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December 2014 This Sporng Life
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December 2014
This Sporting Life
Editorial:
Editor in Chief: Glyn ThomasMob: +380 952 705 596
Slots Editor: Lucien [email protected]
Associate Editor Asia: Bill [email protected]
Associate Editor North AmericaDavid Mckee
Special Assignment Correspondent:Jack Bulavsky
N Europe - Damien [email protected]
UK - Alan [email protected]
Online Gaming Editor: Sam [email protected]
Production:
Designer: Stewart [email protected]
www.totaldesignworks.com
Subscriptions: Helen [email protected]
Web & IT: Sudip [email protected]
Journal Manager: Chris [email protected]
Publisher: Peter WhiteTel: +44 (0) 1892 740869
Mob: +44 (0) 7973 [email protected]
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casino life december 2014.indd 2 12/12/2014 00:17
1
Glyn ThomasEditor in Chief
Editorial:
Editor in Chief: Glyn ThomasMob: +380 952 705 596
Slots Editor: Lucien [email protected]
Associate Editor Asia: Bill [email protected]
Associate Editor North AmericaDavid Mckee
Special Assignment Correspondent:Jack Bulavsky
N Europe - Damien [email protected]
UK - Alan [email protected]
Online Gaming Editor: Sam [email protected]
Production:
Designer: Stewart [email protected]
www.totaldesignworks.com
Subscriptions: Helen [email protected]
Web & IT: Sudip [email protected]
Journal Manager: Chris [email protected]
Publisher: Peter WhiteTel: +44 (0) 1892 740869
Mob: +44 (0) 7973 [email protected]
Welcome to Casino Life As the year draws to a close it’s easy to reflect back on the travel – the shows – the casino openings… but frankly, we have no time for that! 2015 is hurtling towards us and we have new plans to improve the magazine – including one which will set us even more apart from our competitors. News? Come on guys – is that it? We have that already on a daily basis on our website – not six weeks later in printed format. By ICE the keystone of our new project will be in place and all will be revealed.
Back to this issue and we have the usual wide and contemplative mix of operator and manufacturer interviews providing a useful insight into the current state of play in the industry. My colleague Peter White starts it all off with a closer look at developments in Vladivostok where The First Gaming Company are putting the finishing touches to their high profile project. Meanwhile, James Boje is now firmly in the chair at Aristocrat and offers some initial views on his role to Alan Campbell.
At G2E that “funny booth” with the striking graphics was the new kid on the block - Gamblit - the company that is moving and shaking content delivery courtesy of Eric Meyerhofer, he of ex-Futurelogic fame. John Flynn completes his trio of Regulatory features by looking at what comes after regulation whilst I take time to talk to Lucien Van Linden – CEO at Gaming Support about what the future will bring. We have a closer look at the situation in Cyprus where operators are circling the opportunity of a legal casino here for the first time; Peter reports back on his time at MGS and we conclude with a round-up of some of the highlights to look forward to at ICE in 2015
I said we were busy.
Merry Christmas and a happy – prosperous – New Year.
pageEditor’s
Editorial Policy: The views and opinions expressed in casino life remain principally the views of contributors and do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or publishers.
The publishers wish to avoid inaccuracies and, whilst every precaution has been taken to ensure that information contained in this publication is accurate, no liability is accepted by the editor or publishers for errors or omissions, however caused.
Unless otherwise stated, articles appearing in this publication remain the copyright of the publishers and may not be reproduced in any form without the publisher’s written consent.
Printed in the UK by MPC Ltd.
Contents4 Sporting LifeGlyn Thomas puts the questions to Neil Howells Venue Director at The Sportsman Casino
10 Multinaional popularity Per Jaldung CEO Casino Cosmopol takes time out to chat to Glyn Thomas
15 Eastern PromisePeter White Casino Life talks to Ian Wood VP of Slots at “The First Gambling Company of the East” about their new development in Vladivostok
21 Taking on new challengesAristocrat Technologies James Boje, Managing Director EMEA chats to Alan Campbell
26 Preparing to Launch Peter White interviews Eric Meyerhofer, CEO, Gamblit Gaming
31 Post Licensing Regulation – What Comes Next?By John Flynn a 28-year veteran of the Nevada Gaming Control Board
33 Glittering Prize Cyprus decision time on new Casino, by Peter White
35 Slim Line ExpansionGlyn Thomas Interview with Gaming Support CEO, Lucien van Linden
38 ICE 2015 All Set to provide a journey of discoveryGlyn Thomas chats to Jo Mayer Marketing Director Clarion Gaming
42 Macao Gaming Show 2014Jay Chun, Chairman of the trade body MGEMA spoke to Peter White during this year’s exhibition and conference
46 Spotlight Aristocrat’s new Helix™ cabinets herald the next evolution of gaming
INTRODUCING THE NEXT EVOLUTION OF GAMINGInnovation is in our DNA, whether we’re creating content or what holds it — and now, we’ve got the Next Big Thing. Helix™ brings the game forward, literally and figuratively, with crisp, bright, high-definition displays that float away from the cabinet surface for a more immersive experience. And with its champagne trim and adjustable LED lighting, Helix is the total package of form, function and flair. Now launching in Europe in Upright, Slant and Super Screen™ Slant formats with a stunning portfolio of exciting, new E*Series™, J-Series™ and C-Series™ games to delight and excite discerning players everywhere.
For more information, contact your Aristocrat Regional Sales Manager.
© 2014 Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Ltd. Aristocrat, Helix, all game names and the Aristocrat logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Aristocrat
Technologies Australia Pty Ltd.
www.aristocrat-us.com
HELIX Eur launch ad_A5.indd 1 24/11/2014 16:15:18
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SportingLife
Glyn Thomas puts the questions to Neil Howells, Venue Director
at The Sportsman casino
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The Sportsman Casino is one of London’s most well known Casinos – please could you provide a brief history of the iconic gaming venue?A. The Sportsman Casino has had 3 locations over the past 40 years, Tottenham Court Rd, Bryanston Street, and has been at its current location on Old Quebec Strret for the past 9 years, the premises have changed geographically but the fundamental ethos of the Sportsman has remained the same.
What is involved in your role of Venue Director?A. As Venue Director for the past 3 years it has been my primary role to provide direction and support to my senior management team. All of the short and long term strategy of this unit is derived from myself and my entire management team. I have to ensure that all aspects of the business are running at their full potential ensuring that revenues are maximized and customers are happy with the product offering. The emphasis being on offering a professionally run product, namely giving the clients the knowledge that at the Sportsman they are going to get a game at the right speed and the correct price, with the high
level of personal customer service expected by the experienced player.
How long have you been in the Casino industry?A. Around 30 years off and on, I have worked throughout Europe and the former Eastern Bloc, and have spent time also, running multi site operations in the nightclub industry, including a large entertainment complex in Prague. I have found that having left the Casino industry and worked in different areas of the leisure sector has given me a broader understanding of how best to operate in the modern, highly competitive gaming industry.
What aspects of your role of Venue Director at the Sportsman Casino to you find most rewarding?A. Its satisfying to see processes and strategies put in place by myself and my management team come to fruition and drive additional revenue The Sportsman has seen a 100% increase in Ebitda over the past 3 years and I derive a great deal of personal satisfaction from that, especially as I have been supported by a fantastic team, including my Marketing Manager,
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Vickie Davis, who has had a substantial impact on as to why the Sportsman is the success it has become.
How has attendance at the Casino held up over recent years?A. Attendance has seen a small increase in the last few years but spend per head is up substantially, showing that the customers that are coming have changed and solidifying our position as we move further towards a casino operating at levels formerly confined to Mayfair. It was never my intention to drive attendance in terms of quantity, we have limited space and a finite number of tables, the most important factors have been maximizing our yield from our client base, and that comes from a strong emphasis on effective gaming yield v’s table occupancy ratios.
What initiative incorporated into the Casino has impressed you most in recent years?A. I am a firm believer in continuous training within all of the variety of operations I have been involved with, giving people the tools and the confidence is
vital to a professional operation, albeit not necessary a new idea we have designed very thorough training and retraining programs for all gaming staff and management team. Exceptional customer service comes not only from the ‘soft’ skills involved in customer service, which we reinforce daily, but as much emphasis is paid to the technical skills required to deliver a great gaming experience.
Food and beverages are of an ever increasing importance at Casinos how has the Sportsman Casino developed its menu and restaurant design and layout over recent years to accommodate an ever more demanding patrons?A. We re- branded our casino restaurant in 2011 as Zaman. Named after our Head chef. The menu is designed to cater for all of our customers with Middle Eastern food, halal meat and fish dishes. We roll out a new menu every 6 months and the marketing manager and the chef work closely together to ensure that we are driving maximum covers and increasing revenue streams. In 2012 the restaurant underwent a refurbishment and we have seen an
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uplift in retail business and cash sales since. The quality and presentation of the food is excellent as our online reviews will testify to.
Entertainment is also an important part of that mix, how often do you have performers and what is they general style of music performed at the Casino?A. Not so much at the Sportsman, we are simply a Casino with a great restaurant and bar, we very occasional will put on a Arabic Night with music and dancers, we don’t do numerous prize draws, nor discounts at the bar. We pride ourselves on being successful by providing the customer with what they want, personalized customer service with a great gaming experience, in a safe environment for all, it is this approach that maintains our reputation in the UK and abroad.
Has the Casino undergone any major renovation in recent years?A. In 2013 we underwent a major refurbishment. The refurbishment gave us the opportunity to move our slots product into the basement doubling the size of the gaming floor size which has produced significant increases in gaming and slots revenues. The new interior gave the place a different feel which both customers and staff alike were pleased with. It breathed a new lease of life in to the place.
How many slots EGMs and tables do you have at the Casino?A. We have 19 gaming tables, 20 slots and currently 21 ER machines. We recently had the new Fusion electronic terminals installed.
What is the percentage of local to tourist patrons on average whom visit the Casino?A. 65% of our customers live abroad. They come to the UK for business or pleasure or simply to avoid the high temperatures of the middle east in the summer. They visit us regularly and for some of the higher end customers we visit them in their own countries as well.
What is your favourite piece of business advice?A. To be a leader who works in the open, to be as honest and straight forward with those you lead, you will get the best from people when they know and understand the direction they are moving in.
When not at work how do you relax?A. I am a huge rugby fan and like to go and watch as often as possible. I also love the gym and spending time with my 2 year old daughter. I am currently training to participate in the British Indoor Rowing Championships in 2015, hopefully I won’t embarrass myself too much.
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N O V O M A T I C – W I N N I N G T E C H N O L O G Y
AGI_2014_135_CasLife_MerryChristmas.indd 1 01.12.14 08:57
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Multinational popularityGlyn Thomas talks to, Per Jaldung, CEO,
Casino Cosmopol
For those not familiar with Casino Cosmopol, could we begin this interview with a brief history of the operation?Casino Cosmopol is a subsidiary of the state-owned gaming company AB Svenska Spel. The company was founded in 1999 and was commissioned by the Swedish government to open four international casinos in Sweden. Casino Cosmopol’s head office is located at Svenska Spel’s premises just outside Stockholm.
The opening of international casinos brought a whole new job sector to Sweden. Today, Casino Cosmopol has around 1,500 employees spread across four casinos. The average age of our staff is 30 and 35% of them come from abroad, with 86 different countries represented. In 2013, we welcomed guests from 100 different countries. Our casinos are real international melting pots.
We had 1,146,309 visitors in 2013. Net gaming revenue for 2013 was SEK 1,167,000 (EUR 126 million). All of Casino Cosmopol’s profits, like those of Svenska Spel, flow directly to the Swedish government.
Our aim is to provide our guests with traditional casino games, nice restaurants and bars, and world-class hospitality, as well as a range of events and great entertainment. We do all this in combination with a top level responsible gaming programme.Before they can visit any of our casinos, guests must be at least 20 years old, provide approved ID, register with us and be photographed.
We have casinos in Malmö, Gothenburg, Stockholm and Sundsvall.
How was 2014?In terms of finances and visitor numbers, 2014 was roughly the same as 2013. We have worked hard on our communication with employees and on developing both our managers and staff, and we have seen the positive results
of our efforts in the most recent employee survey. Our initiatives included staff days and inspirational talks. We are on the right way. During the year we have also developed both our restaurant concept and our entertainment. We hope that our guests will appreciate the difference and that we will have a strong year in 2015.
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What do the next 12 months hold for Casino Cosmopol?Competition from online casinos and other forms of gaming will only intensify, so we need to increase our pulling power by creating an even more vibrant and attractive experience at the casino. We will do this by refreshing our gaming range, for example with additional gaming tables and new slots, by providing world-class hospitality with professional customer service and exciting entertainment, and by refurbishing our premises, through alterations and new investments in light and sound. We will also continue to develop our responsible gaming work, particularly in relation to communication with our guests.
What are the most popular table games at the casino?Roulette and Black Jack are the most popular table games.
What changes have there been over the last 12 months in terms of gaming machine slots, multiplayers and table gaming, as well as their location?
In early autumn 2014, Caribbean Stud Poker was replaced with Oasis and we also introduced Black Jack Switch during the year. We updated the Touch-Bet-Roulette (from Novomatic), which is working well. We are also about to install new roulette wheels from TCS John Huxley.
We have new framework agreements with six different suppliers of slots, two of which are completely new to us – Konami and Ainsworth.
All our chips were replaced at the beginning of 2014 and we have also increased the minimum bet for roulette and poker from SEK 20 to SEK 25 (approx. 2 to 2.5 euros).
During 2013, we produced a broader concept, with the help of our staff, called “Let’s Play”. This is a separate area where new casino visitors who are unfamiliar with the games can learn how to play roulette and black jack at a slower pace and with smaller bets. This new concept includes, for example, breaks in the games to explain the rules and provide information about responsible gaming, a different uniform and a refreshed presentation of the casino.
How many slots and tables do you have in the casino?
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The casino in Stockholm has over 400 slots and 44 tables. Altogether, our four casinos have a total of around 1,200 slots and over 130 tables.
How popular is the Sport Zone? It’s very popular, especially during major football or ice hockey games. The menu is simpler than before and our regular players are enjoying that. We have more casino customers in our Sport Zones than we did in our old restaurants. We are developing different types of events in relation to Sport Zone, and these will be launched during 2015.
What percentage of your customers are local vs Business & Vacation Destination Tourist & VIP?Most of our guests, around 70%, come from the local area, while the rest are visitors from other cities and tourists.
Online poker has been popular for many years in Sweden, producing a lot of very talented poker players. Texas Hold’em is particularly popular online, so how does Cosmopol cater for this market?All of our casinos have separate poker rooms where we provide the opportunity every day to play Texas Hold’em and Omaha, as well as other forms of poker. We organise tournaments as well as cash games. Our poker rooms are highly valued and well-visited and you cannot really say we are losing out to the Internet. A live game is a different kind of experience.
In addition to the daily tournaments, what other tournaments does the casino provide for its poker players?
Each casino runs one major tournament a year (buy-in of 1,000–2,500 euros) and we also have the Swedish Live Poker Championships. In addition, we organise another 5–10 slightly smaller tournaments every year, on top of the smaller daily tournaments.
What innovations in casinos have most impressed you in recent years?I think Casino Cosmopol has adapted very well to the new situation with really tough competition on-line. Casino Cosmopol has focused on being a relevant, responsible alternative to these sites, a real casino in the real world.
There is no comparison in the gambling experience: an international land-based casino with nice restaurants, bars, events and traditional casino games is a timeless and stylish form of entertainment. We combine this with a strong responsible gaming programme. We are unique in providing this blend and I am very proud of that.
Does Casino Cosmopol incorporate social media to attract online players to a land-based alternative?We use social media to a small extent, but not to attract online players. We plan to develop our social media presence, but our main aim will be to increase awareness and to strengthen our image as a responsible alternative to illegal gambling, rather than to attract players from other legal operators.
There have been plans for the government to open up and deregulate online gaming in Sweden.That is a matter for our politicians and is something they are discussing.
For the second consecutive year we are running a project we call “Limited Edition Slots”, currently in the form of Iron Man, Grease, ZZ Top and Avatar. Previously we had Michael Jackson, Wizard of Oz, Aladdin and CSI. These machines are rotated around our four casinos every three months, so that all casinos have the chance to use the themed games, and at the machines. Our guests like this concept a lot!
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EASTERN PROMISE
Peter White Casino Life talks to Ian Wood - Vice President of Slots at “The First Gambling
Company of the East” about their new development in Vladivostok
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Ian, Can we start with the history from when FGCE was founded to present day?The First Gambling Company of the East (FGCE) was formed in November 2010 in Vladivostok, with the initial construction of the building works commencing in 2011. In 2013, Summit Ascent Holdings teamed up with FGCE and some associated
changes were introduced to the project, including a plan to target and bring groups of international visitors to Vladivostok, aimed at boosting the success of the overall project.
When did the building development work of this Resort commence and when is the due date for
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completion?As above, initial construction started in 2011 and the project is due to open doors in Q2 2015.
Is there a figure involved for the expected final amount of investment in the development of Primorye Integrated Resort project?
FGCE phase 1 - total Investment will be around USD210million – not including the investment by local authorities for infrastructure development. FGCE phase 2 will include hotels, restaurants, shopping mall, entertainment venues and spas, and will see the total investment grow towards the US$1 billion mark.
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Overall total investment in the IEZ is expected to reach USD6 Billion after completion of all investment and development by 2020.
What is the expected split of patrons to the Resort’s Casino between local vs visitors?We envisage a mix of local vs visitors of around 80/20.
The aerial image of the location of the Resort has a lot of mountains and fields and not much sign of serious supporting infrastructure such as rail lines, roads and housing and shopping centres.
That is probably an older photo of the zone, before serious works commenced, and currently full infrastructure is already being finalised by the local authorities. There is already a dual carriageway leading to the IEZ, internal IEZ roads, telecoms masts & fibre optic cable, sewage treatment plant, water, gas supply, electric power substations & cables as well as soft and hard landscaping.
What is involved in this development beyond just the Hotel and Casino?There are many other facilities in the IEZ global plan (by 2020), i.e. Luxury Hotels, Casinos, High end Shopping Malls, Spa’s, Marina, Swimming pools,
other sports activities, Theatres, entertainment, themed & signature restaurants & bars, (fine dining & fast food concessionaires and franchises) Duty Free shops, Travel Agencies, Beach/Marina, Golf Course.
Does the location have good electricity, gas supplies and telecoms or will that have to be either built or enhanced to meet the necessary capacity for expansion?These are already in development, as above.
How many slots and EGM’s has the Resort been allocated and have you made your decisions yet on manufacturer games?The project will open in Q2 2015, and will offer 639 video slot games including games from Novomatic, Spielo and TIGA Gaming.
Are you planning on having slot tournaments at
the new resort Casino?
Yes
What is the number of table games and are you
going to try out new games such as Lunar Poker?
The project will initially open with 67 live gaming
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tables, including Baccarat, Roulette, Black Jack and
Poker. We are initially opening with games that are
known to be popular in Russian casinos and the
Asian region as a whole, but will of course look at
other games that are available and may be popular
in the near future.
How far is the nearest airport to the Resort and
how long does it take to drive there? Will there be
a dock built in the future so that Cruise Liners can
stop over?
The closest international airport is Vladivostok
International Airport, located near Artem, Primorsky
Krai, Russia. It is roughly an hour’s drive north of the
centre of the city of Vladivostok but only 30km from
the IEZ, and will take approximately 15minutes to
arrive at the casino resort.
What will be the Casinos attitude to smoking will
it be banned or will there be smoking zones on the
gaming floor?
There is a total smoking ban in place in Russia,
however, authorities are reportedly considering
permitting designated zones/areas.
When complete is it fair to say that it will be one
of Europe’s leading adult theme park and resort
destinations?
Absolutely, once we have started operations and as
we attract business to the IEZ it will become self-
generating and as other operators move in, supply
chain, local economy, employment, infrastructure
etc., will all follow at pace.
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Taking on new challenges
After beginning his career in the industry as a slot technician at the famed Sun City Resort near Rustenburg in 1985, James Boje has gone on to hold senior executive
positions for some of the industry’s most respected companies including IGT, MEI, Crane Payment Innovations and Zitro. The South African was recently appointed EMEA Managing Director for Aristocrat Technologies and sat down with Alan Campbell to discuss his latest role, life in London
and what we can expect from his new employers at the upcoming International Casino Exhibition.
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Your career has spanned almost 30 years and has seen you work for some of the biggest names in the gaming industry. After all this time, what drives you to accept new challenges and what do you want to accomplish in your latest role?By nature I am always seeking new challenges, so watching over a day-to-day smooth ride simply holds no appeal. Establishing and exceeding set targets both operationally and fiscally creates a sense of satisfaction and pride. There’s nothing more exciting than seeing the results of your actions and watching your team develop and share in successful growth strategies. Strategic planning is key and every new challenge calls for a different set of tactics to maximise opportunities and deliver on your commitments.
Looking forward, my goal is to lead my team towards the number-one EMEA position. Aristocrat’s purpose is to create the world’s greatest gaming experience every day. I truly believe that today this is a matter of fact rather than a statement of intent. Our aim is to have an overwhelming majority of operators and, ultimately, players sharing this same view.
What is your brief for your new role as EMEA Managing Director?In a nutshell, my remit is to provide excellent customer service, strong leadership, grow the business and to develop and grow the EMEA team. I
am both proud and, indeed, fortunate to have joined the company at such an exciting time. We have the people, structures, games and hardware to step our performance up a level and I’m really looking forward to ensuring the EMEA business delivers on its full potential.
Almost immediately after taking up your new post, you took part in Aristocrat’s efforts at G2E in Las Vegas. What were your impressions of this debut outing?We definitely had the ‘wow’ factor, raising the bar and taking gaming to the next level, but this is easy and obvious for me to say. What is indisputable, however, is the great response we received from the trade. To win so many accolades was really exciting for the team and a great endorsement of our content-led strategy. From a personal perspective I certainly heard the feedback that customers in our region want these great products as soon as possible, which made the long flight home much more bearable. But, obviously, the challenge now is to execute in market and ensure we make the most of our outstanding product portfolio for our customers and our own business.
The reporting structure has recently changed within Aristocrat with a new Chief Commercial Officer taking responsibility for regional operations. What
Aristocrat’s EMEA headquarters in London
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implications does this bring for Aristocrat’s EMEA presence?I think it’s a real positive. Our Chief Commercial Officer, Maureen Sweeny, spent a number of years in Europe in her previous role with IBM and has a great understanding of this side of the pond. Each region now reports directly to Maureen and that will drive better collaboration across markets and ensure the best games and innovations are brought to bear for the benefit of our customers wherever they are located.
The Las Vegas show is a shopping basket for operators not only in the United States but also in Europe, Africa and the rest of the world. They visit the show and pre-order games ahead of their local release, which will now inevitably be closer to their global premieres in the United States as our teams collaborate more closely.
As a seasoned industry professional with experience across a range of companies, what do you make of the recent round of mergers and acquisitions and how do you see them affecting your own business?Difficult economic environments meant that consolidation was inevitable, so mergers and acquisitions were to be expected and indeed were
necessary to maintain long-term survival of key players in the gaming industry while continuing to deliver shareholder value. What has been surprising, though, is the sheer scale of some of these mergers with some big fish being eaten by even bigger fish. That’s the great thing about Aristocrat’s recent acquisitions and product purchases, which have been strongly accretive, highly complementary and strategic, and not built on huge cost synergies and debt. This means we can continue focusing on the design, development and delivery of optimal player experiences while competitors are distracted with complex integrations and cost-cutting.
In your appointment release, you alluded to some significant developments in hardware and software in the Aristocrat pipeline. Can you tell us more about some of these?I’m delighted to announce that Helix, the next-generation of cabinet for Aristocrat’s new Gen8 platform, has now been released for installation on unregulated European gaming floors. Both upright and slant variations are available with the latter featuring a stunning 32-inch Super Screen model type.
At the same time, we are introducing two new
Managing Director James Boje (second left) pictured with the management team. Left to right: Rob Howarth,
HR Director - EMEA; Donal Maguire, Sales & Marketing Director - Europe; Michael Murphy, Finance Director -
EMEA; Jarrad Danzey, Operations Director - EMEA
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game categories, both taking inspiration from the extraordinary E*Series in terms of design, animation and audio effects. The J-Series encompasses jackpot games while the C-Series incorporates a new breed of core games. We have new hardware, a new software platform, new game themes and more in the release plan over the next few months.
After long spells in South Africa and The Netherlands, how are you adapting to life in London?I’ve actually been living in the UK for nearly four years, having previously relocated here when joining MEI. I spent six years living in The Netherlands when I was with IGT and quickly adapted to and enjoyed the European lifestyle. What I find most interesting is how closely connected the gaming industry is, so your professional network is with you regardless of the continent on which your find your current work assignment. To be able to live in and learn about new cultures, to completely immerse myself in a new environment and to combine this with the network of the gaming industry close at hand is an incredible honour and great journey to experience.
With the European industry’s landmark event, the International Casino Exhibition (ICE), just around the corner, making a big impact there must be high on the agenda for you?ICE is a key priority for us and February’s show will be arguably the most important one in our history.
Aristocrat will bring many of the ground-breaking concepts revealed at G2E to EMEA for the first time and we look forward to sharing their success with all of our customers. The welcome will be warm and the impact even more than a step change in delivering on our pledge of creating the world’s greatest gaming experience, every day.
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PREPARINGFOR LAUNCH
Peter White interviews Eric Meyerhofer, CEO, Gamblit Gaming
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There has been incredible rapid growth in popularity of mobile products and gaming solutions, how is Gamblit Gaming development team looking to work with game developers in maximising their game content and functionality on these devices? The biggest point to make here is that we are not seeking to work with game developers (i.e. studios) to bring them into some kind of new system or change what they do, but rather the Gamblit engine is designed to work with native iOS and Android game apps, which is what they are all working in today. Our engine supports Unity, iOS, Android, Flash and Cocos2D, just to name some of the development
platforms they frequently work in. By integrating into the Gamblit engine, we allow developers to benefit financially from the real money wagering market, giving them a new monetization channel for their game products.
The resultant is a new class of gaming product: a Skill Wagering interleaved game, or a SWig game - SWig combines skill based gaming that is the nature of mobile games that are pervasive today, with a house backed (i.e. “banked”) wagering proposition in a form which preserves the entertaining nature of the game.
How often do you get to the Europe.?About 3 times a year.
How do you view the gaming market in Europe?We think the European market represents a very good opportunity for Gamblit SWig games. The reason is, Classic Casino games, such as Poker, Roulette and Slots, while being successful with the older demographic, have not proven to be so with Millennials and the younger portion of GEN-X. So whereas online Classic Casino is mature in Europe, SWig games open a completely new market.
It has been 4 months since we last spoke, how have they treated you & Gamblit Gaming?Great. Gamblit Gaming is preparing for its operational launch in early 2015, and we are marching right along towards that goal.
What motivates you having been a partner in one of the most innovative and success full companies specialising payment printer solutions for a wide range of applications, including casino/gaming which was recently purchased by JCM.
I like a challenge. FutureLogic provided all of that, and after mastering an OEM payment printer components business, we went on to providing complete solutions for promotional printing in casinos, as well as a system to bring TITO tickets to gaming tables.
At Gamblit, the challenge is far greater. Here, we seek to bring a new class of gaming product into established markets world-wide, focused on meeting a challenge Operators and Gaming B2B Providers are facing now: How to interest the now predominant gaming demographic in next generation wagering products.
Online gambling is the fastest growing service activity in this sector in the EU, with annual growth rates of almost 15%. Annual revenues in 2015 are expected to be €13 billion, compared to €9.3 billion in 2011. So can we expect to see Gamblit Gaming set up an office in Europe.
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Although I can’t get to into our future plans, we are quite aware that EU is the premier market in the world, and we definitely have various European countries in our thinking. How was the move to the new HQ and what will the new facilities provide in comparison to the organisations previous home ?The new facilities are great. I don’t think facilities really make a company better, but we simply outgrew our previous location and it’s nice to have everyone back under one roof again.
In July you announced partnerships with Shanda Games, Gamiker and Flexball, do you foresee further such joint ventures in the years ahead?Most certainly. There are other partnerships signed and forming now, so standby for more announcements.
Are their specific types of games on Xbox One or Playstation 4 that you like to play?I like a number of games and appreciate the creativity and work that goes into making them. Some are true masterpieces and that’s something to marvel about. First person shooters are always a favorite.
Any business needs to grow and expand. What is in the future for Gamblit Gaming … Wall St?Who’s to know what the future will bring. Any such decision will have to be made based on a number of factors, many of which are fuzzy at this point.
How are trends influencing the game development and design and layout?The one thing you can be sure of is games are one of the most fluid entertainment products. They completely reflect trends and styles, and the game developer community is massive, given any small bootstrapped group of people, willing to put in sweat equity, can hit a home run, or at least publisher fairly easily and get their product out into the world.
What customer trends are you seeing across your gaming areas?Well, the key story here is that the target demographic, 21-49, play games in large numbers, but they aren’t as keen on Classic Casino products. We don’t expect that trend to change, as people’s view of what is entertainment has been morphed by the proliferation of mobile devices amongst the population, now covering most young adult and adult groups. We believe that this is a change that is not only affecting gaming, but most other entertainment and media industries as well.
Meet us atICE Totally
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Post Licensing Regulation – What
Comes Next?By John Flynn a 28-year veteran of the
Nevada Gaming Control Board
In my previous two articles, we established the need for a strong gaming regulatory system. We also established the need for in-depth pre-licensing investigations to ensure only suitable individuals receive the privileged gaming license.
But, it doesn’t stop there. After the license is granted, it is essential that we continue with strict regulation of the gaming industry to protect our citizens and ensure the industry operates in a suitable manner.
The gaming license is a revocable privilege. To retain that privilege, licensees must conduct gaming operations in a suitable manner which meets the standards specified in the laws and regulations.
Enforcement of those standards is done through detailed processes which are designed to both verify compliance with gaming laws and regulations and detect criminal or unethical activity within the gaming industry.
There are many essential processes which must take place in the on-going regulation of gaming activities. In this article, I want to focus on three:
• VerificationofcompliancewithMinimumInternalControl Standards • Enforcementofsurveillancestandardstoidentifycriminal activity in the industry• Adaptationofregulatoryprocessestoaddressnewdevelopments in the gaming industry
Minimum Internal Control StandardsCompliance begins with strong internal controls. Internal controls are procedures and requirements
which are designed to protect the assets of the gaming operation and ensure compliance with gaming laws and regulations. Many jurisdictions have established Minimum Internal Control Standards (MICS) which must be followed by gaming licensees.
Effective MICS establish procedures which help gaming employees know exactly what steps are required to handle both normal daily responsibilities and unique situations which arise in gaming operations.
Examples of effective MICS include the following: • Internalcontrolswhichgovernaccesstosensitiveareas of the gaming operation by establishing controls over keys used to gain access to those areas. • Segregationofdutiessomultiplepeopleareinvolved in important processes such as paying large jackpots or counting gaming revenues. • Preparationofspecificdocumentationtoprovidearecord of important transactions.
Deviations from these types of procedures increase the risk that serious violations, fraud, or other criminal activity could occur.
In Nevada’s history, “skimming” occurred in casino operations because of failure to follow internal control procedures. Skimming involves the taking of gaming revenues or proceeds before they are reported for tax and regulatory purposes.
One such scheme occurred at a Black Jack table in a large Las Vegas casino. The scheme involved the “fill” procedure of adding chips to the inventory
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at the table. “Fills” are important procedures and internal controls require several people to be involved to ensure the integrity of the procedure.
Generally, “fill” procedures involve the dealer, the table games floorman, casino security, and a cage cashier. In this situation, all four casino personnel involved in the “fill” process were part of the scheme. “Fill” slips in amounts as high as $25,000 were signed by all four casino personnel and placed in the table drop box. However, there were no actual “fills” to the table. The false “fill” slips were counted as gaming losses and the casino owners illegally removed the money from the casino without reporting it.
Regulators learned of the “skim” from an informant, verified it through undercover operations, and the gaming license held by the casino owners was revoked.
This type of fraud would be unlikely today because of increased focus on internal controls and improvements in table and surveillance technology. However, This shows what can happen if internal controls are weak.
In Nevada, MICS have been included in the Nevada Gaming Commission regulations and casinos are required to have systems of internal controls.
Large casinos must submit written systems of internal controls for approval by the Gaming Control Board. This system must be approved by the casino’s Chief Executive Officer and independent Certified Public Accountant who must attest that the system complies with the Minimum Internal Control Standards.
Surveillance StandardsEffective surveillance systems and standards are an essential part of a strong regulatory system. Casino owners rely on sophisticated surveillance systems and trained surveillance employees to identify regulatory violations and crimes which occur within the gaming operation.
During the time when the previously referenced ‘skim’ occurred, many casinos had limited surveillance. The quality of video images was often poor and coverage was limited because specific cameras were often tasked to cover multiple tables or slot machines. Casino cheaters took advantage of the poor surveillance coverage. Knowing it would be harder for the “eye-in-the-sky” to catch them, cheaters used a combination of actions to distract dealers, illegally manipulate bets, and cheat the casino.
Today, trained surveillance personnel and high resolution cameras limit cheating by providing a clear picture of exactly what transpires on each gaming table.
Adapting to the FutureEffective, strong regulatory systems must be capable of adapting to changes in technology and methods of gaming. This need was never more apparent than with the advent of on-line gaming.
On-line gaming has been operating for years in many countries. However, it is a new development in many other countries. Each country must evaluate on-line gaming and determine if it will be a part of their gaming industry.
In spite of its history, on-line gaming remains controversial. In a recent congressional hearing in the United States, concerns were expressed regarding the possible negative impact of on-line gaming. These concerns included the impact on existing ‘bricks-and-mortar’ casinos, the impact on the employment market, and possible increases in problem gambling. Concerns are summarized in the question, ‘do we want each cell phone to become a casino?’
Proponents argue that on-line gaming is secure, that there are in-depth procedures which protect customer information, verify player identity, and protect against problem gambling. Proponents state the industry is working constantly to improve technology, consumer protections, and products. These efforts have purportedly allowed on-line casinos to operate without significant problems for many years.
I spoke recently with regulators in two different jurisdictions. One claimed that every problem predicted about on-line gaming was coming true. Others identified specific problems including identity theft, “bot” play where computer programs play the games instead of real players, and hacking of administrative controls allowing criminals to see every hand in the game.
These problems demonstrate what can happen when new technologies and new products enter the gaming market. Changes won’t stop with on-line gaming; there will be many more new technologies and new ideas. If we are to have a successful and responsible gaming industry, it is essential that our regulatory systems are sufficiently strong to ensure suitable operations and sufficiently adaptable to embrace and regulate new ideas entering the market place.
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Glittering prizeCyprus decision time on new Casino by Peter White
There aren’t many territories in Europe where there is an opportunity to break new ground and be the first (and only) casino operator, which is why there appears to be a huge amount of interest in Greek Cyprus.
The Cypriots are finalising the law to allow one large resort style casino somewhere on the island, and recent reports suggest that there has been widespread interest from around the globe, with gaming giants such as Caesars and Genting rumoured to be interested. The exact locations of the casino proposals will be for the prospective operators to determine.
The proposal is to have one large casino site, with between 100 and 200 tables and 1000 to 2000 slots,
and a high quality hotel. There will also be the facility for up to four small slots-only sites in other areas of the island – possibly a political concession with the local government bodies in mind - an early proposed law involved a larger number of smaller casino sites, and perhaps this model takes into account the sensitivities around the loss of these options.
The level of interest is due to a combination of two factors. Firstly with casinos being illegal up to now in Greek Cyprus, there’s clearly a lively market for the local population – this is demonstrated by the number of casinos operating north of the border. A large number of casinos, with a wide range in quality, can be found all over northern Cyprus, with several of them suspiciously close to the border, clearly
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benefitting from local trade.The second factor is simply the geography. While
we think of Cyprus as European, take a closer look at a map. With Israel, Lebanon and Turkey a short hop flight away, and Saudi Arabia – not exactly known for a shortage of disposable wealth – not much further away, the right offer in Cyprus has the potential to be fantastically successful. It seems logical that the Cypriot government will want a globally known operator to underpin the project, and with a proposed duty rate of 15%, they’ve pitched the draft law in a way that won’t scare off prospective operators.
The other key concession within the draft law is the possibility of operating a temporary casino, subject to binding guarantees that the permanent casino will be completed. With the law allowing for a 30 year licence, only the first 15 of which are guaranteed to be exclusive, it will be important for any operator to begin generating cash early on in the process, and this facility will allow the process of building the brand, database and business to commence within months, rather than the years that will be required to put together the final operation.
One of the challenges that operators will face will be staffing. Clearly the job creation element of the
casino resort is a key benefit to the Cypriot people, although finding what is likely to be 1,000 or more staff with the appropriate skills will take a significant amount of investment, both financially and in terms of time. The right blend of customer service level and technical skills may not currently exist in Cyprus for some job roles, and clearly some of the management positions will need to be filled by people with experience of casino operations abroad.
The selection process is sure to be tough, but there is a glittering prize at stake, and nobody operating at this level will be without experience of high level tender processes such as this one. It seems likely that this might in fact limit the number of serious contenders – on a scale such as this, with success critical not just for the operator but for the government, it doesn’t feel like the sort of opportunity where an underdog is likely to steal the show with a less well known brand.
Once the licence is actually awarded – and the process is scheduled to be complete within 2015 – there should be a frenzy of activity to develop the newest resort casino in the world, and shift the balance of casino power in and around the Mediterranean and further afield once again.
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SLIM LINE EXPANSION
Glyn Thomas Interview with Gaming Support CEO, Lucien van Linden
How has 2014 treated Gaming Support and are you still a fan of the Euro currency or do you think that with the control that comes with having your own currency that Netherlands would be better able to develop its economy within Europe and Overseas.So far, 2014 has been a moderate successful year with little surprises. In today’s global markets efficiency is key and less currencies to work with is better although switching currencies is good for our business.
www.gamingsupport.com website provides Webshop a service that delivers Casinos and Slot manufacturers the option of purchasing displays along with components and products, how long have you been providing that option and how popular is it.Our webshop has been live for 2 years and before that we used a client portal that was only available to verified customers. With strict regulations for most of our equipment it is difficult to operate an open
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webshop. We need to be sure that our parts and equipment are being used within the boundaries of the law, regardless of where our customers are based. Currently we process around 20% of all orders a week through our webshop.
Slim line displays have become very popular with operators over recent years as there prices have continued to get more and more cost effective, how has Gaming Support managed this transition, and can you provide details on your range screens.
Gaming Support has, despite what others say, initialized this transformation in casino sign design. We have listened to our customers in 2010 and came up with a much more cost effective way of producing casino signage early 2011. The trend is irreversible and Gaming Support will continue to offer low cost, high quality signs with more possibilities through our new Sign Electronics Controller which opens up a new way of managing media messages.
How is Gaming Support adjusting to the widely expected sale of Holland Casinos in the coming years?Whatever happens to Holland Casino will partially happen to us, since Holland Casino holds a 40% share in Gaming Support since 2003. However, 50% of the groups revenues are generated outside the Netherlands through our daughter companies in Las Vegas and Belgium and this side will be unaffected by
a possible sale of Holland Casino.
How is the distribution and supply side of the organisation developing?Most casino operators have gone through a difficult period since 2009, but we are noticing an upward trend that has manifested itself in the mid term of 2013. As the prophecy (and threat) of online gaming seems to dissolve completely or materializes as an
extra market, investing in land based casino’s is back on the agenda. Gaming Support spent the past year developing a new critical part of our business which we will disclose on the ICE show in London. This latest addition in our product range is completing our product offering.
Compliance of EGM’s along with Installation and service will always be required by Casino operators no matter who owns them, what standards has Gaming Support in place to insure the high standards are maintained.
Besides local requirements from lawmakers, gaming control boards and operators, Gaming Support is ISO certified for research and development and production processes next to standard quality standards such as CE, TUV and FCC regulations that we have adopted for all offered products and services. Moreover, all our staff has been screened thoroughly and is prohibited from participating in any game offering from our customers, worldwide.
Is expansion outside of Holland & Belgium a possibility for Gaming Support in the years ahead?Gaming Support was founded in 2000 with the aim to facilitate Holland Casino. Right from the start we started developing new products and expanded into Europe, Asia and North America. Today, our customers can be found from Canada to Peru, Sweden to Johannesburg and Macau to Sydney. Currently, the only thing holding us back are our licenses in highly regulated areas such as the United States. As new gaming territories become more mature, we will continue to expand.
Diversification has been a tried and tested formula for organisations to lower their exposure the vagaries of various markets fluctuations in niche markets, has that been one of the motivations behind Gaming Supports, move into the supply and installation of surveillance systems? No, surveillance systems used to be a closed business circle in which large companies dictated the market. With the introduction of cell phones and their camera’s, the electronics for surveillance equipment became a commodity and prices are plummeting. Our product offering helps operators to switch from analogue systems to a digital environment without loosing out on security and quality for a fraction of the cost. This revolution in surveillance will continue for at least
another decade. An unexpected effect is that all of a sudden we are installing our surveillance solutions in schools and retail outlets besides casinos and arcades. We welcome this new business.
The Bonus Box popularity has been global and with that success allot of similar type of products have appeared as is the case with this highly competitive industry, how are sales holding up
World Wide and how successful have you been with enforcing the patent.
The Bonus Box was extremely expensive to develop and it took us years to get it approved in most gaming jurisdictions. That fact is our best defense against copy-cats. So far, we have seen a few meagre attempts to copy it, but is not a big concern. Sales for the Bonus Box fluctuated for a while but especially in North America operators recognize the opportunity to surprise their regular players with a special gift
and players like it so much they play longer.The countdown to ICE 2015 is very much
underway, are you in a position to provide our readers any insight into what they can expect to see at your booth.
As said before, we will unveil the latest product in our range and it is safe to say that after the show, people will either love or hate us. Come and check it out.
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ICE Totally Gaming 2015All Set to provide a
Journey of DiscoveryGlyn Thomas chats to Kate Chambers
Portfolio Director Clarion Gaming
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The Show is getting bigger with more organisations wishing to exhibit each year how are you coping with this situation?When we chose ExCeL as the new home for ICE we did so on the basis that (a) it is a purpose built exhibition space delivering the business facilities that our stakeholders expect (b) that it had a good and improving transport infrastructure (c) the environment - including Canary Wharf – offered good hospitality and hotel options and that (d) it provided us with the opportunity to grow and expand with the industry. What this means is that we are in a much better place to be able to satisfy the demand for space and to put in place a sensible and sustainable development strategy. I want to ensure that expansion of the show floor occurs in tandem with a growth in visitor numbers. ICE is not about uncontrolled growth which I don’t believe is in the long-term best interests of our stakeholders.
Can you provide readers an insight into the layout of the 2015 exhibition Casino Online Amusement Betting etc?Featuring over 500 exhibiting companies and covering betting, bingo, casino, lottery, mobile, online, social and street gaming, ICE is an epic adventure where gaming professionals and entrepreneurs discover new suppliers, ground breaking technologies, landmark products and technology-driven innovations which have the potential to transform the way the industry does business.
The ICE Totally Gaming Show App proved popular this year will that also be available for the 2015 show?The ICE app will be back again and with new features this year. The app allows attendees to make contact and start networking with other attendees, as well as arrange meetings at ICE. Attendees can plan their time well in advance of arriving at the event and check out all the seminars and features taking place alongside the exhibition.
Although it’s only December are you in a position to provide details on the leading topics that will be under discussion at ICE Conferences?The Conference programme has become an extremely important part of ICE week. The programme starts on Monday 2nd February with the International Casino Conference (ICC) which is being held at the iconic Hippodrome Casino, situated in London’s Leicester Square. This is the first time that the International Casino Conference has been taken out of a conventional conference-style setting and we could not have wished for a more prestigious and appropriate venue than the Hippodrome which is taking the casino experience to
another level and is the perfect venue at which to host our delegates. Co-organised with the European Casino Association, the 2015 ICC will bring together Presidents, CEOs and Board Members of all of the largest casino groups in Europe. The Conference will provide delegates with a platform to exchange views on the most burning issues affecting the land-based industry while giving them access to key speakers including Harrie Temmink, Deputy Head, Online & Postal Unit, DG Internal Market & Services at the European Commission. The ICC is one of eight targeted learning events that cover all of gaming’s vertical markets. Delegates can opt for an access-all-areas passport, which gives the freedom to explore the entire ICE Conferences programme or, alternatively, select a single conference of interest. In addition to the ICC the programme comprises: Betmarkets; Cross-Platform & Multi-Channel Gaming; Cybercrime, Security & Regulatory Compliance; Data Insight & Business Intelligence; Game Design & Development; Lotteries For The Future; and, World Regulatory Briefing. The Exhibition and conference venue does provide plenty of choice for visitors to get to ExCel , what have been your findings from surveys as to the most popular option?London is the best connected City in the World and ExCeL benefits from a fantastic infrastructure which in addition to the more orthodox options of the underground/Docklands Light Railway also includes the Emirates Air Line (Cable Car) which connects the exhibition centre with the O2 and London City Airport which is located 5-minutes from ExCeL by taxi or 10-minutes by DLR (Docklands Light Railway). The airport offers 350 flights per day, from over 40 international destinations, so it’s worth checking for the many international visitors which constitute close to 60% of the total attending ICE. The Jubilee Line is recommended as the quickest route to ExCeL. Visitors should alight at Canning Town and change onto a Beckton-bound DLR train, for the quick 2-stop journey to Custom House. When arranging travel to ICE I would encourage visitors to use the journey planner on the ExCeL web site www.excel-london.co.uk. 2014 has been a break through year in many cases for Bingo in the UK with the much needed Government tax reduction how is that feeding through to that markets profile at ICE Totally Gaming 2015?I’m delighted to confirm that the bingo sector is set to take a significantly higher profile in 2015 following the strategic partnership with the Bingo Association and of course Bingo Life, with the organisations taking a joint
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stand presence on the show floor, which, we hope, will serve as a hub for Bingo Association members, Bingo Life readers and the international bingo community at large. ICE serves all sectors within the gaming industry and I am delighted that we are working with two leading organisations in the sector to create another focal point on what is the busiest show floor in gaming. The Bingo Association has been recognised for its outstanding lobbying activity winning the Best Public Affairs campaign at the prestigious PR Week Awards in October and I look forward to working with Miles and his team to help raise further the profile of bingo and to contribute to the strategic objectives of the Association. 2015 will be year one of our partnership and I have every confidence that it will evolve and flourish in the years to come.
The Discover campaign is very creative - can you provide an insight into where the inspiration came from and its association with Gaming?Each year we work extremely hard in partnership with our creative agency Scott & Jones to produce a campaign which is impactful, imaginative and relevant to the brand. The 2015 campaign is inspired by the pioneering work of French novelist, poet and playwright Jules Verne and his epic stories of adventure: our campaign invites the industry to embark on its own Voyages Extraordinaires and ‘Discover’ the world of gaming which will be on show in London. ICE enables attendees to travel around the entire land-based and online gaming world in just three days, a feat which no other event on the gaming calendar can match. I am pleased to say this is an epic campaign for what is an epic event.
What is the functionality of a Cinebop trailer invite – how does it work?I wanted to bring the Discover theme to life and make a statement that sets the ICE brand apart. Purely by chance I met with the people at Cinebop who have
a small office in the same complex as Clarion. Using digital animation, high definition video and immersive audio they have created a captivating movie trailer that takes viewers on a voyage of discovery and invites them to register for the exhibition. Apart from looking great and being bang on message, there’s also a lot of functionality which you simply don’t get with print or rudimentary digital invitations. The functionality takes place within the online content delivery platform. It has been developed with event organisers and marketers in mind. It has a high level of customisation, which includes uploading guest-lists, defining RSVP options, sending reminders and monitoring attendees, as well
as delivering device responsive video content. It enables us to tailor the end-user experience, create a branded webpage and customise call to actions. All round it’s a very powerful marketing tool and a great addition to our armoury.
For those undecided about attending ICE Totally Gaming what
is your advice as to why they should make it their No1 must attend industry event of 2015?I think we have to start with the statistics, which in reality only tell part of the story. Nevertheless, in 2014 we had an audited attendance
of 23,506 attendees who travelled to London from a record 156 nations
to see the 515 exhibitors who chose ICE as their international shop window. ICE is
essentially about the exhibitors and we are fortunate to have the most powerful and smartest innovators in gaming. Thanks to the imagination and creativity which ICE exhibitors apply to their presentation at the event, ICE has become an adventure where gaming professionals and entrepreneurs discover new suppliers, discover ground breaking technologies and discover those landmark products which have the potential to transform the way the industry does business. If ICE was a movie it would be an unmissable, number 1 blockbuster. To register for ICE visit www.icetotallygaming.com
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Macao Gaming Show Review 2014
Peter White interviewed Jay Chun Chairman of the trade body MGEMA Macau Gaming Equipment
Manufacturers Association
What was the final total for exhibitors at this year’s exhibition and total coverage in area of the exhibition floor and do you expect both numbers of exhibitors and exhibition floor coverage to increase again next year?Floor space: 13,574 sqmExhibitor: 146We will start strategizing on MGS 2015 soon. We are looking to improve MGS in both quantity and quality. We will need to look at show data as well as exhibitor and visitor feedback to determine how to best position MGS 2015. The only thing for sure is that we will improve upon MGS 2014 in areas which is most beneficial to our exhibitors and visitors.
All the headline suppliers such as IGT, Novomatic, LT Game, Bally, Gtech, Aristocrat, Konami, , WMS & Ainsworth had their booths at the show which must be very satisfying for all those involved in launching the show only a matter of 2 years ago?We are very pleased that many of them are returning exhibitors from MGS 2013 and we have some new ones too. This shows that MGS is gaining recognition in the industry. Most of them are members of MGEMA and we have regular dialog with them throughout the year. MGS is a show for our suppliers and they are giving us ideas on how they’d like the show to help their business.
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How do you describe the role of Chairman of Macau Gaming Equipment Manufacturers Association?MGEMA represents key gaming equipment manufacturers operating in the region, not just Macao. Many of them are running their Asian business from here. As the Chairman, my role is to encourage innovative ideas coming from our members and mobilize resources to implement these initiatives. We channel our ideas to the regulators and lobby for the best interests of our members.
How do you describe your leadership style?MGEMA is a collaborative organization. As the Chairman, I listen carefully to our members’ needs and work to promote collaboration and trust amongst members. Only through working together can MGEMA prosper. We also have a strong execution team that only require marginal supervision to implement projects. MGS is a good example of how we can successfully run an event. Leadership comes from taking actions and the MGEMA executive board works actively together to promote member interests.
What is your view on gaming industry & innovation?Innovation is the key to the success of the gaming industry, not only in gaming equipment but also in how we operate. We encourage MGEMA members to come up with innovative ideas to move MGEMA forward. For example, with the new Hengqin development and the Macao government’s endorsement on cultural creative industry, MGEMA is looking into how we can capitalize on these new incentives and create something useful for our members.
What has been the visitor feedback have you received so far from the MGS 2014?We are still compiling show data. This year, our exhibitor base grew 30% to 146 and our visitor
count grew 39% to roughly 12,000. So far, 96% of our visitors are contemplating coming back to MGS 2015 and 95% of them are willing to recommend MGS to others.
The Slot Experience Centre was opposite the Casino Life booth and proved popular with visitors can we expect to see that at next year’s exhibition?The Slot Experience Centre is a vehicle to allow our slot manufacturers to test drive their machines. Visitors vote on what they like about these machines and suppliers get valuable feedback on what players like about them. MGS will definitely continue with Slot Experience Centre in 2015. It is a valuable service to our slot exhibitors.
What in your opinion where amongst some of the highlights of this year’s Macao Gaming Summit?As a locally created show, we are very honoured
to have received tremendous support from the Macao Government, all six gaming concessionaires, and many gaming industry sectors this year. They have supported us last year and have continued to support us this year. Some new government agencies have joined
the rank and become our support organizations.We are seeing more diversity in our exhibitor
base. They come from both gaming and non-gaming sectors, offering more diversified products and services. We have something for land-based casinos and some for iGaming industry. Junket operators are showcasing their capabilities and ingenuity. We also have F&B, luxury cars, and more. A HKD30 million sports car graced our floor. We are also very pleased to have all local universities who offer gaming curriculum to come to our show. Growing the human resources side of the gaming industry from the ground up is also our mission.
We also have a very strong Macao Gaming Summit this year. We continue to focus on Asian business opportunities but added iGaming, best casino practices, and technology showcase to the mix. 34 gaming experts shared their insights with
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our conference delegates and feedback have been very positive. We have also joined forced with a local university to create a TechEd program, bring latest gaming technology to our students.
Exhibitions in Asia have had challenges in the past with gaining representation in significant numbers from the Asian Casino Operators, what has been the principal reason in your opinion behind the success of the MGS Exhibition and Summit in getting such a high quality attendance from the leading Casino operations in Asia.
Diligence and perseverance. Our organizing team was diligently making phone calls and sending emails to each and every casino operator in Asia, explaining our value proposition to each. Gaming industry is globalizing and localizing at the same time. Casino operators build global strength to capitalize on the global market, yet, they need to understand each local market. Our Asian business partners know this all too well. MGS is created to bring global suppliers to Asia.
Do you see future growth in exhibitors being driven by bringing in subsidiary industry’s such as Food & Beverage and Hotels?F&B and hospitality industry is an integral part of gaming. Customers want total entertainment. MGS has always focus on bring gaming and non-gaming
suppliers together to serve the gaming industry better.
For those whom were undecided this year about either visiting or exhibiting what advice would you like to give them as to why MGS 2015 is the must exhibit and attend event in Asia?We have many potential exhibitors who agreed to visit MGS this year to get a feel of what MGS can offer. Many of them are very pleased with what they saw.
We work with close to 40 media partners this year. MGS 2014 is getting a lot of coverage and the feedback is generally positive. The undecided should hear plenty of good words about MGS from our media partners.
As we promised last year, MGS 2014 will be bigger and better than 2013 and we delivered on our promise. We are still sieving through our show data and feedback so that we can better strategize on MGS 2015. We are confident that MGS 2015 will be better, more in tuned with the needs of our exhibitors and visitors, and deliver more value to them.
We are also expecting to get more Government support to strengthen our namesake, the “Macao Gaming Show”.
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SPOTLIGHT – ICE 2015
Malvern, PA, December 8, 2014 – CPI will exhibit at ICE 2015 (booth #N3-320) with the largest portfolio of payment systems in the Gaming industry – including the new MEI SCR note recycler, which has been yielding impressive results across multiple field trials. SCR will be released to the European AWP market, beginning with Germany, in the first quarter of 2015. CPI is now entering commercial agreements with the OEMs.
SCR is the latest extension of the reliable SC product line, which has achieved an installed base of more than 1.5 million units worldwide. It follows the same winning formula as the CASHFLOW SC and SC Advance note acceptors, raising performance expectations to deliver a more efficient, secure and cost-effective way to handle cash payments.
By combining proven components with new technology, SCR opens new possibilities for what note recycling can offer as part of a total cash management solution.
Its value proposition begins with the reliability associated with the same acceptor head and 600-note cashbox as SC Advance. Two 60-note recycling drums also provide SCR with the capacity to meet the needs of diverse applications within a small footprint. They utilize the same mechanics hardened with other CPI products – the 4-denomination BNR (bank note recycler) and 1-denomination VNR (vending note recycler). And from top to bottom, SCR’s architecture has been fortified with several innovative features that offer a new level of security to the market:
•Aremovableanti-stringingmoduleprotects against mechanical manipulation.•Acombinationoflockabletransportdoorsandentrance/exit sensors offer traceability to help prevent theft.•“Dooropen”detectionensuresanaccuratecountof cash stored on the recyclers, even when SCR is in a powered down state.
In games that traditionally pay jackpots in coins, SCR virtually eliminates hopper starvation by
paying out higher value notes instead – using the same notes it accepts and stores on its recyclers from previous transactions. As a result, SCR requires less maintenance and can run for longer periods of time, lowering the overall cost of operation.
SCR has been yielding impressive results across multiple field trials. It will be released to the European AWP market, beginning with Germany, in the first quarter of 2015. CPI is now entering commercial agreements with OEMs.
In addition to SCR, the CPI booth will feature a variety of solutions for casino slot machines, AWP applications, VLTs and more. The CashCode one and
Money Controls Ardac Elite note acceptors will be on display, along with SC Advance and
its portfolio of modular extensions – including the EASITRAX Web cash management system and a variety of cashbox sizes. The MEI CASHFLOW 9500 and NRI G-13, v2 eagle, v2 pelicano and v2 colibri coin acceptors will also be shown, along with an assortment of coin hoppers and more.
CPI Will Showcase New SCR Note Recycler at ICE 2015The largest portfolio of payment systems in the Gaming industry is expanding
46
SPOTLIGHT – Aristocrat
Aristocrat’s new Helix™
cabinets herald the next evolution
of gamingcabinet is the fundamental premise behind
the whole development concept of Helix,” continued Mr Maguire. “Its raison d’être is to deliver the ultimate gaming experience and, in providing a base of new inherent technological enhancements, Helix
allows our developers to cross new frontiers of game design in audio-visual experience and multi-dimensional engagement.”
A key feature of the new hardware is the use of larger, infinity-edged, frameless, HD displays that appear to float in front of the machine, projecting content towards the player and occupying a greater proportion of the field of view. This is just one of many ergonomic aspects considered in the construction of Helix, where the end goal of optimal player comfort and
interaction has resulted in more leg room and a height-adjusted, extended button deck and padded wrist bolster.
Aesthetics play a huge part in
Aristocrat Technologies Europe has advanced the launch of its new, premium range of Helix™ cabinets, with the first installations taking place on European gaming floors across December. Following on from highly acclaimed launches at recent trade shows in Sydney, Las Vegas, Buenos Aires and Macau, the global games developer is now giving European operators in non-approval markets the opportunity to present players with a raft of new games on Helix cabinets, ahead of its major showcasing at February’s ICE Show in London.
“European customers attending G2E were blown away by Helix and the portfolio of new games it hosts,” explained Donal Maguire, Sales & Marketing Director – Europe. “So we have spent the last two months accelerating the commercialisation process to meet the high demand for a quicker delivery to this region.”
“‘Bringing the game forward’ and making it the hero of every
47
SPOTLIGHT – Aristocrat
the appeal of these cabinets, whose champagne nickel finish is designed not only for anti-stain resilience and durability, but also to capture the immersive, rear surface, ambient LED lighting. This, together with the screen-edge LED pinstripe lighting, is programmed to react to in-game play in both colour and intensity, creating further mood effect according to the type of game, bonus, feature and tempo.
The cabinet finish is designed to complement the hosted game content, portrayed on larger, full HD, 23-inch screens in true 16:9 widescreen aspect, brought together to create one large playing field, the player tracking module enclosure being moved down to the mid trim, where it sits more comfortably alongside cash, ticket and card entry slots and the button deck. The visuals are accompanied by operator-adjustable, reverberating audio, driven through a quad sound speaker system with ported, enclosed subwoofer.
An integrated LCD button panel now comes as standard on all Helix models, further increasing the level of player interactivity, whilst an optional 19.5-inch LED/LCD topper is capable of carrying mainboard-driven attract animation sequences.
Components inside the machine have also been uprated with vastly increased processing power, bigger storage and faster memory, graphics and communication devices all combining to provide the infrastructure for current and future games involving richer and more complex sequences, sound and video entertainment.
Helix has been created not only with the player in mind, but also with more operator-friendly features including a greater range of sound and light programmable features and easier access to all internal serviceable components.
Fresh with the new Helix hardware comes Aristocrat’s next generation software platform, Gen8™, capable of delivering more intense gaming experiences, whilst at the same time being backwards compatible with key, proven titles from the Gen7™ games library.
“Cabinet options for European gaming floors are very straight-forward,” continued Mr Maguire.
“In addition to the standard Helix Upright (casino top) model, we are offering a compelling Slant variant, the captivating Super Screen™ Slant, which features a 32-inch HD top screen for truly stunning play appeal and stand-out attract effects. There is also a Low Boy format for dedicated centrepieces within our licensed gaming operations portfolio such as the upcoming Wonder Wheels games Batman™ Classic TV Series and Tarzan of the Apes™ linked jackpot game.”
The arrival of Helix
48
SPOTLIGHT – Aristocrat
coincides with the introduction of two new game categories designed,
according to Mr Maguire, to ‘entertain players to their very core’.
“Our games designers have been working tirelessly, pushing the boundaries to enhance our game genres for both current and new generations of players,” he stated.
“Having introduced the hugely successful entertainment-style E*Series™ phenomenon, Aristocrat has taken the best elements of its mind-blowing maths, amazing animations and stunning sound effects and built them into brand new breeds of J-Series™ jackpot games and C-Series™ core games.”
Examples of these new genres, available for both Helix and existing Viridian WS™ cabinets, include two Jackpot Streak™ and two Quick Fire Jackpots™ games in the J-Series and Mega Reel Power™ games The Fabulous Fifties™ and The Swinging Sixties™, as well as two Super Feature™ games, Fortunes of Atlantis™ and Sunset King™, in the C-Series.
Helix also launches with two of Aristocrat’s popular multigames, Player’s Choice™ Diamond Edition and Player’s Choice™ Deluxe, as well as a back catalogue of eight proven titles plus four newly released games in the E*Series – two Pearl Warriors™ themes and two Magic Flower™ themes.
Mr Maguire concluded, “This ground-breaking combination of new hardware, platform, genres and games represents a monumental leap forward in Aristocrat’s determined effort to create with world’s greatest gaming experience. It fulfils a commitment to take gaming to the next level, adding greater appeal across a wider range of play styles and delivering even more choice for operators.”
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