO Vince Sadusky praised her for helping shape the company’s voice and position in the lottery market. “Michelle is an incredible asset to Brightstar, its partners and customers, and the entire lottery industry,” he said. “She reflects exactly what our brand is all about—energy, innovation, and collaboration.”

  • The Lottery Industry Hall of Fame was created in 2005 by PGRI to recognize professionals who’ve shown leadership and integrity in their careers. New inductees are nominated and selected by those already in the Hall, making it a true peer-driven recognition.

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