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Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers
WWW.G3NEWSWIRE.COM/WWW.G3-247.COM
International Gaming News / Knowledge / Statistics / Marketing Information / Digital and Print
OFFICIAL MAGAZINE
Global Games
and Gaming
Magazine
February 2016
WWW.G3NEWSWIRE.COM
WWW.G3-247.COM
Spanish gaming company Codere has launched
a portal for online sports-betting in Brazil
BRaZiL P10
Olympic has appointed Heikki Rinta-Pantilla as
the new General Manage of Olympic Park Casino
EstONia P18
The New York State Gaming Commission
unanimously approves resort gaming licences
NEW YORK P30
SOUTH AFRICA
Riding a new wave
A massive gambling market with even greater
eSports?
potential forand
growth,
despite online uncertainty
Interact with G3 via...
Available on the
App Store
Merkur’s Alex Moor and Tigre de Cristal’s Ian
Wood discuss the attraction of slant top games
Russia P36
SubScribe
at G3-247.com
R
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Contents
February 2016
SOUTH AMERICA
BRaZiL P10
Spain’s Codere has launched a portal for
online gambling in Brazil in collaboration
with the Jockey Club of Porto Alegre
Samson House,
457 Manchester Road,
Manchester M29 7BR,
United Kingdom
aRgENtiNa P12
The Governor of Buenos Aires does not want
to see any more gaming operations opening
during her time as governor
cuBa P14
Gary Rapoport, Meyer Lansky’s grandson, is
seeking compensation from the Cuban
government for the Riviera casino
EMEA
EstONia P18
OEG has appointed Heikki Rinta-Panttila, as
the new General Manager of Olympic Park
Casino, the group’s new Tallinn flagship casino
FRaNcE P20
Lucien Barrière has sold its Leucate and
Briançon casinos to Belgium’s Circus Casino
Group and Chamonix to France’s SFC
thE NEthERLaNds P24
Members of the ruling coalition parties have
submitted a proposal which could prove to be a
serious setback for future online operators
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NORTH AMERICA
NEW YORK P30
The NYS Gaming Commission has approved
licences to resort gaming destinations in
Sullivan, Schenectady and Seneca Counties
NEW JERsEY P32
GAN has signed an agreement with the
Borgata in Atlantic City, New Jersey for the
launch of its Simulated Gaming experience
maRYLaNd P34
Interblock has completed the first-ever
North American installation of its newest
line of dealer-assist electronic table games
ASIA & OCEANIA
Russa P36
Merkur Gaming’s Alexander Moor and Tigre de
Cristal’s Ian Wood explain the attraction of the
latest Avantgarde slant top machines
austRaLia P38
Star Entertainment is hoping to build a 200metre Ritz-Carlton hotel tower casino opposite
Crown Resorts’ future Barangaroo resort
macau P40
International gaming giant, Novomatic, puts its
weight and backing behind the forthcoming
Macao Gaming Show in November 2016
WWW.G3-247.COM
G3-247.com
Colombia
G3-247.com
South Africa
battle for control and
legitimacy
The Gauselmann Group
secures its legacy
Operator security and player
protection
Flourishing despite
market limitations
Reports P66
In a country with an
extraordinary passion for
gambling, Colombia is often at
odds with itself when it comes
to controlling its urges
Insight P42
The Gauselmann Group,
founded by Paul Gauselmann,
will in future operate under the
mantle of a ‘Gauselmann
Family Foundation’
Interactive P106
G3 discusses the issues
surrounding online operator
security and player protection
with Jumio, ECommPay, Isle of
Man and SafeCharge
Reports P78
A huge gambling market with
even more potential for growth.
However an online gambling
market is still looking unlikely
despite calls to amend the law
NEWSWIRE / INTERACTIVE / 247.COM
P3
Lewis Pek
Editor
Comment
February 2016
During October and November a special committee of the Brazilian
Parliament prepared a draft for a new Brazilian gaming law based on
proposals initially considered several years ago. This draft was
presented on December 9, 2015 to the special committee of national
development for the Brazilian Senate, where it was amended to include
a series of positive additions:
l 1 bingo hall per 150,000 habitants instead of 250.000;
l Casino licenses for 30 years instead of 20 years;
l Start of the new law in 90 days after publication instead of 180 days;
l Politicians are not allowed to be involved in gaming companies.
On December 20, the second occasion that the new gaming law was on
the agenda of the special committee of the Senate, no further
amendments were made. This means that the draft was passed by the
Brazilian senate, unless, in theory, nine senators officially express an
interest in discussing the draft in a plenary meeting of the senate, which
does not seem to be the case at this moment in time.
The consequence is that just after Christmas the new law returned to
the parliament’s committee to fill in further details.
BASED ON SPEED OF IMPLEMENTATION, THE GAMING LAW COULD
BE PUBLISHED BY THE END OF THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2016
While it is impossible to predict exactly when the whole political
process will be completed, everyone in Brazil is heavily surprised by the
speed and velocity of the changes taking place in the introduction of the
new gaming law.
Based on speed of implementation thus far, the new Brazilian gaming
law could be published by the end of the first quarter of 2016, will be
effective just three months later and the Brazilian government could
start to receive tax income during the second half of 2016.
The unfolding events in Brazil will be a game-changer for the industry
in 2016 and beyond. In a country of 205 million people, with an appetite
for gaming of all flavours, the re-introduction of land-based gaming
and the launch of online betting/gaming, will be a catalyst for change
both at the local and global level.
EditORiaL
Editor
Lewis Pek
[email protected]
+44 (0) 1942 879291
News Editor
Phil martin
[email protected]
+44 (0)7801 967714
Associate Editor (Malaga)
Karen southall
[email protected]
Consultant (Germany)
John carroll
[email protected]
South America Correspondent
James marrison
[email protected]
Contributors
david addison,
valery Bollier,
Rob Painter
P6
advERtisiNg
Commercial Director
John slattery
[email protected]
+44 (0)7917 166471
Advertising Executive
James slattery
[email protected]
+44 (0)7917 166471
alison dronfield
[email protected]
+44 (0)1204 410771
PROductiON
Senior Designer
gareth irwin
Production Manager
Paul Jolleys
Subscriptions Manager
Jennifer Pek
Commercial Administrator
John Pek
Calendar
February 2016
EMEA
ICE Conferences, United Kingdom
February 1-3, 2016
LOCATION
ExCeL London Exhibition Centre,
London, United Kingdom
ORGANISER
Clarion Events
Fulham Green, Bedford House
69-79 Fulham High Street
London, SW6 3JW, UK
CONTACT
Stuart Dacre
T: +44 207 384 8114
E: [email protected]
www.icetotallygaming.com/
conferences
EMEA
ICE Totally Gaming, United Kingdom
February 2-4, 2016
LOCATION
ExCeL London Exhibition Centre,
ORGANISER
Clarion Events
Fulham Green, Bedford House
69-79 Fulham High Street
London, SW6 3JW, UK
CONTACT
Stuart Dacre
T: +44 207 384 8114
www.icetotallygaming.com/
conferences
EMEA
London Affiliate Conference, United Kingdom
February 4-7, 2016
LOCATION
Olympia London, Hammersmith
Rd, London, W14 8UX
ORGANISER
iGaming Business
Electric Word, 2nd Floor
5 Thomas More Square
E1W 1YW
CONTACT
Alana Jones
T: +44 207 265 4153
www.igbaffiliate.com/events/londonaffiliateconference/
EMEA
Georgia Gaming Congress 2016, Georgia
February 25-26, 2016
LOCATION
Tbilisi, Georgia
ORGANISER
Smile Expo
11/10 Letnikovskaya Str
Moscow
Russia, 115114
P8
CONTACT
Lyudmila Machuskaya
T: +7 495 212 1128
www.g3congress.ru/en
SCEDHULE
Conference: February 25,
Business Tour: February 26
EMEA
The Cash Handling Show, Africa 2016
March 1-2, 2016
LOCATION
Sandton Convention Centre,
Johannesburg, South Africa
ORGANISER
Terrapinn Ltd
1st Floor, Modular Place
Turnberry Office Park, 48
Grosvenor Road, Bryanston
South Africa 2021
CONTACT
Katherine Marriott
T: +27 11 516 4015
E:
[email protected]
www.terrapinn.com/exhibition/cas
h-handling-africa/index.stm
EMEA
Irish Gaming Show 2016, Ireland
March 1-2, 2016
LOCATION
Red Cow Moran Hotel, Dublin,
Ireland
ORGANISER
Gaming and Amusement
Publications
8 South Ring Business Park
Kinsale Road
Cork, Ireland
CONTACT
Susan Feery
T: +353 (0)87 609 0109
www.irishgaming.ie
NORTh AMERICA
Indian Gaming Phoenix 2016, US
March 13-16, 2016
LOCATION
Phoenix Convention Center,
Phoenix, Arizona, United States
ORGANISER
National Indian Gaming
Association
224 Second Street SE
Washington DC
United States
DC 20003
CONTACT
T: +1 202 546 7711
F: +1 202 546 1755
www.indiangamingtradeshow.com
EMEA
ENADA Spring 2016, Italy
March 16-18, 2016
LOCATION
Rimini Fiera, Rimini, Italy
ORGANISER
Rimini Fiera Spa
Via Emilia 155
Rimini
Italy
47900
CONTACT
Sonia Bodellini
T: +39 0541 744250
F: +39 0541 744454
E: s.bodellini@riminifiera.it
www.enadaprimavera.it
P9
sOuth amERica
Un tribunal de San Juan ha denegado la
moción de desestimación presentada por el
Departamento del Tesoro con relación al caso
iniciado contra él por la Asociación de hoteles y
Turismo de Puerto Rico (PRhTA).
La recién elegida gobernadora de la
provincia de buenos Aires, María Eugenia Vidal,
que tras jurar su cargo el pasado mes de diciembre describió la provincia como «en quiebra»
debido al paupérrimo estado de las finanzas
gubernamentales, declaró que los ingresos fiscales generados por el sector no se utilizarán
como una forma de resolver las dificultades
financieras de la provincia, y añadió: «Mi objetivo
es que el juego no crezca en la provincia».
As regulation change appears
imminent, Codere makes the first
move into Brazil’s online
sports-betting market
brAzil SPORTS-bETTING
Codere Launches Online Betting in Brazil
Spanish gaming company Codere has launched
a portal for online gambling in Brazil. In
collaboration with the Jockey Club of Porto
Alegre the website has launched in its beta
stage in order to take advantage of the possible
legalisation of gambling in the country.
Los ingresos brutos producidos por los
cuatro mil establecimientos repartidos por 17
ciudades en la provincia de Córdoba ascendieron
a 140 millones de dólares en el año 2015, un 31
por ciento más que el año anterior y un 336 por
ciento más con respecto a hace seis años.
The site Suaposta.com offers exclusive bonuses
for those who register with the site. Referring to
the possible changes in Brazil’s gaming laws
with the announcement that “Something
Amazing is on its Way” the site highlights the
fact that Brazilians could soon be allowed to bet
online on races staged at both local and
international tracks. These events would be
overseen by the Brazilian authorities and prizes
would be handed out in local currency.
La controversia no deja de crecer en torno al
proceso de licitación del casino de Chillán, y el
Director General de Marina del Sol, Juan Ignacio
Ugarte, ha declarado que el consorcio hispanoargentino boldt Peralada está ejerciendo una
presión indebida sobre el Subsecretario del
Tesoro de Chile, Alejandro Micco.
The company has reportedly invested around
R$400,000 (US100,000) in the development of
the site so far and will contract 20 people to
develop the site further. The new website will
only initially accept bets on horse racing but
will eventually be expanded so that it will cover
other sports as well.
gary Rapoport, nieto de Meyer Lansky, está
reclamando compensaciones al Gobierno de
Cuba por el casino Riviera, expropiado durante la
revolución cubana de 1959. «Le arrebataron el
hotel a mi abuelo por la fuerza. Cuba le debe
dinero a mi familia», afirma el Sr. Lansky. hasta
ahora nunca habíamos presentado una reclamación ante el Gobierno ni habíamos solicitado
los servicios de un abogado porque nunca creímos que se abriría la puerta a una posible
negociación. Ahora está abierta».
The move shows that operators are becoming
increasingly optimistic when it comes to
changes in Brazilian gaming laws which could
occur later on this year. Although the horse
racing industry has suffered many setbacks of
Olympic entertainment group ha designado
a heikki Rinta-Panttila, antiguo Director General
del Casino helsinki de propiedad estatal, como
nuevo Director General del Olympic Park Casino,
el nuevo buque insignia del Grupo que abrirá sus
puertas en Tallinn en mayo de 2016.
Lucien Barrière ha vendido tres casinos en
Leucate, briançon y Chamonix, respectivamente.
SFC (la Société Française de Casinos) ha
adquirido íntegramente el casino de Chamonix,
pero ha creado una subdivisión denominada
«Société Franco-belge Casinos» con el operador
belga Circus Casino Group para asumir la
copropiedad de otros dos establecimientos.
P10
In Brazil horseracing is run by jockey clubs,
which own and operate their own track. Each
club is allowed to run off site betting agencies in
the area where they operate and Codere has 10year exclusivity agreements with some of the
main national Jockey Clubs through licences
granted by the Ministry of Agriculture. In
addition the company now runs a total of seven
sports betting shops in Brazil under brand name
Turff Bet & Sports Bar.
In 2012, CODERE signed an agreement with
United Tote that enables the company to extend
its services to Brazil and Latin America
racetracks, as well as to its off-track betting
network throughout the entire region. In 2014
Codere reported income of €2.8m and EBITDA
of €0.4m from its horse race betting operations
in Brazil.
Although online gambling is currently banned
in Brazil it is estimated that Brazilians gamble
US$600m a year via offshore sports betting
sites. Andrew Gelfi, director of Codere in Porto
Alegre announced: “An estimated five to six
million Brazilians already play online. We will
be the first national platform to tap into that
market.”
thousands of jobs in the
tourism sector on the Island.”
San Juan court battle
continues over VLTs in
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
gan ha firmado un acuerdo con el Borgata
hotel Casino & Spa de Atlantic City (Nueva Jersey) relativo al lanzamiento de la experiencia
online de juego simulado de borgata. borgata
comenzó a operar en el año 2003, y se trata de
una empresa de capital conjunto formada por
boyd Gaming Corporation y MGM Resorts International, dos de los grupos operadores de
casinos más grandes de Estados Unidos.
late Codere is well placed to take advantage of
any changes.
A court in San Juan has denied
the motion to dismiss filed by
the Department of the
Treasury over the case brought
against it by the Puerto Rican
Association of Hotels and
Tourism (PRHTA).
The PRHTA has challenged
regulations which would lead
to video lotteries (VLT’s) being
permitted in the country and
in July the organisation took
their complaint to court
claiming that “the contested
regulations are illegal and
would cause the loss of
The PRHTA claims that new
regulations violate several
laws as well as public policy
on gaming machines outside
casinos including rules that
only the legislature may make
changes to gaming laws and
that the Secretary of the
Treasury is limited to
regulating the operation of
games and is not permitted to
authorise new games. It also
claims that VLT’s do not meet
the requirements as set out
under the amendments of Act
10-1989 when it comes to
player's choice when it comes
to selecting the combination
of digits or numbers, nor does
it meet rules when it comes to
public lottery draws. In
addition the PRHTA claims
that allowing for VLTs on the
island amounts to the raising
of an additional source of
income without any
intervention on the part of the
legislative branch which goes
in direct contravention of the
provisions of the Puerto Rican
constitution.
Judge Gloria Maynard Salgado,
while explaining the reasons
for her decision, stated that the
PRHTA had grounds to
challenge the new law on the
basis that the exclusive
operation of casinos could be
at risk if VLT’s were given the
green light.
In August it was announced
that Puerto Rico’s Treasury
Department would begin the
tender process for VLT’s in the
first quarter of 2016. Treasury
Secretary Juan Zaragoza
justified the decision saying
that new rules would legalise
between 20 and 25 thousand
machines in three years. Mr.
Zaragoza said that machines
now operating in illegal
casinos, bars, bakeries and
even shopping malls, could
join the network of legalised
VLT’s once changes to gaming
legislation are made.
no new Bingos or Casinos in Buenos aires
sOuth amERica
La Comisión Británica del Juego ha criticado
a Caesars Entertainment por incumplir la legislación relativa al lavado de capitales en dos de
sus casinos londinenses. Según los informes, las
salvaguardas destinadas a garantizar la lucha
contra el blanqueo de dinero fueron
especialmente laxas en el Caesar’s Empire
Casino de Leicester Square y el Playboy Club del
West End.
Miembros de los partidos de la coalición
gobernante han presentado una proposición que
podría revelarse como un serio revés para los
operadores que aspiran a introducirse en el mercado del juego online neerlandés.
grosvenor Casinos ha lanzado el mayor
sistema progresivo de juegos de mesa del
mundo. Grosvenor Casinos ha finalizado recientemente su instalación de un sistema Wide Area
Progressive para los juegos de mesa de todo su
establecimiento de casino.
La Comisión del Juego del estado de nueva
York ha aprobado por unanimidad licencias para
destinos de juego en los condados de Sullivan,
Schenectady y Seneca, abriendo la puerta a
nuevos empleos e inversiones, así como a ingresos para los gobiernos locales y los distritos
universitarios que acudirán a las regiones como
resultado.
gLi ha inaugurado su laboratorio de ensayo
de tickets de Global Lottery Instant (tarjetas
«rasca y gana») ubicado en Moncton. La iniciativa apoya el compromiso de GLI con la provincia
de New brunswick mediante la suscripción de un
acuerdo con Opportunities New brunswick.
The newly elected Governor of the province of Buenos Aires María Eugenia Vidal
has said that she does not want to see any more gaming operations opening
during her time as governor
The recently elected Governor of
Argentina’s Buenos Aires province,
has firm views on the proliferation
of casinos in the region
ArGentinA CASINO LICENSING
The newly elected Governor of the province of
Buenos Aires María Eugenia Vidal, who
described the province as “broken” after being
sworn in as governor in December, due to the
dire state of the government finances, said that
tax income generated by the industry would not
be used as a way to resolve the province’s
financial difficulties and added that: “My
objective is that gaming does not grow in the
province.”
She went onto say that she would make sure
that the government was paid what was owed to
them by operators. “We will work in every case
to enforce the law” she said and that “those who
are legally established by previous
administrations pay what they have to pay.”
However, she ruled out any intervention against
gambling halls already established in the
province of Buenos Aires saying that it was
difficult to revoke the actions of the government
when licences had already been granted. When
asked if there were plans to nationalise gaming
she said that the government had yet to discuss
the issue.
Her assurances that tax income generated by
casinos would be not be used to solve the
province’s problems were a direct attack on her
predecessor Daniel Scioli. In 2012 Scioli
renewed licences for bingo halls in the province
for a period of up to 15 years, which affected 14
bingo halls: three of whose licences were set to
expire in 2013, 10 in 2014 and one in 2015.
The decree allowed his administration to find
emergency funding to pay bonuses for state
workers which ultimately enabled the
provincial Treasury to raise around US$328m
extra.
The result of the Presidential elections in
Argentina is likely to have a major impact on the
industry. Opposition candidate Mauricio Macri
won the presidential election beating rival
Daniel Scioli in a closely contested Presidential
race last month. Macri has vowed to introduce
more pro-business policies. Crucially for the
first time his Cambiemos (Let’s Change) party
now holds power over the province of Buenos
Aires, the City of Buenos Aires and the executive
branch which could mean a more cohesive
approach when it comes to gaming.
el fabricante de juegos de lujo interblock ha
finalizado la primera instalación en Norteamérica
de su más reciente línea de juegos de mesa electrónicos (ETG) asistidos por crupier en el
Maryland Live! Casino.
La empresa española Codere ha lanzado un
portal de juego online en brasil. En colaboración
con el Jockey Club de Porto Alegre, el sitio web se
ha lanzado en su fase beta para aprovechar la
posible legalización del juego en el país.
el mayor resort-casino de Rusia, el
impactante Tigre de Cristal, con más de 600
máquinas de juego y más de 60 mesas de
casino, ha celebrado recientemente su gran inauguración en la zona de juego de Primorsky Krai,
cerca de Vladivostok. La marca Merkur Gaming
de Gauselmann cuenta con una destacada representación en la sala de casino de este nuevo
complejo de juego, con una amplia gama de consolas inclinadas Avantgarde.
Los operadores de casino de Singapur han
asistido a una caída del 10 por ciento en sus
ingresos brutos del juego hasta situarse en 4800
millones de dólares en 2015, un descenso que se
ha achacado a la lucha contra la austeridad en
China y al valor del dólar de Singapur frente a
otras divisas asiáticas
P12
colombia
argentina
US$140m bet in Cordoba slots in 2015
Gross revenues for the four thousand slot parlours located in 17 cities in the
province of Cordoba stood at US$140m during 2015 - 31 per cent more
than the previous year and 336 per cent more than six years ago.
According to statistics released by the Lottery of Cordoba (Córdoba
Lottery SA), which is the body responsible for overseeing the local gaming
industry, a total of $390m pesos was bet on slot machines in the city of
Villa Carlos Paz the second top tourist destination in the country. This was
followed by Alta Gracia ($180m). Río Cuarto ($134m). Río Ceballos
($123m), Villa María (also with $123m) and San Francisco ($100m). The
lowest gross revenues were recorded in the towns of Dean Funes ($23m)
and Miramar ($3.7m). The Lottery measures the year from December to
November and calculated the average of the previous eleven months and
added it in order to complete its annual report.
Private company Compañía de Entretenimientos y Turismo (CET) runs 19
slot parlours in 17 locations throughout the province of Cordoba and was
first granted a licensed to operate in the province in 2004. The company
operates around 4,000 slot machines throughout the province.
According to a report released
by the Colombian Gaming
Control Board (Coljuegos)
revenues made from gambling
for the state increased by 7.6
per cent in 2015 rising from
$344.541m pesos in 2014 to
$370.597m in 2015. In 2015
revenues from licensing rights
grew by 10.3 percent
compared to 2014 while bingos
and casinos were the largest
contributors making up 61 per
cent of the gaming income
generated for the state.
President of Coljuegos of
Cristina Arango Olaya
welcomed the news saying
that the positive results were
due to “the enactment of new
regulations, the modernisation
of the sector through the
implementation of online
connectivity and the increase
in efforts to control illegal
gambling.”
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Family demand Compensation from Cuba
sOuth amERica
CHILE – Controversy continues to grow over the
tender process for the casino license in Chillán with
General Manager of Marina del Sol, Juan Ignacio
Ugarte, claiming that the Spanish-Argentine
consortium boldt Peralada is putting undue
pressure on Undersecretary of the Treasury Chile,
Alejandro Micco.
“We understand that the Secretary is being put
under pressure by boldt. We hope that this pressure
does not make him deviate from the final purpose
of the Resolution Council, which is to assign the
casino to who has submitted the best project,” he
said. Mr Ugarte alluded to a letter sent to the
Undersecretary in which the counsel for Peralada
boldt, Ricardo Abdala described the judicial
processes in the Court of Appeals of Concepción
and another process currently ongoing in the
Supreme Court. Additionally, the letter requests that
the Resolution Council, headed by the
Undersecretary, “maintains or orders the
suspension of this process as long as there are
judicial and / or administrative appeals pending.”
In November the SCJ came out against reports in
local media which had claimed that it had failed to
deliver a report to the proper authorities on time
which would have ruled out Chilean-Canadian
operator Marina del Sol from the bidding process for
a casino in Chillan. The newest claims now
emerging in local media will only serve to being
more controversy to a process which has been
fraught with difficulties ever since Termas de Chillán
withdrew from the market in 2013.
The Chilean Gaming board officially accepted
Termas de Chillán’s withdrawal in November 2013
after the operator blamed bad market conditions as
well as the location of the casino for its decision to
close. In July 2014 Dreams announced its decision
to withdraw its application with company
spokesman saying that the process had been
fraught with irregularities.
CHILE – The Court of Appeals of Concepción in
Chile has ruled in favour of boldt-Peralada in its
dispute with the regional Regional Council (GORE)
over the tender process for the new casino in
Chillán. This means that for now, the bidding
process over the casino in the capital of the province
of Ñuble is suspended for a third time.
The lawyer acting on behalf of the Argentine Spanish boldt-Peralada group Ricardo Abdala in
this, the third complaint before the Court, stated
that the members of the Regional Council were
trying to change the “packaging” of their initial
argument, although in fact the reasons for their
decision remained essentially unchanged.
The appeal argues that in common with the
previous ballot that “the motivation of this third
statement is built on an ad hoc basis in order to
justify a decision which has already been made.” In
a strongly worded complaint the lawyer went onto
say that: “With zeal and stubbornness and almost
obvious contempt, in this new pronouncement
there is an obvious abuse of power when it comes
to assessing the permit to operate a casino...”
P14
Gary Rapoport, Meyer Lansky’s grandson is seeking compensation from the
Cuban government for the Riviera casino which was appropriated during the
Cuban Revolution of 1959. “The hotel was taken from my grandfather forcefully.
Cuba owes my family money,” says Mr. Lansky.” We never filed a claim with the
government or hired an attorney earlier because we didn’t think the door for
negotiating would ever actually open. Now it is open”
The Havana Riviera Hotel, which
opened in 1957, is the centre of a
claim by Meyer Lansky’s family
for ownership
cubA CASINO OPERATIONS
As Cuba and the US seek to resolve claims for
the seizing of American-owned properties by
the island’s socialist government, the family of
the late gangster Meyer Lansky want
compensation for a Havana casino hotel taken
back after Cuba’s 1959 revolution.
considered an enemy by the Castros, so that
could hurt us. But I also realise that at some
point the Castro brothers will be off that island
and things may change. I don’t want that
property going to anyone else. It belongs to my
family.”
Mr. Rapoport is hoping to make the most of
talks which have now opened between the US
and Cuba regarding honouring long standing
legal claims against the respective governments.
Hundreds of billions of dollars of claims will
need to be resolved before the embargo against
Cuba can be lifted. The US State Department and
Cuban officials began negotiating in Havana
over the property claims. There are nearly 6,000
U.S. claims for properties which were seized by
the Castro government.
Before 1959 Cuba was a major gambling
destination and there were close ties between
casinos on the island, Dictator Fulgencio Batista
and organised crime. Under his rule Havana
became known as “the Latin Las Vegas.”
“Trust me, I’m not looking to move down to
Cuba and take over the business,” Mr. Rapoport
said. “I believe my family is entitled to
something, I realise my grandfather was
Enjoy’s casino licence
extended in Chilean city
of Pucon
chile
The City Council of Pucon has
approved a two-year licence
extension for the casino run by
Chilean operator Enjoy. The
property will remain under the
operation of Enjoy until
December 31, 2017. This is the
deadline set by new rules
which extend the term of the
municipal casino licences
while the biding process for the
new licences are under way.
General Manager of Enjoy SA,
Gerardo Cood welcomed the
decision and highlighted the
significance that the Casino de
The Havana Riviera hotel opened in 1957 due to
the good relationship between Charles “Lucky”
Luciano and Batista and was funded mostly by a
state-run development bank set up by the
dictator. Meyer Lansky who owned the hotel
was a long time associate of gangster Luciano.
The construction of the hotel cost about US$8m
and was at the time one of the finest hotels in
the world. Meyer Lansky had been inspired to
build it after visiting Riviera on the Vegas Strip.
Pucon has had for the
company in the past. He also
expressed an interest in
participating in the bid to
renew the license from January
1, 2018. “Our aspiration is to
continue to contribute to
strengthen the lakeside area as
a destination on an
international level,” he said
and went on to say that the
company wishes to maintain
the number of casinos it
currently operates in Chile. He
also confirmed the company’s
willingness to renew its
licenses in both Coquimbo and
Vina del Mar. Municipalities of
both communities also
recently approved the
extension of the Enjoy casino
licences for the next two years,
while bidding takes place for
the municipal casinos. Mr.
Cood confirmed that Enjoy was
working “energetically to
present the best projects for
each location, because we feel
we have a commitment to the
communities where we
operate . . .”
Brazil
Sky Racing World, a Louisville,
Kentucky-based distributor of
international horse-racing
content to the Americas and
subsidiary of Tabcorp, has
announced a partnership with
Codere, the Spanish
multinational group. With this
new agreement, Sky Racing
World will be providing
wagering on Australian races
exclusively to Brazil via Codere’s
upcoming advance deposit
wagering (ADW) brand
Suaposta and various domestic
tracks. Following its partnership
with Codere, Sky Racing World
will provide live video streaming
of Australian races to Suaposta,
Codere’s ADW set to be
launched in Q1 2016, and to
various tracks operated by
Codere’s partners.
Tax Revenue down 14.4 per cent in 2015
sOuth amERica
ArGENTINA – The recently elected Mayor of
buenos Aires, horacio Rodriguez Larreta (pictured)
will attempt to place all gaming operations which
are located in the city under the city’s jurisdiction for
the first time. The move is part of a number of
measures which are aimed at the transference of
powers from the national government to the city
government. Larreta is also looking at ways to
transfer jurisdiction over the city port to the city
which would put the floating casino under the city’s
jurisdiction for the first time.
Mauricio Macri won the presidential election beating
rival Daniel Scioli in a closely contested Presidential
race in December and his Cambiemos (Let’s
Change) party now holds power over the province of
buenos Aires, the City of buenos Aires and the
executive branch which could mean a more
cohesive approach when it comes to governing the
country including gaming.
Macri and Larreta signed an agreement this month
which puts part of the Federal Police under the
command of the City Government and gaming
could be next on the agenda. Slot halls, and bingo
halls are currently run and administered by the
national government which has been a long source
of contention between the city and the national
government.
According to a report released by the Gaming Control Board (JCJ) gaming
revenue in Panama decreased significantly in 2015. The industry generated
US$ 82,222,147 in gaming tax revenue in 2015 compared to $96,101,377 in 2014 a 14.4 per cent decrease
Gaming tax revenues in Panama
took a significant dip in 2015 with
operators identifying a new tax
that droves returns down
PAnAmA GOVERNMENT
The decreased revenues mark the end of a
decade of increased revenues for gaming
companies. Between July and September bets in
casinos, bingo halls, sporting events and slot
halls, recorded an annual decrease of 10.2 per
cent with a total balance of US$562.2m.
According to figures released by the Gaming
Control Board (JCJ) from January to July tax
revenue generated by gaming decreased from
US$59m to US$49.6m, a decrease of US$9.4m
(16 per cent) compared to the same period in
2014.
But it is not all bad news for the industry as
gaming tax revenue generated by international
sports betting and grey hound racing increased
from $858,000 to US$963 000 in 2015 while tax
revenue generated by bingo halls also increased
slightly to US$117,607 compared to US$116,938
in 2014.
However due to the small number of openings
last year, fees for the right to open a gaming
establishment amounted to just U.S1.5m in 2015
compared to US$13.6m in 2014.
In 2011 while serving as major of the city of buenos
Aires and before becoming President, Macri vowed
to continue to strive to put gaming once again under
the control of the city - an issue which successive
governments have been trying to achieve since
2007.
“We hold firmly that the city must recover
jurisdiction (over gaming) along with the resources .
. . . just as we have demanded the transfer of the
police and of the harbour (to the city),” he said in
2011.
Macri also tasked the now Minister of Justice
Germán Garavano with conducting a study into how
gaming would be transferred from the National
Lottery to the city government and his successor
Laretta, who served as the City’s Cabinet Chief
while Macr was Mayor, is now seeking city control
over the racino located in the racetrack in Palermo
as well as the floating casino in the city port.
The establishment of casinos within the city has
long been a divisive and controversial issue with
both the city government and the national
government vying for control over gaming. While
mayor Mauricio Macri tried to reach an agreement
whereby casinos located in the city would pay back
a long standing a debt of between $1.5bn pesos
and $2bn pesos in gross gaming back taxes to the
city but no agreement was reached during his term
in office.
P16
Anti money laundering
measures proposed by
Financial Taskforce
Peru
The regulatory and
supervisory authority in Peru
over banking and financial
institutions has published a
number of new proposals
which would seek to prevent
money laundering in casinos
and slot parlours. The
Superintendency of Banking,
Insurance and Private Pension
Funds (SBS), aims to have the
new regulations in place by
April 1st this year.
The new proposals state that
operators would be required to
maintain a record of all those
Operators have blamed a new tax which went
into effect last year on falling revenues. A 5.5
per cent tax now applies to all cash withdrawals
made in casinos, slot parlours, bingo halls and
sports betting shops and tracks. The new tax
was approved in order to fund US$60m of the
US$74.8m needed to increase pensions. Tax
deductions are made even if the customer
cashes in chips without winning. Antonio
Alfaro, President of the Association of Managers
of Gaming (Asaja) told local press that
customers refuse to be asked to pay this tax
above what they have already lost and so they
prefer not to play.
In June last years the ASAJA complained that
new regulations stipulating a tax on cash
withdrawals by customers in Panama’s casinos
are now being plagued with a number of
technical issues which make it almost
impossible to collect the tax. The ASAJA has also
called for exceptions to the tax for horse race
betting not only in the President Remón race
track but also all sports betting centres as many
already face closure.
clients who make bets of US$
2,500 or over as well as the
winners of high payouts. The
new rules are designed to
comply with anti money
laundering guidelines recently
put forward by the Financial
Analysis Action Taskforce which recommends that
casinos and slot parlours
effectively implement antimoney laundering and
terrorist-financing measures.
The SBS, through the Financial
Intelligence Unit will seek to
prevent money laundering in
casinos and slot parlours
which will both be subject to a
comprehensive regulatory and
supervisory regime. Any
suspicious financial
transaction regardless of the
amounts involved, must be
entered in a register of
suspicious transactions and
must also be reported to the
Financial Intelligence Unit in a
period not exceeding 15
working days.
In order to ensure that
operators are meeting the new
rules gaming companies will
also be required to employ a
compliance officer. This officer
will monitor the full and
proper implementation and
operation of prevention of anti
money laundering measures.
While the new rules could
provide an extra cost to
operators they will serve to
regulate the industry further.
In 1994 Peru passed a major
gaming which allowed for slot
machine parlours and casinos.
However, in the face of a
proliferation of illegal
gambling in 2006 the
regulatory body began a
nationwide crackdown
confiscating and destroying
thousands of slot machines.
Overall, the industry has been
transformed into one where
just less than four per cent of
all slot machines were taxed
and regulated to a situation
where almost 100 per cent of
the industry is regulated by
the government.
Olympic appoints Flagship Casino gM
EmEa
das spanische glücksspielunternehmen
Codere hat in brasilien ein Portal für das OnlineGlücksspiel eingerichtet. In Zusammenarbeit mit
dem Jockey Club do Rio Grande do Sul in Porto
Alegre wurde die Webseite im betatest-Stadium
freigeschaltet, um die in dem Land geltende
Glücksspielgesetzgebung zu nutzen.
ein gericht in San Juan hat den vom
Finanzministerium eingereichten Antrag auf
Abweisung der gegen es erhobenen Klage des
puerto-ricanischen hotel- und Tourismusverbands (PRhTA) abgewiesen.
die neu gewählte gouverneurin der Provinz
buenos Aires, María Eugenia Vidal, die die Provinz
bei ihrer Vereidigung im Dezember als „bankrott“
bezeichnet hatte, hat aufgrund der desolaten
Finanzlage der Provinz angekündigt, dass die von
der branche erwirtschafteten Steuereinnahmen
nicht als Mittel zur Lösung der Finanzprobleme
der Provinz verwenden würden. Sie fügte hinzu:
„Mein Ziel ist es, dass das Glücksspiel in der
Provinz nicht weiter wächst.“
die Bruttoeinnahmen der viertausend
Spielautomatensalons in 17 Städte der Provinz
Cordoba beliefen sich 2015 auf 140 Mio. USD, 31
Prozent mehr als im Vorjahr und 336 Prozent
mehr als sechs Jahre zuvor.
die Kontroverse bezüglich des
Ausschreibungsverfahrens für die Spielbankenlizenz in Chillán spitzt sich weiter zu, wobei der
Geschäftsführer von Marina del Sol, Juan Ignacio
Ugarte, beklagt, dass das spanisch-argentinische
Konsortium boldt Peralada unzulässigen Druck
auf den Staatssekretär des chilenischen
Finanzministeriums, Alejandro Micco, ausübt.
gary Rapoport, der enkel Meyer Lanskys,
beansprucht für das während der kubanischen
Revolution von 1959 enteignete Riviera-Kasino
eine Entschädigung von der kubanischen
Regierung. „Das hotel wurde meinem Großvater
gewaltsam entrissen. Kuba schuldet meiner
Familie Geld“, so Lansky. „Wir haben bis jetzt
noch keine Klage erhoben oder einen Anwalt
beauftragt, weil wir der Meinung waren, dass sich
die Tür für Verhandlungen niemals wirklich öffnen würde. Jetzt ist sie offen.“
gan hat einen vertrag mit dem Borgata
hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City, New Jersey,
über die Inbetriebnahme des Onlinespielangebotes Simulated Gaming im borgata
geschlossen. Das borgata wurde 2003 eröffnet
und ist ein Gemeinschaftsunternehmen der
boyd Gaming Corporation und MGM Resorts
International, zwei der größten Spielbankenbetreiber in den USA.
die Unternehmensgruppe Olympic Entertainment hat heikki Rinta-Panttila, den ehemaligen
Geschäftsführer der staatlichen finnischen Spielbank Casino helsinki, zum neuen
Geschäftsführer ihres neuen Flaggschiffs, des
Olympiaparkkasinos, bestellt, das im Mai 2016 in
Tallinn eröffnet werden soll.
P18
Olympic Entertainment Group has appointed Heikki Rinta-Panttila, former GM of
Finland’s state-owned Casino Helsinki, as the new General Manager of Olympic
Park Casino, the Group’s new flagship casino to be opened in Tallinn in May 2016.
The Baltic’s first Hilton hotel will
open in May this year boasting a
1,600sq.m. casino operated by
Olympic Entertainment and
featuring an OlyBet sports bar
eStOniA CASINO OPERATIONS
Olympic Entertainment Group has announced
the appointment of Heikki Rinta-Panttila, the
former General Manager of Casino Helsinki, as
the new General Manager of Olympic Park
Casino, Olympic’s flagship casino to be opened
in Tallinn in May of this year.
According to Madis Jääger, CEO of Olympic
Entertainment Group, he is proud to have Heikki
Rinta-Panttila join the team of Olympic Casino.
“With more than 20 years of international
experience in casino operations, he will
definitely have the skills and know-how we
expect from the General Manager of our flagship
Olympic Casino,” Jääger said. “We are working
to open simply the best casino in the region and
with Heikki on board I’m confident that we can
provide successful operations and
unprecedented gaming experience for our
guests from day one,” he added.
Heikki Rinta-Panttila said that while working
close-by in Finland he has followed the success
of Olympic Casino in Estonia for many years.
“I’m really excited to become a part of this
success story and contribute to take the
company even further,” Rinta-Panttila said.
The new Olympic Park Casino will be opened in
the centre of Estonia’s capital Tallinn together
with the Baltic’s first Hilton in May 2016. The
casino on 1,600 square metres will have
separate areas for slot machines, gaming tables,
tournament poker and VIP players. A large bar
area and stage at the casino allows for highquality entertainment program and the OlyBet
sports bar with a wide lounge area a
comfortable sports betting experience.
Heikki Rinta-Panttila (55) has an extensive
leadership experience in operations
management, gaming and casinos, leisure and
hospitality businesses, having worked at the
Finland’s state-owned RAY as a Development
Manager and as a Casino Vice President and
Casino General Manager at country’s top casino
operations, Casino RAY and Grand Casino
Helsinki.
Kenya
uK
Intralot fosters presence in Africa
Intralot Group has signed a 10year cooperation with Acumen
Communications Limited (ACL) to
organise sports-betting in Kenya,
under the brand name ‘mCHEZA’.
ACL is a local company authorised
and regulated by the Betting
Control and Licencing Board of
Kenya under the Betting, Lotteries
and Gaming Act. ‘mCHEZA’ was
launched December 18, 2015 and is
initially available on mobile
phones, while additional products
and services will be offered soon.
ACL and Intralot are also
partnering with Safaricom, the
leading telecom operator in the
region, through m-payment
platform MPESA, data center and
cloud services.
The new product ‘mCHEZA’, is
deployed on Intralot’s flagship
sports betting platform, iFlex. It is
an intuitive, multi-channel sports
betting platform, which focuses on
providing a complete betting
management solution through a
user-friendly environment. The
overall solution will include a
Mobile Native Application, which
will be supported by iGC (iGaming
Console), as well Player Account
Management (PAM), Customer
Relationship Management (CRM)
solutions together with Intralot’s
Horizon system.
mCHEZA’ CEO, Peter Karimi, noted:
“mCHEZA’ will initially be a pregame betting platform. Numerous
sports, markets and betting modes
will be incorporated on the
platform in Q1 of 2016 with live
betting to follow thereafter. The
platform is working on a strategic
expansion plan into other East
African markets from 2016.”
OpenBet has renewed its
license, development and
support agreements with Sky
Betting & Gaming. OpenBet
will continue to provide Sky
Betting & Gaming with its
online and mobile sports
betting platform for a further
five years. The operator has
full independence to innovate
and differentiate by building
its own customer interfaces on
the OpenBet platform.
OpenBet has supplied the
Leeds-based operator since it
was formed in 2001. Richard
Flint, CEO Sky Betting &
Gaming, said: “OpenBet has
been an integral component of
our business since day one.
Against ever-changing
regulatory frameworks and
fast-moving technological
developments they continue
to deliver. The OpenBet
platform gives us the flexibility
to create a first class sports
book that fits our brand and
our players’ needs.”
Lucien Barrière Offloads Three Casinos
EmEa
die britische glücksspielaufsicht hat Caesars
Entertainment für Verstöße gegen die
Geldwäschevorschriften in zwei der Londoner
Kasinos der Gruppe gerügt. Der Schutz vor Geldwäsche soll dem Vernehmen nach im Empire
Casino am Leicester Square sowie im Playboy
Club im West End zu lax gehandhabt werden.
von Mitgliedern der Regierungsparteien
wurde ein Gesetzentwurf eingebracht, der sich als
schwerer Rückschlag für Anbieter erweisen könnte, die in den niederländischen
Online-Glücksspielmarkt einsteigen möchten.
die grosvenor Casinos nehmen das weltweit
größte Tischspielesystem mit progressiver Jackpot-Ausspielung in betrieb. Vor kurzem hat die
Grosvenor Casinos-Gruppe die Einrichtung des
ihren gesamten Kasinobereich umfassenden progressiven Systems für Tischspiele abgeschlossen.
die glücksspielaufsicht des Bundesstaates
New York hat die Zulassungen für Glücksspielund Freizeiteinrichtungen in den bezirken Sullivan,
Schenectady und Seneca einstimmig
verabschiedet, um neue Arbeitsplätze und Investitionen sowie höhere Einnahmen für die
Gemeinden und die Schulbezirke zu
erwirtschaften, die in der Folge in den Regionen
entstehen werden.
gLi haben ein global Lottery instant
(Rubbellos)-Prüflabor für Spielscheine in Moncton
eröffnet. Zusammen mit diesem Vorhaben wird
die Verbundenheit von GLI mit der Provinz New
brunswick durch den Abschluss eines Vertrages
mit der Wirtschaftsförderungsgesellschaft Opportunities New brunswick bekräftigt.
Lucien Barrière has sold three casinos in Leucate, Briançon and Chamonix. SFC
(la Société Française de Casinos) has bought the casino in Chamonix outright but
it has created a subdivision called ‘Société Franco-Belge Casinos’ with Belgian
operator Circus Casino Group to co-own the other two properties.
France’s La Société Française de
Casinos is expanding in the
domestic market with the
acquisition of three casinos
FrAnce CASINO OPERATIONS
SFC (la Société Française de Casinos) has
confirmed the acquisition of Lucien Barrière’s
casino in Chamonix outright, but it has created a
subdivision called ‘Société Franco-Belge
Casinos’ with Belgian operator Circus Casino
Group to co-own the other two properties in
Leucate and Briançon. SFC will own 49 per cent
of the capital of the newly created subsidiary
with Circus owning 51 per cent.
The amount of the transaction, expected to be
completed on January 31, was not disclosed.
Until this deal, SFC has operated four casinos
located in Gruissan (Aude), Châtel-Guyon (Puy
de Dome), Port La Nouvelle (Aude) and
Collioure (Pyrénées Orientales).
During their last year, the three casinos
generated a net turnover of €6.5m with €2.15m
being generated in Chamonix, €2.2m by Leucate
and €2.15m by the Casino Briancon.
A spokesperson for SFC said: “This operation is
fully in the French Casino Development
Corporation’s strategy to establish itself as a key
player in the casino market in France by
refocusing on gaming, helping to strengthen the
attractiveness of its institutions. The acquisition
of Leucate casinos and Briançon will be funded
1/3 equity and 2/3 by bank loans taken via the
holding company Société Franco-Belge Casinos.
The acquisition of the Chamonix casino will be
fully financed with the Group’s cash. The three
entities will be consolidated in the accounts of
French Society of Casinos from February 1
2016.”
der Luxusspielgerätehersteller interblock
hat im Maryland Live! Casino die allererste Installation seiner neuesten Reihe geberunterstützter
elektronischer Tischspiele (ETG) in Nordamerika
abgeschlossen.
Russlands größte Spielbank- und
Freizeitanlage, der palastartige Kristalltiger mit
seinen über 600 Spielautomaten und mehr als 60
Kasinotischen hat kürzlich seine Große Eröffnung
in der Glücksspielzone Primorskij Kraj nahe Vladivostok feierlich begangen. Die Marke Merkur aus
dem hause Gauselmann ist auf der Kasinoetage
dieses neuen Glücksspielkomplexes mit einer
Reihe von Avantgarde Slant Top-Automaten stattlich vertreten.
die Spielbankbetreiber in Singapur hatten
2015 einen Rückgang ihres bruttospielertrags um
10 Prozent auf 4,8 Mrd. USD zu verzeichnen, für
den der harte Antisparkurs der chinesischen
Regierung sowie das Wechselkursgefälle des Singapur Dollar gegenüber anderen asiatischen
Währungen verantwortlich gemacht werden.
die welle von viP-aufwertungen, die über
die australische Kasinolandschaft hinwegrollt, hat
die Insel Tasmanien erreicht, auf der eine mit 70
Mio. AUD veranschlagte Neugestaltung ein neues
Kapitel in der langen und stolzen Geschichte des
Wrest Point in Tasmanien, Australiens erster Spielbank, einläutet.
P20 NEWSWIRE / INTERACTIVE / 247.COM
uK
Full complement of EGT
products now grace the
floor at Casino Princess
macedonia
The Casino Princess in
Gevgelija, Macedonia, is relying
more and more on Euro Games
Technology’s products to
entertain its customers. Adding
to its existing 120 EGT
machines, the casino recently
installed a further 200
cabinets from the company,
including the slant top model
P-27/27 St Slim with its two
27ins. monitors, the latest
multi-game mix Premier
Multi-6; jackpot systems
Diamond Life and Egypt Quest
and the flagship Premier
series’ P-24/24 Up. Together
with the already proven EGT
high performers on the gaming
floor of Princess Casino - Vega
Vision Up, Vega Vision St, Vega
Vision+ St, Premier, Cat 4 Cash,
Egypt Quest and the automated
roulette Vega R8, they
represent almost the complete
EGT product line-up.
“The latest installed cabinets
from Premier series in the
casino are connected to the
EGT’s Lady’s Cards mystery
jackpot system of 4 levels and
have immediately attracted an
enormous attention,” shared
Dobriyan Spirov, regional
manager of EGT for Macedonia.
“During their first days in
action I was pleasantly
surprised to see it myself how
every of all the 176 machines
were occupied most of the
time. It was the same with our
Diamond Life mystery jackpot
system.”
A regular NetBet customer has
struck it lucky by winning the
progressive jackpot of €4
million on Playtech favourite
Gold Rally, just days after the
long-term licensee agreed a sixyear contract extension until
2021. The mega jackpot was won
just before Christmas by a
regular NetBet player – who has
chosen to remain anonymous –
on one of Playtech’s most
established slot games Gold
Rally, and comes just six months
after NetBet launched its
exclusive Playtech Vegas tab. It
is also the first time one of
NetBet’s players has hit the big
time and claimed the top prize
on the Playtech progressive
network.
The new contract includes
exclusive Playtech Casino
content, poker and poker side
games and will see the
partnership between the two
companies extend to more than
two decades.
UK Commission Cracks down on Caesars
EmEa
The UK Gambling Commission has criticised Caesars Entertainment for money
laundering compliance failures at two of its London casinos. Safeguards to ensure
against money laundering were reportedly lax at Caesar’s Empire Casino in
Leicester Square and the Playboy Club in the West End
The UK Commission has
highlighted breaches in due
diligence with regard to
calculating customer risk
MALTA – Malta’s Dragonara Casino has recently
arranged for six P-24/32V Up cabinets linked to
progressive jackpot system, Egypt Quest, from Euro
Games Technology. The casino has been
established for over 50 years and is situated in a
picturesque reinforced 19th century palace in the
most affluent location on the island, surrounded by
a number of 5 star resorts.
“The customers appreciate our commitment to
continuously improve their gaming experience,”
shared Svetlana bukova, Director of Operations at
Dragonara Casino. “The anticipation of trying the
new product was there right from the very
beginning and the players responded positively to
Egypt Quest. They especially liked this EGT system
for its design and game graphics, being a true eyecatcher, and were excited about the win.
Progressives, in general, attract our clientele and
with this installation we certainly will exceed their
expectations.”
Dragonara Casino decided to include Egypt Quest
to their portfolio due to its reliability, multi-game
mix of six specially chosen titles, and the high-level
of technical support services provided by EGT. “As
the largest operator on the island, quality is crucial
for us in every aspect of the business. We build our
success on it, and EGT are synonymous with
superiority. This is why we look forward to
expanding our collaboration in the near future,”
added Mrs. bukova.
Germany – Industry veteran
David Orrick has joined adp
Gauselmann’s Merkur Gaming
as the company’s Director of
Industry Relations. Mr. Orrick
brings with him a wealth of
knowledge and experience,
gathered over more than 20 years work with three
of Europe’s foremost gaming companies.
uK CASINO OPERATIONS
The UK Gambling Commission has criticised
Caesars Entertainment for money laundering
compliance failures at two of its London casinos.
The UKGC said: “The Commission has
determined that there were significant
weaknesses in the way Caesars managed risk
with regard to money laundering,” said the
UKGC and considers that this case provides
valuable learning for operators, who should in
light of these matters consider reviewing their
legal obligations regarding the prevention of
money laundering.”
“We examined AML controls used at two casinos
owned and operated by Caesars: the Playboy
Club London and the London Clubs LSQ,” it
added. “The Commission considers that, at both
of these premises, the processes and procedures
used to manage the risk of money laundering
did not comply with the requirements of the
MLRs, nor did they satisfy the duty to comply
with the licensing objective to keep crime out of
gambling. Specifically the Commission found
that Caesars failed to appropriately assess
customer risk; demonstrate appropriate levels of
ongoing monitoring; undertake appropriately
Like Charles hiten, David Orrick was a former
colleague of the late Jens halle and he paid tribute
to halle’s memory by stating: “Jens was much more
than just my boss, he was my mentor, my
inspiration and, above all, my friend. Through this
new appointment I will wear the Merkur Sun
emblem with pride and I hope that I will honour the
memory of Jens and always strive to work within
the personal values and professional excellence on
which he built his, sadly all too short, career.”
Caesars has agreed to pay £845,000 towards
socially responsible causes, and must
immediately address the problems highlighted
by the Commission. The Commission added: “An
independent external provider will review
Caesars’ AML policies and processes. This will
be done at Caesars’ expense, within an agreed
timeframe, and will be shared in its entirety
with the Commission.”
launched Inspired’s Virtual
Sports on mobile. Details of the
deal are:
l Inspired will provide Betfred
with access to its initial
Tyson package
betfred signs knock out
Virtual Sports boxing
deal with Inspired
uK
Charles hiten, Chief Executive for Merkur Gaming
Americas noted: “David Orrick has been a valued
and respected colleague for many years. I am
excited to be working with David again, drawing on
his proven skills and his wealth of contacts as we
continue to expand across a swathe of international
markets and build a truly international brand.”
rigorous due diligence checks, instead overrelying on negative information, such as no trace
results from third party and open source
information; ensure that decision-making
records relating to high risk customers such as
politically exposed persons (PEP) were
complete; obtain adequate information with
regard to customers’ source of funds or source of
wealth; ensure that customer due diligence
(CDD) and enhanced due diligence (EDD)
records, and the policies behind those records,
were sufficiently comprehensive to form an
effective money laundering control system or
undertake appropriate due diligence checks on
customers of other overseas’ Caesars Group
companies.”
Inspired, the leading provider
of Virtual Sports, Mobile
Games and SBG Video Lottery,
today announces that it will be
supplying Betfred with its first
collection of Mike Tyson
gaming products.
Betfred is one of the UK’s
leading retail and online
bookmakers - Inspired is its
exclusive supplier of VLT
gaming machines, technology
and games. Betfred has also
been offering Inspired’s Virtual
Sports across retail and online
since 2001, and in 2013 it also
l
l
l
denmark
The package includes the
new Virtual Rush Boxing
game for retail and online,
featuring ‘Iron Mike’, which
is set for launch in 2016
Inspired will also be
providing Betfred with its
new Tyson-branded
omnichannel slots and table
gaming content
The games will be supported
with exclusive Tyson
marketing materials
Steve Rogers, CCO Digital
Games, Inspired, comments:
“Our new products are set to go
down a storm with players
across the gaming gambit and
we are thrilled that Betfred will
be the first UK operator to
bring them to market.”
Denmark has amended a decree
relating to gaming machines in
amusement arcades and
restaurants. The changes to the
law mean that from January 1,
2016, Denmark changed the
rules for the maximum bet and
winnings. The change means
that maximum deposits
changed from 0.50 kr. to 1 kr
(€.07 -0.13) . And the maximum
gain is changed from 300 kr. to
600 kr. (€40-80).
The latest Q3 2015 results from
the Danish Gaming Board show
that the country’s 25,500 slot
machines saw revenues increase
to 385m kr. (€52m), a 15m kr.
rise over the corresponding
quarter in 2014. The seven
Danish casinos also reported Q3
revenues rising to 95m kr., the
highest level since early 2012.
EmEa
GEOrGIA – Casinos Austria International (CAI) is a
long-standing customer of systems expert DRGT.
The great partnership over the years ensured for
CAI management that there could only be one
choice for the systems requirements at their latest
casino – namely DRGT. The Casino International
batumi was opened in October 2015 and is located
in the stylish hilton batumi hotel (above).
CAI Operations Service Manager helmut Wede
explained the company decision to ensure that
DRGT systems work day-in, day-out at their new
Georgian casino, stating “The positive experience
gained throughout the years at other locations in
Switzerland and brussels meant that we know well
the systems features that DRGT offers. The
functionality, the way the systems is structured
enables us to optimally manage our Slots. The
decentralized system needs no central server –
there is no potential single point of failure. DRGT
systems are extremely reliable”.
The Casino International batumi enjoys one of the
best locations in town, near the popular 6 May Park
and Seaside boulevard. The elegant European-style
design features a choice of 13 live gaming tables
and 105 latest generation gaming machines,
including electronic Roulette. batumi is a vibrant
seaside city on the black Sea coast and capital of
Adjara, an autonomous republic in southwest
Georgia. “The installation was carried out in a very
professional way – DRGT again impressed us with
their excellent work ethics. The DRGT team in Graz
and the installation engineer did a great job. DRGT is
particularly strong in its jackpot systems solutions
and we are making good use of these,” concluded
Mr. Wede.
Holland – Crane Payment
Innovations has expanded its
Gaming sales team in EMEA
with the addition of sales
manager Marc Jongerius. In his
role, Jongerius is responsible for
direct and indirect sales
activities across German-speaking territories, the
benelux Union, Scandinavia, the baltic States and
Eastern Europe.
“I am delighted to welcome Marc to CPI. Increasing
demand from our customers, along with the recent
launch of our SCR note recycler, has opened
tremendous growth opportunities for CPI across the
EMEA region,” said Anette Jauch, Director of Sales,
Gaming – EMEA . “We knew we needed additional
resources to support our initiatives, and Marc was
the ideal candidate to strengthen our team. he has
already become a valuable asset to our customers
in EMEA, and I am confident that he will play a key
role in our continuous drive for growth.”
dutch Propose 29 per cent Tax Rate
Members of the ruling coalition parties have
submitted a proposal which could prove to be a
serious setback for operators looking to become
involved in the Dutch online gaming market.
According to reports emerging in local media,
members of the coalition have put forward
amendments to the proposed Remote Gambling
Bill which would increase the tax rate from 20
per cent GGR to 29 per cent. This is the same tax
rate which was initially considered back in early
2013 and reflects the rate which is currently in
place regarding the brick-and-mortar Holland
casinos. The new tax would mean an initially
uniform tax rate of 29 per cent for both online
and land based operators. This would gradually
be reduced to 25 per cent three years after
online gambling is legalised.
In May 2014 Holland’s Council of State argued
that the 20 per cent tax rate could be considered
as unjustified and unequal treatment when
compared to the tax rate imposed upon land
based operations. However, the State Secretary
at the time Fred Teeven argued that any
disadvantages arising from these rates were
Comtrade partners
with Kiron Interactive
with virtual suite
slovenia
Virtual games specialist Kiron
Interactive has signed a deal to
offer its full suite of games via
independent technology
provider Comtrade Gaming.
Using its recently launched
Betman Online RGS solution,
Kiron will make its portfolio
available to Comtrade’s sports
betting and casino clients on
an omni-channel basis via
their iCore gaming platform.
As well as having one of the
market leading igaming
platforms, Comtrade also offer
online and mobile casino
games, live casino, and serverbased gaming systems.
Steven Spartinos, co-CEO of
outweighed by the importance of achieving the
goal of a high level of legality in the market (80
per cent). In addition under previous proposals
operators would also have to contribute 0.5 per
cent of turnover to a fund aimed at curbing
addiction to gambling as well as a further 1.5 per
cent on turnover, which would go to the Dutch
Gaming Authority (KSA).
Lawmakers claim that the uniform tax rate
would create fairer market conditions but the
news will come as a surprise to many operators.
Only last month State Secretary Klaas Dijkhoff
answered the second round of questions
regarding the Dutch remote gaming bill. Once
again he rejected proposals to change the tax
rate to 29 per cent arguing that it was necessary
to ensure that a sufficient number of online
players will be channelled towards licensed
operators. The minister’s response was
welcomed by industry insiders who said that it
was clear that the government had learned from
past mistakes from other jurisdictions which
had set the tax rate too high making it hard for
operators to make a profit and had discouraged
players from playing via licensed sites.
Kiron, said the deal was
strategically important for the
supplier as it looks to expand
its global reach even further in
2016. He added: “We’re
delighted to have signed the
deal with Comtrade which
presents some great
opportunities for us,
particularly in Asian markets.
They have a great platform
which allows operators to
differentiate their offering by
taking control of the player
experience, which is a tailored
approach that we favour too.”
Steven Valentine, Comtrade’s
Director of Interactive, said:
“Kiron’s proven virtual games
are a welcome addition to our
platform. It is increasingly
important to offer clients a
complete range of products
and services from which they
can chose and the popularity
of virtuals means it is now a
must-have vertical.”
Estonia
It’s been a busy few months
for Olympic Entertainment
Group, which recently
acquired a 100 per cent
shareholder in Ultramedia, a
Polish company, with the aim
of creating a legal platform
for expanding the group’s
activities in Poland. OEG also
confirmed the acquisition of
Lithuania’s sports-betting
operator, UAb Orakulas.
Orakulas has 35 betting
shops in Lithuania, 12 of
which are located in the
capital, Vilnius. OEG’s first
casino in Malta in cooperation
with Eden Leisure has been
granted a casino licence by
the Malta Gaming Authority.
The €12m Casino Malta will
be the largest of the four
casino on the island with
285 slots and 29 tables
spread over 3,000sq.ft.
grosvenor Breaks Records with Tables waP
Grosvenor Casinos launches largest progressive table gaming system in the world.
Grosvenor Casinos has recently completed its installation of a Wide Area
Progressive System for table games across its entire casino estate
EmEa
The largest casino operator in the
UK launches the biggest wide
area progressive table gaming
system in the world
AUSTrIA – New Year’s Eve saw the opening of
Casinos Austria’s lakeside Zell am See casino,
located between Schmittenhöhe and Zeller See in
Eastern Austria, with 350 guests in attendance.
The 800 m² gaming floor located in the four star
Grand hotel Zell, boasts 50 slot machines and 21
tables, including five American Roulette tables, four
blackjack tables, three poker tables, a wheel of
fortune and 12 Easy Roulette terminals. Guests
staying at the hotel on New Year’s Eve were given
50 of gaming chips to spend in the casino.
Casino Director Paul Vogel said: “We’ve planned the
project perfectly and with the Grand hotel and Zell
am See tourism centre we have perfect partners.”
Casinos Austria General Manager Karl Stoss said at
the opening: “Casinos Austria has opened its first
new casino in Austria in 24 years and it’s a great
pleasure that we here in Zell am See to open this
year-round operation. We have invested €4.6m and
are expecting around 60,000 guests per year.”
UK – Inspired has launched seven new hTML5
mobile games, which are already proving popular
with players. The following games will be available
to all Inspired operators, including William hill, Gala
Coral and bet365. Centurion, Legend of Triton, I ♥
Kittens, The Musketeers and 20p Roulette. Inspired
is exclusively supplying its premium omnichannel
game Kingdom of Fortune to Gala Coral sites
coral.co.uk, galabingo.com and galacasino.com.
Its newest mobile game, Tiki Tastic, launched with
William hill in January.
uK CASINO INSTALLATIONS
Grosvenor Casinos has recently completed its
installation of a Wide Area Progressive System
for table games across its entire casino estate.
The completion of the installation heralds a
worldwide record in the history of Operator
Wide Area Progressive table game roll outs, as
Grosvenor Casinos’ brings its life-changing
progressive jackpot experience from the slot
floor straight into the table games pit.
The installation covers over 100 Blackjack tables
nationwide, and with more than a dozen game
options, Grosvenor Casinos’ customers will now
enjoy a completely unique, unforgettable
entertainment experience with the thrill of
jackpots at the table.
Priced at £1 per bet, per round, adding a
Grosvenor Ace King Suited progressive side bet
to a game gives customers the chance to win
one of three progressive jackpots; Minor, Major
and Mega, with the Mega jackpot paying out a
guaranteed minimum of £10,000 if the
customer and the dealer draw a Blackjack
match by both holding the Ace and King of the
same suit.
Roger Snow, Senior Vice President Product
Management at Scientific Games said: “This is
by far the world’s largest installation of a Wide
Area Progressive System for table games within
a single operator. We are extremely excited to
see our Operator Wide Area Progressive System
for table games now available in a total of 53
Grosvenor Casinos located nationwide,
representing more than a third of the total UK
casino industry.”
gibraltar
SWEDEN – Evolution Gaming
has signed an agreement with
Scientific Games to exclusively
provide a Live Casino version of
Ultimate Texas hold’em.
“The Blackjack tables in all of our casinos have
been upgraded with Scientific Games’ Shuffle
Master Wide Area Progressive System to deliver
exceptional gaming for our customers. Now
we’re able to link progressive jackpots across
our entire casino estate, customers will benefit
from faster incrementing and more frequent
jackpot wins.”
According to Madis Jääger, CEO
of Olympic Entertainment
Group, year-long preparations
to expand the group’s
operations to Malta have been
successful. “After receiving
Maltese gambling license we
were able to open our first
casino in Malta making it the
eighth market where OEG
operates,” Jääger said.
Steve Rogers, CCO Digital Games, commented: “We
are hugely upping the anti with the launch of these
seven titles with an exciting portfolio of brand new
titles due to hit the market in 2016.”
Ultimate Texas hold’em is the
world’s most popular house-banked Texas hold’em
game, and generates in excess of €1.5bn per year in
GGR in land-based casinos globally. Under the
terms of the 3.5- year agreement, Evolution will be
the sole Live Casino provider to offer the game as
part of its product range with the possibility to
extend with additional game content from Scientific
Games’ proprietary portfolio. Ultimate Texas
hold’em is fully scalable, making it possible to deal
an unlimited number of players from a single table.
Evolution expects the game to be an attractive tool
for operators to convert poker players into casino
players. A first launch to licensees is expected this
summer.
Kevin Grahame, Head of Table Gaming at
Grosvenor Casinos commented: “We always aim
to deliver cutting-edge gaming to our customers
and are now proud to offer our customers the
world’s largest Operator Wide Area Progressive
system for table games.
OEG expands reach to
Malta opening its
largest casino yet
malta
Olympic Entertainment
Group’s (OEG) subsidiary in
Malta opened the group’s all
time largest casino in the
country's most attractive
tourism region.
The group’s all time largest
casino with close to 3,000 sq
metres – named Casino Malta
by Olympic Casino – is located
in Malta InterContinental
Hotel. The casino features 285
slots, 2 electronic roulette
tables and 29 casino and poker
tables as well as a wide sports
betting and bar area.
OEG’s first casino in Malta was
established in cooperation with
Maltese hotel and
entertainment enterprise Eden
Leisure Group. The casino will
be operated by OEG under a
management agreement.
Mr Green is the latest major
online gambling destination to
offer games from Odobo. Six
Odobo games are already live Extinction, Gourmet Ranch
Riches, Epic City, Lucky Pirates,
The Oddventurers and Big Time
Journey - with another 14 due to
complete the first wave of
content releases.
Mr Green, launched in 2008, has
cemented its place as one of the
fastest growing and successful
gaming sites in the industry,
endorsed by back-to-back
award wins within the most
prestigious categories. Mr Green
serves thousands of players
throughout Europe with a strong
Scandinavian presence that will
strengthen Odobo’s reach
outside the UK market.
The deal provides Mr Green with
access to Odobo’s entire library
of Marketplace content
consisting of over 60 new and
exclusive game titles.
EmEa
One Hundred Cabinet installs in georgia
UK – The UK amusement show – the EAG – took
place between 12th and 14th January at London’s
ExCel. AMATIC Industries’ long-standing exclusive
partner for the UK and Ireland – Genesis Games –
were in force at this exhibition to support operators
in their push towards MULTI GAME.
As masters of MULTI GAME, AMATIC Industries
provide exciting solutions for both the b3 arcade
segment and the Cat C pub market. In particular,
the PERFORMER is making great impact as AMATIC
has much experience already gathered on the global
gaming and amusement market which Genesis
Games is passing on to their customers.
“AMATIC Industries has a unique style and feel to its
AWPs / gaming machines that appeal to many
players in the UK and Ireland”, explained Mr. Steve
bierrum, Director of Genesis Games. “The fact that
AMATIC has already integrated ticket-in, ticket-out
into their product portfolio is a massive benefit for
us. TITO is quickly growing in importance for the b3
segment.”
both the AMATIC Performer and X3000 series
cabinets are available from Genesis Games. “Our
partnership with Genesis Games is a great example
of how we approach our business”, explained Mr.
Thomas Engstberger, Sales Manager at AMATIC
Industries. “Firstly our business partnership goes a
long time, based on trust and mutual respect. The
team at Genesis Games knows that we have the
capacity to create games that players in britain and
Ireland are looking for.”
SPAIN – Melco International
Development has said its plans
to get the licence needed to
develop a resort casino at bCN
World, near barcelona, will face
further delays further delays
due to new political
uncertainties caused by delays in forming a coalition
Catalan government.
Slovenia’s multi-player specialist, Gambee, has
continued its successful cooperation with the
Adjara Bet brand, one of the strongest domestic
players in the Georgian gaming market
After years of constant improvement of the
service in their Tbilisi Saburtalo gaming hall,
which has in its centre piece a gigantic 220
cabinets and two wheels amphitheatre Gambee
roulette, the company is now opening another
gaming hall, a large venue in a different part of
the town. The new gaming hall will, among
other equipment, feature a 100 cabinet Gambee
roulette machine with Lucky number Jackpot.
The hall will be opened this month.
“Adjara Bet is satisfied with Gambee roulette
machines,” stated Zura Beruashvili, General
Manager of Adjara Bet (pictured right). “The
machine is strong and reliable, and the company
is providing us with good service. Besides, few
companies can provide reference that a single
roulette system can support more than 200
cabinets. The Lucky number Jackpot from
Gambee is a great attraction for the players and
basically provides a game within the game. We
have two types or roulette players; a classical
roulette player that plays every spin; and a
player that is just a Lucky number Jackpot
player. We are happy with both.”
In addition to Tbilisi, Batumi is becoming a
much more distinctive gambling destination.
Starting out as a gambling zone for the Turkish
Ainsworth Game
Technology opens
office in France as SFM
France
In a filing to the stock exchange by Melco said:
“Since this election outcome and the expiration of
the master plan consultation period, there has been
no public announcement from the Catalan
government as to when the definitive master plan
will be concluded. The timetable for a conclusion of
the definitive master plan is relatively uncertain at
this juncture and may potentially delay the
finalisation of the master plan and subsequently the
overall timetable of the tender process.”
The Catalan parliamentary elections took place in
September 2015 but with no majority a coalition
has to be formed. The two parties have only recently
agreed to form a separatist government
If completed, bCN World, located an hour away
from barcelona in Tarragona, would be home to six
casino resorts costing a total of €4.7bn.
Ainsworth has made a
significant step for its French
customers. Not only has
Ainsworth opened a brand
new office in France –
Ainsworth France has gained
the licence from the French
government to act as a SFM.
Ainsworth France can
therefore directly distribute
Ainsworth slot machines and
games to the operators in
France and provide direct
support as well.
The managing director of
Ainsworth France is Mr.
and local Georgian guests, Batumi has since
outgrown its roots. With an ever growing
number of new casinos that provide luxury
environments and service comparable to the
best and newest casinos in the world, the city
has become a destination for visitors from wider
geographical areas that includes countries such
as Azerbaijan, Armenia, Iraq, Israel, Russia and
Ukraine.
Important names from the gambling and hotel
sectors have recognised the appeal and have
moved to secure their own slice of the pie. In
2015, Casinos Austria, Hilton, Pasha
International and Melco, among others, have
either opened a venue or started along the path.
The total number of casinos in Batumi has now
reached double digits and is expected to grow
further in coming years. Into this market
Gambee roulettes have proven to be an essential
piece of equipment as the brand maintains its
position as the first choice for local operators.
Thierry Aiglon, an industry
expert with over twelve years
of experience in gaming – both
on the manufacturing and
distribution front. Ainsworth
France is situated close to the
city of Nice in southeast France
and is an entirely owned
subsidiary of Ainsworth (UK).
Len Ainsworth, celebrating this
year 63 years in the gaming
industry, comments on the
significance of the creating of
Ainsworth France as follows,
“The French gaming market is
one of the most important in
Europe, particularly taking into
account that there is no street
market in France. Given our
successes in Australia, Asia
and America, I am confident
we can mirror this success in
France. We see it as essential in
being able to work hand-inhand with our customers and
that explains we have further
invested in this market so as to
be able to sell directly our
gaming solutions to the
operators”.
spain
New Year’s Eve saw the owners
of Casino de Castilla y Leon in
the suburb of Boecillo close the
gaming floor at Palacio de los
Condes de Gamazo venue and
open Casino Roxy in Valladolid,
the capital city in the region of
Castilla y Leon.
Having been granted the
relocation to the busier city
streets by Valladolid City
Council, the casino’s owners
have spent over €800,000
renovating the former Roxy
cinema in Calle Maria de Molina
in the centre of Valladolid. It
opened following a gala dinner
with 50 slots, tables and a
dedicated poker room, Casino
Roxy will boast a large cafeteria,
a cocktail bar and a restaurant
with capacity for 35 people.
nYS Commission approves Licences
NORth amERica
La société de jeux espagnole Codere vient
de lancer un portail de jeux d'argent en ligne au
brésil. En collaboration avec le Club de Jockey de
Porto Alegre, le site Web vient de lancer sa version
bêta afin de tirer profit de l'éventuelle légalisation
des jeux d'argent dans le pays.
María eugenia vidal, nouveau gouverneur
récemment élu de la province de buenos Aires
après avoir prêté serment en décembre, a qualifié
la région de "surendettée" du fait de l'état désastreux des finances gouvernementales. Elle
affirme que les impôts sur les sociétés issus de
l'industrie du jeu ne seront pas utilisés pour pallier
les difficultés financières de la région et ajoute :
"Mon objectif est d'empêcher l'expansion des jeux
d'argent dans la province."
Les recettes brutes issues des quatre mille
machines à sous situées dans 17 villes de la
province de Cordoba s'élèvent à 140 millions de
dollars US pour l'année 2015, ce qui équivaut à
une hausse de 31 % par rapport à l'année précédente et de 336 % par rapport aux résultats d'il y
a 6 ans.
L'appel d'offres pour la licence d'un casino à
Chillán continue à alimenter la controverse tandis
que le Directeur général du Marina del Sol, Juan
Ignacio Ugarte, affirme que le consortium hispano-argentin boldt Peralada exerce une pression
indue sur le sous-secrétaire du Trésor chilien,
Alejandro Micco.
The New York State Gaming Commission has unanimously approved licences to
resort gaming destinations in Sullivan, Schenectady and Seneca Counties,
ushering new jobs and investment, as well as revenue for local governments and
school districts that will come to the regions as a result.
Governor Cuomo signed legislation
in July 2013 mandating that 80 per
cent net casino tax revenue be
used for elementary and
secondary education
new YOrK CASINO LICENCES
“New York State will soon realise the economic
benefits of resort gaming destinations,” New
York State Gaming Commission Executive
Director, Robert Williams, said. “These projects
will create thousands of jobs, bring muchneeded economic development to long-stressed
communities and drive revenue to support
schools and local governments – with zero
taxpayer dollars.”
The destination resorts include new hotels,
restaurants and other attractions that will serve
as an additional incentive for tourists, including
the more than 50 million tourists that visit New
York City every year to Upstate regional
attractions. The New York Gaming Facility
Location Board, appointed by the Commission,
previously selected the three projects to be
considered for licensure through a competitive
bid process.
gary Rapoport, le petit-fils de Meyer Lansky,
cherche à obtenir un dédommagement auprès du
gouvernement cubain qui s'était approprié le
Casino Riviera pendant la Révolution Cubaine de
1959. "L'hôtel de mon grand-père lui a été confisqué. C'est Cuba qui détient l'argent de ma
famille", affirme M. Lansky. "Nous n'avons jamais
porté plainte contre le gouvernement ni fait appel
à un avocat plus tôt car nous ne pensions pas que
nous pourrions négocier un jour. Maintenant, nous
le pouvons."
Rivers Casino & Resort at Mohawk Harbor will
be a $320m investment and include a 51,000
square-foot gaming floor, 1,150 slot machines, 77
table games, public green spaces on the
riverfront, and a new 150-room hotel. Adelaar
Lucien Barrière vient de vendre trois de ses
casinos à Leucate, briançon et Chamonix. La SFC
(la Société Française de Casinos) a acheté le
casino de Chamonix au comptant et a créé une
sous-division dénommée ‘Société Franco-belge
Casinos’. L'opérateur belge Circus Casino Group
devrait devenir le copropriétaire des deux autres
casinos.
canada
La concurrence entre les deux plus grands
opérateurs de jeux australiens s'intensifie une fois
de plus à Sydney, ville dans laquelle l'opérateur
Star Entertainment espère construire un hôtelcasino de 200 mètres de haut face au futur
complexe barangaroo de Crown Resorts. Star
profite actuellement des trois dernières années de
sa licence de casino exclusive : l'année 2019 verra
le lancement du complexe à hautes mises Crown,
face à Darling harbour.
Un tribunal de San Juan vient de rejeter la
requête émise par le Ministère des Finances concernant la plainte déposée par l'Association des
hôtels et du tourisme portoricains (PRhTA).
GLI establishes Global
Lottery Instant Ticket
testing lab in Moncton
GLI has opened its Global
Lottery Instant (Scratch Card)
Ticket Testing Laboratory in
Moncton. The initiative
supports GLI’s commitment to
the province of New
Brunswick by signing an
agreement with Opportunities
New Brunswick.
Based on repeated client
demand over the past year
throughout the company’s
global network of clients, GLI
decided to establish a Global
Lottery Instant Ticket Testing
Lab. To facilitate this latest
service and the tremendous
triple-digit growth the
Moncton office has
experienced this past year, GLI
has relocated its Moncton
will be a $1.25bn investment by Empire Resorts,
and EPR Properties, and will include an 18storey casino, hotel and entertainment complex
titled the Montreign Resort Casino, with 2,150
slot machines, 102 table games, and 332 luxury
hotel rooms. They will also construct a 325,000
square-foot indoor waterpark lodge,
entertainment village with retail and dining, and
an 18-hole golf course. Lago Resort & Casino
will be a $425m capital investment and include
1,950 slot machines, 84 table games, a 205room hotel and a 10,000 square-foot spa.
With a combined capital investment of more
than $1.3bn, the three casinos will create more
than 3,600 permanent jobs, with approximately
1,300 in Schenectady County, 1,050 in Sullivan
County, and 1,250 in Seneca County.
Construction will require nearly six million man
hours, creating thousands of additional jobs.
A fourth facility, Tioga Downs Casino Racing
and Entertainment in Nichols, was also selected
by the Gaming Facility Location Board and is
currently undergoing the Commission’s
licensing review process.
office and is actively recruiting
and hiring to expand current
staff. The new office houses
GLI’s certification testing and
lottery instant ticketing labs
as well as the SLI Global
Solutions Quality Assurance
and Professional Services
Practice.
GLI’s Director of Lottery and
Gaming, Thomas Bierbach,
said, “I am extremely excited
about the GLI Instant Ticket
Testing Lab and the fact that
we can offer instant ticket
testing services to our valued
lottery clients. Having
managed and operated a ticket
testing lab myself, along with
auditing instant ticket
operations and testing
globally, the GLI Instant Ticket
Testing Lab will be a
tremendous value proposition
for lotteries around the world.
“I am excited to run operations
at the GLI Moncton Ticket
Testing Lab, where our lottery
clients benefit from the
unparalleled expertise and
quality they are accustomed to
from GLI. We can now provide
clients with world-class
instant ticket testing services
that fall under our ISO 17025
quality management system.
While a handful of labs offer
instant ticket or scratch testing
as a sideline, GLI is the only
lottery industry specialized,
dedicated and independent
instant ticket testing lab in the
world, and we are proud of it,”
he said.
GLI’s MD of Quality Assurance
and Professional Services Greg
Doucette said: “The signing of
this new agreement with
Opportunities NB only
solidifies the commitment GLI
has made to New Brunswick
over the past four years. We
are really excited about the
triple-digit growth we have
achieved during 2015 and are
looking forward to an even
better 2016.
ExCel, London
2. - 4. Feb. 2016
Stand S3 - 350
STAY INDIVIDUAL - SELECT AMATIC
[email protected] I www.amatic.com
gan deal for Simulated gaming at Borgata
NORth amERica
La commission de contrôle des jeux
britannique vient de critiquer Caesars Entertainment pour ses manquements aux
réglementations sur le blanchiment d'argent dans
deux de ses casinos londoniens. Les mesures de
précaution à l'encontre du blanchiment d'argent
ont été qualifiées de laxistes au Caesar’s Empire
Casino de Leicester Square et au Playboy Club
dans le West End.
Les membres des parties de la coalition au
pouvoir viennent de soumettre une proposition
qui pourrait s'avérer être préjudiciable pour les
opérateurs qui cherchent à investir le marché des
jeux en ligne aux Pays-bas.
grosvenor Casinos lance le plus grand
système de jeux de table progressifs du monde.
Grosvenor Casinos vient récemment de terminer
le déploiement d'un système progressif large pour
les jeux de table dans l'ensemble de ses casinos.
La Commission des jeux de l'état de new
York a unanimement approuvé l'émission de
licences à destination des complexes de jeux
dans les comtés de Sullivan, de Schenectady et
de Seneca, ce qui pourrait favoriser la création
d'emplois et encourager de nouveaux investissement engendrant ainsi des recettes au profit des
autorités locales et des districts scolaires.
gLi vient d'ouvrir son laboratoire de tests
pour tickets de loterie instantanée (carte à gratter)
à Moncton. Cette initiative renforce l'engagement
de GLI dans la province du Nouveau-brunswick
avec la signature d'un accord avec Opportunities
New brunswick.
GAN has signed an agreement with Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City,
New Jersey for the launch of Borgata’s Simulated Gaming online experience.
Borgata opened in 2003 and is a joint venture between Boyd Gaming Corporation
and MGM Resorts International, two of the largest casino operating groups in the
United States
GAN’s social casino partnership
with Borgata is another step in
expanding its Simulated Gaming
offering in the United States
new JerSeY ONLINE GAMING
Borgata’s Simulated Gaming offering will be
operated from an instance of the GameSTACK
Internet gaming system deployed on-property
in Atlantic City and is expected to go live across
web and mobile in the first half of 2016
integrated with the My Borgata Rewards loyalty
program, pending New Jersey approval.
Borgata been the market leader since online
gaming was introduced in New Jersey two years
ago, with a 31 per cent share of the state’s online
market so far this year. The majority of Borgata’s
customers live outside of the State of New
Jersey and cannot engage with Borgata’s
regulated real money Internet gaming website
while outside of the borders of New Jersey.
Simulated Gaming will permit patrons in
neighboring states to play online with Borgata
for free, as an alternative to Social Casinos.
Borgata patrons will have the opportunity to
instantly receive reward points in the My
Borgata Rewards program by purchasing credits
for extended online play. GAN’s US-patented
iBridge Framework will link the GameSTACK
Internet gaming system to Borgata’s land-based
casino management system.
Tom Ballance, President and COO of Borgata
Casino Hotel & Spa commented: “GAN’s
experience and capability will enable the
integration of our My Borgata Rewards with
GAN’s product enabling Borgata to offer a much
more compelling and attractive social gaming
product than the competition.
“The power of the Borgata brand has allowed us
to establish ourselves as the leading online
gaming operator in New Jersey, and we are
equally optimistic that Borgata will enjoy
similar success with our social gaming product,”
said Mr. Ballance.”
gan vient de signer un accord avec le
borgata hotel Casino & Spa à Atlantic City, dans le
New Jersey, pour le lancement de son système de
simulation de jeux en ligne borgata. borgata, qui a
ouvert en 2003, est une joint-venture entre la
boyd Gaming Corporation et le groupe MGM
Resorts International, deux des sociétés de gestion de casinos les plus importantes des
États-Unis.
Le fabricant de jeux de luxe interblock vient
de terminer le premier déploiement de sa toute
nouvelle gamme de jeux de table électronique en
ligne avec gestionnaire intégré (ETG) au Maryland
Live ! Casino.
Le plus grand complexe de casinos de
Russie, le Palatial Tigre de Cristal, doté de plus de
600 machines de jeux et de plus de 60 tables de
casinos, vient de célébrer son ouverture dans la
zone de jeux Primorsky Krai, près de Vladivostok.
La marque Gauselmann Merkur Gaming est fière
qu'une gamme de ses machines à sous Avantgarde soit présente dans le casino.
Les opérateurs de casino de Singapour ont
vu leurs recettes liées aux jeux baisser de 10 %
pour atteindre 4,8 milliards de dollars US. La
répression anti-austérité et la chute du dollar
singapourien par rapport aux autres monnaies
asiatiques sont toutes deux considérées comme
étant à l'origine de ce déclin.
connecticut
costa Rica
Croc’s Casino opens with TCSJohnHuxley
Costa Rica’s newest 5-star luxury resort, Croc’s Resort & Casino, has
received the latest gaming equipment from TCSJohnHuxley. Located on the
country’s Pacific Coast, in the charming town of Jaco, the new facility
opened its doors a few months ago.
TCSJohnHuxley ’s turnkey install included two Blaze Roulette tables with
e-FX displays, Saturn Roulette Wheels and Chipper Champ 2’s; sixteen
Blackjack-style tables; one Midi Baccarat table; one Craps table and a Big
Six Money wheel and table. In addition, four custom Pit Podiums featuring
built-in T.V. monitors complimented each gaming pit.
Also supplied by TCSJohnHuxley were all of the custom gaming chairs,
which were manufactured by the prestigious Italian-based chair
manufacturer, Royal Stool.
Rory Hascall, President and COO of Croc’s commented, “Once again,
TCSJohnHuxley delivered the finest quality products for our stunning
gaming floor. Everything was built as specified and on time. We especially
enjoyed the superior service and attention to detail received by Brad
Broderick and the team in Las Vegas.”
Interblock has partnered with
Foxwoods Resort Casino, to
install a mix of 74 ETGs across
four casinos on property, as
part of a deal to bring
innovations to the casino floor
throughout its term. Foxwoods
Resort Casino President and
CEO, Felix Rappaport said: “At
Foxwoods, we aim to provide a
versatile player experience for
our customers. The luxury and
player experience provided by
Interblock’s Electronic Table
Games units will be a fantastic
addition to our casino floor.”
Interblock currently has one
Organic Roulette unit with
eight stations installed at
Foxwoods Resort Casino. The
incoming installations will
include a full mix of its
product portfolio including
both Diamond and Organic
versions of their roulette,
craps, blackjack and baccarat
games, offering a wide range
of luxury electronic table
gaming solutions to its players.
Maryland Live! install dealer-assist games
NORth amERica
Luxury gaming manufacturer Interblock has completed the first-ever North
American installation of its newest line of dealer-assist electronic table games
(ETGs) at Maryland Live! Casino.
Interblock installs 56
dealer-assisted electronic units.
The game mix includes: craps,
roulette and baccarat
Canada – The 40-year-old Fraser Down Racetrack
casino has opened to the public as Elements Casino
after an $11m upgrade by its owners Great
Canadian Gaming.
Visually, the multi-million dollar redevelopment
program under the ownership of Great Canadian
Gaming Corporation begins with new signage that
includes spectacular, colour-changing lighting as
part of the exterior. Once inside, a gleaming Atrium
provides a sense of arrival with fresh carpeting, a
conveniently situated Guest Services area and 150
slots beyond the main doors.
General Manager Michael Kim said: “New table
games, new slots and new dining facilities have all
parlayed into an entertainment package second to
none in the marketplace. The residents of the City of
Surrey have been waiting for a property like this
one.”
US – SUZOhAPP is pleased to
announce that Sim bielak has
been promoted to Chief
Marketing Officer (CMO) for
SUZOhAPP’s global business.
bielak will develop and lead all
global marketing initiatives and
product management for SUZOhAPP’s portfolio of
product brands. bielak has spent the last two years
as the EVP and General Manager of the bill-to-bill
product line overseeing its integration and ensuring
that the product line’s continued growth.
“The bill-to-bill acquisition has exceeded our
expectations, the team has done a wonderful job”
said James brendel, Chairman of SUZOhAPP. “As
we continue executing our growth strategies, it is
essential to have the right management team and
leadership in place throughout the organization. Sim
has over 25 years of experience in sales, marketing
and product management. We are very excited to
have him in this vital role.”
LAS VEGAS – TCSJohnhuxley,
has made two key
appointments in its Americas
division, to further strengthen
customer service.
Under the direction of Todd
Cravens, CEO – The Americas,
TCSJohnhuxley has seen
exciting growth in this region,
securing a multitude of key
accounts and introducing the
industry’s first Roulette
Technology Center in October. As a result of such
advancements, the company sees the addition of
business Development Manager, Tony Maniscalco
and Internal Sales Representative, Rhonda
Stannard, to further support customers and secure
new business opportunities.
mArYlAnd CASINO INSTALLATION
Interblock has completed the first-ever North
American installation of its newest line of
dealer-assist electronic table games (ETGs) at
Maryland Live! Casino.
tables. These align perfectly with Maryland
Live! Casino's commitment to provide the best
possible gaming experience and its position as a
technology and thought leader in the industry.
The major deal consisted of 56 gaming platforms
with a game mix that included craps, roulette,
and baccarat, along with Diamond Play Stations
that are able to link to live games, giving
Maryland Live! Casino an impressive mix of
electronic table games and incredible flexibility
in configuration and scalability as additional
innovations become available.
Maryland Live! Casino President and CEO Rob
Norton said, "Interblock has been a trusted
vendor for years, and we're thrilled to be the first
North American casino to offer these new
games. The dealer assist game play will be a
unique experience for our players that should be
well received by current and new prospective
players. We know our players will love them."
Additionally, Interblock created a customized
feature for Maryland Live! Casino that not only
adds extra excitement to the premium gaming
experience but also provides a security doublecheck. Interblock's innovation makes it possible
for two customised semi-automated Craps and
Roulette tables to fit closely together, allowing
the two dealers to seamlessly confirm results for
each other. Players roll actual dice, heightening
the excitement, and the interaction between
dealers brings extra energy to players at both
“Interblock is very excited and proud to be
partnering with Maryland Live! on our largestever dealer-assisted game offering," said Rob
Bone, Interblock's President of North America.
"We view Maryland Live! as a key strategic
partner, and we're especially glad to be able to
assist Maryland Live! in creating dynamic player
experiences with this comprehensive mix of
Diamond products. We look forward to bringing
them even more innovative offerings in the
future.”
Las Vegas tourist levels
reach new high,
surpassing 42 million
Nevada
Las Vegas continued its historic
visitation growth, setting
another new record by
surpassing 42m visitors for the
first time. This breaks last
year’s record of 41.1m, which
was the first occasion Vegas
had ever topped 40m.
Boosted by several new nonstop flights, increased
convention attendance
throughout the year, and
several other factors, Las Vegas
will surpass 42m visitors by
the end of the year. The
previous record was set in 2014
with 41.1m visitors. Official
visitation numbers will be
announced in early 2016.
Tourism is the lifeblood of the
Southern Nevada economy and
the Las Vegas Valley
generating more than $50
billion annually and
supporting 366,000 local jobs,
which represents 43 per cent of
employment within Clark
County.
The influx of visitors has had a
positive impact on Nevada ‘s
GGR, which rebounded in
November, allowing the state
and Strip to report their second
monthly increases in six
months.
GGR across Nevada came in at
$944.3m in November,
marking a 7.76 per cent rise on
last year.
The Strip’s GGR increased by
5.38 per cent to $535.6m.
Statewide GGR is up just one
per cent from last year but
increases in non-gaming
revenue streams paint a better
picture of the Strip’s overall
health.
Washington
Lucky Eagle Casino & Hotel
opened a dramatic 16,000
square foot expansion to its
gaming floor on December 30, in
time to celebrate New Year’s Eve
in style. Visitors to the venue in
Rochester in Washington were
be greeted by hundreds of slot
machines in the new gaming
area, part of a major expansion
project that began in February
2015 and is being rolled out in
phases. When phase one of the
casino expansion is completed,
visitors will enjoy a new sports
bar & grill, increased meeting
and entertainment space, and a
new player’s club lounge.
John Setterstrom, Lucky Eagle
said: “The digital column signage
is spectacular, and our guests
will enjoy the new variety of
slots, including those from our
new vendor, Rocket Gaming.”
Merkur Shines on Tigre de Cristal Floor
asia & OcEaNia
PHILIPPINES – Further strengthening its position
in the Asia Pacific gaming marketplace, customer
loyalty solutions company, house Advantage, has
entered into an agreement to deploy its hALo Core
loyalty solution at Tiger Resort Leisure and
Entertainment in Manila, Philippines.
“Tiger Resort is anticipated to be one of the world’s
leading leisure and entertainment destinations, and
we are honored and humbled to have been chosen
to bring our hALo CORE loyalty solutions to the
destination,” said Jon Wolfe, President and CEO.
“hALo is field-proven globally to increase customer
loyalty by actively engaging and rewarding patrons
across their entire resort experience, and we are
confident the hALo suite of products will be
beneficial to Tiger Resort.”
house Advantage’s hALo CORE is a software suite
of patron loyalty technologies. The multi-platform
loyalty marketing solution and its Advanced
Marketing tools create an engaging experience for
the casino patron on and off property, including
loyalty rewards, comps, promos. hALo CORE also
captures player experience and spending behaviors
across all facets of the integrated resort.
VIETNAM – The central city of
Da Nang is now the only place
in Vietnam where international
cruise ships can dock overnight
with onboard casinos legally
open to punters, a local official
has confirmed.
Russia’s largest casino resort– the palatial Tigre de Cristal – featuring more than
600 gaming machines and over 60 casino tables, recently celebrated its Grand
Opening in the Primorsky Krai gaming zone near Vladivostok. The Gauselmann
Merkur Gaming brand is proudly represented on the casino floor of this new
gaming complex with a range of Avantgarde slant top machines
Merkur Gaming’s Alexander Moor
and Tigre de Cristal’s Ian Wood
explain the attraction of the latest
Avantgarde slant top machines
ruSSiA CASINO INSTALLATIONS
“Our partnership with the First Gambling
Company of the East LLC (FGCE) was
established back in February during ICE 2015 in
London,” explained Alexander Moor, Merkur
Gaming Sales Manager (pictured right with Ian
Wood, VP Slots at Tigre de Cristal).
Gaming, these games have proven to be very
popular with our customers, and I am very
happy with the revenue figures we have seen
from the Merkur games. Customers like the
choice of games available and, on most nights,
our Merkur machines are all being played.”
The soft opening of the Tigre de Cristal took
place on October 8, and, after just five weeks,
the Avantgarde Slant Tops have consistently
demonstrated above floor average performance
and with their modern design and wide
selection of games.
Through its local subsidiary, Merkur Rus, the
Gauselmann Group has a strong geographic
advantage in Russia and an important USP, in
terms of market knowledge and service
capability, vis-à-vis its competitors.
In addition to Vladivostok, the company has
also installed Merkur Gaming machines at the
Altai and Asov gaming zones. Further high
profile casinos are to be opened at the new
gaming zones in Sotchi and Kaliningrad during
2016.
“I would like to thank FGCE for collaborating
with Merkur Gaming in such an excellent way.”
Mr. Moor continued. “The Grand Opening in
November clearly demonstrated that
Vladivostok now boasts one of the most modern
casinos in the world. We are proud to be
involved in Tigre de Cristal with our Avantgarde
Slant Top star product.”
Ian Wood, Vice President, Slots at the Tigre de
Cristal is also highly satisfied with the
performance of the new machines: “Since
choosing to open the Tigre de Cristal Casino and
Resort with Avantgarde Slant Tops from Merkur
The department has called on the municipal
administration to allow international cruise vessels
to open their onboard casinos when spending the
night at the city’s Tien Sa Port. “We have reviewed
all relevant legal documents and found no rules that
require foreign ships to close certain services when
docking in Vietnam,” commented deputy director
Tran Chi Cuong.
JAPAN – The Japanese government and the Liberal
Democratic Party have decided not to pass the
Integrated Resort Facilities Promotion bill at the
Ordinary Diet Session beginning this year on
January 4, preferring instead to wait until after the
house of Councilors elections. The bill, which deals
largely with casinos and the gaming industry, would
lift the current ban on casinos.
The Komeito political party, however, remains
cautious over lifting the ban due its potential to
heighten addiction in the island nation. The
government views the bill as a strategic measure to
help stimulate Japan’s precarious economy, but the
legislation is likely to require accompanying
regulations to be effective. A rush to pass the bill
before the house of Councilors election in the
summer of 2016 could affect cooperation between
Japan’s two ruling parties.
Singapore’s casinos see
10 per cent fall in Gross
Gaming Revenue
singapore
Singapore’s casino operators
have seen their GGR fall by 10
per cent to US$ 4.8bn in 2015
with the anti-austerity
crackdown in China and the
value of the Singaporean dollar
against other Asian currencies
both blamed for the decline.
The Singapore casino sector
remains the third biggest in the
world behind Macau and Las
Vegas, but both Marina Bay
“The installation in the Tigre de Cristal is an
important step for our future in Russia. With our
colleagues from Merkur Rus we are represented
locally with a reliable and highly competent
team. We aim to exploit this locational
advantage even more strongly in future as we
make further inroads into the Russian gaming
market,” concluded Markus Wessler, Sales
Director, Merkur Gaming.
Sands and Resorts World
Sentosa were hit hard in 2015.
The decline was expected.
Analysts at Fitch said: “The
anti-corruption crackdown in
China, weaker Indonesian
rupiah and softer regional
economic growth have caused
earnings to plateau.”
Marina Bay Sands saw its
market share increase to 62
per cent in the third quarter
this year, from 49 per cent in
the first quarter of last year.
Fitch said this was ‘driven by
its central location, connection
to the mass transit rail system,
and a brand synonymous with
premium casinos.’ However,
the continued appreciation of
the Singaporean dollar against
other Southeast Asian
currencies has affected the
spending power of tourists on
the gaming floors.
North marianas
Having taken steps towards its
reopening, Tinian Mayor Joey
Patrick San Nicolas remains
hopeful that the casino will
reopen even though the operator
behind Tinian Dynasty Hotel &
Casino filed for bankruptcy on
December 11 and in light of
several ‘wilful and repeat
violations.’ The Tinian Casino
Gaming Control Commission
Tinian Casino Gaming Control
Commission ruled that for the
casino to reopen, there must be a
fully functioning gaming
commission.
Mayor San Nicolas has named
five nominees to the Tinian
Casino Gaming Control
Commission last month: Antonio
SN. Borja, Jose Kiyoshi, Jose Dela
Cruz, David Cing, and Charlene
Lizama.
Star expansion to Rival Barangaroo appeal
asia & OcEaNia
CAMBODIA – NagaWorld is extending the
completion date of its expansion plans from June of
2016 till the end of 2017 so that it can comply with
cultural and technical issues, the company that
operates it, NagaCorp, said in a filing to the hong
Kong Stock Exchange. Its expansion plans include
an entertainment complex called TSCLK and a
walkway with retail stores and a park. “The
adjustment to date of completion is necessary due
to three stop work orders,” the filing said.
These include a “stop work order by the Phnom
Penh City hall and stop work order issued on
November 5, 2015 by the Ministry of Land
Management, Urban Planning & Construction of
Cambodia pertaining to compliance with local
cultural and technical requirements which have
been rectified and works re-commenced
subsequently,” it said.
In early November, Prime Minister hun Sen posted a
warning on his Facebook page to NagaWorld about
what he described as its illegal construction on
public parks and sidewalks. According to its filing
both the company and seller agreed not to proceed
with the development of the Tourist Garden as the
site proposed for it had been allotted on December
11, 2013 by the government to the Ministry of
Environment and Electricité du Cambodge.
It said that the seller will invest $29 million more
[beside the agreed $10 million previously] into
construction of the TSKLK Complex and NagaCity
Walk to comply with local cultural and technical
requirements and the extension of NagaCity Walk.
HONG KONG – betCoin has officially launched its
bitcoin multiplayer poker platform with a recordbreaking bitcoin Poker Freeroll Campaign worth
hundreds of bitcoin.
The multiplayer poker platform comprises a native
hTML5 complete poker suite that displays well on
any device. Within the interface, players can rank up
their profile to gain access to high-value freerolls,
get new custom avatars, adding an exciting layer to
the poker that grants generous rewards for playing
– the leaderboards and rewards pay out for a total
of more than 1 bTC per week.
Players also benefit from Infinite Freedom Freerolls,
Massive Luck Daily Freerolls, Early bird Freerolls, and
a weekly Massive Luck Freeroll. For a limited time
the tables at betCoin will have a 0 per cent rake.
With the addition of multiplayer poker, the online
casino has solidified its position as the bitcoin
Casino with the widest array of games – from their
provably fair casino suite with classics such as
betCoin Circle, to Live Sports, to Live Dealers,
betCoin is showing that the market for bitcoin
casinos is rapidly accelerating its pace to claim the
position as the best – and only – way to gamble
online.
The head-to-head between Australia’s two biggest casino operators is intensifying
once more in Sydney where existing operator Star Entertainment is hoping to
build a 200-metre Ritz-Carlton hotel tower casino opposite Crown Resorts’ future
Barangaroo resort. Star is playing out the last three years of its exclusive casino
licence with the 2019 deadline culminating in the launch of Crown’s high-roller
resort on the opposite side of Darling Harbour.
“The impact this will have on jobs
and opportunities for Sydney
cannot be underestimated.” NSW
Minister for Trade, Tourism and
Major Events, Stuart Ayre
AuStrAliA OPERATIONS
Star has presented plans to tap into the same
VIP Chinese market as Crown and is planning to
partner with Hong Kong-based jewellery
retailer Chow Tai Fook and Far East Consortium,
the operator behind a casino resort in Eastern
Russia. Both are in discussions with Star
Entertainment to expand the Star Casino to a
six-star integrated resort.
The three entities have already partnered for a
joint venture to build a A$3bn casino and resort
in Brisbane at Queens Wharf. The Ritz-Carlton
hotel is likely to be located at the northern end
of The Star’s casino complex.
“We are in discussions with The Ritz-Carlton to
progress branding of the proposed hotel tower,”
a spokesman for The Star said. “We will have a
Ritz-Carlton as part of the Queen’s Wharf
Brisbane project and look forward to the
prospect of a Ritz-Carlton in Sydney. The
affluent Chinese middle class is on the rise and
looking further afield. There’s an opportunity to
capture some of that. In Sydney, occupancy rates
at the high-end are at spillover capacity. There’s
certainly demand that requires supply.”
Crown secured the opportunity of building
Barangaroo with the sole aim of attracting high
rolling Chinese gamblers. Star claimed it would
have gone after the Chinese VIP spend with an
upgrade to its Sydney casino and hotel complex,
similarly to what it is doing in Brisbane,
regardless of whether Crown had pressed ahead
with its Barangaroo plans.
With 4m members, 1.4m VIP members, and a
link with China Travel, which books holidays for
50m mainland Chinese tourists, Chow Tai Fook
is seen as being the ideal partner to bring
Chinese VIPs to Sydney.
The NSW government’s Department of Planning
and Environment confirmed that The Star had
asked for the assessment measures needed to
apply for the new hotel tower.
the December total was ‘about
the best we could hope for in
terms of finishing the year.’
better than expected
December still sees
Macau decline
china
Macau’s casino sector slump
continued for a 19th straight
month of declines in December
although with GGR falling by
21.2 per cent it marked the
smallest year-on-year fall
since last January and was
better than most analyst
expectations.
DS Kim, an analyst at
JPMorgan Chase & Co said that
analysts predictions for the
decline were pitched between
20 and 28 per cent.
Grant Govertsen, an analyst
with Union Gaming Group, said
He warned of further declines
ahead in the coming year,
forecasting a VIP gross gaming
revenue decline of 12 percent.
“Our estimates contemplate
continued demand weakness,
which will likely be
exacerbated by pressures on
the regulatory front,” he said.
The full year saw GGR fall by
34.3 per cent to 231bn patacas
(US$29bn) with around $45bn
being wiped off the share value
of the six concessionaires.
Aaron Fischer, an analyst at
CLSA, said: “Macau has seen
much greater pain in 2015 than
everyone expected at the
beginning of the year.”
Having generated around
seven times more than Las
Vegas’ casinos in 2014, Macau
now earns around 4.6 times
more than its American rival.
vietnam
Crown International Games
Club, a casino on the beach in
Vietnam, is challenging much
bigger Asian casinos for a slice
of the Chinese VIP sector with
analysts claiming its VIP
turnover has reached $3bn a
month more than double that at
properties such as Solaire in the
Philippines, NagaCorp in
Cambodia and Genting
Highlands in Malaysia.
Located in Danang, Crown,
owned by Chinese businessman
Hui Kong, is about to double its
quota of hotel rooms via a
$600m redevelopment that will
add a JW Marriott-branded
hotel and a duty free shopping
mall to an expanded casino. It is
already adjoined to the Crowne
Plaza.
asia & OcEaNia
International gaming giant,
Novomatic, puts its weight and
backing behind the Macao
Gaming Show 2016
mAcAu EXhIbITIONS
novomatic Chooses Macao gaming Show
TASMANIA – The VIP upgrades sweeping through
the Australian casino sector have reached the
island state of Tasmania where a proposed A$70m
redevelopment is heralding a new chapter in the
long and proud history of Wrest Point in Tasmania;
Australia’s first ever casino.
Federal Group CEO and Managing director Greg
Farrell said the project will invigorate Wrest Point as
a centre of entertainment and inspire a new
generation of visitors.
“The redevelopment will establish Wrest Point as
Australia’s greatest boutique entertainment
destination; returning the focus to our prime
waterfront location, with dedicated performance
spaces, high quality dining outlets that champion
Tasmanian produce, and recreate the excitement of
casino gaming,” he said.
Mr. Farrell said it would create a whole new look and
feel to Wrest Point, and create about 100 new jobs.
Key features include public access to a boulevard
walkway around the waterfront, connecting with
the Sandy bay Road pathway, allowing recreational
use of Wrest Point’s waterfront parklands.
There would also be five new dining outlets and
more bars, set to be iconic venues that promote
Tasmanian produce, such as seafood, steak,
whiskey and cool climate wines.
There would be a new focus on products and
services that continue to build on already
exceptional growth in Asian visitor numbers,
including a high-quality Asian restaurant
overlooking the Derwent River.
Upgrades would be made to the iconic birdcage
bar, transforming it into an island venue at the
centre of the property.
Following the recent Macao Gaming Show
(MGS) Novomatic announced its intention to
take the lead in making a decision which
currently all major companies that exhibit each
year in Macau are facing: Namely, choosing one
or the other of the two current annual Macau
shows as the ideal vehicle for the promotion of
the company’s B2B objectives. Following a
period of evaluation, Novomatic has made its
decision to commit to the Macao Gaming Show
for the next three years.
The recent Macao Gaming Show (MGS) provided
an excellent opportunity for NOVOMATIC,
working once again in close co-operation with
its trusted Asian partners, Jade Entertainment
and Gaming Technologies, Inc. and their partner
in Macau, Laxino Systems Ltd., to demonstrate
its wide horizons across the Asian market
segment. The show attracted a wide spectrum of
visitors not just from its own home market but
also from far and wide across the Asian region.
With a broad range of Novomatic products being
demonstrated to an enthusiastic audience on
the joint stand of Laxino and Jade Gaming there
was significant news for the many followers of
the Austrian company’s steady progress in
Asian markets. Significantly, Novomatic now
has Macau standards approvals in place, with
DICJ approval for the NOVO LINE game pack,
and Jade Gaming’s CEO, Joe Pisano, was
confidently expecting to see several new
product placements in major properties during
SkyCity wants
February start date for
Adelaide expansion
australia
The overhaul would see the transition from three
dispersed gaming areas, to a single gaming space
which heroes the excitement of table gaming and
has its own bar and entertainment area. A large
skylight feature over the main gaming floor would
provide views of the iconic Wrest Point tower,
ensuring the gaming room is a naturally-lit, lightfilled space.
SkyCity wants to start
construction work on the
A$300m expansion of its
Adelaide Casino in February, to
be completed by the end of
2018. The redevelopment will
include a 80-room hotel on the
banks of the River Torrens,
gaming suites for international
VIP players and signature
restaurants.
The expansion would add a private VIP gaming
room, with a focus on international visitors and
waterfront views. The Casino and entertainment
entry is designed as a seamless transition from the
outdoor walkway, with a vibrant, edgy and lightfilled foyer with an interior garden Mr Farrell said
Federal Group would need to extend its gaming
licence in order to deliver on the proposed
redevelopment.
The Torrens footbridge will lead
into a tunnel entrance to the
Adelaide Railway Station, the
casino will be expanded and a
$610m plaza upgrade will see
the addition of a 24-storey
office tower, restaurants, cafes,
bars, shops and a 1560-space
underground car park.
the coming months. Next year’s Macao Gaming
Show 2016 will retain its traditional position on
the annual trade show calendar, from 15-17
November, a date that places the show at a
comfortable timely distance from G2E Las
Vegas for visitors from across the entire Asian
region and beyond.
International trade shows are often described as
the ‘lifeblood’ of the gaming industry, providing
clear opportunities for exhibiting companies not
only to display their latest product innovations
but also to meet with both existing and potential
customers. But, in a time of cost consciousness,
it is clear that making a choice between the two
events currently based in Macau (a market that
is now universally acknowledged to only
require one show per year) is on the current
agenda of the majority.
Therefore, Novomatic has taken the decision to
swing its weight behind MGS, based purely on
an extensive evaluation of visitor demand as
well as future growth potential and market
significance of the trade show.
The company has opted for a three year
commitment to exhibit together with its Asian
partners but with its own show presence at the
Macao Gaming Shows 2016-2018. Novomatic
CEO Harald Neumann: "I believe that Novomatic
has once again taken an industry lead by
making a correct and well informed choice to
support MGS with a three year commitment.”
Sky City’s Managing Director,
Nigel Morrison, believes the
expansion will greatly enhance
SkyCity’s appeal to VIP
gamblers from Asia. “They love
wine, they love Grange, they
love Magill Estate, they love
golf and they love the
weather,” he said. “Developing
a complex that boasts
luxurious VIP facilities along
with outstanding
accommodation and signature
dining experiences attracts
both international and
domestic visitors. Our
Adelaide Casino development
will help South Australia
attract a greater share of highvalue international visitors,
particularly from China and
South-East Asia. This
development will help
transform Station Road into a
true entertainment precinct,
and SKYCITY’s investment will
create much-needed jobs and
economic growth.”
india
The Government of
Maharashtra will vote next
month on whether to
introduce casino gaming to
Mumbai, the capital of
Maharashtra, a state of 112m
people, by enforcing
legislation approved 40
years ago.
The draft bill was approved
by the Legislative Assembly
and published in July, 1976,
but has since been pushed to
one side and forgotten about.
The hidden legislation was
discovered by a student at
West bengal National
University of Juridical
Sciences. The only legislation
before this was the bombay
Prevention of Gambling Act
1887 that banned all
gambling except lotteries
and horse racing.
Insight
GermAnY Gauselmann Group
Gauselmann
Group secures
S
future in Family Foundation
Paul Gauselmann,
Chairman, Gauselmann Group.
As sole shareholder of the
Gauselmann Group, the
Gauselmann Family Foundation
will in future take the key strategic
decisions needed to assure the
group’s ongoing commercial
success and determine its
strategic orientation. The
Foundation’s Advisory board and
initially the Foundation’s board of
Directors as well will be made up
predominantly of family members
so as to demonstrate an
unequivocal commitment on the
part of the Gauselmann family to
the company and the region. The
Foundation’s Advisory board not
only comprises members of the
founding generation and their
direct successors, but also
members of their grandchildren’s
generation. Alongside sons
Michael, Armin and Karsten
Gauselmann, the daughters of the
eldest son, Janika and Sonja
Gauselmann, as well as three close
associates of the family, will also
have a seat and vote on the
Advisory board.
The Gauselmann family: Michael, Karsten, Sonja , Karin, Paul, Janika and Armin Gauselmann
To secure its continued existence for forthcoming generations, the Gauselmann
Group, founded by Paul Gauselmann, will in future operate under the mantle of a
‘Gauselmann Family Foundation,’ which came into effect on January 1, 2016
In the course of its almost 60-year story of success,
the family business for which Paul Gauselmann laid
the foundation stone in 1957 has developed from a
one-man operation into an internationally operating
group in the entertainment industry with over 9,000
employees and a business volume in excess of two
billion euros.
In establishing a company foundation, the family
members who are shareholders are expressing the
desire to keep the entire group firmly in the hands of
the family and ensure its sustainable commercial viability. “We are motivated in this by the desire not only
to secure the future of our company for the next few
years, but to give the entire group a real long-term vision for generations to come,” said Paul Gauselmann.
As a consequence of this decision, the owners, Paul
Gauselmann and his wife Karin Gauselmann as well
as the three sons Michael, Armin and Karsten, who
between them hold 100% of the group’s shares, have
each incorporated their respective shares into the
foundation. However, although they have relinquished their direct interest in the company, they will
as members of the Foundation Advisory Board continue to exert a decisive influence over the foundation’s fortunes and determine the leadership of the
whole corporate group. “Our aim is to continue to be a
strong bulwark of the economy in this region and like
this give our many thousands of employees a secure
future. It is particularly important to us as a major
employer and valued training company to be able to
offer career prospects to generations of as many people in our home region as possible,” Armin Gauselmann says.
Transferring the shares of the current shareholders of
the Gauselmann Group into the Family Foundation
also precludes the risk of the company becoming
fragmented if one owner were to sell his or her shares
and ensures the company will continue to be run in its
present form. “Here we have been driven by the
recognition that this will ensure the unity of the
P42 NEWSWIRE
/ INTERACTIVE / 247.COM
N
Gauselmann Group for many generations to come and
that the company has the ability to continue as a
going concern under either family or external management,” says Michael Gauselmann.
However, this sustainable Family Foundation will not
only benefit the companies within the Gauselmann
Group along with their employees. Social commitment continues to be a focus. Thus the “Paul and
Karin Gauselmann Foundation” with endowment
capital of 10 million euros, which promotes and supports a variety of cultural and social projects in and
around the Altkreis Lübbecke district, will in future
within the scope of the planned annual dividend payment receive the same financial support from the
company foundation as each of the four lines of the
family, enabling it to accomplish its mission in the region through even more initiatives that benefit the
local community. “For us it has always been an affair
of the heart to give something back to the region and
share our corporate success with the local population,
and in doing so make this pleasant and attractive region even more appealing,” says Karin Gauselmann.
The creation of the foundation protects the company
against unforeseeable financial burdens and resulting
inheritance tax issues triggered by the sudden death
of shareholders. In the worst case, this could even
jeopardise the continued existence of the company.
The foundation by no means avoids inheritance tax
entirely, as it is subject to substitute inheritance and
gift tax every 30 years. The advantage is, however, that
the related financial burden for the group can be better planned. Currently, gift tax will be levied on the
share transfer to the foundation. The advantage here
is that this burden can be shouldered by the current
management.
The Family Foundation is managed by the three-person Foundation Board, whose Chairman is Paul
Gauselmann, with Armin Gauselmann as Deputy
Chairman. The third member of the Board is Manfred
Stoffers.
Insight
uS Daily Fantasy Sports
Daily
Fantasy Sports
S
continues to polarise opinion
david boies,
DraftKings Counsel,
Chairman of Boies
“The Attorney General’s office still
does not understand fantasy
sports. Like the NYAG original
complaint, the lawsuit is based on
the fundamental
misunderstanding of fantasy
sports competitions. Originally, the
NYAG claimed that daily fantasy
sports were illegal gambling
because they were games of
chance. That was disproven. Now,
the NYAG complains that DFS
contests are so much contests of
skill that some advertising is
misleading because, the NYAG
says, certain ads imply that DFS
contests are games of chance. This
claim, too, is baseless.”
DraftKings and FanDuel
are believed to have
taken more than
$200m in entry fees in
2015 from at least
600,000 customers in
New York state
New York and California are moving in opposite directions on Daily Fantasy
Sports with one looking to legalise the fledgling sector while the other is
demanding the restitution of funds from companies operating in the sector
The California Assembly Governmental Organisation
Committee has now approved proposals to allow
California companies to offer fantasy sports once they
have been licensed by the California Department of
Justice. Each licensed operator will have to pay an
annual regulatory fee, to be deposited in the Fantasy
Sports Fund, in an amount to be determined by DOJ,
for the reasonable costs of license oversight,
consumer protection, state regulation and problem
gambling programs.
Assemblyman Adam Gray, D-Merced, the bill’s author,
said: “Millions of our constituents in California are
participating in this activity right now, today,
unprotected. Nothing in place to guard against some
of dangers we know exist. We have an obligation to
move forward.”
Far from moving forwards though, policymakers
across North America are moving in opposite
directions with some states moving to prohibit the
activity labelling it as a form of illegal gambling.
Legislators in Nevada have classed Daily Fantasy
Sports as gambling, ordering websites to stop
operating. In New York, attorney general Eric
Schneiderman has gone further, filing a lawsuit
against DraftKings and FanDuel, demanding the two
leading DFS players reinstate any money made in
New York State, to the customers who lost it and pay a
fine of up to $5,000 per case. FanDuel and DraftKings
let people pick different lineups of sports stars each
week and are the largest players in this sector.
DraftKings and FanDuel are believed to have taken
more than $200m in entry fees in 2015 from at least
600,000 customers in the state.
A statement from FanDuel commented: “As we have
previously iterated, FanDuel remains committed to
offering our fantasy contests to the Yankees, Mets,
Jets, Giants, Bills, Knicks, Nets, Rangers, Islanders and
P44 NEWSWIRE
N
Sabres fans that comprise the great state of New York
and love fantasy sports, be it season-long or daily. As
one of New York’s fastest growing startup companies,
we are thoroughly disappointed in the Attorney
General’s ongoing actions and will fight this meritless,
amended suit until fantasy sports are safeguarded for
all sports fans.”
Mr. Schneiderman claimed the company’s use of
deposit bonuses was a ‘convoluted scheme.’ He
highlighted how DraftKings would typically offer an
amount, for example, a $600 deposit bonus that
would in fact only give the customer $24 back. The
total amount of $600 would only materialise after the
customer had invested $15,000 on the site.
The disparity in how different states are handling DFS
is being caused by differences in opinion in whether
the practice is gambling or skill-based.
In California, Assemblyman Marc Levine claims the
activity is a form of gambling. “This is gambling,” he
said. “There’s no doubt about it. Let’s not fool
ourselves. An entry fee is a wager; cash prizes are
gambling winnings; daily fantasy sports companies
are bookies.”
The subject of DFS also arose at the Consumer
Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Mark Cuban, owner of
the Dallas Mavericks owner and an investor in a DFS
startup called Fantasy Labs, claimed ‘you have to be
an idiot’ to think playing DFS games was anything
like sports betting or poker.
“The only people who think it’s gambling, as opposed
to skill, are people who haven’t played or people who
have other political agendas, because that’s also very
important these days,” he argued. “People pay
Fantasy Labs a lot of money to do analytics for daily
fantasy sports. If it was gambling like the lottery, you
wouldn’t need to do that. You would just play the
game and take your chances.”
MEMBERSHIP NEWS
AGEM
AGem Key board of directors Actions
l AGEM members recently voted Officers to the Board for the next 12-month term.
These include First Vice President Dan Savage, Scientific Games; Second Vice
President David Lucchese, Everi; Vice President Of Government Relations Steve
DiMasi, IGT; Secretary Mark Dunn, Aristocrat; Treasurer Tom Nieman, JCM Global;
Co-General Counsel Harper Ko, Scientific Games, and Co-General Counsel Daron
Dorsey, Ainsworth. Daron Dorsey was the only new officer voted in, and takes over
from Mike Dreitzer, also from Ainsworth.
memberShiP newS
MEMBER PROFILE
l
company / Casino Technology
Web address / www.casino-technology.com
agEm membership level / Silver
description / The leading Bulgaria-based licensed
manufacturer CASINO TECHNOLOGY proudly stands in the
league of game changers within the global gaming industry.
With products licensed in more than 50 gaming
jurisdictions on five continents, Casino Technology’s
products deliver innovation and excellence to thousands of
satisfied customers and users around the world.
New products for 2016 / CASINO TECHNOLOGY is a pioneer
in the convergence between offline and online gaming
through its system suite for multichannel gaming ‘THE BIG
5.’ The all-in-one suite combines five sophisticated systems
RHINO, BUFFALO, ELEPHANT, LEOPARD and LION with a
variety of management tools and compelling casino content.
The open architecture, user dedicated options and advanced
features of RHINO Casino Management System and
BUFFALO Universal Jackpot Server offer operators with the
opportunity to improve slot floor performance and control,
retain patrons and attract new customers, and measure the
marketing and operation costs – a mighty advantage
recognised by leading casino operation groups in Eastern
Europe, Asia and Africa.
Alternative Gaming Solutions, ALTO GAMING, is a Nevadabased corporation founded in 2011 to bring innovation to the
industry through refreshing and cost-effective products.
Alto Gaming offers gaming solutions and full range of
equipment for casinos (class III) to the US and emerging
markets including gaming machines, video slot games,
jackpot signs, displays, multiplayer terminals and systems.
l
l
l
AGEM members approved a $15,000 contribution to the European Casino
Association. This will be split as $10,000 towards sponsorship of the European
Dealer Championships, the finals event being staged in May 2016 and $5000
towards sponsorship of the International Casino Conference being held during ICE
on 1st February 2016. AGEM’s Executive Director, Marcus Prater will be taking part
in a panel discussion on Developments in Online Gaming in the US, at this event.
In preparation of The Bermuda Casino Gaming Commission awarding up to three
casino licences, it has approached AGEM to assist with writing new regulations
that would govern suppliers in the market. AGEM members approved $30,000 in
legal services for the support of the development of these “best practice”
regulations that could serve as a unique model of industry cooperation and
possibly reduce the regulatory burden on suppliers.
After an 18-month process, SB9 technical standards governing variable-payback
slots that allow for skill-based gaming and other new features, becomes final on
25h January 2016. This now will give game developers the framework they need to
create new types of skill-based games. This was the first time AGEM has worked
so closely with the Nevada Gaming Commission and regulators on something of
this scale, which will undoubtedly have wide-ranging benefits for the industry.
AGEM welcomed two new members to the group in the January meeting, bringing
the total membership count to 149. Gameco, based in in New York City have been
voted in as Bronze members and Media Resources International, as Associate
members.
events and Activities
l Members recently voted to support three very worthy corporations with
donations of $5000 each. Go Red For Women luncheon, will be held on 25th
February in Las Vegas, supporting funding for Heart Disease which is the number
1 killer of women in the US; the Western Indian Gaming Conference, being held at
Harrah’s Southern California, on 9th-11th February and the Midwest Conference
on Problem Gambling and Substance Abuse, running from 22nd-24th of June in
Kansas City.
AGEM INDEX
The gaming equipment
manufacturing sector posted a
positive performance in 2015 as the
GEM Index improved by 15.47 points
(+8.5 per cent) year-over-year to
197.32, which represents the third
consecutive month of year-over-year
growth. Compared to November 2015,
the index reported an increase of 2.99
points (+1.5 per cent) in the final
month of the year. In December, six of
the 14 global gaming equipment
manufacturers reported month-tomonth gains in stock price, with one
up by nearly 15 per cent. Of the eight
manufacturers reporting declines in
stock price during the month, five
were down by five percent or more,
with two down by 10 percent or more.
AGEM is an international trade association representing manufacturers of electronic gaming devices, systems, and components for the
gaming industry. The Association works to further the interests of gaming equipment manufacturers throughout the world. Through
political action, tradeshow partnerships, information dissemination and good corporate citizenship, the members of AGEM work together
to create benefits for every company within the organization. Together, AGEM and its member organisations have assisted regulatory
commissions and participated in the legislative process to solve problems and create a positive business environment.
Preview S
ict tOtAllY GAminG 2016
Modular and super fast
astrosystem’s range
Validation experts, Astrosystems, will
be featuring its portfolio of currency
and TITO solutions at the ICE London
ICE is undoubtedly one of the most important
shows in the calendar for Astrosystems Ltd, and
offers a number of huge benefits. It is an
excellent opportunity to discuss business with
existing accounts, introduce their services to
new prospects, and attain an unparalleled
insight into future trends in the gaming
industry. With such a substantial footfall, it is
also an ideal platform for which to launch new
products and concepts. This year, Astrosystems
Ltd will be at the ICE exhibition on Stand
Number N3-200 (2nd to 4th February 2016) at
the Excel, London.
In what remains as challenging market
conditions in Europe and further afield,
Astrosystems Ltd have continued to progress
and penetrate into new sectors, whilst
maintaining, and in many cases improving, their
share in core markets, having secured a number
of new, high-volume customers, both at OEM
and component distribution level.
The GBA ST2 stackerless note acceptor is
gaining further traction in the gaming and
betting sectors, and the high-speed, ultrareliable Microcoin QL coin validator has secured
its place as a leading choice for OEMs.
TITO (Ticket in, Ticket out) is more relevant now
than it was 12 months ago, particularly in the
area of street gaming. Astrosystems are already
in a good position to accommodate this trend, as
all of the GBA range supports the acceptance of
universal standard barcodes; the costeffectiveness of the GBA ST2 solution being of
particular interest to top-tier slot machine
manufacturers.
Alongside the Microcoin QL and GBA ST2,
Astrosystems will be displaying the unique and
modular GBA GV1 note vault, and the versatile
Microcoin SP coin acceptor - another product
flourishing in the betting terminal marketplace,
whilst the compact GBA ST1-C note stacker is
for more amusement-oriented applications.
Allied to this, Astrosystems will presenting the
Microcoin H2S, a revolutionary four-way coin
sorter for the Microcoin QL, which will supply
the market with the first truly high speed
multiple sorting option.
Astrosystems are confident that the Microcoin
H2S four-way sorter will open new avenues in a
significant number of territories. Also, as
always, they will continue to focus on new
potential markets and sectors, and proceed with
further product development in order to provide
the customers, current and prospective, with an
even greater offering.
P48 NEWSWIRE
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Hitting the translations jackpot
Jackpot Translation is the newest addition to the translate plus group, and as a
specialist in providing localisation services to the betting and gaming industry,
understand the importance of regulatory challenges, time-to-market and reducing
costs, to create tailored solutions with substantial results
Jackpot Translation is focused on delivering
technologically innovative services, allowing
our clients to interact with new markets
worldwide. Across mobile apps, HTML5 games,
subtitling, audio, website localisation, SEO and
more, we help our global clients to increase
revenue, create engaging marketing campaigns
and produce user-friendly gameplay for their
multilingual customers.
We support hundreds of gaming clients, such as
Net Entertainment, Kambi, Unibet, Betsson,
Williams Interactive, betboo.com, iSoftBet,
GTECH, SkillOnNet and Gaming VC to name a
few. Whether it’s casino, poker, slots, sports
betting, spread betting, bingo or console games,
Jackpot Translation will make it happen. Our
efficient processes and cutting-edge technology
solutions enable our clients to manage their
projects with ease, security and transparency —
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Our clients benefit from software built in-house,
such as:
l
l
i plus – our unique translation management
system (TMS), centralising all translation
requirements and maintaining brand
consistency irrespective of the language.
design plus – our cloud-based tool enabling
Kiron interactive to
unveil expanded
portfolio at iCe 2016
Kiron Interactive is to showcase a host of new games at
this year’s ICE Totally Gaming
2016 which will provide its
customers with the most
comprehensive virtual sports
package on the market. The
specialist supplier, which has
now been an established
player in the industry for 15
years, boasts a rapidly expanding portfolio that includes significant upgrades to
their popular horseracing and
dog racing products, which
now come with the addition
of new race tracks. Added this
year is a brand new jumps
game designed specifically
for the UK market.
Kiron’s team will also be
demonstrating their brand
new 3-pointer shootout basketball game and an Indystyle motor racing game,
which is already proving popular among motorsport fans
around the world. So too is an
users to edit INDD files without the need for
expensive InDesign licences.
l
buzz plus – our 24-hour social media
localisation tool, where posts can go live in 30
minutes or less.
We’re also ISO 17100 certified, so our clients
never have to gamble with translation quality.
Our ever-growing team of experienced gamingspecific linguists know the industry inside and
out and can adapt any content to make it
accessible on a global scale. Their knowledge
means all multi-language and multi-national
jurisdiction requirements will be met, even
within tight deadlines.
The translate plus group is a Global Top 50
translation provider, helping some of the world’s
largest brands to reach their customers in any
language and any medium. We offer a full range
of services, including translation, bespoke
language technology, content authoring,
machine translation, social media localisation,
interpreting, desktop publishing, transcription
and voiceover, in over 200 languages.
We’re exhibiting at ICE, stand S2-100. Come
along and visit us for more information on how
we can help you engage with your international
customer base!
upgraded Fantastic League
football product, through
Kiron’s renewed partnership
with VSoftCo. This includes a
completely revamped game,
using motion capture, to deliver upgraded graphics and
animations, as well as a new
league based format with exciting real time game play
that gives players an authentic football experience.
server (RGS) version of their
popular bet management
system, BetMan Online. The
latter allows online operators
access to the full suite of sport
and numbers games, as well
as a high frequency of scheduled events to ensure their
players have to wait no longer
than a minute to bet on the
action via the large variety of
markets.
On top of that there are high
hopes for the company’s
launch of a new archery
game, in association with
Fluid Games, as well as boxing, thanks to a deal with fellow virtual supplier VIP.
In recent months Kiron’s Betman retail solution has also
been upgraded in order to
meet the demands of modern
retail customers in traditional
betting shops and land-based
casinos. So too has their Vision System, which maximises in-shop screen retail
estate by displaying, on two
screens, five virtual events at
a time, as well the odds for
forthcoming betting opportunities using a split-screen solution. Kiron will also be
unveiling its brand new Quad
Display System allowing operators to display four concurrent events on a single
screen for a selection of different virtual sports.
As well as virtual sports,
Kiron has designed a new
range of virtual numbers
games with appeal to both
land-based and online customers. In London they will
be showcasing their new virtual roulette product, Spin
and Win, which will sit alongside their popular Keno game.
The entire portfolio of game
content will be available via
Kiron’s new remote game
egT has prepared a
spectacular display
for the iCe show 2016
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ICE Totally Gaming 2016 will mark the
12th consecutive participation of
Bulgaria’s Euro Games Technology in
the biggest and most prestigious
international event on the calendar
For this year’s show at its booth S3-330 the
company will re-create its intriguing gaming
world. Almost 200 player stations await visitors,
offering a diverse slot, multiplayer and
interactive experience; a dive into the
functionalities of the CMS Spider and a palette
of numerous different games of vivid graphics
and high performing math models.
“This year EGT will have its largest booth of over
830 sq. m, the widest selection of machines and
the most thrilling premieres ever,” shared
Stanislav Stanev, Sales and Marketing Director
of EGT. “Having said that, I remember last year’s
ICE show and the ones before that and for the
last 12 years we have had bigger stands, debuted
more products and enriched our gaming choice.
Therefore, this exhibition represents our
sustainable growth and advancement across
our product development timeline. This makes
it a true barometer of EGT’s success.”
For this year’s ICE show EGT has planned a lot
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of surprises at its booth. The slot division of the
company has saved its latest and most advanced
developments for the event and will unveil its
largest ever line-up of premieres - five different
cabinet models, a new jackpot system and
several captivating multi-games.
Every visitor will find the perfect match for their
casino, choosing between the debuting upright
and slant top slot machines and the multitude
of gaming titles. The key product novelties will
stand side-by-side with the already popular
Premier models P-24/24 Up and P-27/27 St Slim
and the Egypt Quest, Cat 4 Cash, Diamond Life
and Lady’s Cards jackpot systems. VLT and
AWP cabinets of EGT, designed for a number of
markets, will also take their central place at
booth S3-330.
The multiplayer solutions of Euro Games
Technology will add to the gaming diversity,
accentuating the Luxury touch-screen roulette
tables, the Premier automated roulettes, the
STORK terminal in different configurations,
including with a bingo machine, and the
Premier Union-1, Rigel series and server-based
multi-games.
The interactive division of EGT will let players
experience the pleasures of gaming and the
efficiency of running an online casino for the
operators, presenting an extensive range of 12
new titles to the currently existing 70, as well as
the recently developed internet-based casino
platform that includes a wide range of
functionalities, which is optimised for fast and
hassle-free connection.
The casino management system Spider will also
be demonstrated to visitors. It has all the
necessary tools for day-to-day management of
gaming establishments and ensures a clear
view of the internal processes to the operator.
Spider has a user-friendly interface, requires
only a simple IT infrastructure and is flexible to
be customised to each individual case.
Preview S
Technology supplier
a Bet a is diversifying
from its core range with
additional sports at iCe
To meet demand and tailor services accordingly,
A Bet A has developed a cost-effective sports
platform that caters to the needs of betting
brands both large and small. They will also be
showcasing Apple/Android apps that are the
measure of anything currently on the market.
A Bet A’s tailored solution was in evidence last
month when they provided leading Asian brand
Dafabet with a full betting shop experience at
the Masters Snooker tournament at London’s
Alexandra Palace. Snooker fans were able to bet
on all the action at the prestigious, invitationonly event, as well as racing, football, and other
live sports as they took place around the world.
The pop-up shop took advantage of A Bet A’s
new betting shop display which finally removes
the discrepancy between the odds shown on the
tills and the customer’s screen. These Smart
Screens prevent the sort of latency issues that
have plagued the retail industry for years,
becoming a major cause of customer
dissatisfaction. They are currently being rolled
out to clients who currently use the company’s
EPOS systems, with which they dovetail. But
they we are also getting enquiries from further
afield and will be able to integrate them into the
systems of other companies.
Another product proving popular with A Bet A’s
clients is the Punter’s Jackpot, a brand new
virtual racing-based pool bet designed to boost
retail revenue streams. Launched in association
with Kiron Interactive, this Superfecta product
is available in licensed betting offices every 15
minutes throughout the trading day, providing
customers with the chance to win a prize
expected to reach around £15,000. Those
placing a £1 bet on the first four horses in 14runner races on Kiron’s Dashing Derby virtual
racing will scoop or share the winnings, with
jackpots rolling over if they are not claimed.
Pool betting is a specialism of A Bet A’s too. They
recently implemented a deal to allow
bookmakers around the world to bet directly
into the UK tote pool. The system has also been
adapted to allow bookmakers to run their own
bespoke pools too, which gives customers
immense flexibility when considering parimutuel style wagering opportunities on a
variety of different real and virtual sports. The
new pools functionality also extends to running
lotteries on any scale. But this expertise spreads
far beyond the system’s traditional heartlands,
however, as an exciting forthcoming deal for the
company in Africa will demonstrate shortly. To
find out more why not visit them on stand S1310 at ICE.
P50 N
adding its own unique ‘Spin’ on iCe
Spintec brings new solutions for roulette, baccarat and sico bo to ICE 2016. And, for
the first time, Spintec will display two new games and new multi-player solutions
ICE 2016 will be the milestone, where Spintec is
going to present new product portfolio and
market orientation. A renowned manufacturer
of Karma Roulette is now presenting solutions
for dice games - Sic Bo, card games – Baccarat
and Multi Player solutions, where players can
enjoy playing different games at the same
terminal.
“With automation of Sic Bo and Baccarat,
strategical steps into automation of all live
games has been taken. All games and all gaming
solutions are characterized with benefits of
Karma brand, which are a result of a market
analysis of customer‘s needs and gaming habits,
profound technical studies, as well as the
demands and the requirements of casino
operators.” said Igor Lombar, the CEO of Spintec.
An innovative feature of Sic Bo and Baccarat
intensifies the adrenalin effect by the player. A
great technical stability of the products is
appreciated by the casino operators. Other
distinctive features of Karma product line are:
unbeatable comfort designed for and around the
player, intuitive interface for the ease of play,
extreme modularity and custom-made designs.
Comfort of the player and simplicity of the user
interface translates into longer gaming sessions,
which in turn translates into higher casino
income. Modularity allows operators the
Optimove drives players to
spend faster, spend more and
stay longer on stand n4-304
The Optimove Customer Marketing Cloud
maximises customer spend, retention and
lifetime value by streamlining the execution
of effective, personalized, multi-channel
customer interactions. Working with the
leading brands in online gaming, Optimove
has been helping operators around the world
grow their business through their existing
players. Our clients include AMAYA,
Bwin.party, 888, Green Tube, Scientific
Games, Sporting Bet and many more.
Optimove is a Customer Marketing Cloud
designed to empower marketing teams to
engage with increasingly segmented and
personalised customer-groups through
multi-channel campaigns. Optimove
combines the power of data with a robust
multi-channel campaign automation engine
in order to help brands understand customer
behavior and then capitalize on customer
insights by sending personalized
engagement messages. The Optimove
backend is a leading data analytics tool that
parses behavioral patterns and KPI
measurements to form a predictive view of
customer behavior. The frontend executes
automated marketing and communication
campaigns for segments against a control
group.
freedom to adapt and optimise the floor
portfolio with gaming solutions, whenever the
need for additional terminals or additional
games is required. Custom-made design offers
the possibility of choosing unique colors and
materials to match interior of every casino.
Karma line consists of fully automated games,
virtual solutions, live solutions and connection
to live games for Roulette, Sic Bo and
Baccarat.Spintec will welcome you at booth S7140.
gOLden RaCe ReTURnS TO
LOndOn wiTH KnOCK OUT
newS and FigHTing SPiRiT
Do not miss the premier showing of the latest
addition to Golden Race’s winning suite of
games: REAL Fighting. MMA-based, real video
action fighting, featuring 16 professional fighters
in intense five round combats across three
fantasy themed fighting stages - provide players
with REAL Fighting and real odds from Golden
Race’s expert bookmakers.
The Golden Race booth is full of surprises including a LIVE exhibition of REAL fighters.
Find us at booth S2-340 at ICE 2016 in Excel,
London, February 2-4, and experience the REAL
LIVE version of the new game - REAL Fighting.
And that is not the only explosive new
development from Golden Race. Visit the booth
to see additional upcoming games: 3D Virtual
Tennis, pre-recorded Kart Racing, and a unique
new numbers game Perfect 6. And of course,
Golden Race’s existing collection of winning
games will be on display: 3D Virtual Football,
pre-recorded video Dog, Horse, Motorbike and
Speedway Racing action, Keno, Roulette, Poker,
as well as Live streaming Lotto & Keno games.
Discover all the advantages Golden Race offers
its customers at the ICE show, providing both
land-based and online operators with reliable
and cost-effective solutions, building up “one
stop clients” for players, to create successful
lifetime partnerships.
alfastreet is under
starters orders ready
for an amazing iCe
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Alfastreet will take advantage of the
upcoming edition of the London ICE
show in February 2016 to push the bar
even higher than during a very
successful 2015 campaign.
The Alfastreet products that made a big
impression on all the exhibitions in 2015, and
more important on the gaming floors all over
the world, will get further evolutions and
definitive versions at this year’s ICE show. A
logical evolutionary step in design strategies,
acquired knowledge and feedback from
customers worldwide have all flowed into the
new designs at ICE 2016.
Alfastreet is proud to have established very
good connections and partnership with its
clients and business professionals, who
contributed to the future product line to a great
extent. Alfastreet knows it is vital to learn about
and thoroughly know the operators, their needs
and expectations, to define the new designs. The
company boasts extensive insight into the
secrets of the gaming industry, knowing
everything that goes into such ventures, from
mathematical and physical models, to technical
excellence and innovation. Customers have
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supported these efforts, knowing the reputation
and the dedication of everyone involved. They
know that the new products will incorporate all
the characteristics that adorn Alfastreet ETGs
from the very beginning; such as flawless
ergonomics and intuitive, reliable software that
is true to the genuine spirit of the game, and
above all; superior quality and attention to
details.
Royal Derby and a product that will evoke
nostalgic memories and provide a very clever
solution to enhance the casino experience. The
company is confident it will be another success
story, destined to be copied by the competition,
as usually happens with our ideas. The red line
between all the exhibits is the company’s
insistence on top quality solutions both in
design and features.
As aforementioned, everybody involved is very
excited about the upcoming unveiling at the ICE
show, where visitors will witness the premiere
of the definite version of the new Alfastreet slot
machine, another spectacular version of the
Alfastreet wants to extend a warm welcome to
everybody in the industry, to come and join the
company for the 2016 edition of the ICE show,
as it will be something to remember- stand S6130.
Preview S
advantech-innocore showcases
‘gaming intelligence’ at iCe
Three new gaming platform products plus Mini-ITX, COM Express, industrial
touch monitors, curved LCD displays, Flash storage and graphics cards
Cammegh brings the
influence of the
Halo-effect to iCe
Cammegh, manufacturers of the world’s finest
roulette wheels, are set to showcase an
impressive spread at this year’s ICE show in
London. Taking center stage will be the new
Aurora Halo roulette wheel which features a
dazzling display of LED lighting in the ball track
to ramp up excitement at the table. Also making
its debut at the show will be the latest 23”
Billboard screens which now come in an ultraslim design and feature customisable RGB LED
strips.
Joining them will be Cammegh’s increasingly
popular roulette side bet, Spread Bet Roulette.
The side bet brings mini-jackpots and increased
house edge to the roulette table and has already
found great success with installations in the UK,
India and South Africa. Cammegh will also have
a range of their world famous roulette wheels
on the stand, including the Mercury 360, Crystal
Wheel, Slingshot 2 and Connoisseur. Last but
not least will be an array of 27” and 32” single
and double sided Billboard displays as well as
the Eyeball camera technology.
The ICE 2016 show in London looks set to kick
start another exciting year for Cammegh and
the whole team looks forward to welcoming
everyone to stand S7-120.
As the gaming-focused business unit of the $1bn
Advantech Group, Advantech-Innocore stands
alone among hardware suppliers. With its own
manufacturing plants, global logistics and
service centers as well as a leading edge product
roadmap, Advantech-Innocore is able to meet
the most demanding requirements of our
customers in the gaming industry. The company
has an extensive portfolio of standard hardware
products based on both Intel and AMD chipsets
and offers supporting software products and
utilities. The expert design team also delivers
some of the most sophisticated custom designs
for gaming industry OEMs who require a gaming
platform designed to their exact specifications.
“GAMING INTELLIGENCE”
At the upcoming ICE tradeshow (Advantech
stand number N2-160) , the company’s theme is
“Gaming Intelligence”. “This theme aptly
encompasses our products, our knowledge of
the industry and our added value hardware and
software solutions” commented Craig Stapleton
Advantech’s Product Director. “Our standard
products provide customers with the latest
technology in the form of gaming specific
hardware platforms for the intelligent heart of
today’s sophisticated slot machines.
Our expert team has over 15 years’ experience in
the industry and can help customers with the
design in process. Our range of software
solutions add further intelligence with functions
such as media validation, SAS networking,
security and diagnostics. Finally for customers
requiring custom-designed products we can add
intelligence in the form of custom FPGA and
additional micro-controllers with custom
firmware for sophisticated security, control and
supervisory functions.”
Advantech-Innocore will be showing a full
range of industrial computing platforms for
gaming machines - the field proven DPX Series,
as well as a selection of products from
Advantech’s other product divisions. Products
on display will include platforms featuring the
latest AMD, and Intel chipsets, and other
embedded computing products. Industrial
motherboards and modules in a variety of
formats will be on display including Mini-ITX,
COM Express and MicroATX.
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Advantech’s growing line of industrial LCD
monitor products from ADS (Advantech Display
Systems) will also be shown. With screen sizes
available from 7 inches up to 55 inches and
beyond, the ADS range includes the latest
technology products for high visibility, touch
screen, sunlight view ability and ruggedization
and curved screen models too.
NEW PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS:
3 NEW GAMING PLATFORMS
No less than three new DPX gaming products
will be on show in London. The exciting new
DPX-E135 and DPX-E250 in the E Series range,
the DPX-S440 in the S Series range.
The DPX-E135 is a completely integrated system
for gaming applications. Based on the 3rd
generation of AMD’s G Series embedded
platform, the DPX-E135 provides a complete PC
platform with passive cooling. The system uses
AMD’s latest high performance dual and quad
core SOC devices with “Discrete-level Graphics”
from the integrated HD8000 series graphics
core. A full feature set of I/O and COMs designed
specifically for gaming devices is also included
making the DPX-E135 an ideal integrated
platform for many gaming, amusement and
kiosk applications.
The DPX-S440 is another new motherboard for
the gaming industry. It features the very latest
AMD top end R series embedded platform. The
DPX-S440 is the latest in the very successful
DPX-S range of products which give customers
field-proven reliable platforms with the peace of
mind of massive scalability and future
upgradeability.
The third new product on show at ICE is the
DPX-E250 a Xeon capable motherboard for the
gaming and lottery industry. It features the very
latest 4th Generation Intel Core architecture
CPUs up to and including Intel Xeon CPUs. Best
in class CPU performance – the DPX-E250
supports a huge range of price and performance
from dual core Celeron, through Core i3, Core i5,
Core i7 and up to Xeon CPUs. The latest Intel
embedded platform ensures customers a long
lived (guaranteed 5 years in production), and
future proof platform ready for whatever
performance needs come along.
Betradar is driving the JCM global brings 60
facts at iCe in London years of innovations
to iCe Totally gaming
Betradar is a brand of Sportradar, a
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global leader in understanding and
leveraging the power of sports data and
digital content for its global clients
Since its founding in 2001, Betradar has
developed into a key player in the industry.
Today, Betradar provides all the necessary
services to run a successful bookmaker
operation, such as fixtures, results, odds
compiling, trading tools, in-running services,
front-end content solutions (including statistics,
live scores and live data visualisations), live
streaming services, innovative gaming solutions
and now eSports betting solutions.
This service portfolio allows Betradar to meet
the challenges and demands of the international
bookmaking industry in a forward-looking
manner and help to maximise the profit of each
customer. At ICE 2016, Betradar has some
exciting product launches to present. Visitors
can expect a huge extension of Betradar’s Live
Odds coverage and experience the advantages
and benefits of the company’s Managed Trading
Services, an effective liability management
service for sports betting operators to simplify
their daily work. Betradar’s live streaming unit
will present unprecedented approaches on how
the Live Channel increases the attractiveness of
sportsbooks and maximises their revenues by
integrating the company’s live streams into their
website.
For the virtual sports betting portfolio, Betradar
will present its new ‘Virtual Basketball’ and
take the next step in an increased mobile world,
to let punters enjoy virtual sports betting on the
go on their mobile devices, anywhere.
Furthermore, Betradar will also launch its new
suite of eSports products.
STeP inTO THe wORLd OF HigH
TeCH gaMing wiTH COMTRade
Comtrade Gaming, an independent technology
provider to both the online and land-based
gaming sectors, will be exhibiting at ICE for the
eighth time. This year they will be presenting the
latest innovations within their gaming platforms
that have been heavily extended during the
company’s very productive 2015.
iCore, an enterprise gaming platform, allows
operators to differentiate their offering by taking
complete control of player experience. This year
visitors will be able to preview the new 2.0
version. The focus of their presentations will be
the new automated sports betting bonusing and
player engagement dashboards.
At ICE, Comtrade will launch the AwardGames
suite, an extension of their iCore Bonusing
system. AwardGames allow operators to bonus
their players in the form of engaging games, in
addition to the more traditional “match the
deposit” approach.
Comtrade’s game server platform – gCore – has
also been extended with the WebGL support to
enable the using of 3D games on mobile phones.
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On Stand N3-220 at ICE Totally
Gaming 2016, JCM Global will mark 60
years of creating innovative and
industry-leading products that have
revolutionized the gaming industry and
created new global standards
Leading JCM’s ICE exhibition is the new
TableXchange Plus, a secure, scalable, and easyto-install intelligent drop box solution for live
table game operations. Based on JCM’s awardwinning bill validation and printing
technologies, TableXchange Plus reduces the
threat of counterfeit currency being accepted at
live tables, and an optional TITO module allows
casinos to extend existing slot TITO.
TableXchange Plus enhances cash management
security by accurately tracking cash from table
buy in through to the count room and provides
an accurate, consolidated view of cash drop for
all table games, by hour and gaming day.
JCM will also show its line of award-winning bill
validators. To date, JCM has supplied more than
2.14 million gaming bill validation units for the
gaming industry around the globe, and JCM will
be showing the iVIZION, iPRO, Vega, TBV, and
EBA-40.
Particularly useful for AWP operators, JCM will
show the iPRO-RC and Vega-RC Twin, both of
which are equipped with recycling modules.
JCM will also show advanced and awardwinning printing options, including GEN2, GEN2
Universal, and CouponXpress, a desktop TITO
and coupon printer.
JCM system solutions include the awardwinning Intelligent Cash Box (ICB) and the
post-production TITO solution Ticket2Go.
JCM’s world-class Services distinguish JCM from
other suppliers, and JCM will feature its new
JCM Exchange FTP software download FTP site,
and JCM’s product replacement program.
Zitro delivers its Big
Bang to iCe London
Spain’s bingo specialist, Zitro, is
getting ready to take its gaming
universe to the London exhibition
gLi TO deMOnSTRaTe aT iCe
HOw iT Can HeLP SUPPLieRS
in ‘FOUR UniqUe waYS’
At stand N3-210 at ICE Totally Gaming, Gaming
Laboratories International (GLI) will be
discussing how the company helps suppliers get
so much more than just testing from GLI.
For example, four ways suppliers get more from
GLI are:
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Zitro will be at stand N3-240 to introduce its
newest creation, BIG BANG, the latest game
to be produced by the gaming sector's most
innovative factory of ideas which provides
gamers with unique experiences.
Thanks to the Zitro Interactive Division, the
company will present its new products
aimed at the online market via
www.worldofbingo.com. This app is
becoming increasingly popular among
gamers, as it allows them to play Zitro's
games for free. ICE visitors will also have the
chance to get to know Zitro's Electronic
Bingo, also known as BET. This unique
product is an alternative to traditional bingo
and provides players with a new gaming
experience by taking part in a vast network
of prizes.
l
GLI’s global experts are here to address your
concerns.
You are BIG to GLI, regardless of size.
The company’s exclusive tools were developed
to help you succeed.
GLI’s tailor-made business plans can help you
achieve your business objectives.
“In land-based gaming,
AWP, lottery, and in
iGaming, suppliers of all
sizes turn to GLI for our
best-in-the-world testing
services. Once they start
working with us, they
quickly discover the
many, many ways we continually earn their
business by providing services that help them
advance their business goals, speed time to
market, reduce their costs, and open new
marketplaces. That’s what makes GLI unique,
and that’s what we mean by providing so much
more than just testing,” said GLI Europe
Managing Director Martin Britton.
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Preview S
Konami’s new video
slot machine makes
its iCe Premiere
New Concerto video slot cabinet from
Konami Gaming arrives at one of the
world’s largest gaming exhibitions
Konami Gaming, Inc., a global leader in casino
gaming and systems, announced the upcoming
arrival of its new Concerto video upright cabinet
at the 2016 ICE Totally Gaming show in ExCeL
London on February 2 - 4, 2016.
Now reaching casino locations worldwide,
Concerto features the largest screen size in its
class, the industry’s first LCD video button
panel with responsive tactile buttons, and a
signature holographic side lighting element—all
of which will be on display at Konami stand
#S6-110.
Approximately 25,000 gaming executives and
professionals from more than 130 countries are
expected to be in attendance at this year’s ICE
show and enjoy access to one of the industry’s
most anticipated video slot machines in recent
years. Additional ICE showcase games include
Dungeons & Dragons, Rapid Revolver, and
Frogger.
“Concerto is one of the most important products
of the year and we’re thrilled to debut its
exclusive features and game themes during the
2016 ICE show,” said Matt Reback, vice
president, marketing at Konami. “Concerto is
already seeing powerful momentum worldwide
in placements, performance, and attraction,
which our international customers will be able
to experience first-hand at Konami’s ICE
exhibit.”
New international debut KP3+ platform themes
will be displayed on Concerto, with unique art
and design features across each of the
machine’s interactive display elements for a
greater level of engagement and entertainment.
In addition, Concerto was designed to be
compatible with Konami’s KP3 library, making
it a sure bet on casino floors. Also making its
ICE premiere, Dungeons & Dragons is quickly
gaining reach across casino properties abroad.
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“The world’s first Dungeons & Dragons slots are
seeing rapid traction internationally, with a
complete array of custom merchandizing
options from hand-painted 3D dragon toppers to
faux stone design elements,” said Reback.
“Another recent international release that’s
getting a lot of attention is our Rapid Revolver
video-mechanical hybrid slot. This machine
combines a video base game on the lower screen
with six vertically-mounted reels stacked up
across the tall top box.”
Konami will be showing two new Rapid
e-gaming spotlights
its latest game mixes
for e-neon cabinets
E-gaming the Czech specialist of Server Based
Gaming and game content for Online casino’s
will present once again a lot of novelties
during ICE 2016 such as the upgrade on their
successful e-neon cabinet which was
presented during last ICE edition and also a
full compendium of new games they
developed for several markets and latest
software releases for 12 different jurisdictions.
The new update for Belgium for Class B venues
called Multi Dice Deluxe with 5 new games
especially developed for this market and also
latest new game content for On-line casino’s
which they launched a couple of months ago
on several Belgian websites and also some
new releases.
Latest version of On-line casino platform will
also be presented with software upgrade and
for sure new released games on this updated
platform with games working on PC, and
mobile devices.
A version of e-gaming’s AWP for Spanish
arcade market will be presented for the first
time to the public at ICE show. During 2015 the
number of installed VLT’s increased a lot on
Spanish territory every month they are
installing more units in the communities
where they already have certification, they are
expecting to receive at least 3 more
Revolver themes for the first time at ICE 2016
called Prophetess of Fortune and Fortune Sticks.
Both feature vivid real-time interaction between
video and mechanical components and are
equipped with custom bezel designs.
“This year’s ICE show sets the stage for a broad
lineup of international releases, ranging from
new expansions on proven products to the latest
Konami games—including Frogger,” said Reback.
“Our Frogger themed video slots have received
strong reception across the board and we’re
thrilled to be able to share it with guests at ICE.”
certifications in the next coming months. Until
now more than 1000 units are already
connected to their servers in Spain and
numbers of installed units is increasing every
month.
New game mixes ML1-ML2-ML3 and ML4
designed for the Mexican market will be also
presented in London, those new game mixes
were released in August 2015 and now are
installed on all Mexican VLT’s, e-gaming
Mexico signed an agreement with a major
operator in Mexico Logrand Group operator of
a chain of casino’s and now some new deals
are signed with the a few of the biggest
operators in the country, production in Czech
Republic is now working on full power in order
to send the machines in the shortest possible
time.
Forecast of 2016 is very positive for e-gaming,
production is already full until the 4th month
of 2016 this for existing markets
and for new created markets in the
last quarter of 2015.
In Latin America e-gaming is
already present in Mexico,
Panama and Colombia two new
jurisdictions are expected soon
when certification for those
markets will be finished at the
testing laboratories.
Negotiations are going on at
the moment with some
parties and most probably
some of those will confirm
their commitment during the
show.
Preview S
environment. The game features a symbol set
full of unforgettable cast members and other
familiar elements from the famed series.
BAYWATCH 3D will join other TRUE 3D games
including Plants vs. Zombies 3D Ancient Egypt,
which features extensive 3D content that
displays zombie uprisings and plants battling
zombies, and Reef of Riches 3D, which takes
players on a voyage through the high seas and
features the player-favorite Trigger Tile
mechanic. Both Plants vs. Zombies 3D and Reef
of Riches 3D feature IGT’s crowd detect
technology, which displays characters on the
screen that interact with passing patrons and
invites them to play the games. In addition, IGT
will showcase TRUE 3D Reels technology, which
brings spinning reel gaming entertainment to
the 3D space with titles such as Wheel of
Fortune Double Diamond 3D, and Return of the
Sphinx 3D.
igT cracks the winning
combination of games
at iCe 2016 in London
IGT will showcase a comprehensive
portfolio of gaming products and
services across all regulated channels
at ICE 2016. IGT’s stand N3-160 will
feature more than 200 game titles,
including new, never-before-seen
innovations that speak to the Winning
Combination of games, systems and
solutions created for its customers
ICE will mark IGT’s global debut of two new
hardware solutions, the CrystalSlant gaming
machine and the AXXIS 23/23 gaming machine.
The CrystalSlant cabinet is the Company’s latest
slant top cabinet and shares many successful
design and attract elements from IGT’s leading
CrystalDual and CrystalCore cabinets. The
CrystalSlant cabinet leverages IGT’s Ascent
platform and supports the same, dynamic game
library as the CrystalDual cabinet, including
fan-favorite themes such as Stinkin’ Rich and
White Orchid, multi-level progressive themes
such as Egyptian Empire, and multi-game
solutions such as Winners Choice 2. Operators
are offered two versions of the CrystalSlant
cabinet: one with a 27-inch top box and one
with a 32-inch top box; while both options
feature 27-inch game displays, 10-inch dynamic
player panels and static bash buttons.
The AXXIS 23/23 will give operators a
compelling new hardware solution for exciting
new themes. Melding signature cabinet design
elements from legacy IGT and GTECH,, the
AXXIS 23/23 cabinet features two 23” LCD
displays and intelligent attract lighting.
Operators can select from two different button
panel configurations – the dynamic player
panel found in IGT’s CrystalCore and
CrystalDual cabinets, or a more traditional
mechanical button panel. At ICE, IGT will
feature multi-level progressives and bundled
content on the multi-game solution, diversity
HD suite, which is housed on the AXXIS 23/23.
The two featured diversity HD suite games
combine legacy IGT content, legacy GTECH
content and never-before-seen games. The
Company will spotlight additional new diversity
multigame suites on the OXYGEN cabinet such
as The Winning Combination, Rich Ruby, Perfect
Pink and Spectacular Sapphire.
To expand on the Company’s leading content,
the CrystalDual cabinet will feature a variety of
exciting game titles, including Cleopatra III,
Dark & Stormy, the Age of Aurora game series,
Fu Gui Ji Li, and Party Time! video slots. In
addition, IGT will light up ICE with SyncSation, a
unique tool that enables operators to deploy
choreographed light and sound shows across
N
multiple IGT hardware solutions on the
CrystalDual and S3000 cabinets. With
SyncSation, operators can create attentiongrabbing light and sound spectacles in one or
multiple locations on their casino floors, ranging
from mild to sensational.
IGT will spotlight the evolution of the
Company’s TRUE 3D product line with the
introduction of BAYWATCH 3D. Housed on the
AXXIS 23/39 cabinet, this entertaining title
transports players to some of television’s most
iconic beach scenes in a glasses-free 3D gaming
IGT will illustrate its firm commitment and
leadership in systems technology by showcasing
a vast and scalable array of systems solutions
built to meet the unique demands of any
customer. The Company will highlight
advancements to Casinolink, GALAXIS,
SYSTEM2go, IGT Advantage and IGT Cloud,
including a suite of comprehensive Intelligent
Bonusing apps. Additionally, IGT will
demonstrate its flexible Service Window
solution that supports HTML5 along with
multiple real-time mobile applications
including Mobile Host and Mobile Responder.
interblock takes the
gaming industry’s
Pulse at London show
Interblock continues to build on a
25-year history of innovation that has
advanced the technology of multiplayer electronic table games. The
company enters 2016 in full force by
introducing the PULSE of Gaming to
ICE Totally Gaming at booth #S4-210
Interblock Global CEO John Connelly said,
“Over the past year, we have increased our
investments in R&D, service, player research,
and our executive management team to
analyze every segment of our portfolio. A
primary focus for Interblock in 2016 will be the
introduction of new, innovative technology
designed to enhance the player experience,
while bringing a new level of entertainment to
the ETG Segment.”
One of the company’s latest innovations
scheduled to be on display was driven by
customer feedback. The MiniStar String
comprises three play stations that can be
placed in a remote location, and allows
operators to easily add and connect additional
play stations to existing MiniStar Roulette
products on their casino floor.
The company will also demonstrate its PULSE
ARENA, which blends the energy of latest
trends in gaming, interactivity and
entertainment to create an exciting new
gambling experience for established players,
while attracting new players to the casino
floor. The PULSE ARENA stole the show at last
year’s Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas by
showing operators how they can select
different gambling-enhancing themes to
attract any type of player segment, whether it’s
a club-like vibe, tournament functionality, or
education for beginning players.
At ICE, Interblock will demonstrate the
scalability and flexibility of the PULSE
ARENA’s solutions by connecting the following
diverse Interblock products:
l Diamond Roulette Generator
l Diamond Multi-hand Card Generator
l Dealer-assisted Baccarat and Blackjack
l SicBo Dice Generator
l StarBar
l Diamond and Organic Bar Tops
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Preview
nOvOMaTiC boasts a very important
player experience at iCe
From February 2nd-4th the ExCeL Exhibition Centre in London’s Docklands will
be transformed into Technopolis, a city within the city of London, entirely
dedicated to the future of gaming. A significant area of this gaming show of
superlatives will be taken by the NOVOMATIC booth with a comprehensive
presentation of the collaborative r&D efforts within the Austrian gaming group
and its international subsidiaries and competence centres.
In order for visitors not to get lost among the
plethora of product, the huge NOVOMATIC
booth space will again be sectioned into
individual spaces that cater to the various
industry segments such as casino products,
systems and cash management solutions,
arcade and pub products, sports betting and
lotteries as well as interactive solutions.
Upon entering the south hall visitors turning left
will find themselves in an international Arcade
& Pub area where they are welcomed by the
teams of LÖWEN Entertainment, Crown
Technologies, NOVOMATIC Italia, NOVOMATIC
Gaming Spain and Novo Gaming Netherlands
with an extensive range of AWP/LPM and VLT
products. Moving on, the products array of
NOVOMATIC UK (Astra Games, Bell-Fruit
Games, Empire Games and Gamestec) and
Eurocoin for the UK and international markets
follows. On the right hand side NOVOMATIC
SPORTS BETTING SOLUTIONS and
NOVOMATIC LOTTERY SOLUTIONS will reside
side by side, each with a true omni-channel
offering for discerning operators. Moving on
right-handed a large NOVOMATIC Interactive
area will cover the right wing of the booth
boasting varied online/mobile/social gaming
products and solutions from subsidiaries
comprising Greentube, iGaming2Go, Funstage,
StakeLogic, Mazooma Interactive and Extreme
Live Gaming. At the head of the booth concludes
the main section which will be dedicated to the
full range of innovative casino gaming
technologies and systems, presented by
NOVOMATIC and Octavian as well as to the
traditional hospitality area and, slightly above, a
tier of meeting rooms for secluded talks and
negotiations away from the noise of the show.
As in previous years there’s no way past the
NOVOMATIC booth – located as it is right at the
heart of the show! Visitors, partners and guests
will be greeted with the famous Austrian
hospitality and treated to NOVOMATIC’s own
Very Important Player Experience. No enquiry
shall remain unanswered and all requirements
will be elucidated by the many product experts
for the various industry markets and segments.
There’s no pleasure like the frisson of
anticipation, and we’ll not give the game away
by revealing that for 2016 the Very Important
Player Experience will be augmented with
massive additions to the V.I.P. range of cabinets.
Whereas the NOVOSTAR® V.I.P. II is already a
smash hit on the international casino floors,
NOVOMATIC will launch no less than four new
VIP cabinets.
Further attractions on the NOVOMATIC booth
will, of course, come in the form of new games,
fresh multi-game editions, jackpots and
solutions as well as the omni-present video
content delivery system Absolute Vision™ that
will turn the booth into a truly spectacular arena
of action and innovation.
The teams of NOVOMATIC and its various
affiliate companies look forward to welcoming
visitors, partners and guests at ICE 2016.
widespread appeal for aristocrat’s Big Play
Complementing a star-spangled line-up of previously disclosed premium
licensed games on centrepiece hardware concepts such as Arc Double, Behemoth
and Wonder Wheels cabinets, Aristocrat Technologies now unveils a potent and
diverse range of linked jackpot progressives and new standalone games making
debut appearances in EMEA at ‘The Big Play’ on Stand S3-250 at ICE 2016.
Lightning Link is the first player-selectable
multi-denomination link progressive based on
Aristocrat’s formidable J*Series games segment,
designed to deliver sizzling jackpot chases and
exhilarating game play, explained Erik-Jan van
den Berg, Sales Director - EMEA.
“Game performance has reached epic
proportions in its native Australian market,
where record sales of the game have been seen.
Broader player appeal is also being established
following its recent introduction on American
gaming floors and we are confident that the
uptake in Europe and Africa will be equally
strong,” he said.
“Good Fortune is another proven link game,
whose strong Asian theming and powerful core
maths have helped to make it the number one
performing progressive in Macau,” continued Mr
van den Berg. “Veering towards more discerning
core games players, Good Fortune adds to a
growing list of new-breed Aristocrat links, each
one engaging a different level of entertainment
spectrum.”
Making its first appearance in EMEA at ICE,
Aristocrat’s new Arc Single is described by the
company as a natural extension to its broader
cabinet portfolio, offering new-style gaming on
a curved 42-inch HD portrait screen.
“While the dual-screen Arc Double cabinets will
feature only dedicated premium licensed games,
Arc Single will house a growing number of
standalone titles from across all game
segments,” said Iain London, Product &
Business Development Director - EMEA. “This
provides operators with an ‘anti-box’
alternative, breaking any floor monotony with
its graceful lines.
“Arc can also be complemented with a range of
illuminated branded wedges to create feature
banks in straight and round carousel formations,
creating a substantial floor presence and a
player destination,” added Mr London.
New titles coming to Arc Single in EMEA include
Wonder 4 Tower, the latest development in
Aristocrat’s ground-breaking series, offering
concurrent play across up to six reel sets; a
number of ‘Gold’ extensions to popular C*Series
core titles Wild Panda, 5 Dragons and Miss Kitty;
new J*Series jackpot themes Diamond Storm
and Sugar Hit Jackpots, each with two
complementary base games; and new
extensions of proven E*Series games, Sky Rider
2 and Moon Maidens II.
Further expanding its library of standalone
games for the popular Helix cabinet in EMEA,
Aristocrat is using ICE to introduce a number of
new games in each of its four principal
categories.
New C*Series games, the majority of which now
incorporate standalone progressive jackpots,
include: Jet Strike, a low line high denomination
air combat themed game with 3-level SAP, Hold
& ReSpin and Repeat Win features; Weird
Wicked & Wild, a 40 line SAP with three distinct
flavours selectable in the free games feature;
Fortune’s Way, packed with wilds, multipliers, a
new ‘Strike Feature’ base game mechanic and
the chance to win up to 450 free games; the
dual-language configurable SAP ‘Collect & Go
Wild’ games Wild Inferno and Wild Wings; and
Hong Kong Fortunes, a new theme in the
popular Super Wheel Blast family.
Aristocrat’s J*Series segment is further bolstered
by the addition a new Xtra Ways family, Gold
Stacks, comprising Asian-style base themes
Golden Prosperity and Golden Zodiac, whilst the
successful Jackpot Streak family welcomes two
more unique base themes, 00 Gold and Twilight
Spirit.
The E*Series entertainment segment continues
its expansion with a broad range of new SAPenriched families. Joining the latest Sacred
Guardians and Sweet Skulls family releases,
more Max Stacks magic comes from Rainbow
Warriors Gold Guardian and Sapphire Guardian
each with an 8x4 reel matrix and a plethora of
new game mechanics.
Coyote Queen games The Hunt and The Prowl
feature wild reels and wild symbols multiplying wins by up to 64x - and Jackpot
cover symbols, allowing concurrent line and
jackpot wins. Meanwhile, Wonder Wings and
Galaxy Goddess games introduce a new Flip Out
feature, driving a high frequency of stacks and
blackout pays.
Another highly anticipated development
stemming from the E*Series segment, Gold Star
Multigame launches to market at ICE offering
highly configurable options across Sky Rider,
Magic Flower and Moon Maidens games under a
4-level progressive.
Aristocrat’s new M*Series segment, explained
Mr London, incorporates both traditional
multigame packages and multi reel set play,
once more covering all gaming segments. “A
new Wonder 4 Jackpots extension will be
revealed on the ICE stand, alongside new core
game packs in the Player’s Choice series,” he
said. Joining current Diamond and Sapphire
Editions and the recently released Gold Jackpots
pack are Player’s Choice Ruby Edition, with
overhead SAP, and Player’s Choice All Stars; in
the high denomination category, Deluxe and
Ultra packs gain a new stable mate in Player’s
Choice High Limits – all including some of
Aristocrat’s tried and tested classic games.
Concluding on the Big Play line-up for ICE, Mr
van den Berg stated, “Aristocrat has continued to
invest heavily in design and development of
new gaming concepts over the last 12-18
months, right across each and every segment.
This has resulted in what will be the most
comprehensively rich collection of Class III
games and cabinets available anywhere on the
ExCeL show floor. We look forward to sharing
the fruits of those labours with operators,
helping them to make the big play, creating
experiences for their players that are exciting,
engaging and that build loyalty throughout 2016
and beyond.”
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Preview S
Sweden’s quickspin
to unveil new content
and promo tool set
The team at Stockholm’s Quickspin could be
forgiven for taking a well-earned break during
2016 after signing a string of deals during the
last 12 months. Alongside some of the leading
operators in their native Scandinavia, including
LeoVegas, Unibet, and Vera&John, the company
also put pen to paper on contracts with some of
the leading UK-facing brands, such as BetVictor,
William Hill, and Paddy Power. But with
batteries fully-charged and the world of gaming
arriving in London, they’re now raring to go and
showcase their award-winning content to an
even wider range of casinos and sportsbooks in
regulated territories around the globe.
Among the games that will be on display on
stand N2-312 are Illuminous, Crystal Queen,
and Razortooth, which have all attracted new
adherents among slots fans since their recent
launches. They will be joined by the company’s
hottest new game, Second Strike. Quickspin’s
first volatile 10 line game has the look and feel
of a classic fruit machine, but the feature from
which it takes its name gives it a unique modern
twist to appeal to the widest possible
demographic. CEO Daniel Lindberg and his
team will also be giving a sneak peek of The
Wild Chase, a fast-paced game where any wins
are rewarded with re-spins with locked winning
symbols, and Genie’s Touch, an enchanting
game in which the title character uses her magic
powers to change symbols.
These in-demand games are now available on
Quickspin’s own platform, following a strategic
partnership with Relax Gaming. This allows the
supplier to integrate their games directly with
an operator and with far less of the delays
normally associated with third party deals. The
flexibility of this platform also allows Quickspin
to provide operators with its new promotional
tools, designed to help them reward customer
loyalty and differentiate their offering in a
crowded market place. The company now offers
free rounds with up to six different bet options.
This allows individual casinos to tailor rewards
to their players without having to resort to the
blunt tool of one size fits all offers, which are
increasingly likely to alienate those for whom
inappropriate stake levels are a turn-off.
Quickspin will also be showcasing their new
feature trigger. This gives casinos the power to
plug regular players straight in to a game’s
bonus rounds in return for loyalty. The
gamification of such promotional tools is an
increasing trend in the industry as operators
look to hold onto their players in an increasingly
competitive landscape. As a business which
maintains a keen interest in the development of
social casino games, Quickspin is well-placed to
adapt some of the vertical’s best retention
features for real money gaming.
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driving players to spend faster, spend more
and stay longer
StylGame is specialized in the design and production of chairs and equipment
dedicated to the Gaming industry. StylGame, with its royal Stool line of products,
has progressively solved all issues linked to the use of Slot Machines by players
and highlighted by its innovative ergonomic research conducted in 2008. The
result is the integrated ergonomic system Play in Comfort, available in
“Basic”(2009) and “Top” version (2012)
StylGame introduces the Play in Comfort Global
Experience which integrates perfectly with the
latest versions of slot machines, fully involving
the player and drawing him into the game
dynamics. It is a revolutionary system that
significantly contributes in increasing time on
device and coin in, capable of maximizing the
sensorial experience of the player.
The mix of the features offered on the new seats,
like sounds, movements, shifting, massage
effect, combined to the service provided with
the Service Call, emphasizes the gaming
experience and allows the player to extend his
moment.
Service Call is a stand-alone system, that allows
the player to call for any kind of service or
assistance directly from the playing station. The
system is conceived to keep the player focused
on the game, and to provide a quality service at
the same time. It works independently and does
not interfere with other systems used in the hall.
Does not require any existing communication
axiomtek plans to make a major
impact at iCe show in London
with new products and deals
Axiomtek Gaming is set to launch
various new products in 2016 and
start brand new collaborations
At the biggest ICE show ever, Axiomtek
Gaming will be present once again and display
its latest gaming platform, embedded Mini-ITX
boards, and player tracking system. The main
product to be released is the GMB820, a 6th
Generation Intel Skylake Mini-ITX Embedded
Board.
This board is highly scalable to meet different
computing performance needs and also offers
similar features to the recently released AMDbased board, the GMB130. Both the GMB820
and GMB130 feature the latest processor from
silicon partners Intel and AMD targeting the
medium to high-end power hungry EGMs.
line and it’s essentially cost free.Service Call
offers a prompt service that distinguishes the
hall and retains the customer.
The Tower Shift sliding base produced by
StylGame, featuring now a slimmer design, is
ideal for Slant tops and special slot machines.
Tower Shift allows to achieve the ideal
ergonomic configuration by letting the players
easily move towards or away from the slot
machine to optimise their
playing position.
StylGame offers
also the Poker
Division and
Bingo Division
products lines:
tables
specialised
chairs and
accessories for
poker and bingo
rooms.
Furthermore, the AGP100 series is Axiomtek
Gaming’s key product offering a wide range of
I/O,COMs, up to three digital video outputs,
ready to use APIs, and many more.
The AGP100 series features Axiomtek Gaming’s
own TrustedBoot and TrustedData, which have
been verified by GLI in order to fulfill
regulatory requirements for worldwide
jurisdictions including Nevada, Macau, etc.
Clyde Chen, Product Manager of Axiomtek
Gaming, commented, “The AGP100 series is
readily available for customers looking for a
quick solution to meet all gaming development
needs and reduce costs.”
Axiomtek Gaming will be showing a slot
machine demo featuring its Service Window
functionality, a Player Tracking System and
Axiomtek Gaming’s gaming platform. More
products will be on display during the show at
Booth S3-202. Axiomtek invites visitors to
discover the gaming possibilities.
Casino Technology
aims its multi-game
barrage at London
S
Fully armed with an abundance of
bright product developments,
inspiring concepts, smart business
solutions and premium products,
Casino Technology will stage a
remarkable spectacle at ICE 2016
The ARCH slot machine with unique 42ins.
horizontal customised display will rock the
floor at ICE Totally Gaming 2016. ARCH is the
ultimate answer to players' search for an
immersive gaming experience through the
dedicated full HD multi-game series
Gamopolis ARCH, which includes 20 unique
titles complemented by the jackpot theme The
City of Games.
Pyramid of Gold, Scarad Stone,
Red Bird and Golden Dragon and
Wizzard Blizzard are just a few of
the titles from the rich palette of
the Gamopolis ARCH.
Stand N5-140 will also feature the
premium Hot Rod slot machine
licensed by Alto Gaming, the
US partner of Casino
Technology, combining
glamorous automotive styling
with outstanding interactive
features and game design. The
2015 best-selling AURORA Upright slot
machine will also be presented with the multigame series Gamopolis in its latest versions
Highway and Speedway, each with 40 titles.
Gamopolis Highway consists of a library of
more than 300 unique titles with proven
performance results in Europe, Asia, Africa
and Latin America. Enhanced game play and
improved interface and visual appearance,
thanks to a new platform, is integral to
Gamopolis Speedway 70 and 71. The
blockbuster Asian themed progressive link 8
Peacocks with a suite of five compelling titles Peacock and Dragon, Five Blessings, The Great
Warlord, The Peacock and Clover and The
Magic Pearl, will also deliver a high adrenaline
gaming rush boosted by the themed banks of
AURORA machines and the dedicated
Jackpot signage.
Casino Technology Interactive will present its
latest add-ons, updates and improvements to
the state-of-the-art multi-channel
convergency system suite, THE
BIG 5, which combines five
sophisticated systems Rhino,
Buffalo, Elephant, Leopard and
Lion. The collective suite provides
the ultimate technology
environment for linking landbased and online operations
under a single casino brand,
coupled with an intelligent
business solution framework,
world-class customer care,
variety of management tools and
compelling casino content.
nMi to continue unprecedented growth in 2016
Attending ICE Totally Gaming, NMi will
exhibit with a new stand and a larger
footprint. At N6-250, NMi will discuss
how expertise and knowledge in the
field, along with flexibility and
capacity to deliver, continues to build
successful customer partnerships
NMi, the market leading gaming laboratory, has
over 40 years' experience serving the gaming
industry across the world and is a centre of
international expertise in compliance, testing
and auditing. To celebrate their unprecedented
growth during 2015 in iGaming, land-based,
lottery and security services NMi are also
holding a drinks reception in Greenwich, a cable
car ride from the Excel. Already seeing a strong
start to 2016, NMi enables major players in the
gaming industry to continue to see the benefits
of developing partnerships with the NMi team.
Julian Borg-Barthet, NMi’s Gaming division
Business Development Manager: “NMi have
come a long way, establishing partnerships with
many of the biggest players in the gaming
industry worldwide, while maintaining the
highest standards regardless of the markets we
serve. Our ambitions for 2016 are strongly
around increasing our resources, building on our
unparalleled customer service, and testing
support resources.”
N
Following announcements of accreditation in
the Bahamas and Portugal, and the extension to
its landbased accreditation in December 2015 in
Lithuania, NMi stays ahead of the emerging
markets. With expert teams in place who have
the knowledge and experience to support
customers in new markets and developing
jurisdictions, NMi proves its commitment to
providing full coverage of highly regulated
markets to their customers. With laboratories in
the UK, Italy, the Netherlands and Canada,
NMi’s customers can be confident that, as the
gambling industry approaches interesting times
and extensive regulatory requirements
increasing across the world, NMi has the
capacity in compliance testing and auditing to
build successful and productive relationships as
a partner.
Andrew Rosewarne, Director: "Modern
compliance professionals have little appetite for
risk and NMi's expertise and knowledge in the
field and commitment to quality is second to
none. We are seeing unprecedented demand for
our services and hope to meet new and existing
customers once again this year at our stand.”
inspired plans to KO
the competition with
virtual Reality at iCe
Inspired will be showcasing its new
Mike Tyson product collection at ICE
on stand S2-310, as well as a range of
its industry leading Virtual Sports,
mobile games, and VLT cabinets
This year visitors to the Inspired stand will have
the exclusive opportunity to step into the ring
with Mike Tyson - in Virtual Reality.
Demonstrations of Inspired’s new Virtual Rush
Boxing game for retail and online, along with a
new suite of products for sports betting, casino,
slots, and social sectors, all featuring
heavyweight legend Iron Mike, will be available
to play. And don’t miss the chance to win a pair
of boxing gloves signed by the man himself.
Delegates will also have the chance to
experience a range of Inspired’s award-winning
Virtual Sports, which will be streamed across
the stand. Prepare to be blown away by the new
supercharged ‘Match Day’ format for Rush
Football 2 which gives players a life-like
football betting experience and the thrill of
watching non-stop matches while being able to
place bets during games.
Visitors can get their hands on top performing
mobile and omnichannel games, including the
chart-topping Centurion, Inspired’s biggest
bonus game to date. Execs will be on hand to
discuss how operators can maximize the
revenue of their mobile games through the
integration of Inspired’s Remote Gaming Server
(RGS), Virgo.
Always at the forefront of gaming development,
Inspired will be unveiling its latest marketleading innovation in 2016, ‘Virtuals on
Demand’. These products will be available to
play through its RGS and will feature in-play
bets which will enable gamers to enjoy
Inspired’s world leading Virtual Sports anytime,
anywhere.
Alongside all this, Inspired’s latest VLT cabinets,
Optimus and Inceptor - available on their G2A
compatible terminal platform, Core Connect will be on the ICE 2016 stand.
Gerhard Burda, Acting Chief Product Officer at
Inspired, comments: “ICE is a strategic focus for
Inspired as it gives us an opportunity to
showcase our industry-leading gaming
technology and content on home turf. We want
to ensure that everyone who visits our stand at
ICE experiences firsthand why we are renowned
for being the company that delivers
entertainment with an edge.”
NMi offers services that include RNG, gaming
system and game testing including VLT, lottery,
iGaming, mobile, social gaming, live dealer, retail
and casino auditing, RTP monitoring, change
management, security auditing and PCI-DSS
services, across multiple jurisdictions.
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Reports
SOuth AmericA - cOlOmbiA
Battle for control
and legitimacy
In a country with an extraordinary passion for
gambling, Colombia is often at odds with
itself when it comes to controlling its urges
Gambling is an extremely popular past time in
Colombia. According to the latest figures released by the Colombian Gaming Control Board
(Coljuegos) 40 per cent of households have at
least one gambler in their family while the gaming industry generates revenues of more than
$10bn pesos a year and has grown on average
between 4.5 and 5 per cent per year. Despite illegal gaming, which remains widespread,
Colombia has consistently proven to be a bright
spot in the Latin American casino industry and
the number of slot machines and casinos has
more than trebled over the last ten years.
The industry looks set to experience continued growth over the coming years with a new
regulatory board now in operation. This was
after a number of scandals involving the previous gaming board ETESA (The Territorial Enterprise for Health) which collected gaming
revenue on behalf of to the health sector. After a
number of high profile scandals, when it was revealed that members of the board were accepting bribes in return for stays of closure, a newly
appointed Gaming Board was set up in 2012.
Coljuegos is currently checking all gaming
operation in Colombia to make sure that operaP66 NEWSWIRE
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tors are following the terms set out in their licences and there have been a number of high
profile raids of slot parlours and bingo halls of
late. However illegal gaming remains a huge
problem.
There are at least least 70,00 illegal slot machines in Colombia as well as 200 offshore operators targeting the market which is against
local gaming law. A study carried out jointly by
Colombia’s gaming control board and the National Federation of Merchants (Fenalco) revealed earlier this year that at least 2,000 local
businesses in Bogota are operating illegal slot
machines on their premises.
This is despite the fact that heavy penalties
are now in place for non compliance with those
found guilty of offences liable to pay of up to
$50m pesos (around U.S$20,000) per illegal slot
machine as well as six to eight years in prison.
All the same while it is estimated that illegal
gaming still accounts for around 20 per cent of
all bets made in Colombia the legal sector has
continued to grow year on year. According to a
study carried out by research group Quali on behalf of Coljuegos there is still a huge opportunity to bring newer brands into the market as
there is rising demand amongst younger players.
Colombia already offers a wide and diverse
spectrum of gaming across all platforms. While
the market does face a number of challenges
such as a high tax rate for slot parlours and casinos, a declining horse racing industry and a high
rate of illegal gaming Colombia could provide a
number of exciting opportunities for operators
in the years ahead. Now that Coljuegos is looking to expand the gaming offer, the industry
stands on the threshold of many significant
changes which look likely in sports betting,
casinos and slot parlours as well as online gaming.
SLOT MACHINES AND CASINOS
Slot machines, casino games and bingo are
granted via licence granted to them by Coljuegos
which authorises them on a concession basis to
any private company that is able to operate
them. Casinos in Colombia are categorised in the
same way as slot machines. A fixed monthly fee
per slot or gaming table is then paid to the
board, whilst a sales tax is also paid on each slot.
The minimum number of slot machines per parlour is 80. Licences can be granted for no less
S
than three years and no more than five.
Today there are an estimated 3,200 slot parlours bingos and casinos in the country, with
83,558 slots nationwide run by 384 licensed operators. According to figures released by Coljuegos, the sector reported growth of around ten
per cent in 2014 and taxes generated for the
health sector increased by 25 per cent. According to the latest estimates they could generate as
much as U$756m in 2015.
In future all slot machines in Colombia will be
connected to a centrally government controlled
server. The connection of all slot machines online was first considered in 2008 when Colombia changed its gaming laws and was then
passed into law in 2010.
The online monitoring of slot machines will
involve a total of 54 operators and 396 gaming
operations in all. Although the new system
might bring a greater level of accountability to
the industry local operators have been less enthusiastic with the new move which they say
will come with a multimillion dollar price tag.
According to Rocío Albornoz Gaitán Head of
l1 There are at least least 70,00 illegal slot machines in
Colombia as well as 200 offshore operators targeting the
market which is against local gaming law. A study revealed
that at least 2,000 local businesses in bogota are operating
illegal slots
l
2
N
There are an estimated 3,200 slot halls, bingos and casinos
in the country, with 83,558 slots nationwide run by 384
the Federation for Casinos and Bingo Businesses
(Fecoljuegos) many slot machines currently in
operation date back to before 2004. These would
not be able to be adapted to the new system
meaning that up to 30,000 slot machines would
have to be replaced. Replacing these machines
would cost an estimated US$330m, while implementing the necessary software in place for
existing machines so that they may comply with
the new online system could cost a further
US$17.5m
Despite this the gaming board has gone ahead
licensed operators. The sector saw growth of around 10 per
cent in 2014 and taxes for the health sector increased by
25 per cent.
3 Colombia’s ‘second city’ Medellin was once the murder
l
capital of the world with 17 murders every day in 1991. It
has since undergone a renaissance and is now one of the
country’s main cultural hubs.
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Pari-mutuel sports betting in Colombia is limited to
football matches after an agreement was reached
with Colombia’s first division where both parties
agreed to work closely to together to ensure
transparent and legal betting.
with the new scheme. According to the schedule
now set out, operators must have all gaming
equipment connected to the centrally controlled
server. All operators must be in full compliance
with the new regulations by February 2016
which is when the new system goes live.
Before the new regulations went into place
operators paid a fixed tax rate as established by
Law 643 of 2001, which depended on the type of
machine on site. Once they are connected online
the majority of slot machines will pay a value
close to 12 per cent of their income, after deducting the prizes paid.
The tax burden on casinos has been an increasing cause for concern, with some operators
warning of a raft of closures in the near future.
In January 2015 the National Consortium of
Gaming and Gambling Concessionaires (CONNAZAR) warned that small and medium gaming
establishments could go out of business due to a
growing tax burden.
CONNAZAR’s legal adviser León Darío Montoya complained to press that the heavy taxation, which has been generated from tax reform
on the industry, now equates to three tax value
units in Colombia or around US$35 per gaming
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position per month.
“In addition an average of 12 per cent of gross
revenues is applied for rights; one per cent is applied as an administrative fee, a corporate income tax of 9 per cent is applied plus an income
tax of 25 per cent, excluding the wealth tax or
surcharge paid by large companies,” he said.
Combined taxes he said were a “choking burden on the industry.” VAT is also very high.
Taxes were hiked on cigarettes, alcohol and
gambling and were designed to provide emergency funds through until the end of 2011. For
casinos VAT was raised from 5 per cent to 16 per
cent and is still in place now.
However, head of the gaming board Cristina
Arango has defended the high tax rates arguing
that under Colombian gaming law the government has the monopoly over gaming and as
such those companies are privileged to be offering these services. She also argued that income
tax can now be deducted from the awards paid
in cash which are less than $50m pesos.
Slot machines are the most popular form of
gambling in Colombia: 9.2 times higher on average than other types of games and the third type
of gaming which is played on average per week
(2.2 days). In addition they come in second place
in terms of entertainment in which Colombians
spend the most per day (U$S13.15).
The leading operators in Colombia are Codere
and the Casino Winner Group. Codere has been
present in the Colombian market since 1984.
Codere currently operates 5,975 gaming machines, 53 Gaming halls in a total of 130 municipal districts throughout the country, including
Bogotá, Cartagena, Barranquilla, Medellín, Pasto,
Cali, Ibagué, and Bucaramanga amongst many
others locations.
These slot parlours are located in wide variety
of spots including the biggest commercial districts of the largest cities. The company also operates fully fledged and large scale casinos. In
1999, CODERE began its operations of the Cali
Gran Casino which in 2009, became the largest
casino in Colombia after it was refurbished. It
also recently opened the CrowN Casino Palatino
in Bogotá as well as its CrowN Casino Unicentro
and CrowN Casino San Rafael, under the premium CrowN Casinos brand while in 2013,
CODERE opened the first gaming rooms under
the concept Fantasy Royal Light, in Medellin and
Monteria. In 2014 Codere reported revenue of
S
€31.4m and EBITDA of €6.9m from its Colombian operations.
The other major operator with around 50 per
cent market share is Winner Group owned by
Cirsa. Winner was founded in 1997 with 17 slot
N
parlours. Today the company operates 65 slot
parlours that are located in 25 cities around the
country. Cirsa entered the Colombian market in
2007 when it bought a 75 per cent stake in the
Winner group. In October 2010 Cirsa-Winner
opened a new US$1.3m casino in the city of Barranquilla called the Río Casino.
In June 2011 Cirsa-Winner announced that it
had bought Colombian gaming company
Unidelca which has 41 slot parlours and eight
casinos nationwide strengthening Cirsa-Winner’s position in the market considerably.
The group now runs casinos in Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Barraquilla and Cartagena Armenia,
Pereira and in other cities such as Montería,
Sincelejo, and Manizales. Today the chain generates 2,500 direct jobs and around 10,000 indirect jobs, operates more than 220 gaming tables
which is equivalent to around 50 per cent of the
total in Colombia and, operates around 6,000
slot machines - around 10 per cent of those registered in the country.
Over the next years the company plans on focusing on five of its ten brands: Broadway,
Caribbean, Rio (which is its premium segment)
Hollywood, and Rock & Jazz while it will close
its Circus, Cosmopolitan, Havana and Real
Games brands. In 2009 the company reported
turnover of $107,000m pesos and net profits of
$23.500m. By 2013 this had increased to
$293,700m and $60.144m respectively.
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l1
Aracataca, the birthplace of author
Gabriel García Márquez, once held a
referendum to rename the town
‘Aracataca-Macondo’ after the
fictional town of Macondo from his
famous book One hundred Years of
Solitude. Unfortunately, the
referendum failed due to low
turnout.
2 Colombia is the second most
l
biodiverse country in the world,
after only brazil which is 10 times
its size. It is one of only 17
“megadiverse” countries in the
world.
3 Colombia is part of the Ring of Fire,
l
a group of countries in the Pacific
Ocean vulnerable to earthquakes
and volcanic eruptions.
4 Colombia has the highest coastal
l
mountain range in the world - The
Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (also
a national park that covers
383,000 hectares. Its highest peak
s also Colombia's highest mountain
- Pico Cristobal Colon (Christopher
Columbus) standing at around
5,775 metres above sea level or
19,058 feet.
SPORTS BETTING
In October 2013 Coljuegos announced that it
would allow pari-mutuel sports betting. The
bidding process ended in April 2014 after
Coljuegos had carried out two public hearings
on the issue with the aim of selecting a single
national operator to operate the game nationwide.
The licence was awarded to local gaming
company Corredor Empresarial S.A. which also
runs a very popular lotto game called Super
Astro. The company was granted the right to operate pari-mutuel sports betting after winning
against GTECH (now IGT).
Coljuegos analysed the two proposals and assigned scores according to the percentage of
gross gaming revenue which the operator offered to provide to the public health service with
a minimum set value of 17 per cent of gross
sales. The board also took into account the total
value of the marketing budget which each company offered to allocate to sports betting as well
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S
According to the recent study commissioned by the
gaming board, online gaming is becoming
increasingly popular especially among more affluent
Colombians, with 60 per cent of the gambling public
using the internet to make a bet
as the number of betting terminals each company agreed to establish nationwide.
On announcing the winning bid Head of
Coljuegos Cristina Arango said: “With this offer,
which is 17 per cent higher than the minimum
stipulated, the public health service will receive
over 50 billion pesos.”
The company now how the right to offer parimutuel sports betting on an exclusive basis for
the next five years. The company will provide
the public health sector with 24 per cent of gross
sales generated by the game which could exceed
$50bn pesos (US$26,291,483.52) over the duration of its contract.
Pari-mutuel sports betting is limited to football matches after an agreement was reached
with Colombia’s first division (DIMAYOR) where
both parties agreed to work closely to together
to ensure a transparent and legal betting offer on
Colombian professional football matches. But it
is believed that this could be expanded to encompass a much wider variety of sports in the
future and locals can already bet on the outcome of matches outside of Colombia.
The game went live in October 2014. President
of Organisational Development for the company
Luis Omar Torrad told press that pari-mutuel
sports betting underlined the fact that Colombia
is becoming an increasingly vibrant and varied
gaming market. “Pari-mutuel sports betting offers a new alternative to consumers who like to
bet and will also attract sports fans who will
now have another reason to enjoy the spectacle
of their favourite sport,” he said.
The minimum stake is $2,500 pesos (US$1.3)
including VAT which will rise each year. The
prize fund is be made up of 58 per cent of gross
sales not including VAT. From this amount a
N
minimum of 50 per cent will be destined for the
biggest prize while the rest will be divided up
into the lesser categories of winning bets. The
highest prize for guessing 14 results correctly is
$100m pesos with a rollover if there is no winner for that week’s draw.
For now the game is offered twice during the
week on Wednesdays and Thursdays and on
Saturdays and Sundays and should eventually
be available in around 4 thousand points of sale
according to data released by the Finance Minister Mauricio Cárdenas.
The new sports game comes after a sports
themed lottery known as Ganagol failed to
make much impact on the market. In 2005 Intralot announced that it had signed an agreement with the gambling board to run a games
called Ganagol. Intralot predicted the establishment of a sales network of around 5,000 pointsof-sale throughout the country by 2010.
Intralot would install the game via an integrated on-line lottery system using its Lotos
platform. Operations began in June 2005, but
sales for Ganagol were low and in February
2008 Intralot claimed that the game was operating at a loss.
Pari- mutuel betting is now widely available
through Colombia’s lottery outlets including
Gana, Jer, Paga Todo and Gane amongst many
others. Via its website www.lasdeportivas.com.
locals can also check the results of football
matches and check the forecasts for each match
up. According to Cristina Arango, since the game
went live in November, sales for the new game
now stand at around $2.325bn pesos around
US$865.000 .
Virtual sports betting is also now permitted
in casinos and slot parlours, bars and hotels on
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It is estimated that if
online games were
operated by the federal
government then it
could generate another
$19bn pesos for the
Colombian health
sector in the first year.
horse racing and other sports. In June 2014 Inspired Gaming Group announced its first Virtual
Sports customer in Colombia, GENTEC (the Betancur Group).
With the granting of the licence for parimutuel betting it is believed that the sports offer
in Colombia could begin to expand in the near
future but this expansion could be limited. There
are no sports betting shops in Colombia. Rather
the sports betting offer is strictly limited for now
to pari-mutuel betting via terminals located in
lottery outlets. The only company allowed to
offer sports betting in Colombia is Corredor Empresarial S.A. As yet the gaming board has given
no indication that it plans on broadening the industry to include bricks and mortar sports betting shops.
HORSE RACING
According to Colombian gaming law bets on
horse races staged either locally or from abroad
are legal and are licensed by the municipality or
district where they are located. Licences are
granted for ten years. In its heyday the horse
racing industry employed over 40 thousand
people in Colombia but today horse racing in
Colombia is in sharp decline and a total of
eleven tracks have closed over the years.
This is due to a lack of local interest in the
sport, and according to industry insiders a lack
of willingness of the government to promote the
industry. According to Luis Felipe Triana, President of the Colombian Thoroughbred Organisation in an interview with local press in June this
year: “What has happened is that the horse race
industry in Colombia has has no backing from
the government and zero commitment.”
In an effort to revitalise the industry the government amended the 1993 act and reduced the
tax from 12 per cent to 1 per cent tax on gross
sales for the right to stage races . Previously
tracks had to pay 12 per cent but in 2010 the
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government reclassified horse racing as a sport
as opposed to game of chance in order to provide a boost to the industry. However this has
had little impact on the industry.
The Hipódromo de Los Andes race track - a
major racetrack located in the municipality of
Chía, in the north of Bogotá, which had been
open in 1978 was closed in 1987 heralding the
decline of the industry.
The racetrack of Los Comuneros, located in
Guarne in the province of Antioquia, finally
closed its doors to the public in 2008 after a long
battle against bankruptcy. The track had debts
of $13bn pesos (US$6m) and its licence to run
sports betting had run out in February 2008.
The Villa de Leyva track had been closed since
1998 and was reopened in 2007. Colombian
company Inturf held the five-year licence to run
the racetrack and was also granted permission
to open 60 points of sale in Colombia to offer
horse race betting. However that too closed in
2012. In the past locals were also able to bet on
the outcome of races at the Villa de Leyva racetrack in a game called El Hípico Millionario.
Since the track closed the game has been unavailable and the same game is not offered via
any of the new racetracks.
Despite these setback there have been two recent openings. A new track was opened in 2013
also by Inturf after the company decided that
the only way to make horse racing profitable
was to move it nearer to the capital. The Parque
Hipódromo de El Rosal is just 18 kilometres
away from Bogota. The track however is not faring well. The track is now only open once every
fifteen days and races are attended by crowds
made up of only 40 to 50 people according to reports in local press.
The only other track is located in the Department of Cesar. The racetrack San Francisco in
the city of Valledupar opened in December 2013.
It is hoped that the race track could spark a renaissance in the sport. Located just five minutes
from the Alfonso López Michese airport in the
city of Valledupar and set in one of the most
fully developed zones in the city the racecourse
was built in an area of 32 hectares and is the
first in the Colombian Caribbean region. It is
hoped that the racetrack will increase tourism in
the region as well.
However, the track has encountered serious
obstacles. Built by private investors, it was an-
S
Essential information and facts
about Colombia:
In southern Colombia, the 'Colombian Massif' is where the
Eastern and Central Cordilleras split. They are joined by a
third - the Western Cordillera and all run for hundreds of
kilometres northwards. These gargantuan ranges are
divided by the inter-Andean valleys of the Magdalena and
Cauca rivers.
Colombia is split into 32 'departments' or provinces,
covering five geographical regions: Andean, Caribbean,
Amazonian, Orinoquian and Pacific.
Colombia has 58 National Parks (almost the same amount
as the U.S) that cover around 10 per cent of the national
territory - some 12,602,328 hectares - and are home to
some of the most endangered ecosystems on the planet.
There are plans to enlarge existing parks and establish
more to reach a 14 per cent coverage.
Various archaeological sites, amongst them some of the
most important in South America such as the Lost City
(Ciudad Perdida) of the Tayronas and San Agustin among
others.
Not one but two deserts – La Guajira peninsula is one of
them and forms the northernmost tip of South America.
The national currency is the Colombian Peso.
90 per cent of the country is Catholic.
Vast coastal wetlands and savannahs – home to various
wildlife sanctuaries and swathes of Dry Tropical Forest –
some of the last places on Earth where this ecosystem still
exists.
nounced in December 2014 that it could not
offer horse racing betting because it did not have
the proper permits from the local government or
the gaming board. However the issue has since
been resolved and the track is now up and running.
It is believed that the track could be the most
important horse racing venue by 2018. Via its
website it offers races transmitted in real time
over the internet and races, will it is hoped, be
simulcast in sports betting shops throughout
Colombia. The owners have also expressed their
intention to apply for an official pari-mutuel license and eventfully open as many as a thousand horse race betting shops nationwide over
the coming years.
This, in light of recent closures would, however, seem overly optimistic as Colombians turn
away from horse race betting and instead bet on
other sports such as football via the internet.
This trend is likely to continue especially as the
gaming board is actively seeking to increase the
sports betting offer both via pari-mutuel betting
and could regulate the online sports betting
space in the near future.
N
ONLINE
It is estimated that if online games were operated by the federal government then it could
generate another $19bn pesos for the Colombian
health sector in the first year. According to the
recent study commissioned by the gaming
board, online gaming is becoming increasingly
popular especially among more affluent Colombians, with 60 per cent of the gambling public
using the internet to make a bet. Baltazar Medina, Head of the Colombian Federation of Gaming Businessmen (FECEAZAR), said the study
was highly encouraging as it pointed to the fact
that there was still room for considerable growth
in the sector and that there was “plenty of opportunity to bring more gaming brands with
newer models on board.”
Indeed demand for online gaming is growing
especially amongst those with a higher income
and young adults. The study also found that demand is particularly high for online gaming and
live in-play gaming across multiple platforms.
Colombian gaming law grants the gaming
board the right to offer online games on an exclusive basis. In 2013 Coljuegos released a statement to the press saying that it was “carrying
out the necessary studies to regulate games of
chance on the internet, in order to offer new alternatives for the market.” The board is becoming increasingly vociferous in its statements
aimed against offshore operators which are offering their services locally.
In 2013, in what was to be believed to be a
move ahead of the creation of a set of new regulations, the board issued a number of warnings
to unlicensed operators accusing them of undermining the funding of public health services.
Then President of Coljuegos Rodrigo Vélez Jara
said that all sites offering their services to locals
were acting outside of the law and also released
a strongly worded statement to locals saying
that not only was betting via offshore betting
sites was against the law but the government
could not protect players with any protection
while they were playing online.
The Gaming Board’s increasingly tough public
stance on the issue could herald major changes
in the near future. In the past Coljuegos has
been strongly protective of its monopoly over
gaming and while illegal gaming has proliferated
the board is waging an increasingly visible war
on illegal gaming in the media. It is believed that
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The Chance Game, also known locally in Colombia as
“Apuestas Permanentes,” is a daily numbers game
that allows the player to choose a figure made up of
no more than four numbers.
this will soon expand to online gaming and
could lead to the implementation of a number
of measures which could include the blocking of
offshore operators in Colombia and possibly
penalties on players found to be breaking the
law.
However the debate on exactly how Coljuegos
would go about preventing offshore operators
from targeting the market is at an early stage in
terms of providing concrete solutions. But once
Coljuegos permits online gaming it will in all
likelihood seek to protect its monopoly and
enter into an agreement with an operator to
offer online gaming on its behalf. What is also
clear is that sports betting is becoming increasingly popular in Colombia. During this year’s
Copa America (Latin American Football Cup)
Coljuegos warned against betting on sports
which rose during the event.
In an interview with local press earlier this
year head of the board Cristina Arango said:
“Online gambling should be regulated because there is a growing demand for the product
and from a legal point of view this has not been
met. Additionally, it is a part of the market that
has not been dealt with in Colombia . . . Once
you’ve made the decision public policy coordination becomes relevant especially when it
comes to controlling illegal operations,” she
said.
In addition as part of this year’s Colombia’s
National Development Plan Coljuegos is seeking
permission to offer a number of new games
such as instants and online games and sports
betting over the internet. Colombia’s National
Development Plan is aimed at setting the guide-
2 Pristine Caribbean beaches make Tayrona National Park a
l1 Just over 35 years ago, Ciudad Perdida, the “lost city,” was— l
like much of Colombia—undiscovered and off-limits for
travel. This spectacular archaeological site in northern
Colombia had disappeared into inaccessible wilderness
populated by violent militia and drug traffickers. Now the
cleared mountaintop terraces shine like a green grassy
beacon declaring the country’s rebirth as a destination at
the crossroads of the Caribbean and South America.
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standout in northern Colombia. The park is one of several
natural and cultural attractions in the area that include the
16th-century city of Santa Marta and Ciudad Perdida.
3 Colombia has had a turbulent history. Civil war (1899l
1902) claimed 100,000 lives, and La Violencia
(1948-1957) cost 300,000 more.
S
lines for growth and improvement in the country and there are three articles in the new Plan
which could herald major changes in the industry. Online games are not covered in current
gaming law and the federal government is seeking to have these games included in this year’s
National Development Plan as it considers itself
the ideal body to launch and operate new
games.
Cristina Arango told press in March this year:
“If we have a state entity that knows the subject,
it is best for that entity to manage these games,
but the earmarking of resources for health and
for the departments remains the same, and will
not change,” she said.
LOTTERIES
The lottery market in Colombia is extremely
varied and there is a wide and extensive sales
network throughout Colombia. However, the
most popular lottery games in Colombia are
Chance, Baloto and Super Astro. Combined all
lottery games represent around 1.5 per cent of
Colombia’s gross domestic product. Baloto
began fourteen years ago while Chance started
over 60 years ago and Super Astro began in
N
2000. The Chance Game, also known locally as
“Apuestas Permanentes,” is a daily numbers
game and it allows the player to choose a figure
made up of no more than 4 numbers. Chance
first began in the late 1970’s in the region of Antioquia and quickly spread nationwide although
it was illegal. It was finally legalised in 1982. In
2014 sales for Chance reached US$860m.
There are draws throughout the day and an
extensive sales network. According to a recent
study carried out by Coljuegos Chance has the
highest brand recognition in Colombia and 83
per cent of those interviewed had played the
game recently while 63 per cent said it was their
favourite lottery game.
Chance is offered via a sales network Paga
Todo Grupo Empresarial en Linea S.A. (GELSA)
which is the largest privately-owned ‘Chance’
gaming company. In 2002 GTECH (now IGT
after the companies merged in 2015) and GELSA
joined together to officially launch ‘Apuestas
Permanentes’ (Chance), utilizing GTECH’s technology. In January 2011 GTECH announced that
it had signed a five-and-a-half year contract extension with Grupo Empresarial en Linea S.A.
(GELSA), to continue providing online lottery
technology and commercial services in Colombia.
While Chance offers a 1 in 1,000 possibility of
winning, Baloto offers odds of 8.1m to one. The
Baloto game consists of guessing correctly 6, 5,
4, or 3 numbers out of a total of 45. Baloto runs
twice a week and there are around 10,000
points of sale nationwide in 420 municipalities
in Colombia. Baloto tickets are more expensive
standing at $5,500 pesos for a ticket while customers can pay $7,500 pesos to play Revancha
(Revenge) which allows the customer to participate in a second draw with the same numbers.
Baloto is aimed at customers with a higher disposable income while Chance is quicker and
provides a higher chance of a payout although
the prizes are smaller.
GTECH was initially awarded a 10-year concession contract to bring the Baloto game to
Colombians in December 1999 and the first
draw was held in January 2001. In its first ten
years GTECH recorded sales of over $1.5bn pesos
for the game.
In the time between 2001 and 2012, GTECH
launched a wide array of other lottery games in
Colombia, generated 20,000 direct and indirect
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In November 2015, the Colombian
l1 Gaming
Control board announced
2
l
plans to block offshore gaming sites
offering their services to locals. The
new rules follow the largest
crackdown in Colombian history on
the land based sector with the board
announcing that is has broken the
record when it comes to the
confiscation of illegal gaming
equipment and machinery.
According to the head of the board
Cristina Arango, the board has so far
confiscated 2,512 pieces of gaming
equipment in total and imposed
fines of US$13,600,000m so far in
2015.
The board plans to block sites via
local police agencies in what could
herald one of the strictest polices
again online gaming in the entire
region. “We have identified around
200 sites and the idea is to control
them via a program in conjunction
with the Ministry of Technology and
Information and the Cyber Crimes
Police. With them we are setting up
a similar scheme to the struggle
against child pornography in order
to block these gambling pages on
football, poker and some online
lotteries,” Cristina Arango said.
jobs and transferred more than $264m pesos to
Colombia’s’ health sector selling in the same period over US$843m in tickets.
GTECH’s licence to offer the game was extended in 2011 for five years. The company has
announced plans to include new innovations to
the Baloto game and it is estimated to generate
revenues for GTECH of approximately US$55m
over the next five-years. Baloto generated sales
of $3.43bn pesos in 2015 and sales for the game
are predicted to increase by as much as 10 per
cent by the end of 2015.
The licence extension means that GTECH will
expand its sales network to 10,000 and will deliver an estimated 32.32 cents per pesos in sales
back to the Health Department. The gaming terminals are located nationwide and are present in
almost every single supermarket chain in
Colombia. Points of sale also allow Colombians
to pay utility bills and offer a full complement of
transaction-processing services (through its
brand VIA™) that include cellular phone topups, bill payments, and money transfers.
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Meanwhile, the current concession of Lotto
game Super Astro came to an end in April 2015
but was re awarded to Colombian company
Corredor Empresarial S.A which has operated
Super Astro since 2010. The new licence grants
the company the right to offer the game for another five years during which time it will return
24 per cent of gross income back to the health
sector.
Since its introduction onto the market the
game, which is a lottery type game based
around the signs of the zodiac, has reported
sales in excess of $359bn pesos. The company
currently operates more than 51,000 Super
Astro sales terminals nationwide.
The game has reported rates of growth averaging 41 per cent since its launch and is especially popular amongst those with a medium to
high level of education.
Sales for the product added to around
US$274m by June last year and reached
US$370m this year. So far the game has raised
US$45m for the public health sector.
Colombians can also buy lottery tickets online via Smartphones or the web via a mobile
application by logging into lajuega.com. The site
allows players to access the site or download the
application, and play a number of lotteries on
offer in a number of states throughout Colombia
with any locally issued credit card. This channel
aims to increase sales of lotteries by around
$10bn pesos over the next five years. LaJuega
technology was developed locally and is promoted by the Presidency of the Republic
through the Entrepreneurship Fund and the
Ministry of Technology and Information from
Colombia.
Meanwhile, other points of sale are offered by
the Grupo Jer which offers an extensive sales
network of both their own lottery products as
well as products offered by other companies
such as company Corredor Empresarial S.A in
Boyacá and the Amazonas. Gana also offers
points of sale in 125 municipalities in Antioquia
and Gane has 700 points of sale in Valle del
Cauca.
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It is believed that gaming income for the state could
increase substantially if the new provisions are
approved. According to the latest estimates, new
lotteries and instants could generate around $10bn
pesos by the fifth year.
Besides Chance, Baloto, and Super Astro there
are also a wide number of games offered by
each state. However, the local lottery sector per
region is in decline and the products have been
losing popularity in each province for over ten
years. They have also been plagued by a number
of corruption scandals. The most recent of which
was in March 2015 when ex head of the Lottery
Board for the state of Huila, was arrested along
with a former legal representative of a lottery
firm, for alleged irregularities in the awarding of
a lottery licence worth millions of dollars.
As a result of falling revenues and corruption
scandals it is looking increasingly likely that
local lotteries could be put under the control of
the gaming board in order to raise revenue. As
already mentioned plans to take lotteries out of
the control of local governments and place a
number of new games under the control of the
Colombian Gaming Control Board (Coljuegos)
are now underway as Colombia debates this
year’s National Development Plan. If the clauses
introduced by the national government are apN
proved this could lead to major changes in the
Colombian lottery sector.
New plans now being discussed would affect
online gaming, sports betting and a number of
lotteries. However local leaders are arguing that
the federal government is seeking to wrestle financial control of lotteries and other games
away from local districts in a bid to strengthen
federal authority over local districts. The Government has introduced three articles to Colombia’s most recent National Development Plan
which would affect the gaming industry as it
seeks to make way for new games which have
yet to be developed on a large scale including instant lotteries, online gaming and sports betting.
However, the Federation of Departments have
argued that plans to move lotteries from state
control to federal control would be unconstitutional as the Constitution grants the 32 departments control and exploitation of all local
lotteries and changes to that law could not be
made via the National Development Plan.
Amilkar Acosta, President of the National
Federation of Departments, qualified the new
proposals as an “absurdity” as it would give
Coljuegos power to be both “judge and jury”
when it came to exploiting any new games authorised in Colombia.
It is believed that gaming income for the state
could increase substantially if the new provi-
sions are approved. According to the latest estimates, new lotteries and instants could generate
around $10bn pesos by the fifth year.
Coljuegos is also looking increasingly likely
to permit Keno. In June 2014 the board held a
meeting in which a discussion on how Keno
could be regulated in the future in Colombia.
Twenty two people were present at the meeting and expressed their interest in operating the
game. The comments made by the participants
are now being analysed and will be taken into
account as the board seeks to regulate the game
and offer it in the near future. In return for being
granted the right to run the game the operator
will have to return 17 per cent of gross sales to
the health sector.
BINGO
In Colombia licences to run bingo halls are
granted in the same way that they are for both
slot parlours and casinos, but the minimum
number of seats depends on the size of the population of the municipality in which the bingo
operates.
Bingo is becoming increasingly popular in
Colombia and the number of bingo halls has
more than tripled since 2002. The number of
bingo positions grew 13 per cent from 21,398 in
2013 and to 24, 677 in 2014. The market leader is
Codere.
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Flourishing despite
market limitations
South Africa is a huge gambling market with
even more potential for growth. however an
online gambling market is still looking unlikely
despite calls to amend the law and open up
the casino online gambling sector
The southern most country in Africa, South
Africa, is bordered by 2,798 km of coastline
stretching along the South Atlantic and Indian
Oceans whilst in the north by neighbouring
countries Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe
and in the east with Mozambique and Swaziland
and Lesotho nestled in the middle.
South Africa is the 25th largest country in the
world by land area and with close to 53 million
in population it is the world 24th most populous
nation.
The country is multi ethnic and encompasses
a wide variety of cultures, languages and
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religions. It is one of the few countries in Africa
never to have had a coup d’etat and regular
elections have been held for the last century.
The black Africans have sought to recover
their rights from the dominant white minority
although it wasn’t until 1994 the vast majority
saw discriminatory laws repealed or abolished.
Since 1994 all ethnic and linguistic groups
have had political representation in a
constitutional democracy and today South
Africa is often referred to as the Rainbow Nation
to describe the multi cultural diversity.
The government is a parliamentary republic
and unlike other republics the President is both
head of state and head of government.
There are nine provinces in South Africa –
Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZuluNatal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape
and North West
Its economy meanwhile is the second largest
in Africa after Nigeria and the 34th largest in the
world. South Africa has the seventh highest per
capita income in Africa even though poverty
remains widespread.
But on the back of the global recession the
country is struggling. GDP in 2014 was $704.5bn
and annual real GDP growth fell to 1.5 per cent in
2014 and growth was slow last year. The
economy has been affected by its most
protracted industrial action since apartheid and
weak demand from trading partners.
The country has a high level of poverty and
unemployment rates and is ranked in the top 10
countries in the world for income inequality.
Only 15 percent of South African jobs are in the
informal sector.
Household debt, rising taxes and high level of
interest rates continue to affect private demand
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whilst the banking sector has been weakened by
the concentration of credit on households.
Unemployment is sitting at 25 per cent and in
a bid to create some jobs five sectors have been
highlighted to help boost economic growth
including advanced manufacturing,
infrastructure, natural gas, service exports and
agro processing.
Meanwhile South Africa is a popular tourist
destination and tourism direct GDP was
R103.6bn in 2013 (around 2.9 percent
contribution). Total tourism spend in 2013 was
R218.9bn of which 57 per cent came from
domestic visitors and the remainder from
international visitors. Some 14.3 million non
resident visitors came to South Africa during
2013 and this has helped boost employment
with the tourism industry employing around 4.4
percent of people in South Africa. The figure is
an increase from 13.1 million in 2012 and
12.1million n 2011.
In June 2015 there were a total of 610,092
visitors to South Africa of which 113,689 came
from overseas.
l1 The Palace of the Lost City resort hotel is the largest theme
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resort hotel in the world as well as the largest building
project undertaken in the southern hemisphere.
South Africa has the cheapest electricity in the world and
generates two-thirds of Africa's electricity. South Africa is
one of the most generously endowed geographic solar
GAMBLING MARKET
Gambling was restricted in South Africa from as
early as 1673 and although the 1965 Gambling
Act banned all forms of gambling (except horse
racing) by the late 1970s ‘casinos’ had begun to
open.
The country had a flourishing illegal gambling
industry which was almost entirely controlled
by whites and offered no player protection. It
was readily available to minors and was rife
with fraud and corruption and ignored problems
associated with problem gambling.
hotspots in the world, soaking up just over half of the
world's highest category of solar wattage per sq.yd of land.
3 South Africa is the world's leader in mining and minerals. It
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has nearly 90 per cent of the platinum metals on earth, 80
per cent of the manganese, 73 per cent of the chrome, 45
per cent of the vanadium and 41 per cent of the gold.
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TOTAL GAMING REVENUE
R23.9bn (2015)
RACETRACKS
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BOOKMAKERS
300 + 400 Totalisators
BETTING REVENUE
R3.46bn (14.5 per cent share of total
gambling market)
BINGO REVENUE
R1.11bn (4.7 per cent)
LPM REVENUE
NUMBER OF LPMS
10,279
CASINOS
38
CASINO SLOTS
23,000 approx
CASINO TABLES
900 approx
CASINO REVENUE
In 2009 the Gambling review Commission (GrC) was established to review the
gambling industry and this included looking at the current legalised gambling
activities and whether they should be expanded or curtailed. The report was
submitted in 2010 and hearings were held during the next two years.
When the new South Africa arrived it had
basically inherited 17 casinos which at the time
represented a billion rand industry from the old
South Africa (the TBVC states) as well as a long
standing horse racing industry. At that time
there were an estimated 150,000 illegal slot
machines in operation under neon signs which
attracted players to gambling dens and mini
‘casinos’.
In 1996 the National Gambling Act was
introduced which aimed to eliminate illegal
gambling and not only bring the whole sector
under control, but also provide freedom of
choice to the players.
It brought with it 40 casino gambling licences
distributed amongst the provinces and also set
up the National Gaming Board (NGB).
The National Gaming Board was established
in 1998 to regulate the gambling industry and
reform the gaming sector in South Africa. In
2003 the Gambling Regulators Africa Forum
(GRAF) was launched to cover regulatory
changes in the African continent. Then in 2008
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the National Gambling Amendment Act was
introduced to regulate interactive gambling but
was not implemented.
In 2009 the Gambling Review Commission
(GRC) was established to review the gambling
industry and this included looking at the current
legalised gambling activities and whether they
should be expanded or curtailed. The report was
submitted in 2010 and hearings were held
during the next two years with a final report
released in 2013. The National Gambling Policy
which has been released this year has taken into
account recommendations of the GRC.
The gambling industry in South Africa is
currently managed and operated by about 10
business enterprises.
GGR increased by 11.9 percent last year from
R18.4bn in 2012 to R20.9bn in 2013 and up 4.1
percent to R21.8bn in 2014 and up 9.6 percent to
R23.9bn in 2015.
Taxes collected during that year increased by
6.2 percent from R2.09bn in 2013 to R2.23bn in
2014 and up 10.7 percent to R2.5bn in 2015.
Casino taxes saw the highest percentage share
of taxes paid with R1.6bn (73 percent).
A study conducted by the National Gaming
Board showed the following information for the
gambling market:
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29.6 per cent of gambling participants were
unemployed
14.8 per cent occupied part time jobs
37.8 per cent had no formal schooling.
29.4 per cent earned less than R1,000 per
month
THE CASINO SECTOR
The casino industry in South Africa began to
evolve in the mid 1990s. BY 1994 there were
nine casinos all located in the previous TBVC
states (Transkei, Bophuthatswana, Venda and
Ciskei) and the majority of these were built in
the 1980s.
The first casino to open was Sun City in 1979.
Once the National Gambling Act was passed in
1996 there was a period of rapid growth and
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ESTIMATEd ShARE OF CASINO REVENUE dURING FINANCIAL yEAR 2014
PROVINCE
SUN INTERNATIONAL TSOGO SUN
PEERMONT
OTHER*
Gauteng
Western Cape
KwaZulu-Natal
Mpumalanga
Limpopo
North West
Northern Cape
Eastern Cape
Free State
TOTAL
R23.5m
R5.6m
R23.9m
R18.6m
R20.4m
R5.3m
R13.8m
R4.5m
R19.5m
R2.1m
R18.6m
R84.1m
R35.9m
R81.4m
R79.6m
R80.5m
R72.1m
R70.2m
R42.4m
R53.4m
R15.9m
R58.5m
R76.1m
R27.9m
R24.5m
R41.7m
* Gauteng: London Clubs, Emerald Casino * Northern Cape: Desert Palace
suddenly there were 17 casinos. Further casinos
were opened over the years plus a substantial
investment in the refurbishment and renovation
of older casinos. Today there are 38 casinos
across the nine provinces and a limit of 40.
There are a total of 33,360 casino positions. The
two provinces yet to fulfil their full licences are
Mpumalanga and Eastern Cape.
There are currently five management
companies which between them share the 38
casinos. Of these three are large groups with
multiple sites - Sun International with 13 sites,
Tsogo Sun with 14 and Peermont with eight
casinos. Caesers (London Clubs), Northern Cape
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Casino Consultants and Niveu operate one
casino each. Casino turnover for 2014 amounted
to RR252.4bn – almost 79 percent of the total
R319.7bn gambling turnover in South Africa.
The three main casino operators are:
PeermOnt GlObAl
Peermont is South Africa’s most empowered
hospitality and gaming company and has hotel,
convention centres, retail outlets, restaurants
and bar properties throughout South Africa.
It was set up in 1995 under the name of Global
Resorts and later changed its name to Peermont
Global Limited in 2003. In 2007 the
Mineworkers Investment Company led a
consortium in a buyout of the company valued
at around R7.3bn.
Peermont is one of the largest holders of
casino licenses in South Africa and has eight
casinos in South Africa and two in Botswana.
They operate a total of 3,174 slots and 141 tables
in South Africa. The South African casinos are:
l Emperors Palace in Gauteng. This is a casino
resort with 1,724 slots and 68 gaming tables
and 667 hotel rooms.
l Frontier Inn and Casino in Free State. A casino
resort with 140 slots and nine gaming tables
and 21 rooms.
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Today there are 38
casinos across the nine
provinces and a limit of
40. There are a total of
33,360 casino
positions. The two
provinces yet to fulfil
their full licences are
Mpumalanga and
Eastern Cape.
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Graceland in Mpumalanga is a casino resort
with 311 slots and 18 tables and 98 rooms.
Khoroni in Limpopo is a casino resort with
150 slots, seven tables and 82 rooms.
Thaba Moshate in Limpopo is a resort with 150
slots and eight tables and 82 rooms.
Mmabatho Palms in North West is a casino
resort with 152 slots, eight tables and 150
rooms.
Rio Casino Resort in North West is a casino
resort with 274 slots, 11 tables and 70 rooms.
Umfolozi in Kwazulu Natalis a casino resort
with 140 slots, nine gaming tables and 21
rooms.
Company revenue for 2014 was a total of
R3.25bn, a 5.7 percent increase on the year
previously whilst gaming revenue increased by
six percent to R2.52bn.
Peermont’s latest casino, Thaba Moshate,
opened in April 2015 and is expected to generate
R40m EBITDA in its first full year. The Emperors
Palace delivered the best performance for the
company and is responsible for 65 percent of the
company’s revenue. Gaming is responsible for 78
percent of group revenue.
In March 2015 Sun International acquired 100
percent of the Peermont Holdings Group and
with that took on Peermont’s debt. With this
acquisition the Emperors Palace gives Sun an
opportunity to increase revenue from Gauteng
which is the province with the highest gambling
spend in South Africa.
The deal will include the relocation of the
Morula casino and Sun will begin construction
of a R3bn development known as Time Square
at Menlyn Maine. It is thought this will generate
R600m EBITDA.
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Sun internAtiOnAl
Sun International is South Africa’s largest
tourism, leisure and gaming group and has 27
resorts, hotels and casinos in 10 countries. This
includes 13 operations in South Africa, two in
Zambia, two in Lesotho and one each in
Botswana, Nigeria, Swaziland and Namibia.
The company was the pioneer of gaming in
southern Africa and brought casinos to this part
of the world in the late 1970s.
Total revenue for the company increased by
5.8 percent last year to R10.6bn, of this R8.4bn
was down to casino revenue and R8.2bn down
to South African casino operations.
South Africa’s casinos contribute 81 percent
of group revenues and gaming revenue is the
prime contributor to the group at 82 percent.
Sun City is the company’s highest revenue
earner.
Meanwhile Sun International acquired GPI
Slots in January 2015 and Peermont a couple of
months later.
Sun International operates a total of 10,156
slots and 338 tables in their South African
casinos which are:
l GrandWest in Western Cape which has 39
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rooms, 2,563 slots and 76 tables. Casino
revenue in 2014 was R1.9bn.
Sun City in North West has 1,297 rooms, 563
slots and 36 tables saw casino revenues of
R519m.
Sibaya in KwaZulu-Natal has 154 rooms, 1,216
slots and 48 tables and saw casino revenues
of R1.07bn.
Carnival City in Gauteng has 105 rooms, 1,765
slots and 55 tables and saw casino revenues
of R1.01bn.
Carousel in North West has 94 rooms, 697
slots and 19 tables and saw revenues of
R297m.
Wild Coast Sun in Eastern Cape has 396
rooms, 450 slots and 16 tables. Revenues of
R304m.
Morula in Gauteng has 73 rooms, 510 slots and
12 tables and saw revenues of R196m.
Meropa in Limpopo is a standalone casino
which has 409 slots, 17 tables and saw
revenues of R275m.
Windmill in Free State is a stand alone which
has 353 slots and 18 tables and revenues of
R257m.
Flamingo in Northern Cape is a standalone
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which has 288 slots, 11 tables and revenues of
R150m.
Golden Valley in Western Cape has 98 rooms,
220 slots, 6 tables and revenues of R132m.
Naledi Sun in Free State has 30 rooms, 150
slots and revenues of R21m.
Boardwalk in Eastern Cape has 140 rooms,
972 slots and 24 tables and revenues of
R512m.
A new development plan is Menlyn Maine
which is set to become South Africa’s first green
city. It will include commercial office space,
retails, shopping, gym, housing, hotel and
entertainment and park areas.
Sun International wants to build a five star
hotel to include casino, 8.500 seat indoor arena,
club, restaurants and dining.
The relocation of the Morula Casino is part of
this plan. This casino has seen declines in
revenues for some time due to its relatively
inaccessible location and growth of non casino
gambling activities in the area.
Ground work began in the summer of 2015
despite outstanding objections from residents
and other companies.
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tSOGO Sun GAminG
Tsogo Sun has some 90 hotels with 14,600
rooms and 45 years experience in the leisure
business. From 2005 the company moved from
being a brand manager to a brand owner and
has interests throughout Africa, the Middle East
and the Seychelles.
Tsogo Sun is owned by Tsogo Sun Holdings,
South Africa’s entertainment and hospitality
group and the company’s key shareholder is
Hosken Consolidated Investments which has
47.6 percent and the remaining is public owned
(52.4 percent). Last year beer giant SABMiller
sold its $1bn stake in Tsogo Sun.
The group’s first casino to open was
Emnotweni Casino in 1997 followed by The
Ridge a year later. In 2009 the group acquired
two casinos run by Century Casinos (Blackrock
and Caledon) and in 2011 the company merged
with Gold Reef Resorts which had seven casinos
– Gold Reef City, Silverstar, Golden Horse,
Garden Route, Mykonos and Goldfields and
Queens.
Today Montecasino is the highest earner and
represents 22 percent of group revenue
contribution followed by Suncoast and then
Gold Reef City.
Meanwhile a proposed reshuffle in casino
ownership in Western Cape was prohibited by
the Gaming Board recently. In February 2015
Tsogo Sun applied to acquire a minority interest
in two of Sun International’s and GPI’s casinos a 14.9 percent interest in Sunwest’s GrandWest
Casino and Golden Valley Casino in Worcestor
from Sun International for R635m and a 25.1
percent interest from GPI for R1.55bn. Both
casinos would continue to be operated by the
former management teams however.
The arrangement would have meant that
Tsogo Sun had a stake in all five Western Cape
casinos. A tribunal was brought in to examine
the deal and delays has left the two companies
terminating the proposed transaction.
The deal was said to have been set up to help
with a second casino licence in Cape Town and
would basically remove any incentive for the
two casino giants to compete if Western Cape
government allowed an existing casino licence
(of either Mykonos, Garden Route, Caledon or
Worcestor casinos) to be transferred to Cape
Town now GrandWest’s period of exclusivity has
ended.
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Essential information and facts
about South Africa:
country
capital
total Area
Population
median age
male
Female
ethnic groups
religions
languages
currency
Government type
chief of State
head of Government
cabinet
elections
South Africa
Pretoria (administrative),
Cape Town (legislative),
Bloemfontein (judicial)
1,219,090 sq.km
53,675,563
26.5 years
26.2 years
26.7 years
South African (80.2%),
White (8.4%), Coloured (8.8%),
Indian/Asian (2.5%)
Protestant (36.5%),
Catholic 7.1%), Muslim (1.5%),
other Christian (36%)
IsiZulu (22.7%), IsiXhosa (16%),
Afrikaans (13.5%), English (9.6%)
Rand (ZAR)
Republic
President Jacob Zuma (AFC)
(since 2009)
President Jacob Zuma
Cabinet appointed by the
President
President elected by National
Assembly for a five year term.
Last election held in May 2014.
Next due 2019.
By sharing a stake in GrandWest there would
be little motivation for either to fund a new
casino development in Cape Town especially as
neither seemed particularly interested in doing
so.
The fallen deal now leaves GPI with its
minority stake in GrandWest and Worcestor
casinos. The company had intended to use the
funds from the sale of its casino interests for the
expansion of its fast food venture.
Tsogo has a 41 percent share of the casino
market in terms of revenue. Group income was
R11.3bn an increase of five percent on the
previous year. Of this R6.9bn was from gaming
win and R1.5bn came from table gaming and
R5.4 came from slots gaming.
The group concluded a merger with Gold Reef
Resorts in 2011 and now operates 14 casinos in
six provinces which are:
l Gold Reef City Casino, Gauteng has 50 tables,
1,712 slots and 113 rooms. The casino saw an
income of R1.2bn in 2014/15
l Montecasino, Gauteng has 79 tables, 1820
slots and 619 hotel rooms. The casino saw an
income of R2.5bn.
l Silverstar Casino located in Gauteng has 28
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tables, 1,102 slots and 34 rooms and had an
income of R676m.
BlackRock Casino, KwaZulu-Natal has 10
tables, 300 slots and 80 rooms and saw an
income of R152m.
Suncoast Casino, KwaZulu-Natal has 63
tables, 1,545 slots and 165 rooms and saw an
income of R1.5bn.
Golden Horse Casino, KwaZulu-Natal has 20
tables, 450 slots and 96 rooms saw an income
of R334m.
Mykonos Casino, Western Cape is a
standalone casino and has six tables and 320
slots and saw an income of R145m.
Garden Route Casino, Western Cape has 16
income of R188m.
The Caledon Casino, Western Cape has eight
tables, 318 slots and 95 rooms. Income was
R149m.
Hemingways Casino, Eastern Cape has 16
tables, 507 slots and 108 rooms. Income was
R310m
Queens Casino, Eastern Cape is a standalone
and has six tables and 180 slots. No income
data.
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Emnotweni Casino,Mpumpalanga has 18
income of R367m.
The Ridge Casino, Mpumpalanga has 18 tables,
450 slots and 175 rooms saw an income of
R415m.
Goldfields Casino, Free State is a standalone
casino and has nine tables, 250 slots saw an
income of R138m.
THE BINGO SECTOR
This has been a growth sector recently thanks to
new provinces opening their doors to bingo
operations. Until recently of the nine provinces
in South Africa only Gauteng permitted bingo.
By March 2015 there were a total of 5,369
bingo positions in South Africa divided up
between 3,212 EBTs and 2,157 traditional bingo
machines operational in 26 bingo outlet across
five provinces.
Today Gauteng (2,974 positions), Mpumalanga
(329 positions), North West (420 positions)
KwaZulu-Natal (642 positions) and Eastern
Cape (1,004 positions) offer bingo.
Bingo turnover in 2014 was R13.1bn compared
to R8.7bn in 2013 and R5.5bn back in 2012. GGR
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for bingo was R1.11bn in 2014, R732m in 2013 and
R437m in 2012.
The operators in Gauteng are Galaxy Bingo,
Viva Bingo (now Gold Rush) and Silk Gaming
and Leisure. Viva Bingo was awarded the first
bingo licence in Gauteng in 1998. Since 2005
they have operated electronic bingo terminals .
Gold Rush (Viva) has been operating bingo in
South Africa since 1997 and operates seven
bingo venues in Gauteng and LPM machines in
Gauteng, Limpopo and the North West.
In 2011 the company consolidated the group
and it was re-branded as Gold Rush Group with
divisions set up for Gold Rush Bingo and Gold
Rush Slots. Not long after the company opened
its first bingo operation in Middelburg.
Today Gold Rush has the seven bingo
operations in Gauteng plus two licences in
Mpumalanga province which were awarded for
the towns of Middelburg and Ermelo.
Middelburg opened at the end of 2012 and
Ermelo opened in November 2015.
The company has nine licences for KwaZuluNatal and two licences in North West province
for Rustenburg and Potchefstroom.
Eastern Cape has also called for bingo
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licences and Gold Rush submitted five licence
applications in 2012.
In 2008 Gold Rush entered the LPM sector in
Gauteng and was awarded a route operator
licence to operate 1,000 LPMs. Further route
operator licences were awarded in other
provinces.
The Galaxy Group has been operating bingo
since 1998. This company is owned by Niveus
Investments (investment holding company
focusing on the gaming sector which also
controls Vukani Gaming Corporation) and
Hosken Consolidated Investments.
Galaxy offers gaming in Gauteng, KwaZuluNatal and Eastern Cape and has over 800
terminals. They have 120 locations offering bar,
grill and slots. The company has an EBITDA of
R10m.
Galaxy was the first to open a bingo location
in Eastern Cape in the town of Gonubie in Kings
Mall in March 2014. The Eastern Cape Gambling
and Betting Board has approved six other
licences.
The EBTs are a bone of contention for the
casino operators and with no set bet or payout
limits they are creating competition against the
casino slots. One of the most aggressive
companies at the moment is Niveus, the HCI
controlled company that owns LPMs (via
Vukani) and EBTs.
Some say the EBT is a “technological
advancement” to the traditional bingo game.
Other says they are merely slot machines which
should only be permitted in casinos.
LIMITED PAYOUT MACHINES
There are eight provinces that have licensed the
operation of LPMs – Mpumalanga since 2003,
KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape both since 2004,
Eastern Cape since 2005, Limpopo since 2006,
Gauteng since 2009 and Free State and North
West since 2011. Northern Cape is the last
province to be awarded LPM route operator
licences and roll out started in October last year.
LPMs are primarily located in bars, clubs and
restaurants and the market is still below its
maximum number of machines permitted. Profit
share is 60:40 between route operator and site
operator.
There are currently just over 10,200 machines
out in the market which have been installed
during the first rollout of 25,000 maximum
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Reports
emeA - SOuth AFricA
LPM dATA FOR 2014
PROVINCE
Gauteng
Mpumalanga
North West
KZN
Eastern Cape
Limpopo
Free State
Western Cape
Northern Cape
TOTAL 2014
LPM
ALLOCATION
LICENSED
LPMs
LICENCES
AwARDED
ACTIVE
LPMs
GGR AVERAGE
PER MACHINE
PER DAY
10,000
4,000
3,000
9,000
6,000
3,000
4,000
9,000
2,000
50,000
5,000
2,000
1,500
4,000
2,000
1,000
1,000
2,000
18,500
50%
50%
50%
44.4%
33.3%
33.3%
25%
22.2%
37%
1,910
667
584
2,283
1,368
980
262
1,707
9,761
R507
R469
R194
R510
R448
R460
R296
R965
R556
machines (which was to be completed by March
2009). Total rollout is 50,000.
The delay is attributed to a number of factors
including zoning issues at municipal level,
unreasonable consultations requirements and a
reliance on the Business Act which contradicts
the gambling legislations.
As such the economic viability of LPMs has
been affected as licensing authorities apparently
have a requirement for 60 percent of LPMS to be
rolled out in previously disadvantage
communities. In addition problems with the
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CEMS and NGB have led to disagreements.
Replacement is around 2,200 LPMs per year
compared to around 2,500 casino slots replaced
annually. There are around 12 casino slot
suppliers in South Africa at present compared to
half that for LPM products.
The main route operators include Vukani
Gaming (HCI), Grand Parade Investments and
Gold Rush Gaming.
Vukani Gaming corporation is a leading
supplier of LPMs and is the operator of both
VSlots and Luck@It LPMs and is a subsidiary of
Hosken Consolidated Investments. LuckIt is the
principal operator of LPMs in KwaZulu-Natal
and manages an established network of sites in
this province.
Vukani was issued a route operator licence for
Northern Cape in 2014 for 500 LPMs meaning
Vukani now holds a licence in all nine provinces
and operates 5,000 machines across South
Africa.
The LPMs offer players a maximum bet of R5
and a maximum jackpot of R500 per spin.
Vukani operates a total of 5,052 machines (year
S
Gold rush jumped onto the LPM bandwagon after a slow roll out of bingo in the
2008 period. They entered the LPM market in Gauteng under the Egoli Gaming/
Gold rush brand. The company was awarded a route operator licence in this
province to operate 1,000 LPMs and the first machines were rolled out in 2009.
ending March 2015) and the company has an
EBITDA of R260m with an average GGR per
machine per month of R17,832.
Vukani saw earnings grow despite a slower
than expected machine roll out in the second
half of the financial year. Machine based grew
from 4,642 to 5,032 by March 2015.
Grand Parade investments is a Western Cape
based company which was set up in 1997. It has
a stake in various companies including SunWest
(which owns GrandWest and Table Bay
operations), Burger King, Cape Town
International Convention Centre, Golden Valley
Casino in Worcestor Bay plus the following LPM
operations:
l GrandSlots is operated by Grand Gaming
Western Cape, a subsidiary of GPI Slots. It has
two licensed operators in Western Cape. It has
a GGR market share of 55.6 percent with 917
LPMs and a total revenue in 2014 of R328.9m.
l Kingdom Slots is the trading brand of Grand
Gaming KwaZulu-Natal and a wholly owned
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l
l
GPI operation with four licensed operators in
the province. Kingdom Slots has an annual
GGR market share of 41.3 percent with 834
slots and revenue in 2014 of R174.6m
Grand Gaming Slots is the trading brand of
Grand Gaming Gauteng and Grand Gaming
Mpumalanga. Gauteng began in 2011 and
there are 406 slots which had revenues in
2014 of R56.4m and Mpumalanga in 2013
which has 80 slots with revenues of R4.48m.
Grand Gaming Slots has a GGR market share
of 36.2 percent.
Hot Slots is the trading brand of Gauteng Slots
Route Operation which was set up in 2009.
The company is licensed to operate 1,000
LPMs in Gauteng. They saw revenues of
R32.75m in 2014.
GPI Executive Chairman Hassen Adams said:
“The LPM sector still offers significant scope, not
only for replacement stock, but also as a larger
number of licensed sites are activated.”
Meanwhile apart from its bingo operations
Gold rush also operates LPMs. The company
jumped onto the LPM bandwagon after a slow
roll out of bingo in the 2008 period. They
entered the LPM market in Gauteng under the
Egoli Gaming/Gold Rush brand. The company
was awarded a route operator licence in this
province to operate 1,000 LPMs and the first
machines were rolled out in 2009. Subsequently
further licences were won in North West, Free
State and Limpopo and most recently Northern
Cape.
It is said that the LPM market does offer
competition for the casino market . Carnival City
in Gauteng operated by Sun International
showed a six percent decline in revenues in 2014
due to the onslaught of LPMs and EBTs.
The latter are of particular concern to casino
operators mainly because they do not have
restricted bet and payout rules that the LPMs do.
LPM and EBT revenue grew by about 23 percent
in Gauteng in 2013.
S
Reports
emeA - SOuth AFricA
l1 The vast majority of South African
coal exports are shipped through the
Richards bay Coal Terminal (RbCT).
With the capacity to export 79.4
mmst annually, RbCT is the world's
largest coal export facility.
2 The world's largest diamond was
l
the Cullinan Diamond, found in
South Africa in 1905. It weighed
3,106.75 carats uncut. It was cut
into the Great Star of Africa, 530.2
carats, the Lesser Star of Africa,
which weighs 317.40 carats, and
104 others of near flawless colour
and clarity, which form part of the
british crown jewels.
By the mid 1990s the horseracing industry was expanding rapidly into a multi
billion rand industry, but suffered with poor management structures. In 1994 its
monopoly on the gambling industry ended as the new gambling act was
introduced which saw other forms of gaming legalised.
Everything must go through a Central
Monitoring System operated by Zonke
Monitoring Systems in Johannesburg which
monitors gaming activity.
Zonke was appointed as the national CEMS
operator in May 200 and Route Gaming
Solutions Ltd is responsible for maintaining and
providing technical solutions for the CEMS.
Gaming tax differs between each province
and ranges from six percent to 15 percent of
profit. GGR in 2014 was R1.73bn.
The legislation for LPMs includes:
l
There are three categories of operator licences
for LPMs which are:
route Operator – a registered company
licensed to own and operate LPMs and
responsible for maintenance and money
collection and taxes.
Site Operator – licensee is entitled to keep
LPMs owned by Route Operator on his premises
independent site operators
l There are a maximum number of 50,000
Limited Payout Machines permitted in the
republic and these are divided up between the
various provinces
l Maximum number of five LPMs allowed on a
single site (type A licence). In certain cases up
to 40 (type B licence) are permitted if the
board approves.
l Gambling on LPMs is allowed to over 18s only.
l Maximum stake for LPMs is R5. No double up
is allowed on a LPM
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l
Maximum prize limit is R500. Progressive
jackpots are not permitted.
SPORT BETTING SECTOR
The Horseracing and Betting Department is
responsible for this sector and there are
currently more than 400 totalisator outlets, 213
bookmakers with 435 bookmaker outlets and 8
race courses.
Prior to 1994 gambling was prohibited in
South Africa and as such only took place in
nominally independent homelands. Betting in
South Africa at this time was only allowed on
horseracing as this was the only legal form of
gambling. But it faced serious challenges and
tote betting turnovers were declining and on
course attendances had dropped.
By the mid 1990s the horseracing industry
was expanding rapidly into a multi billion rand
industry but suffered with poor management
structures. In 1994 its monopoly on the
gambling industry ended as the new gambling
act was introduced which saw other forms of
gaming legalised.
This affected GGR which suffered at the hands
of the casino market. There has been a steady
decline in the number of jockeys, races and
meetings. Some 85 percent of total sports
betting are done at bookmakers.
The sector is currently divided into
bookmakers for horse racing and sports betting
and totalisators for horse racing and sports
betting. Figures for the sector include:
l
l
l
l
l
Total GGR 2014/15 was R2.83bn whilst
turnover was R29.6bn (turnover in 2013 was
R24.4bn)
Bookmakers Horse Racing saw a turnover in
2014 of R6.27bn and GGR of R793.9m.
Bookmakers Sports Betting saw a turnover in
2014 of R18.06bn and GGR of R1.43bn.
Totalisators Horse Racing saw a turnover in
2014 of R4.15bn and GGR of R1.08bn.
Totalisators Sports Betting saw a turnover in
2014 of R1.09bn and GGR of R151.7m.
Horseracing had to transform itself from a
sporting activity into a gambling activity and
today it contributes to around 16 per cent of total
gambling revenue in South Africa but has also
created employment for around 100,000 people.
It is now managed by two operating companies
which operate eight race tracks between them:
Operated by Phumelela:
Gauteng – Turffontein (Johannesburg) and Vaal
(Vereeniging)
Eastern Cape –Fairview (Port Elizabeth)
Northern Cape – Flamingo Park (Kimberley)
Operated by Gold circle:
KwaZulu-Natal – Greyville (Durban) and
Scottsville (Pietermaritzburg)
Western Cape – Kenilworth (Cape Town) and
Durbanville (Durbanville)
The horse racing industry evolved from a
S
l1 Although Pretoria is considered to be the capital of South
Africa, the country actually has three capitals: Pretoria
(executive), Cape Town (legislative), and bloemfontein
(judicial).
2 Mossel bay is in the Guinness book of records as having the
l
second most moderate climate in the world.
group of jockey clubs which developed into the
establishment of two national totalisator
operators called Phumelela and Gold Circle.
These two are the only licensed horseracing and
tote betting operators in South Africa. Today
horse racing is a self regulated industry under
the South African National Horseracing
Authority (NHA).
Phumelela is a public company and Gold
Circle operates as a non profit. They combine all
bets into single national pools under the Betting
World / TAB banner. These offer fixed odds
sports betting in all types of sports with a chain
of outlets and online betting.
Phumelela is the horseracing and tote betting
operator in seven of the nine provinces in South
Africa and also operates four racecourses
(Fairview, Flamingo Park, Turffotein and Vaal),
five training centres and 200 tote outlets,
telephone betting centres and more recently an
online tote betting site.
In the provinces of Gauteng, Free State,
Eastern Cape and Northern Cape, Phumelela
operates tote and horse betting under the TAB
banner. In the regions of Mpumalanga, North
West and Limpopo Phumelela operates betting
and in Western Province the company operates
N
3
l
4
l
South Africa and England are the only countries in the world
to have hosted the Soccer, Cricket and Rugby World Cup.
South Africa’s Cape Winelands have around 560 wineries
and 4,400 primary producers. Included in the Cape
Winelands region is Route 62, considered the longest wine
route in the world.
on behalf of Kenilworth Tracing.
All bets in South Africa are combined into a
national tote pool through Phumelela’s tote
betting system.
Phumelela Gold Enterprises is a joint venture
with Gold Circle which covers the international
arena and
Phumelela also offers tote betting on sports
through soccer and rugby bets
A few years ago tote betting was expanded
beyond horse racing with the introduction of
Soccer 6, which was later followed by Soccer 1,
Soccer 4, Soccer 10 and Soccer 13 which is
hosted by Svenska Spel. Rugby 5 was also
launched in 2011 and was later followed by
Rugby 1. Soccer 6 was launched in 2003 and is
now the official soccer tote betting site of
Phumelela.
Phumelela’s total tax contribution was R218m
(up 10 percent) and the company is ranked
eighth most empowered company on the
Johannesburg Stock Exchange in 2015.
Operating profit from fixed odds operations was
R21m (up 153 percent).
Gross tote betting income from local
operations was R1.04bn. Net betting income
from local tote operations grew by seven percent
to R679 divided between sports betting R221m
and horseracing R457m.
Fixed odds net betting income ended the year
on R162m with sports betting at R38m and
horse racing at R60m and other numbers
betting at R64m.
ONLINE GAMING SECTOR
Online gambling under Section 11 of the
Gambling Act states means online gambling is
currently illegal although online sports betting
is legal with a licensed South African
bookmaker.
There are no licensed casino online gambling
operators or service providers in the country at
present and the only legally recognised activity
via the internet in South Africa is online betting
within the racing and betting environment.
Fines for such activity can be up to R10m or 10
years imprisonment or both.
Back in 2012 things erupted when Piggs Peak
Casino in Gauteng applied to operate online
gambling under its Casino Enterprises company
which is licensed under Swaziland laws. The
casino relies on a website with a computer
server in Swaziland.
The casino said although they were based in
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l1 The ANC took 62.2 per cent of the
vote in May 2014 elections, handing
Jacob Zuma a second term as
president. The opposition Democratic
Alliance placed second, 22.2 per cent.
Despite its victory, the ANC has seen
its popularity diminish in recent years
due to allegations of corruption,
growing income inequality, and
disenchantment with Mr. Zuma.
l
2
South Africa was hit by a spate of
attacks on immigrants in March and
April 2015. Several people were killed
in the violence. Most of the victims
were Africans from nearby countries
Swaziland, a South African resident should be
able to legally play at the casino. This was
thrown out of court although the casino
continued to battle for South African players to
be permitted to play. The battle went on for
years until finally Piggs Peak was forced to
cease operations in South Africa.
Up until this point they operated quite
successfully offering online casino gambling
and online poker.
There are still of course plenty of online
gambling portals which link to various
international online gaming sites which can be
accessed by South Africans. South African
banks are not allowed to allow gambling sites
access to bank accounts or credit cards to
transfer funds to online casinos but this is still
possible via other online banking methods such
as NETeller or UKash.
Today there are about 30 online sports betting
sites in South Africa. They include names such
as interbet one of the most visited online
bookmaking sites in South Africa. It features
over 20 different sports from horse racing to
rugby and motor sports. Interbet also gives
players access to tote bets with TAB and fixed
odds betting.
Gbets is powered by BetTech Gaming and a
fast growing sports site and are licensed by the
Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board. They
offer all the popular bets types. Other
companies include Betting World, Supabets,
Bet.co.za, Lottostar and Sportingbet.
Last year Sun International made its first
move into the online gaming market with the
acquisition of Powerbet Gaming, operator of
online fixed odds sportsbook Voltbet.com.
Sun acquired 100 percent of the share capital
for R30m. Sun International then changed the
name to Sunbet and offers fixed odds markets
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who run small businesses. As South
Africa's economy has suffered, antiimmigrant sentiment has increased.
The surge in violence followed
comments by the Zulu king, Goodwill
Zwelithini, who demanded that the
immigrants leave. South African
troops were deployed to end the
violence.
3 South Africa is a multi-lingual
l
country and there are 11 official
languages including: English,
Afrikaans, isiNdebele, isiXhosa,
isiZulu, Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana,
Siswati, Tshivenda and Xitsonga.
for up to 21 sports per week and some 60 live
events per week for live in/play betting.
Sports include rugby, football, cricket and
horse racing. Sunbet recently launched
telebetting which allows players to bet during
business hours on pre match and in/play events.
The idea behind the acquisition was also to be
in place for when South Africa permits online
gambling options beyond sports betting.
Meanwhile Grandplay is the trading name of
Grand Sport Ltd a wholly owned subsidiary of
Grand Parade Investments (GPI) a Western Cape
based business operating casinos and LPMs.
Grandplay commenced operations following
its launch in mid June and is reliant on three key
stake holders – Bet Radar (supplies sports odds
for pre match and in play betting), software
provider BetTech and the employees (who
manage the odds). They offer over 30 sports and
from beach soccer to indoor sports.
Regulating and combating online gambling is
a huge challenge at the moment in the country
due to the number of illegal sites operating in
the country without clear enforcement and
control.
Back in 2010 the gambling review
commission recommended that online gambling
should be legalised. But in 2011 it was deemed
illegal in a landmark ruling over the Piggs Peak
decision. Earlier in 2015 any hopes to legalise it
were further dashed when the Department of
Trade and Industry objected to it saying the
industry could not be “adequately controlled.”
A seminar to raise awareness about illegal
gambling was set up and many say the
introduction of online gambling will not have a
positive impact on the country as the negatives
outweigh the benefits.
The NGB has set up a multi task team to
address the situation to determine the impact of
illegal and online gambling and find ways of
strengthening the fight against illegal gambling.
CEO of the Casino Association of South Africa
(CASA) Themba Ngobese, says illegal gambling
has to be controlled as it affects the revenues of
legal gambling. He says if online gambling is
permitted it should be with restrictions and
controls. CASA claims illegal gambling costs
South Africa around R110m in lost tax revenue.
Gambling revenue on the whole brought in
some R2.2bn in taxes in 2014. CASA estimates
R110m was lost due to illegal online gambling.
Earlier this year Themba Ngobese said: “South
Africa relies heavily on tax revenue with 34
percent derived from personal tax and 20
percent from corporate tax. Any erosion of the
corporate tax base means more burden for
individual taxpayers. There is already talk of
moving the VAT rate from 14 percent to 15
percent or inject an additional R16m into the
economy and adding VAT to zero rated foods as
options.
“The legal casino industry in South Africa
contributed R4.5bn in tax revenue last year
which is a significant proportion of the country’s
budget from just one business sector. Any
S
The mass media campaign against illegal online gambling includes radio
advertising, print ads and marketing calls informing the public about the hefty
fines and prison sentences if they are involved in online gambling. It also
encourages them to report suspicious activities.
erosion of this amount is a real issue for the
country:”
Casino revenues dropped from 10 percent
growth in 2012/13 to just 0.6 percent in 2013/14.
He says at least five percent contraction was due
to expenditure moving off shore to illegal
gambling entities.
“That five percent loss of revenue equates to
R110m less gaming tax revenue this year for the
country.” Added Mr Ngobese.
The mass media campaign against illegal
online gambling includes radio advertising, print
ads and marketing calls informing the public
about the hefty fines and prison sentences if
they are involved in online gambling. It also
encourages them to report suspicious activities.
In April 2015 a tip off led police to an illegal
N
online gambling store in Limpopo where an
illegal online gambling operation ran under the
guise of an internet café. This raid was
significant for the industry with 38 touchscreen
computers seized, the owner and eight players
arrested.
It seems many players simply do not
understand that online gambling is illegal partly
due to many offshore websites which target
South Africa using the South African flag and
accept the Rand.
However there are some changes suggested...
CHANGES AHEAD
In June 2015 the Portfolio Committee on Trade
and Industry inputted on the Remote Gambling
Bill 2015, a private members bill which was
introduced in May by DA member Geordin HillLewis from opposition party Democratic
Alliance. The aim of the bill is to legalise remote
or internet gambling.
Mr Hill Lewis has argued that South Africans
already consider gambling to be legal including
remote gambling and therefore the sector should
not be criminalised. He has proposed for a
limitless number of licences. He says the Web
cannot be blocked for any length of time so
prohibition cannot work and regulation is more
effective.
He said: “Online gambling is normal and
acceptable and people should be allowed to do
it. The government should set rules and
guidelines to protect minors and other
vulnerable people and should enforce those
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emeA - SOuth AFricA
l1 There are nine provinces in South
Africa: Eastern Cape, Free State,
Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal;
Gauteng, North West, Northern
Cape, Limpopo and Mpumalanga
2 GDP composition percentage by
l
sector (2015): agriculture 2, finance
22, government 17, trade 15,
manufacturing 13, transport and
communication 10, mining 8,
personal services 6, construction 4,
utilities 4.
3 Key industries: mining (world's
l
largest producer of platinum,
chromium), automobile assembly,
metal- working, machinery, textiles,
iron and steel, chemicals, fertilisers,
foodstuffs, commercial ship repair.
4 Main trading partners - percentage:
l
Exports – China 8.3, US 8.1, India
7.8, UK 7.2, Japan 5.4, Germany 4.9,
Zimbabwe 2,6, Netherlands 2.3,
Switzerland 2.1, Mozambique 1.4
Imports – China 13, Germany 7.4,
US 6.9, Saudi Arabia 6.7, UK 5.5,
Nigeria 5.3, India 4.1, Japan 2.9,
Italy 2.3
rules harshly. Banning it will never stop the
problem because it will simply continue without
any enforcement or protection for the public as
is the case now.”
Part of the mandate within this bill includes a
requisite for operators to apply for an online
gambling licence in each of the provinces where
they want residents to be able to play legally.
The DTI however says the Bill is not backed up
by policy with no regulatory impact study and
they have expressed concern at how minors will
be protected. The DTI however is standing by its
position by prohibiting online gambling and
they say the decision to ban online gambling
was taken a long time ago and basically is down
to several reasons:
1 Rise in problem gambling figures at 2.9
percent in 2012.
2 Poverty levels – 32.9 percent living in poverty
3 Level of indebtedness. Consumers with
impaired records increased to 9.95 million in
2014.
4 Unemployment rate is at 26 percent.
5 Young people are at risk of being encouraged
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to gamble online
6 Inequality in the country with a growing gap
between rich and poor.
The relevant committee has suspended further
consideration of the Bill pending the finalisation
of the Draft National Gambling Policy.
This policy published in April 2015 outlines
the proposals intended the review the landscape
of gambling in South Africa and the proposals
are subject to public consultation.
The policy proposes:
l A revamp of the NGB as a strategic trading
entity of the DTI for regulating gambling and
to be changed to National Gambling
Commission or Regulator.
l To enhance the regulation of casinos to
ensure the destination approach for the
location of casinos is maintained, relocation
of casinos and developments around casinos.
There could be a requirement for different
entrances for gambling venues in venues with
developments around them and also ATMs
within casinos must be in a place not directly
l
l
visible from the gambling floor in addition to
the current requirement of 5m radius from the
gambling floor. Although the limit is 40
casino there is also a discussion of permitting
one additional licence in North West. Casinos
are apparently closer to residential areas than
intended.
Regarding LPMs the policy proposes only to
provide clarity to state that CEMS operator
must acquire a national licence to operate and
a measure to be put in place to permit the
NGB to manage the operation of CEMS. It will
also look at removing the bottleneck
hindering the effective rollout of LPMs. It also
asks if there also a need for a second category
of LPMs.
The policy proposes the creation of a national
framework to regulate EBTs and there is a
proposal that the overall number of bingo
licences, including EBTS and bingo seats, be
limited with restrictions on opening times
(8am until 10pm is recommended) with
entrances separate from main public spaces
like shopping malls. EBTS have been allowed
to exist in the absence of a national policy
S
l
l
framework posing policy challenges as the
“addictive nature” of gambling was not
properly maintained as far as EBTs are
concerned. The policy states that “the rollout
of these products must not be done to
undermine the gains derived from casinos.”
Meanwhile the definition of bingo must be
changed to accommodate these electronic
versions of the bingo game and must not look
like a slot.
Regarding horse racing the policy proposes
that the self regulation system is formally
recognised and monitored by Provincial
Licensing Authorities. Although there are
concerns over open bets at bookmakers it is
proposed that only a provision addressing
that intellectual property of other players is
used with necessary consent and/or
compensation. The betting sector needs
modernisation.
The policy focuses on penalties for illegal
gambling including illegal online gambling.
Measures to combat illegal gambling
including empowering regulatory bodies to
block online gambling websites.
N
l
It is proposed also that NO new forms of
gambling be allowed at this point but instead
improved control implemented for the
legalised sectors in South Africa at present.
The Draft National Gambling Policy states:
“The policy does not propose introduction of
new gambling activities like online gambling,
greyhound racing or animal racing. Introduction
of online gambling requires a policy shift in
regard to the destination approach to gambling
as it proposes bringing gambling activities more
closer to people.
“This aspect is considered against the concern
regarding problem gambling in South Africa, and
measures to combat it successfully.
“After careful consideration the DTI has noted
that too little is known about online gambling
and greyhound racing to support the legislation
of the sectors. More research and impact
assessment needs to be conducted to inform
whether these new forms of gambling should be
allowed.”
It continued: “There is no information to
clarify if online gambling will likely produce
significant jobs compared to other regulated
activities like casinos. Online gambling is not
inherently labour intensive.
“The country has already benefited from the
taxes collected from the likes of casinos, the
significant employment created directly or
indirectly by casinos and the glittering
infrastructures developing by casinos while
online gambling is not likely to match that.
“Higher tax rate for online gambling is not an
option as that may even give rise to
constitutional challenges. It is important that the
government protects gambling activities that
create jobs from unwanted competition. Too
little is known about the activities mentioned
above in terms of their potential benefits to the
country and its development plan.
“Online gambling should not be implemented
because the country does not have adequate
capacity to enforce the regulation of online
gambling. The winnings from online gambling
are illegal similar to any winning on an unlawful
gambling activity. Such winnings should be paid
over to the Unlawful Winnings Trust. Banks
must not process any payment to the winner
from an unlawful gambling activity.”
P95
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DATA PER PROVINCE
EASTERN CAPE
capital city . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bisho
major city . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Port Elizabeth
Population . . . . . . . . . . . .6.5m (12.7 per cent)
casinos
Eastern Cape is divided into five zones and five
casino licences have been issued although there
are only four operational. Total GGR for casinos
in 2014/15 amounted to R1.19bn. The four casinos
have 2,085 slots and 64 tables.
l Boardwalk Casino, Port Elizabeth (Sun
International) (zone 1)
l Hemingway Casino (Tsogo Sun), Buffalo City
Metro (zone 2)
l Wild Coast Sun Casino, Mbizana (Sun
International) (zone 5)
l Queens Casino (Tsogo Sun) Chris Hani District
(zone 3)
lPms
Eastern Cape is allocated 6,000 LPM licences
although only 2,000 had been allocated by
March 2015. There are 182 LPM locations and
between them they operate a total of 1,400 slots.
There are two route operators – Vukani Gaming
and Pioneer Slots. Total GGR was R238.8m for
2014/15.
bingo
Eastern Cape has seven bingo licences and one
operational – Galaxy Bingo in Kings Mall in
Gonubie which opened in March 2014. Bingo
GGR was R113.4m for last year.
Sports betting
There are 21 totalisator shops. GGR amounted to
R169.8m. There are seven companies operating
27 bookmaking activities – Ebets, Hollywood
Sportsbook, Jeffreysbay Tattersalls, Vincent
Tattersalls, Wild Coast Racing, Lucky Bets and
WH Van Der Vyer. Totalisator is run by
Phumelela Gaming and Leisure.
FREE STATE
capital city: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bloemfontein
Population: . . . . . . .2,745,590 (5.3 per cent)
casinos
Free State has four casinos. The gaming sector
represents some 526 permanent jobs in the
state.
l Windmill (Sun International)
l Naledi Sun (Sun International)
l Goldfields (Tsogo Sun)
l Frontier Inn, Bethlehem (Peermont)
lPms
The roll out of LPMs in the Free State began in
September 2011 with 1,000 of a total of 4,000
LPMs permitted. To date there are 262 LPMs and
GGR is €30.3m.
Sports betting
There are five bookmaking facilities and 17
totalisators. GGR is €82.8m.
P96 NEWSWIRE
N
GAUTENG
capital city . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Johannesburg
Population: . . . . .12,272,263 (23.7 per cent)
casinos
There are currently seven casinos in Gauteng.
Machine handle for 2014 was R1.88bn and table
drop was R158m.
l Gold Reef City, Johannesburg (Tsogo Sun)
l Montecasino, Fourways (Tsogo Sun)
l Emperors Palace, Kempton Park (Peermont
Global)
l Silverstar, Mogale City (Tsogo Sun)
l Carnival City, Brakpan (Sun International)
l Morula Sun, Mabopane (Sun International)
l Emerald, Vanderbijilpark (Caesars
Entertainment)
lPms
Gauteng began the roll out of LPMs in October
2008 and first licenses were awarded in
December 2008 and the route operators are
Bohwa 1 Gaming, Crazy Slots, Egoli Gaming
(Gold Rush), Grand Gaming Gauteng (GPI) and
Vukani Gaming Gauteng. The province was
allocated a total of 10,000 LPM and each of the
five route operators are entitled to a maximum
of 1,000 LPMs each. There are currently 1,900
slots in the state.
bingo
Gauteng was the first province to permit bingo in
1998 and there are 10 bingo halls operational
despite 12 licences to operate, ranging from 720
seats to smaller 153 seat venues. The operators
are Viva Bingo (Gold Rush) with seven bingo
locations, Galaxy Bingo and Silk Gaming and
Leisure.
Sports betting
There are 91 bookmaking shops in the province
and 139 totalisator. In the sports betting sector
the taxes and levies for TAB amounted to
R818,414 whilst bookmaker amounted to R3.7m.
KwAZULU-NATAL
capital city . . . . . . . . . . . . .Pietermaritzburg
major city . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Durban
Population: . . . . .10,267,300 (19.8 per cent)
casinos
There are a total of 152 slots (160 licensed) and
3,673 tables (3,750 licensed) in the five casinos.
The annual GGR for the slots was R2.5bn ending
March 2015 whilst table gaming GGR was
R652.5m.
l Suncoast Casino, Durban (TsogoSun)
l Sibaya, Umhlanga Rocks (Sun International)
l Golden Horse, Pietermaritzburg (TsogoSun)
l Umfolozi, Empangeni (Peermont Resort)
l Blackrock, Newcastle (TsogoSun)
bingo
GGR total was R2.9m for the year ending March
2015. There are 12 sites by Galaxy, 10 by Viva
Bingo, three by Poppy Ice Trading, three by
ShockProof and five by Silvercrest Trading.
lPms
There are four route operators - Kingdom Slots
(GPI), V-Slots, Luck@it (Vukani) and KZN Slots and 557 site operators in KwaZulu-Natal. There
are a total of 4,000 machines approved (1,000
per operator) and 2,318 active. The GGR for the
LPM sector was R471.1m with a turnover of
R5.7bn.
Sports betting
In KwaZulu-Natal there are 78 bookmaking
rights, 118 totalisators (two operators) two
racecourse operators and 15 holders of
certificate suitability. The GGR for the betting
sector was R712m for year ending March 2015
this was divided up between R199m for horse
racing, R357.1m for totalisator and R155.8m for
sports betting.
LIMPOPO
capital city . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Polokwane
Population: . . . . . .5,404,868 (10.4 per cent)
casinos
There are three licensed casinos in Limpopo
which is the maximum permitted. There are no
figures for the third as recently opened but the
S
GGR for 2013 (two casinos) amounted to
R366.2m.
l Meropa Casino, Polokwane (Sun
International)
l Khoroni Hotel Casino, TshiVenda,
Thohoyandou (Peermont Global)
l Thaba Moshate, Burgersfort (Peermont
Global)
Gaming revenues for the first two casinos
were R7.5bn (slots) and R987.7m (tables). Thaba
Moshate is the latest casino to open and is a
casino convention resort offering a gaming salon
with 150 slots and eight tables plus a Salon Prive
with 21 slots and three tables. The hotel has 82
rooms and set against the Moroni Mountains.
lPms
LPM machine limit in this province is 3,000
machines. There are two licensed route
operators – Vukani Gaming (V Slots) and
Goldrush Gaming. They operate 766 LPMs at 152
sites between them. GGR for LPMs was R177.5m.
Sports betting
There are a total of 40 bookmaking facilities
operated by BetSA, Betting World, BettaGaming
(Bettabets), Fortwood, Hollywood Sportsbook,
Idada Trading (TopBet Power), October Wind
N
(BizaBets), Portapa (SupaBets) and VBet.
Phumelela (TAB) meanwhile for totalisator has
13 branches and eight agencies.
MPUMALANGA
capital city . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mbombela
casinos
There are three casinos in Mpumalanga but four
licences issued. There are a total of 1,186 slots
and 54 tables in the casinos. GGR for slots in
2014/15 was R641m and table gaming GGR was
R122.4m.
l Emnotweni Casino (Tsogo Sun)
l Graceland Hotel (Peermont)
l The Ridge Casinos (Tsogo Sun)
lPms
There are two route operators – Grand Gaming
Mpumalanga (GPI) and Vukani Gaming – which
supply 123 sites and operate a total of 667 LPMs.
Total money wagered R1.24bn and GGR was
R122.8m.
bingo
Two operators Gold Rush Bingo in Ermelo and
Gold Rush in Middelburg. The first Mpumalanga
bingo opened at the end of 2012 in Middelburg. It
was also the first to open under the new Gold
Rush brand and features electronic and
traditional bingo.
Sports betting
There are a total of 32 betting outlets in the
province made up by BetSA (Bettingworld)
operations, Bettagaming (Bettabets),
Betxchange, Fortwood, Hollywood Bets,
LottoSTar, Playbet, Standerton Tattersalls and
Supabets. There are 13 TAB branches and
agencies run by Phumelela and Powerbet
Gaming. GGR for this sector was R128.5m.
NORTHERN CAPE
capital city . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Kimberley
Population: . . . . . . . .1,145,861 (2.2 per cent)
casinos
Northern Cape is the least populated province
and also the largest. Gambling operates under
the Northern Cape Gambling Act 2008. There
are three casinos. The third licence recently
opened was an almost forgotten licence. The
licence is one of the last to be awarded in South
Africa. It was taken on by Niveus (controlling
P97
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Reports
emeA - SOuth AFricA
There are two LPM operators Grand Gaming Western Cape (GPI) and Vukani
Gaming in the Western Cape. Each route operator was allocated 1,000 LPMs so
not all machines are out in the field. There have been requests to increase the
number of LPMs and approve bingo in the province.
shareholder is HCI) which also owns Vukani
Gaming and Galaxy Bingo, which has a 60
percent interest in the casino. Originally the
licence was awarded to Leithlo Resort and
Entertainment World. It opened in December
2014. Interestingly it brings Niveus (HCI) into
competition with Tsogo Sun which is also
controlled by HCI. Some question the viability of
a licence is such a small area but the company
says they are taking a chance.
l Flamingo Casino, Kimberley (Sun
International)
l Desert Palace, Kalahari (Northern Cape
Casino Consultants)
l Grand Oasis, Kuruman (Niveus/HCI)
lPms
Northern Cape was the last province to receive
its LPM route operator licences and roll out of
machines began in October 2015. There are two
operators – Vukani and Gold Rush Gaming.
Vukani received 25 site operator licences. The
company first applied for a licence in October
2012 which wasn’t issued until September 2014.
Sports betting
There is one bookmaker licence issued for the
year 2013/14 and 2 totalisator.
P98 NEWSWIRE
N
NORTH wEST
capital city . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mahikeng
major city . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Potchefstroom
casinos
There are four casinos in North West and GGR
was R1.17bn.
l Mmabatho Palms Mahikeng (Peermont)
l Rio Casino, Klerksdorp (Peermont)
l Sun City (Sun International)
l Carousel (Sun International)
lPms
Gold Rush began LPM roll out here in 2009. GGR
for the LPM sector was R43.9m
Sports betting
There are three bookmaker facilities and 15
totalisator.
wESTERN CAPE
capital city . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cape Town
casinos
There are five casinos in Western Cape and GGR
for the casinos was R2.74bn in 2014 of which
this was divided between R2.42bn for slots and
R321.8m for table gaming.
l Garden Route Casino, Mossel Bay (Tsogo Sun)
l Golden Valley Casino, Worcester (Sun
International)
l GrandWest, Cape Town (Sun International)
l Mykonos Casino, Langebaan (Tsogo Sun)
l Tsogo Sun Caledon, Caledon (Tsogo Sun)
lPms
There are two LPM operators Grand Gaming
Western Cape (GPI) and Vukani Gaming. There
are 1,742 LPMs in this province at 372 LPM sites
and the total GGR for 2014 was R626.2m. Each
route operator was allocated 1,000 LPMs so not
all machines are out in the field. There have
been requests to increase the number of LPMs
and approve bingo in the province. So far the
gambling board has declined the requests.
Sports betting
There are 158 bookmaker facilities run by 32
companies and 57 totalisator outlets run by
Kenilworth Racing. The turnover for sports
betting was R2.3bn and GGR R189m whilst
horse racing turnover was R982.6m and GGR
was R89.2m.
S
PROVINCE By PROVINCE - GGR INFORMATION 2014-15
PROVINCE
CASINO GGR LPM GGR
BINGO GGR
BETTING GGR
TOTAL GGR
TOTAL %
Eastern Cape
Gauteng
Western Cape
KZN
Mpumalanga
Limpopo
North West
Northern Cape
Free State
TOTAL
R169.8m
R1.69bn
R391.6m
R712.4m
R128.9m
R180.1m
R79.3m
R17.2m
R82.8m
R3.46bn
R1.71bn
R10.1bn
R3.7bn
R4.3bn
R1.07bn
R728.4m
R1.3bn
R227.8m
R522.2m
R23.9bn
7.2%
42.4%
15.8%
18.4%
4.5%
3%
5.6%
1%
7.2%
PROVINCE By PROVINCE - TURNOVER INFORMATION 2014-15
PROVINCE
CASINO
LPM
BINGO
BETTING
TOTAL
TOTAL %
Eastern Cape
Gauteng
Western Cape
KZN
Mpumalanga
Limpopo
North West
Northern Cape
Free State
TOTAL
R309.7m
R4.59bn
R1.42bn
R3.25bn
R129m
R277.7m
R211.6m
R26.9m
R194.9m
R29.6bn
R24.1bn
R142.8bn
R51.3bn
R58.1bn
R14.5bn
R8.1bn
R8.7bn
R3.2bn
R8.3bn
R319.7bn
7.6%
44.7%
16.1%
18.2%
4.5%
2.6%
2.7%
1%
2.6%
N
R1.19bn
R7.14bn
R2.75bn
R3.20bn
R763.9m
R370.2m
R1.17bn
R210.2m
R408.6m
R17.2bn
R18.5bn
R110bn
R39.4bn
R48.1bn
R11.6bn
R5.4bn
R7.1bn
R3.21bn
R7.2bn
R252.4bn
R238.8m
R364.9m
R626.2m
R473.4m
R122.8m
R177.5m
R43.9m
R30.3m
R2.07bn
R2.73bn
R4.2bn
R7.7bn
R5.6bn
R1.24bn
R1.73bn
R470.3m
R339.7m
R24.5bn
R113.4m
R902.8m
R2.2m
R55m
R42.3m
R1.11bn
R2.47bn
R9bn
R7.4m
R892m
R604.7m
R13.1bn
P99
Interactive
SiS
Future-proofing by
betting on the nose
For more than 28 years, SIS has been
beaming its satellite information services into
retail locations around the world, sending data
and pictures of primarily horse and greyhound
racing to land-based betting shops.
Paul Witten,
commerical director
sis
Paul Witten became commercial director for SIS,
the worldwide leader for broadcast and data
services in betting retail and online, in August
2014. he is responsible for enhancing the
company’s retail betting products including
video and data delivery.
Prior to SIS, Witten worked at German lottery
provider Tipp24, where he developed key global
relationships, particularly in the public sector.
he has more than 10 years’ experience in the
betting and gaming industry, including more
than five years in eCommerce, mobile and
eGaming with Ladbrokes, and four years at
betfair where he rose to the role of Director of
Football.
having worked initially in sales, Witten is also
experienced in advertising, playing a role in the
emergence of ebay’s fledgling UK business.
Over 25 years, SIS’ core business changed very little, but as the
influence of online, mobile and omni-channel continued to
grow in scale and importance, SIS needed to adapt to the
shifting demands of both operators and players. Three years
ago, the appointment of CEO, Gary Smith, put the business on
a new track and sought to answer one pivotal question “What was the future of SIS in world where so much
traditionally supplied data has gone online?”
“We asked ourselves if SIS would be fit for
purpose in 10-15 years,” describes SIS
Commercial Director, Paul Witten. “The answer
we arrived at was ‘no,’ which kickstarted a
diversification strategy in which we sought new
ways to be relevant in an evolving business
environment. We knew we had to be part of the
development of online platforms, to create new
products, enter new markets and offer new
channels.”
The practical steps to evolving the SIS
business began by significantly broadening its
offering with a suite of new products and
services aimed at the digital market. “We are
Spanish football’s first official, exclusive partner
for the collection and distribution of live data
and provide high quality, pre-match, in-play, and
post-match data products tailored to
bookmakers’ needs,” explains Mr. Witten. “Our
dynamic racecards present sports in a more
engaging way for punters - taking them through
the full experience of an event from start to
finish. And then there’s SIS Stream, our multiplatform streaming solution, which gives
bookmakers a different way of attracting and
retaining customers. With its “open streaming”
Watch and Bet service, it allows punters to view
content free of charge before placing bets.”
Video streaming is not new, but it is, according
to Mr. Witten, the way of the future. Where
satellite is still SIS’ primary distribution channel,
it is declining in importance as IPTV grows in
relevance. IPTV, Internet Protocol Television, is a
system through which television services are
delivered using the Internet protocol suite over a
packet-switched network such as a LAN or the
Internet, instead of being delivered through
traditional terrestrial, satellite signal, and cable
television formats. Unlike downloaded media,
IPTV offers the ability to stream the media in
smaller batches, directly from the source. As a
result, a client media player can begin viewing
the data before the entire file has been
transmitted. This is known as streaming media.
What’s essential with streaming media is the
issue of latency, were quality needs to be high
and latency needs to be low. Currently,
consumers think about their broadband
connections in terms of how fast they are. But
delivering a 30 Mbps+ connection means only
that the pipe is fat enough to deliver 30 megabits
every second. This matters greatly when you’re
trying to download a fat file, but when dealing
with real-time applications a different level of
speed matters. Latency measures how fast the
packets get from the original server to your
device and is measured in milliseconds. What’s
crucial for IPTV is ultra low latency, ensuring
there’s a continuous feed at all times.
Delivering SIS Stream, however, isn’t just
about the technology. “Video is just a type of
data, our heritage and expertise is in capturing
and packaging that video/data for
consumption,” explains Mr. Witten. “IPTV and
SIS Stream are more than just about delivery, it’s
about content creation and tracking customer
demand. Mobile gaming presents a whole new
way to connect with the player and video-ondemand is the perfect product to fill in the gaps
in the customer offering. Players don’t want to
wait for the next horse race on the schedule to
place another bet - they want instant
gratification. Our solution with Sky Vegas,
which went live in December, sees SIS launch
our virtual sports on-demand service, a deal
that changes SIS from a delivery mechanism to
content creation.”
Sky Vegas launched SIS’ new on-demand
games on December 10, and is now able to offer
simple fixed odds bets, as well as forecast and
tricast wagers using a Forecast Slider, which
gives clear odds on all available combinations.
This is just the first in a number of unique
mobile initiatives from SIS that will deliver fast
gameplay, low data consumption for users and a
high return for clients across mobile and online
casino. As SIS’ games are on-demand and can
be played across multiple devices, customers
will be able to play them anytime, anywhere.
The HTML5 browser-based games are available
across most mobile, tablet and PC devices,
including Apple and Android.
Streaming is the most cost efficient way of
packaging and delivering video, data and ondemand content, both to retail environments
and to mobile. SIS is continuing to deliver the
content for which it is renowned, while
incorporating a direct to customer channel as
part of the offer. “We are adopting the channels
that are driving towards mobile,” states Mr.
Witten. “It’s a move away from retail that does
“We have seized the
opportunity to drive new
innovation. We have made
huge investments in our
technology team, doubling the
product management set-up
and quadrupling our marketing
facility. We knew that if we
didn’t, we wouldn’t be around
in 10 years time.”
not diminish the importance of retail, but at this
stage we recognise that SIS must deliver
products and services direct to customers
through mobile. We see many international
territories skipping the intermediate Internet
gaming stage and going straight to mobile. It’s
predicted that Africa will be the first market that
will jump straight from retail to mobile.”
Today, SIS is a UK company delivering new
technologies in markets such as Sri Lanka, all
sectors of Europe, Asia and Australia, with South
East Asia a particularily strong focus right now.
“We’ve had tremendous support from our
shareholders who’ve supported us in evolving
the business,” states Mr. Witten. “They are fully
invested in omni-channel; where the brand
promise of an operator is delivered via the
‘Martini Syndrome’ - of any time, any place, any
where. We have a cohesive plan and a host of
new products that fit with the shift towards
“bring your own device” betting.
SIS is putting into place the technology
needed for IP delivery, video and data in the
retail space, but Mr. Witten underlines that it’s
not enough to just provide a race card and
expect people to bet, without being properly
incentivised. “We have to make the data
accessible, we have to interpret it and make it
meaningful for all the different audiences that
come into the retail space,” he says. “You have
to make that brand experience special to build
brand loyalty and in 2016 you will see a number
of significant trials and additional channels
delivered to new estates that will deliver on that
promise.”
IPTV allows much easier, flexible,
personalisation and localisation. Currently
operators have lots of content, but how do you
prioritise it? In Glasgow you might want to
concentrate on Scottish football, but right now
satellite is a one size fits all. It has multiple
channels, but it’s very limited. Utilising IP you
could flip to Scottish football in two shops in
Glasgow only, while the rest of the estate plays
completely different content. It’s a big change to
how things have traditionally been offered to
customers, but SIS believe that changing the
mindset will reinvigorate the retail sector. “IPTV
enables operators to be much more relevant to
their customer base,” underlines Mr. Witten.
“retailers today are competing with pubs, bars,
cinema - it is as broad as that. So that’s what
we’ve built, a flexible, relevant solution that can
be tailored to fit with a localised customer base.
We are going to see significant trials in 2016 and
major estate wide implementation.”
IPTV is cost-effective and the infrastructure
is relatively low-cost to implement, as opposed
to the expensive solution that is satellite. SIS
believe we’ll see a speedy adoption rate, and if
it’s done right - it will be a more flexible, lower
cost way of delivering content that will enable
operators to differentiate themselves on the
High Street. “right now, every shop offers the
same product,” says Mr. Witten. “The same
gaming machines, self-service terminals and
betting options. IPTV will give more flexibility to
pick and choose the right content for an
individual shop’s player base. It is a revolution in
capability, but an evolution in thinking, and it’s
what marketeers want for their shops.”
ICE 2015 started the change in perception of
SIS away from the traditional deliverer of data to
the retail sector. “Customers didn’t realise the
extent of the SIS offer,” describes Mr. Witten of
the volume of prototypes shown on the SIS
booth in 2015. “This year we’ve progressed those
prototypes into fully fledged business delivery,
content, games, distribution, on-demand
products, and we’ll be adding a few surprises to
the mix too. The difference visitors to the
London show will find most obvious is SIS’
focus on operator requirements to satisfy
customer demand.”
SIS is in a really strong position. It has made
the commitment to invest in its strategy and
diversify its business over the last three years.
Despite the fact that 2015 has not been an easy
year for the betting industry, SIS has built
momentum behind its business. “We decided to
put ourselves on the front foot,” states Mr.
Witten of the choices SIS has made. “We are
now leading the debate, providing answers
before people have even thought of the
question. We have seized the opportunity to
drive new innovation. We have made huge
investments in our technology team, doubling
the product management set-up and
quadrupling our marketing facility. We knew
that if we didn’t, we wouldn’t be around in 10
years time.”
NEWSWIRE / INTERACTIVE / 247.COM P101
Interactive
SecuritY And PrOtectiOn
Does the European
AMLD stack the
deck against
financial crime?
Jumio’s Marc Barach discusses the future
impact of the EU’s 4th Money Laundering
Directive on the remote gaming industry
marc Barach,
chief marketing Officer
Jumio
Marc leads Jumio’s worldwide marketing efforts
and brings over 20 years of marketing
innovation and operational experience in
emerging technologies and the financial sector
to Jumio. Previously, he served as CEO of mobile
applications company Emotive, CMO of
enterprise search SaaS pioneerMarin Software
and CMO of Ingenio, where he sparked creation
of pay-per-call technology; a multi-billion dollar
adtech product which lead to Ingenio’s
acquisition by AT&T in 2007.
Additionally, Marc has held executive-level
marketing posts at a number of financial
institutions including Charles Schwab, InsWeb,
and First Nationwide bank.
Jumio enables companies to remotely scan IDs
such as passports and driving licenses issued by
over 130 different countries.
In summer 2015, the European
Commission issued its 4th
Money Laundering Directive, a
new piece of legislation that is
set to have a dramatic impact
on the remote gaming industry.
Money laundering is what
helps fund organised crime and
terrorism. As both of these
know no national boundaries,
trans-national EU efforts to
tackle this must be applauded.
Casinos have long been associated with money
laundering. Consequently, they have been
subject to stringent regulations to protect both
operators and honest players. The 4th Money
Laundering Directive, though, for the first time,
extends the regulations beyond casinos and to all
gaming operators.
Member State governments have until 2017 to
transpose this legislation into national law. Yet
this doesn’t leave gaming operators long to get
ready for the new requirements. The most
critical part of these requirements will be ID
verification. For remote gaming operators and
regulators, verifying the identification of players
remotely should involve new thinking and using
technology that makes registering and carrying
out transactions as easy as possible for the
customer.
MONEY LAUNDERING AND THE
GAMING INDUSTRY NOW
The bulk of money laundering legislation was
traditionally aimed at bricks and mortar casinos,
as this was, traditionally, the area most at risk
from money laundering. Criminals would come
in with counterfeit cash and criminal proceeds,
exchange it for chips, make a few small bets and
cash in the chips for “clean” money. To tackle
this problem, casinos would require new
customers to show ID before they could play and
to initiate large deposits and withdrawals.
However, the Internet has revolutionised the
gaming industry. What used to be a niche
market is now very much in the mainstream.
Gaming is far more than casinos and bingo halls;
it is a plethora of apps, web and mobile sites, all
competing against each other to offer the best
games, best odds and best experience.
Figures from the Gambling Commission
estimate that there are around 5,900,000 remote
gaming accounts in the UK. This huge figure
demonstrates not only the popularity of gaming
and gambling online but, also, the subsequent
scope for criminals to hide amongst the
overwhelming majority of legitimate
transactions.
This boom in remote gaming has opened up
new avenues and opportunities for criminals to
launder the proceeds of their crimes. This is why
the EU has now taken the steps to clamp down
on this and extend existing money laundering
regulations to the wider gaming market.
WHAT THE NEW DIRECTIVE WILL MEAN
We agree EU Money Laundering Directives were
previously aimed, for the most part, at financial
sectors and casinos. The new directive will, for
the first time, mandate all gaming companies to
verify the identities of players.
As Introduction, Section 13 of the Directive
makes clear: “In order to mitigate the risks
related to the sector and to provide parity
amongst the providers of gambling services, an
obligation for all providers of gambling services
to conduct customer due diligence for single
transactions of EUr 2000 or more should be
Figures from the Gambling
Commission estimate that
there are around 5,900,000
remote gaming accounts in the
UK. This huge figure
demonstrates not only the
popularity of gaming and
gambling online but, also, the
subsequent scope for criminals
laid down. Member States should consider
applying this threshold to the collection of
winnings as well as wagering a stake.”
research from our own gaming clients at
Jumio suggests that the average desposit level is
£50 (€68). However, €2000 (£1456) would not
be considered an unsual account for a high
roller. And with gaming companies keen to get
the business of high rollers, this will have an
impact on the entire industry.
The Directive makes reference to due
dilligence. In Article 11, Section 1(a), it spells out
exactly what this means: “…identifying the
customer and verifying the customer's identity
on the basis of documents, data or information
obtained from a reliable and independent
source.”
In plain English, this means that gaming
operators will have to verify documents or data
such as passports or driving licenses.
For bricks and mortar operators, this is
straightforward; the gamer would simply
present his or her ID for checking. However, for
remote operators, this presents a challenge of
how to remotely verify ID. This, in essence,
means that gaming operators will have to
remotely verify documents or data such as
passports or driving licenses.
WHAT DO COMPANIES NEED
TO DO TO GET READY?
At a casino, a passport can be checked to verify
identity. But, often, with online gaming,
verifying customer identity is not quite so
Gaming operators not only
promote the best games and
the best odds, they promote
the quickest registration,
deposit and withdrawal times.
In a highly competitive market,
retaining these advantages will
be absolutely critical.
straightforward. So, how can gaming operators
translate that established offline process into the
online world?
Gaming operators not only promote the best
games and the best odds, they also promote the
quickest registration, deposit and withdrawal
times. In a highly competitive market, retaining
these advantages will be absolutely critical. If
operators are not able to allow gamers swift ID
verification, then they will be losing competitive
advantage.
The good news is that there are fully tested
and proven solutions in the market that allow
companies to remotely verify ID remotely in
real time online and mobile transactions. So,
while 2017 might seem like a long way off,
gaming operators need to start examining
options if they are to be ready for what will be a
huge shake up in antimoney laundering
customer verification processes.
Interactive
Trending payment
technologies
ECommPay’s Nikita Mischenko discusses
the shifting sands beneath the global
payments industry and what we can expect
to see in the gaming sector in 2016
Nikita mischenko,
head of Product
development
EcommPay group
As technological advancement
continues racing ahead at
breakneck speed, the payment
industry develops and
innovates its own tools,
services, and solutions to keep
ahead of the curve
Financial institutions are beginning to recede
into the past, overwhelmed by the broad
selection of alternative payment methods and
pioneering new technologies available to
consumers. International payment provider
ECommPay has identified a number of industry
trends and compiled an overview of what to
expect from electronic payments in the near
future.
Blockchain technology reached the
mainstream with the rise of cryptocurrency
Bitcoin. The biggest advantage of this technology
is the lack of a single data centre to produce and
control currency, to exert influence on its value,
to affect the amount of coins in circulation, and
to block transactions or accounts. Management
is left entirely to the blockchain currency
holders – there is no risk of having an account
frozen, payments cancelled, or transactions
prohibited. Furthermore, use of cryptocurrencies
tends to be completely anonymous.
This, of course, raises several issues for
governmental, financial, and legal institutions,
who struggle in coming to a general consensus
as to how to regulate this new technology.
Financial service providers, including processing
centres, which work with cryptocurrencies, have
established themselves as mediators, having
incorporated the technology into services
provided to clients. After all, blockchain
technology has produced several alternative
payment instruments, which promises high
demand in the future.
Alternative payment methods have been
growing in popularity, stimulated by the
financial crisis. The difficult economic situation
encouraged and facilitated the development of
alternative means of payment with lower costs
and mass appeal. The most striking examples
are the payment methods seeking to incorporate
smartphone usage, such as Apple Pay and
Samsung Pay, which can read bankcard details
linked to the device previously.
In the future, many payment components will
become obsolete. No longer will the standard
identification code be required – users will
become identifiable by voice recognition,
fingerprints, or photographs. The bankcard,
likewise, will become a thing of the past.
Instead, consumers will pay with objects, like
mobile phones, which incorporate a number of
necessary functions.
To increase the speed of innovation and
integration, large aggregators are beginning to
acquire smaller companies within the same
sphere. One of the largest acquisitions of the
past year was undertaken by British payment
processing company Optimal Payments, which
incorporated PaySafeCard, Skrill, and Ukash into
its portfolio, becoming one of Europe’s biggest
acquirers PaySafe. The ECommPay Group,
likewise, established partnerships with a
number of payment service providers and
expanded as a company by incorporating fintech
company Paymantix.
Payment companies are consistently pushing
the boundaries of existing technologies,
services, and solutions, striving to develop
highly advanced payment tools, to innovate the
existing options, and to provide even better
services to clients. Safeguarding and enhancing
the payment tools and processes available
guarantees an increased level of safety and risk
management, which in turn improves service
quality.
Financial service providers,
including processing centres,
which work with
cryptocurrencies, have
established themselves as
mediators, having incorporated
the technology into services
provided to clients.
Interactive
A rounded insight
into protection
When IOM’s Mark Robson became involved with
the e-Gaming industry, it had somewhat of a
poor reputation – it was viewed by many as
being quite shady, and players often kept their
participation in gaming as their ‘dirty secret’
Thankfully those days passed
very quickly, helped along by
the Corporate and Social
Responsibility policies adopted
by those with a commercial
interest.
mark Robson,
head of e-gaming
isle of man
Mark Robson joined the Department of
Economic Development in the Isle of Man as
head of e-Gaming in 2015. With over a decade
of experience working with some of the biggest
and most recognisable companies in the
industry, including Microgaming and bally
Technologies, Mark’s first-hand knowledge and
experience is helping to drive continued growth
in the Gaming sector on the Isle of Man.
Surprisingly to some, the definition of Player
Protection varies depending on the perspective
you’re viewing it from. My experience in the
industry has been somewhat unique, working for
and with B2B providers, B2C sites, regulators,
and as a player. This has given me a rounded
insight into player protection and how its
definition and impact depends on perspective.
From a players’ perspective, the vast majority
are fully aware of and able to control their
spending. As such, they tend to look at player
protection in terms of mechanisms that are put
in place to protect them from rogue software,
sites, and/or business practices. Generally
speaking, regulation covers these elements by
implementing strict licence obligations for
software providers (e.g. by having their products
tested and verified by an independent 3rd party
testing house) and site Operators (e.g. by having
player funds segregated, and unable to be used
for operational purposes).
Unfortunately these measures haven’t proved
to be totally effective and there have been
(infrequent) examples where the most
determined have been able to implement rogue
company practices, or the somewhat naïve have
implemented unsuccessful business models. In
the instances where player funds have been lost,
the players have felt let down not only by the site
they deposited at in good faith, but also by the
regulator of the jurisdiction where the site
and/or their supplier are licenced.
Happily, instances of this nature are few and
far between, and the regulator who I work with
has a demonstrable and unequalled track record
in this regard. Nevertheless, players tend to trust
the brand of the Operator site (as this is generally
one they are already familiar with or have seen
advertised), rather than the crest that appears on
that site’s gaming licence.
However, what a lot of players don’t appreciate
is that the regulations vary between
jurisdictions and where one may insist on
segregation of player and a business’s
Operational funds, others do not. 99 per cent of
the time this won’t be an issue, but in cases
where the one per cent happens and if player
funds aren’t segregated, the money could be
considered a business asset and players
considered as unsecured creditors and are
therefore not fully protected.
Another bug-bear for players are the soft
hurdles some Operators implement when it
comes to withdrawals. From my experiences,
there will typically be a delay upon first
withdrawal, where site(s) may request additional
forms of ID (to enable them to complete their
KYC obligations).
Another bug-bear for players
are the soft hurdles some
Operators implement when it
comes to withdrawals. From
my experiences, there will
typically be a delay upon first
withdrawal, where site(s) may
request additional forms of ID
After this most Operators will process these
in a timely fashion and the only delays
experienced in receiving funds are those
incurred with banking systems as a whole.
Unfortunately there are sites that will put
withdrawals into a ‘pending’ state for up to
72hrs. The reasons for this can vary from site to
site – players will generally accept additional
security checks, or waiting until ‘normal’ office
hours for it to be approved.
However, when a site holds a withdrawal for
an extended period, then offers a bonus to
reverse some, or worse still all of it, then this
becomes predatory. Ironically if a player then
gives in to the temptation and/or gets impatient
and reverses and plays those funds, then this
behaviour could go against the mission
statement of the site itself in promoting
responsible gambling, and could also lead to the
player falling into the classification of problem
gamblers.
Thankfully most sites have distanced
themselves from the aforementioned practice
and act as ethically as possible. As mentioned
earlier, most (if not all) gaming sites have a
comprehensive approach to corporate and social
responsibility, so when discussing the subject of
player protection with them, they see this as
protecting players from themselves. This is
generally defined as either ensuring that minors,
or those who are no longer able to control their
betting activity are not able to participate in any
wagering activity.
No one is going to question the rationale or
actions undertaken by sites in order to comply
with these practices, but many who haven’t
been employed in an Operator environment may
not appreciate the work that sites undertake in
order to ensure their player protection
mechanisms and objectives are achieved.
Many sites also go above and beyond what is
expected of them, ensuring all of their
employees (not just those on the frontline of
customer support) are fully trained in problem
gambling awareness, as well as having easy
access to information and sources of advice and
support.
My most recent work has seen me liaise
directly with regulators, namely the Isle of Man
Gambling Supervision Commission (GSC).
Player protection is truly at the heart of their
regulation, and it’s no coincidence that some of
the biggest and most influential businesses in
the industry have their global headquarters
located on the Isle of Man. So when the chance
arose for me to work alongside them to grow the
e-Gaming sector on the Island, it really was too
good an opportunity to miss.
Under the terms of their licence, Operators on
the Isle of Man must fulfil a number of
mandatory obligations – in simplest terms these
are to warrant games are fair and true, to protect
the young and vulnerable, to ensure the activity
is not used for criminal purposes, and to protect
player funds. All of these mechanisms are
reviewed prior to a licence being issued, and
audited as part of an ongoing process (under
obligation of law). Licensees also have to
contribute to a central fund which is used by
charitable organisations to provide education,
support, counselling and therapy services to
those who’ve found their gambling activity has
become unmanageable. These organisations
also provide literature and training services to
the local industry.
It is appreciated that many other jurisdictions
have similar objectives and licensee obligations,
but it has been the Isle of Man’s implementation
of these that sets them apart from others…
Fundamental to Player Protection on the Isle
of Man is a clear demonstration of separation
between business and player funds, and that
monies held in player accounts are protected
under law through the Online Gambling
(Participants’ Money) regulation 2010. This can
be facilitated by the creation of a dedicated
Gambling by its very nature is
an activity that is based upon
an element of risk. On the Isle
of Man, we take the licensing
and the ongoing relationship
with the local industry very
seriously.
client account, but options also exist for costeffective solutions where funds are
underwritten by an approved insurance
company, or implementation of a client Trust. Of
equal importance is that player data (personal
and financial) is stored on locally hosted servers.
This is to ensure that, in the event of default, the
information can be accessed by the regulator
quickly and under the powers incorporated in
Manx law.
It is appreciated that the above does create a
cost to businesses and as such may not suit
everyone, but the combination of these two key
elements ensures repatriation of player funds. It
is the successful management of these criteria
that puts the Isle of Man in their unique
position, and has meant that to date, the
regulator has never experienced an instance
where players have failed to receive their full
balance when requested, or when an Operator
has withdrawn from the market.
Gambling by its very nature is an activity that
is based upon an element of risk. On the Isle of
Man, we take the licensing and the ongoing
relationship with the local industry very
seriously. Players shouldn’t forget that they also
need to do their bit in mitigating risk by
choosing the site, the preferred software and the
jurisdiction where it’s licenced very wisely.
Interactive
Helping operators
keep players safe
The most common types of attack facing
an operator include APT (advanced
persistent threat) which is when hackers
steal information by using sophisticated
techniques such as malware to exploit
vulnerabilities in systems to extract data
from a specific target operator
shemer Katz,
safecharge
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APT - An advanced persistent threat
is a network attack in which an
unauthorised person gains access to
a network and stays there
undetected for a long period of time.
AET - An advanced evasion is a type
of network attack that combines
several different evasion methods to
create a new technique that's
delivered over several layers of the
network simultaneously.
IP Spoofing - An hijacking technique
in which a cracker masquerades as a
trusted host to conceal his identity,
spoof a website, hijack browsers, or
gain access to a network
Another worrying type of
attack is the dreaded
Distributed Denial of Service
(DDoS) attack which is where
the site is subjected to a
massive attack by a multitude
of compromised systems, using
many computers affected by
malware, botnets etc, which
potentially can slow down and
in extreme cases shut down an
operator’s site.
Other security threats include internal data
leakage – not necessarily from an employee but
often from a co-worker, supplier, contractor etc.
and Frontend Application Penetration which is
when a hacker tries to find holes in applications.
The potential consequences of a breached
security system can be catastrophic. Some of the
effects include: data leakage, penetration of
networks and applications, reputation damage,
financial loss, game downtime.
All online gaming operators who process,
transmit or store customer credit cards need to
comply with the Payment Card Industry Data
Security Standard (PCI DSS, or as its more
commonly known PCI compliance), which is a
complex and demanding set of requirements for
payment data protection. It is time consuming,
costly and risky for online gaming operators to
manage their own PCI compliance. If an operator
is holding customers’ credit card details on file it
makes that company far more vulnerable to
malicious hackers, whereas if the operator has
outsourced PCI compliance and there are no
customer credit card details on its system for a
hacker to attempt to steal then risks are greatly
reduced. As all the card data is processed and
stored by a third-party provider, hackers are far
less likely to target the operators themselves.
Outsourcing PCI compliance to a third-party
payment provider has become an attractive
option for gaming operators seeking to minimise
the liability of their compliance responsibilities.
A key factor in an operator’s decision making
has been the overwhelming complexity of PCI
compliance. Time spent working on compliance
also means time spent away from profitable
activities. We estimate that the cost of an
assessment and implementation of in-house
Level 1 PCI-related work can cost between
$500,000 and $1m per year. return on
investment is why many gaming operators have
begun to look for alternatives.
For an online gaming operator it is important
to reduce the red tape involved with PCI, to
minimise risk and to reduce PCI scope (the
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regulatory protocols regarding the handling of
customer card data). If properly done,
outsourcing reduces or eliminates PCI scope,
and minimising scope is the simplest way for an
operator to achieve PCI compliance.
Gaming operators need to choose an
outsourcing PCI partner carefully, otherwise
they may not achieve the PCI benefits they were
intending. If an operator’s outsourcing partner
itself fails to meet PCI standards, the operator is
still responsible for PCI. Operators need to make
sure they are working with a reputable PCI
outsourcing provider which is properly certified
and uses the latest technology. Ideally an
operator needs to take all its IT infrastructure
out of PCI scope, as any part of the operator’s IT
system which processes, stores or transmits
cardholder data comes under the scope of the
PCI regulations.
Another way in which an outsource provider
can remove an operator from PCI scope is by the
use of tokenisation whereby a customer’s card
details (the primary account number – PAN) are
replaced by a token that has no exploitable
meaning or value, and takes the place of the
card details. With tokenisation if a hacker were
to gain entry to the operator’s system all he/she
would get would be the token which is going to
be of no use as the hacker has no means of detokenisation.
On 1st June 2015 the new PCI 3.0 standard
became mandatory. There is a raft of new and
stricter regulatory procedures for operators to
follow from this date.
If a merchant is currently outsourcing their
PCI compliance to a trusted third party they can
let them worry about this. At SafeCharge we
have a PCI descoping team that is well versed in
the regulations and keeps all our gaming clients
safe in the knowledge that all their confidential
customer data is secure in the hands of the PCI
descoping experts.
Most of the changes being introduced with
PCI 3.0 are clarifications and tweaks to existing
requirements, however operators that are
undertaking their own PCI requirements will
realise that there are many changes to be made.
The regulation refinements cover everything
from the definition of scope and methods of
documentation to new ways of preventing fraud
at the point of sale.
For operators that do not outsource their PCI
requirements they will find an ever-increasing
amount of their technology systems will come
under the scope of version 3.0. It’s not only
workstations that handle the credit card data
that are included in the scope, it’s now more
defined in the regulations that any potentially
vulnerable server or workstation that touches
the operator’s network has to be PCI DSS
DDoS - A distributed denial-ofservice attack is one in which a
multitude of compromised systems
attack a single target, thereby
causing denial of service for users of
the system.
Phlashing - A permanent DoS
attack that exploits a vulnerability in
network-based firmware updates.
Such an attack is currently
theoretical but if carried out could
render the target device inoperable.
Malware - Any program or file that is
harmful to a computer user
Phishing - A form of fraud in which
the attacker tries to learn information
such as login credentials or account
information by masquerading as a
reputable entity or person in email,
IM or other communication channels.
Spear phishing - An e-mail spoofing
fraud attempt that targets a specific
organization, seeking unauthorised
access to confidential data.
whaling- A type of fraud that
targets high-profile end users such
as C-level corporate executives,
politicians and celebrities.
Phlashing - A permanent denial of
service (DoS) attack that exploits a
vulnerability in network-based
firmware updates.
compliant. This extension of the scope has been
brought about as a hacker could get into a
network by a lesser protected workstation and
subsequently gain access to a operator’s
customer data on the supposedly more secure
parts of the network.
Other perils for operators undertaking their
own PCI regulations lurk ahead in the new
scoping regulations for PCI 3.0 for example all
third parties that handles customer credit card
data on behalf of an operator will be included in
the scope.
This is often out of the operator’s control, but
ironically still part of his liability. It is now
known that the well-publicised breach of
customer data by the U.S. retailer Target was
caused by a an initial intrusion into its systems
which was later traced back to network
credentials that were stolen from a third party
vendor.
It’s simple. If a merchant doesn't have any
customer credit card data touching its system, it
is not going to be a target for commercial
hackers. reduce the risk, shift the risk onto an
expert company that is fully PCI compliant and
undertakes PCI descoping for some of the
largest companies in the gaming industry. As
well as peace of mind it will save merchants an
awful lot of money, and enable them to do what
they do best – run their business!
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Mobile gaming
william Hill
S
William hill has launched a major update to its industry-first darts app that offers customers the ultimate
in-play experience for the William hill World Darts
Championships. The William hill Darts app is the only
real-time darts simulator to offer in-play betting opportunities.
dF5300Hd Topline
Camera Security
Cameras dallmeier
The cameras of the DF5300hD
Topline series have been designed
for applications that require high
resolution in real-time and
simultaneously a good light
sensitivity. The most advanced
sensor and encoder technology and
the sophisticated image processing
provide recordings with a resolution
of up to 3K hD at excellent contrast,
brilliant clarity as well as highest
detail resolution and colour fidelity.
Using rapid roulette-style betting, customers can bet
where the first dart of each visit will land, by simply
placing casino chips on the dartboard. This new feature
adds a completely new ‘rapid-fire’ experience for fans
following the action at the World Darts Championships.
Available from today, the app simulates real dart
matches and offers a wide range of other in-play markets, all using the ‘casino-style’ interface so customers
can easily follow the match and bet in-play on the
event. Live statistics will also be displayed within the
app throughout the Championships, keeping fans up to
date with the latest scores and highlights.
William hill’s Jamie hart, Director of Innovation and
Customer Experience, said: “Our darts app is a first in
the betting industry, allowing customers the unique
chance to bet on a match in real time. by incorporating
deep Sea diver
Online/mobile slots
genesis gaming
Genesis Gaming announced the
general release of its latest video
slot, Deep Sea Diver, on the
an element of gamification into the experience, darts
fans can feel immersed in the game while providing an
additional level of excitement for the match.”
The William hill darts iOS app is available for free from
Apple App store
Quickfire Network. Experience the
thrill of deep diving in this 25 line,
5 reel video slot game featuring a
unique collection mechanism that
empowers players to trigger,
choose and customise their own
bonus rounds. Each time an O2
Tank symbol appears, more
Bombs away HTML5
games Habernero
habanero has started 2016 with a
bang by releasing their brand new
title, bombs Away. The crossplatform 5x3, 50 fixed line video
slot, takes players back in time into
a Second World War themed
diversion with stunning graphics
and a nostalgic soundtrack.
bombs appear and explode on the
reels, prompting a random number
of adjacent symbols including the
bomb itself to become wild.
During the free spins feature round,
a bomber swoops over the game to
release its payload, turning even
more symbols wild and sending
pay-outs sky high.
Chris Visser, head of Game
Development at habanero, believes
the game will be a real blast for
players at a number of leading
casino brands. he added: “bombs
Away is a great little slot and enjoys
the same immersive qualities of all
of our new hTML5 games.
N
“It provides operators with a brand
new yet popular theme and its low
volatility and great big band
soundtrack will certainly put players
‘in the mood’ for more of the
same!”
bombs Away joins Gold Rush as
the latest additions to habanero’s
stable of over 50 slots, six table
games, and 10 video poker titles.
These are integrated directly into
over 20 operators and available in
15 languages, including eight
European and six Asian ones.
The company, who recently signed
a deal to distribute their games
through leading supplier
EveryMatrix, will be showcasing
their products on stand N2-234 at
ICE Totally Gaming.
Low-Light characteristics
The very good light sensitivity of the
sensor and the sophisticated image
processing ensure crisp colour
images even in low lighting. In night
mode, the cameras also provide
outstanding results due to the very
good infrared sensitivity.
oxygen is collected. The player
can trigger a bonus feature at any
time and can customize the
bonus by spending the stored
oxygen. This game mechanic
provides the player with the
power of choice in their game
experience.
Automatic switching of presets
The cameras are equipped with an
ambient light sensor and a
removable IR cut filter, and can
automatically switch between day
and night mode. In addition,
different day and night presets for
the exposure settings can be
defined and adjusted.
MonopolyCasino.com
Online Casino
gamesys
Motor-driven varifocal lens
The cameras of the DF5300hD
Topline series have a motor-driven
megapixel varifocal lens that is
perfectly tuned to the image
sensor. The adjustment of zoom,
focus and iris is made conveniently
using a web browser. Manual lens
setting directly at the installation
site of the camera is not required.
Scientific Games is to sublicense
selected hasbro brand rights,
allowing Gamesys to launch
MonopolyCasino.com, a
MONOPOLY branded online casino
powered by a variety of SG
Interactive MONOPOLY themed
casino games, plus Gamesys’
innovations around the hasbro
library. In addition, both parties
have enhanced their commercial
real money gaming supply
relationship, and Scientific Games
has licensed selected game
patents to Gamesys.
Simon Mizzi, Marketing Director of
Gamesys (Gibraltar) said: “These
transactions enhance our already
strong relationship with SG
Interactive, offering us the
opportunity to engage our players
with exclusive content, key third
party brands and enhanced access
to Scientific Games’ extensive
portfolio.”
Precise iris control
P-Iris control provides precise and
automatic setting of the optimum
aperture. The cameras achieve a
better depth of field than with
conventional DC auto iris lenses
under almost all lighting conditions.
EdgeStorage
The cameras are equipped with a
RAM memory that is used by the
EdgeStorage function for storing
the video stream in case of a
network failure. When the network
is restored, the Smartbackfill
function ensures a fast
transmission to the SMAVIA
recording system. This stores the
video stream with high speed and
then continues the recording of the
live stream seamlessly.
P111
Products S
LaNd-BasEd aNd
iNtERactivE gamiNg
Scott Olive,
Principal of the High roller
Gaming Studio,
Aristocrat Technologies
“The most pleasing thing about
Lightning Link is that the games
have proven to be popular with
all types of players in all types of
venues whether it be a small
club in the Australian Outback or
at a mega casino on the Las
Vegas Strip. Games like this are
few and far between, so that’s a
very good feeling indeed.”
“What I‘ve seen with that
product in its first few
months, I‘ve never seen
before in the last nine years.
It’s been well received by all
demographics, across all the
customers. What customers
are saying now is why don’t I
have more of these
machines? Why do I have to
wait to get on?”
Mark Mackay,
Chief Operating Officer,
Jupiters Casino, Gold Coast,
Australia
“In 23 years in the business I
have never seen a product
like this.”
Joe Kelly,
General Manager,
Arana Leagues Club,
Australia
Lightning Link ranks as 17 of
the top 20 best performing
games in Queensland,
Australia.
Rated by MaxGaming,
an independent provider of
CMS.
P112 NEWSWIRE
N
art, creativity, and science combine to make the
perfect storm in aristocrat’s new Lightning Link
“There is a little bit of magic involved in
game development,” says Scott Olive, the
head of High roller Gaming, a dedicated
jackpot products studio with Aristocrat.
Olive’s legendary accomplishments certainly have
brought magic to casino floors worldwide. he is widely
acknowledged as one of the most prodigious creative
talents in the industry and was instrumental in
establishing Aristocrat’s hyperlink family of games
including the smash hits Cash Express, Jackpot
Carnival and Aristocrat's first wide area progressive,
Millioni$er. Other successful titles that have been
touched by Olive’s magic include Jackpot Deluxe, Tiki
Torch, big ben, Red baron, Double Dolphins, King of The
Nile and Return of the Samurai.
his latest creation, Lightning Link is a storming hit in
Australia and North America and is now coming to
Europe. Attendees at ICE Totally Gaming can
experience Lightning Link first hand on Aristocrat’s
stand, S3-250.
Lightning Link is unique in the marketplace with playerselectable multi-denominations, a multi-format
jackpot offering that combines both link and SAP
jackpots and an excellent mix of games that attract a
wide range of players. Plus its intuitive layout is easy to
learn and play.
Olive says Lightning Link’s design was created
specifically to appeal to all types of players – frequent
players and more casual gamers, and to those who like
a jackpot experience as well as those who prefer a more
entertaining experience.
“With Lightning Link, I created a game that I would like
to play,” Olive says. “I always wanted to do a game that
incorporated lightning because it seemed like a very
exciting and fun visual.”
And exciting it is. Olive and his team have developed 10
different base games with an exciting variety of themes
and features.
So, how did Lightning Link come about? “We saw a big
market opportunity for proprietary, innovative links. Our
challenge with this - and with every game - is to create
new and innovative products that have long-lasting
appeal,” Olive says.
As is the case with every game, his team then went
through a very deliberate and thoughtful creative
process that begins with an in-depth analysis of
market trends and player preferences. From there, the
game strategy is born.
“We carefully balance the expertise of our entire team
and look to put together a game with elements that will
flow together as we create what we hope will be an
industry hit,” he says.
Lightning Link is the latest to come from what Olive
describes as an exciting, if sometimes hectic, studio,
where at any one time there are dozens of games in
active development, from early concepts through to
submissions for certification and approval. Through it
all, Olive’s steady hand guides the team and the many
processes that include artists, animators, graphic
designers, sound and software engineers, production
specialists, strategy developers and analysts.
The fruit of Olive and his team’s labour is clear in the
global success Lightning Link is experiencing, which
has left the entire team flying high. Olive describes it
this way: “The most pleasing thing about Lightning Link
is that the games have proven to be popular with all
types of players in all types of venues whether it be a
small club in the Australian Outback or at a mega
casino on the Las Vegas Strip. Games like this are few
and far between, so that’s a very good feeling indeed,”
comments Mr. Olive.
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