Chapter 0029: Overseas Expansion

"Carl, how is the company progressing now?" Upon returning to the Deutsche Lottery Company, Qintian went straight to General Manager Carl's office.

Currently, Qintian found himself burdened with substantial debt, and the Deutsche Lottery Company had become his sole source of funding to repay it. Naturally, he was keenly interested in the company's development. The greater the profits of the lottery company, the more capital he would have to invest in other ventures, alleviating his worries about the overwhelming debt.

Qintian realized that relying solely on his efforts to bolster Germany's military power was an arduous task. If he were the emperor or crown prince of the German Empire, it would undoubtedly be much easier. Unfortunately, both positions seemed entirely out of his reach; Crown Prince Wilhelm's claim to the throne appeared exceedingly secure, and Qintian was aware that Wilhelm II had a long life ahead, having lived until 1941 in another timeline.

"Your Highness, our company has been steadily growing. Currently, the sales of the double-color ball lottery account for at least half of the entire German lottery market. Qintian's lottery company is on the brink of collapse due to our competition," Carl von Jonalet remarked with a broad smile.

The more profit the lottery company generated, the greater their share of the profits, naturally.

Qintian nodded; the rapid development of the lottery company was not surprising. Especially as each new winner of five million marks was publicized in the newspapers, it ignited enthusiasm across Germany. Even those who had never purchased a ticket were tempted when they saw ordinary people becoming millionaires overnight. This expansion continued to grow the German lottery market, resulting in increased revenue for the Deutsche Lottery Company.

Moreover, the double-color ball lottery not only featured substantial jackpots but also offered numerous smaller prizes. For instance, selecting just one blue ball would award five marks, leading many players to consider their chances. After all, winning a small prize this time could lead to a grand victory next time. This inevitably made the double-color ball lottery the favorite among German lottery enthusiasts.

"However, Your Highness, the German market is ultimately too small. While it may be considered a large market compared to others, I can already sense that we will soon hit a bottleneck in our development," Carl remained level-headed, undistracted by the company's current profits. It was not the time to rest on their laurels.

"Carl, the German market is limited. Once we reach a plateau in domestic sales, we have only two options for expanding our profits. The first is to introduce new lottery games, further extracting funds from the pockets of players. However, this method's effectiveness is quite limited. Moreover, if players invest too much in lottery tickets, it could negatively impact the German economy. We cannot sacrifice our long-term interests for short-term gains. Any new games must be introduced with a solid plan," Qintian explained.

"In that case, Your Highness, we must temporarily forgo the first option," Carl sighed.

"That leaves us with the second option: expanding into foreign markets. By increasing our sales scale, we can enhance our profits," Qintian stated. Given that the lottery market in Germany was already maximized, expansion beyond borders was inevitable.

"Indeed, Your Highness, we should indeed consider international expansion. Although Germany has a population of seventy million, it is not particularly large. Russia has a far greater population, as does the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Additionally, countries like England, France, Italy, and Spain have considerable populations. If we can penetrate these markets, it will undoubtedly yield substantial profits—perhaps even surpassing those of our domestic market," Carl nodded in agreement.

As the General Manager of the Deutsche Lottery Company, he could not merely share in profits without contributing to the business's growth. Otherwise, his role would be deemed inadequate.

Carl had contemplated foreign expansion for quite some time, yet he was unsure which countries to target first.

"Your Highness, with so many countries in Europe, which ones should we prioritize for expansion? If we attempt simultaneous expansion, our manpower and resources may be insufficient," Carl expressed his concerns.

After a moment of contemplation, Qintian responded, "Let's set our first expansion targets on the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Italy. Regardless of the circumstances, these two nations are our allies. As a prince of the German Empire, my enterprises entering their markets should garner them some respect. Both countries have substantial populations, and if managed well, we could reap considerable profits."

Carl nodded. Germany, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and Italy had long formed the Triple Alliance. While internal conflicts existed, they remained nominal allies. The Italians might be fickle and lack reliability, but the Austro-Hungarian Empire was a steadfast ally. Entering their market should pose little difficulty. As for Italy, while there might be some resistance, it should not be insurmountable.

"For the second phase of expansion, we should focus on England and France. Both are highly developed economies with affluent populations and substantial customer bases. Successfully entering these countries could yield significant profits," Qintian added.

With less than a decade until war would erupt, generating vast profits from the lottery company in England and France would significantly enhance Germany's strength while undermining those nations. Funding the construction of warships, artillery, aircraft, and tanks with British and French money—only to turn them against them later—would surely be a bitter irony for both nations.

"The third phase of expansion will encompass the remaining countries. If the first and second phases are successful, we will then possess the financial means to pursue the rest of our goals," Qintian said with a smile.

Upon completing the expansion across Europe, the Deutsche Lottery Company would become a titan in the lottery industry, accruing astronomical profits in the process.