Coinslot 2382 digital by GB Media Corporation

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August 22 – August 28, 2014 • No. 2382 • www.coinslot.co.uk

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Industry news Seaside amusements The Great British Pub B2B Listings Latest Machine Charts Classified ads and opps Comment & Analysis Newsweek

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4 10 11 23 26 27 30 32

At some stage, those people who don’t like FOBTs, who don’t like Cat C, don’t like....well, just about anything to do with gaming and gambling, have to themselves stand up to scrutiny... 31

Scottish operators in currency crossfi

CURRENCY

Mounting concern that Scottish independence could leave t access to the pound sterling have some local operators living in Joseph Ewens reports. n 18 September Scotland will O decide if it is to remain part of the United Kingdom or become an independent nation, as millions of its citizens head to the polls to cast their vote. For the country’s many arcades and AGCs, the issues at stake are about more than just national pride.“I’m very, very concerned,” said Billy Cullis of Cullis’s Amusements in Saltcoats, Ayrshire. “I think a ‘Yes’ could be a total disaster, not just for the amusements sector, but across the Scottish economy as a whole.” Those voting yes will be casting a vote in favour of separation, hoping that Scotland will leave England,Wales and Northern Ireland to become an independent state.While the polls give the ‘No’ campaign a slight lead, operators such as Cullis fear not only for their own businesses, but the nation’s entire economy.“At its core it’s about a country of just over five-million people suddenly expected to become self-

sufficient,” he said.“It’s an impossibly tall order.” Among the most divisive elements of the debate has been the matter of currency.The Scottish National Party (SNP) argue that it will form a currency union after achieving independence, which will allow the country to continue using the pound.Westminster, meanwhile contends that in the result of a ‘Yes’ majority, it will withdraw the pound sterling from Scotland. For gaming operators, this is a major concern.“The implications are enormous,” said Cullis.“The SNP claims that they could keep the pound were Scotland to go independent, but they’ve no real authority to back this up.” Meanwhile, the Royal Bank of Scotland has warned that a ‘Yes’ victory could have a “material adverse effect” on its fortunes, while the Australian owner of Clydesdale Bank has warned that,“a vote in favour of independence may give rise to significant additional costs

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INDUSTRY

ESSENTIAL GUIDE

Will the banks turn on the cash taps?

The Great British Pub 6

31 August 22 - August 28, 2014 • No. 2382 • www.coinslot.co.uk

ators caught ossfire

Key highlights: Rank Group annual results

Rank successfully responds to industry challenges FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE

Following a challenging first six months of the year, Rank Group achieved a four per cent rise in operating profit in 2014, following the successful execution of sustainable profit improvement actions. James Walker reports. ank Group, the Maidenhead-based gambling and leisure group, has grown revenue and operating profit in fiscal 2014, due primarily to the contribution of the 19 casinos acquired from Gala Coral Group last year and the implementation of a new growth strategy in the second half of the year. The London-listed group which operates 97 Mecca Bingo branded clubs and 55 Grosvenor Casinos in the UK, along with online gaming and betting interests through its Rank Interactive division - said revenues for the 12 months to June 30 totalled £707.7m, up 13 per cent on the £625m in the previous financial year. Operating profit before exceptional items was up four per cent to £72.4m. According to Rank,a challenging first half and the highly competitive digital trading environment led to a fall in like-for-like revenues in both its core Grosvenor Casinos and Mecca brands. “Following the challenging H1, we undertook three actions aimed at delivering an improved H2 performance,” commented chief executive,Henry Birch,who took the helm in May. “These focused on improving the value for money for our customers, tightening our cost controls and operating a more focused capital expenditure programme.The 21 per cent increase in H2 operating profit versus H1 highlights the success of these actions.” Revenue from Rank’s Grosvenor Casinos division increased by 30 per cent to £391.2m, driven by a £107.2m revenue contribution from the acquired casinos.“This year we worked hard to successfully integrate the former Gala casino venues acquired back in May 2013,” Birch stated. “With £17.8m of capital invested in the year, we have made significant

e could leave the country without rators living in fear of spiralling costs. and risks.” Ultimately,this could mean spiralling costs for the amusement and gaming industry.“Were a change of currency to occur, it would cost thousands of pounds to refit our machines,” said Cullis,“and there’s no real contingency as to which currency format they’d need to be adjusted to.” Although the SNP still strongly favours a currency union,the party has recently released plans for what it calls “transitional options.” These include a new independent currency,joining the euro or using the pound informally in a process known as“sterlingisation”. The prospect of a new currency would be particularly costly to Scottish operators and those manufacturers who continue to do business with them. Cash handling companies would need to produce brand new hardware to accommodate the new notes and coins, with developments costs that would inevitably be passed on to the consumer.

• Solid results, with increases in revenue and operating profit driven by acquired casinos • Improved H2 performance following a challenging H1; H2 operating profit up 21 per cent on H1 following the successful execution of sustainable profit improvement actions • Mobile revenue growth of 43 per cent, now comprises 26 per cent of digital revenue • Successful integration of the acquired casinos, completed on budget and on time • Grosvenor Casinos awarded its first 2005 Act casino licence in Luton • Bingo duty halved to 10 per cent following successful engagement with HM Treasury • Slots VAT repaid to HMRC following adverse ruling at Court of Appeal • Henry Birch appointed chief executive from May 6, 2014

rily to a decline in visitor numbers. Discussing the group’s current strategy, Birch said:“Rank’s aim is to be the UK’s leading multichannel gaming operator. In order to achieve this, we are focused on building engaging brands with the ability to deliver them via the channels that customers prefer - whether venues, online or mobile.” Looking ahead,Birch said Rank would focus in particular on “building engagement” with customers across multiple channels. In addition to developing its multichannel offering, the group will RANK CEO, HENRY BIRCH: also focus on growing its digital ‘PERFORMANCE IMPROVED IN THE capability, investing in its gaming SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR venues across the UK,building its FOLLOWING A CHALLENGING FIRST established brands and expandSIX MONTHS’ ing its marketing efforts. improvements to the estate while “In the short term, the introducalso implementing operational tion of a digital point of conimprovements.The 19 venues are sumption tax will impact on track to deliver the anticipated performance but our strong level of returns.” brands and market leading posiRevenues in Rank’s Mecca tions ensure that the Group is Bingo segment dropped three well placed and provides longper cent to £288.2m, due prima- term opportunities,” Birch said.

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Coinslot August 22 - August 28, 2014

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Police make arrests in audacious hopper switch thefts CRIME

Inventive as it was short-lived, the creative criminal juices were flowing like a TV scriptwriters meeting. That was until the targeted companies uncovered the ingenious scam, suspects sang like canaries and the police swooped in to make initial arrests. The plot, unfortunately, continues as the police step up their chase to catch the real perpetrators who remain at large. This, though, isn’t going to be the sequel: in fact, the glamour rubs off immediately when you count the stolen haul in its thousands, and assess the industry’s vulnerability to crimes that are masterminded way outside of it’s normal security comfort zone. t was one of those crimes that you just didn’t think would happen,but following a spate of heavy cash losses from recently sited gaming machines in pubs around WestYorkshire,a police investigation found that hoppers in the machines had been switched en route to their destination. Subsequent enquiries led the investigation to Lancashire, where it was found

that individuals were able to gain access toAWP machines in transit whilst sited at a secure depot. Tests on the affected machines confirmed that SEC meters and hoppers had been changed between despatch and delivery, key information was unravelled by some of the companies used by the criminals, and the police have started to move in. As a result, one arrest has been made at the transit

depot where the machine hoppers were switched: a director of Gaming Direct who is believed to have received money in return for providing the gang access to the depot. Another key arrest, in East Anglia, has also been made with one of the main perpetrators caught in action somewhat foolishly it seems.This male is believed to be employed by a company in Bromsgrove.

As an ongoing investigation, details clearly remain scant,but the search is also on for another male known as “Bob”who lives in Blackpool, the man who offered money to gain access to the depoty. “It was as if the money just evaporated,” explained BACTA’s head of compliance Phil Silver, who has been lending assistance in the investigation,and has alerted association members both as a warning of the crime and to

gain further evidence. “The companies targeted acted promptly and most effectively in terms of identifying and countering the threats and notifying the police,”Silver added.“There is no doubt such prompt action resulted in minimising the harm to date.” The investigation has now moved ‘cross-border’ with three forces making more enquiries. Lancashire, West Yorkshire and Nottingham

police are working on the thefts which could now have an added dimension,albeit at this time from an unrelated incident. An engineer ‘employed by a gaming machine operator’ has been arrested by West Yorkshire Police. The police enquiries continue as do Phil Silver’s who remains active in helping to gather evidence, writing to BACTA members last week to rally support for information.

Eastbourne MP speaks out over PIERS

Eastbourne MP Stephen Lloyd has spoken out over the fire that destroyed the arcade building near the main entrance of the city’s historic pier last month.

astbourne Pier, the 144year-old, Grade II-listed Estructure, was ravaged by fire on July 30.As one of the most iconic attractions on the UK’s south coast,many people contacted the local council in the wake of the fire.In an effort to allay fears surrounding the future of the pier, Eastbourne MP Stephen Lloyd has answered a range of pressing questions and issued advice for those who might have information surrounding the cause of the blaze.According to Lloyd, Cuerden Leisure, operator of the pier, has assured the council that the structure is fully insured. It is anticipated that this will pay for the re-construction once engineering and assessment work has been completed. While the fire was not initially treated suspiciously, Sussex Police later said arson might

have been the cause. East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service deployed up to 80 officers to tackle the blaze, which allegedly started in wood panelling in the walls of the games arcade. After fighting the fire through the night,fire officers eliminated the main ‘hotspots’, and saved a large amount of the pier, with the main arcade being the only large building affected. The outer pavilion was not reached by the fire,which fire came just two weeks before Eastbourne’s largest tourist event on the seafront, the Airbourne airshow. “Police have received a large number of calls in connection with their hunt for the suspected arsonist, and they are grateful for the public support,” Lloyd said earlier this week.“The police investiga-

tion is likely to take a number of weeks but the pier has now been handed back to Cuerden Leisure. Ongoing security around the affected area to prevent any danger to the public will be managed by Cuerden Leisure. Looking ahead to the pier’s future, Lloyd said: “Structural engineers have carried out a detailed examination of the damage and are due to report back to Cuerden within the next two weeks.” Eastbourne Borough Council is setting up eight durable ‘conservatories’ for the pier shop owners, and it was hoped that they would be handed over to the concessions by Wednesday, August 20. “Cuerden and its insurers have agreed to waive the rent of independent traders from the date of the fire to the end

of the season,” Lloyd stated. “They have also agreed to offer existing traders a discount on their rents for 2015/16. “All pier staff have been offered assistance to find new jobs.The vast majority of pier staff have found alternative employment, and the shop owners have been offered alternative sites to

continue trading.” Lloyd added: “We are all determined to get the whole pier up and running as soon as possible. However, as two thirds of the pier remains untouched, the committee is also in discussion with the owners and the safety experts to see if there may be a way for visitors to access the remaining structure.This is a work in

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INDUSTRY AMUSEMENTS LEISURE

B2B COMMENT NEWSWEEK INNOVATION The Great British Pub sector: it’s the heartbeat of the nation. So how is the industry performing? 11

Just what do you do when you discover a rogue in your midst? talks exclusively to Kevin Hinds, a director at Gaming Direct Coinslot Transportation, whose company was caught up in the hopper switch swindle. “The first we knew of a problem was when we had a meeting with one of our manufacturing clients who told us that machines had been tampered with a month earlier. Within a couple of hours we called Chubb into the depot and had checks made on the key fobs and we discovered that a director had locked the premises in the early hours of the morning. This triggered suspicion and we called Nottingham CID immediately to let them know what had happened. We then waited for the director to return to the depot, confronted him, and he admitted to tampering with six machines. He was made to resign from the company immediately and the matter was handed over to the police. In a matter nine hours we had managed to uncover the crime, report the crime, secure a police arrest and clear the desk

of a guy who has done untold damage to all the work we’ve done at Gaming Direct to provide one of the safest and trustworthy businesses around. And the repair work hasn’t stopped there: all key fobs were changed, Red Care assistance stepped up, new gates installed, extra CCTV placed in the depot and all vehicles have been fitted with cameras both front and side view. We understand that building trust takes years and years – and we accept that our work to rebuild a reputation will take time. But what is very difficult to understand is the personal impact of this incident: when people you work alongside day to day are capable of this kind of crime, it’s tough to trust people. We at Gaming Direct had nothing to do with anything that this director had done and as soon as we uncovered what was happening, we acted as swiftly as possible to remove this rogue element from the company and to repair his damage. But it’s such an unbelievable fraud: I’m hoping that our experience will be able to offer guidance to the likes of BACTA and all our customers in the industry: crime cannot be allowed to pay and everyone needs to be vigilant.”

over pier fire A pint to save the pier n independent Sussex ale company is brewing A a special beer to raise up

progress and we will keep you informed. “Over the coming weeks as it becomes clearer to the future progress of the rebuilding of our pier, every effort will be made to keep local residents informed. However,we are establishing a dedicated enquiry line for anyone who has questions with regards to the pier.”

to £10,000 for Eastbourne Pier. In the wake of the blaze last month, Litlington-based Long Man Brewery teamed up with Eastbourne’s Curious Beer Club to create the 3.8 per cent ‘Craft Pier’. Jamie Simm, head brewer, said: “Everyone connected to Eastbourne felt the pain of seeing a fundamental part of our heritage go up in smoke. The Curious Beer Club came to us with an idea and we immediately wanted to help. “We’re tweaking the recipe of our beer Long Blonde to create some-

thing special for a special old girl. When people drink it they know they’ll be helping those affected rise up again and hopefully it’ll evoke a real nostalgic sense of the seaside too.” The beer will go on sale on August 25 and may eventually be available across the county. All profits will go to the Eastbourne Pier Benevolent Fund.

Jabro expands manufacturing facility in its best year to date EXPANSION

elsh pay-to-play manufacturers Jabro Games W is due to expand its plant in Ystradgynlais, Powys, following its most successful year so far. Currently occupying 15,500 square feet and employing 24 people, Jabro’s manufacturing operation is set to nearly double in size. “Whilst we continue to produce our own quality games, we also contract manufacture for other suppliers”, said Jabro’s managing director,Tony Brooks.“I think it’s the combination of both services that’s presenting a confident business image to prospective customers.” Jabro creates in-house machines, sold in conjunction with its own Storm operating software. It also refurbishes secondmachines, re-housing them in newly manufactured cabinets. “We refurbish to a very high standard”, says Brooks,“I had a customer in recently who wanted to see the second-hand stock - but he was already looking at it; he just hadn’t been able to tell the difference.” Jabro has purchased a large stock of old machines and will continue to refurbish and supply them on an ondemand basis throughout the rest of the year. It has also added a number of brand-new products to its range, such as Street Casino, as well as the latest PopEye licensed CAT C, which Brooks believes will drive future sales. “We’re staying positive”, says Brooks, regarding the company’s burgeoning prospects: “I think it’s important to stay optimistic.”

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Will coin-op remain resilient in the face of an interest rate increase? INTEREST RATES

PUBS

With base interest rates set to rise in the near future, will the banks turn the finance tap on for the amusements industry? s the overall economy continues to stabilise,wise financial minds are predicting that an increase to base interest rates is mere months away.In the result of a hike, banks will earn more on the money they lend to businesses, raising the question of whether cash for the coin-op industry will be easier to come by. “Not really,”saidAlex Read,managing director of Portman Asset Finance.“A lot of mainstream banks and asset providers don't understand the amusement sector - and don’t lend to it, or fund the acquisition of amusement technology.” For this reason,he expects lending to buy machines to remain largely unaltered.“In the amusements sector, where interests rates are already considerable higher than [the current base rate], any change in the Bank of England base-rate won’t have such a dramatic effect,”noted Read. Major high street banks have long

Marston’s implements ‘F-Plan’ for growth

been skittish about dealing with the amusement industry. Barclays, for example,does not allow gaming businesses to open accounts, although they are more than happy to promote their Barclaycard services at industry events such as ICE Totally Gaming where they gladly draw you in to sign up for a credit card. For Read, this reticence remains a mystery.“In our experience, the amusement sector is one of the best,if not the best sector to lend to, so it’s a complete anomaly.The only thing I can think of, is that some of the big household names are concerned by association with gambling and negative connotations that go with the term.”

The practical impact to the amusement industry from the next increase, expected in late 2014 or early 2015, will be relatively minor.Read predicts, ”an increase in the cost of funds and therefore an increase in the cost of interests rate, albeit very minimal.” Businesses can expect an increase from the current bank rate of 0.5 percent to stick for some time.“At the moment there’s a sort of honeymoon period,” said Read,“and there’s this feeling that things have massively improvedacross the economy,therefore lending is good at the moment. Asset lending in our niche industry is pretty good at the moment and access to funds isn’t really a problem. It’s all a bit too good to be true, so as

interests rate rise we’ll see a return to normality.” But, the interest rate changes will take their toll.Lending for associated equipment will undoubtedly be effected by a base rate increase.“In the instance of a well established business, seeking a very traditional asset like a car,a van,plant equipment - very safe long-term lending, combined with strong businesses - that’s a very rate sensitive area,”said Read. With the current very low rate in place,any upward alteration from the Bank of England is likely to exert a large effect on these ancillary purchases. For this reason,the only swift action Read suggests is to secure any non-gaming equipment loans as soon as possible. “If you have got some significant equipment purchases on the horizon,you may want to take a fixed monthly-payment finance agreement out now to save yourself some money.”he said.

ALEX READ

s the UK’s pub and leisure sector continA ues to face numerous challenges,Marston’s has implemented its ‘F-Plan’ to target new revenue streams. According to Ralph Findlay, chief executive of the FTSE-listed pub and beer company, the sector is experiencing something of a dichotomy. “Good pubs are doing really well,whereas pubs which aren’t attracting people will close, and I cannot see how protecting bad pubs which aren’t giving customers what they want is going to help anyone,” he told the Daily Mail. In an effort to maximise sales, Marston’s FPlan has been initiated to target females, family, food and 40-50-somethings. “It makes sense with a maturing population, women often controlling the family budget,

Burnham welcomes Royal Mail to feature Worthing Pier arcade on new stamp Olympic visitor PROMOTIONS

MARKETING

his weekend saw British Taekwondo Olympic gold medalist Jade Jones make a special appearance at the Sunspot Family Entertainment Centre on the esplanade in Burnham-on-Sea. The family arcade, featuring a wide range of state-ofthe-art pusher and video slot machines, operates within the Cashino Gaming umbrella, who sponsor Jade in her upcoming training for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. The arcade hosted an opportunity for young fans to meet the sporting star, and obtain autographs. “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Burnham-on-Sea,” she said afterwards, “the fans have given me some amazing words of

encouragement.” Cashino area manager Simon Ainge added: “Jade is a tremendous talent and we’re so proud to be sponsoring her. We are confident she will do us proud once again.” Sunspot is one of four family amusement arcades which operate under Cashino Gaming. Cashino also operates 155 adult gaming centres across the country.

oyal Mail is to issue a new firstclass stamp, featuring Worthing Pier’s distinctive ‘Pier Amusements’ arcade at the centre of the illustration. The stamp, set for first-day circulation on September 18, depicts pier-goers walking past the artdeco arcade building, with its distinctive sign and clock-face. Constructed in 1936, the arcade originally displayed the words ‘New Amusements’, but the sign was adapted to its current form in 2006. Worthing’s Pier was opened in 1862, and its operations have remained uninterrupted since then with only a handful of exceptions. In celebra-

tion of the new release, online coin and stamp distributors The Westminster Collection are offering Worthing residents the new stamp free-of-charge, along with a postcard featuring the Worthing seafront.The stamp will bear the town’s postmark, as well as the date of the stamp’s release.

more people eating out and families visiting after the smoking ban,” he said. “The sector is in as good a position as it’s been in for a number of years. There’s more energy and excitement in the sector than I can ever remember.” Marston’s current strategy is a great example of the pub sector’s resilience and innovation in the face of wider economic challenges. Indeed, Findlay’s comments come as Coinslot publishes its latest guide to the Great British Pub Sector in this week’s edition of the Essential Guide.

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VHub goes from strength to strength MUSIC CONTENT

A comprehensive software update for the VHub digital jukebox, along with the implementation of new rental options, has opened up even more possibilities for operators looking to upgrade their invenue music offering. the launch of the Gen 2 software for the Venue Hub (VHub) in January, Stheince digital jukebox from Sound Leisure and Soundnet goes from strength to strength. Now, with the implementation of a new rental deal for customers across the UK, the platform is being installed in an everincreasing number of venues. According to Toby Hoyte, marketing manager for Soundnet, the London-based music content supplier, the VHub is now the company’s best-selling production model.“It’s been a great year for us,” Hoyte told Coinslot.“The revised version of the VHub has a simplified interface and many new features such as a Twitter and Flickr feed, which have been very successful. In terms of income, the VHub is probably the most successful digital jukebox platform

currently on the market. “One of the main differences for the jukebox and music content sector, is that we are always developing - not just new products but also our existing machines.” The new VHub interface is available for free for all existing VHub customers. In addition, Soundnet is now offering rentpurchase deals to its customers.“We have opened our rent book and are now offering three-year deals,” Hoyte explained. “Now, a top-of-the-range VHub can be installed for just £31.28 a week, including music.” According to Hoyte, the new rental deal has allowed operators of all sizes to upgrade their jukebox offering without a large initial investment.“The deal has been so successful that Sound Leisure have had

to bring in extra staff to cope with the demand,”he said. Hoyte’s comments come in the wake of an announcement in June that Soundnet would be acquired by TouchTunes, the largest in-venue interactive entertainment network in North America. Hoyte was quick to note that it was“business as usual” for the Soundnet team, and that the acquisition will make very little difference to the high level of service its customers have come to expect.“Our relationship with Sound Leisure is strong as ever,”Hoyte said. “Both companies will be exhibiting at the Autumn Coin-op Show later this year and EAG 2015.” The remainder of 2014 looks set to be a busy time for Soundnet, particularly as the company’s Soundjack app gathers pace.

TOBY HOYTE

The free-to-download music app enables customers to use their phone to choose music in a venue such as a pub without leaving the comfort of their seat. “The app is currently on test, and before the end of the year it will be available to more and more customers who want to use it,”Hoyte said.

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Cheltenham’s last bingo hall to close its doors

Brighton Pier prepares for summer’s last hoorah

BINGO

he last remaining bingo hall in ChelTtenham is set for clo-

BANK HOLIDAY TRADING

The last summer bank holiday approaches. And Brighton Pier hopes for ordered facilities, sympathetic legislation, and above all, providential weather. ith the sun,so come the customers. Well, that’s what they’re hoping for down on the south coast. For more than a century, it’s been the rule of thumb at Britain’s seaside resorts: a bank holiday, players eager for a fun-filled weekend, and conditions prime for amusement operators to see a healthy increase in business. Anne Martin is manager at Brighton Pier, running two separate arcade venues. With the year’s final summer bank holiday knocking on the industry’s

door, what housekeeping measures will Martin be taking to ensure the strongest performance?“It might seem obvious, but it’s important to ensure all machines are working and positioned to the best advantage”, she says. “But day-to-day machine maintenance isn’t all that’s required. Facilities management is also crucial: clean toilets, functioning air-conditioning - anything that ensures the play environment is as comfortable and accommodating as possible.” In an effort to drive

sales, Martin ensures all her staff are fully briefed as to ongoing promotions, and clearly displays and labels redemption goods: “It’s vital that the prizes are clearly labelled so that customers know what they can aim to buy.” Martin labours this point,as it’s in redemption sales that she’s seen the greatest growth in the year to date. Briefer stints may well be the cause.“We’re seeing more people out on daytrips, rather than longerterm visitors”,says Martin, arguing that the prospect

of a‘quick-fix’redemption prize may hold more appeal for these players than alternative experiences. Beyond the summer, Martin welcomes the construction of Brighton’s i360 tower, which is set to offer visitors extraordinary panoramic views of the south coast. Due for completion in 2016, and from the same designers of The London Eye, an increase in seafront footfall is more than likely. That said, there are wider legislative changes Martin would like to see

implemented, such as the campaign to reduce VAT to a blanket 5 per cent for businesses catering to the tourist sector.“We need a more cohesive strategy between central and local government to encourage tourism - things like free parking periods and special train fares” she argues. Whilst holidays, investment and legislation can each make their own meaningful impact on revenue, if she could wave a wand, Martin knows what she would wish for.“Endless sunny days”,she says without hesitation,“lots and lots of sunshine.”

New coin-op show plans to build Bridges for the future EXHIBITION

Less than two months to go before the Autumn Coin-Op Show and the industry reaction has been positive. But can the new expo put a permanent marker on the amusements industry calendar? Coinslot talks to organiser Karen Cooke about current trends on the Stamford Bridge expo hall floor that suggest the prospects for a regular autumn outing are looking good.

It’s family entertainment, espenovelty and redemption, “thatcially drove the early moves for the event,” explained Autumn Coin-Op Show’s Karen Cooke, the woman behind the success of the UK industry’s leading expo offering, EAG. “But the Autumn show has spread right across the spectrum in the last few months. I think all sectors of the industry have recognised the importance of a rally at the end of the traditional coin-op season. It’s a first marker for them, I sense, to have a chance to get a real say in what’s needed for next year.” The Autumn show stats, with eight weeks to go, reflect this momentum. Nineteen exhibitors,85 per cent full and a range of product genres that fill the scope of the UK amusements and gaming industry. “We’re certainly

encouraged by this,” responded Cooke. “I think for a debut show, we’re looking at a good response. Certainly from the exhibitors side, we’ll have a very strong output.” Indeed, the big hitters are coming:Astra, Crown RLMS, Reflex, Sound Leisure, the newboys 24 Seven Gaming and PW Sales, new technological pioneers like Embed, and the long established names such as Electrocoin - themselves no strangers to the concept of an industry gathering style of expo. The sales operation is still actively working to extend the exhibitor list,although the hall is currently very close to full. Three more companies are due to sign up shortly, ensuring that the event will be sold out by the time the doors open. But, that said, the focus

remains fixed on the attendees.“We have upped our marketing push and have a targeted campaign to all areas of the industry,” explained Cooke. “In the earlier months building up to the event, we concentrated on the importance of a forum for meeting people at this specific time of year and exchanging views across the industry.But it’s also about business, and input to the product offerings for next year.And I hope that’s the message we’ll be getting across in the run-up to Chelsea.” Pre-registration stats for the new show are currently “well above our expectations” said Cooke who suggests that this “reflects a strong interest”. As Cooke confirmed:“This is an important punt for everyone: the show will be a key indicator of the industry’s direction.And the signs are good that the industry is keen to support this.”

sure and demolition. Ace Bingo will cease sixteen years of operation, owing to falling business post-smoking ban, and the growth of the online game. An exact date of closure is yet to be confirmed, with the owners keen to continue the venue’s bingo operations for as long as possible. However, a planning application has been submitted to Cheltenham Borough Council requesting permission to demolish the current building, and construct a number of flats and townhouses in its wake. “Our existing customers are aware of the planning application”, said Ace’s general manager Francis Dyer, “We will go on as long as we can but we don’t know how long the business will last”. Since 2006, Ace has seen a 50 per cent drop in admissions, reflecting a wider trend across the UK industry. The closure will bring to an end four decades of bingo operations at the high street location.

Dedicated to the UK market. Relaxed, sociable & friendly. Review this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s products & preview next.

www.coin-opshow.co.uk 15th & 16th October 2014 Chelsea Football Club T: +44 (0)1582 767 254 E: karencooke@swanevents.co.uk

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Repairs begin at South Parade Pier

Email: al@sjc.co.uk

Poorlytimed roadworks hit Cleethorpes trade

RESORTS PIERS

Work to stop the collapse of Portsmouth’s South Parade Pier is underway, although there is uncertainty over whether it will be effective in halting the structure’s decline.

epair work to prevent Portsmouth’s South Parade Pier from falling into the sea has begun at the latest possible moment. If completed without any complications, it could allow access to the pier’s amusement arcade after months behind hoardings. David Ford, manager of steel fabrication and welding firm KD Solutions, which is carrying out the work, told local press repairs to the eastern ‘hip’ of the pier were already finished, as this section had

Man jailed over Leysdown-onSea arcade burglary SENTENCE

26-year-old man has been jailed for raiding a Kent amusement arcade and assaulting a police officer. Gary Grannells, of Notting Hill, west London, was sentenced to six years and eight months at Isleworth Crown Court. He admitted assault and handling stolen goods at a previous hearing and was convicted of burglary in June. Grannells had denied burglary after the cash raid at Mr G’s arcade on The Promenade in Leysdownon-Sea on the Isle of Sheppey in June 2013.

been in danger of “imminent collapse”. Ford said repair works were also planned for the canopy above the promenade, which would allow the hoardings blocking it off to be removed. Once the hoardings are gone, access to the amusement arcade, located at the pier’s promenade end, would once again be possible. The arcade is operated by Crown Leisure’s Crown Arcades division,which had operated the FEC on Eastbourne Pier before it was

destroyed by fire in July. The repairs are being made on behalf of a consortium of the six Portsmouth businesspeople who reportedly want to buy the pier from current owners Fred Nash and Dawn Randall, but who have yet to make their identities public knowledge. A sign on the hoardings advertise the pier as being ‘under new ownership’,but South Parade Trust chairman Leon Reis said the registry office had confirmed it was still in the hands of Nash and Randall.

Reis also said work on the canopy would not save the pier from further damage and possible destruction if more storms struck over the winter months. He told The News:When is Portsmouth City Council going to do anything to ensure the safety of this structure? The people of Portsmouth deserve to know when real work will start and what’s going on.” “Meanwhile, we are approaching the winter storms and there is no real programme of work for the pier.”

Pleasure Beach celebrates Europe’s oldest amusement ride AMUSEMENT PARK

lackpool Pleasure Beach has marked the B 110th birthday of the oldest operational amusement park ride in Europe with a ceremony that brought the past and present together. To celebrate, Pleasure Beach managing director Amanda Thompson and deputy managing director Nick Thompson were joined on the Hiram Maxim Flying Machines by Nat Makepeace, pilot of the ultra-advanced Typhoon fighter jet. The ride, designed and built by American inventor Hiram Maxim, opened at the amusement park in 1904 and has remained a favourite attraction amongst guests ever since. Thompson told the Blackpool Gazette: “Everything was a bit

crazy back in 1904, people came to the amusement park in their Sunday best, but like today they were looking for thrills and excitement. “At that time, my grandmother spoke of being

taken to hospital in a horse drawn ambulance but there were people enjoying the flying machines.” Makepeace commented: “I learnt to fly at Blackpool Airport back in the 1980s, but hadn’t ever

been on this as I thought it looked a bit boring. “But it’s really under estimated. In 1904 no one had flown before so it must have been a really scary experience back then – probably the scariest ride going.”

Cleethorpes amusement arcade operator A has spoken out over the negative impact that roadworks on the M180 have had on trade at the resort. Major resurfacing work is taking place on the road, a major route into Cleethorpes from South Yorkshire, until August 28. Although no work is due to take place on the forthcoming August Bank Holiday, lane closures have already caused severe delays throughout the month - a peak summer period for coastal businesses. Owen Taylor, owner of Taylor Made Fun amusement arcade, questioned the timing of the M180 works, saying they had resulted in reduced footfall at one of the most crucial times of the year. He told the Grimsby Telegraph: “We have definitely seen a lack of trade in the resort. The Highways Agency says it needs warm weather to do the work but what’s wrong with September? July and August is our peak time and the window of the season is pretty short. “There’s a diversion in place but who’s going to add four hours to their journey to get here? People will just go somewhere else and the worry is they might not come back. We could see the effect of this next year as well.”

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23 B2B listings and industry marketplace

Essential Guide to...

Great British Pub Sector

Rising to the top 26 This week’s machine charts

27 Classified sales, job and business opps

Figures from the British Beer and Pub Association have revealed that, for the first time in two years, the pub industry has seen an increase in beer volume sales. Second quarter numbers indicate a rise of 16.9 percent on the same period during 2013, amounting to the largest increase since the turn of the century.

Beer reprieve In March 2014, the UK government announced that beer duty was to be cut by 1p per pint, with taxes on cider and spirits frozen. New laws were also introduced to prevent alcohol from being sold below minimum tax rates, which the chancellor said would, “prevent supermarkets undercutting pubs.”

Heavy metal defender Rock star Brice Dickinson, lead singer of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden, has come out in support of the Great British Pub, lambasting US-style bars that play “really awful music.” The 56-yearold claims that, “a pub is a safe, calm place to go, where you can have a beer and chill out.” IMAGE BY ADELE

OPERATOR

Moving with the times An increasingly digital future is demanded by changing demographics in pub gaming, says Peter Davies, commercial director of nationwide operator Gamestec. oinslot: How are advances in technology changing the types of pub machines that are popular with punters? Peter Davies: Pub goer demographics are changing, together with the demand for an enhanced entertainment experience across all machine types. In gaming for example, the ability to offer multi game choice via a digital, touchscreen terminal isn’t new, but the current generation of machines proves that players are ready to embrace rather than reject the digital interface. The enabling factor is a robust high performance digital platform, together with widespread availability of affordable broadband or 3G (and 4G) wireless connectivity. This combination facilitates dynamic management of content, fault fixing and diagnostics, software updates and new game and content delivery at a rapid pace. Gamestec now operates well over 2,000 digital gaming terminals, including 1,500 fully connected iPub terminals generating over 2.5m plays every week, of which 65 percent comprise games that would not be available as a traditional fruit machine. This shift from traditional hi-tech to casino style slots is significant. Digital presentation adds a whole new dimension to popular games that don’t work well or even at all on a screen printed static glass display.

AUGUST 22 - AUGUST 28, 2014

Essential Guide to the bingo sector Next Week

of product development is extremely valuable for both ourselves and our sister companies. However, we also look beyond group and work with all of the leading established and emerging suppliers. Our mantra is to see it first,test it first and invest in the very best product to offer to our customers. We firmly believe in collaboration and Gamestec’s key partnerships span both gaming and entertainment sectors. Our testing and evaluation programmes are vital to this and we have considerable experience in this area throughout our senior management team. Investment in R&D is a key business philosophy of Gamestec’s parent,Astra Gaming - and ultimate parent Novomatic - and one which Gamestec has promoted throughout its 50plus years.

CS: In what way has Gamestec integrated its offering with modern consumer technology? PD:The advance of the mobile handset is undoubtedly a critical part of enabling new pay-to-play and marketing strategies. Gamestec is currently testing and rolling out a number of developments which directly involve app based features to access content or control entertainment and make payments for these services. Music is the most advanced category to benefit from integrating with mobile technology. Soundjack from Soundnet and Virtual Juke Box from ‘I love Music’ are the CS: How does Gamestec work to ensure best examples.We are also working with a that it offers a range of machines that appeal to as many pub goers as possible? leading developer of skill based games to PD: Gamestec has the significant advan- provide an exciting way for customers to tage of being part of a worldwide gaming play specific content within the pub, but group of companies. Having a global view on their own mobile device.We have also,

in conjunction with Astra Games, integrated direct marketing to registered iPub Casino Slots players and have utilised QR codes across both digital and analogue machines in the £100 promotional campaign - where we gave away 100 prizes in 100 days. CS: Has the move to a £100 Cat C jackpot made a substantive impact on takings? PD:The introduction of £100 jackpot to Cat C machines was a very welcome,if long overdue,increase to prize levels.Gamestec took an early decision to implement the new prize level as quickly as possible across our customers’ estates despite the very significant cost of doing so. The impact on cashbox from this approach was universally good and in line with expectation. Coinslot AUGUST 22 - AUGUST 28, 2014

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Essential Guide to ... Great British Pub Sector Sector Overview SWOT ANALYSIS

POLITICS

British pubs can be great again

Cat C driving machine success The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) is delighted to see the £100 Cat C machines that it lobbied to introduce boosting revenues across the country. ith pubs now firmly entrenched in the £100 Cat C era, the British Beer W and Pub Association is reporting posi-

After being hit by various blows such as the smoking ban, a double dip recession and alcohol being sold in supermarkets as a loss leader, the UK pub industry is beginning to reinvent itself and stabilise. With this in mind, the various coin-op offerings available down the pub have had to move with the times to please the ever-more discerning customer. he UK pub sector has faced a number of challenges in recent years, with the demise of several factory-based industries, the smoke ban, the credit crunch, supermarket pricing and competition for leisure spend all contributing to mass closures. According to the BBPA,over the past decade, Britain’s £70bn pub industry has suffered approximately 10,000 closures.The volume of beer drunk in British bars has declined 45 per cent since 2000, leaving some of the large pubcos in heavy debt after years of swift growth. Twenty-eight pubs close every week,according to the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).The last ten years, in particular, have seen several major legislative moves which have adversely affected the industry. It is eleven years since the Licensing Act was introduced, which paved the way for 24-hour drinking,which became legal in 2005.While this saw a number of 24-hour licences to sell alcohol granted,the traditional‘local’rarely serves alcohol into the early hours, thus encouraging customers to drink in late-opening bars and clubs. Cheap alcohol freely available in supermarkets has also taken its toll on pubs. The smoking ban,implemented in 2006,however, proved to be a real killer.While some pubs reacted to this by moving from wet-led to foodled, others were hamstrung by a lack of outside space in which to create smoke shelters. As the recession bit, supermarkets offered massive savings on beer, wine and spirits, thus creating a culture of ‘pre-loading’ on alcohol before going out or simply drinking at home. Britain’s 50,000 pubs are categorised as follows - managed outlets, controlled by companies such as Wetherspoon; tenanted or “tied” pubs, where the property is run by individual tenants who pay rent and buy their beer from a corporate landlord such as Punch Taverns; and free houses,which operate independently. The tenanted sector has suffered most,due to what a Parliamentary committee has called

Coinslot AUGUST 22 - AUGUST 28, 2014

“downright bullying”of tenants by the pub companies, who it said often kept them in the dark about how rents were calculated. Despite the lengthy list of challenges, however, the tide seems to be turning in the favour of the Great British pub, with recent legislative proposals and amendments actually acting in pubs’ better interest. For example, to help combat competition with supermarkets, a ban on the sale of alcohol below cost price has become a new licensing condition of the Mandatory Code of Practice. Furthermore,the Queen’s Speech in June saw the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg propose a new Statutory Code of Practice for beer-tied pubs, which will provide tenants with new rights regarding rent review, as well as the option to dispute unfair practices in front of an independent adjudicator. In the same month, the government temporarily relaxed legislation by allowing an extension of pub opening hours for the World Cup.This benefited pubs that would not otherwise have been authorised to stay open without applying for a one-off late license at their own cost. After years of declines, sales at pubs open at least a year have grown for 14 consecutive months, according to pub industry data provider CGA Strategy. Pub deals valued at £426m have been announced in the past year, more than in the previous two combined.Shares of pubcos Fuller Smith & Turner, JD Wetherspoon and Spirit Pub and have all topped the FTSE All-share index over the past 12 months. Additionally, George Osborne’s April Budget saw beer duty cut by 1p for the second consecutive year. Now that the government has finally recognised that steps must be taken to help safeguard a community-driven British institution, the single site sector, which has suffered an equally alarming contraction in the same time frame can once again show its mettle and prove that AWPs,SWPs,pool tables jukeboxes et al are rightly part and parcel of any busy boozer.

SWOT ANALYSIS GREAT BRITISH PUBS STRENGTHS • Pub-goers very familiar with coin-op entertainment and happy to spend loose change • Single site operators have a thorough understanding of what fills the cashbox • Manufacturers have faith in the Cat C sector OPPORTUNITIES • Synergistic entertainment as wi-fi in pubs becomes more commonplace • Downloadable gaming content • Surviving pubs have high levels of footfall, thus a large captive audience WEAKNESSES • Unlike arcades and FECs, pubs only have limited opportunities to site coin-op entertainment • ‘Killer app’ not yet created for today’s 18-25s THREATS • Further closures • More pubs becoming food-led • Despite up-coming legislative changes, drink remains cheaper in shops

tive news from its members across the country. “Based on feedback from members and previous experience from 2009, we estimate a revenue uplift of ten per cent over two years from the £100 prize increase,” said a spokesperson, “and early indications from this year show that the new prize has been increasing cashbox take in both tenanted and managed pubs.” This improved performance is nothing less than the BBPA expected. “The increase in fruit machine prizes to £100 was another welcome move from government to assist the pub sector. The BBPA has been pushing for an increase in prizes for Category C machines for a number of years - and for the reinstatement of the Triennial Review.” Even as the sector continues to contract, gaming machines continue to play an important role. “With many companies and licensees changing their operating style over the last few years to an increasingly food-led approach, the number of machines in pubs has declined over the last decade. However, machines remain a key part of the wider product and entertainment mix that a large amount of pubs offer and we are pleased to see that the government has recognised this fact.” For many landlords and pubcos, gaming still provides a vital source of revenue. “The income from machines is important to the economics of many pubs and for some business the income from machines can have a key impact on their viability. An increase in prizes to £100 is delivering significant benefits to the pub machine sector, as well as the resultant positive impact on manufacturers and the supply chain.”

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Essential Guide to ... Great British Pub Sector Market Analysis FORECAST

VIEWPOINT

Escaping our old ideas

A brave new pub world

Industry veteran Nick Hardy at Games Warehouse offers his opinion on the future of pub-based SWPs. As a content developer for the previously prosperous but now seriously struggling SWP sector,one question we are repeatedly asked by operators and retailers is:“What are you going to do about our cashboxes?” Firstly, this question assumes that decline is our fault and secondly, it perpetuates an attitude that bedevils the coin-op world - an unrealistic desire to turn back the clock.There is no point in telling sentimental war stories.Things change in life and if we don’t change with them, we become obsolete. It is understandable that those of us who are 40 or 50+ gaze at the landscape and wishfully see the past,but younger generations do not and the reality of our collective offer to the pub sector is that it contains gaping ‘youth-shaped’ holes. In a world inhabited by under 30s, small is beautiful and given a choice they would rather stay at home. If they do venture out, parting with actual cash to pay for entertainment is increasingly alien. The traditional ‘pub’ audience is in poor economic shape.UK 20somethings face debt and high housing costs.According to the Office of National Statistics, three million 20-34 year olds live with their parents,stuck in involuntarily protracted adolescence. It is even worse for 30somethings who are victims of two colliding trends - careers accelerating faster and child-bearing occurring later. In middle-income families,the average age of parents having their first child is now over 30.The last thing this 30-40 generation wants to do is go to the pub; they are too busy, too tired or too broke! In the ‘wet’ sector of the pub market, footfall in locations has hugely decreased and only last week we learned that there are still 31 pubs closing each week. But there is more to it than just that.Younger generations are rejecting pay-to-play in favour of simpler, cheaper and more personal alternatives and we are all now chasing a narrowing audience, as machines are given less and less priority by the pub companies. The continued proliferation of smartphones and tablets means that there are more ways than ever for players to play, whenever and wherever they choose.The sheer volume of users (40m+ in the UK) opens up an unprecedented market,especially amongst recreational players and ‘softer’ users who may not like to play publicly. Mobile gaming works because of its immediacy; it is more than just accessible, it is impulsive. Where this all leaves the Great British Pub is anybody’s guess, but there is certainly too much time being wasted moaning about how things used to be and trying to find ways to return to former glories. It isn’t going to happen and what is needed now is change. Change to the products, change to the terms under which these products are operated and change to the ways in which they are pre-

“

Coinslot AUGUST 22 - AUGUST 28, 2014

sented and promoted. Retailers must take responsibility for educating their staff.Those at the sharp end are the best salespeople and best advertisements rolled into one and yet most of them know almost nothing about machines. And whatever senior management in head office might say,the reality is that few of them even care.They need to be taught and they need to be incentivised.In terms of an ingredient for future success, this should be non-negotiable. As for the product, there is almost non-stop talk about the multi-channel experience.The perceived holy grail is interaction between mobiles, tablets, desktops and terminals.Sadly,one of the legs on this stool is of little interest to the new generation of players.Rather than dream about jumping on bandwagons, I would suggest that coin-op needs to identify its own unique attributes and exploit them with genuine aggression. For example, one ‘must’ going forwards is freeto-play content.Sampling builds market presence, creates a buzz, generates traffic and establishes traction. Free Play is the best form of player acquisition as it eliminates the major barrier to entry and therefore helps entice new players. And before they throw their hands in the air,the penny-pinchers must understand that the longer term monetisation of such a proposition comes from the building of a ‘pool’ of loyal players who invest in the product because they have tried it and like it. This may of course be a nonsense idea, but like many other ideas in the sector it is worth a try if only because the one thing that we have all learned over recent years is that more of the same isn’t working.As Great Britain’s most celebrated 20th century economist John Maynard Keynes once said,“The difficulty lies not in creating new ideas, but escaping from old ones.”

The Great British pub is of vital importance to the success of AWPs, SWPs, cue sports, jukeboxes and, post-Smoke Ban, pull-tab lottery machines. Alex Lee believes that a market which, despite some shocking shrinkage, offers many opportunities for manufacturers and operators that are willing to move with the times.

alex lee foreword ooking to the future, the pub sector has much to be positive about. For example, while the manufacturing output of Cat LC products has slowed, due in no small part to overall coin-op industry shrinkage in the wake of arcade and pub closures, the quality of output looks to be at an all-time high. Undeniably, the AWP and SWP sectors have benefited from last year’s Triennial Review, although the positive impact on the market wasn’t quite as quick as most had hoped. Developers have reacted to the app age by creating digitalbased content and this has been reflected in the continued growth of video-based AWPs. Meanwhile, the pub staple of mech reel-based gaming has stood firm and in some respects has improved as it now has to stand up against a natural competitor. Nowadays, the overall depth and breadth of choice in the SWP sector is immense - but often not immediately apparent to the casual player. The further reduction by 1p in price for a pint in March’s budget not only gave the pub sector some much-needed good publicity, but also saw the government give the nation’s boozers some tangible support and recognised the pub’s importance to the community - and the country’s economy. Furthermore, with CAMRA, the BBPA and the ALMR consistently lobbying Parliament to give the pub sector a better deal, the sector does attract vociferous support. Despite lengthy debate about business models of coin-op machine operation in pubs, the sector has survived and will continue to do so thanks to solid manufacturing practices and plenty of creative thinking and old-fashioned graft along the UK coin-op supply chain. What none of us should lose sight of is that those involved in the manufacture, content provision and operation of pubbased entertainment products must have a clear understanding of what pub-goers want, as the demographic - and player habits - are dramatically different in the post-Smoke Ban era. There are approximately 50,000 pubs in the UK at present even the biggest cynic would agree that putting the right product out there can reap some staggering rewards. All the sector needs now is more footfall, and to encourage this it must learn how to better advertise itself to a new, younger audience and not just preach to the converted. There’s more to do in a pub than just eat, drink and be merry. The challenges for purveyors of pub-based entertainment are how to better promote it and how quickly they can adapt to the fact that today’s 18-25s are more comfortable flashing their debit cards and smartphones than walking around with pockets full of loose change.

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Essential Guide to ... Great British Pub Sector Market Analysis MANUFACTURING

OPERATIONS

John McLoughlin on Bell-Fruit and pub gaming

Youngs on the state of play

Established licenses and thorough on-site testing forms the keystone of Bell-Fruit’s pub-gaming strategy, says John McLoughlin.

ith Bell-Fruit Games at the forefront in the manufacture and design of the UK pub-game machinery, BFG sales and marketing director John McLoughlin is well positioned to contemplate the current state of the pub-gaming sector. “Taken together I would describe it as pretty much ticking over.” he says. “The increase in the maximum prizes level from £70 to £100 has not provided a huge boost, but there was no increase in stake at the

Pub closures continue to exert pressure on the success of the traditional fruit machine, but the efforts of a resilient industry are helping to maintain the sector’s importance. Youngs explain.

time the jackpot was raised, so this is hardly surprising.” McLoughlin points to one recent development advancing machine operation: the introduction of live hoppers.“Especially in the tenanted sector, we’re seeing machines needing less re-floating with coins than was previously the case, which provides some benefit”. Adding to an ever increasing chorus of industry voices, McLoughlin stresses the

hile pub gaming may not hit the heights it did in the heyday of the W community ‘local’, gaming machines congrowing importance of drawing upon an established,recognisable license in tempting patrons to try out a an unfamiliar machine:“There is an immediate familiarity with the product”, he says.“In the case ofWinfall,everyone is aware of the television programme.” But the success of the franchise isn’t necessarily a one-way street.“It is probably true to say that the success of the DOND range of machines has done as much for the television programme as the programme has done for our machines”, says McLoughlin, referring to the innovative gameplay innate to any successful gaming unit. “It goes without saying that a good licence is very useful, but ultimately what makes the game successful is the quality of the game design.” With the Gambling Commission’s recent legislative change providing for £100 Cat C jackpots, McLoughlin takes an organic approach towards Bell-Fruit’s future development: “Game development is an iterative process, he says, “potential will be explored and developed over time”. McLoughlin concludes by underlining the need for the site-testing of any pub-game prior to general release and distribution:“Site testing is absolutely crucial on pub games”, he says, describing Bell-Fruit’s own testing procedures:“Performance of a test machine is measured very carefully both against the machine that was previously on site but also against all other machines on site. This test process can last for three months and no sales can be obtained for any game that does not go through this process.”

Coinslot AUGUST 22 - AUGUST 28, 2014

tinue to find an audience amid challenging conditions. “You don’t need to be a mathematical genius to work out the impact pub closures have had on the whole supply chain,” said Youngs commercial manager, Bill Epsley, “but on the whole they have proved to be a pretty resilient bunch and have worked hard to keep this once great sector alive. While machine income is not what it once was, it still represents and important income stream for many brewers, retailers and licensees.” In particular, the recent increase to Cat C jackpots has produced good results. “Cat C is still riding high on the wave that follows a jackpot increase and we hope this continues for sometime to come,” said Epsley. “After a slow start it is very pleasing to see an uplift in Cat C revenue, particularly in tenancies where ‘live’ hoppers have also helped overcome the lack of regular refills.” The next step, said Epsley, is to encourage pub players to embrace more modern types of machine. “We know that digital or video based machines offer a far greater choice and flexibility, as has been demonstrated by the FOBT’s in betting shops, however attempts to get the pub machine player to embrace new technology and move away from the traditional ‘spinning reels’ format has been an uphill struggle, but perhaps we are starting to see a few signs that things might be changing.”

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BARFF (LEFT) WITH SALES AND OPERATIONS MANAGER, ANDY HALL

TECHNOLOGY Simon Barff, managing director of Blueprint Gaming, tells Coinslot about the pub sector’s slimline digital future and how continual site testing is vital to his company’s success.

Adapting for the future ow are advances in technology changing the types of pub machines that are H popular with punters?

How important is site testing for pub games? Understanding the way in which players interact with the various facets of gaming is essential in the ongoing evolution of all of our products.Our evaluation continues to ensure that we understand what drives players throughout a game’s life and not just in what would historically be classed as a ‘test’ period.We carry this through out all of our products, which is why we have been able to attain successful penetration for both our reelbased and digital products across the pub sector.

The move to digital and the enhanced peripherals are enabling our games design team to push the boundaries on player interaction to a new level. We can see that while players still enjoy traditional types of games, they clearly relish the added interaction afforded by the new platforms. So far, I believe that we have only scratched the surface of what is possible, but as technology becomes more cost effective to integrate, game developers will be able to push the boundaries and capture players’ Are there particular principles of sound and imaginations even further. visual design which particularly appeal to the pub player? Do you expect the beer duty cut to have a In all of the research that we have done positive knock-on effect on pub gaming through direct player feedback and monitormachines? ing player activity, it is clear that all players In all honesty a few pence a pint makes no really care about is the game.The initial attracdifference to whether people go to the pub tion of cabinet, lighting and colouring may or not. Evolving pub environments get pull players towards the game but if the feapeople into pubs and while we are seeing tures and wins aren’t balanced to provide the some great new concepts coming through; right‘feel’then it will quickly fail. This is where the artistry of the game the majority of new pubs are primarily food-led and as such the usual reliance on designers and the software writers comes to coin-op is reduced.The ongoing strength the fore.We have seen too many companies of the gaming income in pubs will be come into the market believing that game reliant on fewer but stronger businesses as design is simple only to go the way of some well established companies,such as Barcrest. the poorer performing sites close.

PUB OFFERING

Positioning for success 24 Seven believes that balance is the key word for the pub sector a balanced diet, not just on the plate, but also on the floor. Seven Gaming managing director, McCarthy, is not about to deny 2that4Simon the pub sector has faced its trials and tribulations over the past few years, but neither is he in the business of ignoring its potential. “In our opinion the pub gaming sector is still one of great interest to 24 Seven,” he said. “Clearly there are ongoing operational challenges for both retailers and operators, but this does not deter us.” One of the machine industry’s most pressing concerns is the move towards pubs that revolve around food, which are invariaably seen as hostile to gaming. “There is an opinion that the move to food-led venues is altering the market,” said McCarthy, “but so long as retailers can dedicate that square foot of carpet for a dedi-

cated machine position then this will still give us the exposure needed to attract both regular and non-players alike.” It’s also important that this space is welcoming to customers, so that they do not feel intimated or put off by venturing towards the fruit machines. Operators will see improved performance if they “make the actual playing environment more relaxed and enjoyable.” Manufacturers such as 24 Seven also need to keep up to date with the demands of the players. “In our opinion there is a balance to be struck here,” said McCarthy. “Clearly, there is an element of the player base that welcomes new technology, but don’t forget those players that prefer the ‘spinning reels’. The pub Cat C market will always require ‘traditional’ analogue reels in our opinion.” Coinslot AUGUST 22 - AUGUST 28, 2014

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Essential Guide to ... Great British Pub Sector Market Perspectives INDEPENDENT OPERATIONS

Machine must remain central to pub future, says IOA National account manager for the Independent Operators Association (IOA) Group, Nik Novak, expands on the issues impacting the industry’s leading national machine operator and how the organisation sees the pub sector evolving. oinslot: What is your overall impression of the pub sector, heading into the second half of 2014? Nik Novak: I think we are seeing some recovery, although we are a long way from hanging out the flags!The recovery that we have experienced is due in no small part to the tremendous efforts on behalf of the retailers, who have committed huge resource both in terms of creativity and investment to bring more people through their doors and, in the process, helped to

arrest the closure of Britain’s pubs.There are many more managed and innovative food led developments and it’s key for us that developers don’t forget the machine offer can still coexist and add vital income. There exists significant regional differences and for much of the population the key proposition is about delivering value from the pub experience.We should not forget that there are still large numbers of young adults aged 18-24, who are out of work and this remains a key demographic

for the machine industry. Everyone involved in the pub and broader leisure industry will breathe easier once a greater proportion of the adult population begins to feel the benefits of the country coming out of recession and has more cash in their pockets,purses and wallets.Call me cynical, but with the general election less than nine months away that might happen sooner rather than later. CS: How can operators work together with pubs to maximise machine revenue? NN: Following the announcement of £100, our job as a national operator was to work with our customers to outline the issues and opportunities and then ensure that the correct games were in place and up and running on day one - which is what we achieved. Once that was completed, the focus switched to implementing ways in which the most profitable square feet of a pub floor could really maximise its earning potential on behalf of our customers.This is an area which requires immense knowledge, insight,experience and commitment and where the IOA really comes into its own.We are not a plug-in and walk away supplier; instead we work with our customers to fine tune the offering and ensure that best practice is always followed. A key area for us is the maximisation of machine uptime through the use of best in class components and peripherals. This includes an awareness of what the key issues are, such as the impact damaged £5 and £10 notes are having causing recyclers to jam; the importance of refloating hoppers, particularly in managed houses; the effective use of point-of-sale material and key security challenges,which are dynamic and continually evolving - the list goes on and on. Retail is in the detail and the IOA works with its customers - drawing on the fantastic local knowledge that exists with account managers at every one of our 20 national depots - in order to explore every opportunity to grow the cash box.

tremendously important to the industry and to us as a key independent operator offering a national service.We are obviously very keen to ensure that, as pubs undergo refurbishments driven by improved trading conditions, the interior architects and designers allow for the effective deployment of gaming machines. It’s essential that the industry that we represent is part of any rising tide.

CS: How are advances in technology changing the types of pub machines that are popular with punters? NN: The IOA has its own achievement awards which take place at EAG and the vast majority of recipients have been the industry’s innovators.Technology is the driver for innovation and of course it plays a major part in attracting, engaging and retaining players. The industry is underpinned by innovation and we are seeing new style games coming to market.The £100 jackpot has led to a resurgence of interest in video AWPs for example and we are involved in evaluating their performance in the pub sector.As well as helping to deliver a better playing experience, which is the headline benefit, advances in technology and the availability of affordable technology play a major role in improving efficiency and,with it, maximising uptime.These issues are very CS: With beer duty having been cut and important to us as an organisation, and it’s sales rising record amounts this century, do you expect these positive signs to have no coincidence that our last IOA Executive meeting was hosted by JCM and our next,in a knock on effect on pub gaming September, is taking place at Innovative machines? NN:The beer duty cut is important and wel- Technologies - two of the industry’s forecome. Anything that impacts footfall is most cash-handling innovators. Coinslot AUGUST 22 - AUGUST 28, 2014

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SUPPLY

Single sites remain vital RLMS Sales managing director, Phil Boulton, offers a robust defence of the single site market, highlighting its central importance to the machine industry. or a distributor such as RLMS Sales, how important is the single site market? FWithout them, we, along with most of the other sales companies,possibly wouldn’t be in existence.They represent at least half our market. Many commentators on our sector believe the pub market is served by a handful of operators, but this is far from reality. Indeed, on our database, we have over 400 businesses whom we classify as single site, ranging from the largest of the independents right down to ‘two man bands’ who may operate a handful of pubs in the free house sector. The one important connecting factor between them is that they have a continual demand for different models. Indeed, it represents the biggest replacement market of

all the sectors in the UK and is the backbone for the majority of UK manufacturers.

some of the commercial models in favour of manufacturers and operators, in order that both of these key stakeholders can continue to innovate and offer secure,class leadAre you optimistic about the future of this ing product and service,to the benefit of the sector? Indeed I am.Yes,there are always challenges. pub retailers and, of course, the playing Volumes of new product are nowhere near public. where they used to be for reasons well documented and the ‘FFF’ factor - Food, Family What changes do you foresee over the next and Females - within retail strategy isn’t nec- 3 years? essarily good news for machines. However, Digital will continue to grow.However,I see Bell-Fruit Group will continue to innovate it at a slower pace than has previously been and offer class leading product, new tech- thought. Possibly up to 20 percent of the nology, new licences which will all con- market by 2017.This pace of change will tribute to maintaining and growing their clearly be dictated by machine performmarket share amongst an array of compet- ance and player preferences, but analogue ing product. and spinning reels are here to stay. I would like to see a re-balancing of the I think that a manufacturer will come up

with a product that will sit on the carpet space previously occupied by traditional SWP, which we all know is a dying breed. This development opportunity is the holy grail for all stakeholders. There will be a range of different styles of Cat C games that compliment the traditional hi-tec core played and we are already seeing this in some of the digital compendiums, where slot style, mid-tec games are beginning to prove popular with some casual players. In addition to a change in stakes and prizes,the bigger operators will continue to acquire some smaller operators to try make efficiencies of scale,however,with over 400 operators in existence we should still have a customer base to sell to!

Coinslot AUGUST 22 - AUGUST 28, 2014

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Essential Guide to ... Great British Pub Sector Products RLMS SALES

ULTIMATE FAN

Cat C the pub king for RLMS

Toogood lands new role with Syco Gaming

RLMS Sales relies on supplying operators with the most sought after Cat C machines, both new and refurbished, when it comes to dealing in the pub sector.

A new member of staff joins the team at Syco Gaming, tasked with driving the relationships between operators and retailers.

or RLMS Sales,without a doubt,it’s the Cat C hitec machine which dominates.“However, this can be split into new and used equipment, with one feeding the other,” said managing director, Phil Boulton.“Indeed, without one, there wouldn’t be another. We’re fortunate to represent the market leader, Bell-Fruit Games, who develop consistently strong models with the best licenses available and we sell these to a number of operators who require them for contractual ‘injection’ with their managed and tenanted customers.” In many cases, RLMS will then buy back older models from these operators and sell them on to the secondary market, following a thorough refurbishment program.This serves a vast array of operators whose business model cannot justify buying new machines, as they operate them in smaller, quieter pubs.

RLMS also supplies machines from Empire Games, who are developing exciting new Cat C hi-tec machines.“Overall, 2014 has indeed been a strong year for Cat C hi-tec,” said Boulton, “on the back of £100 introduced in January.” In other areas, RLMS also offers digital models and reel to video games, including titles such as Bell-Fruit’s Deal or No Deal Winfall, which looks set to become one of the best performing models of 2014. RLMS also do good business outside of Cat C. For example, certain examples of SWP, including as Skill Ball Zingy and Pharaoh’s Gold from Supernova Games, are popular sellers. “Both of these games can take great money in the right locations,” said Boulton,“if the operator has the knowledge and patience to find the right sites.”

Gaming has announced the appointment this week of Claire TooSgood.yco Toogood joins the new manufacturing company as head of sales and marketing in the UK with the responsibility for maximising new business opportunities as well as managing the relationships between operators and retailers. Toogood’s role became effective this week, bringing her valuable experience to the company in manufacturing and operating, having worked for Barcrest and most recently as regional director at Sceptre Leisure. Dean Gourlay, managing director of Syco Gaming, commented on the appoint-

REFLEX GAMING

Reflex maintains pub commitment A longstanding supporter of the British pub industry, Reflex Gaming continues to turn out new machines that consistently beat expectations. eflex Gaming is proud to be continuing to supR port the great British pub and to have produced consistently great performing Category C machines since the introduction of the £100 jackpot at the beginning of the year. Reflex has had a number of notable machines in 2014, including Best of British, Fiddle a Fortune and latterly Hot Shots, which has just recently been awarded a clean sweep of retailer approvals. Hot Shots is a snooker-themed machine with a multi-stake option and spins every game on 50p and £1 stakes, offering the player chances of wins and enhanced feature games. The Prize Money feature is a ‘take it or leave it’ style feature and players must collect mega cash shots in the game to add cash to the mega cash meter. “The reason behind the success of our Coinslot AUGUST 22 - AUGUST 28, 2014

Category C pub machines is our dedication to the sector,” said Reflex managing director, Quentin Stott, “which has seen us continue to invest heavily in the product, cabinets and the technology.” At the start of the year, Reflex unveiled the longawaited ATOM cabinet – the first time that Reflex had its own dedicated Category C reel-based vehicle for single sites to encourage further growth within the sector. “It has been an exciting year for Reflex Gaming with the new jackpot and the new cabinet,” said Quentin. “Now we are looking forward to relocating to a much larger 25,000 square foot production facility in Newark early next year. This will allow us to streamline our processes and continue to respond to the demands of the single site sector for which we are still producing a model a month.”

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BLUEPRINT GAMING

Blueprint crowns the king of games ment: “In Claire we have a new member of staff who is brimming with enthusiasm, drive and the determination to help push our business forward and make Syco Gaming a major player in the analogue and digital AWP market. Claire brings huge knowledge of manufacturing and operating to the business and an obvious talent for forging strong relationships with the retailer and operator. We are delighted to have her on board.” Toogood is already looking forward to the challenge ahead. She noted: “The move to Syco Gaming represents a great opportunity for me to work alongside a young and out-the-box thinking company. Which is a breath of fresh air into our industry. There are a lot of exciting projects which are currently in development, which I will be delighted to share with the Coinslot subscription in the coming weeks.”

Providing quality games with an emphasis on choice is a strategy which has seen Blueprint Gaming enjoy great success in the British pub market. lueprint Gaming is committed to delivering the best in quality content to B drive continual income improvements to the UK pub sector.To this end, the company, part of the Gauselmann Group, has released a new seven game compendium for the Category C digital sector, called King of Games ‘Gold’. The King of Games ‘Gold’ game pack includes the latest Betcom reel-based offer ‘Let’s Get Kraken’, as well as the company’s iconic ‘Luck of the Irish’ Hot Slot game. Blueprint believes that this latest upgrade to the Genie Cabinet, King of Games, will push the envelope for digital AWP games still further within the UK, thanks to a clear understanding of what is required to maintain and grow income,

garnered from Blueprint’s nearly 2000 installed base of digital compendium machines. “We have the largest installed base of digital games in UK pubs and our understanding of what works for this sector is based on the ongoing and timely delivery of a quality, balanced mix of game content,” says Simon Barff, MD of Blueprint’s Machine Division. “Over the past 12 months the business has placed a massive focus on understanding the dynamics of attracting new players to our machines, while delivering a the best offer possible to maintain the existing player base,” said

Barff. “This ‘Gold’ compendium is our largest single update and was put together to ensure that this subtle balance is maintained. Our belief – based on the evidence we have from operating across all gaming sectors within the UK – is that the UK player base in pubs are no different to any other sector,” said Barff. “They want a good mix of game types, which we are ideally placed to deliver given our in house skills on producing top quality slots products and our third party partners abilities on more traditional games.”

BELL-FRUIT GAMES

Deal Or No Deal Winfall at the top of its game Having completed its period of on-site testing, the latest edition to Bell-Fruit Games’ eclectic machine range builds upon the success of the established Deal Or No Deal licence. eal Or No Deal (DOND) Winfall, the latest Cat C success story from the NotD tingham-based manufacturer, proving to

apertures, each with its own prize value. Victory allows players to either claim their prize or choose to play again for a higher be a highly popular choice for operators. win. Bell-Fruit Sales and marketing director Since its test-launch in the last quarter of 2013, the Endemol licensed model has John McLoughlin believes that the sustained success of the game been consistently placed at the owes much to its unique play head of the industry’s machine appeal: “DOND Winfall is a rankings and shows no signs of game that stands out as someslipping. thing truly different in a Cat C DOND Winfall is presented in market heavily reliant upon the Eclipse Cabinet with Scorinnovation and diversificapion 6 technology and is switchtion. It delivers a game style able from Cat C to Cat D. It is the and experience unlike anyfirst Bell-Fruit Games model to thing else currently availutilise parent company Novoable.” matic’s new chrome door: draReferring to Win Fall’s matically enhancing the period of testing, McLoughappearance of the game and lin added:“It became instantly improving its ‘walk-up’ factor. apparent that we had a very The core appeal of DONDWinspecial product on our hands. fall can be found in its highly We’re delighted to report that entertaining main feature – a the game has subsequently video portrayal of the classic gone on to become Bell-Fruit’s game Bagatelle.Players watch as a biggest seller since DONDThe ball falls down the screen, bouncBig One.” ing off pins towards a series of Coinslot AUGUST 22 - AUGUST 28, 2014

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Essential Guide to ... Great British Pub Sector

Products GAMES WAREHOUSE

Online is the word A new title from Games Warehouse is being rolled out to customers, as the company encourages more operators to sign up to its online service. ames Warehouse has announced the release of a brand new SWP game, exclusively for the connected Paragon SWP terminal estate. #WORDS is an exciting new ‘wordmaking’ game that was released on Monday August 18 as part of the new Paragon release schedule, which sees new games being initially released to the connected estate as they are developed and then consolidated at a later date in a single offline release. #WORDS will be released to the offline Paragon estate in October, as part of the v9.0 update. #WORDS asks players to find as many words as they can in two minutes within a grid of letters, in order to work their way up the Win Plan and achieve prizes.Words are selected by either pressing each tile in turn or swiping through them. Each tile is worth a set number of points and so the longer the word, the higher the player’s score. Double and Triple word scores are available to further boost the player’s total and bonuses such as Hint, Freeze and Re-

Seed are also on offer. A special feature is that players may opt to purchase additional bonuses for 10p each. #WORDS has a price of play of 50p and the maximum prize is £10.00. This game forms part of a growing strategy at Games Warehouse to provide operators regular updates via the internet.The most frequent complaint made by operators about the multigame digital terminal is that the number and frequency of software updates that they are required to carry out is a drain on their costly resources, namely labour and transport. With countless retailers operating their own in-house broadband and Wi-Fi services, Games Warehouse is urging all opera-

tors to speak with their own customers, the site owners, about connecting their Paragons via the in-house broadband. This method of Paragon connection has recently been carried out across an entire network of several hundred sites by one national managed retailer and the potential operator savings are huge. Once machines are connected, operators immediately cease to even notice minor updates and bug fixes, as these are simply sent directly to terminals automatically. This is by far the strongest single argument in favour of connectivity as its immediate impact on operator profitability is so clearly and easily measurable.The cost is minimal - a handful of pounds per machine for a Wi-Fi bridge - and the Paragons use exactly the same dongles.

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(Penalty Shoot-outs not included)

24 Seven Gaming has responded to the success of Wok Around the Clock by upping production on new and improved models, with a fresh Cat C machine to be unveiled this Autumn. 4 Seven Gaming continues to prove its commitment to the UK pub industry through investment and 2development within the sector. The company’s second Category C release, Wok Around the Clock, has proved to be a worthy contender in the pub sector, with a number of innovative touches that were embraced by players. 24 Seven has now evaluated the initial small number of these machines that were placed on site test and is in the process of enhancing the gameplay still further in order to accommodate market trends and boost the overall cashbox performance. The new machines are now in production and the first new batch of 25 machines will be rolling out to operators and retailers in the next few weeks. “Our customers have continued to support our development of this model which was first previewed at a very interesting time, following the triennial review. It has been very gratifying to see how the industry has backed us as a new entrant to the market,” said Simon McCarthy, managing director of 24 Seven Gaming. Coinslot AUGUST 22 - AUGUST 28, 2014

“We now have a new Category C model in the pipeline, which will be unveiled for the first time at the upcoming Autumn Coin-op Show in London. We believe that this will reinforce our position within the UK pub sector and show the level of commitment we have for the market,” he adds. 24 Seven gaming is currently focused on the analogue side of the Category C sector, due to the high level of demand that remains for this type of machine. “Players clearly still require analogue games and at the moment we do not believe that the market needs to be forced to choose an alternative. While the demand for reels remains, we are dedicated to supporting it.” 24 Seven Gaming is also looking to expand on its game development update will be announced over the upcoming months. This strategy is designed to fully complement the existing game development agreements that are already in place.

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he British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) Scotland has warned that thousands of licensees in Scotland face having their licences revoked and their premises closed if they fail to meet the upcoming deadline for compulsory refresher training on August 31. Publicans and other personal licence holders in Scotland must now by law complete refresher training by the fiveyear anniversary of the granting of their personal licence or face having their licence revoked, and only just over 20 per cent of them have so far completed the course, with the first wave of deadlines about to hit in August. BII Scotland chairman, Stephen McGowan, said: “The licensed trade must take immediate action to ensure all personal licence holders book a course urgently.”

REFURBS CONCEPT GAMES BREATHE NEW LIFE INTO OLD MACHINES eeds-based Concept Games specialise in offering new software for preLexisting machines; upgrading old technology to include the latest compliance and ingame features. Their conversion software provides machines ability to dispense £100 jackpots, and is compatible with a variety of operating systems, including Electrocoin Z80, Bell-Fruit Scorpion 4 and 5, Astra Video and Pluto 5 and 6. Concept also provide a spare-parts and speedy on-site repair service, as well as offering rental services of £100 jackpot machines, from just £25 per week, making them a truly multi-facetted games provider.

EXHIBITIONS NOVELTY TO SHOWCASE AT EAS plush and redemption prize providers Novelty World will be taking a Lstandeading at IIAPA’s Euro Attractions Show (EAS) this coming September, and showcasing some of their latest products. Among them is Novelty’s Pinball Challenge bouncy-ball dispenser; with users having to pass an exciting round of themed pinball for the chance to win their prize. The unit is sold in four different themes: pirates, circus, football and dinosaurs. Novelty will also be displaying their new 12” Eye Love You plush toy range, and their Flas-A-Ball novelty vending unit. This year’s EAS takes place at the Amsterdam RAI Exhibition and Conference Centre, Netherlands, from 23- 25- September.

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EXPANSION PLANS AT INNOVATIVE ash-handling product suppliers Innovative Technology are recruiting a C new quality assurance inspector, to join their production team in Oldham. The role will include responsibility for overviewing the manufactured output of the company’s Chinese assemblage facility.

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FILMCHARTS

Single site

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UK Box Office Chart

This Last Week Week Name / Manufacturer

This Last Week Week Name

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

1 2 3 5 8 4 6 9 10

DOND Winfall BFG Fiddle a Fortune REF DOND Midas Touch BFG Hot Shots REF DOND Powerplay BFG Best of British REF DOND Lucky Streak BFG Worminator QPS DOND Time to Play BFG DOND Crazy Chair Gold BFG

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

1 5 2 3 4 6 7 9 -

Slotto 500 Astra Magic Lotto Ultra Novomatics King of Slots Blueprint Triple 8 Barcrest Mega Bars Big Hit Project Coin Rainbow Riches Community Cash Barcrest Lady Luck Reflex Triple 7 Barcrest Abet Astra Magic Lotto 2 Novomatics

MUSICCHARTS

AGCs

FEC - family

This Last Week Week Name / Manufacturer

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Magic Games 100 Ultra Novomatic Encore T7 (GP1) SG Gaming Bullion Bars Streak Astra Triple 7 (GP1) SG Gaming Triple 7 (GP3) SG Gaming Magic Games 3 (s/d) Novomatic Mega Jackpots Project Find the Lady Ultimate Gamble Project Piggy Banker Empire Solid Gold Astra

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

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Members clubs

This Last Week Week Name / Manufacturer

Magic Games U/R Novomatic Rainbow Riches Party Barcrest Free Play 70 Project Pure Gold Project Find The Lady 70 Project Party Time Arena (4 Player) Astra Win Wall Celebrity Astra Bar X Diamonds 7 Electrocoin Win Wall Celebrity Astra Party Time Player Astra

Taken from a representative number of sites around the UK Supplied by Amusement Equipment Co Ltd

Coinslot AUGUST 22 - AUGUST 28, 2014

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Highest Earning Tracks on Sound Leisure jukeboxes This Last Week Week

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Rude Magic! Budapest George Ezra Ghost Ella Henderson Waves (Robin Schulz Remix) Mr Probz Am I Wrong Nico & Vinz Hideaway Kiesza Crazy Stupid Love Cheryl Cole feat. Tinie Tempah Stay With Me Sam Smith Happy Pharrell Williams Sing Ed Sheeran

Albums

Based on data from four sites Amusement Equipment Co Ltd

FEC - adult 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

UK Jukebox Chart http://www.sound net.net/

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 Golden Games (3 Player) Mazooma

CATEGORYB4 (£2/£4000 Max)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

The Inbetweeners 2 Guardians of the Galaxy Dawn of the Planet of the Apes Planes 2: Fire & Rescue How to Train Your Dragon 2 Secret Cinema's Back to the Future The Nut Job Hercules The Purge: Anarchy Transformers: Age of Extinction

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

CATEGORYD (10p/£5 Max.)

2 10 6 3 -

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2382-p30-31-comment_Coinslot NEW 19/08/2014 18:00 Page 1

Coinslot August 22 - August 28, 2014

Comment

“

Category C next in anti-lobby firing line ategory C moved up the anti-gambling lobby’s hit list at the weekend when the Independent on Sunday vocalised the claims of “fairer-gambling campaigners” who “have warned that tens of thousands of gamblers are being “misled” into wagering their cash at terrible odds in pubs.” The tone, well you can probably guess, comes from the same tried and tested pot-pourri of anti-gambling hysteria.“Digital gaming machines in pubs offer far inferior odds, sometimes up to 10 times worse than in a casino”;“until now, pub machines have escaped criticism directed at higher-stake Fixed Odds Betting Terminals (FOBTs) - the so-called “crack cocaine of gambling” found in betting shops - but campaigners argue that they act as a “gateway” to harder forms of gambling.” And so on.Great copy, great PR for the anti-groups who placed the story: just a little short on accuracy, reality and hard nosed commercial and regulatory facts. For the record: Cat C machines are legal, highly regulated and extremely popular amongst the players. And let’s not also forget that they are extremely expensive to operate due to high licence fees and 20% MGD - all of which goes to fund probably the best and most committed gaming and gambling regulatory structure in the world. When it comes to fairness in gaming, it’s perhaps time to remind all parties that fairness cuts both ways.

The gaming and gambling sector employs thousands and contributes billions to UK plc; it drives local economies and keeps town centres and seaside resorts active with a leisure and entertainment offering. It is, and rightly so due to the sensitive nature of the business, open to scrutiny.And it lays itself open to this scrutiny all the time. But it is also one of the most highly regulated industries in the British economy. At some stage, those people who don’t like FOBTs, don’t like Cat C, don’t like...well, just about anything to do with gaming and gambling, have to themselves stand up to scrutiny. How many members do these anti-gambling organisations have? Who funds them? Where are the facts of the argument? Where is the empirical evidence that makes changes in legislation, regulation and business practice necessary? Anecdotal doesn’t work; the fact that many of us don’t like certain elements of the gambling sector,doesn’t work; innuendo and suggestion doesn’t work; and one-sided half stories doesn’t work. In fact, the only thing that really works is clear, definitive and fair regulation. And whether we like the regulation, and in many cases we clearly don’t, the gambling and gaming industry are playing their part in driving this principle of fair regulation forward. It’s time the anti-groups got on board.

Can the industry sustain another price slashing battle in Britain’s pubs?

alex lee media watch

henever you speak with the UK’s machine operators they will talk until the cows come home about W how complex their craft is, how valuable their consultancy role is,how they work hand in hand with the pub retailers to maximise machine income, the central role they fulfil in combatting machine fraud, how undervalued the machine operating function is and so on and so on. You can understand how confusing it was therefore, to learn tales of one operator currently offering six month rent free ‘deals’ to some pub chains! At a time when the industry should be attempting to achieve a fair price (machine rent) for a job which,as we all know, is much more than simply unloading a machine, giving it a quick wipe, plugging it in and walking away, what a shame that we find one of our own reducing the serv-

ice to something akin to a special offer for a fast moving consumer good.Rather than opting for the blunt and ultimately destructive weapon of rent free deals in an already depressed market, shouldn’t we be putting our collective energy into securing a fair price for a job well done? The ultimate conclusion of a discounting strategy is to reduce a consultancy service and what that entails in terms of head count, knowledge and expertise to one which is more akin to a delivery or at best a logistics service.You have to question who the winners will be when even more pub retailers look at the cash box and weigh it up against the margins they make on selling yet another apple crumble, sticky toffee pudding or spotted dick? Now you wouldn’t get the UK’s dairy farmers giving the fruits of their labour to the supermarkets for nothing would you?

”

FOBT position hits the

he national press are reporting on the Tprospect of Fixed Odds Betting Terminals (FOBTs) moving into service stations and amusement arcades. Both the Daily Mail and Daily Mirror claim to have access to an internal BACTA memo, which reportedly announces that “it is fair and reasonable” that FOBTs should be available to the wider industry. The government’s failure to crack

down on this imbalance in the amusement sector is credited with causing a change in BACTA’s perspective. FOBTs have been subject to greater restrictions since April, when new rules meant anyone wanting to spend over £50 must inform staff, however they still generate a large portion of bookmaker’s profits. The Mail quotes BACTA as saying that, “if the Government deems

2382-p30-31-comment_Coinslot NEW 19/08/2014 18:01 Page 2

Coinslot August 22 - August 28, 2014

“The implications are enormous. The SNP claims that they could keep the pound were Scotland to go independent, but they’ve no real authority to back this up.”

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BILLY CULLIS OF CULLIS’S AMUSEMENTS IN SALTCOATS, AYRSHIRE

Letter to Coinslot

“ ”

Dear Sir Following your comment piece (August 1st) in which you cast aspersions on my motive for wanting to remove £100 stake roulette games from the FOBTs in my betting shop, I thought it fair to update you in order to tick more boxes off of the credibility score that you mentioned. I requested removal of roulette content from my terminals some time, a request which was denied by SG Gaming. However, they have recently acquiesced and the removal of all roulette content has been completed. My terminals now operate predominantly on B3 slot content at £2 per spin, which I contend is an appropriate level for gaming machines available in betting shops, adult gaming centres, bingo halls and all other venues. Following my experiences of operating FOBTs, I find it quite perturbing that you call on bookmakers for a “fair and palatable” framework to sustain the machines and allow other sectors to share in that, when this is completely the wrong approach. Our industry and all the sectors within it should be asking the question “what is a safe staking level on the high street”. I have come to the con-

clusion that £2 would be an appropriate level and judging by the recent Daily Mail headlines the majority of voters agree. Far from being a move towards any form of “anti-gambling” crusade (I am after all, a bookmaker), my objective is rather a return to fairer, more enjoyable gambling. The feedback received from my customers, particularly those who were regular players of roulette, in the first week operating without £100 roulette has been extremely positive. Indeed - some have even expressed gratitude. In time I am confident that the shops’ over the counter business will see uplift and B3 slot games at the safer £2 level will grow in popularity and revenue. There are already in fact, early indications of this. I have now protected my customers as best as I can from the dangers of high stake FOBT roulette gambling and I would advise your readers not to ask why they can’t have FOBTs, but why we bookmakers have them at all. Yours Mike Simons Managing Director, the Bookies Ltd.

its the headlines BACTA’s call for wide availability of FOBTs comes under the national media’s eye and beach bums, it seems, are ballooning.

[£50] a safe limit for bookmakers there is no reason that it is not safe for everybody.” BACTA is understood to have written to MPs to request that FOBTs be made available to AGC and bingo venues. The Mirror claims that this would result in around 6,300 more machines entering the market, while the Mail is touting a figure closer to 8,000. BACTA did not issue any

comment on the subject, simply confirming that the leaked memo accurately reflected their position. When contacted, the Department for Culture Media and Sport said: “‘The rules around where FOBTs can be based are very clear and they will not be moving into other areas.” On a lighter note, the Telegraph has revealed plans by Southsea Deckchairs to increase the

size of its standard model to “accommodate larger customers”. An inch is to be added to the company’s most popular chair, bringing it to a total of 23 inches across. Meanwhile Southsea’s ‘Wideboy’ chair, aimed at “loving couples”, is proving increasingly popular with the more rotund consumer. “We sell several hundred Wideboys a year, they’re very popular,” said the company’s founder, Stephen Davies.

New trade body chief jumps straight in It’s the dawn of a new era at BACTA with John White returning to the industry to take the helm. In his easing-in period, the new chief has written to members outlining his schedule. And judging from these extracts of his first few weeks, it appears that White has certainly hit the ground running.

john white politics it’s two weeks actually since I started as the new CEO at BACTA. My “feetWell have hardly touched the ground. I have met nearly all the staff now both collectively and on a one to one basis and I have to say that we have a great team at BACTA,committed to providing you with a top drawer service. I have also met again with your officers as well as the rest of the Management Committee.We were joined by PeterWeir and political adviser, Peter Bingle, both of whom I am sure you know.Peter W has been holding the reins on a number of issues between Leslie’s departure and my arrival and we owe him our thanks. Can I also thank everyone for the huge number of emails, messages and telephone calls wishing me well in the role.It is much appreciated and re-enforces the responsibility I have to move BACTA forward and upwards as a leading UK trade association delivering innovative and first class representation for the industry. This week I have meet with our new member Talarius, our property advisers, our auditors, and our solicitors. I have also had enormously helpful meetings with the Royal Mint, Peter Hannibal, the CEO of the new Gaming Business Group, and with John Stergides.John very kindly took me to an arcade and a couple of bookies on Wednesday evening and (re)introduced to the fruit machine. Technology has certainly moved on. I hadn’t fully appreciated the extent of screen-based machines as opposed to the reel-based games that are lodged in my memory.They certainly offer a wider and entertaining range of games to play. John also demonstrated the different nature of some of the features that are subject to ongoing discussion with the Gambling Commission.This is clearly something with which BACTA will increasingly have to concern itself.

We also looked at FOBTs. These B2 machines are very much the dominant topic of conversation with the members to whom I have spoken.The overriding sentiment is that the way in which bookies are treated is discriminatory toward AGCs and FEC’s.This is prima facie true. I am currently arranging a series of meetings with politicians,special advisors and civil servants to explore how best that can be addressed. Evidence will be key.Any evidence members can give of the impact this discriminatory treatment has had on your business would be very welcome. I am particularly keen to get real numbers to add to the strong anecdotal evidence I have been hearing. Of course the forthcoming election gets in the way of normal political business so I am not holding my breath for change but it is important we make the effort to help politicians properly understand the situation. Also sitting in the policy In-Tray are the changes to the LCCP, in particular age verification and self-exclusion.I am meeting with fellow trade association colleagues and the Gambling Commission next week to talk about this.We have also got to respond to the GC’s consultation on the LCCP principles.Any views on that are welcome. Next week the meetings also continue with Coral, the Remote Gambling Association, National Casino Forum, Moto, and the IGRG. I will also be meeting our charity partners, Rays of Sunshine. I have been briefed on their work and read the annual report. What a great charity. I am delighted members have engaged so actively with them. Pru tells me we have raised over £138K for them over the years. If you have any questions about what we are doing then I am always on the end of the phone or email.

2382-p32-newsweek_Coinslot NEW 19/08/2014 14:29 Page 1

Coinslot August 22 - August 28, 2014

Newsweek INSPIRED SVP TO SPEAK AT MGS nspired Gaming Group’s Harmen Brenninkmeijer, senior vice president of Asia and Strategic Markets, is the latest thought leader to confirm his participation at November’s Macao Gaming Summit, which runs alongside Macao Gaming Show (MGS). Brenninkmeijer will be mod-

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Bingo Association’s golf day on course for September he Bingo Association’s annual golf day offering a round of eighteen holes of championship golf, followed by a three-course dinner and charity raffle takes place at The Abbey Hotel, Golf and Spa resort in Redditch, Worcestershire. Set in its own 175 acres of rural estate, and just a short distance from Birmingham, the Abbey Hotel This year’s rate, inclusive of the will host the occasion on Wednes- people from the bingo industry converge onThe Grim’s Dyke golf course day’s golf and the evening dinner,is day, 24 September. £50 for BA members and £90 for Last year’s event saw over eighty in Harrow,north-west London.

erating a series of panels, which will cover a comprehensive range of topics from ‘Tapping into the Lucrative Chinese Market: the Chinese consumer, gaming behaviour, and trends’, to ‘iGaming in the Asian cruise ship sector’. MGS takes place at the Venetian Macao on November 18-20.

CGE: A SLICE OF ARCADE HISTORY ans of classic arcade games should look to Las Vegas next month, and the Classic Gaming Expo (CGE), for a blast of nostalgia and adrenalin. Now in its fifteenth year, CGE congre-

gates the finest pinball, arcade, and console game machines from across more than four decades of electronic amusement history. Previous exhibitors include names still familiar to younger players: Konami, Ubisoft and Midway, as well as those with longer memories: Atari and Intellivision.

guests.All proceeds will go to the Association’s recently chosen charity partner for 2014: Variety The Children’s Charity, who support children facing disadvantage and long-term illnesses or disability. Chief executive Miles Baron said: “The Golf Day is a great networking opportunity for licenced Bingo Operators to meet informally and discuss issues of the day,whilst raising funds for a great cause.” Information: Sharon Salmon on sharon@bingo-association.co.uk

In its largest and most impressive iteration to date, this year will see more than thirty vendors operating over a hundred classic arcade machines, offering a separate pinball hall-offame, and organised tournament-play for those wishing to exercise their competitive streak. “I go to these

expos all over the country, but this one’s my favourite,” says Scott Schreiber, one of the event’s co-directors. “It feels like a big family. Once you’ve been to CGE, you’re going to come back.” CGE 2014 takes place at the Riviera Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas from September 12 -14.

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

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Calendar SEPTEMBER 2014 2-4 Entertainment Arena Expo, Romexpo Fair Ground, Bucharest, Romania www.earena.ro 2-4 Playfair at SALTEX 2014 Royal Windsor Racecourse, Windsor, UK www.playfairuk.com

23-25 Euro Attractions Show, RAI Exhibition Centre, Amsterdam, Netherlands www.iaapa.org/eas 24 Bingo Association Golf Day and associated dinner Redditch, Worcestershire www.bingo-association.co.uk

30-2 LIW 2014 NEC, Birmingham, UK www.liw.co.uk

OCTOBER 7-9 Brand Licensing Europe Olympia, London, UK www.brandlicensing.eu

15-16 The Autumn Coin Op Show Chelsea Football Club, London, UK www.coin-opshow.co.uk

15-16 Kiosk London Expo & Digital Signage London Expo Barbican Centre, London, UK www.kiosklondon.co.uk / www.digitalsignagelondon.co.uk

15-17 ENADA Rome Rome Expo Centre, Rome, Italy www.enada.it 16-17 Surexpo Expo XXI Centre, Warsaw, Poland www.wigortargi.com

30-2 G2E 2014 Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Las Vegas, US www.globalgamingexpo.com

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