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PDF Version - G3

OFFICIAL MAGAZINE
GLOBAL GAMES AND GAMING MAGAZINE I JUNE 2015 I WWW.G3NEWSWIRE.COM I WWW.G3-247.COM
INTERNATIONAL GAMING NEWS I KNOWLEDGE I STATISTICS I MARKET INFORMATION I DIGITAL AND PRINT
WWW.G3NEWSWIRE.COM
MEXICO
WWW.G3-247.COM - THE GAMING MEDIA VAULT
Codere, the largest operator in Mexico, reports
annual first quarter growth of 15.9 per cent 0
8
SLOVENIA
Slovenian government to sell its casino
stakes as part of new privatisation plans
1 4
ILLINOIS
Cash-strapped Chicago is seeking to licence
2
at least one major casino for the city
Multiplication
How do games developers create
content across multiple gaming channels?
4
AUSTRALIA
A Barangaroo row has broken out between
Echo Entertainment and Crown Sydney
3 2
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Contents
JUNE 2015
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WWW.G3-247.COM
SOUTH AMERICA NEWS
01: MEXICO
Codere, the largest operator in Mexico, has
reported an annual growth of 15.9 per cent in
Mexico in its first quarter
EMEA NEWS
03: SLOVENIA
Under new privatisation plans revealed by the
Slovenian government, stakes in casino
groups are to be put up for sale
– G3Newswire pg 08
01: MEXICO
The US Department of State’s warning
advising Americans against visiting casinos in
Mexico is rebuffed by AIEJA
04: SPAIN
BCN World developer vents frustration at the
lack of legislative progress and threatens to
move from Barcelona area
02: URUGUAY
The Mantra Casino Resorts and Spa, located in
the in Punte del Este, has been sold to a
consortium of global investors
05: GREECE
Synot has confirmed the supply of its first
tranche of VLTs to the Greek gaming market,
with 2,000 terminals en route
NORTH AMERICA NEWS
06: ILLINOIS
Cash-strapped Chicago and equally
impoverished Illinois, is seeking to bring at
least one major casino to the city
ASIA & OCEANIA NEWS
09: CAMBODIA
Entertainment Gaming Asia sees marked first
quarter revenues improvement, especially in
relation to NagaWorld
07: MARYLAND
The Maryland Live! Casino is launching a new
mystery progressive slots initiative that
guarantees wins of up to $100k
10: AUSTRALIA
Echo Entertainment claims that Crown
Sydney’s Barangaroo VIP casino resort is
legally flawed has sparked a row
08: NEVADA
Bally Technologies has both given and taken
away from the profits of its new parent
company, Scientific Games
11: PHILIPPINES
PAGCOR has given Tiger Resorts 90 days to
explain why it shouldn’t have the licence for
its future casino resort revoked
G3Newswire.com delivers daily international gaming industry news and
information, with the G3Newswire newsletter circulated three times per
week to a 8,000+ database of gaming industry influencers
ROMANIA MARKET REPORT
GOVERNMENT MAKES ONLINE BET
Romania is betting the farm on online and
sports-betting opportunities to fill the shortfalls in its budget and keep the IMF at bay
– G3-247 Market Update pg 46
ECA DEALER CHAMPIONSHIP 2015
The ECA European Dealer Championship was
this year held mid-May at the Park Casino in
Nova Gorica, part of the Hit Group
– Insight pg 22
BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD CASE
Aland’s online and land-based operator, Paf,
has opened its Casino Sunborn aboard the luxury 5 star super yacht Hotel, Sunborn Gibraltar
– Insight pg 40
INTERACTIVE
MULTI-CHANNEL DEVELOPMENT
G3 asks the gaming industry’s leading
developers of omni-channel games to explain
the process and outline future development
– Insight pg 62
Gaming Publishing
Samson House,
457 Manchester Road,
Manchester M29 7BR,
United Kingdom
0 3
Comment
JUNE 2015
I met Jens Halle at the launch of Touchbet Roulette in the Golden Horseshoe
Casino in London in 2000. Three months earlier I’d left the videogames industry
as a journalist on a series of PC, Playstation and Nintendo titles and was pressed,
rather reluctantly into a suit, shoulders still bearing the marks of the hanger, and
then into the midst of a massive casino product launch with all the fanfare TCS,
Touchbet’s distributors, could muster.
Sat quietly at the bar while a great deal of announcements and mayhem broke
around him was Jens, who looked, I have to say - angry. I was politely asked to
interview him as it was, after all, his product launch.
I introduced myself and, well, it all went very quickly downhill from there. I was
told, in no uncertain terms, that journalists knew nothing about the gaming
industry, that we’d no level of appreciation, had accrued a contemptuous lack of
knowledge through scant research and were wholly ignorant of the creation of
the machines that were propelling the industry forward at that time. It was a
hair-dryer moment I’ll never forget, and of course, new to the job and green to
the industry, I could do nothing but agree with him.
Three weeks later I was in Gumpoldskirchen and was again sweating into the
same collar at the prospect of meeting Mr. Halle once more. The man that swept
into the room, spent hours with me detailing all aspects of the business, showed
me through the production process, sound and
special effects, introduced me to the entire company and took me to dinner, was the tangental
Jens halle was
opposite of what I was expecting. He was, in
one of the most
short, one the most generous, funny and warmhearted people I’ve ever met. His passion for the
generous,
gaming industry was both startling and contagious
funny and
and I’ve looked forward to meeting Jens at every
gaming show ever since. His death is such a huge
warmhearted
blow because he had such integrity, because he
people that I’ve
was such a charismatic man and because he left
that mark on all of us.
ever met
My deepest sympathies to Jen’s family and everyone that knew him.
EDITORIAL
ADVERTISING
Editor
Lewis Pek
[email protected]
+44 (0) 1942 879 291
Commercial Director
John Slattery
Email:
[email protected]
+44 (0)7917 166471
News Editor
Phil Martin
[email protected]
+44 (0)161 236 6669
Associate Editor (MALAGA)
Karen Southall
[email protected]
Consultant
John Carroll (BILLERBECK)
[email protected]
South America Correspondent
James Marrison
[email protected]
Contributors
Todd Haushalter
David Addison
Frank Fantini
Jeremy Thompson Hill
0 4
Advertising Executive
James Slattery
Email:
[email protected]
+44 (0)7917 166471
PRODUCTION
Sub Editor
Lisa Nichols
Senior Designer
Gareth Irwin
Production Manager
Paul Jolleys
Subscriptions Manager
Jennifer Pek
Commercial Administrator
John Pek
Events
JUNE 2015
June 2-5, 2015
IAGA 2015 Gaming Summit, Canada
Location
Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel in
Vancouver, Canada
Organiser
International Association of Gaming
Advisors
PO Box 92495, Henderson,
Nevada 89009, US
Tel: +1 314 973 4784
Contact: Kirsten Clark
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.theiaga.org
June 9-11,, 2015
The Slot Summit Europe 2015,
Romania
Location
Bucharest, Romania
Organiser
Clarion Events
Fulham Green, Bedford House
69-79 Fulham High Street
London, UK SW6 3JW
Contact
Ewa Zbrzeska
Tel: +44 207 384 7805
Fax: +44 207 384 7701
Email: ewa.zbrzeska@clarionevents
.com
Web: www.slotsummit.com
June 10-11, 2015
Peru Gaming Show, Peru
Location
Jockey Exposition Center, Lima, Peru
Organiser
Affiliated Marketing Group
Show times:
Wednesday, June 10, 2 pm - 8 pm
Thursday, June 11, 2 pm - 8 pm
Tel: +(51-1) 447 3635/447 3657
Web: www.perugamingshow.com/
June 16-18, 2015
Canadian Gaming Summit 2015
Location
Caesars Windsor, Windsor, Ontario,
Canada
Organiser
MediaEdge Communications
5255 Yonge Street, Suite 1000
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
0 6
M2N 6P4
Contact: Brad Moore
Tel: +1 416 512 8186
Web:
www.canadiangamingsummit.com
June 22-23, 2015
Gaming In Holland Conference 2015
Location
Amsterdam, Netherlands (held in
association with the iGaming
Supershow Amsterdam
Organiser
Gaming in Hollland
Netherlands
Contact: Willem Van Oort
Web:
www.GamingInHollandConference
.com
June 23-26, 2015
iGaming Super Show 2015,
The Netherlands
Location
RAI exhibition centre, Amsterdam,
Netherlands
Organiser
iGaming Business
Electric Word
2nd Floor, 5 Thomas More Square
London
United Kingdom
E1W 1YW
Tel: +44 207 954 3480
Web: www.igamingsupershow.com
July 6-8, 2015
World Gaming Executive Summit 2015
- WGES, Spain
Location
W Hotel, Barcelona, Spain
Organiser
Terrapinn Ltd
Wren House, 43 Hatton Garden
London, United Kingdom
EC1N 8EL
Contact
Tayyab Abbasi
Tel: +44 207 092 1210
Web: www.terrapinn.com/conference/wges/
July 14-16, 2015
Casino Marketing & Technology
Conference, US
Location
Rio Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, Las
Vegas, Nevada, US
Organiser
BNP Media Gaming Group
2401 W Big Beaver Road, Suite 700
Troy, Michigan
United States
MI 48084
Contact: Lesley Grashow
Tel: +1 203 938 2782 Email:
[email protected]
Web: www.casinomarketingconf.com
0 7
G3Newswire
SOUTH AMERICA NEWS
www.g3nEwswirE.coM
El prEsidEntE dE la asociación dE
Permisionarios, Operadores y Proveedores de la Industria del
Entretenimiento y Juego de Apuesta en México (AIEJA), Miguel
Ángel Ochoa, ha defendido la trayectoria de seguridad de los
casinos mexicanos en respuesta a la advertencia del
Departamento de Estado de EE.UU. que recomienda a los ciudadanos estadounidenses no visitar establecimientos de juego
en México. Ochoa afirmó que la seguridad de los extranjeros
que acuden a los casinos de México está garantizada mediante
una amplia serie de controles internos y medidas de protección
que se han puesto en marcha desde el ataque perpetrado contra el Casino Royale en 2011.
los ingrEsos durantE El priMEr triMEstrE dE
las 15 empresas que gestionan el juego en Panamá aumentaron un 10 por ciento en comparación con el mismo período
de 2014 hasta alcanzar los 647,7 millones de dólares, según
información de la Junta de Control de Juegos, del Ministerio de
Economía y Finanzas (MEF).
El EMprEsario argEntino JorgE albErto goitia,
junto con una serie de operadores europeos e inversores
uruguayos, ha adquirido el casino del Mantra Resort Spa and
Casino de Manantiales, un balneario ubicado en el departamento de Maldonado, en el sudeste de Uruguay. La compra
incluye la participación de operadores de hoteles internacionales, con un acuerdo con la cadena hotelera Bagatelle, que
opera en Saint-Tropez y otras ciudades.
intErblock ha noMbrado a natalia kostova,
una experta en turismo y ventas internacionales, como nueva
directora de ventas regional de la empresa para Latinoamérica.
Kostova tendrá como base las oficinas de la empresa en la ciudad de Panamá y dirigirá desde allí las iniciativas de ventas de
toda Latinoamérica.
caMMEgh, fabricantEs dE las ruEdas dE
ruleta más exquisitas del mundo, continúan con su impresionante año y han anunciado su selección como proveedor exclusivo de ruletas y pantallas para el grupo Aspers. Según este
acuerdo para cinco años, Cammegh se basará en la exitosa
instalación de ruedas de ruleta Mercury 360 y Billboard
Displays de doble cara en su casino de Milton Keynes el año
pasado.
otro casino sE disponE a cErrar sus puErtas
en Puerto Rico después de que el Radisson Ambassador
anunciara que por motivos financieros se ve obligado a dar por
finalizada su actividad. Con este cierre, actualmente ya solo
quedan 21 casinos en el país. La directora general del casino,
Miriam Vélez, declaró que el cierre se produjo debido a que el
banco que había financiado sus operaciones transfirió sus
intereses a un tercero. Sin embargo, el comprador rehusó otorgar fondos para mantener el hotel activo. Se perderán doscientos puestos de trabajo.
El gobiErno dE EslovEnia sE disponE a
privatizar una serie de activos estatales, y los más atractivos de
ellos se encuadran en los sectores de la banca, el turismo y el
juego. El más destacado entre los intereses de los inversores
es Hit Casinos, la mayor empresa de juego de Eslovenia, que
ha experimentado dificultades en los últimos años pero que
parece estar recuperándose poco a poco.
0 8
codErE rEports growth in MExico
Codere, the largest operator in Mexico,
has reported an annual growth of 15.9
per cent in Mexico in its first quarter
Mexico - Operations
The largest gaming operator in Mexico, Codere has
reported an annual growth of 15.9 per cent in
Mexico in the first three months of this year to
reach €90.9m. The result was driven by the
appreciation of the Mexican peso against the euro
(7.5 per cent), and a low base of comparison to the
same period of 2014, when its revenue fell 25.2
per cent due to the Anti-Money Laundering Act
which came into force.
“Revenues in the first quarter of 2014 recorded a
drop of 25.2 per cent mainly due to lower average
net revenue per machine per day as a result of
increased competitive pressure, as well as the
implementation of anti-money laundering law ...
which involved the application of new technological procedures for customer management and
gaming activity in our rooms,” said the company
in a statement last year.
Despite the recovery, Codere has still not reached
its pre-implementation levels of the Act, as in the
first quarter of 2013 the company had revenues of
€104.8m. According to reports in local press, the
company is looking to strengthen its position
ahead of Mexico’s new gaming act which is currently awaiting approval in the Mexican Senate.
In a recent interview with CNN Expansión, Emilio
Hank, President of Caliente Interactive, a subsidiary of Grupo Caliente in Mexico, agreed that
the new regulations will open up opportunities for
the company, as the new regulation will ensure
foreign operators will no longer be able to offer
their services locally.
Under current rules gaming companies which are
already physically established in Mexico are permitted to apply for an online license and it is
believed that the new gaming act, although
focused primarily on the land based sector, will
further seek to limit online gambling to local land
based operators.
According to the Association of Licensees,
Entertainment Gambling & Gaming Industry
Operators and Suppliers (Asociación de
Permisionarios, Operadores y Proveedores de la
Industria del Entretenimiento y Juego de Apuesta)
offshore online gaming companies generates
about US$300m a year without paying tax in
Mexico.
In the last three months of 2014, Codere acknowledged the closure of seven of its gaming rooms in
Mexico as a result of inspections undertaken by
the federal government.
Mexico is the second most important market for
Codere after Argentina, Italy and then Spain.
Codere has been present in the Mexican market
since 1998 and operates in Mexico in association
with two groups that are leaders in the domestic
market: Grupo Caliente and Compañía
Interamericana de Entretenimiento (CIE).
Novomatic delighted MyACP
receives approval in Colombia
COLOMBIA
The Novomatic Group subsidiary
Octavian Argentina has now
received the official GLI certification for its proprietary casino
management system MyACP for
the Colombian market.
This innovative casino management tool is distributed in
Colombia by the local Novomatic
group subsidiary AGI Gaming
Colombia. The casino management system MyACP is highly
modular solution that can be
flexibly adapted to the individual
needs of the operator as well as to
the official requirements of the
respective regulatory authorities.
The functionalities of the system
include modules for Accounting,
Floor Monitoring, TITO, Cashless,
Player Loyalty and Player
Tracking. With its modular and
scalable design MyACP offers in
real-time data as well as a wide
range of features for operators of
gaming machines and live games
in all market segments.
MyACP also meets all requirements and prerequisites of the
Columbian gaming authority
Coljuegos.
Its multiple benefits present the
MyACP system not only as an
efficient control system but also
as a valuable integrated management tool that has been chosen
by many operators worldwide in
order to meet governmental
requirements while also increasing their profit.
Manuel del Sol, CEO of AGI
Gaming Colombia commented on
the recent approvals in Colombia:
“Achieving this certification of
our sister company Octavian
Argentina is undoubtedly an
important step towards positioning Novomatic in Colombia as a
leading provider, not only just as
a supplier of machines for the
market but also as the leading
solutions supplier to the industry.”
G3Newswire
SOUTH AMERICA NEWS
www.g3nEwswirE.coM
association dEfEnd safEty rEcord
The US Department of State’s warning
advising Americans against visiting
casinos in Mexico is rebuffed by AIEJA
Mexico - Politics
opEnbEt ha aMpliado significativaMEntE su
presencia global mediante la adquisición de sus operaciones
griegas de Athens Technology Center S.A (ATC), anteriormente
subcontratadas. Esta adquisición incrementa en principio la
plantilla de OpenBet en un 25 por ciento, con un contingente
adicional de empleados dedicados al desarrollo. Le permitirá a
la empresa seguir mejorando su capacidad de suministrar y
escalar su tecnología y servicios, con una nómina cada vez más
amplia de talentos y recursos. También le permite a OpenBet
ofrecer a sus clientes una flexibilidad adicional como soporte de
sus planes de expansión, según proceda.
grEat canadian gaMing sE disponE a adquirir
el Casino New Brunswick de manos de Sonco Gaming por 95
millones de dólares. La adquisición de la empresa, que se financiará con los balances de efectivo existentes, incluirá la
propiedad y la operación de su casino CNB ya existente, así
como del hotel y un centro recreativo y de congresos multiusos.
El fabricantE dE Máquinas tragapErras
International Game Technology tiene previsto vender su campus corporativo de Las Vegas dentro del proceso de consolidación de operaciones que está llevando a cabo la empresa tras
su fusión con el proveedor de loterías GTECH por un valor de
6400 millones de dólares.
Maryland livE! casino Está lanzando los
Giant jackpots, un nuevo programa de tragaperras progresivo
de premios sorpresa que garantiza unos premios de jackpot de
entre 50 000 y 100 000 dólares. El programa Giant Jackpots
es el primero de sus características en el estado de Maryland.
Cada Giant Jackpot comenzará en 50 000 e irá creciendo cada
vez que un cliente que participa en la promoción realiza una
jugada en una máquina tragaperras incluida en la promoción
(excluye el póquer en vídeo y los juegos de mesa electrónicos)
con su tarjeta Live! Rewards Card o su nueva tarjeta Giant
Jackpots Card debidamente introducida.
El Millonario dE hong kong tony fung sE ha
apresurado a adquirir el Sheraton Mirage en la Costa Dorada
australiana por 160 millones de dólares, ya que tiene previsto
otro proyecto de casino en la región. A pesar de que todavía está
pendiente de recibir la licencia y las debidas aprobaciones por
parte del Gobierno de Queensland, la inversión de Fung en la
Costa Dorada ya ha alcanzado por el momento los 280 millones de dólares.
la búsquEda dE un socio Estratégico por
parte de Enjoy ha cambiado de rumbo, toda vez que el director
general, Gerardo Cood, ha anunciado que la empresa está buscando un socio inmobiliario para desarrollar los terrenos que ya
tiene disponibles en Chile, como Pucón y Coquimbo.
El sEctor dE los casinos dE Macau gEnEró un
38,8 por ciento menos de ingresos este mes de abril en comparación con el mismo mes del año anterior, de forma que los
ingresos brutos del juego se situaron en 19 160 millones de
MOP (2400 millones de dólares). Abril se convirtió así en el
undécimo mes consecutivo de bajada en Macau, pero se
percibió una ligera mejora en la tendencia con respecto a marzo,
mes en que los ingresos brutos del juego cayeron un 39,4 por
ciento, o respecto a febrero, en que la caída fue del 48,6 por
ciento.
1 0
President of the Mexican Gaming Association
(AIEJA) Miguel Angel Ochoa has defended the
safety record of Mexican casinos in response to
the US Department of State warning which advises American citizens against visiting gaming
establishments in Mexico.
Mr. Ochoa said that the safety of foreigners who
attend casinos in Mexico is guaranteed due to a
wide number of internal controls and protection
measures which have been put in place since the
attack on the Casino Royale in 2011.
“After the fire, the civil protection authorities of the
state governments and municipalities and the federal government ordered us not only to double but
often to multiply protective measures,” he said.
He further pointed out that since the tragedy there
have been no incidents resulting in death at a
casino, nor have there been any incidents of kidnapping. He explained that security measures are
now in place in casinos which prevent people
from entering with firearms or sharp weapons and
main doors are shielded to prevent any attempt to
throw a bomb at the premises or intimidate the
owners.
Mr. Ochoa categorised the warning as disproportionate, as it indicated that the violence occurring
in some states of Mexico was linked to casinos
when it is not.
In addition the number of illegal establishment
has greatly been reduced meaning that gaming on
a whole is becoming an increasingly safe pastime.
“Today I can practically affirm that there are no
illegal casinos in Mexico when there were over 60
during previous administrations. So SEGOB (The
Interior Ministry) has done a great job,” he said.
According to Mr. Ochoa the new gaming law,
which could soon be approved by the Senate, will
create a more closely regulated market with a
clearer legal framework for operators and will
also provide more legal certainty for local and foreign investors alike.
Published in April the US Department of State
advice comes as part of Mexico’s Travel Warning
which urges US citizens to avoid certain places
and institutions in Mexico. The warnings specifically single out casinos and other gaming establishments saying that: “Of safety concern are casinos, sports books, or other gambling establishments and entertainment establishments.”
Chile
Chilean gaming company Enjoy could soon be expanding its operations in Latin America with both Colombia
and Peru in its sights. General Manger of Enjoy, Gerardo Cood in an interview, said that the company had
recovered from the difficulties of 2013 when Chile imposed its smoking ban. The smoking ban, which went
into effect on March 1 2013, banned smoking in closed areas such as pubs, nightclubs restaurants and casinos.
With a smoking rate of around 40 per cent Chile has the highest percentage of smokers in Latin America. The
company was the first in Chile to open up a specially designed outside smoking space on its premises.
Revenues continue to show
improvement across Panama
PANAMA
Revenues during the first quarter
for the 15 companies that manage
gaming in Panama increased by
10 per cent, reaching US$647.7m
compared to the same period in
2014, according to the Board of
Gaming Control of the Ministry of
Economy and Finance (MEF).
In the first quarter of last year,
revenues stood at U.S$588.5m
meaning that gaming revenue has
increased by more than
US$S56m. Gaming has been on
the rise in Panama despite the
fact that the economy’s’ growth
rate has decreased by around six
per cent over the last two years.
Type 3 slot machines (classified
as Type A slot machines in
Panamanian gaming law) recorded the highest revenue with revenues standing at U.S$544.2m
which is an increase of US$
56.2m compared to the same
period the previous year. This is
followed by table gaming and
sports betting while betting in
bingo halls and the Presidente
Remón racetrack have fallen significantly compared to the same
period last year.
Gross income in the first three
months of 2015 increased by 5.9
per cent standing at US$S110m
compared to US$103.5m in 2014.
The news comes at a time when
the industry is facing a number of
challenges revolving around the
expansion of slot parlours in
poorer areas. There have been
growing reports that the government has been poised to tackle
the issue. A new law which is
being considered would enforce
tighter control over the industry
and would put in place a number
of strict player protection measures including banning slot parlours and casinos from operating
in rural and poorer districts.
In 1998 the government passed a
wide sweeping gaming law
which permitted casinos as long
as they were part of five star
hotel with a minimum of 300
rooms. Since then the casino
industry in Panama has grown
rapidly and is now home to one of
the most developed gaming
industries in the entire region.
G3Newswire
SOUTH AMERICA NEWS
www.g3nEwswirE.coM
uruguay’s Mantra casino sold
The Mantra Casino Resorts and Spa,
located in the in Punte del Este, has been
sold to a consortium of global investors
Uruguay - New operations
puErto rico – radisson aMbassador to closE
Another casino is to close its doors in Puerto Rico after the
Radisson Ambassador announced that for financial reasons
it must close its doors. With the closure there are now only 21
casinos left in the country. General Manager of the casino,
Miriam Velez, said the closure occurred because the bank
that had financed its operations had sold its interest to a third
party. However, the buyer refused to grant funds to keep the
hotel active. Two hundred jobs will be lost.
“We thank our guests and neighbours for their patronage
over the years. In particular, we thank our employees for their
dedication and faultless hard work. We are committed to
working with the hotel and the community, the Tourism
Company of Puerto Rico and other government agencies to
support our guests and staff during these difficult times,”
Velez said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the president of the Association of Hotels and
Tourism of Puerto Rico (PRHTA), Ismael Vega, expressed his
regret over the closure. “It’s unfortunate for the industry that
the closures of hotels and casinos in Puerto Rico continue,
this is a sign of how unhealthy such operations find themselves in. Amongst others things they are constantly under
threat by the proliferation of illegal slot machines as well high
operating costs.”
He went onto to say that the industry should not lose sight of
the fact that hotels with casinos generate 80 per cent of the
budget for the Tourism Board as well US$70m for the operation of the University of Puerto Rico. Vega also indicated that
for several years PRHTA has been warning the government
about the cost of closures and the fragile state of the industry
but due to lack of government action on the issue a number
of casinos have been forced to close their doors.
“Time has proved us right, because it is an issue we brought
to public attention several years ago,” he said. Mr Vega also
blamed “rampant increases” in water rates, electricity costs
as well as additional taxes and urged the government to
adopt new gaming legislation. In September last year it was
also announced that the casino at the Embassy Suites
Dorado del Mar Beach Resort would no longer be open for
business. Owned by the Hilton Hotel and Resorts chain, the
closure was the third casino to close in the last five years on
the island. According to a company press release at the time,
the company was forced to close the casino due major
changes in the local gaming industry.
lataM – intErblock appoints natalia kostova
Interblock has named international
sales and tourism expert Natalia
Kostova as the company’s new
Regional Sales Manager in Latin
America.
Kostova will be based in the company’s office in Panama City and will
lead sales efforts throughout Latin America.
Interblock CEO John Connelly said,: “We are moving aggressively to grow our business in the Americas, and having a
sales expert of Natalia’s calibre is mission-critical to accomplishing our goals in Latin America. We are thrilled to welcome her to Interblock, and we are confident our customers
will find her depth and breadth of international sales and
tourism knowledge to be extremely valuable to them.”
1 2
Argentine businessman Jorge Alberto Goitia,
along with a number of European operators and
Uruguayan investors, have bought the casino at
the Mantra Resort Spa and Casino located in
Manantiales; a resort in the Maldonado
Department of south-eastern Uruguay.
The purchase includes the participation of
international hoteliers, with an agreement with
the Bagatelle hotel chain which operates in
Saint-Tropez and other cities. The new CEO of
the Mantra, Uruguayan Monzeglio Remo,
explained that as of 1 May, the group had taken
control of the large tourist complex.
“There has been a necessary restructuring in
order to count on staff from the new administration and the union is fully aligned with this
direction,” said Mr. Remo. “The hotel is running
full occupancy this weekend, with many
Uruguayans staying and several customers
from Brazil,” he added.
The new owners of the resort did not reveal any
detail regarding the cost although it believed
that the Casinos del Litoral group, headed by
Jorge Alberto Goitia, will revive the gaming
halls in Manantiales and also the Nogaro casino
which also has a restaurant and theatre and is
part of the new deal. The Nogaro is located in
Punta del Este. The casino had reported losses
of US$500,000 in 2013 and the gaming board
made the decision to turn the casino into a seasonal casino only.
The Mantra Resort, Spa & Casino is the Conrad’s
main competitor in Punta del Este and is located,
near the town of Barra de Maldonado. It has a
cinema, restaurants, and a stage for outdoor
performances as well as other facilities. In
addition, the group will now control the Casino
Nogaro located on Gorlero Avenue.
In common with many other casinos in
Uruguay both the casino in the hotel and the
casino Nogaro come under the mixed system.
Under the mixed system private investors can
set up a casino in a hotel, but it is the state that
manages and runs the casino for which it
receives in return between 35-45 per cent of
casino profit. Mr. Monzeglio has said that it is
now preparing a plan to re launch the hotel.
Mexico
The online gaming industry in Mexico generates about US$300m a year without paying tax in Mexico
according to the Association of Licensees, Entertainment Gambling & Gaming Industry Operators and
Suppliers (Asociación de Permisionarios, Operadores y Proveedores de la Industria del Entretenimiento y
Juego de Apuesta). Calls are growing in local press for regulation to be put in place quickly in order to prevent
gambling addiction and regulate the online space. Daniel Olivares of the “Say No to Casinos” organisation
believes that this boom is especially problematic because there is no control and no warnings are in place
when it comes to the dangers of online gambling.
Enjoy looking for non-gaming
partners to expand in LATAM
CHILE
Enjoy’s search for a strategic
partner has changed focus with
General Manager Gerardo Cood
announcing the company is
looking for a real estate partner
in order to develop land already
available to the company in Chile
such as Pucon and Coquimbo.
At first the firm’s search for a
strategic partner was to help
exercise the option to take 100
per cent ownership of the Conrad
in Punta del Este, requiring about
US$200m, but now the goal is to
have a partner as a platform by
which to expand in LATAM.
“We want someone who has
experience in the non gaming
sector because 50 per cent of the
investment in this sector is
linked, for example, to hospitality
and other benefits that are not
directly gaming related,” Mr.
Cood said, who added that that
the company could have a new
partner by the end of new year.
He added that although it does
not have an advantage nor have
any special guarantees, one of its
possible partners in this enterprise in the future could be the
Terranum group, which controls
the Hotel Decameron, with
which Enjoy recently signed an
agreement last month. The
agreement will provide Enjoy
with the possibility of entering
two new markets: Colombia and
Peru, where it will install three
gambling centres.
In April it was revealed that
Enjoy had signed a Memorandum
of Understanding with the
Decameron hotel chain. The document outlines the general terms
and conditions of a partnership
regarding the operation of casinos by Enjoy in the Decameron
resorts, and the marketing of the
hotels belonging to both chains.
According to the document the
joint operations will come into
operation in the first half of 2016.
President of the company
Antonio Martinez explained that
the trend in the casino industry
globally is that 60 percent of
business revenues come from
non gaming areas, which is not
the case for Enjoy – a situation
which the company is trying to
reverse. The change of approach
was decided three months ago
and not Mr. Martinez said in
response to the merger of its
competitors Dreams and Sun
which was announced in
February. In February 2014
Dreams and Sun International
announced that they had entered
into a memorandum of understanding to merge their Latin
American operations as part of
Sun’s International plans to
expand into the LATAM market.
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als rEaktion auf diE warnung dEs
Außenministeriums der USA , US-Bürger sollten auf den Besuch
mexikanischer Glücksspieleinrichtungen verzichten, hat der
Präsident des mexikanischen Glücksspielverbandes (AIEJA),
Miguel Angel Ochoa, das Sicherheitsprotokoll der mexikanischen
Kasinos verteidigt. Ochoa betonte, dass die Sicherheit ausländischer Staatsangehöriger, die Spielbanken in Mexiko
besuchen, aufgrund einer großen Zahl nach dem Angriff auf das
Casino Royale 2011 eingeführter interner Kontrollen und
Schutzmaßnahmen gewährleistet ist.
laut dEM ausschuss für glücksspiElaufsicht
des Ministeriums für Wirtschaft und Finanzen (MEF) betrugen
die Erträge der 15 Glücksspielunternehmen in Panama im
ersten Quartal 647,7 Millionen US Dollar und sind damit
gegenüber dem Vorjahreszeitraum um 10 Prozent gestiegen.
dEr argEntinischE gEschäftsMann JorgE
Alberto Goitia hat gemeinsam mit einer Reihe europäischer
Betreiber und uruguayischer Anleger das Kasino des Mantra
Resort Spa and Casino in Manantiales, einem Ferienort in der
Region Maldonado im Südosten Uruguays, erworben. Die
Übernahme schließt die Beteiligung internationaler
Hotelbetreiber einschließlich einer Vereinbarung mit der
Hotelkette Bagatelle ein, die Hotels in Saint-Tropez und anderen
Städten unterhält.
intErblock hat diE ExpErtin für internationalen
Vertrieb und Tourismus, Natalia Kostova, zur neuen
Regionalvertriebsleiterin für Lateinamerika bestellt. Sie wird am
Sitz des Unternehmens in Panama City angesiedelt sein und von
dort die Vertriebsaktivitäten in ganz Lateinamerika leiten.
slovEnia to sEll casino stakEs
Under new privatisation plans revealed
by the Slovenian government, stakes in
casino groups are to be put up for sale
Slovenia - Government
The government of Slovenia is to privatise a series
of state assets, with the most attractive in the
banking tourism and gaming sectors. Chief
amongst investor interest is Hit Casinos,
Slovenia's biggest gaming company, which has
been struggling for the past several years but
appears to be slowly picking up.
Hit Casinos posted sales of €153m for last year,
with operating profit at €4m. Its performance has
been weighed down by high gaming tax and the
weakness of the Italian economy, its biggest
source market for players. The state currently
holds a 47.69 per cent indirect stake, which will
be sold, but the ownership structure is complex, as
there are two classes of shares, with the state
holding ordinary voting stock.
In addition to Hit, the state’s stake in Casino
Portorož is also for sale. The company operates
several casinos in the seaside resort of Portorož
and in Lipica. It posted revenue of almost €16m
for 2013 and a net loss in excess of €2m. The state
holds a minority interest of 24.5 per cent of ordinary shares, with 50 per cent of the share issue
preferred shares in the hands of private entities.
Finally, Casino Bled, another struggling gaming
company, will also move wholly into private
hands. Casino Bled operates a casino in the lakeside resort Bled. It is yet to release results for 2014,
but in 2013 it posted a small net profit on sales of
under €3m. It has two classes of shares accounting for half of the share capital each, with the state
holding the majority of ordinary voting shares and
two private firms holding all the non-voting preferred shares.
Mark Beattie, Group Head of
Electronic Gaming at Aspers
claimed: “It was the success of
Cammegh’s installation in Milton
Keynes that persuaded us to
choose Cammegh. The quality of
Cammegh’s equipment is
renowned around the world and
we are delighted to have committed to a partnership with
Cammegh for the next five
years.”
EnJoy hat diE suchE nach EinEM stratEgischEn
Partner neu ausgerichtet. Das ergibt sich aus der Ankündigung
des Hauptgeschäftsführers Gerardo Cood, dass das
Unternehmen jetzt nach einem Immobilienpartner zur
Erschließung dem Unternehmen bereits zur Verfügung stehenden Baulands in Chile sucht, etwa in Pucon und Coquimbo.
Mit dEr angEkündigtEn schliEssung dEs
Radisson Ambassador aus finanziellen Gründen verliert Puerto
Rico ein weiteres Kasino. Nach dieser Schließung verbleiben
dem Land jetzt nur noch 21 Spielbanken. Die Geschäftsführerin
des Kasinos, Miriam Velez, gab an, zu der Schließung sei es
gekommen, weil die Bank, die den Betrieb finanziert hat, ihre
Anteile an einen Dritten veräußert habe. Der Käufer habe sich
jedoch geweigert, die zur Aufrechterhaltung des Hotelbetriebs
erforderlichen Mittel zur Verfügung zu stellen. Somit gehen 200
Arbeitsplätze verloren.
diE slowEnischE rEgiErung bEabsichtigt diE
Privatisierung einer Reihe staatli-cher Besitztümer, von denen
die attraktivsten in den Bereichen Bankwesen, Tourismus und
Glücksspiel liegen. Den Spitzenplatz bei den Begehrlichkeiten der
Anleger belegen die Hit Kasinos, Sloweniens größtes
Glücksspielunternehmen, das in den zurückliegenden Jahren
etwas ins Straucheln geraten war, sich jedoch langsam zu
erholen scheint.
grEat canadian gaMing übErniMMt das casino
New Brunswick (CNB) von Sonco Gaming für 95 Mio. USD. Diese
aus dem vorhandenen Kassenbestand finanzierte Übernahme
umfasst neben den Eigentumsrechten auch den Betrieb des
Kasinos, des Hotels sowie des Mehrzweckunterhaltungs- und
Konferenzzentrums von CNB.
Aspers five year supplier deal
backs Cammegh ‘excellence’
UK
Cammegh, manufacturers of the
world’s finest roulette wheels,
continue their impressive year
with the announcement that they
have been selected as the exclusive roulette and display supplier
to Aspers group. The five year
deal sees Cammegh build on the
successful installation of Mercury
360 roulette wheels and doublesided Billboard Displays in their
Milton Keynes casino last year.
“Having our brand represented
1 4
by Aspers group is a great source
of pride,” explains Andrew
Cammegh, Sales Director at
Cammegh. “Winning the contract
allows us to build on the success
in Milton Keynes and having
clarity over the next five years
means we can focus on adding
value to Aspers' roulette offer,
including our content scheduling
application MediaPro Client, the
UK approved roulette side bet
Spread Bet Roulette and
Multiboard.”
The first round of installations is
due this summer in both Aspers
Newcastle and Aspers
Northampton. The installations
will feature 12 Cammegh Mercury
360 wheels alongside 16 new
generation 32ins double-sided
Billboard Displays, giving Aspers
a competitive edge with real time
HD live streaming and live game
data displayed in pin sharp
graphics.
Commenting on the five year
deal, Richard Noble, Chief
Operating Officer of Aspers
Group said: “We are thrilled to
have formed this partnership
with Cammegh. We look forward
to having their excellent products
installed across our estate.”
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kurz nach dEr offiziEllEn Eröffnung ihrEs
neuen Fertigungsbetriebes in Tansania ließ Euro Games
Technology die erste groß angelegte Installation im Premier
Casino in Dar es Salaam vermelden. Mit einer Fläche von 2.500
m2 gilt das Kasino als das größte in Ostafrika.
dEr softwarEhErstEllEr opEnbEt hat sEinE
weltweite Präsenz durch die Übernahme seines vor einiger Zeit
ausgelagerten griechischen Geschäftszweiges von der Athens
Technology Center SA (ATC) beträchtlich ausgeweitet. Durch
die Übernahme wuchs der Personalbestand bei OpenBet
zunächst um 25 Prozent, wobei die zusätzlichen Beschäftigten
schwerpunktmäßig in der Entwicklung tätig waren. Das wird
dem Unternehmen ermöglichen, seine Fähigkeit zur
Bereitstellung und Erweiterung seiner Technologie und Dienste
mithilfe eines größer werdenden Reservoirs an Kompetenz und
Ressourcen weiter zu steigern. Darüber hinaus wird OpenBet
dadurch in die Lage versetzt, seinen Kunden gegebenenfalls
zusätzliche Flexibilität zu bieten, um deren Expansionspläne zu
unterstützen.
dEr spiElautoMatEnhErstEllEr intErnational
Game Technology beabsichtigt, sich von seinem
Betriebsgelände in Las Vegas zu trennen, da das Unternehmen
seinen Betrieb infolge seiner 6,4 Mrd. USD schweren Fusion mit
dem Lotterieanbieter GTECH konsolidieren muss.
das Maryland livE! kasino bringt Mit giant
Jackpots ein neues geheimnisvolles fortschrittliches Programm
für Spielautomaten auf den Markt, das Gewinne von 50.000
bis 100.000 US Dollar garantiert. Das Giant JackpotsProgramm ist das erste seiner Art im Bundesstaat Maryland.
Jeder Giant Jackpot beginnt bei 50.000 USD und wächst jedes
Mal, wenn ein berechtigter Spieler an einem der infrage kommenden Spielautomaten (ausgenommen sind Videopoker und
andere elektronische Tischspiele) mit seiner ordnungsgemäß
eingeführten Live! Rewards- oder der neuen Giant JackpotsKarte spielt.
bcn world could MovE location
BCN World developer vents frustration at
the lack of legislative progress and
threatens to move from Barcelona area
The chief obstacle to moving forward appears to
be a law detailing the governance of Tourism and
Recreation Centres in Catalonia, which dates back
to 1989.
Spain - Government
Should the necessary changes be made then work
could commence immediately, according to Mr.
Adsera, who is also threatening that if progress is
not made swiftly enough, the development could
be relocated to another region of Spain. In a country that’s been ravaged by unemployment, it
seems remarkable that the Catalan government
should be dragging its feet when the initial phase
of development is estimated to generate over
17,000 jobs.
‘If the Catalan government would make the necessary legislative changes, BCN World, the enormous casino and entertainment project planned
for the Spanish coast, could begin construction
this summer.’ This is the opinion of project coordinator and Managing Director of Veremonte Group,
Xavier Adsera, who has been venting his frustration at the lack of progress by the government.
Russia
According to the Melco International CEO Lawrence Ho the resort casino in Primorye, Russia is almost
complete and will open August 28, 2015. After the completion of construction, it is estimated to take six to
eight weeks for the government inspection and the commissioning process. The project is thought to
contain 15 baccarat tables, 800 slot machines, 25 other table games, 25 VIP gaming tables and 119 hotel
rooms. The casino and resort is located in the Primorsky Krai gambling zone near Vladivostok – in close
proximity to Heilongjiang, Liaoning, and Jilian provinces of Northeastern China.
“We are very pleased that Euro
Games Technology took seriously
the opportunity to be one of our
major partners also for our second casino. We have worked
with the company before and
have had an excellent experience
with its services and how EGT
products have been accepted
here, in Tanzania.
dEr hongkongEr Milliardär tony fung hat das
Sheraton Mirage an der australischen Goldküste für 160 Mio.
USD aufgekauft und plant ein weiteres Kasinovorhaben in
dieser Region. Ungeachtet des Umstandes dass er zunächst
eine Zulassung erhalten muss und noch auf die
Leumundsbescheinigungen der Regierung von Queensland
wartet, beläuft sich Fungs Ausgabenorgie an der Goldküste
unterdessen auf 280 Mio. USD.
diE kasinobranchE in Macau hat in diEsEM
April bei einem erreichten Bruttospielertrag (BSE) von 19,16
Mrd. Macau-Pataca (MOP) (das entspricht 2,4 Mrd. USD) einen
um 38,8 % geringeren Ertrag erwirtschaftet als im April des
Vorjahres. Der Monat markiert den 11. Ertragsrückgang in Folge
in Macau, stellt aber eine leichte Verbesserung gegenüber dem
im März erfahrenen Rückgang dar, als der BSE um 39,4 % fiel,
sowie gegenüber dem Februar, als der Rückgang sogar 48,6 %
betrug.
caMMEgh, dEr hErstEllEr dEr EdElstEn
Roulettekessel der Welt, setzt sein beeindruckendes
Geschäftsjahr mit der Meldung fort, dass man als alleiniger
Roulette- und Displaybildschirmzulieferer für die AspersGruppe ausgewählt worden sei. Der Fünfjahresvertrag sieht vor,
dass Cammegh die im vergangenen Jahr im Milton KeynesKasino der Gruppe erfolgte erfolgreiche Aufstellung der
Roulette-Räder vom Typ Mercury 360 sowie der doppelseitigen Billboard-Displaybildschirme weiter ausbaut.
Strong sales sees EGT become
Tanzania main gaming supplier
TANZANIA
Soon after the official opening of
its new manufacturing facility in
Tanzania, Euro Games
Technology announced its first
large-scale installation in
Premier Casino in Dar es Salaam.
Spread across 2500 sq. m the
casino is considered as the
biggest in East Africa.
The casino currently has 140 EGT
1 6
gaming machines - cabinets from
Vega Vision and the Premier
series, Cat 4 Cash and Egypt
Quest jackpot systems, Vega R12
roulette with an automated
wheel and STORK multiplayer
terminals. Having the biggest
share of installed machines in
Tanzania, EGT became a preferred local supplier with the
widest choice of gaming equipment to offer to its customers.
“We sincerely hope to even
strengthen our cooperation with
the Bulgarian manufacturer in
the long term,” said Thomas
Alcorn, General Manager of
Premier Casino during its official
opening ceremony.
The already concluded EGT
installations in the country
include over 200 machines. Their
reliability and high performance
are proved every day and gain the
approval of casino operators and
players alike. The recently
opened manufacturing facility of
Euro Games Technology in Dar es
Salaam adds even more credibility to the company’s intentions for
further intensified growth in the
region.
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gli doublEs barcElona lab sizE
GLI has doubled the size of its operation in
Spain, responding to ever-increasing
demand for its services at the local level
Spain - Business Expansion
Responding to ever-increasing demand for its
services, Gaming Laboratories International (GLI)
has doubled the size of its operation in San Cugat,
Barcelona, Spain.
gErMany – igt dElivErs to niEdErsachsEn
IGT announced that it will supply the new Niedersachsen
Jackpot Wide Area Progressive (WAP) at Spielbanken
Niedersachsen casinos in Germany. The new Niedersachsen
Jackpot comprises 56 machines over 10 different properties.
The latest generation WAP will provide Spielbanken
Niedersachsen's customers with the Mermaid's Spell WAP
on IGT's robust and highly reliable OXYGEN cabinet. The
agreement represents the third consecutive WAP jackpot
provided by IGT to Spielbanken Niedersachsen since 1997.
"We know from past experiences that we have chosen the
right supplier for our WAP," said Hartmut Meier, General Slot
Gaming Manager at Spielbanken Niedersachsen. "This is the
third WAP we are realising together, and the cooperation has
always been very successful. The game concept is great, and
we are convinced that our players will love it."
Over the coming months, the IGT team will work closely with
Spielbanken Niedersachsen to provide them with a tailormade solution for their operations and their players. IGT will
brand the game graphics to harmonize with Spielbanken
Niedersachsen's corporate identity, as it has in the past.
Taking into account the number of machines, locations, the
desired hit rate and jackpot amounts, IGT is developing a new
mathematic formula to perfectly fit Spielbanken
Niedersachsen's requirements.
uk – opEnbEt Expands global footprint
OpenBet has significantly expanded its global presence
through the acquisition of its previously outsourced Greek
operation from Athens Technology Center S.A (ATC).
The acquisition initially increases headcount at OpenBet by
25 per cent, with the additional employees focused on development. It will allow the business to continue to improve its
ability to deliver and scale its technology and services, with a
widening pool of talent and resource. It also enables OpenBet
to offer its customers additional flexibility to support their
expansion plans, where required.
The business unit has been incorporated as OpenBet Hellas
S.A. In addition, the integration will see OpenBet boost
investment in products and innovation to better support new
business opportunities and enable existing customers to
continue to deliver a best-in-class player experience, with
increased lifetime player values.
OpenBet CEO Jeremy Thompson-Hill said: “This deal concludes the plan originally set out – to provide a market-leading development resource that is immediately scalable and
supports OpenBet’s need to efficiently recruit the right level
of talent. Achieving this in more established geographies is
becoming increasingly challenging, so this acquisition will
give us a significant advantage in continuing to serve customers effectively.”
1 8
The lab, GLI España, opened in 2012, and since
that time the company has secured a continuously
increasing number of clients. The demand
required GLI to devote more space, resources and
manpower to accommodate its clients and maintain its fast turnaround times.
Martin Britton, Managing Director of GLI España
BV said, “We have a great team working in the
Barcelona office, headed by David Jimenez Gracia,
who are known throughout Spain and across
Europe for delivering excellent customer service.
Now this expansion was necessary to ensure we
are able to maintain and improve service levels to
our customers.”
“We recently recruited Brais Pena Sanchez as
Development Manager to handle client liaison
activities. In addition we have recruited additional
engineering resources and are actively seeking
additional staff, which is a positive sign for the
future,” Britton added.
The lab, GLI España, is located at the SC Trade
Center, Building III of Sant, Cugat del Valles,
Barcelona, Spain
Nigeria
Inspired’s Virtual Sports are now live in Nigeria across Surebet247 retail venues via a satellite TV feed.
Surebet247 is the leading bookmaker in Nigeria with 1,900 betting shops. It has launched nine of Inspired’s
Virtual Sports and games – horses, dogs, cars, speedway, cycling, tennis, football, roulette and keno.
Inspired’s Virtual Sports are already live in 1,100 of Surebet247’s retail outlets and an additional 800 outlets
will go live later this year. Nigeria is set to be one of the fastest-growing African countries for gambling.
Nigeria is predicted a 16.3 per cent compound annual increase in GGR over the next five years. Sheriff
Olaniyan, CEO, Surebet247 adds: “We are thrilled with the performance of Inspired’s Virtuals. We looked in
detail at all the Virtual Sports products on the market and Inspired’s proposition was head and shoulders
above its competitors – especially its Virtual Football product, which is already going down a storm.”
Alfastreet close to distribution
agreement in Spanish market
SPAIN
Alfastreet has revealed that it is
close to confirming an exclusive
distributorship deal with a large
operator in Spain. The news follows the appearance of the
Slovenian multi-player specialist
at the FER Madrid exhibition,
where the company successfully
exhibited its range of multi-player devices.
The new R4 automated roulette,
customised specifically for the
Spanish market, was a standout
at the show, with its sleek, compact design and cutting-edge
technology, offering the ideal
price/performance ratio for the
market. Packed with options
such as “Multigame” and
“Simultaneous play,” which
uniquely enable the player to
choose from a variety of games
and play two games simultaneously. The latest generation of the
compact series was shown for the
first time in the Iberian peninsula
(available as 4-, 5- or 6-seater)
and immediately gained enthusiastic reactions from the visitors,
operators and players alike.
“The goal of Alfastreet remains
the same: achieving the
supremacy on the market with
reliable, technically advanced
equipment, fair prices and impeccable support service,” explained
Alfastreet’s Albert Radman. “The
Spanish players may count on the
new equipment coming shortly to
the best venues, for their enjoyment and operator satisfaction.
Of course the roulettes will be
joined also by the brand new
Wiky single terminal (enabling up
to 4 games to be played simultaneously) and the majestic Royal
Derby, which is already getting
great results on the casino floors
in Europe.”
“Success at the exhibition is a
combination of many factors,
above all the close cooperation
with our partners, clients and the
special attention to players’ suggestions, enabling development
to be tailored to each market,"
continued Mr. Radman.
"Alfastreet would like to thank
everybody involved for the great
show, and forward the invitation
to future events in 2015 and next
year's edition of FER Madrid."
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caMpionE wElcoMEs ainsworth
Casino de Campione in Italy has chosen
from a mix of Ainsworth Gaming
machines to complement its slot floor
Italy - Supplier news
Management at Casino Campione in Italy has welcomed Ainsworth into its choice of gaming
machine manufactures. Giacomo Saladino,
Technical Gaming Manager/Slot Manager, explains
just how popular Ainsworth has proven to be
amongst its customers: “Our trial with the
Ainsworth A560 slant top slots has been extremely successful. Already Ainsworth has positioned
itself as one of the top performing slots we have
on offer. We are particularly impressed by the
single games within the Quad Shot theme series.
The four-level progressive gives that added extra
our customers are looking for. In these days where
multi game has become so strong, it is a real chal-
lenge to create strong single game machines.
Ainsworth has risen to this challenge and the
results speak for themselves. We welcome
Ainsworth as a new supplier to Casino Campione.”
Casino Campione has chosen a mix from the
games within the Ainsworth Library that include
SAP (Stand Alone Progressives) and engaging feature content like Grand Bazaar and Rich & Wild.
These have been complemented by the Ainsworth
Quad Shot series.
Robert Dijkstra, Managing Director for Ainsworth
(UK), thanked the team at Casino Campione, stating, “We appreciate the time and effort it takes to
trial a new incumbent. The team at Casino
Campione welcomed our trial right from the
beginning. We are proud to be a new supplier and
look forward to a long and prosperous partnership
and will maintain to work hard to offer the right
games to match local preferences."
The Netherlands
The European Amusement and Gaming Federation Euromat has joined its Dutch member, the VAN
Kansspelen Branche-organisatie, in filing a formal state aid complaint to the European Commission. The
complaint argues that the Dutch Government will violate EU law if it allows online gambling companies to
benefit from a tax rate of 20 per cent compared to the 29 per cent currently paid by their land-based
competitors. Euromat President Annette Kok warned that the Dutch Government’s reasoning simply doesn’t
add up ‘The Dutch Government has failed to demonstrate that this aid is necessary. Online operators will
have to enter regulated markets and pay the applicable tax rates if they want to grow; for that reason
licences will be attractive to online operators even if they have to pay the same tax as land-based
businesses. The Dutch Government has provided no evidence to the contrary’.
Merkur appoints distribution
partner YPEX in Dutch market
THE NETHERLANDS
Merkur Gaming has appointed
YPEX as its distribution and service partner in the Netherlands,
further strengthening Merkur
Gaming’s strategic position in the
country.
YPEX, based in Boxmeer, is well
established in its home country
with an experienced team., of
which more than half is dedicated entirely to customer service.
YPEX has made a name for itself
in two particular market segments – change machines and
kiddie rides. Here YPEX has built
a long-standing working relationship with the Gauselmann
Group, distributing and servicing
GeWeTe change machines and
Merkur kiddie rides.
“YPEX has proven itself a very
reliable partner over the years,”
explains Jürgen Stühmeyer,
Management Board member in
charge of Sales at the
Gauselmann Group. “YPEX has
key market knowledge in the
Netherlands and this includes the
gaming market. The demand for
our gaming solutions is steadily
increasing and our own entertainment centres are very popular. Therefore, we asked ourselves how we could further
build upon our excellent reputation for service. Here YPEX will
play a very important role. YPEX
will work hand-in-hand with our
own team at Merkur Gaming
Netherlands to ensure the level of
service is just as excellent as the
gaming solutions we are providing.”
Through this partnership Merkur
Gaming is even better positioned
in the Dutch market and YPEX
can diverse its product and service offering to gaming alongside
change machines and kiddie
rides. YPEX already works with
key Dutch arcade operators
which naturally offers excellent
synergies for both Merkur
Gaming and YPEX. YPEX has the
storage capacity to respond to
increases in demand for Merkur
Gaming products. The team
know-how will ensure a quick
and smooth transition as the
Merkur Gaming service and distribution partner in the
Netherlands.
uk – chErry appoints burvall cEo
The board of Cherry AB (plc) has
appointed Fredrik Burvall as new CEO
and President of the Cherry group
with immediate effect.
Fredrik Burvall has been employed by
the company since 2006 as Vice
President and CFO and since
December 2014 he has been the acting CEO and President
of the group. ”Fredrik Burvall has showed a strong drive and
passion for the company during his years as CFO and Vice
President. Furthermore, he has a vast knowledge of the
gaming industry. Cherry made some management changes
in December 2014 and the combination of strengthening our
Malta organization and Fredrik’s experience will result in a
group management that will help Cherry to reach profitability
with continued strong growth”, says Rolf Åkerlind, Chairman
of the Board.
cyprus – drgt konaMi installs at MErit casino
European distributor for Konami Gaming, DRGT, has reported
yet another success on behalf of Konami in Europe – this
time at Merit Casinos in Northern Cyprus.
Merit Casinos has already placed the Konami slots in two of
its casinos – Merit Crystal Cove and Merit Royal. Both of
these casinos now offer the Konami SeleXion slot machines
to their customers. The SeleXion boasts a whole range of
features. Players can choose from up to eight games, with
flexibility and convenience guaranteed with the instantaneous game selection, denomination and language options.
Each game from differing themes can be easily selected
from the LCD screen. The multi-denomination choice (up to
three per game) is supported through a dynamic button
panel, which automatically adjusts to the bet configuration.
Nuh Yondem, Slots Director at Merit Casinos, notes: “The
Konami SeleXion slot machines have been very well received
by our customers. They have a distinctive look and the game
selection is strong. Our customers appreciate the speed of
the game change and how simple the SeleXion adjusts to a
different play denomination choice. We currently have the
Konami slots placed in two of our casinos and we see opportunities to expand upon this.”
Joost van Egeraat, Sales Director for DRGT (pictured), has
played a key role in bringing Konami to Northern Cyprus. He
explains, “Merit Casinos is a major address for casino entertainment in Northern Cyprus. I would like to thank Mr.
Yondem and his team for their support in enabling players
here to get to know Konami. The results have been clearly
favourable and we are proud that the SeleXion slots are now
already on offer in two separate MERIT casinos.”
1 9
G3Newswire
EMEA NEWS
www.g3nEwswirE.coM
gErMany – JEns hallE
As G3 went to press we heard the
terrible news that Jens Halle (57),
CEO of Gauselmann Group subsidiary Merkur Gaming, had passed
away in a Florida hospital after a
short illness. Jens is survived by his
wife Marietta and his son Jordi, to
whom we send our sincerest and deepest sympathies.
Mr. Halle was a longtime industry veteran, having held positions with Bally Technologies before moving to Austria’s
Novomatic Group, where excelled in management positions
15 years,eventually becoming the CEO of Novomatic
America. In January, Mr. Halle was appointed CEO of Merkur
Gaming, the Gauselmann Group’s international sales subsidiary. Jens had been focused on expanding Gauselmann’s
presence in the LATAM gaming industry.
The Gauselmann Group released a statement expressing its
“great sadness” at Jen’s untimely death and extended their
“deepest sympathy” to his family. Gauselmann CEO Paul
Gauselmann said Mr. Halle has distinguished himself not only
by his commitment to excellence, “but also through this
endearing and open manner in dealing with customers and
colleagues. We will honour his memory.”
A service to celebrate Jen’s life was to held on May 30th at
the Hard Rock Casino and Hotel in Florida. G3 will run a full
obituary in the July issue of the magazine.
bulgaria – intErblock Ministar at larJ casino
Luxury gaming manufacturer Interblock has completed the
first installation of its Mini Star 5 Roulette game in Bulgaria.
Larj Casino in Samokov, Bulgaria is the country’s first casino
to bring the luxury electronic table game to its players,
adding a diamond level dimension of fun to its gaming floor.
The Mini Star 5 Roulette replaced a competitor’s product.
Speaking for Larj Casino, Ms. Radka Moskova said, “We are
very excited to have installed the new Mini Star 5 Roulette in
Samokov, and to be able to try out this new product for the
Bulgarian market.”
“We are thrilled to install the first Mini Star 5 Roulette in
Bulgaria. Based on our experience in similar markets, we are
confident our Mini Star 5 Roulette game will be very well
accepted by players, particularly because of the game’s
Golden Chip Jackpot, which makes our product more attractive. This installation is further proof for our successful penetration in the South Eastern European region,” said Mr.
Klemen Caleta, Interblock’s Regional Sales Manager.
Interblock’s Mini Star 5 Roulette incorporates all of the
dynamic game play features of the company’s original
Organic Roulette in a smaller diameter. Mini Star 5 seats five
players at luxury play stations, and play is aided by Mini Star
5’s configuration, which allows for all known bill acceptors
and ticket printers.
Larj Casino, which is a centrally located and very well-known
meeting place in Samokov, is recognized for its mix of slot
machines, and the property needed an electronic table game
to respond to consumer demand. Larj turned to Interblock to
provide the Mini Star 5, increasing its offerings to its customers and adding an extra touch of luxury to the property.
2 0
synot signs grEEk vlt agrEEMEnt
Synot has confirmed the supply of its first
tranche of VLTs to the Greek gaming
market, with 2,000 terminals en route
Greece - Video Lottery Terminals
Synot is to supply 2,000 VLTs to the Greek lottery.
An agreement for the supply of VLTs to OPAP, a
company which has a gaming monopoly in Greece,
was signed this week.
“We consider this as an important step forward.
Synot has succeeded as one of only two European
suppliers in a tender that involved VLT suppliers
from all over the world. I firmly believe that we
succeeded because of our 20 years experience in
the international lottery industry,” stated Ivo
Valenta, Chairman of the Board of Directors WCV
World Capital Ventures Cyprus Limited, adding: “I
believe that we have opened the door to the second-round as OPAP is about to start another tender for 18,500 VLTs.”
Greek lawmakers prohibited gaming nine years
ago. Since that time there had been approximately
150,000 illegal gaming devices operated in Greece
in hundreds of illegal venues. This illegality
prompted the country to redefine and legislate its
gaming market with clear, strict rules. The transparent nature of VLT gaming allows for the full
control of financial transaction, while a player
registration system prevents ‘at risk’ groups from
playing on the devices.
Synot’s current footprint spreads to 13 countries
with further expansion planned in the near future.
Synot operates mainly in Europe, where it is about
to enter the online market, but its interests also
extend to North Africa and Asia. In Greece, as in
other markets, Synot Group plans investments
into adjacent sectors such as IT technologies,
telecommunication services, sports and tourismrelated investments. Synot Group as an international company employs around 3,000 employees
and has turnover around 12 billion CZK per annum.
JCM Global named preferred
supplier at all Furors properties
LATVIA
After a three-month field trial
with JCM Global’s iVIZION bill
validator, Furors LTD has named
JCM its preferred supplier for its
casino and AWP properties in
Latvia.
Furors is one of the largest casino
and AWP operators in Latvia,
with 28 branches throughout the
country, and with a 21-year history, the company is one of the
leaders in gambling business in
Latvia.
“We are thrilled with the immediate success of iVIZION’s field
trial, and that Furors LTD has
named JCM a preferred bill validator supplier,” said JCM EMEA
General Manager Payam Zadeh.
“Operators the world over
choose iVIZION to help them
make better connections with
their customers for many reasons, including iVIZION’s proven
technology, highest level of
security and sealed surfaces that
guarantee a minimum of maintenance.”
Furors Slot Service Manager
Maris Murnieks said, “We were
very happy with iVIZION from
the first day of our trial. The
spectacular functionalities of
iVIZION, combined with JCM’s
outstanding service, make
iVIZION and JCM a perfect partner for us.”
JCM’s iVIZION bill validator is
field-proven the world over in
casinos and AWP operations of
all sizes to increase security and
customer satisfaction with its
full-note CIS sensing and anticounterfeit technology, evolved
anti-stringing technology and 99
per cent+ acceptance rate.
Greece
Intralot organised a
Business Day at the
Company's Innovation
Centre in Athens on May
11th 2015, attracting about
100 University students
and graduates to an
incursion into the business
and research
underpinnings of the
gaming sector. During
Intralot Business Day the
participants had the
opportunity to get
acquainted with the
company’s international
expansion and global
operations, as well as with
products and services.
They also had the chance
to exchange ideas with
Intralot executives and to
participate in an
interactive workshop,
where they took the
challenge to tackle a
gaming business case
study.
NEW BELGIUM LIVE CASINO STUDIO
FOR THE HISTORIC CASINO DE SPA
BELGIUM - CASINO DE SPA
Jens von Bahr, Chief Executive Officer at Evolution
Gaming, commented: “Once again, Evolution’s
investment in regulated markets will give both
existing and new licensees a significant competitive
edge. This takes our total number of studios to five;
and it fits with our strategy of delivering customized
streaming solutions to meet the needs of licensees
and regulators.”
evolution’s new Belgium live Casino
studio in the historic Casino de spa,
attracts a-licence holders to secure
major share of the Belgian market
Evolution Gaming, provider of Live Casino solutions,
has announced that it is set to dominate the Belgian
Live Casino market, having signed agreements with a
number of Belgium’s A-Licence holders, all of whom
will stream online Live Casino for Belgium’s
regulated online gaming market from Evolution’s new
Belgium studio at Casino de Spa.
He added: “As with all of our studios, Casino de Spa
will offer state-of-the-art Live Casino broadcast
facilities with the support of our robust infrastructure
so that licensees can achieve cost-effective market
entry. What’s more, there is scope here to create
exclusive dedicated environments for licensees who
wish to further differentiate their Belgian Live Casino
offering in the future.”
The new studio – scheduled to go live at the end of
the second quarter – will be located in the Pink
Ballroom at Casino de Spa, with the live tables visible
to customers visiting the historic land-based venue
which opened in 1763.
bwin.be, unibet.be, 777.be, Circus.be and
starcasino.be are all preparing to stream live dealer
Roulette and Blackjack plus Auto Slingshot Roulette
from the studio. In addition, Evolution has signed with
Gaming1, the market’s principle class B provider, who
will stream Auto Slingshot Roulette from the same
facility.
Insight
All operators will use shared tables at the Casino de
Spa studio to stream live games seven days a week.
All live tables will be served by native speaking
Flemish and French dealers, as stipulated by the
Belgian Gaming Commission (BGC), and all games
will be available on desktop, tablet and smartphone.
Emmanuel Mewissen, CEO of Circus Group and
Owner of Casino de Spa, added: “We are delighted to
be working with Evolution Gaming, another leader in
the gaming sector. We have a track record of
innovation at Casino de Spa and to be able to offer a
world-class Live Casino from here is very much in
keeping with our rich history. Live Casino is a
dynamic sector and we look forward to launching the
market-leading Live Casino solution for Belgium.”
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Insight
PROVES TO BE A MASSIVE ‘HIT’
the eCa european dealer Championship
was this year held mid-may at the park
Casino in nova gorica, part of the hit group
technical skills and control of the game, but also by
their hospitality, service and the pleasant atmosphere
that they were able to create during the game.
First time competitor Mattia Luchesini from Aspinalls
Casino in the UK, went straight into the finals of the 9th
edition of the European Dealer Championship that was
held on May 12 and 13 at the Park Casino in Nova
Gorica, Slovenia. Displaying his abilities in dealing
American Roulette and Blackjack he could also
convince the jury in the finals of the competition taking
the title of European Dealer of the year 2015. The title
came also with a first place award, a trip for two to an
ECA Member casino of Luchesini’s choice sponsored
by Scientific Games.
The members of ECA, and especially the organisers of
the EDC, would also like to extend their sincerest
congratulations to the winners of this year’s side
events. The awards for “Best Card Handler” went to
Danijel Celofiga from Slovenia. Best in “Cutting Chips”
went to Jelena Kulikova from Latvia. Oliver Bateman of
Belgium won the “Roulette Mathematics” and Dina
Kasparane the best “Roulette Chipping” award. And,
finally, Agnieszka Pasek of Poland took the award for
“Pushing Stacks”. These side competitions only
measure a few of the necessary skills involved in being
an outstanding dealer.
Luchesini’s five opponents in the final round put up an
excellent fight for first place. The ranking at the end
was, Ted Bakker from Holland Casino Scheveningen,
Netherlands, Jannick Nielsen from Casino
Copenhagen, Demark, Wesley Sturgess from Casino
Cosmopol Malmö, Sweden, Markus Thanner from
Casino Baden, Austria and Chung To Chong from
Casino Lugano in Switzerland.
The ECA community with its head office in Brussels is
made up of approx. 900 casinos from 24 European
countries and over 70,000 employees across Europe.
30 participants from 16 European countries
participated in the three rounds observed by a total of
30 judges. Dealers were not only rated by their
2 2
Given the magnitude of such an event, its success was
only possible thanks to the collaboration of many
people and organisations. Per Jaldung, Chairman of
ECA, took the floor during the final celebration.
“If the primary role of the ECA is to bring the landbased industry together, this competition achieves that
goal completely,” describes Mr. Jaldung. “It brings
together casino gaming professionals, not around a
boardroom or conference table, but in real life, in a
casino environment celebrating the very best that our
business has to offer. It is all about networking, sharing
best practice and recognising the professionalism of
the dealers working in our casinos.”
This year’s event owes its
unique mix of incredible
hospitality and contagious
enthusiasm to the competition’s
gracious host Dimitrij Piciga,
CEO of Hit Casinos, and his
dedicated team.
Asked about this year’s event, Mr. Jaldung adds: “I
thought this year’s Championship was extremely well
organised, from the excellent facilities provided by the
Hit Group, the helpfulness of the staff and plentiful
resources that made this year a great event for
colleagues from around Europe. On the side of the ECA
Executive too, the meetings and preparations for this
competition worked very smoothly and professionally
- in my view it was flawless.”
“Every casino wants to have the best dealers and a
competition such as this both inspires and rewards the
efforts of those taking part,” continues Mr. Jaldung.
“When you see the best dealer in Europe raise the
Championship Cup over his head and shout: “I’m the
best in Europe!” you understand the importance of this
event. Dealing is a complex and difficult profession and
a competition such as this both recognises their skill,
dedication and professionalism, and inspires others to
take part and match their abilities against the best of
the best.
“Next year is the 10th anniversary of the ECA European
Dealer Championship,” states Mr. Jaldung. “It’s quite an
achievement to have organised a continuous multi-
Dimitrij Piciga,
CEO, Hit Casinos
national event for a almost decade. To celebrate, my
aim is to bring together every ECA member to
participate in the competition and make the 2016
Championship the biggest and best yet!”
This year’s event owes its own unique mix of
incredible hospitality and contagious enthusiasm to
the competition’s gracious host Dimitrij Piciga, CEO of
Hit Casinos, and his dedicated team.
“We have been attending the ECA Dealer
Championship for many years and so it was a privilege
to be able to host the event this year. It is also very
important that we have the opportunity to really
promote table gaming. We concentrate a great deal on
slot promotions and Internet gaming, but on a strategic
“We have been attending the ECA
Dealer Championship for many years
and so it was a privilege to be able to
host the event this year. It is also very
important that we have the opportunity
to really promote table gaming. We
concentrate a great deal on slot
promotions and Internet gaming, but on
a strategic note, the connection
between dealer and player is the most
important part of our business. It is also
a privilege to see our dealers competing
with the very best in the business. It’s
fascinating to watch the different styles
of dealing from country to country, from
the fluent skill of the Austrians, to the
entertaining Italians and every
assortment inbetween. We get to see a
masterclass from across Europe in the
art of dealing up close and personal,
which is why it was very important for
Hit Casinos to host this year’s event.”
note, the connection between dealer and player is the
most important part of our business,” says Mr. Piciga.
“It is also a privilege to see our dealers competing with
the very best in the business. It’s fascinating to watch
the different styles of dealing from country to country,
from the fluent skill of the Austrians, to the
entertaining Italians and every assortment inbetween.
We get to see a masterclass from across Europe in the
art of dealing up close and personal, which is why it
was very important for Hit to host this year’s event.”
“I think it is also crucial that the Dealer Championship
is such a visible element of the work conducted by the
ECA. There is lots of lobbying and quiet discussions in
meeting rooms behind the scenes, but the ECA Dealer
Championship helps bring this work into the public
consciousness. And finally, it is a great occasion by
which to exchange knowledge, to discuss regulation
issues, share initiatives (many of which I’m already
looking to adopt) and social network with our
colleagues across all sectors of the business. In sum, it’s
a great event!,” says Mr. Piciga.
Since its debut, this event owes its seamless operation
and increasing significance in the casino community to
the excellent work of the organising team, Jeroen
Bosman (Holland Casino) and Yared Gabretensaye
(Casino Cosmopol) following their dedication to nine
years of the ECA EDC. Each year the duo, together with
the hosts, bring this championship to life.
The last word goes to the event sponsors, Scientific
Games, AGEM, CLS, CTC Holdings, GPI, ICSE and
Abbiati, for their generosity. Without them, the event
would not be the success it has become.
G3Newswire
NORTH AMERICA NEWS
www.g3nEwswirE.coM
chicago’s dEspEratE casino bid
Cash-strapped Chicago and equally
impoverished Illinois, is seeking to bring
at least one major casino to the city
Illinois - New licences
lE présidEnt dE l’association MExicainE dEs
Jeux de Hasard (AIEJA), Miguel Angel Ochoa, a défendu le bilan
de sécurité des casinos mexicains en réponse à l’avertissement du ministère américain des affaires étrangères mettant
en garde les citoyens américains contre la fréquentation des
établissements de jeu au Mexique. Monsieur Ochoa a déclaré
que la sécurité des étrangers fréquentant les casinos au
Mexique est garantie par un grand nombre de contrôles
internes et de mesures de protection mises en place depuis
l’attaque sur le Casino Royale en 2011.
sElon la coMMission dE contrôlE dEs JEux dE
hasard auprès du ministère de l’économie et des finances
(MEF), les bénéfices réalisés au cours du premier trimestre par
les 15 compagnies gérantes d’établissements de jeu au
Panama ont augmenté de 10 %, atteignant quelques 647,7
millions de dollars US par rapport à la même période en 2014.
l’hoMME d’affairEs argEntin JorgE albErto
Goitia, associé à un certain nombre d’opérateurs européens et
une série investisseurs uruguayens, a racheté le casino du
Mantra Resort Spa and Casino situé à Manantiales ; un complexe de loisirs situé dans le département de Maldonado au
sud-est de l’Uruguay. L’acquisition comprend la participation
d’une série d’hôteliers internationaux, grâce à un accord avec la
chaîne hôtelière Bagatelle gérant des établissements à SaintTropez et d’autres villes.
intErblock a noMMé l’ExpErt intErnational
des ventes et du tourisme, Natalia Kostova, comme nouvelle
Responsables des ventes de la société pour l’Amérique latine.
Madame Kostova sera basée dans les locaux de la société à
Panama City et gérera les forces de vente de toute l’Amérique
latine.
la rEchErchE d’EnJoy d’unE partEnairE
stratégique a changé de priorité avec l’annonce de son
Directeur général, Gerardo Cood, que la compagnie cherchait
désormais un véritable partenaire du secteur immobilier afin
de développer les propriétés foncières dont la société dispose
déjà au Chili comme à Pucon et Coquimbo.
un autrE casino Est En passE dE fErMEr sEs
portes à Porto Rico après que le Radisson Ambassador a
annoncé qu’il était contraint de fermer pour des raisons financières. Avec cette fermeture, le pays ne comptera plus que 21
casinos. Le Directeur général du casino, Miriam Velez, a déclaré
que la fermeture intervenait parce que la banque qui avait
financé ses opérations avait vendu ses actifs à un tiers et que
l’acheteur avait refusé d’accorder les fonds nécessaire à la
poursuite des activités de l’établissement. Cette fermeture
entraînera la perte de deux cents emplois.
lE gouvErnEMEnt dE slovéniE Est En passE dE
privatiser une série d’actifs appartenant à l’État, avec certains
des plus attrayants dans les secteurs de la banque, du
tourisme et des jeux. L’intérêt principal des investisseurs est
dirigé vers la société Hit Casinos, la plus grande société de jeux
de hasard de Slovénie, qui, ces dernières années, a fait face à
des difficultés, mais dont la situation semble progressivement
se redresser.
lE fabricant dE MachinEs à sous,
International Game Technology, prévoir de vendre son siège à
Las Vegas dans la mesure où la société est en passe de consolider ses opérations suite à sa fusion avec le fournisseur de
loterie GTECH pour un montant de 6,4 milliards de dollars US.
2 4
A Chicago casino is an idea that's been touted for
years as a way to generate revenue for a city and
state that’s desperately short of cash right now.
They were already in financial trouble when the
Illinois Supreme Court overturned the state's pension reform legislation. That decision prompted
Moody's to lower Chicago's credit rating to junk
bond status. And there are concerns the city's own
pension deal with non-public safety workers
could also be threatened.
State Sen. Terry Link of Waukegan says he's
working with legislative leaders, Mayor Rahm
Emanuel and Gov. Bruce Rauner to draft a proposal for not only a Chicago casino - but also in the
south suburbs, Rockford, Danville and Lake
County. But one likely sticking point is how revenue from a Chicago casino would be divided
between the city and the state.
Continuing long-standing efforts to expand gambling in Illinois, representatives from the dining,
hotel and tourism industries recently told a panel
of lawmakers that a casino in Chicago's downtown area would create thousands of jobs, drive
more business to local restaurants and send
much-needed money into state and city coffers.
"Millions of dollars in revenue and taxes are lost
every year because neighbouring states benefit
from our tourists, conventioneers and residents
who frequent their casinos," said Mark Gordon,
president and CEO of the Illinois Hotel and
Lodging Association. "We need a Chicago casino
so our guests will stay here, to gamble, to eat in
our restaurants and to shop in our stores."
Having a new Republican governor at the table
also means changes must be made to previous
gambling proposals. Those plans also called for
slot machines at horse racing tracks and casinos in
Rockford, Lake County, Vermilion County and
Chicago’s south suburbs. Sneed hears at least one
plan being discussed would authorize major
Chicago hotels to be temporary casino sites via the
issuance of temporary casino licenses — until the
new city casino is built.
One radical proposal has already been offered, as
it’s going to take at least three years to get a casino
and entertainment complex built in Chicago. The
plan would see temporary casino licenses granted
to qualified mega hotels with exhibition space
already in Chicago, hotels which are publicly traded and owned by corporations overseen by the
SEC - or have previously been issued gambling
licenses in other jurisdictions vetted by the SEC.
Desperate times...
US
The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas marked its first full quarter of ownership Blackstone Group with revenues of
$189.8m, up 3.8 per cent from the same quarter one year ago. Casino revenue increased by 19 per cent from
2014 to $58.4m with table games hold percentage increasing from 13.6 percent in 2014 to 15.2 per cent in the
quarter. Revenues from slots increased 28 per cent, according to its filing with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. Hotel revenue increased by 6.4 per cent to $80.6m due to a 10 per cent increase in the hotel’s
average daily rate, which rose from $302 to $332, although occupancy declined by 2.9 per cent.
Food and beverage revenue dropped 4.1 per cent to $81.9m.
Great Canadian Gaming snaps
up the Casino New Brunswick
US
Great Canadian Gaming is buying
Casino New Brunswick from
Sonco Gaming for $95m.
The company’s acquisition,
which will be funded by existing
cash balances, will include ownership and operation of CNB’s
existing casino, hotel and a multiuse entertainment and convention centre. CNB, located in
Moncton, New Brunswick, was
developed by Sonco and commenced operations in May 2010.
In 2014, the facility, which is the
only full service casino in the
province of New Brunswick, generated approximately $38m in
revenues. The purchase price
represents an acquisition multiple of approximately 8.0x – 8.5x
the casino’s 2014 normalized
EBITDA.
“The acquisition of Casino New
Brunswick represents an important opportunity for value creation and will allow Great
Canadian to further expand its
Canadian footprint,” stated Rod
Baker, the company’s President
and Chief Executive Officer. “We
are very much looking forward to
the potential of working with the
New Brunswick Lotteries and
Gaming Corporation, the
Department of Public Safety
Gaming Control Branch and the
City of Moncton. Casino New
Brunswick is a high-quality gaming and entertainment facility
that serves as both a local casino
for guests from Moncton as well
as a destination casino for guests
from throughout New Brunswick
and from other areas of Canada.
“We are extremely excited at the
prospect of welcoming CNB and
its over 400 employees to the
Great Canadian team,” said Mr.
Baker.
G3Newswire
NORTH AMERICA NEWS
www.g3nEwswirE.coM
Maryland launch giant Jackpot
The Maryland Live! Casino is launching a
new mystery progressive slots initiative
that guarantees wins of up to $100k
Maryland - Operations
pEu dE tEMps après l’inauguration officiEllE
de sa nouvelle usine en Tanzanie, Euro Games Technology a
annoncé sa première installation à grande échelle au Premier
Casino à Dar-es-Salaam. S’étendant sur 2 500 m², le casino
est considéré comme le plus important en Afrique de l’est.
opEnbEt a considérablEMEnt étEndu sa
présence mondiale à travers l’acquisition de ses opérations
grecques d’Athens Technology Center S.A (ATC), auparavant
externalisées. Cette acquisition permettra d’augmenter le
nombre de personnes employées par OpenBet de 25 %, le
personnel supplémentaire étant essentiellement consacrés
aux activités de développement. Cette opération permettra à la
société de poursuivre l’amélioration de ses capacités à fournir
et à développer ses technologies et ses services, grâce à un
pool élargi et talents et de ressources. Elle permettra également à OpenBet de proposer à ses clients plus de flexibilité afin
de soutenir ses plans d’expansion, où cela se révèle nécessaire.
grEat canadian gaMing Est En passE
d’acquérir le Casino New Brunswick de Sonco Gaming pour
quelques 95 millions de dollars US. L’acquisition de la société
qui sera financée par les soldes de trésorerie existants, comprendra la propriété et l’exploitation du casino existant de CNB,
d’un hôtel et d’un centre polyvalent de loisir et de congrès.
Maryland livE ! casino lancE giant Jackpots,
un nouveau programme mystère progressif pour machines à
sous qui garantit des gains de jackpot de 50 000 dollars US à
100 000 dollars US. Le programme Giant Jackpots est le premier de ce genre dans l’État du Maryland. Chaque Giant
Jackpot démarrera à $50,000 et augmentera chaque fois
qu’un joueur éligible actionnera une machine à sous éligible
(hors vidéo poker et tables de jeux électroniques) grâce à sa
carte de gratification Live! ou sa nouvelle carte Giant Jackpots
correctement insérée.
Maryland Live! Casino is launching Giant jackpots, a
new mystery progressive slots program that guarantees jackpot wins from $50,000 up to $100,000.
The Giant Jackpots program is the first of its kind in
the State of Maryland. Each Giant Jackpot will start
at $50,000 and grow every time an eligible guest
makes a spin on an eligible slot machine (excludes
video poker and electronic table games) with their
Live! Rewards Card or new Giant Jackpots Card
properly inserted. The Jackpot increases until somebody wins, and somebody is guaranteed to win by
the time the Giant Jackpot reaches $100,000! Once
the prize is awarded, the Giant Jackpot resets back
to$50,000 and it starts all over again.
“We’re thrilled to announce the launch of Giant
Jackpots at Maryland Live! Casino,” said Robert J.
Norton, President & General Manager, Maryland
Live! Casino. “It’s going to create unprecedented
excitement on the casino floor to know that any
wager played in an eligible slot machine could trigger the Giant Jackpot, independent of the individual
slot machine’s jackpot. And it’s guaranteed!”
NEVADA
Slot machine maker
International Game Technology
plans to sell its corporate Las
Vegas campus as the company
consolidates operations following its $6.4bn merger with lottery
provider GTECH.
l’industriE dEs casinos dE Macao a généré
38,8 % de bénéfices en moins en avril comparé à avril de l’année passée avec des recettes liées aux jeux s’établissant à
19,16 milliards de MOP (2,4 milliards de dollars US). Ce mois
marque ainsi 11ème mois consécutif de recul du secteur à
Macao, même si la baisse a été légèrement moins forte qu’en
mars où les recettes liées aux jeux ont chuté de 39,4 % et
qu’en février où la chute a été de 48,6 %.
CEO Marco Sala has confirmed
that plans are underway to sell
the Las Vegas corporate headquarters in southwest Las Vegas
at 6355 S. Buffalo Drive. The
610,000sq.ft. building sits on a
campus of nearly 40 acres.
2 6
“Giant Jackpots will allow us to attract new slot customers who may not have played at Maryland Live!
before,” continued Mr. Norton. “As the Giant
Jackpots meter advances, the energy on the casino
floor will keep building and building because players will know it’s going to hit by the time it reaches
$100,000. It’s not only a game changer for the market, but a potential life changer for the lucky winners.”
US
A Pentagon audit has found the service members and other Pentagon employees used Defense Department
credit cards for thousands of unauthorised transactions at casinos and strip clubs across the country. The
report by the department's Office of Inspector General found that misuse of the official credit cards was
highest in the Air Force, followed by the Army, the Navy and the Marine Corps, for the one-year period
investigated, July 1, 2013, through June 30, 2014. The locations where Defense Department credit cards were
used for personal transactions included the VIP Room of the Sapphire Gentlemen's Club and Vegas
Showgirls in Las Vegas, Larry Flynt's Hustler Club in Baltimore, and Dreams Cabaret in El Paso, Texas.
lE MilliardairE dE hong kong, tony fung, a
racheté le Sheraton Mirage sur la Gold Coast australienne pour
160 millions de dollars US, prévoyant un autre projet de casino
dans la région. Malgré le fait qu’il doit encore obtenir une licence
et est en attente d’une approbation du gouvernement du
Queensland, les investissements de Fung sur la Gold Coast ont
désormais atteints quelques 280 millions de dollars US.
caMMEgh, fabricant dEs rouEs dE roulEttEs
les plus appréciées au monde, poursuit son année impressionnante avec l’annonce de sa sélection comme fournisseur
exclusif de roues et d’affichages de roulette au groupe Aspers.
L’accord d’une durée de cinq ans voit ainsi Cammegh capitaliser sur l’installation réussie de roues de roulette Mercury 360 et
de panneaux d’affichage à double face dans son casino de
Milton Keynes l’année passée.
Maryland Live! Casino currently offers approximately 4,000 slot machines, and all slot machines
are eligible for the progressive Giant Jackpot with
the exception of electronic table games and video
poker machines. As long as slot players are playing
with their Live! Reward Card or new Giant Jackpots
Card properly inserted, they are immediately eligible to win the Giant Jackpot, regardless of the
denomination, type of game, or length of time they
play.
The merged company — which
renamed itself IGT — has corporate headquarters in London. IGT
maintains operating headquarters in Las Vegas, Rome and
Providence, R.I.
IGT spokesman Phil
O’Shaughnessy underlined IGT’s
commitment to maintaining a
significant presence in Nevada,
IGT seeks to sell Las Vegas
complex but remain in Nevada
adding: ““We are exploring other
locations in Las Vegas because
the current campus is simply too
large, so we would like to find an
office building that better meets
our business needs.”
The IGT building is one of the
largest available facilities in
Southern Nevada and could be
attractive to another slot
machine manufacturer,.
In Nevada, IGT will continue to
focus on developing casino prod-
ucts and technology while maintaining research and development in studios in the state. The
primary manufacturing operations will take place in Reno. The
company’s Rhode Island location
would house its US lottery operations. IGT said it was also closing other facilities in Rhode
Island, Canada and Austria.
The GTECH-IGT merger is
expected to result in almost $280
million in cost savings over the
next three years.
sg’s rEvEnuE and loss doublE
Bally Technologies has both given and
taken away from the profits of its new
parent company, Scientific Games
G3Newswire
NORTH AMERICA NEWS
www.g3nEwswirE.coM
Nevada - Suppliers
Scientific Games, described by CEO Gavin Isaacs as
the ‘complete package’ has seen its revenue almost
double in the first quarter due to buying Bally
Technologies for $5.1bn. Revenue increased by
$262.4m in the first quarter, due to the inclusion of
$286.7m from Bally, which included $142.6m in
service revenue and $144.1m in product sales.
However, Scientific saw its net loss also nearly
double, primarily due to costs associated with the
Bally transaction and relocating its headquarters to
Las Vegas. Scientific Games lost $86.4m despite
revenue growing to $658.7m, compared to $388.1m
one year earlier.
“In our first full quarter following our merger with
Bally, we made significant progress in our strategies
to integrate Bally operations and unify our
organisation,” said Mr. Isaacs. “The recent launch of
the WMS S32 gaming cabinet, the new high-earning
Flintstones and Powerball participation games and
the introduction of a Bally Quick Hits slot game on
the Dragonplay Slots online casino app – our first
Bally social game launch – are just a few examples
that highlight the breadth and innovation of our
offerings. The premiere last month of the exciting
Monopoly Millionaires’ Club TV game show and
multi-state launch of the Monopoly Millionaires’ Club
instant lottery game also demonstrate our
organisation-wide commitment to develop
innovative products to help drive growth for our
lottery customers.”
Mr. Isaacs added: “The process of integrating Bally
and Scientific Games is ahead of schedule. Having
already implemented actions to achieve
approximately $90m in Bally-related annualised
savings through March 31, 2015, we expect to achieve
our goal to implement initiatives to generate
approximately 80 per cent of the anticipated $235m
of annual cost savings and another $30m of WMSUS
CG Technology and
Meadowlands Racing &
Entertainment, the popular
racing and entertainment
facility located in New
Jersey, are launching a free
to play, real time baseball
contest. CG Technology’s
technology and systems are
powering the contest,
utilising real time
information and results to
ensure continual action and
excitement for contestants
during all 16 weeks of the
regular baseball season.
The contest launched May
11, 2015 and runs until
August 30, 2015.
related annual cost savings by the end of 2015.
“We are firmly focused on driving revenue
opportunities enabled by leveraging the synergies
created by our combined strengths in technology and
product development. Our capital allocation strategy
prioritizes the use of free cash flow for debt reduction,
while supporting appropriate investments in
innovation and high-return growth projects as we
seek to create great entertainment experiences for
our customers and players. We expect our debt
reduction to accelerate in the second half of 2015.”
The inclusion of 15,073 Bally WAP, premium and
daily-fee units to the ending installed base was
partially offset by a 667 unit decrease in the legacy
Gaming installed base. The total period-end installed
base decreased 477 units on a quarterly sequential
basis. Gaming machine sales revenue increased $60.1,
reflecting $84m from Bally, partially offset by $23.9
million in lower legacy Gaming product sales. New
gaming machine sales revenue reflected shipment of
6,732 units, including 4,380 new Bally and WMS units
to US and Canadian customers and 2,352 units to
international customers. Total new unit shipments in
the 2015 first quarter were lower than the combined
new unit shipments of the legacy Gaming business
and Bally during the prior-year quarter, primarily
reflecting 997 fewer unit sales to the Illinois VLT
market and 608 fewer unit sales for new casino
openings; however, the Company believes its
combined ship share, on a like-for-like basis,
improved compared to the prior-year period. Other
product sales revenue increased $7.4m, inclusive of
$10.9m from Bally, partially offset by $3.5m lower
legacy Gaming sales.
BMM Testlabs wins Indiana
Gaming Commission contract
US
Gaming testing laboratory and
technical consultancy, BMM, has
been awarded a contract to provide gaming laboratory testing
services for the Indiana Gaming
Commission (IGC).
Travis Foley, EVP Operations BMM Americas, commented: "We
are very pleased to confirm that
BMM has been awarded a contract
with the Indiana Gaming
Commission and would like to
thank Executive Director, Ernest
Yelton; General Counsel, Sara
Gonso Tait; and IGC staff for their
diligence throughout the RFP
process." Mr. Foley adds "BMM is
honoured to be able to provide
independent testing services to
the IGC in a competitive multilaboratory environment.
“Multiple independent laboratories, while working together, can
ensure a higher quality of testing
services, competitive pricing, add
transparency and enable more
timely delivery of competitive
products to the market place.
BMM is looking forward to providing the highest quality testing
services to the Indiana market."
canada – suzohapp opEns toronto factory
SuzoHapp has opened a brand new manufacturing facility in
Toronto, Canada. This multi-million dollar investment in new
manufacturing technologies, research and development and
a Product Innovation Laboratory represents the successful
transition of the Bill-to-Bill banknote recyclers and MFL bill
validators within the SuzoHapp Group.
The manufacturing facility measures over 22,000 square
feet (more than 2,000 square metres). This state-of-the-art
manufacturing facility is set up to cater to the increasing
demand of the Bill-to-Bill recyclers and MFL bill validators. A
team of 75+ employees within sales, marketing, engineering,
and operations are focusing upon exceeding customer
expectation on quality, cost, delivery and customer services.
Harald Wagemaker, Executive Vice President Sales &
Marketing of Gaming and Casino EMEA at SuzoHapp, comments, “This is a key move and demonstrates our dedication
to the Bill-to-Bill recyclers and MFL bill validators. Both product groups play major roles in global gaming. For example:
The MFL bill validators are perfect for gaming machines and
the Bill-to-Bill recyclers are an excellent fit for change and
redemption machines. We are very excited that these innovations that became part of our group only last year will now
be manufactured and serviced completely by ourselves”.
us – intErblock appoints
Multi-player specialist Interblock has
appointed Colleen McKenna as Vice
President of Marketing. With over 20
years of corporate and agency experience, she will lead a dynamic team of
marketing professionals to the next
level. Colleen was recently a director
at Fortune 500 Symantec – the fifth largest software company in the world — where she spent 17 years as a global
executive within their marketing department.
us – gli appoints biErbach
GLI has named compliance expert
Patrick Moore as the company’s new
Sr. Director of Client Services. Moore
has been with GLI since 2002, and in
his new role, he will work closely with
existing and new clients globally,
helping them to get more from GLI’s
extensive portfolio of products and services, including those
available through GLI’s Global Solutions team.
Moore will now report directly to GLI’s Vice President of Global
Services Ian Hughes, who said, “Having Patrick come to the
client services side of our business is very exciting news for
our client services team and for our clients. Patrick’s depth
and breadth of knowledge in compliance, technology and
standards has made him an incredibly valuable asset to GLI,
and his extensive experience will be a tremendous benefit for
him in his new capacity.”
2 7
Insight
NEVADA - SKILL-BASED GAMING
AGEM's vision of the casino floor of the future includes futuristic slots, handheld
gaming, premium licensed slots, competitive / group gaming, phone / tablet
handhelds, traditional slots, tabletop / surface action and sports betting.
AGEM TRIUMPH AS NEVADA APPROVES SKILL GAMING
the association of gaming equipment
manufacturers (agem) hails passage of
senate Bill 9 In nevada that ushers in a
new era of gaming entertainment
The Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers
(AGEM) has welcomed the passage by the Nevada
Legislature of Senate Bill 9 that allows for variablepayback percentages in slot machines to enhance the
player experience by bringing true skill-based gaming,
arcade-game elements, hybrid games and other
unique features and technologies to the casino floor for
the first time.
Widely expected to be signed by Gov. Brian Sandoval,
SB9 is supported by the Nevada Gaming Control Board
and the Nevada Resort Association and represents the
first time AGEM has specifically initiated legislation in
its 15-year history. To start the process, AGEM
members, anchored by all of the world’s largest slot
machine technology companies, were polled in early
2014 and asked to submit ideas on how to boost
innovation that would require a change in Nevada law.
The variable-payback concept was the overwhelming
choice to be forwarded to the Nevada Committee To
Conduct An Interim Study Concerning The Impact Of
Technology Upon Gaming that met throughout 2014
and ultimately recommended that the AGEM concept
advance to the Legislative level.
2 8
The slot floor will not transform
overnight, but this will allow our
industry to capitalise on radical
new gaming concepts and
technologies.
When the Legislature convened in February, SB9 was
initially assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee,
which moved it to the full Senate that passed it by a
20-0 vote. Full Senate approval moved it to the
Assembly Judiciary Committee before full Assembly
approval yesterday, May 14. Gov. Sandoval, a
proponent of convening the Nevada Committee in 2014
as part of his platform to keep Nevada as the world’s
gaming technology hub, is expected to sign the bill into
law within the next two weeks.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board and the Nevada
Gaming Commission will now lead the process of
writing and promulgating the rules and regulations that
will guide this innovative new direction that AGEM
believes will inject new life into the slot machine
segment of the gaming industry and attract younger
players that are accustomed to the arcade experience
and different forms of non-gambling games in their
daily lives.
“AGEM is especially proud to be the initiator and one of
the driving forces behind the milestone event,” said
Thomas Jingoli, AGEM President and Chief Compliance
Officer of Konami Gaming. “We’d like to thank the
Gaming Control Board and Chairman A.G. Burnett for
supporting this initiative over the past year and we are
excited that Nevada will be the first in the world to
offer the full extent of this innovative new form of
gaming.”
Variable-payback percentages would, for example,
give all players a base game with an 88 percent
payback, but if you’re particularly skilled at shooting
down enemy planes in the bonus round or outracing
your friends in a road rally, you could boost your
payback to 98 percent, with the blended overall
payback selected by operators falling somewhere in
the middle. For the first time, players will know they
can have a material financial impact on the outcome of
the game.
“I believe we will look back on the passage of SB9 as a
monumental moment for the gaming industry and its
overall evolution,” said Marcus Prater, AGEM
Executive Director. “The slot floor will not transform
overnight, but this will allow our industry to capitalise
on radical new gaming concepts and technologies and
give AGEM members the ability to unleash a new level
of creativity for their casino customers.”
G3Newswire
ASIA & OCEANIA GAMING NEWS
www.g3nEwswirE.coM
Ega MarkEd risE in first quartEr
Entertainment Gaming Asia sees marked
first quarter revenues improvement,
especially in relation to NagaWorld
Cambodia - Operations
Entertainment Gaming Asia has reported revenues of $8.3m for the first quarter of 2015, an
increase of 76 per cent compared to $4.7m in the
first quarter of 2014 due to increases in both the
gaming operations and gaming products business
divisions.
australia – tycoon adds to gold coast list
Hong Kong billionaire Tony Fung has snapped up the
Sheraton Mirage on Australia‘s Gold Coast for $160m as he
plans another casino project in the region.
Despite the fact that he has yet to receive a licence and is
awaiting probity approvals from the Queensland
Government, Mr. Fung’s Gold Coast spending spree has now
reached $280m. His most spectacular project is the $8.15bn
Aquis Great Barrier Reef casino resort project in Cairns, which
is still waiting approvals and indeed a change in legislation,
although he already owns the casino in Canberra. He has
now added turning the five-star Sheraton Mirage and Marina
Mirage into an integrated casino resort precinct to his burgeoning wishlist.
Speaking to local media, he said: “The Gold Coast is one of
those rare destinations that enjoys instant recognition
throughout Asia. But it has yet to reach its full potential. As
the only five star resort on the Gold Coast that enjoys a
beachfront location the Mirage property has a host of natural
advantages in its current use or as a future development
opportunity. I see an extremely bright future for Australia and
Queensland as the economy transitions away from mining
and resources and into other areas lie tourism and education,’’ said Mr Fung.
He plans to re-develop the site into a convention centre, dining, shopping and entertainment destination with superyacht
berthing facilities.
australia – intErblock appoints louis
Interblock has appointed Cameron
Louis as Senior Vice President of
Asia Pacific. Mr. Louis will be based in
Interblock’s Australian Headquarters.
Interblock CEO John Connelly said: “I
am extremely excited to have
Cameron lead Interblock’s efforts
within the Asia Pacific Region. With more than 20 years of
experience working with some of the largest gaming companies in the world, Cameron’s skill sets are perfectly adapted
to help our company achieve a new level of success. I feel
extremely confident having a person such as Cameron handle such an important area of our company.”
Previously, Mr. Louis served as Sales Manager of Strategic
System Solutions for IGT, representing the company to casinos, clubs, hotels and distributors throughout all countries
Asia-Pacific that participate in gaming, particularly concentrating on Australia and New Zealand. He also served at State
Sales Manager for IGT in New South Wales and Australia
Capital Territory. Louis has also served Ainsworth Game
Technology, first as Sales Manager for Queensland and the
Northern Territory National and then as National Sales
Manager.
3 0
Gaming operations revenue was $4m for the first
quarter of 2015, an increase of three per cent compared to $3.9m in the first quarter of 2014 due to
improvement in the Cambodia operations partially offset by a decline in the Philippines operations.
Average consolidated daily net win per unit was
$108 for the first quarter of 2015, an increase of
seven per cent compared to $101 in the first quarter of 2014 due to the higher revenue and a four
per cent reduction in the total operating machine
base.
Cambodia average daily net win per unit was $128
for the first quarter of 2015, an increase of nine per
cent compared to $117 in the prior year period primarily due to improved performance at
NagaWorld. NagaWorld average daily net win per
unit increased to $198 for the first quarter of 2015
compared to $175 in the prior year period primarily due to an increase in VIP player traffic partially
offset by higher jackpots in the first quarter of
2015.
Philippines average daily net win per unit was
$68 for the first quarter of 2015, a decrease of four
per cent compared to $71 in the prior year period.
The decrease was primarily due to increased competition from new integrated casino resorts in
Manila, one of which opened in March 2013 and
another which soft opened in December 2014.
While Philippines average daily net win per unit
declined on a year-over-year basis, it improved
from $65 in the prior sequential quarter as the
Company continued its proactive marketing
strategies to stabilise performance in an increasingly competitive landscape.
Revenue from gaming products was $4.3m for the
first quarter of 2015 compared to $811,000 in the
first quarter of 2014. The increase was primarily a
result of higher sales of gaming chips and plaques
due to strong reorder levels from existing customers. The Company achieved a gross profit for
this division for the first quarter of 2015 compared
to a gross margin loss in the prior year period. The
gross margin increase was primarily due to substantially higher production volumes, continuing
efforts to improve production efficiencies and the
outsourcing of certain production processes for
two orders with short lead times as demand
exceeded the Company’s existing capacity during
the period.
BetConstruct launches Asian
View Sportsbook at G2E Asia
MACAU
BetConstruct is now offering a
localised version of its industry
leading Sportsbook that will
appeal to the wider audience in
Asia and to players who prefer an
Asian View to their Sportsbook.
The Asian View Sportsbook will
be unveiled during the G2E Asia
in Macau.
The Asian View Sportsbook provides a more familiar experience
for players, especially those
active in ‘in-running’ betting for
soccer. The Asian View also provides greater visibility to betting
opportunities categorised primarily by time and then by sport or
league.
“Asian players demand a more
time focused and uniform layout
of markets as well as regular
updates of odds,” said Stuart
Baker, BetConstruct’s Chief
Product Owner. “This update to
our Sports betting offering, coupled with our 20,000 live matches
a month, will provide operators
with a compelling user experience
that meets the needs of players
who prefer this Asian style of betting. Alongside our new Asian
Sportsbook View we provide the
Back End tools that meet the
operational needs in Asia. Our
Agent solution, tailored for the
Asian market, includes a customisable Agent System, Cash
Management, Agent Back Office
tools and Reporting.”
Macau
Macau’s casino industry
generated 38.8 per cent less
revenue this April
compared to last April with
GGR coming in at
MOP19.16bn ($2.4bn). The
month marked the 11th
consecutive decline in
Macau but was a slight
improvement on the
decline felt in March when
GGR dropped by 39.4 per
cent and February when it
fell by 48.6 per cent. Sterne
Agee analyst David Bain
said: “Results compare to
our growth forecast range
of between -38 per cent
and -43 per cent year-onyear. Although optically
unattractive on its face,
April GGR growth finishes
on the higher-end of recent
consensus ranges and
marks the second
consecutive month of “less
bad” growth.”
G3Newswire
www.g3nEwswirE.coM
Echo claiMs barangaroo flawEd
Echo Entertainment claims that Crown
Sydney’s Barangaroo VIP casino resort is
legally flawed has sparked a row
Australia - New Operations
china – MElco crown bEiJing road show
Melco Crown Entertainment has launched a three-day Studio
City Experience China Roadshow at Parkview Green
FangCaoDi in Beijing. Envisioned by Lawrence Ho, the
US$3.2bn Studio City is a new cinematically-themed entertainment and leisure destination in Macau that is set to
become Asia’s Entertainment Capital, and to take Macau’s
entertainment proposition to unprecedented new levels.
Hollywood icon and Academy Award-winning director Martin
Scorsese featured in a special personal video message to
Beijing to reveal further details of his short-movie “The
Audition” — starring a stellar A-list line-up of Leonardo
DiCaprio, Robert De Niro and Brad Pitt — as part of the launch
of a stunning China-wide showcase of Melco Crown
Entertainment’s new cinematically-themed leisure destination resort in Macau: Studio City.
Mr. Scorsese provided insights on a ‘making of’ sequence
from his new special short movie, set around a Studio City
storyline, which, in a world first, brings Hollywood stars
DiCaprio, De Niro and Pitt together in a film. “The Audition”
will premiere at the grand opening of Studio City.
“I am very happy to be talking to our media friends in Beijing
and to tell them a little more about the plot of ‘The Audition’,”
said Mr. Scorsese. “To put it simply, it is a short film that is all
about competition between these masters of movie-acting,
each of them going out for the same part in a theoretical
movie, supposedly to be directed by me, set around Studio
City.
“I cannot tell how much fun I have had working in collaboration with Brett Ratner, with Lawrence Ho and James Packer,
and, it goes without saying, with Leo, Bob and Brad. I am
looking forward to our picture’s world premiere at Studio
City’s grand opening. And I hope that our audience in China
will enjoy watching ‘The Audition’ as much as we enjoyed
making it.”
The three-day Beijing showcase premiere provides a first
opportunity for media and consumers in China to discover
the thrilling new leisure entertainment attractions to be
experienced at Studio City, the new Asia’s Entertainment
Capital.
Mr. Ho said: “Studio City, along with our highly successful
City of Dreams Macau, is strategically developed to fulfil the
leisure and entertainment needs of enthusiastic leisure destination travellers across China, regionally and internationally.
As a pioneer in bringing innovative entertainment into Macau,
Melco Crown Entertainment’s highly diverse portfolio of leading entertainment partnerships enables us to deliver, within
Studio City, more world-class entertainment amenities than
any integrated resort in the market.
3 2
A war of words has broken out in Australia where
Echo Entertainment has claimed that rival
Crown’s plan to open a $1.5bn VIP casino resort at
Barangaroo is legally flawed.
Echo has provided ‘legal advice’ to the planning
department by Echo Entertainment, claiming
plans to change Barangaroo’s blueprint to include
a 69-storey tower could be subject to a court
challenge. Crown Sydney’s hotel facility is expected to be completed in 2018 with the casino to have
its official opening a year later.
Echo Entertainment’s Chief Executive and
Managing Director, Matt Bekier, said: “The
enclosed advice and assessment raise matters
which therefore should be fully considered and
addressed, as would be the case in regard to any
planning application.”
In the submission, Adrian Galasso, SC, and Clifford
Ireland, have advised that the environmental
impact caused by the increased height would see
a 7.4 per cent increase in gross floor area for
Barangaroo, including increasing Crown Sydney’s
from 168 metres to 275 metres.
Echo’s objection claimed the government’s decision to approve the licence Mr Packer before the
actual application is finalised questions the
Planning Minister’s ability to be impartial.
“It said that the NSW liquor and gambling authorities, the health department and the department of
community services all should have been consulted as they are ‘arguably relevant in relation to a
proposal for a casino.’
The advice states: “If granted, [The modification]
would be open to judicial review proceedings of
the Land and Environment Court’s jurisdiction.”
Crown Sydney chief executive Rowen Craigie
said: “I consider this a blatant misuse of the planning process by The Star casino to try and protect
their existing monopoly and delay much-needed
competition into Sydney’s VIP gaming market.”
City of Sydney council joined the argument claiming that the increase brought no increase in community floor space. It said: “This proposed modification is not an actual modification, as it is not
substantially the same as the original concept
plan approval. Given the degree of change, the
proposal should be the subject of a fresh concept
plan application. In the event that the government
proceeds with the current proposal, the new
Planning Minister should at the very least have
Modification 8 externally assessed by a suitably
qualified and experience planning consultant
independent of the state government. There is no
social or economic justification that a gaming
facility, high-roller hotel and luxury apartments
are preferred land uses to public foreshore parkland.”
TOPGAME dazzles at G2E Asia
with Virtual Reality Casino
MACAU
TOPGAME, the one stop solution
partner for online gaming operators, has made its first appearance at the G2E Asia 2015 exhibition in Macau, with spectacular
results. TOPGAME’s booth at the
show was swamped by visitors
intrigued by the very latest gaming innovations, as the company
showed/demonstrated a demo
VR casino.
Showcased on the Oculus Rift
Virtual Reality (VR) headset,
TOPGAME gave visitors to G2E
Asia the chance to immerse
themselves in this new gaming
trend and gain first-hand exper-
ince of the latest VR technology
that’s yet to hit the market.
“The TOPGAME VR casino gaming solution provides more entertainment value for players,”
explained Yair Hamami,
TOPGAME CEO. “We believe it
can become the dominant crossover platform for highly desirable
demographic groups (e.g. social
and real money players), one
that’s highly sought after by gaming operators as part of their user
acquisition strategy.
“We believe it’s the future of igaming and our virtual casino
was described by many at G2E
Asia as ‘sensational’ when they
experienced it first-hand.”
The VR product is just one compenent in a portfolio of truly
global gaming solutions from
TOPGAME, as the company
recognised that all markets are
different when it comes to games
design, features, and content.
“Our premium game brand,
PragmaticPlay, is designed to
deliver local content to players,”
added Mr. Hamami. “We deliver a
global portfolio of revenue generating games not just tweaked, but
unique to local player markets. “
TOPGAME ’s products and services are part of a customisable
solution that can be integrated
with one another to tailor to the
needs of its partners.
G3Newswire
www.g3nEwswirE.coM
pagcor thrEatEns tigEr licEncE
PAGCOR has given Tiger Resorts 90 days
to explain why it shouldn’t have the licence
for its future casino resort revoked
Philippines - Casino operations
china – wynn calls for End to uncErtainty
Having seen shares in Wynn Resorts slide by ten per cent,
owner Steve Wynn wants Macau’s government to provide
some certainty to the market which has plummeted due to
China’s anti-corruption drive. Wynn saw its Macau revenue
drop by 38 per cent in the first quarter with VIP tables down
52.4 per cent decrease from US$36bn in the first quarter of
2014 to $17.1bn.
Mr. Wynn said: “There’s no question that uncertainty is the
plaguing word of the day in Macau. Hopefully, our government in Macau will calm that down and put some certainty
back into the picture. We never know quite what to expect
these days.”
Of the uncertainties, Mr. Wynn highlighted question marks
over how many workers the government would allow it to
hire to build its $4bn Wynn Palace and alsoh ow many gambling tables it would be allowed to operate. “We’ve struggled
with adjusting our work schedule on construction to the permissions we’ve been given for workers on construction by
the government,” he said. He warned that this uncertainty
could ‘erupt into protests against the government if it isn’t
settled soon.’
The 52.4 per cent decrease in VIP table revenue took it down
to $36bn in the first quarter of 2014. The average number of
VIP tables decreased to 252 units in the first quarter of 2015
from 279 units in the prior year’s first quarter due in large
part to a renovation on a portion of the casino floor.
Table games win in the mass market segment decreased by
seven per cent to $279.6m in the first quarter of 2015. Mass
market table games win per unit per day decreased by 7.5
per cent to $14,517 from $15,695 in the first quarter of
2014. Slot machine handle for the first quarter of 2015
declined 25.7 per cent from the 2014 period to $1,039.6m,
and slot win decreased by 31.2 per cent.
philippinEs – cod Manila issuEd 2033 licEncE
Melco Crown’s City of Dreams Manila has become the first
property in Entertainment City to receive the regular gaming
license from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming
Corporation (PAGCOR) for having met the minimum US$1bn
investment under PAGCOR’s regular license requirement.
On May 4, 2015, PAGCOR’s President and COO, Jorge
Sarmiento presented the regular gaming license to Lawrence
Ho, Co-chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Melco Crown
Entertainment. A provisional license was issued to the consortium on January 28, 2013. The regular gaming license
issued is valid until July 11, 2033.
City of Dreams Manila features 375 gaming tables, 1,700
slot machines and 1,700 electronic table games. The integrated resort offers Crown, Nobu and Hyatt hotels; unique
and distinctive entertainment attractions, including Manila’s
first branded Family Entertainment Center, DreamPlay by
DreamWorks, which opened in March; a live performance
central lounge inside the casino, the CenterPlay; a night club,
Chaos, situated at the iconic Fortune Egg, an architecturallyunique dome-like structure; and Pangaea, an ultra-lounge.
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PAGCOR, the Philippine gaming regulator, has
given Tiger Resorts, the operator controlled by
Kazuo Okada’s Universal Entertainment, 90 days
to explain why it shouldn’t have the licence for its
future casino resort in the Philippines revoked.
PAGCOR has already confiscated a $2.2m guarantee payment from Tiger, paid when it secured the
licence for Manila Bay Resorts, due to delays to
the completion of the project. The regulator has
said it could even suspend the licence due to
Tiger’s failure to meet the minimum requirement
of 50 per cent project completion by the end of
March as set out in its licence.
Francis Hernando, Vice President of PAGCOR,
said: “It [the fee] was forfeited. Shortly after the
deadline, we deliberated internally. They requested for more time to finish the project. We gave
them 90 days to explain why the licence should
not be suspended because of the delays. We have
been in that 90-day period since April 21.”
Tiger has argued that the project is 56 per cent
complete so far. It should have completed the
resort on March 31, 2015 but said it was likely to
open the first phase in 2016, a year later than
planned. However, according to Mr. Hernando, the
likely opening is now the first quarter of 2017 with
Tiger stating it would be building a bigger resort
complex than initially envisioned.
Tiger’s is one of four $1bn projects planned for
Manila Bay with vision being for the Southeast
Asian country to rival Macau as a gaming destination. Bloomberry Resorts has already opened its
Soliare operation whilst the partnership between
Belle Corp and Melco Crown Entertainment have
opened their City of dreams Manila.
Alliance Global Group and Genting plan to open
the $1.1bn Phase 1 of its Resorts World Bayshore
project in 2018. “The overall vision is to make the
Philippines a recognised entertainment destination in the region. Ideally, we should have a complete product. One less resort obviously dilutes
that vision,” Mr. Hernando said.
It is aiming for annual gaming revenues of US$7bn,
equating to the levels generating by Singapore and
Las Vegas by 2020.
Universal has endured a torrid time in the
Philippines so far. The Okada group was recently
cleared of any corruption allegations in relation to
its Tiger Resorts casino venture in the Philippines.
It had been involved in a $40m case on allegations
that his company smoothed the passage to its
licence award by paying money to Rodolfo
Soriano, a consultant of former PAGCOR head
Efraim Genuino.
It has also been embroiled in a legal battle with its
once local partner Century Properties after Mr.
Okada terminated a deal for Century to be a real
estate partner in Manila Bay Resorts. PAGCOR
ruled that it will not be able to open Manila Bay
Resorts until it has secured a local partner to work
with.
SBTech to provide sportsbook
for the localised Asian market
ASIA
SBTech has signed a deal with
egaming software provider
Gameplay Interactive (GPI) to provide a powerful sportsbook
localised for the Asian market.
Gameplay Interactive powers
some of the region’s leading
brands, including w88.com, all of
whom will benefit from the seamless integration of SBTech’s powerful sportsbook that has been tailored specifically for the unique
Asian sports betting market.
local player demographic and
requirements, which enabled us to
conclude this successful partnership with SBTech to distribute the
product into the Asian market.
This partnership shall offer our
operators an impressive Asian
market facing sportsbook and new
distribution channels for betting in
addition to GPI’s impressive collection of HD Live Casino, 3D Slot
Games for both Web and Mobile.
We are looking forward to working closely with SBTech.”
SBTech’s powerful sports betting
interface features all the popular
Asian bet types, including Asian
handicap and Over/Under, as well
as over 200 other different bet
types across more than 30 sports,
and coverage of more than 18,000
live events per month.
SBTech CEO Itai Zak: “Our latest
deal with Gameplay Interactive is
a fantastic step forward as it will
see us penetrate further into the
Asian market through a number of
key gaming brands operating in
the region. Almost three quarters
of Asia’s interactive/online gaming
revenues come from sports betting
and we’re confident our localised
sportsbook will prove popular."
Gameplay CEO, Calvin, comments
on the deal: “We understand the
Macau
Melco Crown is to open
Macau’s first megaclub,
Pacha Macau, at Studio
City, the cinematicallythemed integrated
entertainment, retail and
gaming resort. The
Hollywood-inspired
complex will transport
visitors into a stunning
cinematic world with
offerings delivered by the
world’s leading partners,
positioning this new
destination as Asia’s
entertainment capital.
Pacha is a leader in
nightlife, with venues in
major cities across the
globe, including Ibiza, New
York, Dubai, Buenos Aires
and Sydney. Exclusively
presented by Studio City,
Pacha Macau will bring
Ibiza-style nightlife to
Greater China for the very
first time, electrifying the
burgeoning club scene.
MEMBERS NEWS
AGEM
AGEM KEY BOARD OF DIRECTORS ACTIONS:
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MEMBERSHIP NEWS
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MEMBER PROFILE
Company – AGS
web address – www.playAGS.com
agem membership level – Silver
Company description – Founded in 2005 and
based in Las Vegas, Nevada, AGS’ current portfolio of products includes slot
machines and specialty table games. Aside from our headquarters in Nevada,
we have offices in Illinois, Oklahoma, Florida, and Canada.
what new products, technologies or services will you introduce this year –
Our success in the slot market can be attributed to product innovation and
acquisitions of companies like Colossal Gaming. We are a leader in the Class II
gaming space with an emerging presence in the Class III market and currently
have over 9,000 slot machines in operation at properties across the US. From
branded games like Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader and Ripley’s Believe it
or Not to top-performing titles like Hot at the Top and Colossal Diamonds, we
are well positioned to provide a variety of new and exciting slots for our casino
partners. One of our newest branded titles, Family Feud, just went live and we
anticipate this game, based on the long-running American game show, to be
well received by players and casinos alike.
Our table games segment features many exciting titles and is rapidly growing
through acquisition and in-house development. Our acquisition of Casino War
Blackjack, Inc. last year marked a dramatic expansion for AGS as we stepped
into the table games market. War Blackjack has been installed at over 30
properties across 12 jurisdictions. In a partnership with the popular History
Channel show Count’s Kustoms, we developed a one-of-a-kind blackjack side
bet where players can win a custom car or motorcycle.
forthcoming events/exhibitions you will be attending –
Within the next three months, we’ll be attending Canadian Gaming Summit
and the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association.
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AGEM and the AGA have agreed a partnership addressing illegal gaming
in Texas. This initiative will spotlight the problem and hopefully slow
down the rapid expansion of illegal machines in the state.
AGEM members approved a $2500 sponsorship of the Great Plains
Indian Gaming Association (GPIGA) Conference and Trade show, held in
Prior Lake, Minnesota from 18th – 20th May.
AGEM officers, Tom Jongoli and Marcus Prater, along with Mike Dreitzer
met with International Gaming Institute Executive Director Bo Bernhard
and UNLV Center for Professional Education Executive Director Arte
Nathan to discuss ways AGEM and UNLV could work closer together.
They discussed ways for AGEM to increase its visibility on the UNLV
Campus to help attract students from across the University to the Game
Manufacturing sector. This initiative will hopefully get started within the
coming months.
EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES
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AGEM-AGA Golf Classic presented by JCM Global and benefitting the
National Center for Responsible Gaming was held at the Cascata golf
course in Boulder City, Nevada, on April 28th. The event was sold out
and once again a great success.
The European Dealer Championship took place at the beautiful Hit
Casino Park, Nova Gorica in Slovenia on 12th and 13th May. All
participants attended a welcome reception where the lottery draw of
the contestants took place. The prize giving ceremony & celebration
party was held on 13th May with the winners announced. AGEM is
proud to be a sponsor of this event, which provides European Dealers
the opportunity to showcase their talent and promote best practices.
Mattia Luchesini of Aspinalls Casino in the UK was the ultimate winner
of the event (full details on page 22).
FORTHCOMING EVENTS:
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Slot Summit Europe, will be held in Bucharest from 9th – 11th June.
AGEM is pleased to be a sponsor of this popular event, once again.
AGEM INDEX
The AGEM Index reported a month-to-month
increase in April 2015 after falling 2.43 points in
March 2015. The composite index closed at 200.68
in April, which represented a gain of 10.39 points
(+5.5 per cent) from the prior month. Compared to a
year ago, the AGEM Index was up 19.19 points (+10.6
per cent). In April 2015, GTECH was removed from
the index after completing its merger with IGT. In
addition, Konami Corp was voluntarily delisted
from the NYSE; the company’s activity on the Tokyo
Exchange (TYO) is now included in the AGEM Index.
During the month, four of the 13 global gaming
equipment manufacturers reported monthly gains
in stock price, with two up by more than 15 per cent
and another reporting a gain of 8.7 per cent. These
gains were partially offset by declines reported by
nine manufacturers. However, only three reported
declines of more than five per cent.
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.
3 6
Insight
GIBRALTAR
Between a Rock
and a hard case
aland’s online and land-based
operator, paf, has opened its Casino
sunborn aboard the luxury 5 star
super yacht hotel, sunborn gibraltar,
situated in ocean village marina in
gibraltar. g3 visited the casino prior to
its official opening to find out what this
boutique-style casino has to offer its
players.
Casino Sunborn is a joint proposal between Paf and
Sunborn located aboard the super yacht hotel, Sunborn
Gibraltar, in Ocean Village Marina in downtown
Gibraltar. The casino offer visitors 64 slot machines,
four roulette tables and four card tables.
Casino Sunborn had its soft opening in April with an
official launch on May 16. The casino, situated to the
rear of the five star Sunborn Gibraltar hotel, wasn’t
envisaged from the outset, which meant that Paf had to
retrofit the casino within the confines of the yacht, with
all the issues of low ceilings and fixed walls/electricals
with which to contend. All had to be negotiated to create
the boutique-style casino that now greets visitors
intrigued by the hotel/casino floating concept.
Next door to the Sunborn on the dockside is the Admiral
Casino, which Novomatic acquired in 2014. The Admiral
might have had its view of the harbour blocked by the
Sunborn, but its location at the mouth of Ocean Village
3 8
is clearly advantageous and its newly stocked 300+
gaming machines (95 per cent of which are Novomatic’s
best-performing titles), encourages a mass (non-registered) audience to the newly refurbished interior (badly
needed having become tired towards the end of its Gala
Casino days). Where the Admiral offers a 400-seat
bingo environment to players, Sunborn Gibraltar has the
facilities to bring poker tournament players to the location by utilising the 300+ seat lower-deck ballroom,
with the casino already adding cameras to the area for
future expansion purposes. It’s an option the casino is
considering having already had multiple offers from
tournament organisations.
Casino Sunborn’s slots are fewer in number than the
Admiral Casino, but there’s certainly a more varied supplier list, with the compulsory Novomatic titles (every
bar in Gibraltar sports at least one Novomatic gaming
machine) complemented by IGT (GTECH), EGT, Amatic,
Scientific Games (WMS) and Aruze. Stylish Pair Design
As part of the exclusive Sunborn
experience, Casino Sunborn membership
offers a world-class reward program with
benefits precisely tailored its players. Casino
Sunborn Members will be perfectly
positioned to enjoy the ultimate gaming
experience in opulent surroundings. Four
membership levels are available from
Exclusive to Diamond, with exclusive
advantages that only members can enjoy,
including orders from the bar menu, meals
in Sky Restaurant, Infinity Spa treatments,
gifts and overnight accommodation in the
finest suites. Players can take their pick of
Diamond, Gold, Silver and Exclusive
membership programs for instant rewards
and the chance to upgrade to the next level
after just 10 visits.
Insight
GIBRALTAR
The Sunborn Casino is mixing up
its floor, testing games that are
similar to the Novomatic
machines in style and design,
while adding a few
entertainment curiosities
chairs fill the slots area with soft subdued lighting and
plush interior fixtures and fittings mixing a nightclub
and lounge bar atmosphere to inviting effect. Cammegh
roulette wheels with double-sided Billboard displays
adorn the four roulette tables with four additional fliptop tables offering black jack, punto banco and Sunborn
stud poker to players.
Casino Sunborn is mixing up its floor, testing games that
are similar to the Novomatic machines in style and
design, while adding a few entertainment curiosities to
gauge player acceptance and create contrast with the
Admiral’s wealth of Novomatic games. The clientele that
Casino Sunborn is targeting is very different from the
mass player market of its neighbour, where Casino
Sunborn intends to register players, market to them and
build a regular clientele of boutique casino players.
The casino is certainly keen to play upon its USPs, utilising the Sunborn hotel, spa and restaurants to crossmarket its entertainment offer to the widest possible
audience. The casino will also be drawing on the established Paf player base to generate a regular flow of players, meanwhile Paf has further expansion plans and is
actively looking to new operations and new opportunities for growth that will build a broader international
player network.
drawn to thE rock
The Sunborn is a unique proposition, looking to attract
some of the eight million visitors to the Rock each year,
a mix of Spanish, English, Scandinavian and Russians.
“We are utilising the attraction of the Sunborn, the mix
of meet and play, dinner and exclusive atmosphere,”
says Casino Manager Dominick Stenson. “We have created a club environment and need to be brave and stick
with the concept. We aren’t just appealing to Gibraltar
players, but across the whole Costa del Sol, reaching as
far as Elviria. We will be heavily promoting our player
loyalty scheme, whereby players accumulate points for
rewards. Points can be exchanged for a variety of bestin-class services and gifts including food from the bar
menu, dinner at the Sky restaurant, spa vouchers,
overnight stays at the hotel, gifts from the casino’s vitrine such as Iphones, luxury brand watches, Swarovski
luxury goods and much more. Members also benefit
from entry into regular prize draws and exciting promotions – the current prize draw is to win a Harley
3 9
Davidson HD V-ROD 2015 Night ROD Special! We think
this is going to be a big attraction.”
Casino Sunborn can’t just rely on Gibraltar to supply its
clientele, despite the Rock’s growing number of incumbent online gaming glitterati (with lots of disposable
income and no where to spend it). Gibraltar has just
30,000 permanent residents, which is too small even
for the club environment that the Casino Sunborn is
seeking to encourage. Casino Sunborn will undoubtedly
need to be patient in the building of its player base and
will need to adopt new methods to attract players.
Aiming at a VIP clientele, those attracted to the Sunborn
Hotel, spa, nightclub and restaurants, the planned opening in June of the La Sala restaurant on the fourth-deck,
a hugely successful restaurant chain that attracts the
footballing/celebrity crowd, will help to broadcast the
casino’s upmarket credentials to its target audience.
“The opening of the La Sala creates multiple cross-marketing opportunities and we’ll be having a joint party to
celebrate the opening on June 5th,” adds Mr. Stenson.
In addition to the main casino floor Sunborn is currently
outfitting a private suite that will be available to hire.
The Private Suite will be able to accommodate up to 15
people with Black Jack and American Roulette tables
and dedicated croupiers. There is also a private bar, dedicated waitress service and luxury food and beverage
4 0
The Private Suite will be able to
accommodate up to 15 people
with Black Jack and American
Roulette tables and dedicated
croupiers. There is also a private
bar, dedicated waitress service
and luxury food and beverage
packages to suit every palate.
packages to suit every palate. What’s more the VIP
Private Gaming Suite has its own 70m2 terrace with
Jacuzzi and two connecting luxury suites are available
to accommodate up to 10 persons for a “play and stay”
experience, providing both private gaming and bragging
rights for celebrities looking to boost their partying credentials.
“We’ve placed two tables in deck suite 401 with the
view to creating a VIP suite, which isn’t just for private
play, but open to corporate events too, drawing the La
Sala crowd looking for exclusivity,” explains Mr.
Stenson. “Our limits aren’t too high and our dress code
isn’t too strict, though the idea is that when you visit
Casino Sunborn you’re here to impress your friends. We
“Our hope is that Paf's nearly 50-year
experience in the gaming industry
combined with Sunborn’s knowledge of the
international hotel industry will contribute to
a unique casino experience for the visitors.
The opening of the Casino Sunborn in
Gibraltar with Sunborn signifies that Paf's
land-based activities are now taking a big
and exciting step into Europe, just like
Paf.com online. The casino is a good base to
create synergies with our internet-based
business,"
Anders Ingves, CEO, Paf
Insight
GIBRALTAR
believe the private suite is a really exciting concept and
with our different atmosphere, mix of games and loyalty
programme, we have an exciting and ultimately successful offer.”
Operating upon a much smaller footprint and gaming
offer, Casino Sunborn believes that it can sit comfortably
with its larger next-door neighbour, drawing players to
the Marina without cannibalising each other’s player
base. The challenge ahead for Casino Sunborn is that it
must draw the right crowd to support its upmarket offer.
“Our hope is that Paf's nearly 50-year experience in the
gaming industry combined with Sunborn’s knowledge of
the international hotel industry will contribute to a
unique casino experience for the visitors," states Anders
Ingves, CEO of Paf. "The opening of the Casino Sunborn
in Gibraltar with Sunborn signifies that Paf's land-based
activities are now taking a big and exciting step into
Europe, just like Paf.com online. The casino is a good
base to create synergies with our internet-based business," says Anders Ingves.
“We are excited to be uniting our knowledge of the hotel
industry with Paf’s casino expertise. We see this as an
opportunity for further expansion of land-based casinos
on super yacht hotels,” adds Hans Niemi, Executive
Director of Sunborn.
NOVOMATIC INVESTMENT DELIVERS
STUNNING ADMIRAL CASINO RESULT
Triple world champion of Formula 1, Niki Lauda, was
in Gibraltar in May to attend the official opening ceremony of Admiral Casino Gibraltar, situated in the
Ocean Village.
Mr. Lauda was present in his role as ambassador for
Novomatic the new owners of the casino, which has
undergone a remarkable transformation in recent
months with an investment of millions of pounds.
Novomatic has added new bars and restaurants,
sports betting facilities, improved VIP areas and two
smoking areas.
The investment also includes new slot machines,
and have generated 20 extra jobs at the property.
Novomatic bought the venue for an undisclosed fee
through its investment arm Gryphon AG back in
December 2013.
“Novomatic is a great new entrant into our Gaming
community, and shows that Gibraltar continues to be
the place where the world’s leading gaming companies want to be. I believe this is a tremendous vote of
confidence in Gibraltar and our economy and I am
delighted to be able to welcome them here,” said
Gaming minister Albert Isola. “I am delighted that
Novomatic have chosen Gibraltar for this investment
as they are a company of enormous quality and
integrity and are most welcome in Gibraltar. I am
most grateful to Gala for their many years of service
to our community in our casino and look forward to
continuing to work with them as they continue to be
one of our important online operators in Gibraltar.”
4 1
Insight
TECHNOLOGY TRENDS
Intelligence in all things
the depth and diversity of the sg
gaming portfoilio has been boosted
enormously by the recent acquisitions
of wms gaming and Bally
technologies. here sg gaming md,
phil horne, examines the relationship
between content and technology...
Phil Horne
Group Managing
Director,
SG Gaming
Innovation was the watchword of the industry throughout 2014. So too for SG Gaming, the UK gaming division
of Scientific Games. Players and operators have a wider
and more varied choice of gaming channels and content
than ever before. It’s up to gaming and content providers
to create a solution for operators that keeps their existing customers engaged and attracts new players.
recent releases like Crown Jewels Roulette, players
demand choice. At SG Gaming, we widen the choice of
content we offer by developing B2, B3 and category C
game content across both the licensed betting office and
arcade and bingo markets.
variEty
Following Scientific Games’ acquisition of WMS Gaming
and the more recent acquisition of Bally Technologies,
SG Gaming is now also able to offer WMS titles to customers, including Black Knight, Zeus II and the WIZARD OF OZ: OVER THE RAINBOW, all of which have
been well received by operators. As Bally content
becomes available to SG Gaming customers, it will add
further to this offering.
Variety above all else is the key to a complete solution
for operators. A varied content offering should include
popular titles with a range of exciting features and playing options. Whether it is player favourites like
Category C community game Money Mad Martians or
Also popular are licensed titles, such as the community
game MONOPOLY Hot Properties, which combine the
familiarity of known licensed brands with SG Gaming’s
content innovation. Wizard of Oz: Ruby Slippers™, a
Depth and diversity of content is essential to keeping
the player engaged. This should be allied to a multichannel offering, constant investment in technology
and a commitment to innovate.
4 2
Phil has spent the majority of his career
working in the betting industry. He started
his career at Coral where he worked his way
through the ranks to became Gaming
Director, a position from which he
implemented the rollout of B2/B3 gaming
machines across the Coral’s estate. In 2007
Phil was appointed as Managing Director at
The Global Draw, and following Scientific
Games’ acquisition of Barcrest he was
appointed to the position of Group
Managing Director in 2013. In his current
role he is responsible for all sectors of the
SG Gaming business including the Arcade,
Bingo and Licensed Betting Office sectors
as well as the company’s SG Connect
division.
Insight
TECHNOLOGY TRENDS
innovation
An operator committed to providing a quality content
offering cannot be complacent. Constant innovation is
essential to provide players with a continuous stream of
engaging content.
At SG Gaming, Rick Mountney, UK Director of Content
Development, and his in-house development team have
produced popular titles, including Keybet Roulette. The
team brings with it a rich heritage and wealth of experience from developing popular content under the
Barcrest brand, not least successful titles such as
Rainbow Riches and Money Mad Martians.
The importance of technology
isn’t limited to cabinets – though
the high definition screens and
interactive button panels on SG
Gaming cabinets are undoubtedly
crucial in creating an immersive
experience for players.
tEchnology and connEctEd systEMs
Complementing its content offering, a quality provider
must also underpin all this with an innovative approach
to technology. Technology, perhaps more than anything
else, has changed the face of the gaming industry – now
more than ever what sets a supplier apart from the rest
is the degree to which they have been able to embrace
technology alongside their content offering and use it to
offer great service and quality products to their customers.
The importance of technology isn’t limited to cabinets –
though the high definition screens and interactive button panels on SG Gaming cabinets are undoubtedly crucial in creating an immersive experience for players.
Operational infrastructure supported by cutting edge
technology is also important.
At SG Gaming, we’ve made
developing a strong crosssector offering a pillar of our
strategy. We think recent
contracts with Mecca Bingo and
Ladbrokes, have taken us
closer to that goal.
Category C Community title available for arcade and
bingo customers and one of SG Gaming’s latest releases,
is another example of a popular license being combined
with SG Gaming’s innovative approach to create a title
that is engaging for players.
Multi-channEl
Offering a gaming solution that players can utilise over
multiple channels is crucial, whether land-based or
online. While many players enjoy the experience of
playing their favourite titles on cabinets, there is a
growing demand for online content, and a quality
provider must be able to meet that. That’s why SG
Gaming titles such as Rainbow Riches and Ooh Ahh
Dracula are available both in venue through arcade and
bingo and licensed betting offices, and online via SG
Interactive.
Multi-platform gaming releases also mean that the SG
Gaming library spans across gaming markets, whether
in a licensed betting office, arcade or bingo venue. At SG
Gaming, we’ve made developing a strong cross-sector
offering a pillar of our strategy. We think recent contracts with Mecca Bingo and Ladbrokes, have taken us
closer to that goal.
Our connected solutions are a great example of our dedication to technology – they allow us to rapidly deploy
content to our customers through remote download,
giving them instant access to the latest games, and our
server-based solution provides promotional tools
including tournament functionality, player loyalty facility and tracked free play. Functionality such as ticket in
ticket out is another great example – it allows players to
transfer winnings from terminal to terminal in venue
and reduces cash handling for the operator.
looking ahEad
Looking ahead to the rest of 2015, it will remain important to produce varied and innovative content that players find engaging. Operators develop long-standing relationships with providers such as SG Gaming because
they provide cutting edge technology, unrivalled field
service, and an innovative and varied content library
that is popular with players and helps to drive cash box
revenue.
4 3
G3-247 Report
Government
makes online bet
as in great swathes of europe right
now, romania is betting the farm on
online and sports-betting
opportunities to fill the short-falls in its
budget and keep the Imf off its back
Romania is located in the north of the Balkan
Peninsula on the western shore of the Black Sea. It
borders Bulgaria, Hungary, Moldova, Serbia and
Ukraine and has a 225km coastline.
It is the seventh most populous member of the EU
and its capital Bucharest is the sixth largest city in
the EU.
In the Middle Ages the Romanians lived in
Wallachia, Moldavia and Transylvania. By 1541 the
entire Balkan Peninsula was under Ottoman
control until the mid 19th century. Romania
emerged from the territories of the ancient Roman
province of Dacia and was formed in 1859 through
the union of the principalities of Moldavia and
Wallachia. The new state was officially named
Romania in 1866.
After a failed revolution in 1848 the country fought
on the Russian’s side during the Russo-Turkish War
in 1877 and in the aftermath was recognised as an
independent state. The new Kingdom of Romania
underwent a period of stability after this.
4 4
01 In 2005, the Romanian currency, the
leu, dropped four of its zeroes, such
that what used to be 10,000 lei
became printed as just 1 lei. They also
started making them out of plastic
instead of paper. Legend has it that the
banks were advised that they should
start using more plastic (credit cards)
systems, and they took it literally and
started making the Lei out of plastic.
02 Romania’s Astra Museum in Sibiu is
the second-largest outdoor museum in
the world. It features more than 300
buildings as well as watermills and
windmills, gigantic presses for wine,
fruit and oil, hydraulic forges and more.
03 It also is Europe’s richest country in
gold resources.
For the first couple of years of World War I the
country remained neutral but joined the Entente
Powers and declared war in 1916. At the end of
World War I Romania united with Transylvania,
Bukovina and Bessarabia.
After World War II the country became a social
republic and member of the Warsaw Pact. In 1947
King Michael I abdicated after the communist
government took over and the country remained
under military occupation until the late 1950s.
In 1948 the state began to nationalise private firms
and established a terror regime via its secret police.
In 1965 Nicolae Ceausescu came into power. He was
overthrown and eventually executed with his wife
after the violent Romania Revolution in December
1989.
After the revolution the Social Democratic Party and
Democratic Party have mainly led. The country
developed ties with Western Europe and the US
after the Cold War and became a full member of the
EU in 2007.
G3-247 Report
Free Travel and economic stability throughout the
1990s meant a large number of Romanians
emigrated with large communities in Italy and
Spain.
It has seen rapid growth during the 2000s and has
an economy based on services whilst the country is
also a producer and net exporter of machines and
electric energy. Setbacks occurred during the
recession which led to a large GDP contraction and
budget deficit.
Worsening economic conditions triggered a political
crisis in 2012 and the country faces issues related to
infrastructure, medical services, education and
corruption.
Living standards have improved lately and today
Romania is an upper middle income country with a
GDP of around $274bn (2012).
In 2005 the progressive tax rate was replaced with
a 16 percent flat rate for both personal income and
corporate profit – among the lowest in Europe.
The country is made up of 41 counties and one
municipality (Bucharest). Each county is then
subdivided into 319 cities and 2,686 communes.
Tourism is a significant contributor to the economy
and generates around 4.8 percent of GDP. Romania
was estimated to have the fourth fastest growing
travel and tourism demand in the world with an
estimated growth rate of eight percent from 2007 to
2016.
Popular resorts include the Black Sea Resorts and
skiing resorts whilst rural tourism and folklore
have brought people to see sites such as Bran and
Dracula’s Castle. Around 6.9 million tourists visited
Romania last year compared to 2.4 million back in
1999. Tourism supports around 100,000 jobs.
The government of Romania has not been without
its turmoil. President Basescu was the fourth
President of Romania serving from 2004 to 2014
having formerly served as Mayor of Bucharest from
2000 to 2004.
He was suspended from office in 2007 but
reconfirmed a month later in a referendum. He was
narrowly re-elected as President for his second five
year term amid claims of electoral fraud. In 2012 he
was suspended again for interfering in government
business and legal affairs, but reassumed office six
weeks later.
A presidential election at the end of Basescu’s term
in November last year saw Klaus Iohannis, Mayor
of Sibiu and leader of the Christian Liberal Alliance
take on the role.
Meanwhile the Bulgarian economy has seen a slow
recovery from the recession. The government took
out a €1.5bn loan from private banks to support the
banking system but in December the Corporate
Commercial Bank (KTB), the country’s fourth
largest lender, collapsed leaving customers without
access to about $4bn in deposits. GDP was around
€41bn in 2013 and is expected to grow by 1.6
percent this year. Unemployment rate is 11.8
percent.
4 5
G3-247 Report
laws and lEgislations
The government’s Emergency Ordinance 159/1999
basically set up the National Lottery company in
Romania. During the dictatorship of Nicolae
Ceausescu gambling was made illegal but in 1990
after his regime was toppled gambling became legal
and the first post communist casino opened in 1991.
The Law GEO 77/2009 states:
l Entrance tickets are applied to casino and poker
club visitors.
l
l
Today there are seven casinos in Romania and
around 13,000 slots in gaming halls. Sports betting
is fully legal and high street betting shops are found
in most cities.
In 2013 The National Gambling Office (onjn.gov.ro)
was set up to manage and regulate the gambling
activities in Romania. It is the first time the
authorisation, supervision and monitoring of
gambling has been made by a single dedicated
institution.
The legal framework in Romania is currently
governed by the GEO77/2009. Last year there were
a total of 418 slot hall operators, five casino
operators, 26 sports betting operators and 12 bingo
operators.
4 6
l
l
l
l
Slot machines should be equipped with a ‘black
box’
Minimum number of slots to be operated by an
operator is 50 machines which can be in the
same or different locations.
Number of slot machines per location is at least
15 but also electronic tables included.
There must be a minimum of 12 table games in
casinos in Bucharest of which two must be
roulette tables. There must be a minimum of 10
gaming tables in other locations with at least
two roulette tables.
Minimum number of tables in poker clubs in
Bucharest is 10 and five in other locations.
Bookmakers and LOTTO agencies can have
between two and five slots.
01 Bucharest is known for being home to
thousands of stray dogs. Annually,
there is an estimated number of
9,000 people being bitten by these
abandoned dogs.
02 The Danube River flows 1,788 miles
from its springs in Germany’s Black
Forest to the Black Sea. Just before
reaching the sea it forms the second
largest and best preserved of Europe’s
deltas: 2,200 square miles of rivers,
canals, marshes, tree-fringed lakes
and reed islands.
03 The actor who first played the role of
Tarzan was Romanian born Johnny
Weissmuller, who starred in Tarzan
the Ape Man in 1932.
04 The Black Church in Brosov, has the
largest organ in Europe, with 4000
tubes. It also has the largest bell in
Romania, weighing 41,000 lbs (6.3
tons).
G3-247 Report
l
Poker Clubs - €30,000 per location (Romania)
and €70,000 (Bucharest)
There are two main associations which monitor the
Romanian market.
AOPJNR was set up in 1995. At the time there were
21 gaming operators in Romania and the AOPJNR
sought to introduce a gateway between the
authorities and the operators. Today, it represents
55 operators and is a member of Euromat.
ROMSLOT is the second association which was set
up in October 2010 aimed at creating a coherent
and applicable legislation for the slot machine
sector. Today, it comprises of 18 operators and is
also a member of Euromat.
In June 2012 Dan Iliovici Chief Executive of
ROMSLOT said in an interview: “There is a real
need for transparency from both authorities and
operators. The same for a legal framework to be
fully adjusted to the reality and specific features of
any game. There are signs that things are getting
better and this is where Romslot comes in – to
contribute along with our members – to building a
legal framework as correct as possible for anyone
involved no matter the size of the business they are
running.
l
l
Small locations such as bars, restaurants can
have between three and five slots.
Operators must have a minimum registered
capital and guarantee
The annual licence fee for organisation of the main
offline gambling activities is:
l
Lottery - €115,000
l
Totalisator – €45,000
l
Fixed betting – €25,500
l
Betting exchange - €25,000
l
Casino machines – €95,000
l
Slot machines – €20,000
l
Bingo games – €10,000
It is anticipated that the online
gaming sector could bring in
€100m in direct taxes this year.
It will also help increase public
revenues and harmonise
legislation with European
standards.
l
l
l
l
The annual fee for the operation of the main offline
gambling activities is:
l
Lottery - €180,000
Totalisator, fixed betting and betting exchange –
16 percent of GGR (but not less than €90,000)
Casino tables – €30,000 per table (Romania) and
€60,000 per table (Bucharest)
Slot machines – €2,600 per machines and
€1,500 per AWP
Bingo games – €7,000 plus three percent per
room on value of cards.
“Romania has taken huge steps in the last years in
terms of slot machine type gaming and the market
has the potential to soon become a good match for
any ‘older’ market in Europe. Now with the online
market opening on the way (following certain
required legal modifications) this difference will be
almost invisible. This is an advantage for everyone
involved as a catch 22 but with a positive meaning.
If the player is happy then the slot organiser can
develop which means large earnings going to the
budget. But it can happen the other way. Should the
legislation and fiscality allow it then the organiser
can improve his business and make investments so
as the player be happy.”
In December, with an agreement with the
International Monetary Fund, Romania committed
to reduce its debt to 1.83 percent of GDP in 2015
compared to 2.2 percent last year. It looked at the
gambling sector to help and in particular the online
sector.
It is anticipated that the online gaming sector could
bring in €100m in direct taxes this year. It will also
help increase public revenues and harmonise
legislation with European standards.
Last year (2013) gaming brought in €175m in taxes
(around 0.1 percent of GDP). However on the other
hand they will increase taxes which could affect
operators and it is thought the market will decrease
due to the increase. It is said casinos see on average
50 customers per day compared to 400 in their
prime.
Accordingly to the AOPJNR the fees and taxes
collected in 2013 amounted to:
4 7
G3-247 Report
roManian gaMbling MarkEt division 2012-2013
In January 2015 the Romanian
Lottery has dished out total
prizes of more than RON44m
(over €10m). In 2013 the
company saw a net turnover of
RON1.06bn
l
l
l
l
ACTIVITY
2012
2013
2014
CASInOS
SPORtS BEttInG OPERAtORS
BInGO HAllS
tV BInGO OPERAtORS
SlOt MACHInES OPERAtORS
SlOt MACHInES
FEE PER MACHInE
9
14
12
412
56,252
€1,950 AnnuAl
6
16
14
2
423
60,136
€1,800 AnnuAl
7
26
12
1
418
70,000 (APPROx)
€1,800 AnnuAl
Authorisation fees - RON654m (RON575.5m
2012)
Tax on revenues from gambling (players) –
RON70.2m (RON84m 2012)
Amount cashed by the operators – RON49.2m
(RON44.2m 2012)
Total - RON773.5m (RON703.7m 2012) –
equivalent to €175.4m.
thE lottEry sEctor
The Compania Nationale Loteria Romana (CNLR) or
Romanian lottery was founded in 1906 and is the
only operator in the country of lotteries and
totalisator. It started out as a charity establishment
and tickets were initially sold via churches with
small value prizes and the rest of the funds were
used for charitable actions.
4 8
The lottery as an institution was set up during the
two World Wars as a response to the nation’s
interest in other European lotteries.
In 1999 the Compania Nationala Loteria Romania
was established which replaced the communist era
Loteria Nationala.
Today it is headed by CEO Adrian Manolache Misu
and it has been involved in various cultural and
charitable projects and has helped raise funds for
several building renovations including the
Romanian Athenaeum and the Saint Joseph
Catholic Cathedral in Bucharest. There are 220
retailers in Bucharest alone.
Funds from the lottery are dished out in primary
focus groups such as sports, cultural, arts,
healthcare and social services.
Currently the lottery has several games including
Lotto 6/49, Noroc (Good Luck), Lotto 5/40, Super
Noroc, Joker, Noroc Plus, Sweepstakes and Prono S.
The most popular game is 6/49 where players
choose six numbers between 1 and 49.
Draws are held twice a week and six winning
jackpot numbers are drawn on Thursday and
Sunday and players can win cash prizes with as few
as three numbers.
In 2001 an existing online lottery network was
extended in order to reduce illegal gaming via
CNLR’s launch of VLTs.
Intralot was undertaken in a 13 year agreement to
G3-247 Report
supply the VLT systems officially launched in 2002
and this provided for 15,000 VLTs by Lotrom who
set up the communications network.
In January 2015 the Romanian Lottery has dished
out total prizes of more than RON44m (over €10m).
In 2013 the company saw a net turnover of
RON1.06bn which was an increase of over six per
cent from the previous years.
thE vlt sEctor
In 2003 the CNLR selected Intralot to supply its
VLTs. Some 500 terminals were initially installed in
2003 followed by another 1,500 terminals at the
end of the following year. The games offered at the
time were poker, blackjack, reels, bingo and keno.
Following a 13 year agreement with CNLR Intralot
undertook the supply and services related to the
operation of the VLT system and the agreement
provided for the installation of up to 15,000 online
VLTs connected with a central system.
Intralot’s subsidiary in Romania, Lotrom, dealt with
the after service and has also set up an online
satellite communications network which has been
operational since 2001.
Also in 2003 Intralot’s agreement introduced fixed
odds betting into the country and saw Intralot
Following a 13 year agreement
with CNLR, Intralot undertook
the supply and services related
to the operation of the VLT
system and the installation of up
to 15,000 online VLTs
connected with a central
system.
install a 1,800 Coronis terminal network into the
market.
In December 2014 the lotto games contract with
Intralot expired and the contract was not extended.
The lotto was continued via Intralot subcontractors.
The Romania lottery has come under the spotlight
many times with controversy over the years and
criticism in the press. The lottery company and
Intralot were due to re-sign another 10 year
contract but anti corruption prosecutors at the time
began criminal proceedings due to the lack of
transparency over the new partner choice and The
Romanian Competition Council issued fines
totalling €3.76m.
The scandal over Romania’s lottery contracts
unveiled that the National Lottery signed
preferential deals for its VLTs. The contract
awarded 80 per cent of all profits made by VLTs in
Romania to three privately held companies –
Intralot, Integrated Lottery Systems and Services
and Intracom SA Holdings and Lotrom.
When CNLR began the search for a lottery partner
apparently the company’s management did not
look far and they ‘stumbled upon’ two Greek
creditors and a Romania gambling machine
provider. The creditors Intralot and Intracom came
up with the money for all investments and Lotrom
provided the equipment.
A non compete clause in the agreement awarded
them exclusivity on all VLT related investments
whilst the state paid all the taxes and handed over
80 percent of the total revenue generated by the
VLTs between 2003 and 2006; 75 per cent from
2006 to 2009 and 70 per cent from 2009 to 2013.
The situation was unveiled in 2013 by the Romania
press and all four companies were fined by the
Competition Council – The CNLR was fined €2m,
Intralot €1.2m, Intracom €397,000 and Lotrom
€114,000. The contract expired in October 2013.
Then just a few months later the CNLR signed a
contract with Austria’s Novomatic. The Romania
5 1
Lottery has selected Novomatic to provide a total of
10,000 VLT ultimate generation terminals including
VLT system, maintenance services and spare parts.
The partnership was signed for 15 years and the
deal is 50/50. The system is based on a bank
guarantee of €20m. The contract was signed
October 2013 and the first games installed Dec 2013
and at present there are 5,000 VLTs installed in
1,300 lotto agencies.
Novomatic said at the time: “Following a
successfully completed negotiation and selection
procedure between five of the leading international
VLT providers Loteria Romania has selected
Novomatic to supply 10,000 state of the art VLTs
and the relevant Video Lottery System including
jackpot system, maintenance services, spare parts,
logistics etc, nationwide at locations provided by
Loteria Romania under a partnership concluded for
15 years.”
The agreement stated that the Video Lottery
System had to be implemented within a specified
time period and the VLT rollout is via a plan with a
secured bank guarantee of €20m. Loteria Romania
5 2
01 The statue of Dacian king Decebal,
carved in the rocky bank of the
Danube river, is the tallest rock
sculpture in Europe (135 feet tall).
02 The Danube River flows 1,788 miles
from its springs in Germany’s Black
Forest to the Black Sea. Just before
reaching the sea it forms the second
largest and best preserved of
Europe’s deltas: 2,200 square miles
of rivers, canals, marshes, treefringed lakes and reed islands.
03 The Carpathian Mountains are home
to one of the largest virgin forests in
Europe. 400 unique species of
mammals, including the Carpathian
chamois, call the Carpathian
Mountains home. 60% of European
brown bear population lives in the
Carpathian Mountains.
meanwhile granted a proportionate minimum
revenue guarantee of €75m.
Ryszard Presch, Chief Operating Office at
Novomatic said: “For our Group of Companies this
agreement is a very important step in the expansion
of our market position in the VLT business. This long
term agreement is an endorsement of our
competence in this sector and highlights once again
our leading role in the international VLT market.”
Five companies were included in the tender initially
– Novomatic, Gtech/Spielo, Inspired Gaming,
Scientific Games and Synot.
slot halls
Meanwhile there are around 418 slot hall operators
in Romania which operate around 13,000 slot halls
in the country and around 70,000 slots. The rules
state there are a minimum of 15 slot machines per
gaming hall which are dedicated sites; there are a
minimum of three but no more than five slots
permitted in sites such as bars and cafes and there
are a minimum of two and no more than five for
other sites such as betting and lotto outlets.
G3-247 Report
MachinEs & locations
bucharEst
constanta
cluJ
iasi
tiMis
bihor
argEs
MurEs
Hall A
Hall B
total
Slots (Hall A)
Slots (Hall B)
total
Operators
Av. Machines per hall
785
185
970
2,981
7,125
10,106
108
10.4
513
35
548
1,841
910
2,751
59
5
407
61
468
1,447
1,310
2,757
52
5.9
482
25
507
1,689
662
2,354
53
4.6
380
40
420
1,373
939
2,312
54
5.5
344
40
384
1,268
795
2,063
41
5.4
368
23
391
1,312
689
2,001
45
5.1
416
22
438
1,391
406
1,797
46
4.1
Source: AOPJnR
three slot halls in Romania – In Viva Casino
Bucharest in Plaza Mall here are 67 slots and four
electronic roulettes whilst Casino Berceni has 27
slots and an electronic roulette and finally Casino
Lujerului has 43 slots and electronic roulette.
Ritzio Entertainment Group entered the Romanian
market in 2005 and today has around 43 slot halls
and 1,869 slot machines via its Romania subsidiary
Intergame. It is one of the largest gaming operators
in the country.
The brand is Million which is an international chain
of gaming clubs whilst Fortuna Palace is a large
gaming property in Bucharest and this is 1,600 sq.m
in size, with a mix of 114 slots and three electronic
roulettes. As such it is one of the largest gaming
halls in Romania.
Merkur (part of the Gauselmann Group) has been
present in Romania since 2004 and operates under
the brand Merkur Sala Jocuri. They have a slot hall
in four regions – Sibiu, Craiova, Buzau, Ploiesti and
two slot halls each in Bucharest and Constanta.
A study conducted in 2013 by Romslot showed the
profile of a Romanian slot player is 92 percent male
and average age is 29 years old. Average monthly
personal income of a slot player is RON1,274.
Romanians associate slots with benefits such as
socialising, fun and enjoyment and gain.
Novomatic first entered the Romanian operations
market in 1990 and since the year 2000 has been
represented by Intertop as a gaming and sports
betting operator in the Admiral Clubs and since
2005 by Novo Invest Co. a company which
develops the renting of Novomatic’s equipment. In
2009 TIMAX joined the group with more than 50
locations.
Intertop has 79 gaming clubs throughout the
country and under the Admiral brands operates
almost 1,500 slots in its own clubs.
Since its initial market entry Novomatic says it has
made investments in Romania to the tune of €65m
in new Romanian headquarters and expansion of
gaming clubs.
All in all, Novomatic has 79
gaming clubs which operate
1,438 slot machines and 32
electronic roulettes plus some
155 slots in 36 bar locations.
The company also has cooperations with sports betting
locations and has 106 slots in
35 locations.
All in all, Novomatic has 79 gaming clubs which
operate 1,438 slot machines and 32 electronic
roulettes plus some 155 slots in 36 bar locations.
The company also has co-operations with sports
betting locations and has 106 slots in 35 locations.
Admiral has more than 30 clubs in Bucharest alone
with the rest throughout Romania.
Game World Romania is one of the main operating
companies in Romania and operates entertainment
centres mainly in shopping centres. The company
has five locations in Bucharest and one slot hall in
five other cities – Cluj-Napoca, Constanta, Brasov,
Sibiu and Alba Iulia.
Game World opened its first centre in 1999 in
Bucharest and has grown its network to 11 slot halls
today with 720 slot machines and 500 employees.
Game World also now operates in Hungary,
Slovakia, Moldova and Croatia. They partner with
Stanley Bet and Mega Jackpot of Romania.
The chart above shows the division of the slots and
gaming halls in the main regions for 2013. In total
there are 11,470 Gaming Hall A (which have 2-5
slots) and 735 Gaming Hall B (more than 15 slots) or
a total between the two of 12,205 gaming halls.
There are a total of over 40,000 slots operated in
Hall A and 18,629 in Gaming Hall B.
Casino Technology has been involved in the
Romanian market since 2006 following a huge
interest in their products so a local branch was set
up in Bucharest during this year which serves as
both a sale and service centre.
Other operators include Viva Casinos which has
5 3
01 Romania is the ninth largest wine
producer in the world
The real market boom for the company came a few
years later with the introduction of SENSA PLUS
cabinets and a wide range of new multi game
collections which offered a huge diversity of game
titles and an ergonomic cabinet design.
This was strengthened in spring of 2012 with the
introduction of Gamopolis multi game series with
20 games, themes, features and bonuses. This
proved highly popular.
Martin Ivanov at Casino Technology Bucharest said:
“Currently the Romanian market is in a period of
major changes associated with rapid influx of
online technologies in gambling and betting
businesses and updating of the legal framework
governing such activities.
“With an ordinance approved right before the end of
2014, Romanian government made significant
changes in online gambling regulations, abandoning
some of the most restrictive provisions applied to
the gambling industry. The regulation that entered
5 4
02 Romania’s 10-bani note issued in 1917 is
the smallest paper money ever printed
(dimensions: 1.08 x 1.49 in).
03 The modern jet engine was invented by
the Bucharest-born inventor Henri
Coanda in 1910.
04 Bucharest’s mass transit network is the
fourth largest in Europe.
05 Soprano Alma Gluck – the first lyrical
artist to sell one million records - was
born in Bucharest, Romania on May 11,
1884.
06 The city of Brasov is home to the largest
Gothic church between Vienna, Austria
and Istanbul, Turkey.
into force in February 2015 includes a new taxation
replacing the universal 25 percent tax with three
tier system, option of issuing of time limited
licences, measures intended to prevent gambling
addiction and participation of minors and, last but
not least, opening of the national market to EU
based companies.
“My expectations are that after the entry of the new
provisions in force there will be a period of
adaptation to the new rules that are more restrictive
for slot machines and casinos, but less rigorous for
online gambling. Operators will be forced to
reorganise their businesses in response of new
requirements such as larger fees, guarantees, costs
for mandatory online systems, possible fines etc.
provided by the new law.
“A potential source of problems and discrepancies
is the still missing by law on gambling regulations,
expected soon, that will indicate procedures and
ways to implement the new gambling ordinance.”
G3-247 Report
growth of slot hall MarkEt
MACHINES
PER OPERATOR
OPERATORS SLOTS
2011
2011
OPERATORS SLOTS
2012
2012
OPERATORS SLOTS
2013
2013
<50
50
51-99
100-150
151-200
201-250
251-1,000
1,000+
total
77
192
56
30
14
34
2
405
74
174
73
28
21
39
3
412
80
157
80
34
24
36
3
414
3,096
13,207
6,573
5,290
3,113
14,230
3,262
48,771
thE casinos
At one time anyone could open a casino in
Romania. Literally. All you needed was a licence
and a venue. Background was not a problem as the
licence was issued under a corporation name not
under the name of the individual. Romania was one
of the busiest gaming destinations with some 700
slot halls and 24 casinos back in 2010. Today there
are seven casinos, five of which are in Bucharest:
CASINO PLATINUM is located at the Radisson Blue
five star hotel and is one of the largest luxury hotels
in Bucharest with 424 rooms and suites. It’s located
in the centre of the city and offers spa and Platinum
Casino – one of the largest casinos in Romania.
QUEEN CASINO is one of the large casinos and
located in the heart of Bucharest at the Howard
Johnson five star hotel. They introduced a unique
voucher system called Queen Money and after an
initial visit a computer randomly chooses a client to
receive a voucher. This offers 100 vouchers daily.
Today Casino Technology’s product range for
Romania includes latest cabinet Aurora and multi
game Gamopolis Highway. The company is now
looking at developing and marketing new AWP
products for this market.
Meanwhile there are some changes for the slots
sector following the amendments by the GEO
92/2014. Under the changes slot operators will now
have to operate a minimum of 100 slots (raised from
50) and this is likely to affect those smaller slot
operators. On the other hand the legislation is
intended to provide a working framework for AWPS
and apparently there are talks about converting
slots on the market into AWPs so those with less
than 100 in total can use the machines in bars and
cafes but converted to AWPs.
The slot hall market has always over shadowed the
casino market. However at one time there were 20
plus casinos compared to the seven today, although
the number of slots in the market is growing.
CASINO BUCHAREST is located in the heart of the
capital city in the five star 22 floor Intercontinental
Hotel. It features 283 rooms, stylish bar and lounge,
restaurant and the casino offers 12 table games
including six American Roulette, three Blackjack
and three poker games. The casino was the first
casino in Romania and was opened in 1991.
GRAND CASINO MARRIOTT is a grand five star
hotel and although traditional is also very glitzy and
glamorous. It is located just next to the monumental
Parliament Palace and offers 400 rooms, six
restaurants and bars, fitness centre, spa and onsite
casino. The casino has 18 table games and located in
Bucharest.
CASINO GRAND VIE is said to be the biggest live
and electronic casino in Romania with 2,400 sq.m
of gaming area and located in Bucharest. There are
over 100 slots and three VIP rooms and three
restaurants. Accommodation is provided by partner
hotels Novotel.
CASINO VESUVIUS is located in Brasov and is a
luxury casino with slots and table games and
restaurant and bar services.
3,217
12,390
8,625
4,846
4,643
17,467
5,064
56,252
3,424
10,791
9,752
5,942
5,412
17,383
5,962
58,666
CASINO METROPOLIS is in the Hotel Continental in
Timisoara and offers various slots and table games
including Alfastreet electronic roulette table and
Abbiati Casino Equipment products. The Metropolis
Group also operates a casino in Hotel Novotel. The
company has also operated slots since 2002 and has
12 gaming hall locations (with more than 50 slots) in
various cities.
The Romanian law has different specifications for
casinos which operate in the capital and outside. For
those in Bucharest each operator is required to now
have a minimum of 12 tables (two of which must be
roulette) whilst outside the capital the minimum
number of tables is 10 (two of which must roulette).
The number of casino visitors has been dropping
over the years and apparently this has decreased by
as much as 60 percent between 2011 and 2013.
Queenco at one point aimed to develop in the
Romania market. In 2007 the company owned,
through a number of holding companies, a casino in
Bucharest called Casino Palace, which was opened
in 1995. But due to ongoing losses the group
disposed of this in January 2012 and a third party
invested in the casino. There were some problems
with the transfer and the casino was closed the new
casino owner underwent insolvency proceedings.
Casino Palace was shut down in 2012 due to unpaid
taxes.
Meanwhile there is talk of a new Casino Athenee to
open in the capital at the Hotel Athenee Palace
Hilton Bucharest. The hotel is a grand building built
in 1914 and is in a prime spot in the heart of the city.
sports bEtting
There are a total of 4,200 betting agencies across
the country of which the Romanian Bookmakers
association represents 3,000 and the association
aims to raise the standards of the sector.
The association members account for more than
6,000 employees. In 2010 the members paid almost
€24m in 2010 in taxes and contributions which was
part of the total €68m paid.
The Romanian Bookmakers association represents
5 5
many of the leading companies in Romania who
between them cover 70 percent of the sports
betting market which is turn operate some 9,000
slot machines (14 percent of the market). There are
in total some 26 sports betting operators
(November 2014) according to the AOPJNR.
Members of the association include Mozzart, Casa
Pariurlilor, Bet Café Arena, Public Bet, Sky Bets,
Baum Bet and StanleyBet.
Mozzart was founded in August 2000 and initially
they opened 340 betting offices in Serbia. In 2006
they expanded further a field and today Mozzart is
one of the leading companies in Eastern Europe in
the sports betting and gaming fields. They have a
total of 460 branches and 2,500 employees and
operate in Serbia, Romania, Republic Srpska and
Macedonia.
It runs one of the largest loyalty clubs in the region
with 140,000 members in the four countries and
has also opened bars at 110 of their betting offices.
They offer 10,000 high quality odds per day over
500 events per day and covering eight sports.
5 6
01 Present-day Constanta has been
associated with the legend of Jason
and the Argonauts, who embarked on
a long voyage from Greece to Kolchis,
Georgia on the Black Sea coast in
search of the Golden Fleece.
02 The Romanian language is 1,700
years old.
03 The name “Romania” comes from the
Latin word “Romanus” which means
“citizen of the Roman Empire.”
04 Three clay tablets, dated to around
5300 BC, discovered in the village of
Tartaria in central Romania, have been
the subject of considerable
controversy among archaeologists,
some of whom claim that the symbols
represent the earliest known form of
writing in the world.
Meanwhile they also manufacture their own slots –
the MO1 and MO2 models which are equipped with
17 inch displays and can house various game boards.
Casa Pariurilor offers sports betting and lottery.
Bet Café Arena offers a new concept of agency
combined as an entertainment centre offering
betting and slots. The company is in partnership
with GTech. They have a total of 177 agencies in 72
localities. They offer sports betting, lotto, live betting
and greyhound racing.
Public Bet has nearly 200 agencies throughout the
country and offers sports betting, live betting, lotto
and dog racing.
Sky Bets Sports was founded in 2005 and today has
280 bookmaker agencies and is the largest sports
betting operator franchise in Romania. They offer
sports betting plus slots, electronic roulette and
electronic poker tables in many of their venues.
BaumBet offers sports betting throughout Romania.
Also manufacture casino games via their subsidiary
Baum Games which was set up in 1993. Today with
G3-247 Report
500 employees the company develop slots and in
2008 developed multigames under the banner of
Dracula’s Games and has to date seven versions.
StanleyBet Romania is a subsidiary of Stanley
Leisure International which has licences in
Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Germany,
Lithuania, Italy, UK and Romania. It has
headquarters in Bucharest and it has around 140
agencies in Bucharest and a substantial number of
other agencies across Romania.
Meanwhile Novomatic is planning to introduce a
new terrestrial sports betting brand called Tip &
Cash into the Romanian market as from March this
year which will bring new betting possibilities into
the country.
Online operators based in
EU/EEA or the Swiss
Confederation will now be able to
apply for a Romanian licence
without being required to set up
a Romanian legal entity for such
purpose. Also the condition of
holding directly or indirectly an
offline licence was removed.
operator. However such monitoring operator did
not even exist in Romania, since the respective
licensing conditions were quite problematic and
therefore no entity expressed an interest to obtain
such a licence.
The secondary legislation detailing the licensing
conditions for remote operators was finalised in
August 2011 and approved through the
government’s Decision No. 823/2011 which
amended the government’s Decision No. 870/2009.
onlinE gaMbling
Although online gaming was first regulated back in
2010, the requirements for obtaining a licence made
it virtually impossible for online operators to
actually licence themselves. One of the big issues
of the former licensing regime for remote operators
was the requirement to submit a contract to the
regulator which was concluded with a monitoring
The online licensing conditions included certain
requirements such as the obligation to set up a
Romanian company and to hold directly or
indirectly a Romanian offline licence, which were
either in breach of the TFUE principle of free
movement of services or were raising completion
concerns.
All these circumstances led to a de facto standstill
period for the Romanian online sector in which
there was no licensed operator.
At the end of last year a new amendment package
was introduced to the gambling legislation through
GEO 92/2014 which amends and supplements GEO
77/2009, the latter being the primary piece of
legislation in the gaming industry.
This legislative act is set to change the playing field
of the online gaming sector even more. The new
rules entered into force on February 13 2015. So how
does the situation stand now?
At present, the new legislation removes many of
the former barriers for the entry on the Romanian
market. For instance, online operators based in
EU/EEA or the Swiss Confederation will now be
able to apply for a Romanian licence without being
required to set up a Romanian legal entity for such
purpose. Also the condition of holding directly or
indirectly an offline licence was removed and the
Romanian authorities will accept the location of the
operators’ central servers in any EU/EEA country or
in the Swiss Confederation as long as there will be a
mirror and a safe server located on the Romanian
soil.
Among the other important novelties for the
gambling industry is the express recognition of the
betting exchange as a permitted gambling activity
in Romania.
The new regulation introduces the ‘Black List’
concept which will contain all operators (along with
all their TLDs) that are offering games to Romanian
5 7
G3-247 Report
roMania: vital statistics
Capital: Bucharest
Population: 21,729,871
land Area: 238,391 sq.km
Currency: RON
Median age: 39.8 years
languages: Romanian (85%), Hungarian
(6%), Romany (1.2%) others
Ethnic Groups: Romanian (83%),
Hungarian (6%), Roma (3%) other
Government:
Republic
Chief of State:
President Klaus Iohannis (Christian Liberal
Alliance)
Head of Government:
Prime Minister Victor Viorel Ponta (PSD –
social democratic party)
Cabinet:
Council of Ministers appointed by the
Prime Minister
Elections: President elected by popular
vote for five years. Last election held in
2009 with a runoff a few weeks later.
Taxation has also been
amended and operators will
now pay an authorisation fee of
16 percent on the GGR and
online operators are no longer
obliged to withhold taxes on
players’ winnings.
online players without a licence. This means ISPs
will block Romanian players from accessing their
websites whilst the operator cannot apply for a
licence unless it meets the requirements for the
delisting – which will be defined through the
secondary legislation.
Meanwhile taxation has also been amended and
operators will now pay an authorisation fee of 16
percent on the GGR and online operators are no
longer obliged to withhold taxes on players’
winnings. Players now have to declare their
winnings and pay taxes directly to the authorities.
Previously players had a 25 percent income tax
rate enforced. This is now one percent for all
players’ revenues below €15,000, 16 percent for
revenues higher than €15,000 but less than
€100,000 and 25 percent for revenues higher than
€100,000.
Online operators will also have to pay an annual
tax of €5,000 for the Responsible Gambling
Foundation
5 8
thE nEw licEnsing fEEs for onlinE gaMbling
romanian turnover
licence fee
Less than €500,000 / per year
€500,001-€1m / per year
€1,000,001 - €5m / per year
€5,00,001 - €10m / per year
More than €10,000,001 / per year
€6,000
€24,000
€60,000
€96,000
€120,000
Cristian Radu, partner at Tuca Zbarcea Asociatii
(legal firm) said: “GEO 92/2014 is a step forward in
view of making the Romanian online market an
operational one. However this needs to be
complemented with a clear and comprehensive
secondary legislation, which is not yet in place.
“GEO 92/2014 provides that the Romanian
government has 30 days at its disposal calculated
from February 13 this year to approve the
application norms, which will certainly not happen.
Realistically the secondary legislation could be
ready in May.
G3-247 Report
lOttERY: CnlR
lOttERY REtAIlERS: 1,300
lOttERY REVEnuE: ROn1.06bn (net
turnover)
BEttInG AGEnCIES: 4,200
SlOtS In BEttInG SHOPS: 9,000
SPORtS BEttInG OPERAtORS: 26
CASInOS: 7
BInGO HAllS: 12
SlOt HAllS: 12,908
SlOt MACHInE OPERAtORS: 418
tOtAl SlOtS: 70,000 approx
tOtAl GGR: €800m
The secondary legislation is
extremely important since it will
lay down the licensing
requirements for online
operators and other entities
connected to the online gaming
industry.
92/2014, while in force starting from February 13,
will need to be validated by the Romanian
Parliament which may bring amendments in turn
to the primary piece of legislation.”
01 The Romanian Palace of Parliament in
Bucharest is the second largest
building in the world, next only to the
Pentagon in the United States.
“The secondary legislation is extremely important
since it will lay down the licensing requirements for
online operators and other entities connected to the
online gaming industry, such as payment
processors, software developers and distributors,
certifiers and auditors.
Also there are important topics for the conduct of
the online sector which are only addressed in the
secondary legislation such as: definition of the
players (to be considered for the GGR calculation),
advertising and other promotional activities which
may be performed by the operators, protection of
the players’ funds and management of the players’
accounts.”
Cristian Radu added: “The whole process of
finalising the legal framework applicable to the
online sector is even more intricate since GEO
02 Romania is known for having one of
the largest gypsy populations in
Europe.
03 Romanian inventor Traian Vuia was
the first European to build and fly a
fully self-propelled, fixed-wing
‘automobile airplane in March 18,
1906.
04 The first ever perfect 10 in the Olympic
Games was given to Romanian
gymnast Nadia Comaneci. She
bagged the score after her
performance in Montreal, Canada in
1976.
“One of the important envisaged amendments
concerns the regulation of the transitional period
in which online operators may be granted the right
to offer remote games to Romanian players, having
nonetheless the obligation to meet all the licensing
conditions by the end of the transitional period,
estimated to be a maximum 12 months, and
operate thereafter on the basis of a standard
licence.
By regulating such transitional period, two
important goals could be achieved – the operators
will have the possibility to operate legally in
Romania while the Romanian authorities will start
to tax the online sector.
“An important topic which should be also
addressed in the secondary legislation which
concerns the transitional period in which online
operators may obtain a Romanian gambling
licence in a fast forward process, having
nonetheless the obligation to meet all the licensing
conditions within a certain period of time from the
commencement of the transitional period.”
5 9
Interactive
BITCOIN
The rise and potential of
Cryptocurrency within iGaming
as a specialised business-to-business enabler of cryptocurrency solutions within the
gaming vertical, we are often asked by executives in the igaming industry what are the
benefits of implementing Bitcoin or other alternative cryptocurrency payment methods to
a gaming platform. Before we consider the answer, we need to review and ask the wider
question as to why have digital currencies and alternative payment solutions have become
increasing popular in the first instance with consumers.
thE EMErgEncE of bitcoin
Bitcoin first appeared some seven years ago back
in 2008 and was initially developed as a peer-topeer electronic cash system, whereby the Bitcoin
represents some amount of intrinsic value which
is the same as traditional monetary exchange systems based on the British Pound, Euro and the
Dollar, often referred to as ‘fiat based currency’.
The best way to describe Bitcoin to those that are
unfamiliar with the concept or term is to think of
Bitcoin is as an alternative virtual “currency” and
payment system. As in a standard monetary
exchange for goods or services, the Bitcoin is
transferred from one person to another in a transaction, and the value is determined by what
someone is willing to pay for it.
thE nEw dEcEntralisEd intErnEt
The proceeding years since 2008 can be defined
as one of disruption and transformation or the rise
of the ‘new internet’. This new nirvana provides
the infrastructure of tomorrow that enables
developers to build all the applications and services that exist as we know in this current connected and centralized internet to that of a new
decentralized internet. This new version of the
internet removes the requirements for physical
servers or data centers. They are replaced by the
users’ own computers. Running this through this
new ‘people powered’ system architecture, has
some benefits, which include data security as the
data is only ever stored or in transit and of which
only the users have access to the passwords to
decrypt that data. It has allowed and given rise to
cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin which to recap is
therefore a decentralized protocol that enables
exchange of value among parties around the
world as an alternative payment method.
so who’s using bitcoin?
Aside from the fundamental shift of a decentral6 0
ized internet driven by people, we have also
endured the financial meltdown around the same
time period of the emergence of Bitcoin (circa
2008), with the banking industry and financial
sectors receiving and continued to this day untold
amounts of negative publicity over how they treat
customers with miss-selling scandals, hidden
charges, costs, fat-cat bonuses and general irreproachable behaviour portrayed by them towards
the authorities. It’s understandable therefore as to
why cryptocurrencies’ such as bitcoin are becoming hugely popular alternative payment methods
– consumers distrust the current status quo and
are rebelling, so in effect it’s the financial system
iGaming is hugely competitive,
somewhat cut-throat and is
becoming a commoditised
vertical where differentiation
in platform and product mix is
ever more complicated.
that has actually been the anthesis for the growth
in Bitcoin. Innovation, change, disruption shall
always galvanise and polarize opinion both positively and negatively. As with most disruption in
the digital economy, it is consumers driving the
change not the big corporations who think that
they are the ones spearheading the change.
Cryptocurrency or Bitcoin users tend to be a
younger demographic and are labelled as
Generation Z and are therefore for many businesses, a much sought after demographic segment. They have grown up with digital technology, buying virtual goods, playing social games and
voicing their opinion via the many social net-
tim Heath,
CFO of Coingaming.io
Tim Heath has over 10 years management experience in
online gaming and is the CFO of Coingaming.io a leading
platform provider which specializes in the provisioning of
Bitcoin crypto currency solutions for the iGaming sector.
working platforms. They are therefore able to
embrace change very swiftly without any hangups or preconceptions. It’s a cliché for sure, but
they are the now generation not just pushing
change but transformation and that means constantly challenging the status quo or legacy systems including the way things are done.
bitcoin potEntial for igaMing
iGaming is a hugely competitive industry, somewhat cut-throat and is perhaps becoming a commoditised vertical where differentiation in the
platform and product mix is ever more complicated for operators as they seek to maintain market
share in existing territories and look to emerging
markets both regulated and unregulated for
growth opportunities.
Bitcoin therefore has the potential to help modernise existing gambling infrastructures and business models. Why - there are hundreds of millions of potential consumers out there, that are
commonly referred to as ’under banked’ and may
not have access to traditional banks, ATM’s or
debit cards. But yet this same desirable demographic group are accessing the digital economy
via their internet enabled devices daily and wishing to buy goods and services – so it’s a numbers
game and Bitcoin could by a means to perhaps
service a relatively large, untapped and growing
consumer market who wants to do things differently from the previous generation.
Interactive
BITCOIN
soME of thE bEnEfits
One of the biggest challenges for an igaming operator is ensuring an efficient and up-to-date array
of global and regional payment solutions for consumers to deposit and withdraw within the gaming platform. After all gaming’s value exchange
model is intangible, it’s based on a cash exchange
between the player and the gaming platform
operator. With this cash exchange, processing fees
are always a proverbial bone of contention for
both the operator of the platform and the customers playing. Therefore unlike traditional payment methods using credit cards which have various associated transactional fees; transacting with
Bitcoin incurs very low or no fees, which are a
huge, advantage over traditional payment methods.
Additionally, as most igaming operators have a
truly global reach and therefore global customer
base which also requires complex localised payment solutions, which also involves currency
exchange and the risk exposure therein provides
additional overheads to the gaming operation.
Bitcoin is accepted globally and has no barrier to
transactions made around the world since there is
no central currency exchange rate, and thus presents a huge opportunity for any gaming brands to
offer Bitcoin as an alternative payment method.
Another significant benefit of Bitcoin acceptance
for igaming is the instantaneous deposits and
withdrawals. For example when you pay a
cheque from one bank into your bank, the bank
PayPal are accepting Bitcoin;
Dell is selling computers for
Bitcoin, Virgin Galactic is
selling space voyages for
Bitcoin and Microsoft has
entered the race.
digital behemoths such as PayPal are already
accepting Bitcoin; Dell is selling computers for
Bitcoin, Virgin Galactic is selling space voyages
for Bitcoin and Microsoft has entered the race. It is
therefore clear that that more and more companies are adopting Bitcoin as a payment method as
they understand the internal operational business
benefits and the prospect to capture more customers as cryptocurrency usage by consumers
becomes more mainstream and acceptable.
invariably holds that money for several days,
simply because it can’t trust that the funds are
truly available. Similarly, international wire
transfers can take a relatively long time, however
with Bitcoin transactions, however, are generally
far faster than the traditional payment methods.
In terms of the igaming ecosystem, leading casino
games content providers such as Microgaming,
have recently enabled its hugely successful
Quickfire catalogue of games to the likes of
Bitcoin only operator bitcasino.io, further opening
the distribution of these games to a growing
Bitcoin player community.
This is particularly important in regard to shaking
up the gaming industry, where by traditionally,
player’s winnings have taken huge amounts of
time to be paid out; Bitcoin withdrawals take seconds, to anywhere in the world, allowing players
to be in instant control of their winnings.
thE futurE
We are already witnessing significant financial
investment by the likes of the New York Stock
Exchange and financial services leader USAA,
BBVA, the second largest bank in Spain, and the
Japanese DoCoMo into the likes of Coinbase, the
bitcoin wallet and trading platform on the technology side. On the retailing side, ecommerce and
Furthermore a number of poker, casino and
sportsbook providers that have adopted Bitcoin
are growing rapidly in terms of volumes and customer numbers of which as a business we are
providing these operators with the necessary
tools to run their Bitcoin enabled gaming business. Our industry needs innovation and differentiation and in order to thrive and stay ahead of
your competitors. It is quite clear that cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and the decentralized
internet are here to stay, so we envisage more
gaming companies both land-based and digital
along with gaming content developers and
providers shall follow suit and shall integrate
Bitcoin payment functionality this year.
6 1
Interactive
Multiplication and division
the ability of games developers to create multi-faceted content able to jump from
platform to platform as spritely as their games characters is more important than ever. In
an exclusive article for g3, Comtrade’s mobile product manager, Joze pfeifer, looks at the
multiple roles of today’s games developer in creating true multi-channel games content
Do you remember the times when we played
games on Nintendo Game Boy? This was back in
1989 when almost no one had a mobile phone and
a Game Boy was the first modern mobile computing device for many of us. We had no idea that
mobile phones would one day evolve into smartphones, eventually replacing most single task
devices like cassette players and cameras that
were very popular back then. We also couldn’t
have anticipated that smartphones would gain
advanced features like health and fitness tracking,
voice control and contactless payments support.
What’s more, mobile games on smartphones
already rival previous generation consoles in
terms of content quality, which is very impressive
considering all the constraints associated with
mobile devices.
how do you dEvElop for diffErEnt
kinds of dEvicEs?
If you were developing content for a Nintendo
game console the development looked different
than if you were developing for another console
from Microsoft or Sony or a completely different
platform/device. The difference wasn’t just in the
underlying hardware, but also in the technology,
tools and interaction methods. This still holds true
today as we are using an even greater number of
devices with different user interaction options –
from smartphones, tablets and traditional PCs to
the emerging smartwatches and smart TVs. .
Basically, each new category of device that comes
out these days is marketed as a connected device
enabling new ways of interactivity for the end
users.
With the introduction of the modern smartphone
by Apple in 2007, the number of smartphone
users rapidly increased. This meant that future
content development would need to focus on a
new emerging group of players who are playing
mainly from their mobile phones while on the go.
Then, in 2010 with the arrival of the iPad we saw
another trend, whereby traditional PCs and laptops were being replaced with a new category of
devices – tablets. The user interaction and content
consumption on the new mobile devices is radically different than on their desktop counterparts.
6 2
This means that content offered on these devices
must be optimized to deliver a first-class experience to the users. Last year, the number of global
mobile users exceeded their desktop counterparts
confirming that betting on the mobile first strategy (which includes both phones and tablets) made
sense.
With mobile smartphones and tablets on the rise,
operators needed to start looking at new ways of
providing their users with the right content based
on the device the player is using. However, traditional PC users were still a priority as a large portion of consumers used the already established
channel throughout their day to access content.
Now, the biggest chunk of our content consumption isn’t happening on the widespread PCs, but
on mobile devices such as phones, tablets and
soon even smartwatches.
The de-facto standard on desktops until recently
was to use Adobe Flash to develop high quality
content to reach the largest portion of the audience. Besides the widespread presence of Flash
on desktops, another reason for using Adobe
Flash was that engineers were hired and/or educated over the years to develop Flash games, so a
lot of Flash knowledge was available in-house.
But Adobe Flash never really took off on mobile
due to Apple's resilience not to support it on iOS,
their operating system that runs on iPhones and
iPads. Instead, HTML5, CSS and JavaScript were
being pushed as the way to do mobile cross-platform content development for those cases where
native development wasn’t preferred. This meant
that a lot of things needed to be recreated in a
new technology which was unfamiliar to the
already well-established Flash teams.
Additionally, HTML5 on mobile was still in its
infancy and was constantly evolving as the available features were evolving year after year.
Granted, there are still markets like China where
Flash and Download Casino are used for new
desktop content development as not enough users
have HTML5 capable browsers and slow Internet
connections are still widespread. A slow Internet
connection results in long loading times and you
don’t want to keep your users waiting for too long
Jože Pfeifer,
Mobile Product Manager at
Comtrade Gaming
Jože Pfeifer joined Comtrade
Group in 2006 (previously,
Hermes SoftLab) as a
software developer and later
on as project manager. With
the rise of mobile
technologies his focus was
on gathering knowledge and
expertise in the mobile
segment. Over the years, he
became Mobile Product
Manager at Comtrade
Gaming, where he is leading
projects and develops
cutting edge products.
If you were developing content
for Nintendo the development
looked different than if you
were developing for another
console from a Microsoft or
Sony platform/device.
as they may lose interest to play altogether. By
offering a Download Casino client, players are
able to download each game only once and can
launch it quickly as the game content is stored
locally. Using HTML5 exclusively in such a market would therefore limit the reach of your
games. The same is not true for other markets
where HTML5 presence is widespread and
Internet connections are a lot faster.
When all of these different types of devices
became widespread, we saw the arrival of tools
that are designed to simplify the development of
content. Their promise is that you develop once
and distribute your content to multiple available
channels. At the moment, the bigger players in the
field for native development are Xamarin for apps
and Unity and Epic’s Unreal games engine.
Xamarin and Unity are offering their tools for free
to smaller developers but charge fees for bigger
teams, while Unreal charges a fixed 5% royalty on
earned revenue. At the other end, we have an
open set of frameworks running on HTML5, CSS
and JavaScript. Their behavior depends on the
device’s underlying hardware and browser used to
run them. The number of available frameworks to
build apps and games is very big, ranging from
AngularJS, Sencha, Cordova/PhoneGap to Impact,
just to name a few of the most popular ones. Some
are used for pure HTML5 development while others offer the capability to create apps with access
to native device features with the same drawbacks of native apps – going through the process
of publishing on app stores.
htMl5 fEaturEs on dEsktop and
MobilE on par?
With the ever changing device capabilities games
that were developed 2-3 years ago can nowadays
look really dated as they were designed and built
for the devices and browsers of that time. Back
then, game development included a lot of compromise like lightweight graphics and simpler
sounds. Those games were never meant to be
played on desktop screens, but only on smaller
mobile screens.
Now, we've come to a point where the available
HTML5 features on desktop and mobile devices
are on par as features such as WebGL and multichannel sounds have a widespread support on
mobile. What’s even more important is the fact
that the number of mobile devices capable of running high quality content is bigger than ever. The
expanded common HTML5 feature set, as well as
the more powerful devices, enable true multichannel content development.
providE your usErs with first-class
trEatMEnt on EvEry channEl
Nowadays, you can create a game with HTML5
only once and optimie it for different channels
like mobile, tablet and desktop. That way, all of
your players feel they are enjoying a first-class
experience regardless of which channel they are
using. Some companies are already targeting the
new wearables channel, more specifically smartwatches, but for now this remains a niche market
as bigger companies like Apple aren't even offering a browser on their smartwatch. Native apps
would be needed to target smartwatch users and
6 3
Interactive
that means extra development time for each particular product as each smartwatch has its
specifics. Although Smart TVs are able to run
HTML5 content, the bigger question is whether
you really want your users to use that channel to
access your content. Content consumption on TVs
differs greatly from their mobile and desktop
counterparts due to limited interaction options
through the completely different TV remote controls which vary greatly from manufacturer to
manufacturer.
Considering the fact that mobile
will soon eclipse desktop, we
should be seeing more and more
streamlined content which
delivers mobile game versions
with minor changes
thE way usErs arE consuMing your
contEnt is iMportant!
but is optimized for touch interaction. Here you
also need to take into consideration the interruptions that can occur on one-app-at-a-time
devices that have a constant flow of push notifications. In a way, the desktop channel is the most
complex one to develop content for as you need to
optimize the interface for the mouse and keyboard. The richness of the games can be even
greater as desktops are still comparably more
powerful than their mobile counterparts.
When making optimizations for each channel, you
need to consider not only the end device but also
the way users are consuming your content on
each particular channel. Users on smartphones
expect a game that loads quickly, so they can
make bets/spins while on the go. Because users’
attention span is quite short and a lot of interruptions can occur during play, they also need to
understand that in case interruptions occur the
game will be waiting for them when they are
ready to continue playing. On tablets users expect
high quality content that offers the same kind of
quality that the traditional desktop versions offer
6 4
Considering the fact that mobile revenue will
soon eclipse desktop revenue, we should be seeing more and more streamlined content which
delivers mobile game versions with minor
changes for desktop users. Because the majority
of users will continue to use their mobile devices
for content consumption the extra development
time for a radically different desktop version just
won't make business sense. And, as more and
more desktop computers offer support for touchscreens the day isn’t far off when users will prefer
the tablet optimized graphics on their desktops as
they will be using their fingers to play.
lEt nEw channEls MaturE ovEr tiME
In the end, although mobile devices are getting
more powerful each year, it still holds true that
some compromises need to be made to ensure
your games work on all the different devices that
are popular today. As the devices keep evolving,
you can also continue to add new features to
games to keep users engaged. The trend going forward for multi-channel content development will
definitely be more convergence in regards to the
quality on all channels as mobile devices are getting faster and desktops are gaining mobile device
features like touch screens. And just because particular channels like wearables and Smart TVs
exist today, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you
need to rush to support them right away. These
new channels will mature over the years just like
smartphones and tablets have before them.
Interactive
Defining omni-channel strategy
g3 poses multi-channel content development questions to gerhard Burda, acting Chief
product officer at Inspired, as all eyes in the gaming industry look towards omni-channel
Do games developers begin the design process
with the view to creating a multi-channel game or is that of no importance, as it’s the platform and
delivery that creates the multi-channel experience?
Firstly it’s important to understand that there is a fundamental difference between multichannel and
omnichannel. While multichannel just means deployment of content in more than one channel, omnichannel is the seamless integration of the consumer experience and player movements.
With that in mind, companies need to develop games
with an omnichannel view. They then may need to
make further adjustments to optimise content for the
individual channels.
How consistent should a game be across multiple
channels - do players accept changes in mechanics from one channel to another or must the gaming experience to be exactly the same? Should a
game change in the way it presents itself and
adjust according to the device?
There will always need to be changes to reflect the different player demographics as well as regulatory
frameworks, which may differ between the channels.
The key to successful omnichannel operations is a single view of the player – Inspired is working closely
with its customer base to provide this technology and
integration.
What are the difficulties in creating omni-channel
games? Are the costs bigger, the development
times increased, the ROI longer?
There is an increased cost associated with developing
omnichannel games, related to different programming
languages, testing and channel release. The challenge is
balancing these increased costs with return-on-invest-
ment. For example, the success of a mobile game is
based on a lot of external factors, such as the promotion
it receives and time on homepages.
Are there specific types of games that make the
conversion to multi-channel? Are social games
easier to convert? Are classic spinning reel slots
the perfect experience? Is there a better hit rate
for a certain ‘genre’ of game?
It’s very much on a case-by-case basis, but, as a rule,
Free Spin games tend to be easier to convert. To create
a true omnichannel experience, players should be able
to leave a game on one channel and then pick it up at
the same place on another.
The industry still needs to find the proper balance
between so called multichannel deployment of portfolio games and larger omnichannel productions.
What is the weighting of the channels right now?
For example, is mobile the most important channel as opposed to browser-play? Should developers weight their games towards play upon one
channel, such as mobile, which seems to be making all the noise right now?
Many of our customers are reporting that revenues on
mobile are surpassing those on desktop, so it certainly
seems to be the channel that is growing the fastest.
However, again, the strategy should be to weight games
on a case-by-case basis; in some instances retail takes
priority, in others it’s mobile, you cannot apply a categorical rule without the context.
Should every game be developed for multi-channel? Are you losing out if you’re not creating a
multi-channel game right now?
Not every game needs to be multichannel, but operators all need to have an omnichannel strategy in place
Gerhard Burda,
Acting Chief Product Officer, Inspired
Following eight years as a Managing Director and CEO of
the German Atronic Group, Gerhard spent three years as
Senior Vice President at GTECH/Lottomatica. During this
time the company entered new markets, such as the
Italian AWP and VLT markets, and launched major new
international products. Since leaving Lottomatica
Gerhard founded a think tank, called Escapes, focusing
on new trends in gaming and the convergence of gaming
spaces. At Inspired Gerhard is responsible for the
company’s product strategy, and is particularly focused
on products for emerging VLT markets and Inspired's
omnichannel product strategy.
and partner with content providers, like Inspired, to
enable simultaneous game launches and seamless
integration across channels, where relevant.
We’ve seen lots of classic slot titles transferred to
multi-channel, with back catalogues bought and
sold for huge sums recently - are these the ideal
games for multi-channel? Should we be looking
‘back’ to create the ‘future’ for multi-channel?
In the early days of mobile gaming it made commercial
sense to convert back catalogue games because of
player familiarity – it also enabled incremental growth
and revenues. Now, there are instances where a
mobile-first omnichannel content strategy can be more
advantageous, depending on the player demographic.
6 5
Interactive
The omni-channel
development process
lee Harford,
Head of Retail Content,
Playtech
g3 quizzes lee harford, head of retail Content at playtech, who is among the senior team
leading the company’s playtech one omni-Channel strategy, about the one solution
Do games developers begin the design process
with the view to creating a multi-channel game or is that of no importance, as it’s the platform and
delivery that creates the multi-channel experience?
Creating omni-channel games is central to our design
process thinking. It’s not just the platform and delivery
that create the multi-channel experience. What’s
important is to have a design resource that has experience of working with all the verticals, not just from the
supply side but also from the operations side as well.
We have a very experienced team of seasoned professionals who have a wide and varied experience of the
gaming industry.
How consistent should a game be across multiple
channels - do players accept changes in mechanics from one channel to another or must the gaming experience to be exactly the same? Should a
game change in the way it presents itself and
adjust according to the device?
The differences between channels are actually driven
primarily by two variables: varying regulations particularly between retail and mobile/browser-led gaming
and current hardware designs. The ideal would be for
the playing experience to be completely consistent for
ease of user experience. However, varying stakes/prizes
and game rules between verticals mean there has to be
variations in game designs. As part of our Playtech One,
omni-channel strategy, we are very much focused,
wherever possible, in ensuring our games are consistent across all verticals.
different computer languages to their retail equivalents. Many smaller providers are finding the additional
costs troublesome and can no longer deliver what their
customers require. As the different verticals merge,
efficiencies will emerge and timelines reduce. At
Playtech we are embracing the challenges. In the early
2000s industry talk was ‘will mobile gaming ever
work?’. We all know the answer to that question now.
The challenges that faced mobile gaming were overcome and we can expect the same with multi-channel
games.
Are there specific types of games that make the
conversion to multi-channel? Are social games
easier to convert? Are classic spinning reel slots
the perfect experience? Is there a better hit rate
for a certain ‘genre’ of game?
Classic casino games like Roulette are an optimal
experience for our Playtech One strategy. Slot games
require some adaption but again, our games designers
are rapidly learning what features sit best across all
verticals. Our product research teams work hand-inhand with our games development teams, constantly
feeding player research and B2B input into our design
processes. It’s a moving picture at the moment, and yes
classic casino games are the easiest conversions, but
we expect all different types of games to get there in
time. It’s all about investment and having the resources
to keep learning and researching what players want
and what works best.
What are the difficulties in creating multi-channel
games? Are the costs bigger, the development
times increased, the ROI longer?
What is the weighting of the channels right now?
For example, is mobile the most important channel as opposed to browser-play? Should developers weight their games towards play upon one
channel, such as mobile, which seems to be making all the noise right now?
The initial costs are higher due to the fact that
mobile/web browser games are written, for example, in
Mobile is the growth vertical but we are way past single silo developments. Today’s consumer wants to be
6 6
able to play their favourite games in a playing pattern
that suits their lifestyles. Equally, our licensees want to
be able to buy platforms, systems and games that meet
the needs of their players. Piecemeal strategy in the
modern omni-channel environment will significantly
disadvantage operators, players will simply move onto
another operator that has the product set that meets
their preferences.
Should every game be developed for multi-channel? Are you losing out if you’re not creating a
multi-channel game right now?
Ultimately yes. Many operators, particularly in the UK,
will no longer accept single vertical solutions and products. The industry cannot operate in a bubble, consumer behavior via advances in mobile technology has
fundamentally changed.
Are there games that aren’t suitable for multichannel release?
These would only be limited or niche games that have
been developed historically via retail regulations in
some markets. The nature of regulation in those retail
markets has meant some quite quirky game designs
evolved.
We’ve seen lots of classic slot titles transferred to
multi-channel, with back catalogues bought and
sold for huge sums recently - are these the ideal
games for multi-channel? Should we be looking
‘back’ to create the ‘future’ for multi-channel?
Back catalogue games have the benefit of brand recognition. At Playtech we are anticipating new games to
emerge as part of our Playtech One strategy that will
displace older established titles in the next year to
three years. There will always be classic titles, we have
many within our extensive 500-plus game portfolio,
however new titles will emerge as our games designers
and development teams deliver what players want
from a seamless omni-channel player experience perspective.
Interactive
ISLE OF MAN
Where the Isle of Man fits in the
global gaming marketplace
the Isle of man - “a small rock, somewhere between liverpool and dublin with only
around 85,000 people – but actually the home for some of the largest suppliers to the
on-line gaming industry worldwide and some of the largest operators.”
The Isle of Man employs around 800 staff in the pure
gaming sector which generates around 15% of our GDP.
Expertise has grown over the years in all forms of the
on-line gaming product set along with all of the support
services necessary to make the operators successful.
Let’s first look at the software suppliers. Both
Microgaming and Playtech are headquartered here and
their offices are less than 5 minutes’ walk from each
other. In addition, smaller, niche but very innovative
product suppliers such as Iforium, Link2Win and Veros
are established on the Island and are attracting great
interest. In a recent statement Microgaming announced
a major expansion plan. A new 5-storey office building
will sit adjacent to Microgaming’s existing office which
also houses Derivco (Isle of Man) and will be used to
accommodate their rapid on-island growth. The office
has been designed to provide employees with the environment needed to thrive in business.
Roger Raatgever, CEO of Microgaming, explained:
“Since we set up our global head office on the Isle of
Man in 2001, we have grown at an incredible rate. We
now have over 160 people in our building here on the
island, and we expect this number to grow significantly
over the next few years. The establishment of a new
building not only shows our commitment to the island,
but our commitment to look after our staff, to create an
office environment that is employee-focused, suited to
our fun and energetic culture, and that fosters innovation and creativity.”
These companies offer a full range of software products, platforms and games covering all aspects of gaming on all on-line platforms. Their customer base is
worldwide and their products are available, to quote
the 1970s Martini advert ‘‘Anytime, Anyplace
Anywhere…’’
Looking at the Isle of Man licenced operators, the range
includes worldwide leaders such as PokerStars and Full
Tilt, whose products list now includes sports book and
casino as well as their traditional poker offerings. The
list also includes the world’s leading bookmakers with
specific knowledge of Asian Handicap betting along
with specialists in pari-mutuel race betting, lottery
messenger, Binary Options, fantasy sports, proprietary
sports betting, bingo, casino… The list goes on but they
all benefit from the single licence approach that the
Island offers rather than requiring a separate licence for
each product type.
These companies also need support services and the
highest level of governmental support and top quality
regulatory control.
The Isle of Man has built up these quality services, and
has continuously improved them, over a long period of
Peter Greenhill
CEO, e-Gaming, Isle of Man Government
Peter Greenhill is the CEO of e-Gaming at the Isle of Man
Government’s Department of Economic Development.
Peter has 18 years of gaming industry experience having
held executive management positions at Cyberview
Technology, Betex, TCS John Huxley and Essnet.
time. Crucially the unsurpassed quality of the power
supply and telecommunications infrastructure that is
vital for companies who all need to operate 24/7 and
365 are delivered through a number of Tier 3 + data
centres on the Island. Operators simply cannot afford
any break in the service that they offer.
Other service suppliers who have developed a full
understanding of the gaming industry include banks,
payment service providers, lawyers, accountants, corporate service providers and consultants.
In short the Isle of Man is a home for the whole spectrum of online gaming businesses and the products
they offer.
6 7
Interactive
ESPORTS BETTING
eSports - a league
all of their own
If you know what a moBa* is, you’re
either a 20-something games fanatic
or one of the esports betting
developers racing to offer its 205
million viewers the chance to bet on
the massive tournaments broadcast
to international audiences. g3 speaks
to tabcorp and unikrn about their
recent global partnership agreement
*multiplayer online battle arena
eSports is a global gaming phenomenon about which
you’re likely to known very, very little. Tapping into a
very specific generational niche, eSports has built an
international audience of over 205 million players dedicated to following video games tournaments staged
like rock concerts for computer game geeks.
Such is the massive interest in eSports that is was only
a matter of time before betting companies took an
interest in the potential of this market. One recently
announced global partnership is between Unikrn, a
gaming, eSports and entertainment company and
Australia’s Tabcorp, whereby Tabcorp is to launch a
new eSports platform - an online arena where people
can gather, game and safely bet on organised, sanctioned multi-player video game competitions from
around the world.
At launch, Unikrn will provide access to live viewing,
live discussions and competitive odds to gaming fans
globally, including in the US. In addition, in legal sports
6 8
betting jurisdictions, Unikrn users will be able to bet on
the outcome of matches and tournaments, with further
bet types to follow.
grated wagering and media business provides Unikrn
with the platform to build a secure, legal and fun arena
for adults to gather, game, and bet on eSports.”
Built on a massive community set to reach more than
10 million gamers in over 100 countries worldwide in
2015, Unikrn has taken steps to ensure its customers
experience a safe and legal wagering environment
through its partnership with Tabcorp’s Luxbet platform.
Tabcorp will control the geographic areas where
wagering is offered and will also handle all account
identification processes.
“Tabcorp is proud to be partnering with Unikrn,” said
Tabcorp Managing Director and CEO, David
Attenborough. “Unikrn is delivering a global gaming
community platform that reaches millions of gamers
around the world, with a proven record of innovation
and success. As an investor in Unikrn, Tabcorp is connecting its Luxbet platform to Unikrn’s gaming and
eSports communities.”
“eSports is one of the largest sports globally, attracting
viewer numbers that are on par with traditional sports
such as American football and basketball,” said Rahul
Sood, CEO and co-founder of Unikrn. “We couldn’t
have found a better partner than Tabcorp to drive innovation and bring wagering to the fast-growing eSports
market. Tabcorp’s track record as a global leader in
responsible betting and its experience running an inte-
By visiting www.unikrn.com (on either mobile or
desktop), Unikrn customers can watch the world’s best
professional gamers participate in live gaming tournaments around the world. Unikrn features tournaments
for AAA titles such as League of Legends, Dota2,
Counter-Strike and others. For customers located in
jurisdictions that permit online betting, the Unikrn
platform provides an opportunity to bet on the out-
Interactive
ESPORTS BETTING
across all stages. The global audience on Twitch.com
saw 16 billion minutes of live gaming streams watched
per month last year on average, with the number growing rapidly month over month. In 2013, it was estimated that approximately 71,500,000 people watched
competitive gaming. It’s a figure that rose to 205 million
in 2014 and is heading towards 500 million in the not
too distant future.
When the Tabcorp partnership
was first formed Unikrn had 2.5
million unique gamers on its
database, including 500,000
Australians/New Zealanders.
This global database has rapidly
grown to almost 10 million.
comes of matches and tournaments through a range of
bet types common in more traditional sports betting
markets.
what is an Esport?
Electronic sports (also known as eSports, e-sports or
competitive gaming) is a term for organised multiplayer
video game competitions. The most common video
game genres associated with electronic sports are realtime strategy, fighting, first-person shooter, and multiplayer online battle arena. Tournaments such as the
League of Legends World Championship, The
International Dota 2 Championships, the Battle.net
World Championship Series, the Evolution
Championship Series, and the Intel Extreme Masters
provide both live broadcasts of the competition, and
cash prizes to competitors.
The eSports market continues to boom in popularity. In
total, the League of Legends World Championship 2014
saw 288 million cumulative daily unique impressions
One of the biggest problems for betting in gaming is liquidity, while the other issue is licenses. If you want to
compete in the international betting sector then you
need both. “You must also know how to both be
responsible and at the same time ensure that betting is
fun,” adds Mr. Sood. “When we researched Tabcorp we
found that it has an incredible reputation that meets all
of the above objectives. Plus, when we showed them
eSports, they immediately loved it. Tabcorp has both
invested in Unikrn and given us access to global
licences. We have already started in Australia and we
plan to open in the UK mid-May, before rolling out into
Europe and the US - eventually.”
Tabcorp has the technology Unikrn needs to bring its
eSports offer to the gaming public, but the fit between
the two companies is also about the culture of the
team. “Tabcorp are a huge business, but they move like
a start-up,” states Mr. Sood. “Tab’s online division,
Luxbet, has a A$100m turnover - but you’d think they
were a start-up with the speed at which they work.
Culturally, its a perfect fit between the two companies
and Tabcorp recognises that eSports is a great way to
grow their business into new international markets.”
“eSports brings diversification into a new and rapidly
expanding market,” states Tabcorp’s Andrew Vouris.
“Tabcorp is the exclusive wagering services provider
for Unikrn. Tabcorp has been watching this space for
some time and recognised the opportunity with
Unikrn. When the partnership was first formed Unikrn
had approximately 2.5 million unique gamers on its
database, including 500,000 Australians/New
Zealanders. This global database has rapidly grown to
almost 10 million. New betting markets will be
announced often.”
why will global audiEncEs
bE drawn to Esports?
There is currently a 205 million+ audience for eSports,
where approximately 45 per cent of those viewers
don’t play the games themselves. Mr. Sood describes a
typical stadium eSports match at the San Jose Arena,
California, in which fans gather to watch in a
gameshow environment, with huge screens displaying
the action. Team matches (5-on-5 player games) can
be watched by crowds of up to 15,000 within the
Arena, with upwards of 300,000 people viewing
online. And while a traditional football or hockey
match might last three hours, eSports events usually
take place over three days.
Competitive gaming, also known as eSports, generated
a total of $194m in revenues last year and is set to reach
$465m by 2017 - but which eSports are the right ones to
back? “I think the ones with the largest spectators,”
suggests Mr. Sood. “Game publishers have to change
their models by increasing spectating. Examples would
include Dota 2, Heroes of the Storm, even Halo. Those
are the kind of games that we can support with a flexible environment that enables people to watch and
6 9
Interactive
ESPORTS BETTING
engage with others. It’s not about creating random
odds, its about scaling the offer to the audience.”
One of the attractive aspects of eSports is the ability to
gather data live in real-time. Everyone on the Unikrn
team comes from a gaming background, with many
pro-level eSports players. “We have a deep understanding of the games, of the matches and the tournaments. People will initially be able to bet on the outcome of the matches and tournaments,” says Mr. Sood,
“but we will be expanding this much further.”
“eSports is a continuously growing opportunity and we
are pleased to be pioneering the eSports betting market,
adds Mr. Vouris. “Unikrn’s database has grown exponentially since its launch and it is expected viewer
numbers for eSports will be on par with major events in
sports such as American football and basketball.”
MarkEting Esports to playErs
Unikrn is building both its affiliate programmes for
eSports and is drawing upon social media marketing to
get the message out to its target audience. At the same
time it’s also utilising Tabcorp’s established player base.
“eSports/gaming transcends across demographics and
we expect the current Tabcorp customer base to see
this betting proposition as an attractive offering. Bets
can be placed on the Luxbet and Unikrn websites,”
comments Mr. Vouris. “Tabcorp is looking to increase
our content offering and leverage the large number of
users on Unikrn’s platform to expand the profile.
Unikrn is also creating unique content and offers to
attract people to the platform. Moreover, Tabcorp's history and strong reputation will help bring credibility to
the space. Initial markets are head-to-head betting on
the professional e-sports events, but we will be moving
into markets you see in most sports such as line and
margin betting.”
So what’s next for Unikrn’s eSports betting model?
“One of the big things we need to do is refresh the
brands, creating unique content around eSports,’ says
Mr. Sood. “We must also build partnerships across the
industry, as we tweak the model. That said, convincing
7 0
Adults universally don’t pay
attention to what kids are doing.
There are people in their 20-30s
who don’t watch television, read
magazines or go to the cinema
- they’re watching eSports.
the betting industry that there’s a market for this has
actually been an easier process than I thought. I think
that’s because we are doing something interesting. I
believe that eSports, by 2017, will be bigger than the
NFL - creating a unique online and physical component. The length of matches really draws people in the
game — though it’s completely a ‘generation thing.’
Adults universally don’t pay attention to what kids are
doing. And what they’re doing is sitting on computers
and watching professional gamers play. There are people in their 20-30s who don’t watch television, read
magazines or go to the cinema - they’re watching
eSports.”
Everyone has the assumption that the market for
eSports is dominated by the South Koreans, who pre-
dominately feature in some of the largest eSports tournaments, however the spread of interest is evenly distributed around the world, with Germany, the UK,
Australia, Brazil, etc., all hosting major competitions
and drawing massive audiences. Unikrn is targeting
markets that offer the potential to combine eSports
with betting potential, with Australia and the UK the
first launchpads.
As for licensing, Unikrn is not a wagering business, it
relies on the Tabcorp platform entirely to process the
bets. Unicorn is an eSports business, gaming and entertainment company. In May, Unikrn went live in the UK
with Counter Strike Go in which players can bet on
tournament outcomes. At the same time Unikrn is
developing its own tab on the Luxbet App to provide
eSports betting options.
“The big difference is that we are providing a vertical
eSports environment - no rugby, football, baseball etc.,
we pick the highest amount of spectator engagement in
eSports and generate the best variants for creating odds,
not credits, real money,’ says Mr. Sood. “By doing this
and keeping it simple we think we have cracked the
formula. We have operated a pilot in Australia that has
grown to show players are now making almost eight
times their average bet from when we first started. And
that’s just the start of this partnership.”
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profitability.
another unique innovation that no other online bingo
operator can boast allows players to check the facts
and figures on things like the number of pay-lines,
the max pay-out and the game volatility, meaning
the amount of time it gets won. there’s also auto
search meaning a player simply types the game
name in the search field and the system will autocomplete allowing members to play their favourites
games even faster.
Designing a two-denomination note recycler that
could achieve new standards for those key metrics
was made possible by collaboration with
NOVOMATIC subsidiaries Löwen Entertainment
and Austrian Gaming Industries (AGI). “Their
exceptional feedback helped enhance SCR with
several features that raise the bar for performance
and fraud protection,” said Mr. Fisher.
“It was a pleasure to work together with CPI to
create a product that will add value for our
operators and their customers,” said Max
Lindenberg, director of marketing at AGI. “SCR is
attuned to the needs of the German market. Its
ability to improve uptime and cash security enables
us to deliver on our commitment to offer
customers the highest performing products.”
SCR combines insight from market leaders with
THE SOUND OF MUSIC
02
Slot Machines
Merkur Gaming
ainsworth game technology announces the first
placement of their newest licensed product the
sound of music at palms Casino resort in las
vegas. launching with two unique titles – do re
me and my favorite things – and housed in the
stunning a560sl cabinet with eye-catching
overhead signage, this product is sure to have
players singing along to the nostalgic melodies of
this classic story.
The Peru Gaming Show has become one of the
most important trade fairs in Latin America. The
fair, which will take place on June 10-11 2015 at
the Jockey Club Convention Center in Lima, is
also an important platform for Merkur Gaming to
present its latest product innovations.
7 2
Additional elements further
differentiate SCR from other
products in the market:
l
l
l
l
Its small footprint strikes the right balance with
capacity to significantly improve uptime in
diverse applications.
Its two recyclers can be configured via software,
further reducing downtime.
Industry-leading note-to-note speed and firstpass acceptance of valid street-grade notes
keeps players satisfied.
A specialised note path facilitates quick and easy
maintenance without providing access to
secured notes.
“Operators in Germany have been challenged to
find an efficient, secure and cost-effective way to
manage their cash,” said Mr. Fisher. “The field trials
have proven that they now have an ideal solution.
SCR’s ability to meet, and exceed, those needs
makes it ideal for Gaming environments around
the world.
“CPI takes a tremendous amount of pride in
offering industry-leading products and customer
service. SCR moves us closer to our goal of
building a comprehensive portfolio of products so
our customers can match the right solution to their
individual application.”
AVANTGARDE SLT
Slot Machines
Ainsworth Gaming Techology
"we are very excited and proud to bring a title as
popular as the sound of music to our customers
and their players.” said mike dreitzer president of
ainsworth north america. "our designers captured
the essence of this beloved story and combined it
with ainsworth’s proven math, a variety of unique
game play features and multiple progressives.”
proven technology to offer a new
sense of reliability even at product
launch. At the heart of the SCR is
the proven SC Advance note
acceptor. Recycling mechanics
have been imported from
hardened designs developed from
other MEI-branded products.
Then, to protect operators from
losses associated with criminal
activity, SCR has been fortified
with numerous security features,
including a removable antistringing module, lockable
transport doors, entrance/exit
sensors and “door open” detection
even in a powered down state.
The MEI SCR note acceptor has
proven its ability to meet demanding
performance expectations after
months of trials in Germany. Now,
customers can integrate and order a
product that offers improvements on
measurements that directly impact
an operators’ bottom line: increased
machine uptime and enhanced
security.
As an absolute trade fair highlight Merkur
Gaming will introduce the innovative Avantgarde
SLT HD device to the Peruvian market for the
very first time. The Avantgarde SLT will set new
standards at the Peru Gaming Show both from a
visual as well as a technical point of view. The
latest gaming machine generation stands for
progress, design and technology - the
Avantgarde SLT uses Full HD technology to
produce crisp images and game animation in
outstanding quality and convinces at first sight
with its extremely modern and elegant
appearance. Coupled with exciting HD games
from the Merkur think tank, which have been
compiled into two varied and diverse game
packages, the product's innovative cabinet is
sure to stand out not just at the Peru Show.
Besides the Avantgarde SLT, the adp
Gauselmann GmbH's international sales
company will also be exhibiting the Vision Casino
Plus, the Highflyer and the Ozone Gaming
sphere at this year's Peru Gaming Show, i.e. four
cabinet variants closely matched to market
requirements and an extensive games portfolio
that leaves absolutely nothing to be desired.
The Merkur Gaming team is already looking
forward to large numbers of trade fair visitors
and a successful Peru Gaming Show.
01
Products
INTERACTIVE PRO SNAPSHOT LCD BUTTONS
Peripherals and components
SuzoHapp
SuzoHapp announced today that it has received
the first order for Interactive Pro Snapshot LCD
Buttons from Aruze Gaming Group. The unique
LCD buttons are a new and innovative addition
to the SuzoHapp range of gaming devices. They
give the game designer additional tools to
enhance the content and player appeal.
“We are delighted that Aruze has chosen the
SuzoHapp Interactive Pro Snapshot LCD buttons
for their new Cube-X platform. Our engineers
have worked closely with Aruze over the past
months to deliver the functionality Aruze
required. The result is a state of the art product
providing the ultimate control and flexibility
which is needed for today’s dynamic game
development and deployment,” said Geoff
McDowell, SuzoHapp Managing Director APA.
“We look forward to working with Aruze in a long
term collaborative relationship in which we can
both bring the latest technology to reality
benefitting both companies and the player
experience.”
Aruze Gaming Group CEO Takahiro Usui said,
“We are very pleased that our new Cube-X
platform has been improved as a result of Aruze
and SuzoHapp collaboration. SuzoHapp 's
02
HEART OF VEGAS
iOS
Aristocrat Technologies
Interactive Pro Snapshot LCD button allows the
Cube-X to convey more information to players
via control button interface and its elegant
design meshes with the Cube-X to further
accentuate the appeal of the cabinet. We are
sure that the combination of the Cube-X and
SuzoHapp Interactive Pro Snapshot LCD buttons
will continue to evolve through our game titles,
leading to high-quality entertainment and even
more surprises."
“This is an excellent example of how our
dedicated collaboration with our customers
results in creating solutions that add real benefit
and result in increased player entertainment. I
wish to express my thanks the SuzoHapp APA
Gaming Team for all its efforts in this great
achievement”, stated Mr. Harald Wagemaker,
Executive Vice President Sales & Marketing of
Gaming and Casino EMEA at SUZOHAPP.
GOURMET RANCH RICHES
Online Slots
Odobo
Gourmet Ranch Riches is a real-money adaptation
of the hit social game, Gourmet Ranch, which has
amassed more than 15 million installs on Facebook.
Wild Game Reserve has worked with the IP holder
to create a modern and fresh casino game that
mixes the innovation of the real-money sector with
the best of the social and casual gaming industry.
The new version has been carefully reworked using
a casino maths model while staying true to the
popular features players love in the original game.
Players take over the Gourmet Ranch to help Jack
and Dolly cook up a wide variety of delicious organic
meals by growing their own crops and animals.
Much like in the original, players are rewarded for
growing and harvesting their ingredients along with
completing the diverse menu sets. The new game
sees crops maturing immediately and the potential
to reap cash rewards too. Everything about the
game has been designed to enthrall the player and
keep them coming back to enjoy more of the game.
Featuring a new mechanic for real-money gaming,
wins on the ranch are awarded frequently when
players match like crops on adjacent tiles across
their ranch. The symbols vanish so that new
ingredients can replace them for more chances to
win. The more they match, the bigger the win and
multiple wins on the same round delivers more
cash to the player.
Each win expands the farm by adding two more
tiles and increases the player’s chance to win on the
following round. Even the music track is layered to
keep pace with the action, becoming more exciting
aristocrat’s heart of vegas, one of the world’s most
popular and highest- grossing apps on facebook
and ipad, is now available for iphone.
the heart of vegas facebook app made its world
premiere in July 2013, and the ios version came to
ipad last september. with a multi-platform
architecture, users can play heart of vegas on
facebook, on ipad and on iphone using the same
account, adding even more convenience and options
for heart of vegas players.
In the months since the heart of vegas app was
launched on ios for ipad, the app has reached the
top 15 in overall top grossing apps in the us and the
top five in top grossing casino apps in the us.
“aristocrat is focused on delighting social game
players with great content. heart of vegas has been
a success by bringing our world class games to
players on facebook and on ipad. the success of the
ios app on ipad and now on iphone provides clear
evidence of the growing importance of social and
mobile gaming to aristocrat’s broader strategy,”
said Craig Billings, aristocrat’s Chief digital officer.
heart of vegas for ios features free-to-play
versions of several of aristocrat’s more popular slot
games, games that are found in las vegas and in
casinos the world over. the app currently features 11
games and several more are slated to be released in
the near future.
and energetic as the player triggers wins and the
farm expands. Unlocking the entire farm is where
the excitement goes to another level, offering a
generous free spin bonus round and multiplier.
The game is packed to the rafters with entertaining
social features, including day and night cycles that
mirror the player’s local time zone and multiple
achievements to be earned. New recipes can be
unlocked when the player levels up, with each stage
bringing a new set of ingredients and a new look to
the farm.
Mark McGinley, Studio Manager at Wild Game
Reserve, commented, “Gourmet Ranch is a great IP
with access to millions of players that love the
original game. Gourmet Ranch Riches has been an
immensely exciting project for our team, enabling
us to show what the Odobo Developer Program can
produce. We’re flattered by the interest from the
industry and thrilled that players have taken to it so
well.”
Gourmet Ranch Riches is available for real money
exclusively with Gala Coral until April, after which it
will be available globally via our other operators. To
try for free visit download the Odobo Play app from:
http://odo.bo/play-ios
PLAY4FUN NETWORK
Online platform
Scientific Games
scientific games Corporation has announced the
launch of its play4fun network social casino
platform for route 66 Casino hotel in albuquerque,
n.m. this marks the first component of the sg
universe product suite to launch with the casino.
scientific games’ mobile Concierge product, another
offering in the sg universe suite, will be available
soon at route 66.
the route 66 Casino hotel play4fun network
platform is available for players online, with the
mobile component of the social casino expected to
launch this summer for players on ios and android
mobile devices as part of the casino’s mobile
Concierge product.
Bob hays, vice president Commercial, Interactive at
scientific games, said, “the casino’s commitment to
these two products demonstrates their confidence
in the ability of the sg universe product suite to
build an engaged online player community under the
casino’s brand online and through the critical mobile
device channels.”
7 3
Information
AGEM – pg 37
SUBSCRIBE
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ALFASTREET – pg 50
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APEX GAMING – pg 05
www.apex-gaming.com
ASIA GAMBLING BRIEF – pg IBC
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Connect with G3 across every type
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AUSTRIAN GAMING INDUSTRIES – pg 09
www.austrian-gaming.com
A dynamic daily news website and
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CAMMEGH – pg 13
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COMTRADE GAMING – pg 33
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CPI – pg 6
www.cranepi.com
CLARION GAMING - SLOT SUMMIT – pg 35
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E-GAMING – pg 31
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Download back-issues or the latest
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IAGA SUMMIT – pg 71
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JCM GLOBAL – pg 04
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KONAMI GAMING – pg 11
www.gaming.konami
MERKUR GAMING – pg IFC & 29
www.merkur-gaming.com
PATIR CASINO SEATING – pg 17
www.patir.de
subscribe at www.g3-247.com to print and digital editions
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SYNOT – pg 25
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TOPGAME TECHNOLOGY – pg 49
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