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032 Queen We are the Ad_test 29/12/2014 11:20 Page 1 February 20 – February 26, Champions 2015 • No. 2408 • www.coinslot.co.uk

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Industry news Seaside amusements Redemption Report B2B Listings Latest machine charts Classified ads and opps Comment & Analysis Newsweek

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The last three days have been exceptional and the best that I have experienced since the outset of what is now, not only the biggest show in the world statistically, but also the best. 4

Playnation maintains

Playnation is a growing presence on the UK amusements landscape, with its activity in early 2015 suggesting that it will be a dynamic year for the young operator. In the first a two part interview with its chief executive, Adam Hodges talks to Coinslot about families, profits and how we all need Minions.

ACOS confirms dates for r TRADE SHOW

ollowing an impressive debut outing, the Autumn Coin-Op Show (ACOS) has announced the details of its second edition. As in 2014, Stamford Bridge, the home of Chelsea Football Club, will once again play host to the event, which is scheduled to run from 14-15 October, 2015. “The first ACOS show received a tremendous response from the industry, due in no small part to the stunning venue,” said organiser Karen Cooke. “I’m pleased to confirm that we now have an agreement to hold ACOS at Chelsea Football Club for the next two years.”

In the wake of the show, exhibitors and attendees were positive on its location in the West End, with a number of individuals enjoying their return to

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INDUSTRY

ESSENTIAL GUIDE

Getting to grips with under-age gaming

We’re all seeking redemption

4 February 20- February 26, 2015 • No. 2408 • www.coinslot.co.uk

ntains its momentum wning and operating over O 20,000 amusement machines across the UK, Playnation has established itself as one of the country’s leading operators since it sprung into existence during 2013.With a year of ground work and a year of rapid growth in the books, 2015 looks set to be a year of action for the company. This vitality is thanks in no small part to the business’s performance during the past year. “We had a very very successful 2014,” explained chief executive Adam Hodges.“If you look at the the family entertainment side of our business,there was definitely an increase in guest numbers.We did a lot of work on our crane and merchandising, pusher swag and prizes - those were our two biggest growth areas.” Part of that success has been built on smartly leveraging the prizes that are most popular with guests, of which one particular brand remains the top of the pile. “The Minions. I’ve been in this industry now for 15 years and the Minions is the best toy that I’ve ever seen in this industry,by a long way,” said Hodges. “I think we bought six times more Minions last year than any other line we’ve

ever bought before.That’s the kind of number and we expect it to be more this year.” However, for both prizes and machines, Playnation are constantly on the look out for the next big thing.“We’ve got a lot of people here looking at products,” explained Hodges.“I’ve got over twenty people here in the last two days.”As is increasingly typical of a big operator,however,Playnation did most of the legwork before EAG rolled around.“A lot of our buying and a lot of our ordering is done pre-show,” said Hodges. “I went to IAAPA and I went to G2E in October and there’s a few new bits and pieces that we haven’t seen,but not a lot.” Playnation’s success has created leeway to invest in growing its business, with acquisitions taking place in 2014 and more expected for this year.“We bought Fun House Leisure last April and they’re novelty vending in the pub business,said Hodges.“That was a big acquisition for us and we’re looking at further acquisitions. I hope to have at least one if not two acquisitions during 2015.So we’re looking at that market as well, because it was very complimentary to what we already did.”

es for repeat performance

the Chelsea area following the expo exodus to the Docklands over the past three years. Businesses looking to showcase their wares at this year’s

event are running low on time to get involved. With limited space available, the venue is already close to exhibitor capacity. “The level of repeat bookings from last year’s exhibitors has been so high that we only have a small amount of space remaining for the 2015 show,” confirmed Cooke. Filling a gap in the calendar that has been untouched for a number of years, the first ACOS provided proof for the hypothesis that a smaller scale event held in the run up to the main shows of the New Year provided the industry with a valuable outlet for early

Gauselmann acquires Sceptre Leisure OPERATIONS

The financial difficulties of one of the UK’s largest operators has provided Gauselmann Group with an opportunity to become a leading force within British single-site AWP provision. erman conglomerate the Gauselmann Group has made a complete acquisition of the UK’s second largest single-site operator, Sceptre Leisure. The move follows a process which saw Sceptre’s financial restructuring,overseen by corporate finance firm Duff & Phelps. “Certain companies within the [Sceptre] group were placed into administration on 11 February at which point the core trading businesses and a number of subsidiary shareholdings were sold to ADP Gauselmann UK Limited,” claimed a statement from the finance company.“The businesses have continued to trade and there have been no redundancies as a result of the process.” Based in Lancashire, Sceptre Leisure operates 20,000 AWP machines nationwide, and employs over 350 people. Despite the size of its machine stock,the company’s most recent year-end accounts detailed losses of £5.4m. “The acquisition of the Sceptre Leisure business and assets was the most effective way of ensuring the future security and prosperity of its customers and staff”, explained Jürgen Stühmeyer, Gauselmann’s member of the board for sales. “The Gauselmann Group will be working closely with the management team at Sceptre Leisure to provide all the support it needs to create a platform for innovation and growth

in the UK market place.” Since 2012, Gauselmann has been a minority shareholder in Sceptre Leisure - an investment the latter believes lent“a distinct, decisive benefit to the market.” The move to total acquisition will represent the group’s first major operational presence in the UK. Recent years have seen Gauselmann steadily expand the size and reach of its UK holdings:with the establishment of a British arm of its GeWeTe-change machine brand,as well as a range of investments in companies such as Blueprint Gaming, Praesepe and Betcom. What’s more,a continuation of the Gauselmann expansion on British shores looks all but confirmed. Sceptre have claimed that their new backers are currently in discussion “with another leading gaming company” regarding a possible investment which would “further strengthen” the group’s latest inroads. Despite the difficult circumstances that have led up to the acquisition, there is no doubting

Gauselmann’s enthusiasm with its UK activity. As Paul Gauselmann, chairman of the Gauselmann Group, confirmed: “I am pleased that we will be able to make even more use of the synergy effects created so far. The Gauselmann Group has developed to become an established force in the British gaming market - both in games development as well as in machine sales and arcade operations - and all sides are profiting from this.”

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CAT C LITE REFLEX EXPLORES LITE OPTION To help refresh the AGC and bingo sectors, Reflex Gaming is launching a trio of Category C Lite machines: Bank Raid Platinum, Robin The Rich Mini and Lady Luck Band Of Gold. All three games have a 10p/20p price of play and a £5/10 jackpot, attracting the lower five per cent MGD rate.

Over 25,000 attend record breaking ICE EXHIBITIONS

ICE 2015 smashed all attendance records, continuing a period of growth which now stretches over half a decade. The show that has put the UK gambling industry at the centre of innovation and technological development on the world stage came of age two weeks ago. So, what made ICE Totally Gaming the “greatest show on earth”?

t’s official, ICE 2015 was the biggest show in the event’s history. Although the figures are still subject to a final independent audit, organisers have revealed that, for the first time, the number of unique visitors topped 25,000. Interim figures show that 25,386 attendees passed through the doors of the ExCeL Centre during ICE’s three-day run time earlier this month. This marks an 8 percent increase on 2014 and continues a trend of six consecutive years of growth, underlining the expo’s claim to be the world’s biggest business-to-business gaming event. “This was the best event that I have been involved with in my 25 year career in

the exhibitions sector,” said Kate Chambers, portfolio director for organisers Clarion Events. “The opening day set the standard with some 18,000 visitors coming through the doors at ExCeL. The enthusiasm for ICE was evident across the board, from exhibitors and visitors alike. There’s no doubt that the industry has created a winning formula, with ICE proving the ideal showcase for international gaming in all of its guises.” Austrian gaming giants Novomatic have a unique perspective on the show, having exhibited 21 years ago at the very first ICE expo. With its now legendary giant stand, incorporating the likes of Astra and Bell-Fruit,the company continues to play a major

part in the event’s success. Commenting at the close of the week, director of communications and business development at parent company Austrian Gaming Industries, David Orrick, stated:“The last three days have been exceptional and the best that I have experienced since the outset of what is now, not only the biggest show in the world statistically, but also the best.The number and quality of visitors has been very, very good and our entire team is energised and enthused as a result of the interactions they have had at this show.” There were plenty of firsts at this year’s event, including the new Pitch ICE corner of the exhibition hall.This Dragon’s Den style set up allowed new compa-

nies to share their ideas in front of a live studio audience. Among the participants was Wendy Collins from Sporting Savvy. “We received an excellent response and have had lots of interest from potential partners and hope to use the opportunity to kickstart our activities.” ICE also earned plaudits from the influential Racing Post, which once again hosted the international betting sector. Reviewing the event, the Racing Post’s Jim Cremin said: “ICE simply delivers on every level. Quality visitors from all over the world, exchanges of ideas, plus simple fun. It’s all about professional business done with style.There’s nothing else even close to it,and this year’s was the best yet.”

REDEMPTION RLMS ENTERS THE VORTEX If you want to take your redemption offering to the next level, RLMS is offering Birthday Blaster’s F5 Vortex, a fully-automated coin-op version of the original Vortex. Billed as the “next generation” of redemption machines, its unique experience is perfect for bowling alleys, FECs and holiday parks.

The value of redemption REDEMPTION

The art of redemption is a specialist one, and a profitable one too. Ahead of Coinslot’s redemption feature this week, Weston-super-Mare pier operator Tim Moyle provides an insight into the genre and what it brings to the table.

Moyle has been a vocal advofor arcade redemption in Ttheimcate past: noting a correspondence

redemption stand at EAG underlined the accuracy of Moyle’s statement: high-quality plush between the sector’s growing pop- toys to its own Tokio brand of ularity amongst operators and the tablets, earphones, cameras, and quality of prize products on offer. other digital. And it’s this wide range of prize “Movie tie-ins like Jurassic Park and Minions trigger that instant offering that Moyle attributes to recognition - particularly in the medium’s continued appeal. “That’s a hook-in for all demoyounger players,”he told us.“These kind of products stand out from the graphics,” he stated. “A good crowd of the more generic items selection of different kinds of which were staples ten years ago.” prizes provides operators with a One look at Sega’s bespoke universal appeal - and adds that

crucial incentive to keep your customers engaged and playing.” Meanwhile, as manufacturers increasingly offer video/redemption (or ‘videmption’) hybrid titles, Moyle notes the hook-in power of franchised material. “We’ve a number of videmption machines in-house,” he said.“Our Monopoly videmption games is particularly popular - as with redemption prizes, the brand recognition there is potent.”

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INDUSTRY AMUSEMENTS LEISURE B2B COMMENT NEWSWEEK REPORT Redemption continues to bring life and vitality to the British amusement industry. 15

Praesepe make TiTo compatibility non-negotiable TITO

In what is the first major step towards large scale adoption of TiTo in UK arcades, Praesepe have issued a mandate which lays the groundwork for a full-scale conversion.

raesepe, which operates a total of 166 adult Pgaming centres, family entertainment centres and bingo clubs located throughout the UK, has written to all of its gaming machine suppliers informing them that they will only consider siting machines which are TiTo enabled or compatible. The communication, from Praesepe’s head of machines, Nigel Davis, underlines the importance Praesepe places on TiTo as a break through develop-

ment for both players and operators alike. Explaining Praesepe’s non-negotiable stance, Nigel Davis said:“For many years the UK has looked upon other jurisdictions who operate TiTo and similar systems with envy. Now that we have established a common protocol that works across al major machine manufacturers and following meetings at EAG and ICE the list of manufacturers is being added to almost daily. Thanks in no small

part to the work undertaken by the Gambling Business Group, dreams of lower service demands, reduced machines floats, zero refills and an enhanced player experience - are all now a reality. TiTO is ticking every box throughout the Praesepe estate and is on course to become one of the most single important developments in high street gaming. Its impact on maximising machine uptime, improving security and driving uplifts in income have been profound, which is why we want to ensure that every new machine that we add to the estate is TiTO enabled. Not to do so would be like buying a new flat screen television which isn’t 4K ready - it’s all about future proofing your purchases!”

“

Talarius and Gamestec extend logistics contract AGC

amestec has secured an extension to its existing logistics contract G with national AGC chain Talarius for a fourth consecutive year. Under the terms of the agreement,Gamestec will continue to supply its extensive network and infrastructure capacity to over 180 QuicksilverAGCs on the high street and motorway service areas throughout the UK. Services covered by the partnership include provision of storage facilities, preparation of new machines and distribution across the Talarius machine estate. Gamestec operations director Peter Collinge (pictured) welcomed the renewed contract, saying: “We are delighted that Talarius, the UK’s biggest AGC operator, has again entrusted Gamestec to look after its logistical requirements. We at Gamestec are able to offer a technology-driven solution that is highly

responsive and incredibly efficient. Talarius will be able to draw upon our integrated stock management and planning systems, trained installation teams and a modern fleet of vehicles to ensure that its logistics remain in very safe hands.” Paul Monkman,Talarius’gaming and service director, added: “We are delighted to continue our relationship with Gamestec. It is business as usual with Talarius receiving a cost-effective and reliable distribution service for our national AGC and motorway service area estate. This positions us perfectly in terms of being prepared for the future with regard to our machine servicing and distribution facilities.”

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Commission applies tighter rules on four operators falling short on under-age control AGE CONTROL

Operators found wanting in under-age control procedures have had new licence conditions set forth by the Gambling Commission: with fresh emphasis on training, layout and technology. he Gambling Commission, in conjunction with a number of local councils, has attached new conditions to the premises licences of a number of independent gambling operators, who had twice failed to challenge an underage test purchaser. 2014 tests showed flaws in the control procedures of two AGCs, an FEC and a betting shop located in three separate jurisdictions: East Lindsey (Lincolnshire), Brighton & Hove, and Hast-

Gambling Commission, the operators concerned also suggested their own additional proposals, which would see increased staff supervision of customers through the relocation of age-restricted gaming machines to areas in front of manned areas or staff counters, as well as the assignment of staff to specific supervision duties within agerestricted areas. “We welcome the action taken THE NEW LICENCE CONDITIONS INCLUDE: by our local authority partners - a requirement for the licensee to have a Think 21 or Think 25 policy to ensure that opera- a requirement for regular test purchasing to be undertaken, tors are able to manage to ensure the licensee monitors the effectiveness of their controls the underage gambling - the use of magnetic locks to restrict access to premises risks at their premises, and - the use of an infra-red beam system to alert staff to the presence of also the co-operation of the customers in age-restricted areas licensees in the review - barriers to reduce the risk of children crossing from family processes,” stated the Comentertainment centre premises into adult gaming centre premises mission’s director Matthew - re-positioning category D gaming machines away from entrances to adult Hill.“We must remind operagaming centre premises, to reduce the attraction of children to those areas tors not to be complacent in - induction and refresher training for staff. this key area - where weaknesses persist,other sanctions posals for improvement fol- showed continued shortfall in such as the suspension or revings (East Sussex). ocation of a licence could be All four operators had ini- lowing an initial failed pur- control procedures. In co-operation with the considered by regulators.” tially submitted their own pro- chase exercise, but re-tests

Under-age gaming: Are we getting to grips with the facts? The Gambling Commission claims that the rate of under-age machine gaming is climbing. But are the statistics representative of realities on the ground? Chris Webster looks at the issues behind the question. the news of additional licence conditions placed upon four independent operators Afromlongside across the gaming and gambling sectors,

comes the claim from Gambling Commission director Matthew Hill that under-age machine gambling is on the rise. “Machines are a form of gambling that can usually be accessed without any staff interaction, and it is vitally important that operators have the controls in place to prevent children from playing agerestricted products such as these,” he remarked. ““Recent Ipsos Mori research tells us that while overall figures for underage gambling have remained broadly static, the prevalence of children playing gambling machines is a lot higher than for other forms of gambling participation, and has risen on previous years.” For the uninitiated - Ipsos Mori is a market research firm: their 2011 study profiled nearly 3,000 11-16 year olds, finding that 23 per cent of those

polled admitted to having taken part in some form of gambling activity in the week preceding the survey. Of these, almost half (11 per cent) had played the National Lottery, whilst the second highest gambling contingent (nine per cent) had played a fruit machine - a rise of 2 per cent on 2008 figures. Two things are of note: the first is that by the study’s own admission, these statistics are derived from a limited sample body - thus cannot be attributed to being fully representative of the population as a whole. The second is that this study is now four years old. Technological developments, particularly the continued growth of online gambling provision, would no doubt present an altered perspective. But more importantly, how does the operator experience bear out the hypothesis of an upturn in under-age machine gaming? “In our AGC we see almost no under-age gambling at all,” Denis Stewart of Greenock’s D&D Amusements tells us. “Off-hand, I think we had three occasions over the course of last year where someone entered who looked too young, but our staff spotted them straight away and asked for ID: when they weren’t able to produce any, we asked them to leave.” John Hayes of Jackpot Amusements in Doncaster tells a similar story. “We know virtually all of our customers. Occasionally you get the odd youngish looking person - but we always ask for

proof of identification. We have eight surveillance cameras, and our cashbox is directly in front of the door - so as soon as anybody comes in, they’re immediately looked at - but it’s very rarely a problem.” Despite hundreds of miles between them, neither operator is seeing an influx of under-age gamers. As random as it is difficult to extrapolate, two voices do not make a conclusion. But it does beggar the question: can the Commission’s assertion really be borne out? Either way, four operators have fallen short of the rules - out of several thousand operators across the industries - which those on both sides of the regulatory line would say is four too many. However, is it an easy jump to the conclusion that under-age gaming is on the rise? With the current research findings - almost certainly not. With views from the ground - probably not. But in the mindset of an industry on a mission to keep gambling safe: more likely yes. The battle to keep under-age gaming off the radar is a massive one. It’s a particularly huge onus on small to medium sized family businesses, but it’s a pressure that everyone knows has to be built into the operational structure. Which poses an alternative question: is it more about businesses trying to re-adjust their operations to a new method of policing rather than under-age gaming on the rise?

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7 020 7644 8888 soundnet.net CABINETS THE KINGS OF DIGITAL Following its highly successful showings at EAG and ICE, Blueprint Gaming has firmly established itself as a company leading the transition from mechanical to digital. With a new high definition cabinet on the way, the firm is set to make a big impact across the Category C and B3 sectors.

BINGO BINGO: THE KEY TO LONGEVITY? Manchester’s Milly Smith turned 100 this week, and attributes her impressive age to her avid bingo-play. When asked by the Manchester Evening News what kept her sprightly, she replied “lots and lots of bingo”, claiming it got her ‘out and about’. Since turning 70, Milly has been a regular at her local hall, where she celebrated her birthday on Monday.

PARKS MODEST GROWTH PREDICTED FOR UK TOURISM Holiday parks can expect to see 1.2 percent growth over the next year as British families opt to take their breaks at home rather than abroad, according to a new study. In a recent survey, around half of 1,000 respondents said they would be taking more holidays in the UK over the coming years.

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Unaware: Mecca hall under threat following Aldi planning proposal BINGO

Locals in Breightmet have been informed of the impending construction of a new branch of Aldi. The catch? No one at Mecca Bingo which occupies the proposed site of construction - knew anything about it.

he future of a bingohall in Bolton,which employs 40 staff,has been placed in jeopardy, with the announcement of plans suggesting the venue be replaced by a new supermarket. Management and staff at the Mecca Bingo branch in Bury Road, Breightmet were taken by surprise when 3,000 letters were delivered to nearby homes, detailing the upcoming construction of a new Aldi store on the plot of land the

hall currently occupies. A statement on behalf of Mecca Bingo makes clear that the company was unaware of the proposals. “We are surprised and disappointed by the news,” it stated. “We are seeking urgent clarification from our landlord regarding the situation.” Aldi have confirmed the upcoming construction of the new store, which it claims will employ upwards of 100 staff-members, with space to accom-

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modate five additional commercial ventures.The German company has invited local residents to a public exhibition due to take place next Wednesday, where further details of the proposals will be provided. But the news has caused dismay at Mecca, notably amongst the staff concerned about their future. The husband of one the bingo-hall employees spoke to the Bolton News, saying:“The worst thing for us is the manner in which this has been done. If I had been Aldi I would have con-

Cummins mourn passing of service director Bentley OBITUARY

ummins Allison has expressed its deep C sadness at the sudden

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tacted Mecca first and maybe even said some of the jobs created could be secured for Mecca staff.” Whilst Breightmet councillor Lynda Byrne claimed the prospect of anAldi store had met with “mainly positive feedback”from the surrounding community, she too expressed surprise at the lack of warning given to the Mecca employees. “I am surprised to hear that staff at Mecca were not informed of the plans,” she told the local paper.“This [decision] affects their livelihoods.”

death of industry stalwart Russell Bentley. As service director, Russell Bentley was a major contributor to the growth and success of the operation in the United Kingdom. He was the longest serving member of staff at Cummins Allison, starting in 1988 as a service engineer based in the Leeds office and was involved in the launch of the original JetSort machine.

Bentley moved with the company from Leeds to Kidlington, to Honiley in Kenilworth and finally to the Coventry office, settling with his wife and two daughters in Milton Keynes. Over his 26 years with Cummins, his responsiveness to customers, support to the sales staff and management skills made him a key figure in the success of the UK operation and in a despatche the company confirmed that “he will be sadly missed by all his colleagues both in the UK and overseas”.

Having enjoyed a £2.8m makeover, Adwick Leisure Centre in Doncaster can now boast a new eight-lane tenpin bowling alley. The Kingpin bowling alley opened to visitors this weekend, alongside a brand-new space-themed children’s soft-play centre and an American-style diner. The Doncaster Culture Leisure Trust, which runs the venue, was optimistic that the new additions would attract sustained custom. “We are delighted to have invested in Adwick to develop this new leisure complex,” commented its chief executive, Michael Hart. “With bowling, a new soft play area and a great place to eat, we are sure that the local community will make the most of this fantastic venue.”

WORKING MEN’S CLUBS WMC FACES EVICTION AFTER 50 YEARS IN BUSINESS A Worcestershire social club may be set for closure after falling behind in rent for its village hall venue. Shelsleys Social Club in Shelsley Beauchamp, which originally opened in 1961, said it could not afford the £3,000 a year rent demanded by village hall management and had been given until March 13 to vacate the premises. PIERS GRAND PIER SCOOPS TWO AWARDS Weston Super-Mare’s Pier had an especially strong start to the month after winning two awards in one week. The pier received a bronze award in the Large Visitor Attractions category at the prestigious South West Tourism Excellence Awards and was Highly Commended in the Visitor Attraction category of the Weston Business Awards 2015.

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Politics UKIP - Coasting to victory? Amid early polls suggesting 1 in 5 Britons may well vote for UKIP in the coming election, The Economist have highlighted the party’s predicted popularity within coastal regions. Margate councillor Chris Wells defected to UKIP from the Tories last October, and told the paper local people feel “pissed off and alone”.

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Lib Dems pub pledge Liberal Democrat MP and Parliamentary Save the Pub Group chairman Greg Mulholland has promised that his party’s election manifesto will include a policy which would force property developers to submit planning permission before any pub can be converted to another use or demolished.

AVLA director lays out three steps to save tourism TOURISM

he government must have a radical re-think on business rates for tourism-supporting businesses, according to the director of the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA). Giving evidence for the Culture, Media and Sport Committee’s tourism inquiry, ALVA’s Bernard Donoghue suggested that discrepancies in business rates for online and landbased traders - particularly in tourist hotspots - should be reconsidered by the government. He also stated that local authorities should be able

to retain more of the money they collect from businesses to pour back into struggling areas. Discussing the plight of coastal communities, Donogue said:“This is the biggest tourism challenge the UK faces. If a government could find a designated sum of money to restore particularly heritage coastal communities, that would be one of the greatest things they could do.” The ALVA director did, however, specify three ways in which the government could work with both local authorities and destination management companies to improve the

prospects of the UK coast. “One is to be more creative about taxes and business rates,” he told the committee.“Local authorities and the government could take a fresh approach to what business rates mean,particularly in a retail context,” adding that Amazon pays much lower business rates than key Oxford Street retailers. “The second thing is to allow local authorities,particularly in coastal and seaside areas,to keep a greater proportion of business rates tax, so they can reinvest it back into the public realm and into their tourism marketing,” he continued.

A Belfast iscussion of Northern Ireland’s casino: remarkable FOBT haul and a recent D high-profile PSNI operation that saw the bringing seizure of over a hundred gaming have served to muddy the gambling machines gambling perspective waters in the recently. And neither develop‘into the Province ment seem to suggest fertile ground for Rank Group’s proposed casino and light’ entertainment centre in Belfast. LICENCE

But one of the company’s non-executive directors, former Conservative MP and under-secretary for Northern Ireland Sir Richard Needham, argues that such an establishment would bring gambling “out of the darkness and into the light.” Speaking to the BBC’s Talkback programme, Needham suggested that a lack of modernised legislation within the country led to a burgeoning illicit gam-

The director also stressed the importance of lottery funding, adding: “The third is to allow the lottery agencies to be more creative and more entrepreneurial in terms of supporting commercial businesses in seaside areas, and therefore regenerating them through economic activity.”

bling trade. “There are millions and millions being made under-the-table in Northern Ireland every weekend - none of which makes it into the hands of the revenue,” he said. “[This] is creating problem gambling issues which never get dealt with.” Rank Group has stated that a multifaceted entertainment and casino complex in Belfast would create 400 full-time jobs, take in over £30m in yearly revenue, and pledged an annual donation of £160,000 to Belfast’s Dunlewey addiction centre. “Belfast is the only city in Europe that doesn’t have a casino,” Needham added. “If you have a casino in Northern Ireland, at least you can bring the gambling issue into the open, make it transparent, and channel money openly towards charities to help with problemgambling issues.”

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Coinslot February 20 - February 26, 2015

Amusements Amusement park creates jobs Northamptonshire’s Wickstead Park has begun one the biggest annual recruitment drives in the county as it looks for around 150 staff for the summer. The amusement park wants to bring in the required full and part time staff before its rides officially open for season on March 28.

Pier owner dismisses record The new owner of Portsmouth’s South Parade Pier has said that having three failed businesses does not mean his latest venture cannot be a success. According to local paper The News, Tommy Ware was the director of three firms that have all closed down since 2010.

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Record numbers visit UK

Hastings Pier history project

Office for National Statistics figures have shown that Britain welcomed record numbers of overseas visitors in 2014, with the total close to 35m. ONS stats for the 12 months to November showed a six per cent rise in inbound numbers over the previous year.

The Hastings Pier Charity has commissioned a broadcast journalist to gather people’s memories of the resort’s pier. As the newly revamped attraction nears completion, the In Living Memory will seek to uncover all aspects of its dramatic past.

Planning row hits Barry Island Pleasure Park’s Easter ambitions AMUSEMENT PARKS

Having hoped to revive one of Wales’ most-loved amusement attractions by Easter, a planning row has taken matters out of Henry Danter’s hands. opes of getting the famous Barry Island Pleasure Park up and running in time for the start of the season in Easter are hanging in the balance after a planning row erupted. Industry veteran Henry Danter had hoped to have gained access to the derelict site already, in order to fulfil his ambition of bringing in new rides and attractions and building new amusement arcades to return the park

to its former glory as one of Wales’ top attractions. But talks between its current owner and the Vale of Glamorgan Council over plans for housing and commercial development at The Dolphin pub, at the entrance to the fairground, have stalled, putting the entire development on hold. Danter, who operates the Treasure Island fairground in Stourport-on-Severn, told WalesOnline:“I need to get

Monty omedian and Monty Python Python star John C Cleese has thrown his star weight behind the cambacks paign to save Westonderelict Birnbeck super-Mare’s Birnbeck Pier. Let’s Saved Birnbeck Pier Pier was formed after the II-listed structure, campaign Grade which closed in 1994 and

onto the Barry Island site within the next week if we are to stand a chance of being up and running in time for Easter. “It is a matter of deep concern that there are still delays.This is the most difficult deal I have been involved in my life. There appears to be no end in sight.” He has agreed a contract with the site’s owner, the Barry Island Property Company, which will allow him

to take over and redevelop the majority of the fairground site. However, the company has submitted plans for a residential and commercial development atThe Dolphin and say that Danter cannot access the Pleasure Park until that proposal has been approved by the council. The council said that it would not be able to pass The Dolphin scheme because it does not conform to its planning policies.

A spokesperson for the council said the Barry Island Property Company would not consider any of the planning obligations normally required for such a development, such as the provision of affordable housing. Rob Thomas, the council’s director of development services, said: “The council wants Henry Danter to be on site by Easter.We have worked with Mr.Danter to ensure that his plans for the fairground do

not need planning permission so that once the sale of the land is agreed the fairground can be up and running as soon as possible. “This is why it is extremely regrettable that yet again delays are being encountered. “The approach of the sites owners is simply not acceptable. We will not flinch in our efforts to secure the re-use of the site for the benefit of residents and visitors alike.”

Risk’ register, suffered damage during recent storms. The group plans to join forces with the longerestablished Friends of the

Old Pier Society to form a charitable trust that will enable it to apply for grants. Cleese, who was born in the resort, sent a message saying: “Dad and I used to go to the pier because they had a TV in the bar and we went and watched England Test matches there. “We also used to catch the ferry to Barry Fun Fair

from the side-pier. It’s a very striking and unusual pier, and I hope we can manage to rescue it.” Eastenders star and patron of the National Piers Society Timothy West is also supporting the effort, having visited the pier on family holidays. He commented: “I particularly liked watching and sailing on the Campbell steamers that used to

call there and went across to South Wales and down the coast to Lynmouth and Ilfracombe and back to Bristol, Clevedon and so on. “The pier had a wonderful elegance and still has. In its dilapidated condition you can still see what a graceful piece of engineering it is and it is very sad to see it in its present state.”

PIERS

is on English Heritage’s ‘At

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Application submitted for Colwyn Bay pier demolition

Southend seen as prime candidate for city status RESORTS

PIERS

decks, balustrading, support structures and the pavilion, but leave 66 per cent of the cast iron columns that support the pier in place. The council has also proposed a wider programme of community engagement and involvement to mark the history of the pier,“so as to help mitigate its loss”. The ColwynVictoria Pier Trust has already countered this by submitting a £9m grant bid to the Herhe future of Colwyn has “submitted and regis- itage Lottery Fund to help Bay’s Victoria Pier looks tered” a planning applica- turn the structure into a bleak after Conwy Council tion and listed building £12m health and education announced it has begun the consent application for hub. HLF staff are due to visit process that will end with permission to demolish the the resort on February 27, the 115-year-old attrac- pier. If granted, it would start with a decision on the fundtion’s demolition. The council revealed it work to remove all the ing expected in March or

April. Councillor Dilwyn Roberts, leader of Conwy council, told local press: “We know that the Pier Trust hopes to restore the pier and has submitted a bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund, but we also have to prepare for the worst. “The pier is a danger to the public and a significant drain on scarce public resources, so we have submitted our application now in parallel with the Pier Trust/Town Council HLF application. “The planning application and listed building consent application have been formally registered and will be subject to the usual planning process.”

has been hailed in parliament as Soneouthend of the best seaside

resorts in the country and could soon have another opportunity to bid for city status. At a Business of the House session last week, Conservative MP for Southend West David Amess said it was “ridiculous” that the resort was still seen as just a town. Southend Council did put in a bid to win city status in 2011, when the Royal Accolade was being offered to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, but was unsuccessful. Responding, William Hague, leader of the House of Commons,

spoke positively of Southend, declaring that he was a “big fan”. He commented: “I recall that Southend submitted an enthusiastic and strong application at the Diamond Jubilee. That was not successful, but Southend did succeed in securing a significant city deal that will provide it with further investment. “There are no plans at the moment for a new competition on city status, but I am sure Southend will have another opportunity to bid for it in the future.”

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Coinslot February 20 - February 26, 2015

Leisure Alton Towers a top half term family day out

BBPA discusses pub enforcement

Alton Towers topped the list of fun days out this half term, featuring third out fifteen prime picks in The Independent’s half term guide. The park will be shining a spotlight on CBeebies Land with a series of live shows from green-fingered favourite Mr Bloom. The live show, hosted by the kid’s TV star, will feature sidekicks The Veggies.

The BBPA’s Brigid Simmonds has raised the issue of local authorities’ enforcement of pubs with business secretary Vince Cable at a Department of Business Innovation & Skills round table. She commented: “I welcome ongoing support from DBIS to ensure regulation for pubs is proportionate and light-touch.”

Crealy point to 361 day opening and local success ADVENTURE PARK

Having received a ringing endorsement from parents in the latest Primary Times survey, Crealy’s Devon manager Josh Haywood explains why the park took the leap to stay open all year round.

t seems that, for families across Devon, Crealy’s Great Adventure Park is not just an attraction for holidaymakers but also a community staple.This time last year,the park announced it would be staying open 361 days of the year, and since then it has delighted in putting on local’s weekends and local’s late openings to bolster its community feeling. General manager Josh Haywood explains: “We

always think about our locals; they’re as important to us as holidaymakers. I think the consumer pound is very valuable to all of us in this industry and we have to cherish everyone who comes through our doors.” Part of this community focus is events-based - the park puts on an award-winning Halloween fiesta involving over 50 thousand pumpkins - and part of it is a comprehensive system of

Gala denies OpCapita talks

Tenant applications hit record

Gala Coral has denied reports it held acquisition talks with private equity firm OpCapita over the sale of its Gala Retail, which operates its 132 bingo clubs. In a statement it said: “There are currently no discussions taking place with OpCapita. The process is ongoing and a dialogue is taking place with a number of interested parties.”

feedback and accountability. “I think in the past we were guilty of making decisions and not consulting the guests and the customer base, but that has changed quite radically and now we sit up and listen before we make changes affecting the business,” said Haywood. The company has an internal market research team comprising around six people who talk to people out in the community, e-blast, monitor feedback from guests and liaise with organisations such as Mumsnet to consistently improve their service. As a result of this process, the park has made several changes, including lowering the prices of its kiddie rides from £1 to 50p, adding healthier dining options and incorporating chargeable extras in the overall ticket price. “It’s difficult to please everybody, but we always try to appeal to as many demographics and parts of the market as we can through our market research and diversification,” Haywood commented. Crealy’s has, however, managed to please a multitude of parents, winning Primary Times’ Best FamilyFriendly Attraction four years in succession. It’s probably no coincidence that the park has also poured money back into its rides for four years running. “I think constant investment is the secret of our success,” explains Haywood. “Last year we added five new rides and this year

Punch Taverns’ new business team has revealed that it is receiving a record number of applications from people wanting to run a pub. Since being introduced in November 2013, the team has overseen the completion of £32m of Punch Taverns’ investment in premises.

we’ve announced that we’re going to be putting the footings in for a new rollercoaster.” In addition to playability and value for money, the park is specifically interested in rides and amusements that are targeted at a very specific pre-teen age group - particularly since it took the move to open all year round. Haywood said: “Our market isn’t as diverse as some of the other parks.We are a family park with the demographic of places like Legoland or Paulton’s Park, tailored toward children under the age of 12.” This core sector has paved the way for a smoother transition to a full year opening schedule, with the winter months pulling in young children for the indoor amusements and soft play facilities. “We are fortunate that we have huge areas of indoor play - nearly 8,000ft - whereas the other attractions can’t really offer the same in the winter months,” added Haywood. Crealy’s in Devon also has the advantage of being in a prime location for traffic from the M5 and nearby Exeter, but Haywood believes more should be done to support other parks in coastal areas that are not so well connected. “We’ve got some fantastic coastal resorts and towns, especially in the South West of England, so I think anything we can do to enhance visitor numbers and tourism in those areas can only be a good thing,” he said.

Rank Group raises £500k for charity CHARITY

ecca Bingo and Grosvenor Casino M operator Rank Group has

raised £500,000 for Carers Trust, a charity which provides advice and support to the UK’s seven million full and part-time carers. Rank Group’s partnership with the charity began in February last year, when both Mecca and Grosvenor employees began to take part in a range of fundraising events, including directly volunteering alongside local carers. “Team members and customers at Mecca clubs and Grosvenor Casinos should be very proud of what they have achieved,” said Dr Moira Fraser, Carers Trust’s interim chief executive. “Thanks to them, we have been able to award the highest amount in direct grants to carers we have ever made in any one year, providing over 1,000 carers with respite breaks, essential equipment such as washing machines and the chance to go on courses and learn new skills.”

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Essential Guide to ... Redemption Market Perspectives OPENING REMARKS

MARKET TRENDS

Growing the marketplace With both redemption machines and the sector they occupy ballooning in size, Sega’s top minds provide insight into the core strengths of this lively marketplace. s redemption has grown in stature, so have the machines that are its bread and butter.Operators are becoming more and more confident in the power A of redemption and Sega Amusements are seeing this reflected in the kinds of

Redemption key to customer loyalty Redemption is a key factor in the business operation at MSL Leisure. It works, and works well, but there is no room for complacency as far as the operator is concerned. Redemption is something to invest in and work at - both of which the company does. The reward is customer loyalty and bottom line success. Michael Morris explains. sked what they look for in a new redemption purchase, many operators would say the same thing: first and foremost, it’s about the bottom line. At MSL Leisure, the owners of Beachcomber Family Amusements in Fife, it’s still the proven money takers - licensed and themed products as well as the classic 10p roll downs and pushers - that come top of the list at trade shows. But Michael Morris at MSL has spotted new opportunities for making these popular products stretch even further, with innovative ticket redemption options turning one-time customers into regulars. “You can bank tickets with us until the amount needed for a prize is reached,” explained Morris. “We even offer a service where we will source an item for the customer, which in turn encourages return visits.” As part of this scheme, customers at Beachcomber have walked away with televisions, iPads, video games and even the new Playstation 4 console. Some of these are kept in stock for the biggest one-time wins, but many choose to save

Coinslot FEBRUARY 20 - FEBRUARY 26, 2015

up their tickets and have their dream prize ordered in. Morris said: “The redemption sector has definitely grown in the past few years due to the customer wanting more for his family money - as in, both a great experience and a prize that they can take away.” For this pre-teen family market, low-end prizes such as play sets, jewellery, footballs, key rings and bubbles still prove popular, with sweets also available for using up the last few tickets. Morris also predicts that the licensed products from the new Minions and Jurassic World films will be among the most sought-after prizes for the coming season. With the sector exhibiting unprecedented staying power, the Fife-based operator is optimistic, but says there is still no room to get complacent. “I think the outlook is positive, but only if you keep updating machinery and changing your stock,” he commented. “It would be good, as well, if there were a few more software companies offering systems that can help in the running of this type of operation.”

machines they site. “The best performing redemption games have evolved to focus even more on the skill and fun element, providing instant gratification for every action taken by the player as the cabinets have gotten larger,” explained Sega Amusements general manager, Justin Burke.“They encourage parents and kids to play side by side experiencing the fun together.There is also much greater emphasis on active interaction with the game, intuitive game play and multiple opportunities to hit the target.” That focus on entertainment for families is something that has recently come to the fore in the sector.“One aspect that redemption games have been very good at delivering on is family fun,” said Burke.“Just take for example Down The Clown, Gold Fishin’ and Milk Jug Toss.All these games encourage multiple players to get involved to achieve the best score - this encourages parents to play the games with their kids thus sharing the experience of a winning moment.And for those competitive siblings and friends, these games provides a bonding experience as they work together to get the high score to win more tickets.” There’s no sign of redemption’s progress slowing down, as more and more operators continue to embrace redemption. “We expect the sector to continue to grow in the near future as more high earning redemption games continue to hit the market and as highly successful IP’s from the app world enter the redemption market,” said Burke. Prizes remain pivotal to the success of a redemption offering and there’s no doubting that prizes based on success brands from film and television continue to drive the cashbox.“Licensed prizes create a major draw for players to play prize vending games, cranes and redemption games to collect tickets,” explained head of merchandise at Sega Prize,Trevor Clarke. It also takes a huge amount of work for the Sega team to stay ahead of the game when it comes to finding that next blockbuster piece of merchandise. “We are always looking at ways to expand our prize range through meticulously picking out under-utilised licences that have the most potential,” said Clarke. For operators looking to get the most out of their prize counters, Clarke has some sage advice:“A fully stocked up redemption counter that has a wide range of prizes that caters for the youngest to the oldest players. Display prizes that are currently trending. In this area perception is everything, so products that have attractive packaging such as our new re-branded brightly coloured Tokio range will get the most attention. Maintaining a cool, glossy, retail look to a redemption counter that’s inviting and creates that ‘I have got to get one of those’ feeling in customers.”

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Essential Guide to ... Redemption Market Analysis DIVERSIFICATION

DEVELOPMENT

Redemption presents opportunities for manufacturers as well as operators SAM Leisure sees redemption as a door-opener. As Liam Barrett explains, adding redemption options to its products has brought a a diverse customer base, and new territory to develop.

No end in sight for redemption progress While kid-centric games continue to go from strength to strength, young adults, teenagers and adults are all ripe for redemption growth, explains head of creative for UDC, Matt Bland. oinslot: How high is the ceiling for redemption growth? Are we anywhere near seeing the sector exhaust its potential? Matt Bland: I don’t think that we’re anywhere near hitting a ceiling yet. It’s not as if the sector is saturated with redemption games. By and large operators still have a good mix of redemption ticket and non-ticket games in their centres.Some manufacturers are designing games that can easily be operated as a pure entertainment game and be switchable to pay out tickets so that games are not limited to one style of operation over another.The King of Hammer by Andamiro, Hitty Mouse kids whacking game, Fruit Ninja ‘videmption’ game and Rock’n’Ball basketball are a few examples. Operators can buy such games with no intention of running redemption in their centres, but still have the option in the future and will already have equipment ready to make the switch over more economical. There’s also scope for designers to target different age groups such as teenagers, the ‘young adult’ market as well as adults who want to play games for fun rather than looking for gaming or gambling products.The vast majority of redemption games are targeted at younger players, where it’s kids playing on their own or accompanied by adults.

and kids find technology attractive.A low cost smartphone, music player, video game system or internet tablet can be very attractive where the perceived value is much higher for the paying customer.Accessories are also equally attractive, such as headphones, cases and screen protectors, battery packs for charging devices whilst on the go. As for plush and toys, I understand that the ‘Minions’ continue to be virtually unstoppable as is Disney’s ‘Frozen’,which both perform excellently in cranes and at the prize counter.

CS: What are the primary features that have made redemption so popular over the last few years? MB: Simplicity has been key to the expansion of redemption. Even the youngest of players can understand the game mechanics quickly and easily.The game design needs to be simple, intuitive and more importantly‘immediate’.If the game requires a learning curve or detailed reading of the game rules then you’ve lost the players interest. I’ve seen technically impressive games which would work well in a console, PC or phone setting fail to work in an arcade environment. I think that future expansion will be a mixture of the introduction of new innovative concepts often hinging on a novel use of a new technology and the repackaging of older established games that can be CS: How are machines evolving to cater for changes reintroduced to a new audience.A prime example of in what prizes are popular? MB:Offering the right mix of prizes is essential,whether this is the ‘Fish Bowl Frenzy’ game by Teamplay which in an instant prize scenario or in a redemption setting.If we showed at EAG this year. It’s a tried and tested forthere’s nothing on offer the customer actually wants to mula married with exciting new technology.The game is easy to play, just press a button, and entertaining to win why bother playing in the first place? The availability of low cost and desirable consumer watch whilst delivering something new that the player electronics has been a boon to the industry.Both adults hasn’t seen before. Coinslot FEBRUARY 20 - FEBRUARY 26, 2015

he prospect of winning tickets at the arcade exerts a magnetic pull over gamers, almost more so than the prizes itself, Tit seems. That’s why, for SAM Leisure, incorporating tickets

into the company’s most popular machines was a no-brainer. “Adding redemption options to SAM air hockey was an easy decision,” said SAM Leisure’s Liam Barrett. “There is no reason why our air hockey machines cannot now be sited within the dedicated redemption areas that are still being established in FECs and bowling centres.” Redemption has presented opportunities for the company to reach out to an even more diverse group of customers, offering leisure parks and arcades the prize-winning element they are looking for alongside compelling gameplay. “It is important to ensure SAM machines are suitable for as many diverse locations as possible,” explained Barrett. “Redemption enables a basket of machines to be packaged and presented to prospective venues.” To reflect the continued growth and development of this sector, the company’s redemption-based offerings have recently expanded even further, with two new skill based games: Neuron Race and Catch the Light. “Redemption has expanded dramatically and everyone has learned a great deal about how to use it to their best advantage,” said Barrett. “The sector and the games continue to develop, however, and so I think we are a way from the peak yet.” Barrett believes the fast-paced, high-turnover style of the new Neuron Race and Catch the Light rapid reaction machines make them highly suitable for the redemption sector. Although redemption has its own appeal, however, playability must remain the key focus for manufacturers and designers. “The draw of winning tickets has always been with us, almost regardless of the prizes available,” said Barrett. “The threat is from manufacturers and operators failing to deliver games people want to play.”

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TECHNOLOGY

‘Give it a go’ and reap the rewards JNC sales consultant Reece Newman delves into the secrets behind how to craft a successful redemption offering in modern arcades. oinslot: What are the features that make a successful redemption machine? Reece Newman:The key to a successful redemption machine is making the game very simple to play, very quick and clear on the tickets that are paid out. It must have bright colours and stand out from other machines with flashing LED lights. The most popular machines also have great attract sound effects and encourage repeat play.The actual paying out of the tickets will catch the attention of other players in the arcade.

it can generate a really great return, but it can’t be done half-heartedly. It does require a good number of machines dedicated to ticket payout, as well as the investment in an eye-catching redemption counter. The total redemption process, from coin entry to collection of prize, needs to be as straight-forward as possible. This needs to include the promotion of the redemption area and redemption desk. Increasing the familiarity with tickets can also be done through the use of bundles of tickets on pushers or use of whackers with ticket payout.

CS: What hurdles are there to overcome when it comes to increasing the peneCS: How would you pitch redemption to tration of redemption machines? operators who are yet to embrace it, RN:When redemption clicks in an arcade, bearing in mind that it takes a sizeable

investment in machines and prizes to get up and running? RN: Redemption has three key attractions. Firstly, it is a game that the kids can’t do at home. Secondly, they walk away with a prize or tickets.Thirdly, they have the incentive to come back again and again to get the better prizes. The move into redemption is a move that needs to be taken carefully and needs to be ‘given a go’ for several seasons. The machines don’t have to cost a massive amount of money and I would start with proven earners such as Big Bass Wheel, Crank It, Slam a Winner and Speed Demon, which are available second hand. The redemption area needs to be fairly sizeable, with more than just a handful of machines, and in a prominent part of the

arcade to get the best return. I would advise that investment is made in a redemption counter so that it stands out from the crowd. With the takings from video machines being able to be condensed into fewer machines, it makes sense to use this space for something completely different such as redemption.

Coinslot FEBRUARY 20 - FEBRUARY 26, 2015

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Essential Guide to ... Redemption Market Perspectives TICKET PRICING

PRIZES

The future and the past provide Namco inspiration Based on the solid foundation of knowledge from Japan’s top game designers, the worldwide Namco team have continued to innovative. or a redemption machine, great prizes are important, but the most desirable merchandise can be missed if work isn’t done to draw a punter’s eye, Fexplains Darrell Simmonds, EMEA sales manager at Bandai Namco Amuse-

Less is more With a small redemption operation and a visitor-base consisting primarily of local day-trippers, owner of New Palace Amusements David Wilkie isn’t afraid to defy market-trends in ensuring his customers get the most for their redemption-buck. avid Wilkie is the first to admit that his approach to redemption is unconventional. “When it comes to redemption, I’d say you’re best either committing wholeheartedly or not at all,” claims the owner and director of the New Palace in New Brighton.“With printing and sorting costs of the tickets themselves, plus the maintenance and staffing of a redemption kiosk, in most cases operators need to really commit in order to make it worth their while.” But herein lies the twist in the tale: Wilkie concedes that his own operation defies this advice. “It’s true - we’re sort of in the middleground,” he admits.“But our redemption set-up operates under quite unique circumstances, and it works for us - so that’s what matters.” The New Palace is certainly unusual for a coastal FEC. Wilkie estimates that approximately 90 per cent of his customers are locals - from Merseyside and the surrounding area.“We’re not a holiday resort, where kids can come in every day of the week and save for a remote-control boat or something,” he says.“We cater to day-trippers - and this has been central to the development of our redemption strategy.” It follows that the New Palace’s approach to redemption bucks the trend.

Coinslot FEBRUARY 20 - FEBRUARY 26, 2015

On any redemption machine Wilkie operates, tickets are worth 5 pence each - far more than the average - but rather than being awarded in droves, each player earns between one and three tickets per game. It’s a novel approach - maximising the gains of the day-trip visitor. It’s also cost effective: sparing Wilkie the necessity of splashing out on reams of new tickets, minimising reload requirements, and consequently maximising the time his staff’s customer-facing capacity. Meanwhile, whilst redemption products are showcased on the customer floor in secure cabinets, the actual stock itself is kept in the staff-area.“Customers simply approach a member of staff who fetches the desired prize from the office,” states Wilkie,“freeing us from space and staffing commitments were we to operate a bespoke redemption shop.” Wilkie concedes that in certain ways, his approach is “old-fashioned”, and that the smaller scale of the New Palace redemption permits him flexibility in terms of approach. But he’s also adamant that in terms of cost management and efficiency, larger operators would do well to follow his example. “I have to say even if we had more, I’d still price my tickets higher and give out less,” he tells us. “The cost saving alone makes it more than worth it.”

ment Europe Prize. “We have a great creative department that designs our branding and packaging keeping in line with the latest fashions,” explained Simmonds. “We work very closely with all our divisions to fine tune settings of games to ensure they have the best possible prizes in them and the artwork have to maximum appeal to draw the players to the machine.” In many cases, this artwork needs to communicate the existence of a new kind of prize, as Namco continues to push the boundaries. “We pioneered many of the top prizes used in the market today,” Simmonds declared. “In fact, we were the first to introduce tablet computers and other desirable electronics, such as 3G phones, to the trade under the prize payout limit - setting a precedent that our competitors have followed. We are now the first to introduce a tablet with a pre-loaded game and branded packaging to compliment.” This rapid take-up of technology is also mirrored on the machine front. “We have recently gone into partnership to distribute the redemption games from Adrenaline Amusements which are based on market leading apps,” revealed John Brennan, Brent Sales commercial director. “Flying Tickets and Candy Crush are screen-based games with simple controls with exceptional gameplay indicative of the big hitting apps they are adapted from to maximise the best coin op experience for the players. Good redemption operators employ a mix of games and Bandai Namco provide it.” The central value of variety was one of a number of tenets that Namco identified in the marketplace in the early days. “When Bandai Namco developed its own range of redemption machines, a group of the most experienced and well-respected games designers from Japan analysed the sector,” explained Brennan. “They travelled all over the world to see redemption being played and operated. They came to the conclusion that the players enjoyed electro-mechanical style games and that inspired the range, including Pac-Man Swirl, Goal Line Rush, Sink the Ship and others.” These early investigations also revealed the importance of a smoothly run prize shop. “Redemption has been described by many as becoming ‘Retail with Fun’,” said Simmonds. “With this in mind we strongly believe that a prize shop should have a wide range of ticket values and be stocked with good quality licensed products. If prizes are displayed correctly and clearly priced up then a customer can choose quickly and not slow down the experience for the next customer. If you have a good range of quality products a customer is more likely to walk away happy with his or her prize, however many tickets they redeemed, and then come back again.”

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Essential Guide to ... Redemption Market Perspectives

Products

DISTRIBUTORS

CROWN DIRECT

RLMS quick to see shift to redemption redemption sector of the market is as strong now as it’s ever been, Tbuthearguably it’s set to get even stronger, according

Redemption is gaining traction in the industry - so much so that it’s become a major artery for operators. Tony Glanville of RLMS Sales is a keen advocate, not just because the genre is at it’s strongest, but also because it’s at it most energetic. He talks to Coinslot about redemption’s qualities: value for money, player popularity and high entertainment levels.

Coinslot FEBRUARY 20 - FEBRUARY 26, 2015

to sales director at RLMS Sales, Tony Glanville.The firm, known primarily for its gaming expertise, has long been an advocate of the redemption genre and has vindicated that belief in recent months by strengthening its portfolio with exciting new games. Speaking about the company’s approach to redemption, Glanville commented: “We constantly review our product portfolio from a strategic perspective to enable us to adapt swiftly and introduce new lines that fit with current market trends. We could see some time ago the shift in product type on the main seasonal operators’ floors towards ticket redemption. As a result we commenced working with our current suppliers as well as identifying new partners to source redemption product to bring into the range.” Glanville firmly believes that redemption has a broad appeal in that it delivers something new and different for all the family regardless of age or gender. “Redemption represents great value for money,” he noted.“The games are entertaining and give the player a chance to take home a wide range of prizes that serve as a memento of their time at the coast.” He added: “We’ve had a redemption offering within our portfolio for a number of years. However, I’m confident that the 2015 range is the strongest and most diverse line-up we have had to date.The collection we have selected not only comprises a wide variety of games but offers something for all budgets, from the single player Odd Bods from Empire Games through to the centre piece attractions of Fish Bowl Frenzy and the sensation of EAG, the F5 Vortex.We have also introduced a great new concept in Mr Bus which takes a kiddie ride, combines it with an interactive game and rewards the player with tickets to deliver a great combination.” And, in recognition of the challenging economic climate RLMS’ customers operate within, the company has introduced an limited-period cost-saving venture. Glanville explained:“We are in a position, for a limited time only, to be able to offer extended payment terms on a number of redemption models within the range.This will allow operators to spread the cost of the product across the key income-generating months of the year and ease cash flow. Redemption continues to be an upward trend in the market and the RLMS product range is definitely in tune with that trend.”

Redemption leads the way for Crown Minions and more are packed into the vast stable of redemption titles from Crown Direct which continues to lead the way as the company’s most successful skew. n the back of a very successful EAG show, Crown Direct’s order book is once again full of redemption games. Redemption has been the strongest product line for the last three years for Crown, supplying the market with games from the world’s leading developers, including Baytek, Benchmark, Coastal Amusements, Elaut, Eurotek, Harry Levy, ICE and Sega. “On the back of some very strong games from ICE, such as Milk Jug Toss and Down the Clown, we saw strong advance orders for the next two games from the ICE stable in Gold Fishin and Kung Fu Panda. However, the star of EAG on redemption for Crown was the Minions Despicable Me whacker,” commented Dean Harding, Crown Direct managing director. “The reaction to the whacker was absolutely fantastic. The market knows how strong Minions is as a brand and with a new film this summer and more planned for the future, this is an absolute banker and must for all FEC and redemption operators,” he said. “The look, size and price of the game, with it coming to market at only £3,595 plus VAT, makes it a no brainer for customers to commit to.” Other stars in the Crown portfolio of redemption games at EAG were Lucky Ducks from Harry Levy and Freddie from Eurotek. Both of these games build on very strong platforms. Lucky Ducks is a great move on from a traditional coin flipper/roll down and Freddie continues the phenomenal success for Eurotek with their ticket fruits. Ticket Circus from Elaut was shown at the EAG in prototype format and is due to go to location test in time for the Easter holidays. “The reaction from operators to Elaut’s newest redemption game was superb,” said Harding, “using the same closed loop token system as the hugely successful Wizard Of Oz, we are eagerly anticipating the product test and evaluation of this game. I am sure it will be another very strong game from Elaut.”

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Essential Guide to ... Redemption Products RLMS SALES

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RLMS is the go-to source for redemption

Biggest ever for Namco Prize

Experienced supplier RLMS Sales is aiming to get ahead of the pack with its large range of high quality redemption pieces. LMS Sales has kick-started 2015 with a commitment to becoming the go-to source for the very best redemption equipment on the market.The national sales and distribution firm has bolstered its product portfolio with a dazzling range of redemption games for all tastes and budgets. These include the the Mr Bus kiddie ride from Leisurematic, which comes complete with an interactive ball catching game, rocking motion and ticket redemption option. It seats up to three children who are challenged to catch balls while riding using the steering wheel as part of a ‘bagatelle’ style game. Teamplay’s Fishbowl Frenzy, voted best new product (coin-operated arcade and redemption equipment) at IAAPA 2014, is described as the first ‘augmented reality ticket redemption game’. It comes with a high definition, 65 inch transmissive LCD screen and features custom 3D animations with game play controlled by one simple button. With a wide range of operator options built-in, it delivers fun for the whole family. RLMS offers a brace of ticket redemption titles from Empire Games in Lucky Ladders and Odd Bods. Both are offered at 10p play on 500/800 ticket payout. Lucky Ladders is based on the hugely successful Adders & Ladders concept and is presented in the WOW cabinet with infill panels and top box. Odd Bods is available in red, white and blue cabinets. Last, but certainly not least, is the F5 Vortex from Birthday Blaster.The game offers a fully automated, coin-op version of the original Vortex and is perfect for any venue which has a ticket redemption offering as part of its portfolio of amusement machines. RLMS Sales MD Phil Boulton commented: “We are highly committed to making sure that our customers can count on us to provide them with the best redemption products available on the market. It’s important to emphasise the fact that we do work in the amusement industry and it’s absolutely necessary that our product portfolio should reflect that fact. That’s why we’ve taken a very considered approach to the redemption games that are now part of our portfolio.These are high quality, world class games and we’re confident that they can bring something new and diverse to our customer base.”

Coinslot FEBRUARY 20 - FEBRUARY 26, 2015

With more prizes than ever before, Namco’s redemption powering prize division looks to have all bases covered. andai Namco Prize Division has its biggest ever B range in 2015, spanning every-

thing from confectionary worth a few pennies through to high-end electronic goods and branded electric ride-on karts. The Prize Division has added branded products to its array of confectionary, including the world-famous Haribo, Vimto, Tango, Jelly Belly Factory and Sunkist brands, as well as Peppa Pig, Spiderman, Hello Kitty and Disney packaged sweets, ideal for redemption counters due to their low-ticket cost with high perceived retail value. The Nam-Gear range of electronics continues to be the market leader with the range including 3G phones proving particularly popular with customers. These are available with four different coloured backs for greater fun and versatility for the winner. This year, Bandai Namco Prize Division is introducing a tablet with a PacMan game already pre-loaded and special Pac-Man themed packaging. An HD Camcorder, Bluetooth headphones, NFC speakers and Net Books are still set to the featured. Also new for 2015 is a collaboration with V-Tech, which is the number one trusted brand for electronic and educational toys for children from pre-school upwards. “Customers have been asking for a product for the younger child for a long time. V-Tech is a brand that is instantly recognised by families and has such strong brand presence at retail,” said Darrell Simmonds, sales manager EMEA. “We are also stocking a V-Tech head camera that is high quality and great value for money.” The Pac-Man gift range has been extended in 2015, which is the 35th anniversary of the character - and the year that Pac-Man receives a cameo film role in the movie ‘Pixels’, due for release this summer. New prize lines being introduced include ‘Colour in Your Own Mug’ an assortment of size 2 footballs, baseball caps and more - in addi

tion to thecurrent proven line-up of prizes. The Prize Division also has a very good range of retail action figures from the current hit movie Big Hero 6. This film has been very successful for Disney and demand will for branded goods is high. Two other major film licences featured in the range this year are Shaun the Sheep: the movie from Aardman Animations and Home from DreamWorks, starring Rihanna, Jim Parsons, Steve Martin and Jennifer Lopez. Shaun the Sheep has been a very successful licence for the Prize Division for a number of years but the new movie is likely to push demand to new levels, especially as it is currently the featured prize in McDonalds Happy Meals. The Home range of plush was extremely popular at EAG. Finally, the company expects that kids will soon be saving their redemption tickets for the ultimate prize this year. Bandai Namco Prize Division is proud to offer an electric ride-on Mario Kart with a 6v battery.

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Essential Guide to ... Redemption Products SB MACHINES

JNC SALES

Ticket-powered rides provide new opportunities Redemption’s popularity has prompted even kiddie ride stalwarts SB Machines to bring its own unique perspective to the burgeoning sector. he redemption revolution in the UK has certainly not gone unnoticed in the Tkiddie ride sector. SB Machines of Porthcawl, specialists in the supply of high quality Italian coin operated children’s rides in the UK, has launched two rides for customers who require the additional benefits of ticket payout. Funny Eggs is a medium sized coin operated ride that incorporates a highly engaging electromechanical game, whereby the child collects, in a moving basket, as many eggs as he can as they drop from a chicken. The eggs take the form of ping pong balls the more balls collected, the more points are given. Paolo Sidoli of SB Machines commented: “We have been operating this ride on various sites for over six months and results have been superb. What we have also noticed during the various site testing is that customers pointed out to ourselves that the ride was as successful without ticket payout, because the children loved the game so much. The ticket payout option was an added bonus.

Funny Eggs is a really beautiful piece of equipment and adds integrity to any arcade with a strong redemption element.” SB Machines is committed to ideal that the key to any successful ride with a ticket payout is a well thought out game as its foundation. Mine Race adventure is another example of a great looking ride with an engaging game, being video based rather than electromechanical.This medium sized ride concentrates on high quality graphics, orientating the sitting child in front of the screen, challenging them to obtain points by collecting prizes and avoiding obstacles as they hurtle down a track seated in mine truck. Paolo Sidoli added: “This ride was launched at EAG 2015 and it received a lot of attention, particularly as customers admired the superb graphics and fascinating game play. Initial field testing has p r o v e d extremely positive and as customers get to hear about its performance we will look forward to a steady rollout over the coming months.”

Reliable redemption that won’t break the bank Operators looking to dip their toe into the world of redemption could do much worse than to check out the range of used machines on offer from JNC Sales. offer the full range of used redemption games JandNC prize machines from as

little as £595. Crank It, Slam a Winner, Colorama and the Wheel Deal continue to sell extremely well together with other used machines such as Smokin Token Extreme, Cyber Tickets and Speed Demon. JNC are also the exclusive distributor of the Feiloli ticket whackers Klobber the Robber and Galaxy Garrison. Feiloli has an established name in the industry and have built great whackers in the past with Cats and Mice and Annoying Thing proving to be great money takers. Klobber the Robber has already established its status as a worldwide hit and, with its small size, Galaxy Garrison is appealing to both amusement arcades and soft play areas. It is perfect to be positioned on the end of a straight pusher as an extra cash box. It also offers a game for the very young kids to play and, in some

HARRY LEVY AMUSEMENTS

Harry Levy going Full Tilt Redemption experts Harry Levy are going all out with its latest marquee redemption title.

Coinslot FEBRUARY 20 - FEBRUARY 26, 2015

t’s well known that Harry Levy is proud of each of its machines, but none more Ithan our new piece in its collection, Full

Players guide the ball from the top down the playfield by turning the gears with the large yellow wheel.The balls land and on ledges and nooks inside the machine which Tilt. This machine demands attention in any are controlled by the player. The gears game room with its brightly lit cabinet,eye- direct the ball into any one of the targets at catching design and simplistic, yet chal- the bottom to win tickets. Skilled players lenging gameplay. With the adjustable can aim for the larger values to win the most marquee allowing four different heights tickets. Simple, yet deviously challenging, this game delivers a big presence in a small this machine will have the players coming back for more. footprint - less than 15 square feet.

arcades, this is the only machine that the under 4’s can have a go at! Keymaster and MPD Dunk Tank 2pl (fully updated sticker version) have proved very popular prize machines since the EAG Exhibition and are available at very reasonable prices. JNC also stock a wide range of used Benchmark Ticket Stations and Galileo Ticket Eaters from £2,995. Ticket AWP’s have also surged in popularity and from as little as £995, they are a great addition to any redemption area. With over 300 redemption machines in stock interested observers are encouraged to closely analyse the full JNC stock list as the company remains confident that there’s something on offer for every location. JNC also offers the service of assisting customers in laying out their redemption areas, as the company knows well that for arcade owners who haven’t made this move, it can be a daunting step. The team are also on hand to advise on which lines of toys are best from the experience of JNC’s own sites.

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SEGA AMUSEMENTS

Get that golden return with Gold Fishin’ Sega has acquired yet another skill-infused redemption title, as the company continues to bolster its range of distinctive machines. he‘SkillWall’grows again with the addition of yet another fantastic carnival classic redemption game Gold Fishin’. Debuting in Europe at last month’s EAG International, Gold Fishin’ continues in the footsteps of last year’s hit redemption game Down The Clown and its predecessor Milk Jug Toss, all developed and manufactured by the world’s leading redemption game manufacturer ICE. The demand for games with distinctive game play that is both different to what’s available on the home console and unique in the arcade has always been high.Gold Fishin’satisfies this market gap by bringing all the fun of the classic carnival game to the arcade. The game is intriguing, intuitive and fun as players try to toss the ping pong balls into the 49 LED lit fishbowls. Players quickly adapt to the game and try out new skills attempting everything from bouncing the ball off of the deck, to dunking or just grabbing a bunch of balls and tossing them in the air in the hope that some land in the fishbowls. It’s this part that challenges the player to try new techniques and provide instant gratification when the technique works, making the game truly fun. Gold Fishing also encourages multiple player participation by introducing a wider playfield. This actively encourages parents to play alongside their children and share the experience. While some may see this as cheating the result,in cash box terms it shows just the opposite. Players that team up play over and over again to achieve the highest possible score together. Another distinct difference with

Gold Fishin’ is that it offers value for money to the player by releasing in the region of 36 to 40 balls through the game which are continuously returned back to the player as long as the game is running. This makes the player feel satisfied that they have had multiple opportunities to get the bonus, yet players want to play again as they can feel their skill level increase with each attempt. A clever way to increase income even further in the arcade would be to adopt the popular “Skill Wall” format placing other skill games next to each other,such as ICE Ball FX,Whack NWin,Milk JugToss, Down the Clown and Gold Fishing’.This gives players the choice to test out their skill at all these games, thus increasing both dwell time and overall spend.

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Essential Guide to ... Redemption Products SUZO-HAPP

Keeping an operation running expect from edemption Suzo-Happ and machines have quality product increased drais exactly what matically in numbers the company over the past few years strives to with lots of new and difdeliver. It is ferent types of games on particularly the market. Suzo-Happ important to has fully embraced the operators that increased demand for the weight and overall redemption game prodfinish of the ticket is of a high ucts in the UK amusement standard. sector by holding larger stocks of conUsing lighter weight tickets can sumables such as redemption tickets, paper rolls for ticket eating machines and drastically increase the amount of of course ticket dispensers and mallets. machine down time in the field due to Quality product is what our customers the amount of paper dust generated when the tickets are dispensed, this can lead to increased ticket jams and blocked sensors in the redemption games and has a similar effect on ticket eating machines. In peak season there are often large queues of people waiting to redeem their tickets to get their prizes, so machine up time is paramount. All of Suzo-Happ’s tickets are barcoded and are available in different colours.The supplier also offer our customers the opportunity to personalise the tickets with their own branding at no extra change. Suzo-Happ takes pains to stock customer’s own tickets in its warehouse so that they can be despatched to arcades High Quality as and when they are needed, particularly Range of Colours in the summer months when a lot of customers hold vast stocks of plush toys and Can be personalised novelty products to keep their cranes and redemption areas stocked. Space can often be at a premium so the company’s Call Off Stock Ordering really can help our customers to manage the space they have as effectively as possible. Ticket Dispensers from manufacturers such as Deltronic and Entropy have been the industry standards for many years, Suzo-Happ always have a good stock of new replacement units and spares items such as the main PCB’s and ticket guides. Next day delivery also means that customers should never be waiting too long to get hold of their replacement units. DELTRONIC ENTROPY Suzo-Happ stock a range of hammers and mallets for the “Whacka” type redemption games.These are made from high quality materials and are extremely durable. sales@suzohapp.co.uk 0208 391 7700 www.suzohapp.co.uk The latest additions to its redemption range include bluetooth speakers, headphones, action cameras and iPod Shuffles, which have all proven to be very popular with our customers.

Customised tickets on tap and high quality spares on demand are all part of the service that has seen Suzo-Happ become one of the leading redemption parts suppliers.

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Coinslot FEBRUARY 20 - FEBRUARY 26, 2015

UNITED DISTRIBUTING COMPANY

Bowled over with delight The United Distributing Company continues to reap the rewards of the recent EAG exhibition, where the brand new Fish Bowl Frenzy ticket redemption game, designed by Teamplay, made its UK debut. he Fish Bowl Frenzy game features a vast 65 inch ‘transmissive’ display, a Ttechnical way of describing the special

ability to display graphics and flip between being transparent or opaque at the individual pixel level. This feature allows players to see the balls being released from the top of the cabinet bounce their way between the pins in the playfield as they fall towards the various 3D fish bowls and win zones right down at the bottom of the screen. The Fish bowl Frenzy cabinet is large and is visually impressive to behold, whilst the novel mixture of traditional carnival style game play meets hightech cartoon style computer graphics delivers a delightful experience. Many visitors at the EAG liked what they saw and UDC informs us that a bulging order book means that orders taken now will be delivered after Easter as initial demand was higher than expected, meaning that all of the first delivery are sold out. Sales director Michael Green commented: “On test the game has performed admirably both in the USA and in the UK. Customers looking to equip their centre with what we anticipate be to one of hot games of the summer should order now to avoid disappointment. Indeed it looks as if everything is going swimmingly for UDC with this new game.”

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A duo of new titles from SAM Leisure are already proven redemption winners in the field, combining sleek design with new ideas. AM Leisure, the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading Air Hockey supplier, have expanded their Smarket leading range with the introduc-

tion of a new Curved playfield series. Retaining the industry leading quality, reliability and component compatibility advantages of SAMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s existing ranges, this new selection of stunning Air Hockey tables is fast becoming SAMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best seller. Incorporating the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s experience in Air Hockey design, innovation and engineering with the new concept of playing the game on a curved bed ensures SAMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new Curve range is a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;real winnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, attracting greater cashbox spend. Unique to SAM, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Methacrylateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; superfast and super durable playfield material has been proven on SAM Hockeys for over 10 years. However on the Curve range, SAM has made a translucent methacrylate which provides a stunning glowing effect. This adds to the appeal of the new Curve range even further and is especially effective in low light locations. A few lucky customers have already taken delivery of the new Curve hockeyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s from SAM with testimonials already received. Gary Drage, SAM Leisure director, stated: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The SAM Curve is proving to be very popular, generating increased cashbox for our customers. This new range retains SAMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s proven revenue strengths and steps it up a level. Feedback suggests this is due to increased puck speed, plus the gameplay is easier for younger children to enjoy, as the curved bed means the height at goal level is lower than normal hockeyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s while the

outer edge is higher, thus remaining comfortable for adult players. The best of both worlds.â&#x20AC;? SAM has also introduced another new machine to the UK market in recent months - Catch-the-Light/Neuron Race. Proven throughout Europe over the past 12 months, this successful and attractive table game incorporates a two player reflex game with flashing LED lighting and modern, appealing sound effects. As players face each other, LED buttons randomly illuminate and players press the buttons as quickly as possible to increase the score. The best score is displayed until reset, to encourage players to better their previous attempts. Colourful graphics and colour changing LEDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s provide stunning looks and the tempered glass top and strong metal cabinet deliver a durable and compact machine which will excite players and produce great income for years to come. SAM offer two standard cabinet options, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Catch-The-Lightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; suited to youngsters and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Neuron Raceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in a more adult style. Feedback has been very positive with tables earning well in bowling and arcade environments, with and without redemption. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have found the portable freeplay version to be immensely popular with the event hire trade,â&#x20AC;? explained SAM Leisureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Liam Barrett (pictured). â&#x20AC;&#x153;With customers ranging from health clubs to schools, from therapy centres to party hire businesses all benefitting from this impulsive and addictive new product.â&#x20AC;? Coinslot FEBRUARY 20 - FEBRUARY 26, 2015

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School bell rin at Sound Leis ound Leisure is to once again host a range of training seminars at its Leeds-based factory. The popular courses are designed to share expertise gained from over 35 years of jukebox manufacturing. The courses are aimed at all levels of personnel, ranging from the complete novice installation and workshop engineers, through to experienced engineers and account managers. “We strongly believe that as the UK’s leading jukebox manufacturer we should offer much more than just a reliable and cutting edge product,” said Sound Leisure managing director, Chris Black. “By training service and sales personnel everyone in the industry benefits. It is essential that as well as engineers and workshop staff, account managers also have a good understanding of what the latest breed of jukes can offer, which in turn allows them to explain the latest features in depth to the site managers and their staff. “The way we operate jukeboxes has changed considerably over the past five years and these courses will give a fantastic overview of what is now possible from our range of equipment and support services.”

ne of the premiere tourist hot-spots of the south coast is looking to recruit a O maintenance manager. Brighton Pier are encouraging applications from suitable candidates who will be responsible for all inhouse maintenance staff and contractors.

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Japanese arcade industry’s annual arcade trade-show took place TlastheJAEPO weekend in Chiba, near Tokyo, with industry front-runners Sega, Bandai Namco and Capcom all displaying their

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Electrocoin’s Alice Royal Riches gets approval The latest Cat C AWP from Electrocoin, Alice Royal Riches, has been given the go-ahead for the UK retail market, meeting all requisite testing conditions. Progressive jackpot is offered across all stakes, and the game comes housed in Electrocoin’s Eclipse cabinet. Image Ref: Alice.jpg

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FISHBOWL’S A WINNER FOR UDC DC is taking orders for hit 3D skill game Fishbowl Frenzy to be delivered U to FECs in time for the Easter holidays. The innovative game, which features a mixture of mechanical components and advanced 3D computer graphics, picked up a prize for Best New Product at the IAAPA expo 2014. Players time their ball to drop down through the simulated 65” screen and into one of the 3D fishbowls to win prizes. Operators also have the option to select a ‘winner every time’ mode for the machine.

Groups on the course are kept no larger than 20 to ensure that each delegate receives the personal attention they need to get the most from each session. Multiple courses on all three subject areas will be scheduled to reflect demand. Courses are expected to begin with a session on 17 March, 2015 for managers, account mangers and retailers, with another following 23 April for neophyte engineers and installers. The final course is currently scheduled for 28 April and will focus on more advanced engineering. Sales veteran and 50year industry veteran Alastair Tevendale (pictured) will be leading the courses.

PINBALL LIFE’S A CIRQUS Heaven are stocking a prePmiuminball restoration of

latest wares. The Sega stand catered to the domestic audience - with a focus on 20 years of its Cyber Troopers Virtual-On series (yet to export), but Namco showcased a number of products familiar to recent EAG visitors, including its Star Wars: Battlepod and Time Crisis 5 machines. A highlight of the show was Capcom’s surprise announcement of a new Attack on Titan arcade game, currently in development.

Cirqus Voltaire, the first game to feature a dot matrix in the machine to make it easier for players to keep an eye on the ball and the display at the same time. This attractive machine has been fully rebuilt in top condition with a new playfield, plastics, ramps and cabinet art. Gamers can expect fun music and exciting features such as the ‘Ringmaster’ that rises up from the playfield. Coinslot FEBRUARY 20 - FEBRUARY 26, 2015

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

s 07442 491384 eric_lewis_mbs@btconnect.com

SOUNDNET

B2B Skill Ball Deluxe

THE DIGITAL JUKEBOX SPECIALISTS

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

B2B Marketing

B2B Soft Toys & Redemption Get great PR from the industry experts

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 6 7 10 9

Queen We Are The Champions BFG DOND Next Level BFG DOND Winfall BFG DOND Double Up BFG DOND Box 23 BFG Worminator QPS DOND Powerplay BFG DOND Best Offer BFG DOND Midas Touch BFG DOND Hyper BFG

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

S&J

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Wish Upon a Slot Blueprint Fortune Hunter Project Slotto 500 Astra King of Slots Blueprint Magic Lotto Ultra Novomatics Triple 8 Barcrest Mega Bars Big Hit Project Triple 7 Barcrest Rainbow Riches Community Cash Barcrest Lady Luck Reflex

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

CATEGORYD (10p/ÂŁ5 Max.)

communications

FEC - family

AGCs

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

gaming | betting | gambling

B2B Monitor Repairs

B2B Spares

This Last Week Week Name / Manufacturer

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

2 8 7 4 3 5 -

Magic Games 100 Ultra Novomatic Find The Lady Ultimate Project Triple 7 (GP1) SG Gaming Magic Games 3 Novomatic Triple 7 (GP2) SG Gaming Random Gold Concept Games Triple 7 (GP3) SG Gaming X3000 Multi Game Amatic Encore T7 (GP1) SG Gaming Bullion Bars 3 Player Astra

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

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Bullion Bars (3 Player) Astra Party Time Classic (3 Player) Astra Party Games (4 Player) Astra DOND (4 Player) Bellfruit Adders And Ladders(4 Player) Vivid Rainbow Riches (3 Player) Empire Goldrush Stampede (4 Player) Barcrest Party Time Arena (4 Player) Astra Party Time (3 Player) Astra Chase The Ace Project

Based on data from four sites Amusement Equipment Co Ltd

CATEGORYB4 (ÂŁ2/ÂŁ4000 Max)

B2B Novelty

TICKETS | LCD KITS | CONSUMABLES TICKET EATERS | CHANGE MACHINES

FEC - adult

Members clubs

This Last Week Week Name / Manufacturer

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Magic Games U/R Novomatic Bar X Diamond 7â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Electrocoin Free Play 70 Project Rainbow Riches Party Barcrest Find The Lady 70 Project Party Time Arena (4 Player) Astra Win Wall Astra Cool 7â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Electrocoin Party Games (4 Player) Astra DOND Cops and Robbers Bellfruit

Taken from a representative number of sites around the UK Supplied by Amusement Equipment Co Ltd WWW.SEGATOTALSOLUTIONS.COM www.segatotalsolutions.com

Coinslot FEBRUARY 20 - FEBRUARY 26, 2015

TEL: 0208 391 8060

1 2 3 4 5

Fiddle a Fortune Reflex DOND Box 23 BFG Street Casino 2015 Storm Hot Shot Reflex Jackpot 100 Barcrest

Based on data from representative sites. Supplied by sector professional

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