GOODS & SERVICES

Exacta’s acquisition by CDI completes the variety of games the operator is able to offer in Kentucky, where Churchill offers thousands of HHR units at its tracks.

The platform developed by Ainsworth and CDI perfected the presentation of that historical information as slot game results. HHR machines carrying popular slot themes have allowed tracks to raise purses and attract the quality of races that already were benefiting tracks in neighboring states where they were permitted to add Class III slots.

Gaming Corporation.

Churchill To Acquire Exacta Systems

Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) and Exacta Systems, one of the top companies producing a platform for porting slot games over to the historical horse racing (HHR) format, announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which CDI will acquire all outstanding equity interests of Exacta Systems for a total consideration of $250 million in cash.

Subject to certain working capital and other purchase price adjustments, the transaction is set to provide CDI the opportunity to realize synergies related to the company’s recent acquisition of the Colonial Downs Racetrack and Rosie’s Gaming Emporium HHR facilities in Virginia.

Exacta’s HHR platform has for years competed with the platform created by Ainsworth Game Technology in partnership with CDI. Most of the top slot manufacturers utilized the Ainsworth platform to release their games in HHR versions. Ainsworth has been at the center of HHR expansion in Kentucky, where more than 2,000 Ainsworth games—on Ainsworth cabinets—are operating across seven venues.

Ainsworth’s technology to present historical racing data as slot machine results in popular themes led Ainsworth’s competitors to fast-track their own entries into the burgeoning HHR market by partnering with Ainsworth to port their games to HHR on Ainsworth’s platform. Today, companies including IGT, Aristocrat, Light & Wonder and Konami are introducing HHR versions of their most popular slot titles via the Ainsworth technology.

Some other slot suppliers have opted for the Exacta platform to introduce its games to the HHR market. The Exacta Connect platform is used by AGS, Aurify, Bluberi, Everi, Gaming Arts, IGT, Incredible Technologies, Konami, Light & Wonder and Sega Sammy, with many of those slot suppliers opting to partner both with Ainsworth and Exacta.

Kambi Inks Sportsbook Partnership With Miami Valley Gaming

Maverick Gaming, which already operated 10 card rooms in Washington, added four with the addition of Evergreen. Maverick assumed operational control of Evergreen on December 21. Under terms of the transaction, Maverick Gaming paid $80.47 million in cash for all of Evergreen Gaming’s shares and assets.

Evergreen Gaming consists of four card rooms in Washington state: Chips Casino in Lakewood, Goldies Casino in Shoreline, Palace Casino in Lakewood and Riverside Casino in Tukwila.

“Strategically, this acquisition is crucial to Maverick’s continued dominance in Washington state,” said Eric Persson, CEO of Maverick Gaming. “We expect there to be enormous consolidation as well as operational and marketing benefits to our company as a result of this transaction.

Kambi Group PLC has signed a multi-year agreement to provide its on-property sportsbook technology to Miami Valley Gaming and Racing, a joint venture between Churchill Downs Incorporated and Delaware North.

The agreement will see Miami Valley Gaming leverage Kambi’s technology and services to power the launch of the racino’s new retail sportsbook. Miami Valley Gaming is positioned between Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio.

Kambi’s high-performance sportsbook will complement Miami Valley Gaming’s existing gaming floor with a solution that includes state-of-theart betting kiosks and Kambi’s unique Bet Builder technology.

The partnership comes as Ohio, the seventh largest state in the U.S., has just launched regulated sports betting for the first time in January.

Craig Robinson, president and general manager of Miami Valley Gaming, said, “We have been working tirelessly to create a sports wagering offering that is convenient and easy to use; we are excited to soon launch our new sportsbook in the market by leveraging Kambi’s award-winning technology.”

Maverick Completes Evergreen Acquisition

Washington state card room operator Maverick Gaming received regulatory approval just before Christmas from the Washington State Gambling Commission for its acquisition of Evergreen

“Maverick will move swiftly to integrate these two companies in all aspects, and we expect to see benefits from this purchase by January.”

Marketing Boot Camp Announces Executive Session

As planning for the fifth annual Casino Marketing Boot Camp continues, founder Julia Carcamo, president of New Orleans-based casino marketing agency J Carcamo & Associates, announced a new addition to the portfolio—Executive Casino Marketing Boot Camp.

Designed with the general manager in mind, the event will take place May 15-17 at Rolling Hills Casino Resort in Corning, California.

“The idea was originally brought to my attention after the first gathering of casino marketers,” said Carcamo. “After expanding into regional markets with the Boot Camp concept and hearing the request come this time from general managers, I knew the time was right to create a way for general managers who perhaps may not have a marketing background to better understand the sometimes-elusive marketing tools and to form stronger bonds with their marketing teams.”

This two-day gathering is designed with the general manager in mind but is perfect for building skills alongside marketing leaders and finance stewards. The interactive-style sessions will tackle the most relevant and useful marketing to make a difference in a casino operation.