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

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Small businesses in particular suffer disproportionately as it is often the owner manager that has to do everything from the VAT return to the Health and Safety risk assessments to, in our case, the licensing applications and management... 23

Plan for the worst, ho OPERATORS

A seaside operator has implored his peers to take great care when deciding upon the valuation of their premises and assets - and which insurers they plump for. artin Richardson, the M Southend-based operator of the Happidrome Arcade has had a tough time of late. Firstly, his arcade was hit by devastating flooding, a carpet installation costing him £26,000 went badly wrong and thousands of pounds worth of newly-laid floor tiles ended up looking ‘as bumpy as a rollercoaster’ only weeks after they had been put down. Just as he thought things couldn’t get any worse, the insurance company he tried to claim from for the flooding still hasn’t paid out - over a year since the flood virtually wiped out his livelihood.

Richardson is now faced with a separate insurance battle with a second insurance company due to neither the carpet manufacturers nor the fitters accepting liability.

Richardson told Coinslot:“You couldn’t make it up. The first insurance company, which I’m

currently in discussion with over the flood damage, keeps on asking for more evidence before they pay out - and they’re trying to say they can’t return money I’ve paid out in VAT.What possible further evidence could they want? I was interviewed on BBC Television standing in three feet of water! I’ve got all the paperwork regarding all the equipment that was ruined too.”

He added: “After the flood I obviously had to get a new carpet fitted, so I chose a company that has a pedigree of carpet manufacture and fitting for the amusement and gaming sectors, but when it started lifting up just months after the installation I felt I was well within my rights to ask for a refit, especially as they told me the carpet was guaranteed for up to ten years.”

After getting no change from the fitter and subsequently the carpet manufacturer, a consulta-

Proposed Torbay tourism TOURISM

A

Paignton amusement arcade operator has expressed shock at a plan to slash tourism funding for the Torbay region’s tourism board.

Gary Bond, owner of Leisure 2000, labelled Torbay mayor Gordon Oliver’s proposal to cut funding for the English Riviera Tourism Company from £415,000 to nothing as “ridiculous”.

Oliver wants to end the destination board’s annual grant as part of cuts needed to create a balanced budget for 2015/16.

Bond told Coinslot: “My initial reaction is that it is a bit of a disaster. We know that many councils are having to make cutbacks, but to go from that to zero seems

ridiculous.

“At the end of 2015 we are due to get the new bypass road, which will make it so much better for people travelling down to Torbay once they reach Newton Abbott.

“Previously, those coming from the North or the Midlands got that far, only to see what should be a 10 or 15 minute journey take up to an hour.

“That was the good news, looking at the future of tourism in this area, but a potential funding cut has tipped things back the other way a bit.”

On a more positive note, Bond said the summer season had been very good for his business, with performance up on the previous year.

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parporn the t has m the alth sse, the ns and

INDUSTRY

INDUSTRY

Scottish gaming faces uncertain times

Poker brings new lease of life to Cat C

4

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23 September 12 - September 18, 2014 • No. 2385 • www.coinslot.co.uk

st, hope for the best

Opportunities aplenty in UK attraction sector REPORT

turer. All I want is a proper job doing, which is what can be reasonably expected from a £26,000 job. As for the flood insurance payout, my message to all operators is three-fold - make sure you value your premises and machine stock as accurately as you possibly can, pick an insurance company you can trust and pray that nothing ever goes wrong!”

He concluded: “My business practises are completely and utterly transparent.The insurers have had total access to all my accounts. They have the CCTV footage of the flood and the BBC TV coverage too! My main concern is that other operators don’t end up suffering like me. I just want my arcade putting back together properly.”

tourism cuts ‘ridiculous’

He commented: “Two years ago we were open until 11pm, and some nights even 11:30pm if it was really busy, but this year we were shutting around 10:30pm but doing the business throughout the day.

“The afternoons and early evenings have been particularly busy. We got the same volume of people, or perhaps even more, in fewer hours, which was great.”

Bond said the season as a whole had been better than 2013, and the school summer holiday in particular considerably better than it was last year.

He explained: “I took out my two lanes of Highway 66 bowling this year, which freed up more room for an extra pusher, an extra two videos and an extra couple of redemption pieces.

With the money they took, the move definitely paid dividends.

“The pushers were very strong once again, and on the video front Mario Kart Arcade, which was a new addition this year, was also very strong. There has been a lot of good product this year, and from our redemption offering Down The Clown was a standout performer.”

he latest incarnation of the annual Attractions Handbook, published this week, indicates that the UK can still compete with the rest of the world when it comes to compelling attractions,as well as showing that a number of exciting developments are due for completion in 2014 and 2015.While not all of the UK attractions credited as ‘in the development pipeline’ are primarily coin-op led, the majority of which offer lucrative machine siting opportunities as a natural byproduct either onsite or alongside.

Furthermore, the tome predicts a number of interesting trends to pervade the wider amusement sector in the next 12 months, such as reactive environments,3D modelling, ride enhancements, facial recognition and virtual reality.

One of the attractions in the development pipeline,according to the document, is Hastings Pier.The Attractions Handbook states:“Hastings Pier is undergoing a £14m restoration after the 140-year-old structure was almost completely destroyed by fire.The work includes refurbishment of the pier’s grade IIlisted infrastructure,refurbishment of the only pavilion still standing and construction of a new visitor centre, which will also serve as an archive and display area showcasing the pier’s local heritage.”

Most of the investment on the pier’s revival is coming from the Heritage Lottery Fund, with contributions also coming from the Coastal Communities Fund, Hastings Borough Council and East Sussex County Council.

T

Meanwhile in London, Merlin Entertainments has agreed a deal with DreamWorks Animation to open attractions based on the Shrek movies.The 21,500sq.ft attraction is due to open in Q3 2015.Also in the capital,jukebox and music content providers will be keeping a close watch on the progress of the upcoming Music Hall of Fame, which is set to open in early 2015 in Camden’s Stables Market.The new 40,000sq.ft attraction will offer a 4D experience for visitors who would like to ‘perform’ on stage with holographic reincarnations some of the most famous rock and pop stars, both living and dead.

In Milton Keynes, ambitious plans for a massive leisure and event development are afoot, while coin-

op stronghold Scarborough is set to benefit from an £18m waterpark.

The seaside town’s boldest new attraction is scheduled to be ready

by Easter 2016 and is expected to bring an extra half a million visitors to the resort annually. Located in Scarborough’s North Bay,The Sands waterpark will form part of a wider redevelopment being undertaken

by Benchmark.

In terms of trends most likely to make an impact in the coming months and years,Attractions Handbook 2014’s editor Liz Terry commented: “Technology is coming at us from every direction and in every field, from wearable headsets and skin patches to brain scanners, virtual reality headsets and interactive, haptic environments.”

NOW RETAILER APPROVED

tion with his solicitor led to Richardson calling out another experienced carpet fitter to inspect the damage and it appeared that the loose carpet hadn’t been fit properly. The damage hadn’t been caused by shifting coin-op machines, nor by average wear and tear,but that the fitting had been way below the expected standard and that parts of the carpet had not been left long enough to ‘tackify’ before the rest of the carpet was laid.The fitter who was brought in to inspect the job handed Richardson a 35-page summary of just how badly the carpet was fitted in the first place.

Richardson continued: “I’m not trying to get a monetary payout from the carpet manufac-

UK attractions figure highly in the latest 2014 Attractions Handbook, a publication which documents the latest developments in the world theme park, attractions and entertainment industry.

EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTOR CALL 01636 642 734 / 07971 617 984

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Coinslot September 12 - September 18, 2014

Industry

8

JUKEBOXES

ccording to Reuters, TouchTunes Interactive A Networks, the digital jukebox

With a YouGov poll putting the ‘yes’ campaign ahead just eleven days shy of the referendum, one leading operator expresses his concerns over unanswered questions in an independent Scottish state.

E

the pound? The Euro? The groat, the bawbee? What’s the taxation system going to be like?”

Sheeran draws attention to Scotland’s history pioneering its own social legislation.“We were the first to have the smoking ban, and there’s talk of introducing increased alcohol regulation,” he remarked. He poses an additional question,pertinent to any Scottish club operator:“What happens if an independent Scotland takes a hard line on gambling premises selling alcohol, or even changes the legal age for alcohol purchase?”

Sheeran views the ‘yes’ campaign’s lack of consistency on the matter of currency particularly troubling.“At first, independence

would bring with it the Euro,” he argued “Then it was the pound.

There’s been talk of the bawbee, the groat: a national currency. It’s not good enough.These decisions need to have been made by this point.”

Obviously,a change in currency would cause industry upheaval in the short-term, as operators and suppliers alike refit machines to cater to the adapted market. But Sheeran believes there could be wider-reaching implications.

“You’re talking about an independent Scottish gambling commission, specifying its own regulations. Combine that with a currency change, and you have to ask, who is going to be making these machines?”

He concedes the unprecedented nature of the referendum makes postulating on coin-op outcomes a challenge.“For all anyone knows, a Scottish government might tax more favourably, and open the industry up.” But he remains unconvinced by what he sees as insufficient planning and explanation of just what a Scottish tax system would entail:“Frankly, I don’t think that’s been thoroughly thought through.”

With spectre of a Scottish secession now seemingly very tangible, Sheeran is unequivocal in his closing statement:“I won’t say independence couldn’t benefit the industry, that’s possible. But honestly? I think it could absolutely crucify it.”

Blueprint launch marks roll-out landmark CATEGORY C

Last week, Blueprint Gaming launched its latest digital Category C game compendium to its rental customers and it has now gone live over 2,000 terminals across the pub sector.

figures are stacking up Cat C specialist BlueTprintheforGaming, with feedback and performance of its new compendium already ahead of expectations. Furthermore, single site operators are reporting significant cashbox growth.

The King of Games Gold has seven new games and includes the latest Betcom reel-based offer Let’s Get Kraken, as well as the company’s iconic B3 games “Luck of the Irish” Hot Slot and Genie Jackpot, which are now available as £100 Cat C games.

An old favourite, Spin to Win with low stake option is now available for the King of Games Gold menu,as well as the B3 themed Deep Sea Treasure, which is now a visually stunning Hi tech Cat

Email: al@sjc.co.uk

TouchTunes explores sale according to sources

Scottish gaming charts uncertain waters as independence vote looms on horizon

dward Sheeran is owner and director of JE Sheeran Amusements and Arcades Ltd, a family operated company founded by Sheeran’s grandfather in 1926.As former BACTA regional chairman for Scotland, Sheeran has a wealth of experience of the Scottish coin-op sector. He shared with Coinslot his own take on the prospects of independence.

“Obviously I can’t predict the future,but I’m concerned,”he said, citing a multitude of questions he’d like answered:“If we get independence, where do we go with the Gambling Commission?

Where do we go with the gambling laws? Where do we go with the banking system? Where do we go with currency? Do we go with

TO COMMENT ON ANY ARTICLE

C game.

In addition, 5 Star Roulette is a new game with a pre-stake gamble to enter the roulette style feature.

Finally, the classic Cop the Loot, Hi Tech £70, is now available with £100 jackpot.

“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,” said Andy Hall, sales and operations manager at Blueprint Gaming.

“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 operat-

ing across all gaming sectors within the UK - is that the UK player base in pubs are no different to any other sector and that 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 and traditional products,”he added.

In addition, Blueprint Gaming has also made sig-

nificant changes to enhance the system of the Genie cabinet in response to feedback from retailers and operators.

“We have taken on board some of the suggestions on how we can improve the look and feel of the cabinet to ensure it is suited for the unique demands of the retail sector and our customers are impressed with the results,”Hall concluded.

company that recently acquired UK-based Soundnet, is exploring a sale that could fetch roughly $500m (£310m). TouchTunes Interactive Networks, the largest invenue interactive entertainment network in North America, and whose investors include British private equity firm 3i and venture capital firm VantagePoint Capital Partners, is working with investment bank Moelis & Co to help find a buyer, said the people ‘familiar with the matter’, who asked not to be named because the matter is not public.

TouchTunes, run by veteran music executive Charles Goldstuck, a former president of BMG, has digital jukeboxes positioned in 73,000 bars and restaurants in North America and Europe. It also creates apps where users can search for jukebox locations and control the music in venues via their smartphones.

Founded in 1998, the firm has licences to play songs from major music labels such as Universal Music Group, EMI and Sony Music, according to its website. In the US, TouchTunes also sells karaoke for its jukeboxes and software that lets restaurant customers use tablets at their tables to order food and drinks.

There is probably no strategic buyer for the company so it will likely be sold to a private equity firm, according to an insider.

The company generates between $40m-$50m earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation and could sell for roughly 10 to 12 times that amount, a source said. No official comment is as yet forthcoming.

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INDUSTRY AMUSEMENTS LEISURE

B2B COMMENT NEWSWEEK INNOVATION Music has moved to the centre of the industry’s commercial engine. But who is driving this force? Next Week

Could poker be low stake gaming’s winning hand?

CATEGORY C

Poker may be toughing it out in the broader marketplace, but for Category C machines, the hand is far from folding.

Fresh opportunities and increasing player interest is bringing a new lease of life to the Cat C genre.

Temple, who recognised the potential when he became the first distributor to place significant orders for Joker Poker, believes that the distinct profile enjoyed by the genre may well serve to insulate it against the forces impacting other Category C games. He explained: “There’s no doubt that poker players see themselves differently and don’t associate themselves with conventional slot players even though they are playing in the same venue and for the same jackpot. It attracts different types of player and as a consequence I don’t think it’s as vulnerable to the vagaries of the broader slot market.”

The difference in ‘profile’, according to Temple, is as much to do with self perception as it is with the outlook required to play the game: “Poker benefits from having a positive profile, it’s an aspirational and trendy pastime, the rock and roll of gaming if you like,” he stated.“So players buy into that experience in a way which simply isn’t relevant or appropriate for other Cat C players. It’s also a strategy game which requires a bit more input from the player.”

Notwithstanding the importance of catering for an older demographic in what is an ageing population, all industries require an injection of new players and poker’s younger profile Crown’s Kevin could well play an important

ith the continued market challenges in the Cat C sector a number of companies are pointing to the power of poker themed games as a beacon for growth.

When Joker Poker appeared on Britain’s high streets in 2005 few would have believed that the Project game would still be on the game floor of so many AGCs and bingo clubs some nine years later.Not only has Joker Poker continued to perform registering strong cash box returns year in and year out, but the game has also been the inspiration for further poker themed models culminating most recently in the launch of Chase The Ace Unlimited, a 20p/£10 game which gives operators the ability to take advantage of the 5% MGD rate, and which was officially launched last month.

W

role in helping to reduce the average age in bothAGCs and bingo clubs, an argument not lost on Nigel Davis, head of machines,at leading low stake gaming operator Praesepe.

He argued: “Poker is a very popular and therefore an incredibly powerful medium for operators wanting to engage with a broad demographic. More than 44 m people in the world play some form of poker regularly and there are 32 m groups dedicated to poker on Facebook.

If the industry can harness those credentials it will represent a compelling method of connecting with a younger demographic and hopefully getting them across the threshold and spending money with us rather than the bookmakers,for example.”

Further analysis of the online poker phenomenon suggests there could be a mutually beneficial relationship between the online and the offline worlds. Contrary to conventional thinking, which has always suggested that online playing is funded at the cost of off-line,research conducted at the University of Nevada claims that online tournaments actually boosted spend at bricks and mortar casinos. Whilst the focus for the research was US casinos, is it too much of a leap to suggest that UK online poker players will be attracted to play a new generation of compelling and well marketed poker based slots in high street AGCs?

No connection between Galaxy bingos BINGO

alaxy Bingo is a name that has been synonymous with land-based bingo in Belfast for quite some time.

G The club (pictured) opened nearly two decades ago and is still going strong at the Northern Ireland capital’s Cityside shopping centre today. Now, industry rumours tell of a new online brand to launch with the same name but with no link at all to the Belfast bingo hall.

The online incarnation of Galaxy Bingo is owned by Lindar Media, a company listed at the same address as Paddy Fun Ltd who own Paddy Bingo and Traffic Label Ltd who in turn own Charity Bingo. The latter two brands

are on the 15 Network. Galaxy Bingo online is reported to have opted for the Cozy Games product under the Live Bingo Network.

The new site is set to launch this month.

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The Original Bowling Company acquired in £91m takeover bid

Bob Rudd marks major milestone OPERATORS

ugust marked the 25th A year of trading for Bob Rudd. Founded in 1989 by

BOWLING CENTRES

The country’s largest ten-pin bowling operator The Original Bowling Company - is the latest in a line of fresh acquisitions by burgeoning investment firm Electra Partners.

Time, it seems, for new opportunities and growth expectations in the bowling arena.

onday 8 September saw London-based private equity firm Electra Partners LLC announce the acquisition of The Original Bowling Company (TOBC), the UK’s largest ten-pin bowling operator.

The move sees Electra invest £51m out of a £91m takeover, with additional funds provided by General Electric, as well as both Barclays and Lloyds banking groups.

“TOBC is a first-class leisure business operating in an industry which offers excellent growth opportunities,” commented Electra partner Bill Priestly.Alluding to plans of upcoming

M

expansion, he added: “We’re excited by future prospects and look forward to opening new centres and making strategic acquisitions.”

Operating both the Hollywood Bowl (29 sites) and AMF (14 sites) brands, TOBC has specialised in an integrated family entertainment experience: often located in leisure complexes and retail centres,its venues offer both bar and restaurant facilities as well as gaming arcades, alongside the mainstay bowling provision.

“We are delighted to have teamed up with Electra Partners as we embark on the next stage of our

development,” said TOBC chief executive Steve Burns.“We look forward to drawing on their wealth of experience to further grow TOBC's share of the UK market.”

The takeover will also see Peter Boddy, formerly managing director of Fitness First and most recently chief executive of Maxinutrition, join the company’s board as nonexecutive chairman.

Formed in 2010 through a merger deal between AMF and Hollywood Bowl,TOBC is headquartered in Hemel Hempstead, and currently employs over 1,400 people across its 43 sites.

The announcement comes as the latest venture for Electra, which in the past 12 months have invested a total of £300m in new acquisitions,including three control buyouts, and seven co-investments and bolt-on transactions.

Electra Partners acts on behalf of its major client, Electra Private Equity (EPE). Listed on the London Stock Exchange since 1976, EPE’s recent spurt of acquisitions has been spurred by the continued backing of US activist investor Edward Bramson, who’s New York based Sherborne Investors LC now hold a 19% stake in the firm.

Felixstowe pier project Blackpool lights runs into more delays brighten business YXYXYXY

Amusements Ltd, presiding the proposed construction Pof aierover new multi-million pound twostory pier in Felixstowe, has announced the project has incurred more delays, owing to budgetary constraints.

The costing of the pier’s underwater engineering requirements are understood to have been prohibitive, with contracted architects charged with amending standing schematics.

The announcement comes as the latest in a series of delays for the prospective pier, which was given the go ahead by Suffolk Coastal District Council in 2012, with completion projected for the middle of 2014. However, planning ran aground over a conflict of interests with the Crown Estate, which owns part of the nearby seabed, as well as over concerns from the Environment Agency over adaptions to the sea-wall and promenade.

Speaking to the Ipswich Star, operations director of Pier Amusements Felixstowe Andrew Green reassured stakeholders, stating: “Our vision and aim is still to serve the local community with a privately-funded, bespoke and visually-pleasing attraction we can all be proud of.”

The proposed venture would see the demolition of the current pier, which has been partly closed since 1999 for health and safety reasons, and its replacement with a new entertainment complex, featuring a 325 seat conference suite, food and drink amenities, as well as bowling and leisure attractions.

COASTAL RESORT

he lighting of Blackpool’s trademark illuminations has Tprovided a welcome boost to the famous seaside town, since they were lit for 72nd time by comedian Peter Kay. Reports from local businesses are overwhelmingly positive, as the event recovered dramatically from a poor showing in 2013.

Over 20,000 people attended this year’s concert and switching-on ceremony, more than four times the number who had made the trip 12 months earlier.

According to Blackpool Council’s member for tourism and leisure, Graham Cain, the event was a great success and one he hopes to build on in the future. “We hope the three day event will become an integral part of Blackpool’s calendar for years to come and the work to plan for another fantastic show for next year will

start soon,” he said.

The world famous lights have been brightening the city’s streets since late August, providing the inspiration for a range of events that have seen visitors flocking to the town. These included the recent Trinity Illumathon - a female-only fundraising event for the nationwide hospice charity. Over 1000 women and girls descended on the city from around the country, each dressed as a their favourite superhero, to perform a nighttime walk that followed the illuminations along 10 miles of the Blackpool seafront.

Bob Rudd, the company has grown from strength to strength over the years. From a single jukebox in the White Swan in north Sunderland near Seahouses, the company now operates in over 1,500 sites. Newcastle was the home of the first depot and now plays host to the company’s head office, since then four more depots have been established by Bob Rudd in Leeds, Warrington, Keswick and Newark.

To mark the quarter century landmark, the company are holding a celebration for staff this month and hosting events for customers over the course of the year.

This year sees the completion of the management buyout which has kept the shares firmly within the family. Nick Rudd will take majority ownership of the company with Bob Rudd still playing an active role in the day to day running of the business. There have also been some recent changes within the management team.A new group commercial director has joined the firm,along with fresh senior management at their Warrington depot.

Nick Rudd is keen to consolidate the company’s position before looking into further acquisition over the next year. There has been particular focus on the company’s digital strategy which has seen some recent traction.

2385-p08-09-industry_Coinslot NEW 09/09/2014 14:26 Page 1

Double the attraction at EAG 2015 SHOWS

Organisers of EAG International, taking place 13-15 January 2015, have spoken in detail about their new neighbour, the Visitor Attraction Expo, which is aimed squarely at operators of attractions, leisure parks and piers.

fter having had a few weeks to reflect on the announcement that EAG 2015 will run alongside the new BALPPA-supported Visitor Attraction Expo, organisers of the EAG, and BALPPA’s chief executive officer Paul Kelly, have spoken at length about their aspirations for the twin show in January next year.

EAG chairman Martin Burlin welcomed the

A

opportunity, saying: “BALPPA has been a strong supporter of EAG International for several years and we’re absolutely delighted that they have agreed to stage this exciting new show alongside EAG International. The new event will have the same opening hours as EAG International, with visitors enjoying access to both shows with a single badge.

The Visitor Attraction Expo will be aimed at oper-

ators of leisure parks,piers, zoos and other static attractions, some of whom are already regular EAG International visitors.”

Burlin continued: “For the visitor with business interests in both the attractions and coin-op sectors the benefits of having two shows at the same venue will be considerable. For our part, we view the confidence placed in us as an endorsement of EAG International’s increasing stature.”

Explaining the initiative further, BALPPA chief executive Paul Kelly commented: “We already hold

our AGM and Annual Dinner during EAG International with many of our 300-plus members attending the show.The decision to launch the Visitor Attraction Expo was taken after numerous requests from our trade-supplier members. I’m absolutely delighted that we now have our own show, focused very much on our home market and taking place in the same location and at the same time every year.”

Now in its sixth year and attracting more than 5,000 visitors, EAG International has become the main UK

event for the amusements and coin-op sectors.

BALPPA has an excellent reputation for supporting its members through education, lobbying and networking events. It is no surprise, therefore, that in addition to viewing the very latest products and services from over 180 manufacturers, visitors can expect a packed programme of seminars and knowledge sharing opportunities.

The all-new event marks a new era for what has become known in industry circles as the ‘January show’ at ExCel London.

Free-to-use VR gaming museum launched Dedicated to the UK market museum dedicated to don’t miss it! video games has been A made available in a fully VIRTUAL REALITY

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

immersive virtual world using the Oculus Rift headset technology.

Initially released in beta format in June by indie game developer Thiago Alcantara, Museum of Games pays tribute to a number of video games and their characters, allowing users to tour a large viewing gallery featuring framed posters of classic game covers and a range of character models.

The software is free to download from the Oculus VR forums and is compatible with the Oculus VR headset. The free-to-use museum features hundreds of popular video game franchises including Sonic the Hedgehog, Half-Life, Mario, Mortal Kombat and Tomb Raider to name a few.

An upgraded sequel of the first version of the game has now launched based around the same concept, but this time including support for the second development kit of the Oculus Rift, allowing players to inspect exhibits using positional tracking.

The VR museum also features 76 new character models in a new “wing”, showcasing weapons and accessories across three

different areas, with additional models featuring franchises such as Resident Evil, Duke Nukem and Rayman.

Oculus Rift was purchased in March by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. Coin-op video game manufacturers will be well aware that he believes that augmented reality will become part of everyday life in the near future.

2385-p08-09-industry_Coinslot NEW 09/09/2014 14:26 Page 2

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Bureaucracy “incredibly restrictive” says Southend operator With BACTA campaigning for relaxation of restrictive legislative measures, Graham Rawlinson spoke to Coinslot on operating within redtape boundaries.

G

raham Rawlinson is director of Play to Win Betting Ltd, a single-site venue nestled on the esplanade of Southend-onSea.A busy man, his time is fully occupied by the sheer volume associated with running his business. If only it stopped there.

Rawlinson has viewed with alarm the steady growth of legislation which governs how he operates.

“I’d say in recent years we’ve seen ourselves filling in three-times as much paperwork as before,” he explained. “With things such as Machine Games Duty, it’s like we’re being treated as a cash-cow by the government.”

It’s a passionate view, and

for obvious reasons one shared by many small family run amusements and gaming businesses up and down the country. Not only does the new world of bureaucracy deplete the coffers, it also constrains business planning: “With less money in the pot, your creativity in how you’re trying to run your venue suffers.”

Rawlinson argues that the current situation is the product of fragmentation at government level: with various departments, with varying agendas overseeing complex and unworkable policy. It leads Rawlinson to look fondly upon by-gone days: “When we were involved in the family entertainment side, we handled

things in-house, and that was the end of it.”

How would he change gaming and gambling legislation? Rawlinson is clear: a definitive re-focus away from entertainment venues, and onto the increasingly prolific online gambling sector. “That’s where you need more control. If we need more bureaucracy anywhere, it’s there.”

For Rawlinson, legislating against entertainment venues damages single site operations like his own, and equates to more style than substance: “Coming down hard on us is an attempt at control,but we’re not having the kind of a negative effect you’re seeing in the casino and online sectors.”

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Teare praises government flexibility LEGISLATION

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deal between the Isle of Man and UK tax A authorities has been hailed as good news for the island’s gambling industry.

Treasury Minister Eddie Teare confirmed that an agreement has been reached with the HMRC that gambling operators licensed in the Isle of Man that have customers in the UK will not be required to appoint a UK representative to account for any general betting duty, pool betting duty or remote gaming duty liabilities which may become due on or after December 1.

An order made under

the Gambling Duty Act 2012 will be put before Tynwald for approval, which will ratify the agreement and allow the Customs and Excise Division of the Treasury to recover any such liabilities, if necessary.

The rules relating to the various UK duties change on December 1, and will then be based on the location of the customer, not the gambling operator. Without this agreement, Isle of Man operators with UK customers would need to appoint a UK representative to be jointly liable for any duty debt or provide security themselves to HMRC for any potential debt.

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2385-p10-Amusements_Coinslot NEW 09/09/2014 14:38 Page 1

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Coinslot September 12 - September 18, 2014

Amusements

8

TO COMMENT ON ANY ARTICLE

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Experts appointed for Spanish City regeneration

FEC

By diversifying to offer several different attractions under one roof, The Mirage hopes to be the reason that people travel to Mablethorpe.

REGENERATION

orth Tyneside Council has appointed experts N to help with the restora-

Mablethorpe FEC aiming to become destination attraction Mablethorpe family entertainment centre has already tasted success since reopening with an enhanced entertainment offering earlier this summer.

After undergoing extensive redevelopment, The Mirage now features anAGC, eight lanes of ten-pin bowling, a fully-licensed bar, a bigger café with an ice cream parlour and a soft play area, as well as a significantly larger arcade floor.

Owner Russell Bolesworth said it was his intention to make The Mirage a destination attraction that people come to Mablethorpe for,rather than simply discovering when visiting the resort.

He told Coinslot:“An all-

A

encompassing family entertainment complex is what I’ve always wanted to do.

I’ve lived in Mablethorpe all my life and I know what it has and hasn’t got, and it hasn’t got anything like what I’ve created here in The Mirage.

“We have had some good feedback from local customers, who are glad they no longer have to travel to Skegness or Cleethorpes to go bowling.

“With the way things have changed over the last few years, we are trying to cater for the whole family.

“The arcade has gone from comprising mostly fruit machines six or seven years ago,to offering mainly pushers and redemption.”

The enhancements were

made possible by the purchase of the adjacent Funland arcade in 2012, which allowed Bolesworth to knock through and bring the size of his business up to 3,800 square metres - almost double what it was before.

This provided the additional space for the bowling lanes, soft play area and larger arcade floor, which went fully operational on July 26.

With greater floor space at his disposal, Bolesworth bought in more videos and added a lot of new redemption machines.

For the latter, he looked for the large centerpiece attractions like Connect Four,Monster Drop Extreme and Big Bash Wheel.

He said he has been very

satisfied with the results to date:“It’s early days.We have done a lot of advertising in local newspapers and radio to drive awareness of the new facilities,and I’m happy with how the business has performed so far.

“It’s easy to take money during the summer holidays when people are here - the proof of the pudding will be whether people continue to come from now until the end of October and into November.”

With the summer season coming to an end, Bolesworth hoped the allweather entertainment facility would also draw corporate customers, particularly with the addition of the bar.

“There’s a lot of people

who would otherwise end up driving to Cleethorpes, Skegness or beyond, but now we have all these facilities under one roof I’m hoping to attract more corporate customers like that,” he explained.

He has seen each individual attraction at The Mirage compliment one another, with families coming in for the soft play area and bowling going on to purchase food and beverages from the café and ice cream parlour.

In the ten-pin bowling area, Bolesworth has also installed the latest Brunswick lanes that pay out redemption tickets, giving customers an incentive to look at the prize shop and enter the arcade to play the redemption games.

Skegness most popular resort - for 104-year-old SEASIDE

104-year-old man who has visited Skegness A every year since his childhood is being cited as proof of the health benefits

of the “bracing” sea air.

Sid Pope received a surprise welcome from dignitaries and the town’s Jolly Fisherman mascot at the Lincolnshire resort last week. Pope, from

Branston in Leicestershire, has been visiting since he was 10. He said his surprise welcome, organised by a coach driver who takes him to Skegness, was “absolutely marvellous”.

The welcome party included the mayor and the carnival queen, and he was treated to his favourite meal of fish, chips and peas.

“I like it because the air is so fresh here. This was the place to come because we lived near Grantham.

The surroundings of Skeg-

ness have [changed] but not Skegness itself. It's more or less the same as it always was,” Pope told the BBC. He said drinking scotch had helped him live a long life, and he intended to carry on visiting Skegness for years to come. Skegness Mayor George Saxon said of Pope: “He loves the fresh air in Skegness.

We've always been saying it's good for you, Skeggy, it's bracing. And a tot of scotch at night. Well, you can't beat that for a life, can you?”

A poster commissioned

by Great Northern Railway in 1908, featuring the Jolly Fisherman mascot and the slogan “Skegness is so bracing”, helped put the resort on the map, following the coming of the railway to the seaside town in the 1870s.

The first Butlin's holiday resort was opened by Billy Butlin in Skegness in 1936, helping to make it one of the UK’s best known coastal resorts. It remains a popular destination of choice for Midlandsbased holidaymakers.

tion of Whitley Bay’s iconic Grade II-listed Spanish City building.

Architects ADP Global and management firm Mott MacDonald will provide all architectural, structural, mechanical and electrical engineering design services for the repair, renovation and rehabilitation of the former amusement attraction and funfair.

Mayor Norma Redfearn said: “I promised to progress the regeneration of the seafront as a priority and that’s what we are doing.

“I am delighted that we now have the expertise of Mott MacDonald and ADP on board with us to deliver the restoration of the Spanish City Dome, which I know is so important to the residents of North Tyneside.

Gordon Hudson, Mott MacDonald’s project director, commented: “This is a very special project for the people in the North East, which will ultimately bring the Spanish City Dome back to functional use.

“Nearly a whole generation has missed out on the Spanish City experience and by restoring this culturally significant landmark we will hopefully create thousands of new memories for those who visit Whitely Bay and the wider region.”

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2385-p13-Leisure_Coinslot NEW 09/09/2014 12:54 Page 1

Coinslot September 12 - September 18, 2014

Leisure

8

13

TO COMMENT ON ANY ARTICLE

Email: al@sjc.co.uk

Pub trade ‘booming’ according RGT confirm uni to new Good Pub Guide partnership SINGLE SITE

POLITICS

Editors of the latest Good Pub Guide believe that the UK pub scene has changed from the days of ‘decrepit boozers with dull beer and freezer-pack food’ and that it is finally booming after years of doom and gloom. lisdair Aird and Fiona Stapley, editors of the Good Pub Guide 2014, reckon that publicans have finally got their heads around the fact that their businesses have to evolve and that they must listen to what their customers want.

“The pub scene has changed utterly from the days of decrepit boozers with dull beer and freezerpack food to a thriving industry that’s now finding ingenious ways of pleasing millions of new customers.And this transformation has taken place against a background of hard economic times that have driven many lessalert pub businesses to the wall,” Aird and Stapley wrote in the guide’s introduction.

The upbeat nature of the two writers is in stark contrast to the latest figures from the Campaign for Real Ale, however, which report that 31 pubs

A

are closing every week. It is the authors’ view that many others are being reopened by “visionary and energetic new licensees”.

In last year’s guide,Aird and Stapley had stated that between 2,500 and 4,000 pubs would justifiably go out of business in 2014 because they were “stuck in the 1980s”.

Now, Stapley does not know how many pubs now need to close, but it is “really good news” that some of the pubs doing badly last year have thought of new ideas and “saved themselves”.

She told pub industry trade press: “There’s no point trying to compete against cheap supermarket deals so licensees have to be really innovative to think of ways of drawing customers in and then keeping them there - like events, food deals, talks from local brewers and afternoon tea. I know it’s

hard work, but pubs that are doing this are reaping the rewards. During the past year we’ve spoken to thousands of publicans who say they feel much more optimistic about the future.”

Stapley added that, since the smoking ban, licensees have also started to think much more about appealing to women by improving décor, introducing food and offering a greater choice of drinks, including wines and soft drinks.

Speaking of JD Wetherspoon founder Tim Martin’s inclusion in the list, Stapley said:“They’re cherry, slightly rough-andready pubs, with good value beer and food maybe not the sort of pubs our readers would like but he has made a tremendous impact.”

The 33rd edition of the guide features more than 5,000 pubs and has 121 new entries.

BRITISH PUB ‘SUPERHEROES’ LEADING LIGHTS • In the new Good Pub Guide, Stapley and Aird selected seven “pub superheroes”, who they believe are at the forefront of key developments in the sector.

• Andres Alemany, coowner and chef at Purefoy Arms in Preston Candover, Hampshire - “top of the new tapas tree” • Rooney Anand, chief executive of Greene King - “showing how a national brewer with 1,600 pubs can flourish” • Jeremy Brunning and Graham Price, of Brunning & Price - “never satisfied with less than all-round excellence” • Tim Martin, founder and chairman of JD Wetherspoon - “a powerful voice in giving us good value food and drink” • Jocelyn Ridley, licensee of the Compassess Inn in Chelmsford, Essex - “champion of the unspoilt traditional pub” • Bill Sharp, founder of Sharp’s Brewery “inspiring a new generation of craft brewers”

n a recent written answers session in Parliament, David Lammy (Tottenham, ILabour) asked the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether the research being conducted by Lincoln University on fixed odds betting terminals will assess the potentially addictive nature of the machines.

Ed Vaizey, Minister of State for the DCMS, responded: “The Responsible Gambling Trust has commissioned a wide-ranging research programme into category B2 gaming machines which is due to be published in the autumn.”

He concluded:“This research will seek to understand what measures might limit harmful play without impacting on those who do not exhibit harmful behaviours and the RGT has commissioned the University of Lincoln to determine whether gambling at higher stakes is a risk factor for gambling-related harm and to explore the impact of higher stakes and prizes on players.”

2385-p14-16-Listings_Coinslot NEW 09/09/2014 16:31 Page 1

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B 2 B

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Catch them while you can JNC Sales has put together a range of season-end bargains, including deals on Slam a Winner redemption machines and new Wik air hockey tables. The company will also be exhibiting at this year’s Euro Attractions Show on stand 8856.

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info@antrimcarpets.com Coinslot SEPTEMBER 12 - SEPTEMBER 18, 2014

Next week’s feature is Jukebox & Music Solutions To advertise, please call Kathryn on

01204 396397

SOUTHAMPTON COUNCIL LICENS CHAIRMAN, MATT TUCKER, ON TH CANDIDATES FOR THE CITY’S SUP

MUSIC

Soundnet to showcase latest innovations at October’s Autumn Coin-op Show The new and updated VHub jukebox as well as Soundnet’s latest mobile application will take centre stage at the industry’s centrepiece annual event. long with partners Sound Leisure, next month will see jukebox content supplier Soundnet take the stand at the Autumn Coin-op Show in Chelsea, showcasing the duo’s latest VHub digital jukebox technology, fully functional with Soundnet’s SoundJack mobile application.

The VHub comes with a 32 inch touchscreen interface, and access to a constantly updated online music library containing more than seven million songs. A software update for the VHub was released in January of this year, simplifying the user experience and adding social media functionality.

“Based on the release of the Gen 2 software, the VHub has gone from strength to strength this year.” Said Soundnet’s commercial director James Luck. “We’ve had numerous orders from both large and small operators on the back of that successful launch, including a substantial

A

B2B Bingo

We looked at whether the criteria of our lice tives for the and all of the the broad cr

order from one of Scotland’s leading operators.”

Soundnet are the exclusive content suppliers to Yorkshire-based firm Sound Leisure, and as such supply over 12,000 digital jukeboxes across the UK and Europe.

The autumn showing will also provide opportunity for the company to give attendees a first-hand experience of their SoundJack application.

The app provides users with the ability to interact and select songs from a venue’s VHub machine remotely, from their mobile phone, without ever having to leave their seat.

The show comes towards the end of what has been an eventful year at Soundnet, who have not only recently secured agreement to play Official Charts Company content, but have also announced their impending acquisition by TouchTunes Interactive Networks, the largest suppliers of interactive entertainment throughout North America.

2385-p14-16-Listings_Coinslot NEW 09/09/2014 16:31 Page 2

8

whether they met our licensing objecs for the super-casino all of them satisfied broad criteria.

TON COUNCIL LICENSING COMMITTEE MATT TUCKER, ON THE FIVE REMAINING S FOR THE CITY’S SUPER-CASINO LICENSE.

15 TO COMMENT ON ANY ARTICLE

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MARKETPLACE

B2B Gaming Machines

B2B Gaming Machines

Fresh opportunities New roles have become available at Bandai Namco for experienced service engineers and collectors at locations around the country.

These field-based positions will require the servicing and maintaining of a wide variety of amusement machines.

LICENCES PENGUINS ON THE MARCH FOR WHITEHOUSE hitehouse Leisure has struck a landmark deal with DreamWorks W Evergreen which will see them create plush and arcade merchandise based on some of the world’s most famous blockbuster movies.

Toys featuring characters from the upcoming December release, Penguins of Madagascar, will kick off these new lines, with versions of the four avian stars due to hit arcades in October. “We know that a lot of our customers get a real return on plush product that coincides with a big movie release,� said business development executive, Ian Whittingham. “The Penguins of Madagascar is set to be a hilarious animated spy movie that kids of all ages will enjoy and we anticipate that this plush product will be hot property.�

Jet Sort LX. Processing up to 4,100 mixed coins per minute, the compact Jet Sort LX offers unparalleled counterfeit detection, with an accuracy of 99.995 per cent.

Offering an easy-to-use touch-screen interface, the LX is also able to detect and separate foreign currency without incurring a jam or otherwise delaying regular processing. “We’re very pleased to bring this unique new product to market,� said executive vice president Jim Stearns. “Our user testing was extremely positive and we believe there are many organisations that will benefit from its ergonomic design, high performance and affordability.�

REDEMPTION RUNNING AHEAD OF THE GAME

O

CASH HANDLING CUMMINS LAUNCH NEW SORTER FOR EUROPEAN MARKET eading providers of currency handling solutions, Cummins Allison, have Lintroduced their latest coin-sorter specifically designed to European markets: the

ne of the hottest mobile games of the past five years, Temple Run, has been converted into a striking video redemption cabinet. This new product has been highlighted as the week’s star buy by Crown Direct and Deith Leisure. It challenges players to guide their hero through an ancient temple full of obstacles, beautifully rendered on a 32 inch LCD screen.

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Coinslot SEPTEMBER 12 - SEPTEMBER 18, 2014

B 2 B

2385-p14-16-Listings_Coinslot NEW 09/09/2014 16:36 Page 3

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B 2 B

Listings CHARITY

APPOINTMENT

BACTA bikers embark on UK tour of duty

Simmonds secures promotion

his year, the BACTA bikers have chosen CHIPS children’s charity http://www.chipscharity.org/ as its worthy cause and are touring the UK in a bid to raise more money for the cause.

CHIPS supply specialised powered wheelchairs for disabled youngsters throughout the UK and the BACTA bikers are looking to friends and colleagues from all sides of the coin-op business from manufacturing, distribution, operating, arcades, bingo and retailers to help by pledging their support.

BACTA biker Andrew Murden explained: “Our task will be to saddle up and travel to collect those pledges from whoever has made them. This could of course involve us travelling from Land’s End to John O’Groats and anywhere in between, probably more miles than we have ever contemplated!”

All money pledged goes to the charity with bikers as always funding all their own expenses.

Murden continued: “If we receive the same fantastic support that we have enjoyed for our previous 10 ventures (in excess of £150,000 raised) we will have some task on our hands. To make the exercise viable we propose that pledges of £100-plus will

T

EVENT FUNSCAPE TO HOST GAMERS’ BLOWOUT

T

he official after-party for the UK’s biggest game expo, EGX, is to be held at Namco Funscape this month on 27 September. The prominent arcade operator will hand over control of its entire Southwark, London venue to ticket holders, who will enjoy over 150 video arcade cabinets set to freeplay for one night only.

Many of Funscape’s amusement rides will also feature prominently, with bowling and bumper cars on tap for attendees.

The event is being hosted in partnership with online video streaming company, Twitch.tv, who were recently purchased by internet marketplace Amazon for $1bn (£620m).

receive a visit from the bikers. Supporters can pledge via the Twitter page: http://twitter.com/BACTAbikers.”

He added: “All other donations are of course more than welcome as every little helps and these can be made through the CHIPS website by selecting ‘donations’. Don’t be surprised if you are contacted by one of our chosen few and I hope you will oblige by supporting our efforts for this very worthy cause. We hope to be able to present at least one needy youngster with a chair (they don’t come cheap) but who knows, if we do well enough maybe more than one. September will see us on the road and paying you a visit.”

BACTA SWITCHES VENUE FOR CHRISTMAS PARTY are already afoot for BACTA’s annual North West Christmas Party.

PThelans event, which is traditionally wellattended and raises plenty of money for charity, is being held on 5 December 2014 at The Adelphi Hotel in Liverpool.

BACTA North West chairman Mick Blanche told Coinslot: “This marks a change from our regular Blackpool haunt.”

Further details on the event, the food and the evening’s entertainment, will be available soon.

TRADE EVENTS TOY FAIR 2015 VISITOR AND MEDIA REGISTRATION NOW OPEN isitor Registration for the 62nd Toy Fair, an event popular with the coinV op industry’s plush, gift and toy buyers, is now live. Visitors can register to attend the show, which will take place 20-22 January 2015 at Kensington Olympia, free of charge by accessing the registration page

Coinslot SEPTEMBER 12 - SEPTEMBER 18, 2014

andai Namco Amusement Europe’s Darrell Simmonds has been promoted to EMEA sales manager. Simmonds joined Brent Electronic in 2006 as a sales executive and was later promoted to sales office manager. In his new job, he will continue to be responsible for promoting the Brent Electronic redemption range, including tickets, ticket eaters and the Embed System, as well as being a driving force in the growth of the prize division.

Simmonds said: “When I first started at Brent Electronic we offered dedicated parts for the machines we distribute and other parts. When Brent Sales introduced Clenaflex and pioneered the prize machine business and with Barbercut we started to introduce some prizes such as iPod Shuffles, cameras and other electrical products and instantly saw the income and profitability to operators. Since then the business has evolved.”

“Darrell’s promotion is well deserved.

He is an extremely proactive member of the team who is always thinking of new ideas for products and services. He is also extremely well liked by customers. He was instrumental in creating the bespoke artwork for prize vending machines in order to raise player awareness and increase cashbox,” said James Anderson, general manager of Bandai Namco Amusement Prize Division.

Simmonds will be present at the Bandai Namco/Embed open day event at the Oceans at the Lady’s Mile Holiday Park in Dawlish on September 17-18.

B

through the Toy Fair website.

All attendees from any of the past three Toy Fairs will receive a Smart Link containing previous details and hence need only check, update and submit to receive a bar code email which will be required to gain access to the 2015 show. Visitors who choose not to pre-register or confirm their Smart Link will be required to pay a £15 entry fee on the door.

CORRECTION oinslot’s Bingo feature in issue 2383 suffered an attack of the glitches! Beacon C Bingo is, of course, part of the Praesepe group of companies, one of Europe’s largest and most experienced gaming organisations operating nine Beacon Bingo Clubs, 155 Cashino adult gaming centres and four seaside family entertainment centres. The Beacon portfolio includes the 2,200 capacity club in Cricklewood, the largest in Europe. We also recognise that the MD of Majestic is Mark Jepp.

2385-p14-16-Listings_Coinslot NEW 09/09/2014 16:36 Page 4

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Southport-based toy and prize suppliers Novelty World are aiming to tug at customer heart-strings, with their new addition to their 2014 plush range, Eye Love You Dragon.

Priced at £143.52 per 48 piece set, the 12” critters come in four distinct colours.

RLMS Sales continues to stock Empire Games’ eyecatching Gold Run Arena. Available both in Cat C and Cat D formats, Gold Run Arena offers a striking top-box, as well as customisable levels of difficult, and makes a fine addition to any AGC or bingo-hall environment.

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REFLEX GAMING WIZARD OF OZ

ASTRA GAMES MEGASLOT

brand new machine from Reflex stra Games has retrieved a classic title Gaming is set to appear in venues from its archive, and following an extenA A around the UK with a spectacular display sive technology upgrade and redesign, is of magic and pyrotechnics. Wizard of Odds is a Cat C title at the £100 jackpot level, designed to include a variety of new features to keep players engaged and interested. It includes the image of a wizened mage and his trusty owl, along with a vast range of bonus features and additional games. This hi-tec multistake game was launched in August and its cabinet’s bold design, including multiple reels with a large number of eye-catching graphics, is expected to make it a favourite with players everywhere.

bringing back its classic B3 product, Megaslot, into its current active portfolio.An old favourite amongst the Astra following, Megaslot draws upon a simple style of play, with five reels and just three stakes at 10p per win line, allowing players to stake up for a greater chance of winning. Its eponymous Megaslot feature is awarded at random, with the winning player’s number clearly displayed on the top screen, which also details prize amounts and the estimated size of the ‘mystery win’.Utilising touchscreen technology and arresting visuals, Astra has breathed new life into the tried and tested title.

Coinslot MAY 20 - MAY 26, 2011

17

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2385-p18-Analysis_Coinslot NEW 09/09/2014 16:24 Page 1

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Analysis

NOVOMATIC LEADS, OTHERS FOLLOW

CATEGORYC (£1/£100 Max.)

CATEGORYB3 (£2/£500 Max.)

FILMCHARTS

Single site

AGCs

UK Box Office Chart

This Last Week Week Name / Manufacturer

This Last Week Week Name / Manufacturer

This Last Week Week Name

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

1 3 6 5 2 4 7 8

DOND Winfall BFG Hot Shots REF DOND Lucky Streak BFG DOND Powerplay BFG DOND Midas Touch BFG Fiddle A Fortune REF DOND The Big One QPS DOND Pure Gold BFG Worminator QPS Best Of British REF

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

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

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

This Last Week Week Name / Manufacturer

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Encore T7 (GP2) SG Gaming Party Time 15th Anniversary Astra Encore T7 (GP1) SG Gaming Bullion Bars Streak Astra Magic Games 3 Novomatic Magic Games 100 Ultra Novomatic World of Poker Project X3000 Multigame Amatic Solid Gold Astra Triple 7 (GP1) SG Gaming

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

1 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 -

Members clubs

This Last Week Week Name / Manufacturer

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 Aerna (4 Player) Astra Win Wall Celebrity Astra Sevens Up Electrocoin Party Games (4 Player) Astra Magic Games S/D Novomatic

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

Coinslot SEPTEMBER 12 - SEPTEMBER 18, 2014

www.soundnet.net

1 2 3 4 5

3 4 5

Highest Earning Tracks on Sound Leisure jukeboxes This Last Week Week

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 -

Rude Magic!

Budapest George Ezra Am I Wrong Nico & Vinz Ghost Ella Henderson Waves (Robin Schulz Remix) Mr Probz Hideaway Kiesza Prayer In C (Robin Schulz radio edit) Lilly Wood & The Prick Stay With Me Sam Smith Don't Ed Sheeran Lovers On The Sun David Guetta feat. Sam Martin

Albums

Based on data from four sites Amusement Equipment Co Ltd

FEC - adult 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 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 Double Cash Astra 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

Lucy Let's Be Cops The Inbetweeners 2 Sin City 2: A Dame to Kill For Guardians of the Galaxy If I Stay How To Train Your Dragon 2 As Above, So Below Into The Storm Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

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

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Coinslot September 12 - September 18, 2014

Comment County council in common sense shocker

“

alex lee comment I often have a good old moan on this very page about the farcical way in which seaside councils charge through the nose for car parking and in doing so deprive the area’s operators of much-needed footfall and cashbox revenue.

Imagine my delight when I read that the North Yorkshire County Council had taken the bull by the horns and rubber-stamped a new Park and Ride scheme for coastal resort Whitby.

The seaside town’s new Park and Ride scheme can go a long way to ensuring tourists continue to be attracted to the seaside town, according to County Councillor Joe Plant.

Cllr Plant was joined by Transport Minister and Scarborough MP Robert Goodwill to officially open the new transport infrastructure, and the scheme had been hotly anticipated to beat traffic congestion which has plagued the town for years, he told local press.

“Tourism is the key to Whitby’s continued prosperity, and making it much easier for visitors to get into and out of the town without clogging up the highways network and without making the daily life of the residents more difficult is a major step for-

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ward,” according to Plant.

The scheme began operating in time for the Easter holidays and has so far been used by more than 90,000 passengers, North Yorkshire County Council said. It connects visitors to the port with a newly created car park on the outskirts of the town.

During the August Bank Holiday weekend alone, just under 6,000 passengers used the service.

The county council, which masterminded the scheme, said the service had proved so popular that on several occasions the standard Park and Ride single decker buses have been supplemented by double deckers to meet demand from passengers.

The car park – which has space for 450 vehicles – has been full to capacity on many days this summer, the council said. The scheme comes on the back of the town making a big effort in keeping costs down for both pay and display and permit-based parking.

Other councils should take heed of the above news story, which is proof that a bit of thoughtful and ambitious planning when it comes to the provision of car parking can go a long way to encourage visitors to their towns.

Pubcos need joined-up think

Smarter use of data r have been destroyed according to the lates

alex lee media watch inking guest and staff feedback represents ‘a major Lopportunity’ for pub companies, according to a recent article on www.morningadvertiser.co.uk.

Engagement with customers and employees is vital for operators but few companies consciously link the two together and more “joined up thinking” is needed, according to a survey of 93 senior executives from leading UK eating and drinking-out chains.

The Customer Engagement Survey 2014 found just over 90 per cent of companies see guest feedback as a top five key performance indicator (KPI) for their business, with 22 per cent listing it as their number one KPI - 10 per cent only rate it as “moderately” important and not a key focus.

While 95 per cent believe employee engagement is “very important” in driving customer engagement, one-in-seven don’t track it and just 16 per cent correlate employee engagement against customer satisfaction - although 33 per cent say they intend to. Accord-

ing to the research, the most common methods of measuring levels of staff engagement are by staff turnover and exit interviews, rather than by engaging while still on the workforce, although 54 per cent of respondents do use online or paper surveys.

The five main recommendations of the survey are: Improve board-level buy-in lead from the top, deliver at the front / Get HR, marketing and operations to talk to each other and share data - especially amalgamating customer and employee feedback / Link employee recognition and reward to customer KPIs / Introduce real-time feed-back to frontline managers (and teams) / Better understand the drivers of engagement.

“With the customer experience so dependent on service and staff quality, not to mention employee morale, this appears a major gap in the market’s insight. There’s a need for more joined-up thinking, especially when it comes to front-line teams,” said Peter Martin, vicepresident of CGA Peach, which

conducted the research for customer experience specialists InMoment. The survey found that brands have more data available than ever before, with nine in 10 reporting an increase in the volume coming in over the last couple of years.

The majority of leaders, 71 per cent, see employee recognition and reward based on customer KPIs as a way of driving positive outcomes on the frontline, with two-thirds saying that involving their ‘instore’ teams in finding solutions will do the same. Only six out of 10, however, share realtime feedback with store or site managers.

Gary Topiol, managing director international at InMoment, said: “Businesses that are customer centric have the message clearly reinforced from the board down. They intertwine everything they do with this perspective - it is not something you do, but who you are.

Distilling ever expanding volumes of data into simple and actionable messages is critical to a successful programme, while giving frontline staff the

2385-p22-23-comment_Coinslot NEW 09/09/2014 14:46 Page 2

Coinslot September 12 - September 18, 2014

“Pubs and venues with a key focus on live music should be owned by the charity and arts sectors rather than large pub companies whose main interest is selling beer.”

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Email: al@sjc.co.uk

MARK DAVYD, MUSIC VENUE TRUST

“ ”

quote unquote

“It is the spam through my email that annoys most. They exhort me to gamble (Ruby Casino is the worst offender, wherever that is) and there is no unsubscribe and although you can block the sender address, they use literally hundreds of drone addresses from which to send gambling invitations.”

BACTA continues its work to connect the dots

DAVID SNOOK, INTERGAME

“Operators offering online gambling to consumers in Britain must apply for continuation licences by 16 September.”

PRESS COMMUNICATIONS, GAMBLING COMMISSION

“Right now bitcoin gambling only accounts for a tiny percentage of the total of online gambling revenues. However, it is clear that the opportunity exists to make significant income within the industry and, with bitcoin’s advantages in terms of lowcost, speedy payments, cryptocurrency-based gambling firms are doing their best to do just that.”

BACTA chief executive John White wants to ensure that all dialogue between the trade body and the government accurately reflects the views of the coin-op industry.

john white politics

DANNY BRADBURY, COINDESK.COM

Bank Holiday week was slightly busy than the previous five Tthenhelessagain a good chunk of it was spent

thinking

er use of data represents a major opportunity for pubcos, illegal machines een destroyed in Thailand and a disgraced ex-arcade owner is back in court, ding to the latest industry-related headlines.

tools and support to build plans that are relevant to their local customer base is both empowering to the team and rewarding to their customers.”

In other news, thousands of illegal gaming machines have been destroyed as part of Thailand’s crackdown on unlawful gambling, according to the Bangkok Post. Around 5,000 devices and electronic circuit boards, including slot machines, pinball games and sports betting machines, were crushed at a military site in the city.

A further 180 machines and 160 circuit boards were seized elsewhere and destroyed in the Phitsanulok province.

Acting police chief Watcharapol Prasarnrajkit said that there could be many more gambling machines still in operation but that local production of such equipment had already stopped.

And finally, the owner of a Coventry amusement arcade who was jailed for sexually assaulting young customers is back in court after pestering a group of Girl Guides, according to the Coventry Telegraph.

Russell Fletcher, aged 49, who ran Fun Bobs in Hales Street, was jailed for five years in April 2012 for abusing five girls aged five to 13 from 2003 to 2011. His sentence was increased in May last year after another victim, an 11-year-old girl, came forward after reading a report of

the case to say he had attacked her when she was nine.

Fletcher was released from prison on licence this summer, but on August 4 he broke the terms of his Sexual Offences Prevention Order by “following and seeking to engage” with a group of Girl Guides during an event in Centenary Square, Birmingham.

At Coventry Magistrates Court two days later Fletcher, whose address was given as a probation hostel in Portland Road, Birmingham, admitted breaching the order and was remanded into custody to be sentenced at Coventry Crown Court on August 27.

The hearing was adjourned to the end of September, however, for a pre-sentence report to be prepared, and because Fletcher was in hospital at the time.

Fletcher ran the amusement arcade, formerly known as The Buzz, for more than 20 years, despite having learning difficulties and a low IQ. The arcade is no longer open. He is on the sex offenders’ register for life.

reading the consultation on the changes to the Social Responsibility LCCP! I have only a few pages to go before I can start to prepare some draft comments for members to review in advance of submitting our formal response. I would recommend everyone takes a look at the consultation.We can send it to you or you can get it from the Gambling Commission website.We will need your input to ensure we accurately reflect the views of the industry.

The key question for me as I read through the document is whether the proposed changes,which in most cases represent a tightening of the existing Code, are proportionate in light of the risks posed by leaving the Code as is, or indeed relaxing it in some areas.

The latter is one of those questions, more broadly speaking, with which I feel government still struggles.There has been the Better Regulation Task Force and a one in one out approach to regulation but still business complains about the bureaucracy of simply running a business.

Whilst we all appreciate that there needs to be regulation it is the accumulated effect of each Department, Agency, Commission or other body promulgating its own rules as though these were the only ones that were being applied to business, that really bites. Small businesses in particular suffer disproportionately as it is often the owner manager that has to do everything from the VAT return to the Health and Safety risk assessments to, in our case, the licensing applications and management.

When you couple that with the decline in the industry over the recent years of the recession, it is no wonder members have been rightfully vocifer-

ous in their description of the state of the business. As we come out of the recession and BACTA renews its relationships with various stakeholders and we get a strategy in place to develop the market, I hope that members will feel more positive about the future. This is an industry that can be proud of its offer, its history and culture and the way it has embraced its social responsibility. Our test purchasing results show that 82 per cent of members passed first time when a mystery young shopper tried to enter their arcades and play machines – and those that failed all passed the retest.

That is good news and marks real progress.

I had a very good meeting with Miles Baron of the Bingo Association before we both attended the Industry Group on Responsible Gambling. The group, which comprises the gambling, gaming and betting trade bodies, has a number of issues to get to grips with on an industry wide basis, such as selfexclusion.This kind of collaborative working will be helpful in getting positive results and strengthens our representative weight.

Thursday was spent in a meeting with BACTA Yorks and Lincs Region Chairman, William Clark, and then a meeting with Karen Cooke, organiser of EAG and the Autumn Coin-Op Show at Chelsea FC.We had a chat about the BACTA stand at EAG and the lounge and how we can both showcase BACTA and the industry, and how to provide a service at the show to members. In the afternoon I had a wideranging discussion with Steve Donaghue who is Secretary to the All Party Betting and Gaming Group.

Now it is back to those last few pages of the LCCP. As always can I encourage members to get in touch with any issues that they feel BACTA should be addressing on their behalf.

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Coinslot September 12 - September 18, 2014

Newsweek DEVELOPER CONFERENCE PROMISES VARIETY CE Europe will unite executives from the video games industry with teams of developers, designers and technology experts to discuss the prevailing trends of the industry.

Among the main topics of discussion will be the increased prevalence of social games and the rise of Chinese developers and consumers. A series of expert speakers will lend their voices to the conference, including Phil Harrison, cor-

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8

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Email: jw@sjc.co.uk

New licences on show at Olympia have never licensed their brands before, enabling toy and prize manufacturers to get ahead of the game on next season’s most popular licensed products.

Attendees can also take part in the Licensing Academy, which promises to cover everything from a beginners guide to the licensing business with the managing director of LIMA UK, to a detailed look at industry facts and figures. Brand Licensing Europe takes place from 7-9 October at Olympia, London.

icensed products make up one of the most successful sectors of the amusement industry, with tie-ins for major films and video games a surefire way of attracting players to a machine. Those companies on the lookout for the next big thing may be casting an eye on this year’s Brand Licensing Europe event, which claims to connect visitors with rights owners, faceto-face.

Now in its 16th year, the show features many companies which

L

porate vice president at Microsoft. A wide and variety range of events is scheduled for the conference, including everything from a go-karting competition to a seminar on how to reach a global audience. The event takes place on the 23-24 September at Royal Garden Hotel, London.

RECORD-BREAKING EAS ONLY WEEKS AWAY rganisers of the upcoming Euro Attractions Show (EAS) in Amsterdam have confirmed that they are ready to unleash the largest exhibition floor in the event’s 11 year history.

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A record number of exhibitors and pre-registered visitors have been confirmed their attendance, with over 425 manufacturers, suppliers and consultants from 33 countries already booked in.

“We expect to attract more than 8,500 visitors,

primarily from Europe, although in our pre-registrations we’ve already counted 70 countries of origin,” said Karen Stanley, VP of IAAPA Europe.

EAS takes place on 23-25, September 2014 at Amsetdam’s RAI Exhibition and Convention Centre.

Calendar SEPTEMBER 2014 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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