CS2367 digital by GB Media Corporation

Price: £2.50

0269DOND LIVE Flap Advert_test 01/05/2014 20:43 Page 1 May – May 15, 2014 • No. 2367 • www.coinslot.co.uk

2367-p02-inside flap_Coinslot NEW 06/05/2014 17:44 Page 1

COINSLOT

COMMENT

...The government Industry news 4 want to give local Seaside amusements 10 communities a B2B Listings 12 proper voice so their Latest machine charts 16 views are taken into Classified ads and opps 18 account when plans Jabro Surreal Soccer 21 for a new betting Comment & Analysis 22 shop are submitted... Newsweek

Welsh seaside resorts exper SEASIDE CASE STUDY

Tourism experts in Wales are full of optimism, claiming that the sector has “turned a corner” and that related businesses could be boosted by up to 15 per cent in 2014. After a busy Bank Holiday weekend, chair of the Llandudno Hospitality Association Berin Jones said there’s growing optimism among operators in the North Wales resort town about the rest of this year’s season. And in South Wales the director of Swansea’s National Showcaves Centre for Wales Ashford Price suggested the industry is “slowly coming out of the recession”, with visitors ready to spend more than in previous years. Exceeding last year’s visitor numbers would be a massive leap forward as 2013 saw them climb 3.4 per cent, with tourism spending growing 7 per cent as the country basked in a glorious summer heatwave. Jones, who runs Llandudno’s Glascoed Guesthouse, said:

“Talking to my colleagues around the town they’re all seeing a similar thing. They’re getting a lot more positive vibes from people. They’re getting a lot more visitors committing to a return visit before they even leave.” Predictions from the Office for Budget Responsibility show that gross GDP is expected to rise by 2.7 per cent in 2014, up from a forecast of 2.4 per cent in December, fuelling hopes of

Dreamland close t THEME PARKS

reamland in Margate, Kent, is D close to reopening, 11 years after its doors shut for what many thought would be the final time. Plans to see it rise from the ashes include bringing back the wooden Grade II listed scenic railway ride which was damaged in an arson attack in 2008. Furthermore, the Dreamland Trust is gathering rides from other fairgrounds around the UK,working in partnership with Thanet District Council and the Heritage Lottery Fund, as well as Hemingway Design. The process of restoration is being documented by photographer Rob Ball, who, since January, has been creating ferrotypes, also known as tintypes, of the existing site.When-

ever Ball shoots, he creates a darkroom on site, ensuring the photographic plates are created and developed in the location itself. Ball is planning to continue the project as the new site takes shape and will be there on 26 May to photograph the motorcyclists who are taking part in the annual drive from the Ace Cafe in London to Margate. This year marks the 50th anniversary of clashes between mods and rockers in 1964, an event dubbed “gang warfare” and the “battle of the beaches”. The Dreamland Trust said in a statement: “We are full steam ahead at Dreamland HQ planning and designing Dreamland’s vintage arcade style visitor and learning centre in the Grade II*listed cinema building’s disused seafront amusement arcade.

2367-p03-front_Coinslot NEW 06/05/2014 17:42 Page 2

INDUSTRY

REPORT

Showmen to mark 125 years on the road

The UK seaside amusements sector

Coinslot Review

23 May 9 - May 15, 2014 • No. 2367 • www.coinslot.co.uk

s experience spending uplift

May Bank Holiday brings weather and footfall BANK HOLIDAY REPORT

Initial reports from around the UK indicate that Early May Bank Holiday looks to have brought just the right amount of sunshine and paying customers - to our funfairs, arcades and seaside resorts.

building on last year’s tourism growth. Jones said his seven bedroom hotel is so far around 11 per cent up on last year and forward bookings for the rest of the year could see business increase by about 15 per cent. Price suggests the early part of this year has seen a “much better” performance for Welsh tourism because Easter 2013 brought snow to Wales. He said with the trend in the

Welsh holiday market very much towards late bookings geared around forecasts of good weather how the industry fares for the rest of the year is more difficult to predict. Families flocked to the coast in Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion, while roads were gridlocked in coin-op stronghold Llandudno, North Wales, as day trippers made their way home from the seaside resort.

ose to re-opening tion of the building and associate services, handed over to the council last September,new temporary power and water supply system needs to be put into place to commence works.The project design has allowed for the provision of new services to the entire site with the Stage 1 works - provision of these is taking slightly longer than anticipated, but we understand we’ll have full access and utilities soon and will be ready to open this spring. “Our local community were “Meanwhile, we are selecting the instigators for raising funds content and activities for the to open a visitor and learning arcade to create an immersive centre. Businesses, national exhibition describing Dreamartists and the people of Margate land’s rich heritage, the project came together and raised over and future plans whilst evoking £25,000 from a celebrity art auc- the atmosphere of Dreamland tion, open day and vintage vehi- and vintage amusement arcade cle rally. culture. We’ll announce the “Due to the neglected condi- opening date shortly.”

espite it being the second Bank Holiday in just a few short weeks, operators have reported “pleasing” business over the weekend. In Kent for example, hundreds of people turned out for the Broadstairs May Fair over the Bank Holiday period.The family fun fair was raising money for the Water Gala to be held on August 20. Luke Hooker, chairman of the Broadstairs Water Gala, who arranged the May Fair, told local press:“The fair is fundraising for the Water Gala and we are just trying to raise as much money as possible.” Meanwhile,in Blackpool,coin-op video game fans were treated to Play - a huge video game expo at the town’s Norbreck Castle Exhibition Centre. Visitors took on the challenges served up by their favourite video games at the event. Some took to the traditional racing arcade games while others threw down the gauntlet to their friends and challenged them to a war on Call of Duty or a football face off on FIFA. Fancy dress was also an option for some and the more serious gamers came dressed as their favourite virtual hero to make sure they did not miss out on a weekend of revelling in their favourite hobby. Elsewhere, in North Yorkshire, more than a dozen big fairground rides,side shows and stalls descended upon Northallerton town centre for the May Bank Holiday weekend. Dodgems, ghost trains, a helter skelter, hoopla and several large rides took over the market town’s High Street for its annual May Fair. The Northern section of the Showmen’s Guild, which organises

the fair, said this year it had brought in its top selection of exciting rides, as well as traditional fairground attractions. The chairman of Hambleton District Council, Councillor Bob Baker, was invited to perform the opening ceremony on Thursday May 1.The five day event remained open until 10pm on Bank Holiday Monday. And finally, in South Wales, families made the most of the sunny weather over the Bank Holiday weekend, heading to the country’s beach resorts and amusement attractions in their droves. Pat Evans, owner of Coney Beach in Porthcawl, told local press:“It can be difficult having two Bank Holidays in quick succession. People need to recuperate their finances. But we have seen significant numbers here this week

and we are pleased.The new rides have gone well.” He added:“The weather forecasts are pretty accurate up to 24 hours. But people usually take a day to think about coming, a day to plan coming and then come. So it’s the weather forecast over that period which is important.” Plans to turn Barry Island Pleasure Park into an undercover attraction to avoid the vagaries of the weather have stalled,but that will be immaterial if the weather stays as dry as it has done so far this season. Experienced showman Vernon Studt, who has operated the fairground since 2010, is doing so again this year. Chairman of the Wales Tourism Alliance Chris Osborne concluded that “creeping confidence” is spreading in the industry.

2367-p04-05-industry_Coinslot NEW 06/05/2014 16:58 Page 1

Coinslot May 9 - May 15, 2014

Industry

New government B2 move causes widespread controversy

TO COMMENT ON ANY ARTICLE

Email: al@sjc.co.uk

G-Squared doubles production capacity CATEGORY C

FOBTS

New entrant into the Category C sector, GSquared Games, has this week announced that it plans to double production capacity due to ‘substantial demand’.

The DCMS has implemented a new set of measures concerning the amount of money wagered on FOBTs and a change of planning powers for local authorities to control the number of betting shops in a move that seems to have appeased nobody.

ent-based manufacturer G-Squared Games K has revealed some ambi-

n a new government initiative, betting firms will now be required to show how they are complying with social responsibility codes when applying for a licence, while FOBT players wishing to stake £50 or more will now have to pay over the counter before playing. In a forthright move to try to counter criticism of the perceived encroachment of bookies on social cohesion, licenced betting offices have been excluded from a new town centre use class, which would require bookmakers to apply for planning permission in retail areas. From a player’s perspective, at the start of the game, B2 machines will present users with a number of options to set limits on how much they want to spend and how long they would like to play for. The machines will also display regular warning messages to encourage players to be“more aware of their gambling”. The move is, however, certainly not popular within some political circles. In a response ‘completely endorsed’ by Leslie MacLeodMiller, outgoing CEO of BACTA, Shadow Sports Minister Clive Efford’s conveyed his less than complimentary views, spitting the opposition

accusation of‘not enough’like an overpaid Premier League footballer: “After months of dithering by David Cameron, it is disappointing today’s proposals appear not to have been properly thought through. The government’s new £50 limit for FOBTs is a sham. Only 7 per cent of plays on FOBTs are above £50 so this will have little impact and players will still be able to stake up to £100 on a single spin by seeking permission from betting shop staff.” “For more than two years Labour has been calling for local authorities to be given powers to deal with betting shop clustering and to reduce the number of FOBTs where local people demand action. The government is performing only a partial U-Turn on planning powers but is doing nothing for those local authorities that already have problems. “Whilst the Prime Minister is now accepting there is a problem, the Chancellor is busy making a £90m tax grab on FOBT profits - making Cameron and Osborne the biggest FOBT addicts of all.” Responding to the government’s gambling review, the Association of British Bookmakers said in a statement:“In March the industry saw a punitive tax increase on bet-

ting machines. Today’s announcement will further restrict growth for the sector and mean hundreds of shops and thousands of jobs are now at risk. “The government has failed to listen to more than one million voters who petitioned Downing Street this week to call for a proportionate response to the gambling industry.Enough is enough. “Betting shops are fully committed to tackle problem gambling even further, but this needs to be based on facts, not scaremongering.” Dirk Vennix, chief executive of the ABB, said:“The proposed changes to the way customers are able to stake more than £50 will impose extra costs on the industry whilst there is no evidence to show that restricting B2 stakes will do anything to minimise problem gambling. Limiting access to one product just means the vast majority of responsible gamblers will be inconvenienced and problem gamblers will gamble on other products.” He added:“We also want to working constructively with the government and Gambling Commission to keep problem gambling at the record low levels. Because we share the same objective - that one prob-

lem gambler is one too many. That’s why we want to work with all parties to build the best possible harm prevention framework.The industry’s new Code of Conduct for Player Protection has already had a significant impact with breaks in play, increased customer interaction and more self-exclusions.” Vennix concluded: “We look forward to seeing the results of the independent research into problem gambling which are being carried out by Nat Cen, because regulatory decisions have to be based on empirical evidence. We will await the LCCP consultation, and hope this is based on a proper regulatory impact assessment.” But the pressure point will continue to be pressed on the bookies: its lobbying nemesis the Campaign for Fairer Gambling saw the move as a‘missed opportunity’. It said in a statement: “Despite mounting evidence of problem gambling and the negative socio and economic impact associated with FOBTs, the government has stopped short of implementing a stake reduction on the addictive roulette machines, which allow gamblers to gamble £100 every 20 seconds. It will now wait until October to announce any further developments.”

tious expansion plans, with a close eye on the Category C sector. The firm manufactures machines predominantly for the pub retail market and adult gaming centres. Andrew Powell, director, explained: “Following the success for our first model, Return of the Count, and the significant orders we have already taken for our second model, Kung Fu Pounda, we have made the decision to add to our already substantial investment in the UK reel-based Category C market by doubling capacity at our Aylesford factory.” He continued: “Whilst we have been able to supply reliably throughout our growth we feel now is the time to gear up for the future.” The move will see GSquared’s factory operating up to 18 hours per day through a series of split shifts as well as a modest increase in the size of its facility. Powell explained: “GSquared is absolutely committed to the reel based

sector and through cutting edge efficiencies including JIT and a flexible workforce we can gear up and gear down capacity quickly without incurring additional cost. In this marketplace large factories with expensive workforces are, unfortunately, a thing of the past and only manufacturers that can accept and adapt to this will survive. No longer can these unnecessary costs be passed onto operators and retailers.” Commenting on the firm’s future plans, Powell added: “We have two new models due for imminent release, both of which feature innovations totally new to category C gaming whilst still retaining their playability and familiarity that players are drawn to. We strongly believe there are plenty of more avenues to explore within reel based gaming and look forward to working with operators and retailers for years to come. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our customers for their continued support.” Kung Fu Pounda is available direct from G-Squared Games or through distributor PW Sales.

2367-p04-05-industry_Coinslot NEW 06/05/2014 17:01 Page 2

INDUSTRY AMUSEMENTS LEISURE COINSLOT REVIEW COMMENT NEWSWEEK SEASIDE AMUSEMENTS Are the UK’s coastal operators ripe for a revival? Coinslot Review examines the seaside’s 2014 state of play. 10

AGC operator buoyed by progress ADULT GAMING CENTRES

Following the announcement of Tatts Group’s half year results last month, Talarius’ CEO Peter Harvey has reflected on a successful six months for the UK operation. ith AGC operator Talarius having achieved revenue growth of 33.6 per cent in the six months to 31 December 2013, its CEO has declared his pride in what his UK team has achieved. He told Coinslot: “It is great to see our Talarius business delivering a positive profit contribution to the Group. This is due to our experienced team having single-mindedly focused on repositioning the business and adapting our customer proposition in anticipation of a gradual recovery in the UK economy and consumer spending.” To achieve these results, Talarius has had to adopt a flexible approach to the gaming styles it offers. B3 product has been at the forefront of its investment strategy over the last few years, and this has helped to drive sales in the South of England. Harvey added: “However,it is important to focus more on lower stake

products in regions where there is customer demand for them, and we are pleased to have offered this softer gaming experience as well.” Talarius’ CEO noted that Barcrest’s Community Gaming feature has worked particularly well over the last few years, making the Triple 777 Cat C product the AGC chain’s strongest offering, taking into account saturation over its full estate. “In time, we expect that other manufacturers will implement a similar community feature on their products.Although it is still early days, we have seen a welcome uplift from the new higher jackpot £100 Cat C product,and are finally witnessing positive growth from our Cat C investment on our machine estate. We will continue to invest in these machines and that, along with an upcoming trial of server-based gaming, means that our outlook for the second half of the year

is also really positive.” Harvey is expecting Talarius’ figures to improve further following the recent roll out of a new electronic service system to all of its Quicksilver, Silvers and Winners venues across the UK. He confirmed: “By providing real time updates on any machine faults logged by venue managers, the system is already providing us with greater visibility of factors such as consumable spend and parts spend, engineer coverage, and recurring machine faults. This highlights where we can make savings – for example, in parts supply by utilising third parties rather than using OEM parts - helping to further increase the operational efficiency of the business. It is also enabling us to identify exactly where we need to place our team of engineers to ensure maximum productivity, significantly reducing overall machine downtime and ensuring we

provide the best possible service for our customers.” Looking forward, Talarius is undertaking research to better understand its customer demographic by geography. Harvey concluded: “We already have data at company level – for example, we know that 43 per cent of our customers are female, and a third are aged between 41 and 60 years old. However, the demographic clearly varies depending on each venue’s location so this research will allow us to target our products more effectively.The use of data obtained through leveraging technology and information through customer research will be critical for us to achieve future organic growth and protect our customers.”

Mumbles Pier reopens to the public PIERS

umbles Pier has reopened to the public for the first time in M almost three years after it was

closed for refurbishment. Owner Ameco is now allowing a limited number of visitors onto the Victorian structure so that they can visit the new £9.5m lifeboat station at the end of the pier. It was closed in July 2011 to enable restoration work to take place and for the construction of the RNLI boathouse. The pier will close to the public once again in the autumn so that restoration work to the 116-yearold structure can be completed.

John Bollom, managing director of Ameco, said 200 people at a time would be allowed on it for safety reasons. He told press his company had

made the decision to open it for the summer “to show good faith” with the RNLI and the people of Mumbles and Swansea who have backed the restoration project over the last six years. The total cost of restoring and refurbishing the pier, which last underwent a major reconstruction after World War Two, is thought to be around £3.5m. It is part of a project that will see a £39m retail and residential complex built at the waterfront beside it. Bollom said he thought the new complex, which includes a hotel, flats, cafes, shops and foreshore boardwalk, will be open next year.

2367-p06-industry_Coinslot NEW 06/05/2014 16:50 Page 1

NEW FROM SOUNDNET

RENTAL DEALS FOR SOUND LEISURE JUKEBOXES YOU OWN THE JUKE AFTER 3 YEARS

VHUB P32

NEW INTERFACE + CAMERA WITH MUSIC COSTS

£31.28 PER WEEK

You pay £31.28 a week for 3 years ZLWK D ½QDO SD\PHQW RI DQG WKH MXNH LV \RXUV ¯ DOO PXVLF FKDUJHV LQFOXGHG VWDQGDUG ZDUUDQW\ IURP 6RXQG /HLVXUH ([FOXGHV 8QOLPLWHG DFFHVV 7KLV LV DQ RSWLRQDO H[WUD SHU PRQWK

CALL NOW. YOU COULD GET A NEW JUKE DELIVERED WITHIN A WEEK!

7 020 7644 8888 soundnet.net

Coin-op strongholds granted assisted area status REGENERATION

A number of established seaside FEC towns have been boosted by the news that they will be included in the next tranche of regional aid under the government’s assisted areas initiative.

ichael Fallon, Minister for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, has published the government’s response to the stage 2 consultation on the UK’s 2014-20 assisted areas map.Several coastal resorts which are famous for their arcades and FECs are included within.The new map will replace the current version which expires on 30 June 2014. Fallon stated: “Assisted areas coverage has been

granted based on the potential to use regional aid to encourage economic growth through levering private sector investment, as well as the economic need of the locality.A strong principle underpinning the map is for coverage to focus on areas that are able to use the flexibility provided: many parts of the UK do not have the scale of industrial or development sites necessary to exploit assisted area status.” He added:“There was a

high level of demand for assisted areas status, and given the limited population coverage available, we have targeted those areas that can benefit most.The UK’s industrial heartlands are central to the map, and a wide range of different sized manufacturers are included, from the hightech sectors at the core of our industrial strategy to the more traditional industries that still provide vital employment to many communities. Support will also

be available for additional disadvantaged coastal areas. Sites and businesses that can support growth in less advantaged localities have been included,as well as many that will make significant contributions to growth at a regional and national level.” Assisted area coverage permits the UK to provide additional financial support to firms in the designated areas. Other forms of financial support are available both inside and outside assisted areas, including aid for research and development, to improve access to venture capital and to support environmental projects. The Map has been sent to the European Commission for approval, and its decision is expected by the end of May. The new Map is expected to come into force from 1 July 2014. Included within the newly-mapped area are the likes of Arbroath, Bangor, Blackpool, Clacton, Great Yarmouth, Ifracombe, Lowestoft, Sheppey and Torbay.

Football fans treated to half-time bingo BINGO

football club Airdrieonians teamed up Swithcottish bingo chain Club 3000’s outlet in Coatdyke to provide some unique interval entertainment last weekend. Football fans attending the side’s final game of the season against Arbroath played bingo at half-time. Airdrie teamed up with national bingo chain Club 3000’s local outlet to provide the entertainment. Punters were given bingo cards and markers as they passed through the turnstiles and the numbers were called at half-time. The idea was the brain-

child of the club’s commercial manager John Drysdale. Before the match, he told local press: “They say there’s no such thing as a new idea but I think this one actually is. I asked if they’d ever

thought about running bingo games from somewhere else and it grew from there. It can work here as everybody is sitting in the main stand, facing the same way, and that gives it a theatre feel.”

He added:“If this helps attract a few more people because they fancy a game of bingo or want to win a Playstation 4 that’s great. But if it doesn’t? It will still have been good fun to do. It’s costing absolutely nothing in financial terms. There is nothing to lose.” Coatdyke’s Club 3000 boss Alistair MacBride added:“We want to show bingo as a bit of fun and as entertainment for everyone in and around the community - not just confined to our own 2,000-seater hall. Giving football fans the chance to play and the incentive of a great prize for the winner helps us do just that.”

Showmen’s Guild prepares to celebrate its 125th anniversary SHOWMEN

he trade organisation which represents the UK’s travelling show people, the Showmen’s Guild of Great Britain, celebrates its 125th anniversary this year. While many established funfairs date back several hundred years, it was in 1889 that the origins of the Showmen’s Guild of Great Britain were established. It was at the time of the proposed Movable Dwellings Bill which sought to restrict and licence all caravans that a group of fair operators came together and formed the UK Van Dwellers Association. This early organisation formed the basis of today’s ten geographical sections of the guild, which currently represents around 90 per cent of the UK’s travelling fairs, and includes over 6,000 family members. All have equal rights, regardless of the size of each member’s business. The year normally starts off with an all-Parliamentary working

luncheon to discuss issues relating to fairs held at Westminster, with representatives from each guild section. This political meet and greet continues in February and March with each guild section having their own luncheon with invited councillors and guests from the key fair locations. Nowadays, while many small events struggle with the ever-growing burden of administrative regulations, guild members pride themselves on being able to supply all the requirements of health and safety documentation, risk assessments, test certificates, along with all the relevant insurance policies and special bonds that each individual council require. Since the formation of the Showmen’s Guild, travelling funfairs have survived two World Wars, the Great Depression and several economic crises and are still a notable and important part of UK entertainment culture in 2014.

2367-p08-09-industry_Coinslot NEW 06/05/2014 16:42 Page 1

South Coast Slam pinball event hailed a success PINBALL

thousand pinball enthusiasts attended the A recent South Coast Slam,

an annual event which claims to be the largest of its kind in Europe. The expo saw players of all levels play around 100 different pinball machines along with various other arcade games from the 1980s and 1990s. Event organiser Will Barber told local press: “It was insane, we smashed it. We were up on numbers from previous years, it was a massive success.” Held at Worthing’s Charmandean Centre last month, the event raised around £6,000 for children’s heart charity ECHO. “One of the people who is involved in the pinball scene has a son who had heart difficulties when he was born and the charity looked after him. He’s a pinball wizard in the making,” said Barber. The top raffle prize at the

event, an Indiana Jones pinball machine worth around £3,000, was won by Andy Kemp, while the second place prize, an Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom arcade machine, was won by Dan Wallace. A Back to the Future-themed tournament saw players battle it out for the chance to have a ride in a replica DeLorean time machine from the famous sci-fi trilogy. The event’s main tournament saw 110 professional players from across Europe competing for world ranking points to enable them to play at the highest level in America. In 2015, the biggest event in the pinball calendar - the World Pinball Championship – will also be held in Worthing. The event is set to attract competitors from both the UK and the rest of the world. Barber concluded: “There’s massive amounts of skill involved. It’s not just keeping the ball in play, it’s quite technical.”

Bingo owner proposes church relocation BINGO

An independent bingo operator has lodged a bid with Newcastle City Council for a unique property swap - with a church. imon Hannah, who owns Heaton Bingo in Newcastle, is awaiting planning approval to exchange premises with the nearby Elim Pentecostal Church in what is thought to be a unique move. Hannah has struck up a deal with church pastors which could see the two organisations switch venues. Unsurprisingly, objections have been lodged with residents in the neighbouring Southfields House claiming it would spark “increased noise, traffic, litter and smoking outside the premises”. However, Hannah told local press he had been approached by pastors as they sought a larger venue to hold services, youth clubs and food bank facilities. He said:“The bingo club has been there for 50 years. The church is getting busier and busier with them doing more services and they’re restricted by space.They came to me and asked me if they could buy the bingo hall. I got thinking about it

and, the bingo business has shrunk because of the smoking ban and gaming legislation, I thought actually I could do with a smaller property.” An initial application was lodged with Newcastle City Council in which Hannah sought to take control of the church’s Ark property, which serves as a youth club on Heaton Road. When more than 10 people objected to the move, however, Hannah revealed a subsequent bid has been made to the

council to take control of the historic church opposite. If city planners give it the green light, it would mean bingo sessions could be staged in the church later this year. Hannah said:“This whole application was driven by the church in the first place and by the fact they wanted bigger premises. If the bingo hall was to stay in the current building then five years down the line we wouldn’t exist. I employ 25 people and we are a benefit to the local community.”

An application due to go before the planning committee this month states:“The proposal is to relocate the existing Bingo and Social Club a short distance along Heaton Road into the application premises, which is considered by the applicant to be more suited to the club’s current attendance levels, thus reducing overheads and other running costs and helping to ensure its long term future. Existing floor space within The Ark would be fully utilised and no extensions or external alterations are proposed.The working capacity of the proposed bingo hall would be a maximum of 130 visitors, although it is anticipated that, for most sessions, no more than 100 visitors would attend at any one time.” The move could therefore see bingo callers yelling: “Lucky seven God’s in heaven” in what used to be a house of God. Whether bread and wine will be on the menu is anyone’s guess.

Commission publishes chan LEGISLATION

he Gambling Commission has published further changes to the Licence TConditions and Codes of Practice

(LCCP) that apply to licensed gambling operators. These changes, which take effect on or after 1 August 2014, relate to improvements on the display of licensed status for gambling websites, notification of suspicious activity report unique reference numbers to the Commission, controls on the use of payment processors, and requirements for greater transparency on the risks to customer funds.

The changes follow extensive public consultation and the announcement of new controls. The publication of all these LCCP changes ensures operators have at least three months in which to make any necessary adjustments in order to comply. It also ensures that those applying for licences following enactment of the Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Bill are clear what is required of them from the outset. In addition to these changes, there is a further review to strengthen those licence conditions and codes and asso-

2367-p08-09-industry_Coinslot NEW 06/05/2014 16:43 Page 2

INDUSTRY AMUSEMENTS LEISURE B2B COMMENT NEWSWEEK LEISURE It may be staying in the leisure sector but a famous old Blackpool amusement arcade will soon be going down the pub. 10

No chance’ of pub VAT cut confirms Lewis PUBS

he Minister representing community pubs TBrandon Lewis has warned that there is “no chance” that Chancellor George Osborne will consider reducing VAT on the pub sector. At the recent Spring Conference for trade body ALMR, Lewis stated: “I’ll be straight with you and you might not like the answer, but there’s no chance. The problem with VAT is the figures are just huge and the Treasury is not in a fiscal position to do it. You’re also talking to a government and a chancellor who put up VAT, so it would be politically difficult to suddenly change that backwards.” He also added that in countries where VAT is reduced on food and drink, there is no zerorating on books and children’s clothes. Jacques Borel, leader of the VAT Club’s campaign for a reduction, told pub trade press that he understood the minister’s arguments, but said that for a government whose priority was full employment, a VAT cut for hospitality repre-

sented the cheapest way to achieve that. In terms of the difficulty of a policy change, he stated: “When conditions change it is the duty of politicians to make a uturn.” On the subject of zerorated goods, he commented: “Why should pubs and restaurants pay for children’s clothes?” Borel has now met 51 MPs and persuaded 50 of them about the merits of a VAT cut. He is expecting an Early Day Motion in

changes to LCCP ciated technical standards relating to responsible gambling. The Commission will release information on the testing strategy for compliance with its remote gambling and software technical standards this month. This will include, for example, changes to allow for the transition of games currently offered in the British market by those presently licensed overseas, and it will be consulting on an updated and slightly expanded edition of our Statement of Principles which sets the framework within which the Commission works.

June, sponsored by SDLP MP Margaret Ritchie, to attract more than 60 signatures. Furthermore, the VAT Club is organising a Tax Equality Day on Wednesday 24 September, in which participating pubs will drop prices to show the effect a VAT cut would have. Last week, the VAT Club issued a template letter for publicans to lobby their MPs on a cut. Kate Nicholls, strategic affairs director at the

ALMR, said: “We know that the industry will not be able to unlock its true potential to generate jobs, growth and investment in communities up and down the country until the disparities in the tax and regulatory regime which favour supermarkets at the expense of pubs and bars are addressed. We continue to work to highlight this to ministers and politicians across a range of business taxes and costs, including VAT.”

2367-p10-Amusements_Coinslot NEW 06/05/2014 17:03 Page 1

Coinslot May 9 - May 15, 2014

Amusements Spanish City Plaza renovations complete

Famous Blackpool arcade to be converted as a pub

Restoration of the Spanish City Plaza have been completed, ahead of a £3.7m renovation to the nearby Dome. rowds gathered to witness the opening of the Spanish City Plaza on Whitley Bay seafront in North Tyneside, following the completion of a £1.2m restoration project. The MP for Tynemouth, Alan Campbell, was on hand to conduct the official ceremony, which attracted hundreds of onlookers despite the poor weather. The area surrounding the Spanish City Dome now includes a pedestrian walkway and amphitheatre, furnished with granite seating and wooden benches. Each of the benches along the plaza bears the name of two rides from the funfair that formerly occupied the site. The amphitheatre’s circular floor is engraved with lyrics from the Dire Straits song ‘Tunnel of Love’, which references the Spanish City funfair at Whitley Bay. “And girl it looks so pretty to me just like it always did, like the Spanish City to me when we were kids,” read Mark Knopfler’s lyrics. Only six days after the venue opened repairs were required on these engraved granite tiles, as they came loose from the wall. “As with all major schemes, there were a few small snagging problems and some minor finishing work,” said a spokesperson from North Tyneside Council. The original Spanish City Dome opening in 1910 featuring a concert hall, restaurant and roof garden. The famous funfair was added to the venue in 1920. Dire Strait’s 1981 composition became a staple at the site, traditionally played every morning as the funfair opened. A separate £3.7m grant has been awarded by the Heritage Lottery Fund for the restoration of the Grade II listed Dome itself.

FEC

ne of Blackpool’s most well-known amusement O arcades looks likely to be repurposed as a new £2.2m JD Wetherspoon pub. The national pub company has applied to convert the Lucky Star amusement arcade on the resort’s promenade, which was used as the backdrop for the BBC 2004 comedy musical Blackpool, starring David Morrissey and David Tennant.

According to the Blackpool Gazette, Blackpool Council’s planning committee is likely to approve the application when it meets this week The conversion to a pub will cost JD Wetherspoon around £2.2m and create around 50 jobs will if it gets the green light. John Hutson, JD Wetherspoon’s chief executive, said: “We have enjoyed great success with our pubs in Blackpool and the surrounding

towns and are keen to open another pub in Blackpool itself.” JD Wetherspoon currently operates four pubs in Blackpool, and has pubs in Lytham, St Annes, Cleveleys, Poulton and Fleetwood. A design brief submitted with the application said the proposal presents “an opportunity to bring a viable, sustainable use to the building” and said it would help promote “future investment in Blackpool”.

In a report to the council’s planning committee that recommends approval for the conversion, planners said there was “potential to have a more interesting and imaginative facade, representing the vibrancy of the resort”. Changes to the Lucky Star building would include stripping back cladding to reveal its original design. JD Wetherspoon said it has exchanged contracts on the property subject to planning and licensing approvals.

Fears over cost of new £1 coin COIN

Southend amusement arcade operator has A warned that new £1 coin will cost him thousands of pounds when it is introduced in 2017. With more than £45m of fake £1 coins in circulation, Chancellor George Osborne announced plans for a new bimetallic coin based on the old predecimal “thruppenny bit”, which is hoped will be one of the hardest coins in the world to forge. Martin Richards, owner of the Happidrome FEC, said the change would represent a big hit for his business. He told local press: “The new pound coin is easily going

to cost between £5,500 and £6,000 for me to change and reprogramme all the slots. “All the electronic slots are going to cost £35 a time to reprogramme, but we’ve also a big following for retro games and they are all going to need new mechanisms making up by an engineer.” Richards faced a similar issue after the introduction of the new 10p coin that, to this day, still does not work in the Happidrome’s older machines such as Pac Man and Space Invaders, due to its magnetic qualities. He explained:“In the Sixties and Seventies the coins were

judged by size rather than weight, so people used to use washers that were the right size to get a free game. “As a result, they put magnets in the machines, which would catch washers but, because they were never magnetic, the 10ps worked fine. “But now, because they are magnetic, the only way we can get them to work is to get someone to manufacture new slots - for the time being we just have to change people’s coins.” Andrew Mills, head of the Royal Mint, has admitted the change could cost the coun-

try up to £20m, due to the necessity of having to change slots in every shopping trolley,parking metre and vending machine - as well as in every coin-op amusement machine - in the UK.

2367-p11-Leisure_Coinslot NEW 06/05/2014 16:36 Page 1

Leisure Potential saviour emerges for Exmouth bowling complex ENTERTAINMENT CENTRES

There’s a chance that the popular bowling offering in Exmouth will remain on the leisure circuit. And a good chance at that as Harlequinns Leisure and LED stage positive discussins, in the hope of a positive outcome.

eter Gilpin, chief executive of LED Leisure Management, has confirmed that the not-for-profit leisure trust is in discussions with Mark and Rachael Quinn of Harlequinns Leisure, which owns the Ocean Blue complex in Exmouth, about the possible transfer of management of the facility. Gilpin told local press:“I have had some very positive discussions with Mark and Rachael and although a lot of issues still remain to be resolved, both parties

are hopeful that these can be overcome. If we are able to do so, we would want to try to reach an agreement and work towards a transfer of the management of the complex in the near future. The Ocean Blue complex has tremendous potential and is already an iconic building on Exmouth seafront.” Mark Quinn said: “We are working hard to get the final phase of the development completed, which will see one of the largest soft play centres in the region and an adjoining

cafe installed in time for the school summer holidays. If we can also reach agreement with LED over the management of the complex by then it would be great to have such a well-respected and professional leisure company take it on and see it fulfil its potential.” Should the management transfer go ahead, LED says it will honour all existing bookings and quotations, and that all staff will also transfer with their terms and conditions of employment fully protected.

Late Easter and wet weather hits beer sales PUBS

late Easter and the extreme at the start of the year Thit heweather quarterly beer sales, according

to the British Beer & Pub Association. The latest figures, released in the BBPA Quarterly Beer Barometer, show sales falling by 3.1 per cent in the first quarter of 2014 compared to the same period in 2013. Beer sales in pubs fell by 4.2 per cent, an improvement on the 5.4 per cent fall in the same period in 2013. Sales in supermarkets and offlicences fell by 1.8 per cent, compared to slight growth in 2013. After two quarters of growth in beer sales, these figures indicate the continuing challenge for the beer and pub sector. It is hoped that the further cut in Beer Duty announced by the Chancellor in his March budget and effective from April will provide a much-needed

boost to brewers. Brigid Simmonds, chief executive, commented: “A late Easter break and the impact of severe flooding early in the year has affected beer sales, although sales did not fall as much as they did this time last year. The outlook ahead is certainly more positive with the

Easter sales, an expected World Cup uplift and the further boost from a cut in Beer Duty from the Chancellor.” Hopefully, the positive outlook will come to fruition this summer, with single site operators reaping the cashbox rewards their efforts deserve.

2367-p13-17-Listings Analysis_Coinslot NEW 06/05/2014 17:50 Page 1

B 2 B

12 B2B listings and industry marketplace

Listings REPORT

16 This week’s machine charts

18 Classified sales, job and business opps

21 Jabro Surreal Soccer season

Trade bodies release further research on BitCoin Virtual currency BitCoin is gathering momentum as a legitimate payment source for gaming transactions. To this end, two industry leaders have collaborated to release a second report on BitCoin’s progress. TMIA, the trade association for the ATM sector, in association with the Electronic Funds Transfer Association, has released its second commissioned research report into the digital currency BitCoin. The report is called BitCoin: Virtual Currency with Real Opportunities. “As industry associations liaising with regulators, ATMIA and EFTA are keen to develop industry positions on the current and future significance of BitCoin,” said Mike Lee, ATMIA’s CEO. “This excellent report presents a history and comprehensive international analysis of BitCoin, while at the same time showing how virtual currencies and ATM systems can interface for their mutual benefit.” Kurt Helwig, president and CEO of EFTA, added: “A virtual currency not bound by international borders pose a unique set of challenges to regulators. How those challenges are met globally may well determine the success or failure of this fascinating new payment technology.” Francesco Burelli, partner at Value Partners, who conducted the research, stated: “Virtual currencies are proving to be a new opportunity for ATM operators. The ATM is an ideal touch-point

MAY 9 - MAY 15, 2014

Essential Guide to

UK Seaside Amusements Sector Coinslot Review Coinslot MAY 9 - MAY 15, 2014

channel between the not-so-intuitive crypto-currencies and the consumers who may want to leverage the new payment methods but may not be sufficiently technically savvy to liaise directly with exchanges and cryptographic wallets.” BitCoin, which allows people to send and receive payments within an entirely decentralized peer-to-peer network, has quickly become the most prominent form of “digital currency” in the world. “I think BitCoin will still be standing, despite its ups and downs, in the medium term, perhaps even in the longrun,” Lee predicted. ATMIA and EFTA first jointly commissioned research report on BitCoin and what it might mean to the payments industry can be found on the ATMIA and EFTA websites. The report is free to all ATMIA and EFTA members and is available for purchase by non-members. The paper, written by Tremont Capital Group, one of the nation’s leading consulting firms specialising in the ATM industry, is called An Introduction to BitCoin ATMs and contains special reference to North America where the currency originated.

OUR OFFER THE DIGITAL PACK

£25/year – Less than 50p a week Delivered every week to your inbox 51 digital issues of Coinslot and free specialist Coinslot Review supplements

THE CLASSIC PACK £79/year Delivered every week to your door 51 print copies of Coinslot and specialist Coinslot Review supplements All issues of Coinslot and Review supplements sent in digital format FREE Annual Coinslot wall-planner

Subscribe now to receive your ﬁrst four issues FREE. Phone: 01204 396397 Email: jsullivan@gbmedia.eu

coinslot

2367-p13-17-Listings Analysis_Coinslot NEW 06/05/2014 17:50 Page 2

B 2 B

MARKETPLACE

B2B Amusements

B2B Carpets & Flooring

Ticket House Crane

Listings

www.antrimcarpets.com

Hawthorn acquires 275 pubs

CALL NOW

01843 866464

Harry Levy Amusement Contractor Ltd Tel: +44 (0)1843 866464 | Fax: +44 (0)1843 860144 Email: sales@harry-levy-amusements.com | Web: www.harry-levy-amusement.com

JNC SALES

info@antrimcarpets.com

B2B Change Machines

“Let’s talk about it” Vast ranges of AWPs, SWPs, Drivers, Simulators, Sit-downs and amusement equipment www.jnc-sales.co.uk sales@jnc-sales.co.uk Tel: 0117 9382552 Fax: 0117 9382218 Aftersales Tel: 0117 9382225

“Great range of Change Machines available” Tel: 020 8391 7700 Fax: 020 8391 7760 Email: sales@suzohapp.co.uk www.suzohapp.co.uk

B2B Finance

Hawthorn Leisure has acquired 275 tenanted and leased pubs from Greene King for £75.6m. This is the first investment for Hawthorn Leisure in the pub space and the group will seek to grow through further acquisitions.

JUKEBOXES NSM DRIVING COSTS DOWN SM Jukeboxes have been saving customers around the world large N amounts of cash, thanks to the company’s

gspencer@namco.co.uk

www.namco.co.uk

Amusement and Gaming Equipment Finance with Rates from 3.1% We buy and sell all gaming equipment with over 400 units in stock - From Pool-tables to Fruit machines we have it all.

Immediate Funds Available 98% Acceptance Rate

For the best prices please call us today

Tel: 01795 844 169

Tel: 0844 800 88 25

B2B Arcade Crane Services

info@portmanassetfinance.co.uk www.portmanassetfinance.co.uk

Email: Stuart@starleisure.biz

www.thewon.co.uk

B2B Football Tables THE HIGHEST EARNING

POOL AIR HOCKEY FOOTBALL TABLES

business strategy and pricing plans. SM licenses music on their jukeboxes directly, allowing them to charge a lower price to the end-user. Also, rather than paying a tariff on top of a music fee, NSM simply asks for a flat monthly payment. Customers benefit from dealing the manufactures directly, allowing them to not only buy from the factory directly, but also have quick access to NSM’s knowledgable support team. Those unsure about taking the plunge can also take advantage of the company’s 90day risk free guarantee.

CASH HANDLING INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY’S NV200 GAINS UL APPROVAL

B2B Bingo

T 024 7646 1234 F 024 7646 4433 SALES@SAMLEISURE.CO.UK sales@samleisure.co.uk WWW.SAMLEISURE.CO.UK www.samleisure.co.uk

To subscribe please call sales@leisure-electronics.co.uk www.leisure-electronics.co.uk Coinslot MAY 9 - MAY 15, 2014

Sarah Haworth on 01204 396 397

The whole night wa cess, and feedb everyone w with many c downloadin there and th

JASON JARRETT, DIREC COMMENTS ON THE SU NEW APP THAT ALLOW THEIR JUKEBOX MUSIC

“Gaining a UL rating is not a one-man job. The contributions of such a large collection of different people within the company has been invaluable to the success of the project. We hope to achieve this standard with more of our core product range and processes are already in place to accomplish this.”

PUBS IT’S GAME ON FOR PUNCH world’s biggest pub darts competiorganised by Punch Taverns, The TDartshetionClassic Competition, is underway in hundreds of Punch pubs across the country. Over 1,100 pubs have entered the 2014 competition - the highest amount of participating pubs on record. The competition, which is sponsored by Holsten, John Smiths, Guinness and Budweiser and facilitated by World of Darts, is currently in its preliminary stages of the six-month competition. The first stages will commence on May 12, where each pub will play at home and away. The winning team will receive £2,500.

ldham-based Innovative TechnolSUPPLIERS ogy’s NV2000 and Smart Payout have O been granted UL approval. Demonstrating its compliance, the firm meets with all of UL’s strict requirements including casualty, fire and shock risks and other UL regulatory codes. UL is a globally recognised standard, but is of particular importance in North America. By achieving this rating, Innovative can take steps to further improve its market share in the US. Lead test engineers George Pilch, who headed the UL project, commented:

HERONDATA MOVES QUICKLY TO MAXIMISE £100 OPPORTUNITY

eading coin-op supplier Herondata has quickly brought in a number of L£1/£100 jackpot machines to meet the increased demand for the new jackpot levels. The Stockton-based outfit currently

2367-p13-17-Listings Analysis_Coinslot NEW 06/05/2014 17:51 Page 3

MARKETPLACE

B 2 B

B2B Gaming Machines

ight was a great sucnd feedback from yone was very positive, h many customers wnloading the free app e and then.

ASON JARRETT, DIRECTOR OF AUTOMATIC MACHINE SERVICES, OMMENTS ON THE SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH OF SOUNDJACK, THE EW APP THAT ALLOWS CUSTOMERS TO CHOOSE AND PAY FOR HEIR JUKEBOX MUSIC USING THEIR SMARTPHONE

has a number of Cat C items in stock, many of which feature the new stake and prize limits as specified by the most recent Triennial Review. In particular, the supplier is offering several of Bell-Fruit Games’ best-known amusement with prize pieces on £100 payout. These include Deal or No Deal Cops and Robbers, Deal or No Deal Red Mist and Deal or No Deal Red Hot. Additionally, the longestablished machine and parts supplier has a raft of £1/£70 machines available, including Monopoly Property Ladder and Crown Jewels.

JNC SHOWS THE WAY IN NOVELTY AND AMUSEMENT SECTORS

UK park brings in Galaxy Norfolk adventure park BeWILDerwood has implemented the Galaxy product suite for ticketing and access control. The park’s guests have the option to purchase tickets and annual passes onsite at the venue or online ahead of time using BeWILDerwood’s eGalaxy web store.

COMPENDIUMS JABRO INTRODUCES CAT C AND B4 DEALS est Glamorgan-based W Jabro Games, which prides itself upon offering products with no on-going fees, has introduced a special offer on Category C and B4 compendiums. Tony Brookes’ firm can now supply both Cat C (£100 prize) and B4 (£400 prize) machines in seven-game compendium format, direct from the manufacturer. In addition, Jabro continues to offer easy payment schemes on all its machines, including its latest Multi Lotto B3A (£500 prize) and B4, while being fully prepared to broker part-exchange deals and supply upgrade kits.

vonmouth-based coin-op machine DISTRIBUTORS supplier JNC Sales has introduced a A number of special offers on its stock of novelty and amusement games. The longestablished family run firm currently has several high-earning pieces on sale, including the whack-a-mole style products Klobber the Robber and Galaxy Garrison. Furthermore, JNC has very limited quantities of the Clockwork Oranges eight-player straight pusher alongside the popular kiddie rides Jet Ski and Kiddie Submarine. The likes of Big Bass Wheel Deluxe, Duck Hoops Kiddie Basketball and Wik’s Gold Air Hockey complement the firm’s large range of family-oriented fare.

www.rlms-sales.com sales@rlms-sales.com

B2B Juke Box Specialists

CROWN ADDS LATEST CONCEPT GAMES’ MACHINES TO PORTFOLIO

distribution outfit Crown/Deith is currently showcasing Ea pairstablished of Concept Games’ Cat C £100 games. Housed in a casino-style cabinet, both Bullion 100 and Jackpot 7evens are being promoted at Crown’s Northern Showcase this week. Examples of many coin-op genres are on display at the event, which takes place at the Pines Hotel in Chorley, Lancashire. The Wigan-based firm will be hoping that its commitment to ‘best-in-class’ products in challenging times will be rewarded by some decent sales figures at the event, which concludes on May 8.

kim@arionmusic.co.uk

Coinslot MAY 9 - MAY 15, 2014

2367-p13-17-Listings Analysis_Coinslot NEW 06/05/2014 18:00 Page 4

B 2 B

MARKETPLACE

B2B Juke Box Specialists

B2B Skill Ball Deluxe

SOUNDNET THE DIGITAL JUKEBOX SPECIALISTS

Analysis

CALL TOBY: 07970 229124 CALL JAMES: 07836 233176 FOR ALL YOUR JUKE NEEDS & QUERIES www.soundnet.net

B2B Machines

B2B Soft Toys & Redemption

www.segaarcade.com

sales@segaarcade.com

B2B Spares B2B Marketing Get great PR from the industry experts

S&J communications

For a quote call Chris Jones +44 (0)1273 699900 ! # """ !

gaming | betting | gambling

B2B Novelty

*The only OfďŹ cial Cromptons Machines Spares supplier*

CATEGORYC (ÂŁ1/ÂŁ100 Max.)

CATEGORYB3 (ÂŁ2/ÂŁ500 Max.)

Single site

AGCs

This Last Week Week Name / Manufacturer

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

1 2 3 4 5 7 6 8 9 10

DOND Winfall BFG DOND Lucky Streak BFG DOND Powerplay BFG DOND The Big One BFG DOND Crazy Chair Gold BFG Worminator QPS Bank Job - Rob The Lot QPS DOND Pure Gold BFG DOND Turbo BFG DOND Double Chance BFG

Taken from a representative number of sites around the UK Supplied by national operator

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Magic Lotto Ultra Novomatics Mega Bars Big Hit Project King of Slots Blueprint Triple 8 Barcrest Mega Bars ÂŁ2 Project Rainbow Riches Community Cash Barcrest Big Party Astra A Bet Astra Casino King TS 22 Project Lady Luck Reflex

Based on data supplied by a representative number of UK sites Supplied by RLMS Sales

www.cromptons-spares.co.uk For Spares, Refurbishments, Repairs and Special Offers call Matt or Terri on 01843 593335 For FREE technical support call Steve or Hugh on: 01843 593353 Email: spares@cromptons.com Fax: 01843 588043

CATEGORYD (10p/ÂŁ5 Max.) FEC - family

AGCs This Last Week Week Name / Manufacturer

This Last Week Week Name / Manufacturer

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

1 3 6 5 9 7 4 -

Encore T7 (GP2) SG Gaming Encore T7 (GP3) SG Gaming Magic Games 100 Ultra Novomatic Magic Games 3 Novomatic Encore T7 (GP1) SG Gaming Find the Lady 2 card Project Triple 7 (GP1) SG Gaming Triple 7 (GP3) SG Gaming X3000 Multigame Amatic Haunted House CMS

Based on data from a minimum of 10 locations. Supplied by Praesepe

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 -

Party Time Classic (3 Player) Astra Bullion Bars (3 Player) Astra Rainbow Riches (3 Player) Empire Gold Rush Stampede (4 Player) Barcrest Adders And Ladders (4 Player) Vivid DOND (3 Player) Bellfruit Party Games (4 Player) Astra Party Time Arena (4 Player) Astra Party Time (3 Player) Astra Monopoly (4 Player) Mazooma

Based on data from four sites Amusement Equipment Co Ltd

CATEGORYB4 (ÂŁ2/ÂŁ4000 Max) www.zoltaruk.com

B2B Pool Tables & Accessories

Distributor of snooker and pool accessories and manufacturers of genuine Superleague tables and spares.

Telephone

01952 586226 Coinslot MAY 9 - MAY 15, 2014

FEC - adult

Members clubs

This Last Week Week Name / Manufacturer

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

1 7 3 4 5 6 8 9 -

Magic Games U/R Novomatic Rainbow Riches Party Barcrest Magic Games S/D Novomatic Pure Gold Project Super Big 7 S/D Electrocoin Party Time Arena (4 Player) Astra Free Play 70 Project Sevens Up Electrocoin Party Time Classic (3 Player ) Astra Find The Lady 70 Project

Based on data from four sites Amusement Equipment Co Ltd

1 2 3 4 5

1 Street Casino 2014 Tempest Storm 2 Public Enemy Reflex 3 Galloping Jackpot Reflex 4 Cops Judgement Pay BFG 5 Flaminâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 400 Reflex

Based on data from representative sites. Supplied by sector professional

2367-p13-17-Listings Analysis_Coinslot NEW 06/05/2014 18:01 Page 5

Sponsored by

Current Team Position Name

Manager Name

Weekly Points

Total Points

Current Team Position Name

Manager Name

ABOVE STANDARDS

Lee Clarke

AMG FIRST 11

Terry Farr

SHERWIN A TEAM

Mark Sherwin

1505

BOWLERS BOYZ

Andy Bowler

1478

EVAN TENNER BACK NOW

Stuart Heyden

1467

THE PERFECT TEAM

Tom Clarke

1462

JABRO LIONS

Tony Brookes

1456

SUSHI SLIPPERS

Derek Lewis

SOUTH OF THE QUEENS

David Lees

LE COINSPINNERS

Lee H

ANGRY BALLS

Laurie Carpenter

BAYERN OTHER STRIKER

David Lees

Weekly Points

Total Points

1527

JACKSONS JACKPOT XI

Gareth Cammack

1525

CASHBOX KINGS

James Illingworth

CAREFREE ALDON

Glyn Petrie

1267

BIG PRIZE WINNERS

LLL CITY

Keith Parker

1265

DIDCOT GOALBUSTERS

JAMIES SHOPPERS 11

Jamie Lucky

1262

RANGERS RETURN 2

KEEDAYS FINEST

Peter Holmes

1254

RANGERS RETURN 1

Ashley Temple

1252

1444

JOHN WARK'S MILKMEN

Stu & Stoo

1250

1442

S.A.S FC

David Holmes

1248

1441

11 UNDER PAR

Ross Evans

1246

1440

I WANT DIRTY KNEES 2

Jorzoe-FTM

1244

1425

NES UNITED

Chris Bell

1242

Weekly Points

B 2 B

Current Team Position Name

Manager Name

Total Points

1277

ABSOLUTE REAMSTERS

Alex Lee

1150

1274

HOT CHIPS

C Edenborough

1147

Harry Leaveme

1137

John Carpenter

1130

Ashley Temple

1130

AINT GOT A KALOU

Stuart Heyden

1107

RICK'S BOYZ

Andy Bowler

1097

ESSEX BOYS 1

Steve Hawkins

1086

HOLIDAY MONEY

Darrell Webb

1085

BEST SELECTION

John Jennings

1083

BRAMBLEBOYZ123

Andy Bowler

1080

DONKEY LASHERS

Andy Williamson

1072

GILLSGILLSGILLS

Colin Smith

1386

SCUM ON THE RUN

Nathan Holmes

1242

COSMIC FIRST 11

Terry Farr

1382

DELAYZIGITS

Dave Delay

1242

STEVIE G LUCKY 11

Shoppers Luck

1069

1237

BURSNELL'S BULLETS

Jo Bursnell

1050

1231

EE BAH GUM

Simon Shaw

1048

AMS VXR GJ

Roger Jarrett

1045

15 16

AMG LEISURE FC CLACTON UNDER 10's

Carl Bearman Stuart Heyden

28 39

1372 1370

50 51

JABRO BOYS SHOWBOAT ALLSTARS

Tony Brookes Ray Harris

36 53

MOTHYS MARVELS

Scott Yarham

1361

PARAGON ACADEMICALS

Nick Hardy

1229

KEEPLAYERS

Peter Holmes

1361

DANS DESTROYERS

Daniel Barber

1216

DIBBS ELEVEN

Tracey Dibben

1039

CAREFREE WEEMAN

Glyn Petrie

1354

HAMMERTIME

Brian Wright

1211

BEADLES 1

Peter Hemmings

1037

THE ELDORADO TRACTOR BOYS

Stoo Evans

1352

COSMIC SECOND 11

Terry Farr

1209

M.O.T

Bill Knowles

1020

DYNAMO KEBAB

David Lees

1352

AMS YID ARMY

Jason Jarrett

1207

LLL BELLES

Amelia Stanhope

1008

KEEDAY LEGENDS

Peter Holmes

1349

LLL UNITED

Tim Stanhope

1200

DO IT THEE SEN LAD

Simon Shaw

1003

CAREFREE BAZZA

Glyn Petrie

1327

BEADLES 2

Peter Hemmings

1196

ESSEX'S FINEST

Dave Clarke

1000

KEEDAY RESERVES

Peter Holmes

1323

BEACON BATTLERS

Harry Illingworth

1195

UPHILL SKIERS

Bill Knowles

987

THE REAL DEAL

Dave Columbine

1320

COMRIEAUTOMATICS

Jack Craddock

1191

THE TEAM THAT WIN

Hugo Illingworth

1313

SHELL'S ELEVEN

Michelle Martin

1186

FERGIES FINEST

Kevin Temple

976

JOHNNYS SHOPPERS 11

John Mitchell

973

COINSPINNERTRONS

Coopertron

968

TOWER POWER

Tony O'Brien

946

1172

LLL ACCIES

John Hood

932

AK BABES

Andy Water

930

MUCKING FUDDLERS

Chris Skelly

1310

ESSEX BOYS 2

Steve Hawkins

1184

JACKSONS SUPER BLUES

Phillip Nelson

1299

ABSOLUTE RANKSTERS

Alex Lee

1184

29 30

AMG OOOOSSSHHH CHEEKY MONKEYS

Ian Pawson Matty Sirett

39 14

1297 1296

64 65

ALL THIS AND MORE HOLTY'S HOTSPOTS

Gary Newman Tony Holt

29 5

1173

IFUN@SUNDANCERS

Shaney Pashley

1296

MICK McCARTHY'S MISFITS

Stoo Evans

1172

CLUB TROPICANA

Warren Roffey

1295

WARWICKS WINNERS

Warwick Tunnicliffe

1168

100 SEE THE AT' TOP

Simon Shaw

927

Bill Knowles

908

EASY MONEY

Steve Barber

1292

BUMBLE IN THE JUNGLE

Harry Leaveme

1165

101 LAC DE GURSON

LLL WANDERERS

Jake Parker

1287

JO'S ASSETS

Joanne Crooks

1162

102 2 THE TOP

Reece Newman

862

RAYLEIGHS REJECTS

Jody Buckley

1285

JJ'S SHOPPERS 11

JJ Lucky

1151

103 WARWICKS ELEVEN

Warwick Tunnicliffe

779

an Only ol Fo April iss dm woul this n out o r! offe

Coinslot MAY 9 - MAY 15, 2014

2367-p22-23-comment_Coinslot NEW 06/05/2014 16:33 Page 1

Coinslot May 9 - May 15, 2014

Comment Don’t by shy - shove a coin in

“This has to be better than staring at an iPhone screen!”

alex lee comment espite the omnipresent competition from the PS Vita, the various incarnations of the Nintendo DS, the PlayStation 4, the Xbox 360 and, lest we forget, smartphone apps, there’s nothing quite like shoving a coin in a machine and enjoying a few seconds of analogue or digital fun. It’s true. Hundreds of thousands of UK families attested to this over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend and, more recently, May Bank Holiday. Collecting something at the end of it all, of course, is the icing on the cake, regardless of the intrinsic or implied value of the item. While it could be reasonably argued that the latest range of coin-op arcade machines - and I’m speaking largely of the latest raft of novelty vending machines, amusement-only pieces and prize vendors here - are nothing more than a simple variation on a pretty ancient theme, recognition must be given to their manufacturers for their creativity. The UK’s distributors deserve a pat on the back too, for their efforts in convincing arcade owners that a nongaming experience aimed squarely at family

“

groups is fast becoming the new foundation for any successful amusements or FEC operation. Products of the types mentioned above, when fully themed and stocked with the latest prizes, offers a very attractive return on investment for operators of arcades and FECs,many of which have reported some spectacular returns on investment. Prize vending machines and all types of ticket payout-enabled products, for example,have undeniably been a growth area in the last 36 months,with the synergy of lucrative prizes in machines offering intriguing and simple gameplay making for maximum earnings. Furthermore, with hybrid products putting a new spin on the expected norm, new industry standards have been created in terms of technology, design and gameplay. Innovation is certainly not dead in the broader novelty and amusement sector - and I can prove this by waving a copy of Coinslot’s latest Seaside Supplement in the face of anyone who needs convincing of that fact, or fanning down a little because of the recent spate of good weather that we’ve all been praying for.

Parallels to be drawn with US co

In recent industry-related news, th breathe new life into coin-op aga revealed that increasing numbers

alex lee media watch S coin-op trade body the Amusement and Music Operators AssoU ciation installed Bobby Hogin as its

new president on March 27, according to The Vending Times. Hogin brings to the year-long term three decades of experience as a coin machine operator. He succeeds John Pascaretti of Michigan’s Pascaretti Enterprises. Hogan stated: “This position will be taken with dedication and vision on my part. Our past presidents have set a bar that I must meet or exceed. I’m looking forward to traveling and meeting operators from all parts of the country - and if I don’t have answers to their questions, I’ll find someone who does.” As founder of the Tennesseebased Hogin Amusement Co, he has witnessed the dramatic changes in the industry that have prepared him to represent operators around the country. After discovering a need for affordable entertainment in the middle-Tennessee area, Hogin started his music and games operation in the mid-1980s. From a simple beginning, Hogin’s operation has

grown to serve a six-county territory west of Nashville. “I was working for another amusement operator who decided to retire. That gave me the opportunity to purchase his route, around 1984. We started out with truck stops - those were the main locations served by my previous employer - but I started securing bar and tavern accounts, bowling alleys, skating rinks and convenience stores.” Today, Hogin Amusement Co. covers nine counties in Tennessee. “One of the first challenges I faced was trying to find places where I could gain more knowledge of the industry, so I started going to the AMOA shows and the educational seminars.” In some respects, the US coin-op landscape reflects that of the UK. Hogin stated that retaining and building membership is among the top AMOA priorities. “There have been so many consolidations in the amusement industry. We don’t have as many operators as we used to.” To help the association address membership challenges, Hogin is putting his full support behind

AMOA’s state association rebate program, and will focus on building stronger ties with state and regional groups. Attracting new entrepreneurs to the industry and young operators to the association is another challenge. “We have to really dwell on the young people getting into the amusement trade. They are more technologically savvy than us old guys, so it’s just a natural fit for them. And they’re out there.” Hogin remains optimistic. “I see a bright future. I think there will always be a demand for a low-cost entertainment - where people can play games in the lobby of a restaurant or movie theatre, or in a FEC,” he said. “You can see the changes from the previous years; we’re going to more prize-dispensing games, such as cranes and merchandisers. Our industry has always evolved. And I think there will always be equipment there that will keep the people entertained.” Meanwhile, The Guardian has asked: “Why are students increasingly drawn to betting?” A survey last year by Save the Student showed

n!”

2367-p22-23-comment_Coinslot NEW 06/05/2014 16:34 Page 2

Coinslot May 9 - May 15, 2014 23

“The European street gaming market is undergoing significant change as technology and legislation continue to shape the sector.”

TO COMMENT ON ANY ARTICLE

Email: al@sjc.co.uk

STAFF WRITER, INTERGAME

“ ”

quote unquote

“So many of the household names in the coin machine industry came from travelling families, even some of the major coin machine manufacturers, such as Streets Automatics. Several distributors started their business by supplying the travelling showmen with coin-operated machines.” FREDDIE BAILEY, COIN-OP COMMUNITY

“The International Center for the History of Electronic Games has acquired an extraordinary part of early video game history. The collection originating from Atari Games’ coin-operated division includes the source code of such iconic games as Asteroids, Missile Command and Centipede, among other historical assets.” HANK SCHLESINGER, THE VENDING TIMES

“The Games Cup is a great event, which I seem to have been involved with for most of my working life. This year, having won again, I am proud to hold the cup and celebrate raising money for Jamie Procter’s Foundation. Julian Bond is a personal friend and I am delighted to support the charity in memory of Jamie.” IAN CHUTER, OPERATOR

US coin-op

elated news, the new president of the US amusements trade body has vowed to o coin-op against a backdrop of consolidation, while The Guardian has asing numbers of students are suffering from gambling addiction.

that as many as 20 per cent of university students had gambled in an attempt to make money. The odd flutter here and there can be harmless, but for the growing number of students with a gambling problem, it’s not just their finances at stake. Gambling addiction has been linked to poor mental health, crime, alcohol problems and weaker educational attainment. One ex-student, who wishes to remain anonymous, gambled large amounts of his student loan, culminating in a loss of £8,000 in an hour. He describes spending £20-£40 a week on FOBTs at the local bookmakers, but also started betting at home on online roulette games. “After receiving my student loan, I took a large chunk of it and decided to have a go at making some money online. I got on to a winning streak, and before I knew it I had thousands in my gambling account. Unfortunately I was only allowed to make small withdrawals per day, and when I went back to the site the following day to make the next withdrawal, I decided to see if my luck was still in. I lost my remaining funds within an hour.” The financial problems were stressful, but he says it was the obsessive nature of the addiction that affected his

studies most. “It’s time to open up a conversation about gambling in universities,” said Trevor David, Gamcare’s lead training and development consultant. “For the first time, student finance officers have been coming to us and requesting we come to events and give information to students. Universities seem to be becoming aware that there is a growing problem.” He also says that unlike drug and alcohol addictions, a lack of knowledge about gambling addiction means that it often goes unnoticed: “People need to know how to spot a gambling problem in others and what help and support to provide. University staff need to know how to spot a problem and what support to provide. Student money advisers, for example, should know what simple questions they can ask to find out if a student is having trouble with gambling.”

Changes afoot for betting shops and B2s The DCMS’ Helen Grant announced the latest FOBT playing conditions and new local government powers regarding the siting of betting shops in a written statement last week.

helen grant politics 2005 Gambling Act was introby the then government with Ttheheduced aim of liberalising the gambling market in Great Britain. Nearly seven years on from theAct’s implementation, the gambling industry has developed in innovative ways, with new products now marketed and made available on a greater scale than ever before. In many local communities, concerns have been expressed about the clustering of betting shops on high streets. These shops contain highly sophisticated gaming machines that now make up a greater proportion of revenue than over-the-counter betting. In addition, we have seen significant growth in the scale of gambling advertising. The pervasive nature of such advertising means that both children and adults are exposed to a considerably greater amount of gambling advertising than ever before. The government want to give local communities a proper voice so their views are taken into account when plans for a new betting shop are submitted. The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government is therefore proposing a re-emphasis within the current planning classes.A smaller planning use class containing betting shops will mean that in future where it is proposed to convert a bank, building society or estate agents into a betting shop it would require a planning application. In addition, the government will remove the ability for other premises such as restaurants and pubs to change use without being obliged to seek planning permission. The Department for Communities and Local Government will consult on the detail of proposals as part of a wider consultation on change of use in summer 2014. Furthermore, given the growth in marketing and promotion of virtual and electronic gambling, which present fewer opportunities for face-to-face interaction, I believe new measures are

necessary to ensure that vulnerable players are protected. I want players who use gaming machines to be in control of the choices they make.This is particularly important for users of category B2 gaming machines. I have therefore decided that government should adopt a precautionary approach and take targeted and proportionate action to protect players further when using high-stake gaming machines on the high street. I intend to require customers accessing stakes over £50 to use account-based play or load cash over the counter. Requiring better interaction between customer and operator for those engaged in high-stake play improves opportunities for more effective provision of information and interventions. This measure will put an end to unsupervised cash staking above £50,which can rapidly result in significant losses. This is a sensible and balanced approach which allows players continued use of these machines on the high street,while ensuring greater opportunities for supervision and player protection. In addition, the Gambling Commission is undertaking a review of its licence conditions and codes of practice with a view to strengthening their measures to protect players. In particular, the Gambling Commission intends to consult on requiring gaming machines in betting shops to present players with a choice to set limits on the maximum amount of time or money they want to spend before commencing play.The Gambling Commission is also looking at how additional measures to protect players of gaming machines, such as pauses in play and messaging, should be toughened and made mandatory. The government will now prepare the necessary impact assessments and regulatory measures to implement their proposed changes. I expect these changes to be implemented from October 2014.

2367-p24-newsweek_Coinslot NEW 06/05/2014 16:48 Page 1

Coinslot May 9 - May 15, 2014

Newsweek THE BOLDEST BRANDS ow in its 16th successful year, Brand Licensing Europe 2014 is the definitive event for the European licensing industry and will take place from the October 7-9 at Olympia, London. “Whether you are a retailer, licensee or sales promotion professional, BLE 2014 is the perfect place for you to meet face-to-face with over 280 leading brand owners, discover the hottest brands, characters, images and artwork available for license and find new partnerships that could transform your business forever,” the organisers said.

SIGN OF THE TIMES he European Sign Expo 2014 takes place at Messe Munich, Germany, on May

TO COMMENT ON ANY ARTICLE

Email: jw@sjc.co.uk

Amusement giants head to the East Coast CAS once again brings leading lights of the amusement and prize industry to the East Coast region for two days later this month. UDC, Crown Direct, Deith Leisure, Electrocoin, PMS International, Embed and Connected Entertainment will all be exhibiting at this year’s East Coast Amusement Show (ECAS), which takes place at the Southview Park Hotel in Skegness on May 13-14. The two-day show offers free

20-23. The annual expo unites signmakers and visual communication practitioners with innovation in conventional and digital signage. Producers of architectural and informational signage can see the latest solutions in channel lettering, signage systems,

to both exhibitors and visitors. A wide selection of prizes of all shapes and sizes will be on show, the latest video games, AWPs, redemption games, prize and novelty games, change machines and much more. The Southview Park Hotel is located on Burgh Road in Skegness, the all important postcode for your sat-nav is PE25 2LA, which admission and there is no need to beat the rush.” register in advance, although ECAS is traditionally a low-key should take you right to the door. Michael Green of UDC said:“Visi- affair,with the emphasis on quality Free parking for visitors, refreshtors should aim to get here early to rather than quantity when it comes ments available.

illuminated displays, etching and engraving, as well as digital signage. As the only purely signage focused event, European Sign Expo delivers over 75 international exhibitors from across the non-printed signage sector, displaying core industry technologies from

machinery, software, substrates, systems, fittings and fixtures and electronic digital signage. IAAPA CHAIR HEADS TO AUSTRALIA ario Mamon, chairman of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) and the

owner of Enchanted Kingdom Philippines, will provide the keynote speech for the Australian Amusement Leisure and Recreation Association’s (AALARA) 2014 conference. The AALARA Conference takes place at the Novotel Twin Waters Resort in Queensland, Australia, on May 1315. This year’s event will

deliver knowledge, experience and inspiring leadership values for operators to take back to their business and build from within.

EDITORIAL Editor: Alex Lee Email: al@sjc.co.uk Tel: 07772 280 299 Assistant Editor: James Walker Email: jw@sjc.co.uk Tel: 07816678021 Managing Editor: Ken Scott Email: ks@sjc.co.uk Tel: 01273 699 900 ADVERTISING SALES Kathryn Norris Email: knorris@gbmedia.eu Tel: 01204 396 397 Fax: 01204 392 748 SUBSCRIPTIONS Sarah Haworth Tel: 01204 396 397 DIGITAL VERSION Marc Lawton Email: mlawton@gbmedia.eu Tel: 01204 396 397 PRODUCTION Designer: Gina Lloyd Email: gl@sjc.co.uk Ad Production & Pre-Press: Dave Roderick Email: gdk@sjc.co.uk PUBLISHER Director: John Sullivan GB Media Corporation Ltd, Bolton Technology Exchange, 33 Queensbrook, Bolton, BL1 4AY Tel: 01204 396 397 Fax: 01204 392 748

Email: jsullivan@gbmedia.eu MARKETING Marketing Executive: Emilie Beau Tel: 01204 396 397 OFFICES Editorial and Production: 3rd Floor, 20 New Road, Brighton, East Sussex BN1 1UF (UK) Tel: 01273 699 900 Advertising and Subscriptions: Coinslot International, Bolton Technology Exchange, 33 Queensbrook, Bolton BL1 4AY Tel: 01204 396 397 Fax: 01204 392 748

Calendar UK EVENTS MAY 2014 7-8 Crown Northern Showcase Pines Hotel, Clayton-Le-Woods, Chorley, UK www.crowndirect.co.uk 13-14 East Coast Amusement Show (ECAS) Southview Park Hotel, Skegness www.udc.co.uk

INTERNATIONAL EVENTS APRIL 2014 23-24 FEEL Expo Corferias, Bogota, Colombia www.feelexpo.com

MAY 2014 8-10 GTI Asia Taipei ExpoTaipei World Trade Centre, Taiwan www.gtiexpo.com.tw/taipeien

UK EVENTS JUNE 2014 4 Park Avenue Open Day, Park Avenue, London, UK www.electrocoin.net

INTERNATIONAL EVENTS JUNE 2014 18-20 Asian Attractions Expo, China National Convention Centre, Beijing, China www.iaapa.org/ AsianAttractionsExpo

SEPTEMBER 2014 2-4 Entertainment Arena Expo, Romexpo Fair Ground, Bucharest, Romania www.earena.ro

Opinions expressed in this publication should not be regarded as the official view of GB Media Corporation Ltd, except where stated. Views, opinions and recommendations contained in this publication are put forward for consideration only. No action should be taken in reliance upon any such views, opinions or recommendations. Neither GB Media Corporation Ltd nor contributors accept any responsibility for any loss occasioned to any person howsoever caused or arising as a result of or in consequence of action taken or refrained from in realiance on the contents of this publication.

Notes for contributors: Coinslot welcomes the submission of articles for consideration by the editor with a view to publication. Submission of an article will be held to imply that the article contains original unpublished work which GB Media Corporation Ltd may lawfully publish. All submissions are made at the owner’s risk. © GB Media Corporation Ltd, 2013 All rights strictly reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission given, full acknowledgement of author, publisher and source must be given.