Satellite Licensing Launched

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game and GTECH Corporation on June 8 officially launched the new computerized hunting and fishing license sales system developed by GTECH. The system had been in test mode since April 1, 2004. Called the Idaho Wildlife Information and License Data System (IWILDS), it allows hunters and anglers from around the world to purchase Idaho hunting and fishing licenses through multiple sales channels. The state-of-the-art, Internet-based, point-of-sale licensing system uses satellite communications and customized, web-enabled terminals to connect to a central system where transactions are processed through more than 3,000 fish and game regulations into a database, which holds 1.5 million records of hunters and anglers. IWILDS provides for the sale of licenses at more than 450 license vendors in Idaho and neighboring states, over the Internet via a customized IDFG website, and through a new 1-800 telephone service. Because of the satellite communications, IDFG now can set up a license sales booth at outfitter events, rodeos, fairs, or any other location, as the technology can be deployed in hours. Since the system started on April 1, it has processed more than 324,000 licenses, permits and applications and has had an uptime of more than 99 percent, despite isolated short-term issues which were quickly and successfully resolved. GTECH, which also operates the computer system for the state lottery, has been in Idaho since 1989 and has provided the licensing system to sell Idaho hunting and fishing licenses since the mid 1990s. GTECH has sold licenses for various states over the years, and IWILDS is the most advanced and comprehensive system it has ever developed. "It is the flagship system of a new generation of license sales," said Steve Barton, special assistant to the director of Fish and Game.