Casino life February 2015 by Outsource Digital Media Ltd

February 2015

Magnificent Manor

PROPERTY GROUP

Manor Mill is an exciting mixed-use development providing leisure, retail & restaurant opportunities

For further information please contact Lewis Craig Ben Pistol: 020 7009 0485 bp@lewiscraig.co.uk Richard Grossman: 020 7009 0482 rg@lewiscraig.co.uk 31 Welbeck Street, London W1G 8ET www.lewiscraig.co.uk

Editorial: Editor in Chief: Glyn Thomas Mob: +380 952 705 596 glyn@ace123.com Slots Editor: Lucien Wijsman lwijsman@usa.net Associate Editor Asia: Bill Healy healeywe@gmail.com Associate Editor North America David Mckee dmckee@ace123.com Special Assignment Correspondent: Jack Bulavsky jackbulavsky@yahoo.com N Europe - Damien Connelly dconnelly@ace123.com UK - Alan Campbell alancampbellcasinolife@gmail.com Online Gaming Editor: Sam Miranda sam@ace123.com

Production: Designer: Stewart Hyde design@ace123.com www.totaldesignworks.com Subscriptions: Helen Holmes subs@ace123.com Web & IT: Sudip Banjeree sb@ace123.com Journal Manager: Chris Sanson csanson@ace123.com Publisher: Peter White Tel: +44 (0) 1892 740869 Mob: +44 (0) 7973 273714 pwhite@ace123.com

Editor’s page Welcome to Casino Life... And welcome to our new sisters: Casino Play – and Casino Work. As mentioned in our last edition, Casino Play came about through the number of players who were visiting the main Casino Life website. Currently a “player portal” it will grow into an online magazine over the next year. Casino Work is another new venture and is online only, but will similarly grow, building on our new relationship with Clarus Recruitment. Known in the Middle East as the largest employment agency for hospitality jobs the company was asked by a number of clients to expand into casino employment and approached us to become partners. And partnership never seems to go away as a buzzword in the casino industry. Hotels with casinos, casinos with manufacturers – and more besides as we are about to see over the next three days at ICE. Back to this issue and we start with the stunning new proposal for Hull – a mixed-used development containing that most precious of UK gambling venues: a “Large Casino” – one of just five that will be granted. Who will be the operator? Well, why not you? Please contact them. Over to the US and the Linq is chic and new and a million miles away from Quad (remember that?) and the Imperial Palace that originally stood there. David McKee finds out more. No re-brand necessary for the Ritz Club – just the steadiest of hands on the tiller as the casino keeps rolling along as one of the more prestigious on the London scene. Celebrating 9 years at ICE is DRGT – who seem to be getting bigger every month let alone every year. For now the company has that “approachability” missing from some of the larger corporates and we hope that continues as they expand even more. Did I mention it was our birthday? Yes – this year we will be ten years old. It was way back in Moscow attending an odd “One day Slot Bonanza / excuse for a tequila and cigar” party that the idea germinated – and here we are. In keeping with letting the date happen first we will keep our powder dry until later in the year – expect a celebration at G2E. We hope to see you at ICE – please drop by our stand

Glyn Thomas Editor in Chief

Contents 2 Success Breeds Success Hull is hotting up as the city will see a major casino hotel open mid-2017. Peter White spoke to Mark Bailey, Hotel Development Director, Manor Property Group & Ben Pistol head of retail at Lewis Craig 6 Luxury Gaming at The Ritz Club Bill Healey speaks to Roger Marris about how The Club’s prestige is enhanced through its strong and enduring relationship with their sophisticated jetset membership 19 New wine in old bottle Caesars Entertainment reinvents Imperial Palace as the Linq. By David McKee 24 Experience Counts Damien Connelly, Associate Editor of Casino Life, chats with Len Ainsworth and Robert Dijkstra 30 Spreading the Word Alan Campbell interviews Jurgen De Munck and Michiel Van Dam ahead of this year’s ICE 2015 34 Misperception of Win Cards How Casinos Can Attract New Players at No Cost, by Victor H Royer 38 “Why Do Casinos Need to Make Social Media A Part of the Marketing Plan” By Rick Campbell 41 Spotlight ICE 2015 Casino Life’ Chris Sanson previews a selection from this years must visit exhibitors at ICE 2015

Editorial Policy: The views and opinions expressed in casino life remain principally the views of contributors and do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or publishers. The publishers wish to avoid inaccuracies and, whilst every precaution has been taken to ensure that information contained in this publication is accurate, no liability is accepted by the editor or publishers for errors or omissions, however caused. Unless otherwise stated, articles appearing in this publication remain the copyright of the publishers and may not be reproduced in any form without the publisher’s written consent. Printed in the UK by MPC Ltd.

Success Breeds Success

Hull is successful. Hull will soon take on the well-earned title as 2017 UK City of Culture and on top of other major investment projects will soon be hosting a major casino that is due to open to the public for mid 2017, in time for the 17/18 academic year. Peter White spoke to Mark Bailey, Hotel Development Director, Manor Property Group and Ben Pistol Head of Retail & Leisure at Lewis Craig

ull is about to become the City on everyone’s lips in the UK casino fraternity. After years of research, planning and design work has started on an exciting mixed-use development which will include a major casino benefiting from the grant of a rare 2005 “Large casino license” - commonly called the super licence. Radisson Blu are to operate a 169-room hotel on the site alongside 45,000 sq ft of casino space. The development will also offer new state-of-the-art student accommodation operated by Qdos. Work has now commenced and handover is anticipated for mid- 2017 to coincide with the 2017/18 academic year. Mark, can we commence with a brief history of Apollo Resorts and Manor Property Group? Apollo resorts is a special-purpose company that was set up to explore the opportunities afforded by the change in UK casino licensing legislation brought about by the 2005 Gambling Act. The company has been involved with new licence applications in Newham, Bath and Hull and currently holds the authority to operate the 2005 “Large” casino licence in Hull. Manor Property Group has evolved from generations of development experience;

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It’s 100% privately owned and the company has been in business for over 35 years, developing across 4 sectors: retail, leisure, commercial and residential. With a current development portfolio valued in excess of £850 million, each scheme is managed from initial concept to completion by a highly-respected in-house and outsourced professional team. Throughout the last three decades, Manor’s strategy has remained consistent – to embrace market demands and exceed expectations. What is the relationship between Manor and Apollo Resorts? Apollo Resorts and Manor Property Group have established a strong working relationship over a number of years. Manor is the senior partner providing construction, development and site acquisition expertise whilst Apollo has given support with Casino and Licensing know-how as well as practical experience of how to gain regulatory approval. In Hull, Manor and Apollo have secured the Provisional Licence to develop and lease up to 45,000 sq ft of casino space. What amount of investment will be required by the future license holder? This will be a matter for discussion and negotiation with Manor Property Group and will depend upon the nature of the final lease arrangement with the landlord. As a broad indication, if the Casino operator accepts an empty shell from the landlord with a minimum of internal fit out, a projected fit-out cost of approx £200-£250 per sq ft is anticipated. Can you provide further details about the Large Casino Licence? The Large Licence is the biggest permitted casino

licence in the UK and in total, under current legislation, only 8 will ever be permitted nationwide in the UK. There are strong opportunities presented by this blend of gaming activities and significant benefits can be gained by keeping customers various gambling interests satisfied in one location. Specifically the licence allows: Up to 40 gaming tables and up to 150 slot machines from category B1 to D. The operation of a Bingo and Betting facilities within the same premises. All permitted games listed in the Gambling Commissions list of types and rules of casino games are allowed. Hull is a major City in it’s own right but it’s also

a leading ferry port with access to Europe. Could the casino help to strengthen tourism? The port is indeed successful, handling 13 million tons of cargo per year and more than 1 million ferry passengers and the potential for increased tourism has certainly been taken into account. By comparison with many other Scandinavian and Northern European countries the UK has a liberal approach to Casino gambling specifically, and in general towards many other forms of gambling. The provision of a resort-style hotel and casino combination should prove a strong additional incentive for travellers visiting the UK and encourage them to use Hull as their entry point in order to take advantage of the entertainment package provided by the Manor/Apollo development. The recent decision by Siemens is a good example of the confidence in the City – and must in turn make you more pleased with how it is attracting inward investment. Can you explain their expansion project that is currently underway? Siemens is one of the World’s largest suppliers of wind turbine technology, grid connections and turbine servicing and recently chose Hull as the location for their new offshore and wind turbine manufacturing and export facility. The development will comprise a factory for the production of wind turbine equipment, together with component storage areas and offices. In addition a new 600m riverside berth will be constructed for the export of wind turbine components. The Siemens decision is welcomed especially in the light of other recent developments including “The Deep”, one of the world’s largest aquariums; numerous shopping centres; and the Hull & Humber World Trade Centre.

The proposed 24 storey development looks truly impressive – what facilities will it have? The Radisson Blu Hotel Kingston-upon-Hull will offer 168 contemporary rooms with Radisson Blu signature services such as free high-speed internet access. Other facilities include an all-day restaurant, lobby bar & café and a health club. The hotel has also been designed to meet the needs of local businesses and their visitors and will include 750m² of meeting space and underground parking. The hotel will be situated in the central business district of Hull along the shores of the River Hull. The general catchment area around the City is well over a million, which is set to increase further in the coming years with all of this the additional investment. This must be a key factor that a casino operator must take into account. True. Historically, Hull has sometimes been overlooked when assessing the business potential of more northerly locations in the UK. There is however, a substantial local population and a significant catchment area. Research suggests that there is a strong and pent-up demand for quality leisure offerings such as the proposed Manor development. The inclusion of a strong brand hotel operator and a well-known casino operator is expected to fuel this demand and the property will

undoubtedly become one of the major attractions in the North East of the country. A spokesman from the City Councils Tourism Department has this to say “We are absolutely thrilled to have been awarded the UK City Of Culture 2017 and are delighted to be working with Manor Property Group in bringing about a new oasis within our Town Centre. Having also been selected as the UK Green Hub for Siemens Wind Farm manufacturing, we feel the time is right for a new Super Casino and are excited about the prospect of the new development to provide a leisure facility which Hull needs in order to continue its successful growth. Having a Premiership football team and two popular Rugby league teams all provides plenty of traveling fans into the City for the big matches – this must also be on the radar? And what about the plans for Hull being UK City of Culture 2017? Success breeds success and it is a fact that the atmosphere in a city is improved significantly if its sports teams are successful. The Casino resort is expected to identify itself with the City’s Football and rugby teams and use the relationship to mutually promote various activities and improve awareness generally. Hull was named the UK City of Culture 2017 on 20 November 2013, an event hailed by Hull Daily Mail as “the day the city changed forever”. Hull showed it could host the UK’s next big cultural event by setting out ambitious plans for a unique and thrilling programme of cultural activity that will

excite communities across the city and far beyond. It is estimated that being the UK City of Culture 2017 will deliver a £60million boost to the local economy in 2017 alone. The title is also anticipated to leave a lasting legacy creating a more vibrant, sustainable cultural sector; improved quality of life for local people and increased access to tourism and cultural sector jobs. We will be very pleased to be part of this cultural celebration. How do you advise operators interested in finding out more about this exciting venture? Contact can be made through our property agents Lewis Craig, who are handling all enquires/ negotiations. Director of Lewis Craig, Richard Grossman comments “These are really exciting times for Hull and we are delighted to be advising on the Casino which is set to make a major contribution to raising Hull’s leisure profile. This exceptional mixeduse development will also provide over 15,000 sq ft of new restaurant/bar opportunities, including a roof-top restaurant above the 24 storey residential tower block, together with cutting edge 670 bed Qdos Student Homes accommodation.” For all enquiries contact Ben Pistol, Senior Surveyor, at Lewis Craig. Exciting times ahead for Hull, as the City is set to rise even further with Manor Mill, the former flour milling site originally owned by Joseph Rank, founder of Rank Hovis McDougall.

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Luxury Gaming at The Ritz Club Bill Healey speaks to Roger Marris about how The Club’s prestige is enhanced through its strong and enduring relationship with their sophisticated jet-set membership The Ritz Club is world renown as one of London’s most prestigious addresses, and therefore a draw for business leaders and entertainers. Through the years, the Club has hosted a fair number of influential and high profile people. Can you share some of the more interesting stories? Well, I must say that when the former President of the United States, Bill Clinton visits The Ritz Club he is extremely charming and very popular with the staff. He has the ability to completely engage with whomever he is introduced to. His legendary charisma stems from the undivided attention he gives to every person he meets. I have been told

that on one occasion when he was dining in the restaurant, he went over to each and every one of the staff that had served him, looked into their eyes and personally thanked them for looking after him so well. He then asked them if they would like a photograph with him. He connects with ordinary people, looks them in the eye and listens to what they say. He’s genuinely interested in other people’s stories. Al Pacino and Johnny Depp are two other frequent visitors to the Club when they are in London. Johnny Deep and his long-time friend, Nick Tosches are both members and enjoy coming to the Club. In an interview in Vanity Fair, in 2011, The Ritz

Club is mentioned several times with Johnny saying that he has his blue Ritz Club membership card in his wallet and fond memories of his and Nick’s last long night there on the Blackjack tables and at the Bar when their luck was in and they won! Britain’s most successful female artist ever, Dame Shirley Bassey, chose The Ritz Club to host her first album launch in over 20 years, it featured songs written specifically for her, by a stellar cast of contemporary artists, including, Take That’s Gary Barlow, the Kaiser Chiefs, the Manic Street Preachers, Pet Shop Boys, KT Tunstall and Rufus Wainwright, who all incidentally attended a glittering reception in the Club’s Amber Room. During a film shoot about the Bond movies in the Amber Room with Sir Roger Moore, the director had to shout ‘cut’ 11 times due to the noise of the Underground which can be heard as the tube trains rumble past. The scene was relocated to the Bar of the Club due to the director’s frustration and everyone else’s amusement including Sir Roger. The Queen Mother always presented the Waterford Crystal Trophy to the winners of The Ritz Club Trophy Stakes at Ascot. One year she could not attend due to a bad cold, her private equerry rang to ask if it would be ok for her daughter to present

instead!! (The Queen) As CEO of The Ritz Club, what are your responsibilities at the Club? As Chief Executive of The Ritz Club my role is to guide and provide inspiration and innovation to the management team and staff and to continue the ongoing vision of the Club and the company’s unique principles and values which were originally established by our owners. I am primarily responsible for the strategic direction of the business and overseeing the day-to-day operations, including all P&L’s for each department, as well as maintaining and ensuring that The Ritz Club brand continues to be a strong, luxurious and iconic brand, and that it works comfortably alongside our sister companies The Ritz Hotel, and Ritz Fine Jewellery. Describe the Club’s gaming areas, including the table games available. How has club’s mix in table games changed in recent years? The Ritz Club’s main gaming room was the former ballroom of The Ritz Hotel. It is exquisite and very beautiful with a magnificent hand-painted ceiling and amazing crystal chandeliers created to

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order in Turkey. Luxury hand-woven carpets and exceptionally fine antiques and paintings, which have been sensitively restored by some of the most highly regarded workshops in Paris, make it a very special gaming environment. Members can play Baccarat, American Roulette, Blackjack and Three Card Poker. For those guests wishing to raise the stakes even further, the Club has three salles privées, The Aida and The Carmen Room provide the ultimate private retreat, accessed from a separate elevator, where a host of gaming facilities await - Blackjack, Poker, Roulette, Baccarat... within an environment strictly designed for one individual or group at a time – and with no possibility of sharing. In 2014 we elected to transform the Amber Room into an additional salle privée and increased the number of Baccarat tables in line with the Club’s strategy to welcome more Far East and Chinese visitors and to enhance their experience at The Ritz Club. We had been continually monitoring the influx of big players from this part of the world and this led us to review our offerings and identify opportunities to attract this new wave of players. For many operators, including The Ritz Club this meant a cultural and strategic change of direction

for the business as we had to make the transition more solidly into Baccarat and other games favoured by the Chinese and Far East player. The Amber Room is the largest of our three salles priveés and is an immaculate interpretation of Imperial Russian opulence. The room was inspired by the famous 18th century Amber Room at the Tsarkoye Selo outside St. Petersburg and features the work of over 100 artists and craftsmen from a dozen countries who have replicated the mirrored splendour of the court of Catherine the Great. Does the Club hold Baccarat or Poker tournaments, or is there a plan to do so? The Club has run a number of Poker tournaments and many players regularly approach us to host tournaments. We choose to do this on a select basis. Due to the popularity of Baccarat in the Club, we have yet to hold any tournaments but we are considering doing so in the future. As a club for jet-setters and experienced gamers, it would be expected table games are the preferred gaming choice. How significant is the presence of slot machines? Slot machines continue to surprise me. Although

they are a minor part of our gaming offer, we nevertheless have seen a significant increase in revenue from the small collection of machines that the Club offers members. So, although table games will always remain the preferred choice, we will still continue to host a small number of machines for those members who wish to play on them. What are the preferred slots machines at the Club? IG slots are the current preferred choice. The Ritz Club has a continual dedication and focus on all aspects of innovation and technology. We are increasingly focused on using new innovative systems to drive our business forward, and we are working with Intelligent Gaming to create a more dynamic gaming environment in order to build excitement and deliver unique products to our customers. Intelligent Gaming have been incredibly responsive partners, meeting our needs with an advanced yet simple to use technology. As a private membership club, are there marketing challenges The Ritz Club must address differently from other casinos? Rather than being a challenge, our marketing tactics are geared towards a retaining a luxury membership base that is tailored towards the individual. Foremost, we’re a people business. We have customers abroad that know us personally, and we are happy to offer them help in other aspects of their life – be it education in London for their children, for example. We have over the years formed very deep relationships with our customers, and I think that exemplifies that the casino and the hotel is more than just a destination for them. We can’t assume that our members will always be there just because we’re here. There are never any assumptions and we maintain steady friendships such as remembering birthdays and anniversaries, not just for the club member, but also for the entire family. We regularly make private overseas visits to members in their own countries, arrange member events, such as our hugely successful New Year’s Eve Gala Party, which this year took the theme of a Venetian Masked Ball, private dinner parties; such as our forthcoming celebration to welcome

in Chinese New Year - ‘The Year of the Sheep’ and various sporting and social events throughout the year. These members are more than customers. We’re a private company that’s run like a large family business. We have adopted a very personal and individual approach as is in keeping with our brand. Mass marketing tactics would only serve to be detrimental to the brand as well as our reputation and upset our much valued customers. With the high-profile of many of the Club’s members, it would be expected data security is a priority. Is the membership system developed specifically for the Club, or is it commercially available to other membership clubs? Great emphasis is placed on ensuring that the highest standards of operating procedures are consistently and constantly upheld. This, alongside the Club’s esteemed name and reputation, are key factors in maintaining its international and loyal following amongst its rich and famous members. We have a very bespoke, customised, secure membership system. How does social media play into your marketing mix? Social media is of course part of the marketing mix and is viewed as a positive communications tool. As an outbound mechanism it is used to promote features of the Club or special events that we are hosting. As an inbound mechanism we are grateful that it allows our members to engage with us regards to questions they may have about The Ritz Club. We are very conscious about how prevalent and important social media and Apps are in the Asian market with platforms such as WeChat. We are currently investigating how we can enhance our current social media offerings with our office in Macau. Is access to The Ritz Club extended to guests of The Ritz London Hotel? Yes, access to The Ritz Club is extended to the guests of the hotel and they are very welcome. In fact, being part of the Ritz family is what sets The Ritz Club apart from the other Mayfair casinos. For guests staying in the Hotel, exclusive access to the casino is via ‘secret’ doors. This means there is no

need for guests to step outside the hotel to come and visit the casino. Furthermore, for our Chinese members, Mandarin-speaking staff both in the hotel and club will make sure all our guests feel at ease and are always looked after in true Ritz style! The Club has an award-winning restaurant with a highly ranked international chef. Along with the Bar, the club offers guests several fashionable and intimate experiences away from the games. Could you highlight the value these non-gaming options add to the Club’s overall operations? The importance of the non-gaming aspects of the Club cannot be underestimated. The exceptional service, friendly staff and beautiful surroundings are the fabric of our business. The Bar, Restaurant and Cigar Shop add a significant value to the Club’s business and play a huge part in the overall operation. Right from the start we made a conscious decision to remain as a private members club rather than brand ourselves a casino, because this is what our members want. Being a ‘club’ is the hallmark of our brand and it is what The Ritz Club is renown for all over the world. The award-winning, intimate Restaurant is very popular with members and guests of the hotel and it is known for the highest standards of service, luxury and cuisine. An international brigade of chefs, under the ever-watchful eye of Head Chef, Kristian Kurn have created a menu that features an authentic collection of dishes that include French, Lebanese, Thai, Indian and Chinese. Our staff will accommodate any request from members – be it roast suckling pig for Chinese New Year or a banquet to take on board a private jet – or maybe some recommendations about the finest wines from the Club’s extensive wine list. Some say a director’s desk can convey a lot about their management style. For some, its organized chaos. What’s on your desk, and what will it say about your management? With my Celtic work ethic and military background, I am fanatical about a clean inbox as well as a clean desk. I cannot bear working in a mess - I am a methodical and very thorough individual. That being said, I have a very beautiful and traditional Aspinal leather desk set which helps me stay organised. Although I embrace technology and function, I am very old fashioned at heart and much prefer a beautiful hand written Thank You note than a quick text.

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New wine in old bottle

Caesars Entertainment reinvents Imperial Palace as the Linq. By David McKee

n 2005, when then-Harrah’s Entertainment purchased the venerable Imperial Palace hotelcasino, it was thought to be only a matter of time before the building was imploded to make way for a reinvention of its side of the Strip. However, time passed and nothing was done. Then, a 2008 leveraged buyout of Harrah’s (now Caesars Entertainment) made a completion teardown-and-rebuild of the site financially unfeasible. But this did not mean reinvention was out of the question. Caesars expanded the Margaritaville portion of the adjacent Flamingo and tore down bedraggled O’Shea’s Casino. In its place, a shopping-and-dining

mall would arise, leading to the world’s tallest Ferris wheel, the High Roller, which takes riders on a stately, half-hour aerial tour of the Strip. The façade and public areas of Imperial Palace were redone, and the hotel was renamed The Quad. That new moniker laid an egg, however, so the hotel – which is undergoing a rolling renovation – was renamed the Linq, co-branding it with the eponymous shopping mall. And O’Shea’s hasn’t completely gone away: It’s now a lively, cozier casinowithin-a-casino that’s part of the Linq hotel. There’s still a lot of work to be done – thousands of hotel rooms, a pool deck, the removal of the last vestiges of the Imperial Palace’s tikki-tacky architecture.

But the Linq is open for business and doing quite well. We sat down with Assistant Director of Hotel Operations Bernardo Neto to see how the fledgling Linq is faring. Casino Life: What percentage of the Linq hotel is completed so far? Bernardo Neto: In terms of the rooms, fifty percent. We have half the rooms. We’re waiting on the spa to be completed and also the retail options, and we have a coffee shop and a 24-hour restaurant that will open. CL: What was the behind the decision to open with only fifty percent of the hotel finished? BN: We have a lot of guests that prefer this location, loyal guests of the previous brands that want to stay with us. Plus, by doing that we were able to keep most of the employees working and have them keep their jobs in the process. CL: When do you expect to be completely finished? BN: It’s going to be spring, sometime in April, May. In any construction project we have timelines but we are

satisfied by the progress and we expect it next spring. CL: What’s going to go into the retail mall? Monika Bertaki, public relations specialist: We haven’t announced the retail yet. CL: What else is in Phase Two? BN: The spa and also the pool. We have probably one of the few hotels in Las Vegas to have cabana rooms, which are in the pool level. The guests will get, by renting the cabana room, a guest room plus they walk out to their own private cabana. So that’s something that’s different that we didn’t see in many hotels. Plus the pool experience, you’re going to be able to walk out and overlook the Linq Promenade, so those two things are very different. CL: What part of the Promenade will you be able to see? BN: Brooklyn Bowl and that area where they have concerts by the fountain. If there’s anything happening at the Linq Promenade and you’re at the pool, you’ll be

cupcake ATM. Both the cupcakes and ice creams there are delicious but I think the cupcake ATM has caught a lot of people off-guard. CL: Locals have a reputation for avoiding the Strip. Are you getting any local business on the Promenade? BN: Absolutely, yeah. We do. We have access in the back of the Strip so a local guest can travel down here and walk up to the Linq without going up to the Strip. Then again, the offerings that we do – Brooklyn Bowl [a hybrid restaurant/bowling alley/concert hall] is a great option for locals, with concerts and an experience they don’t have in the city. The capacity, it depends on the setup, can go up to 4,500. CL: The most dynamic spot in the casino is surely O’Shea’s. What makes that such an energetic space? BN: It’s a combination of the recognition that it had for many years. There’s a lot of guests that remember the old O’Shea’s. They saw that as an oasis from the big hotels. It has a local-bar feel. It’s very accessible, affordable and non-pretentious. It has beer pong. Even the types of gaming that you have there, the guests know that they can just walk up to it and have a blast at O’Shea’s.

able to walk out and see it. CL: Is the casino driving business to the Promenade or vice versa? BN: We have a little bit of both. We have the hotel rooms and guests that stay with us. They get to gamble and walk out to the Promenade and use those restaurants and shops. Plus, we have a lot of guests from nearby hotels that come to the Promenade because it’s a completely different experience than Las Vegas Boulevard. So they get to come here, experience the restaurants and also get to walk into our casino and just gamble while they’re here. CL: How would you differentiate the experience of the Promenade from that of the Strip? BN: The accessibility that it has. It looks like a residential street that is just filled with the different vendors. The selection process of vendors for the Promenade was very rigorous and it gives you a completely different feel. A lot of these vendors that we have here, like Sprinkles, you won’t find anywhere else on the Strip. It has a

CL: Why was it important that 3535 be an infusion bar? BN: For me, it goes with the demographic. The millennium generation is looking for something that is a little bit more elaborate. It’s hand-crafted; it’s not something you just pour from a bottle and a mixer. It’s something that’s made with care and it gives you a cocktail, quite frankly, that has a different flavor profile. It’s something that [when] you talk to your friends, your friends haven’t had. Those cocktails there, you can post it online on social media and you’re probably going to get a lot of responses because a lot of folks never had bacon-infused bourbon. That’s part of the ‘why’ the infusions are so important for the bar. CL: On the Promenade, what have been the biggest hits? BN: Besides the High Roller, which is a great drive. We don’t have any exact [ridership] numbers. I know that every cabin holds up to 40 people. We’ve had wedding proposals, we’ve had weddings, we’ve corporate parties – we’ve had a lot of different uses for the High Roller. Some of them we were expecting and others were folks getting creative. Brooklyn Bowl for sure. It’s something that a lot of

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locals and folks that visit Vegas weren’t expecting to have. We know how good the experience is for Yard House but Sprinkles has been getting a lot of reviews; Squeeze, as well – fresh-squeezed juices that are made into cocktails has been getting a lot of attention. And also Purple Zebra, which is a fun daiquiri bar, something that folks weren’t expecting. MB: We’re actually having a huge wedding stunt [in the High Roller] for 12/13/14. It’s the last sequential date of the century, so we’re marrying as many people as possible on the High Roller during a two-hour-and-twominute window. CL: How is the Guy Fieri restaurant performing? BN: Very good. We’re now expanding the experience in the patio, just because we had a lot of situations where we had folks trying to get in and we didn’t have the availability. It’s very true to Guy Fieri’s style of cooking and show. His logo is “Go bold or go home.” The food is very rich, delicious and we’ve gotten excellent reviews, so we’re very happy. CL: The hotel rooms, the design is very spare. You could almost call it “austere.” What was the thinking behind that? BN: We wanted to provide an approachable, comfortable but also simple guest room. The guests can just walk in and understand why everything works. We’re always taking in any guest comments, as we would any new brand. If any specific room, we feel that it’s too spare, there’s a lot of things we can add

to it. We just finished Phase One of the project. We’re not completely done with the experience of the guest rooms, so we could always add little touch points to the guest room if we feel like it. But the overall perception of the guests has been very good. A lot of Code Green initiatives have been integrated, which is very important to our guests nowadays. They want to feel like we’re doing decisions that are going with sustainability. We’re trying to be as smart as we can with our waste and that’s been very well received. CL: When you’re finished, will all the pagoda roofs and the other vestiges of Imperial Palace be removed? BN: Absolutely. Right now we’re in the process of it. You can look today and see that one of the pagodas has already been removed. We’re in the process of removing others. That will take us up to next spring. It will make a big difference not having those and all the other Imperial Palace decoration points will be removed. CL: Who is the target customer for the hotel? BN: The hotel’s built in a way that it’s approachable to everyone. But if we were to talk about a target market, it would be a millennium generation, which is somebody in their early thirties which hasn’t reached their peak in their career professionally but they have their own means of traveling. [It’s] somebody that likes to splurge into maybe an expensive dinner or some great retail shopping experience but also is savvy about booking in a hotel that’s approachable, that they can get a competitive price for it and it’s very unpretentious also.

Len Ainsworth and Damien Connelly

EXPERIENCE COUNTS Damien Connelly, Associate Editor of Casino Life, chats with Len Ainsworth and Robert Dijkstra 24

is delivering on all these fronts. It is a beautiful design. The way the chrome edging flows around the screen, and picks up the bill acceptor lights and reflects the screen graphics just draws your eyes and attention to the games on this machine. I have seen the A560 ST in many European casinos I have visited recently and it shouts ‘Quality’ to me. “It all comes back to the quality of the product. And the player appeal of the games. It’s all very well having a machine that will last 20 years, as happened in the early days when machines were mechanical, but if the game is not attractive… In those (mechanical) days, properties might buy hundreds of the same variety of machine. Now, if a casino buys 50 machines, they want 50 different games,” noted Len. “This is a business where you gain a customer, perhaps from the quality of your product and its earning capabilities, and this is where experience counts. If we have experience, we have a better chance of making a better product.”

European Thrust

ery few people build a business from scratch into a global corporation. Even fewer people start a business at 70 after being diagnosed with prostate cancer, and grow that business into a global corporation with over A $244 million sales. An infinitesimal number of people are still running that business as they approach 91. Len Ainsworth is one of those infinitesimal people; special; an innovator; a game-changer; an improver. If you have seen the A560 ST cabinet from Ainsworth, you will know Ainsworth as a company

“Across Europe, we’ve had five or six years that have been difficult for everybody in our industry,” noted Mr. Dijkstra. “This year, we’re seeing a turning point. The industry, in total, is making some positive moves to replacement, investing in new projects, and openings. Overall, the outlook is much more positive than it was over the last few years. “For Ainsworth’s European operations, we are seeing sales in different countries really growing. France, Germany, Poland, Cyprus, Austria, and Luxembourg are markets where we are growing our installed machine base. We gained Casino Cosmopol through a tender, and are one of the preferred suppliers there. We’re moving strongly in the Italian casino market, and we are gaining ground in Monaco. “We are now making machines for the UK B1 category, which will take us into the UK casino market this year. There are many new things happening for us. We have new customers, new territories, and new products. Overall, Ainsworth Europe has a very positive outlook.” This positive outlook is supported by Ainsworth head office. As Mr. Ainsworth stated, “We have the steelwork for our cabinets made here in the UK, which means we have increased local control. We’re

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turning things around a lot faster for our European customers.” “Launched onto the market last year, our A560 ST slant top cabinet has been really well received by our customers. The design of the cabinet is very elegant. We’re going to have our first A560 SBTs installed soon here in Europe, which is the bench-top variation of our innovative A560 ST design. In Europe, we also have our Wide Boy cabinet, as well as our brand new 32-inch A560 SL cabinet that we are currently rolling out. There are a whole range of games, machines, themes, and products we offer the European casino market; with our Multi Win packages leading the pack”. “Our business in Europe has built up progressively,” noted Mr. Ainsworth. “No big casino is going to turn around and buy large numbers unless they know for sure and certain what they are buying. They’ll buy half a dozen at first, and if they’re happy with those they’ll buy increasing numbers.” This emphasis on long-term, win-win relationships that generate repeat business is to be expected for a company mirroring the beliefs of its founder. Commented Mr. Ainsworth, “We treat our customers well. We ensure we deliver quality product and look after their machines regardless of age, as we want to do repeat business.” “The needs of the European market and players are different than those for America or Australia; just as the design of a 5-cent game and

the design of a €1 game are different. 20 years or more ago, you’d use the one combination for all denominations. But they have to be different for best results. A major part of the business is designing a machine that suits a particular market. And you don’t always get it right the first time.” Again, as Mr. Dijkstra noted, “It’s not just player preferences that have to be taken into consideration. It’s necessary to also understand the regulatory issues for each country.” Such a focus on bigger picture issues becomes more important in light of the performance characteristics of their machines. “Our games are performing long term, so things like conversion kits are less frequent for us than most other manufacturers.”

Machine Development When it comes to developing gaming machines, nobody can match the experience Ainsworth has. “The economic lifecycle of a machine is around the five-to-six year mark. You need to introduce something new, certainly every five or so years. That means you are designing five years ahead. Then we take a chance. It can cost A$5 million to A$6 million to introduce a machine. If you are using the same controller and some of the same componentry, it may cost you less. But you have to change your cabinet design every fourand-a-half or five years.” “We are constantly investing and innovating, and are proud to introduce the new A560 SL, the one screen wonder. This wonderfully designed gaming cabinet is set to be turning heads at ICE. Featuring a striking 32”

Len Ainsworth and Robert Dijkstra

High Definition display, 19” LCD Topper option for Jackpot promotion, unique attract lighting package stylised to the game, premium surround sound technology, sky high stacks and breathtaking animations, the new A560 SL provides more than a new attraction on the gaming floor. With machines such as the A560 ST and SL available, I don’t see why a casino would not want such a beautiful design on its floor(s). Indicative of his drive to continually improve, Mr. Ainsworth

commented: “Rest assured we have more outstanding designs coming forward.” Those I would like to see; I’m not sure you can get more outstanding a cabinet than the A560 ST or the A560 SL. When one asks oneself the question: “What does the future hold for Ainsworth and Ainsworth Europe?”, I’m not sure what the answer is. But Mr. Ainsworth is: “You’re going to find us in surprising places.” Look for Ainsworth to surprise you!

Spreading the word Alan Campbell interviews Jurgen De Munck and Michiel Van Dam ahead of this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ICE 2015

global supplier of integrated casino management solutions, DR Gaming Technology, was founded in 2006 by Jurgen De Munck and Michiel van Dam with the aim of providing systems with unique marketing benefits that were simple to understand and implement. The Belgian firm purchased Austrian rival Systems In Progress in the summer of 2011 and now offers a modular series of products that are especially attractive. The Knokke-

based company is to use the upcoming International Casino Exhibition (ICE) 2015 to present its full range of wares with experts on hand to explain just how these innovations can benefit operators in practically every market segment. Alan Campbell spoke with De Munck, who serves as Chief Executive Officer, about the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s past, present and future along with its plans for the upcoming London show.

How has 2014 been for DRGT? This has been a fast-moving year full of hard work and company growth. I personally have spent much time travelling, visiting customers around the world. We are the fastest growing systems company for specific reasons. Today our 30,000 slots are connected with DRGT compared with 8,000 in 2011. The benefits we offer are viewed as the best available in the market by our customers. We work in a global, yet tightly-knit gaming community. The word is spreading. Thus, the amount of enquiries we are receiving is spreading. We are continually working on providing even more market-beating features in our systems technology. We are in constant dialogue with our customers and focus on market needs in the individual market segment. We are a young team, thirsty for success – based on our desire to provide the best systems available in the market. We look to the future, not to our competition. That is why we create solutions that stand out in the market place and are extremely user-friendly. Please expand. What are these specific reasons that makes DRGT stand out? We focused from day one on the technology that best fits the market. I mean here that we work

on a severless basis. All information is contained within the SMIB – which we call drSMIB. Taking a step back, systems used to be seen as a costly necessity and many operators were uncertain on investing here. A server is costly and has to be maintained. Furthermore, a server failure often means all machines going down. That is why we chose serverless technology. Remember – we are a systems company and that is our focus. Systems were generally offered by machine manufacturers whose focus is naturally mainly on slot machines. Our focus is on systems. Secondly, we understand that systems should not be a way to persuade operators to part with older slots that for some reason cannot be connected to a server. Some older slots remain popular. We connect our systems with all slots – it does not matter how old they are or who manufactured them. That gives operators much greater flexibility. It also gives them another reason to invest in a system – as they know they can keep their machine park as they want it. What other factors set DRGT’s products apart from the competition, making them attractive to operators and lead to sales? The gaming market is very much segmented and regulated. Different market segments require

different solutions. The games may look similar around the world but the way they are managed and controlled varies widely. As an independent company, we can advise on optimal solutions. We have created our product range to be extremely flexible and simple to understand. The ‘dr’ prefix is placed in front of all our solutions – such as drCashless, drJackpots or drTable. In that way our customers can immediately associate themselves with out products. They can choose what they need, knowing they can easily expand upon this when required. Many customers begin with ‘drAccounting’ for complete management capabilities and then add on further ‘dr’ services if and when required. The customer tells us what they need. We do not dictate to them yet listen – this open and professional attitude is welcomed in the industry. Do you have plans for any additional expansions or will 2015 be a period of consolidation? I am proud to tell you that we have just opened two new offices – in Colombia and South Africa. DRGT Africa is based in Sandton, South Africa. Now with a dedicated African office we can focus even more on customer requirements – that are very diverse around Africa. Furthermore, business in Colombia is increasing and we have opened an office here to underline our dedication to this market. The Colombian office is the first subsidiary of our Latin American headquarters in Lima, Peru. Can you give us an example on how you have changed a systems market for the better? Communication technology varies. For example,

in some countries the internet connection / wireless is not available or strong enough. In Ghana a major customer of ours makes use of satellite communications to all its sites. The stable communication technology allows them to fully utilise the DRGT Wide Area technology that includes Wide Area Cashless, Wide Area Loyalty and Wide Area Progressives. We were able to do this as we understand our markets and their requirements. This satellite technology is working very well and is a further example on how we go the extra mile to serve our customers. You will be at the upcoming ICE. What will you be exhibiting and what do you hope to get from ICE? What would constitute a successful ICE for DRGT? Will you be releasing any NEW products at ICE? We are very innovative in the field of jackpots.

We will be showing our dynamic Jackpot Elevation for the first time at ICE. This will make participating in the jackpot play even more exciting for the players as their chance of winning increases. The complex mathematics behind this will enable the jackpot to rise initially at a higher rate. Players will see the value more in taking part – making the WAP even more popular. We have improved game reporting for Multi Game on slots. Individual statistics on which games played when with money-in and pay-out are just some of the features. We will be showing more player-based promotion possibilities. Our drScreen is a key product for us – allowing operators to make use of the slot screen to communicate with the player. Direct marketing and promotions can be shown directly on the slot machine. Operators, for example, like to make use of this

to portray promotions and adverts on the upper slot machine screen when it is not being played upon. We will introduce a further drScreen at ICE – the drScreenMiniPT – which is the size if the standard player tracking screen – thus giving operators further choice on how they wish to communicate with their customers. Last but not least – we are introducing drPromoExec at the ICE. This is a suite of software products designed to track and manage loyalty and reward loyalty program members. It manages all aspects of promotions and campaigns and provides mechanisms to evaluate the success (financial and otherwise) of a promotion or campaign. Our international team looks forward to greeting visitors to

Business

BLUNDERS

How and why Casinos need More gaming, not Less by Victor H. Royer

t’s no secret that casino operators are hurting. Caesars is drowning under some $30 billion in debt, and they are now turning their major operating unit into a REIT. Casinos as a real estate firm? Well, I guess it makes sense, from a bankruptcy point, I suppose. (Litigation still pending as of the time of this writing.) Casinos in Atlantic City, New Jersey, are closing, including the $2 billion-plus Revel. The State Governor, Chris Christie, wants to move some casinos up north, to the beach. Well, good luck, is all I can say to this idea. And then there are the recent reductions, such as Foxwoods in Connecticut. Newly appointed CEO, Felix Rappaport, had this to say about the problems at Foxwoods: “We think we have too much gaming.” That’s a quote, from an article written by Mechael Melia for the Associated Press · November 25, 2014 – www.cdcgamingreports.com/foxwoods-biggest-uscasino-cuts-back-on-gambling/ Admittedly, casinos are facing hardships, to a point

where they are cannibalizing themselves to get new customers. At the same time they are lowering the pay tables on their slots and table games, and screwing down the margins to a point where any gaming customer who comes into their casinos suddenly sees their money disappear at breakneck speed, and all before they even have a chance to spot one of the few remaining employees on the floor – or even get a cocktail! And then there are the casinos themselves. Have you seen the Revel? Who in their right mind spent over $2 billion on this? It doesn’t even look like a casino. It looks like a Bank. Or an office building. Doesn’t that tell you anything? Well, it should. It should tell you that the reason why casinos no longer look like casinos, or perform like casinos, is because they are funded by Banks, operated by Bankers, and none of the executives, or funding hedge funds and their managers, know anything about what a casino is, should be, or how to make it remain consistently profitable. These people

know Banks, and Office Buildings, and so that’s what they are creating. Go to any of these “modern” casinos, or those recently acquired or “remodeled” by money from Bankers and investment funds, and what you’ll see are impersonal, cold, bland, uninspiring and eviscerated barns that look like the lobby of a Manhattan Bank, instead of a vibrant and exciting casino full of gambling thrills and action. At the same time all of these gaming executives, fund managers and Bankers, and others in the financial world all complain that these investments are floundering and the ROI just isn’t there. So we have closings, reductions, downgrades, mergers, staff lay-offs, service cutbacks, and so on. And while this is going on, we now have a top executive saying: “We think we have too much gaming.” So what IS the problem? I happen to know Felix Rappaport, and he’s no dummy. He certainly is no slouch when it comes to running a successful casino. When I learned of his appointment to Foxwoods, my first thought was: Great! Here is someone who understands the problems. And someone who is himself from the East Coast – from Philadelphia no less – and so he’s got his finger right on the pulse of that business and that business model, and understands the world of casinos and casino players. So – what happened? How is it that a great guy like Felix can make such a statement? I suspect that it’s because of the pressure of funding, taxes, revenue declines, and so on. And attrition of the “traditional” profitability. And the answer? Rip out the slots and table games and put in – ummm, oh OK – let’s see .... a Nightclub. That’s it! Take out the casino games which make 20% to 40% profit, and replace them with a Nightclub. Or, a Shopping Mall, each of which will make us – ummm – well, about 1% to 6% profit. On a good day. Oh yeah, and while we’re at it, let’s also fire more people and make it even harder for casino gamblers to get any service. And, oh yeah, let’s also get the slots down to the bare minimum payback allowed by the State. And, ummm – while we’re at it, let’s tear down one of the casinos and put up – what? Ummm, OK ... how about a Ferris Wheel! Yeah! Or, maybe a Sports Arena. Or, ummm ... what is that thing they’re doing in Vegas ... oh yeah, rip out the casino altogether and let’s make this into a park with Cafes and Strolling walks for kids. A brilliant idea all around. Right? OK, so all of this is illustrative, of course, and I am not ascribing it to Mr. Rappaport. Only his actual quote, and the removal of about 1,000 slots and about 100 table games, and the building of Nightclubs – as mentioned in the above paragraphs – are factual as

relevant to him and Foxwoods. The rest is related to other business blunders being made in Las Vegas. Those that are caused by others, also on financial strings, and manipulated by Bankers and financiers who know nothing about casinos. So what’s the solution? How do we get casinos profitable again? Without turning them into shopping malls or parks? I recently sat in a meeting room full of casino executives, and I asked them a simple question: How many of you have ever been professional gamblers? No answer. Not one hand went up. So, I asked another question: How many of you have ever been semiprofessional gamblers? Again, no answer, and no hands. So, I asked another question: How many of you play casino games regularly, say once a week, outside of your job requirements? Well? None. So, another question: How many of you, and your respective teams, have been to a casino in the last month for anything other than business reasons? From casino executives, whose job it is to run, operate, manage, supply, market, foster, and make profitable, you’d expect all hands up in the air. Right? Well, in a word: No. None. Not one. Nobody. None of the people in the “Ivory Tower” of the Executive Suites, or their “teams” ever went to a casino for anything other than the requirements of their business. None of them played, or knew about the games much, or anything about what a casino used to be, how it was, and how it should be. To all of them the casino was nothing more than a building into which was placed a “product”, and that “product” had to be “managed” to make money. If it did not, it was tossed out and replaced. The customers weren’t “customers” or “guests”, they were “numbers” in a “stat sheet”, and their value was “coin-in” and “time-on-device” or “hours-at-table”, and – cumulatively – they were generally referred to as “cost to profit ratio.” And how was this data mined? In person? Directly from the “customers”? Well, you’d think so, right? But you’d be wrong! Such “customer data” has become nothing more than event-reports generated by the player tracking software and machine data-dumps. The human equation, and the human element, has been completely obliterated from the casino operating philosophy, and replaced with nothing more than streams of endless, mindless, and impersonal numbers being fed by computers to other computers, and then regurgitated in endless spread sheets and graphs upon which the operational methodology of the casino is then built. Stuff like that turns on math geeks, statisticians, and Bankers and fund managers. But it does nothing to make a casino profitable.

In fact, by so totally dehumanizing the casino experiences, and its operating protocols, this very system that is so prized by Bankers and financiers who lord over and control the casino corporations today, are that which is directly responsible for the operational flaws, woes, and ever-shrinking profits. This problem has become symptomatic industrywide, and is insidiously infecting every aspect of operations, manufacturing, supply, ambiance, experience, and overall status of the gaming industry in its global entirety. Yet the solution is simple. Very simple. What is it? It’s not anything new, or particularly brilliant. It’s always been here, and has always been part of the casino business. It goes like this: Casino first, second, last, always, and in between everything. Period! Forget the shopping malls. Every city has one. Forget the Ferris Wheels. People who want that kind of entertainment can go to Six Flags, or to Disneyland, or to any other city, or destination. Forget the Nightclubs and Day Clubs. All they do is foster hooliganism, and keep people away from the one thing that’s actually profitable: The Casino! Stop building casinos that look like office buildings. Stop renovating casinos to make them look like some kind of a stainless-steel kitchen for a celebrity chef. Start hiring on-the-floor customer service staff. Start making the Slots pay better. Stop throwing out lucky Blackjack players because your table-tracking says he’s a card-counter. Hogwash! Only less than 1% of all people who learn to count cards can actually do it well enough to make money from it. Embrace card counters and skilled players. Make the casino what it should be: A place for Gamblers! Create in your property a casino that is not an “afterthought”. It is – and should be – the ONLY thing that is your priority. If so seen and understood, then it will make you money like a flowing tsunami of cash. Period! Casinos are for gamblers. Make them so again, and you’ll need truckloads to haul away all the cool cash and profits. And you’ll become the darling of the gaming world. All of this is how Las Vegas came to be, and why it was so profitable for so long. Until the bankers and

financiers got to lord over the casino executives, when the old casino operators and innovators died off, or retired. So, that’s why we have the mess that exists today. And young gamblers? That’s another excuse. “Oh, the young people don’t like to gamble.” That’s what is being heard in boardrooms everywhere as we speak. But why is that so? Is it because young people don’t like to gamble? No, they certainly do. The problem is that YOU – the casino executives, operators, and manufacturers – have failed to TEACH them HOW! And to show them the excitement of it, and the thrill of it. But to do so, you yourselves must be part of that thrill, and that experience. If you’re not in the casino at least twice a week playing with the gamblers for real – or at least see what it’s all about – then you don’t know what it is or what it means, or why it’s important to your players. So how can you teach it? Well, you can’t. And if you can’t do it, or don’t want to, then listen to those who CAN so teach. Embrace them, make them part of your Marketing Plans, and let them drive players to YOUR casino. And then sit back and see how casino profits quickly rise. Do this, and you won’t have to take away from the casino. Instead, you’ll be tearing down the silly Nightclubs, Parks, Arenas, Shopping Malls, and so on – and building more casinos, adding slots and table games, and more and more staff to handle all the happy players. It’s not the cannibalization of the market, or the attrition of the traditional player, or the lack of profitability in the casino formula that’s the issue. It’s the understanding that a “casino” is a different animal, and that it – or any of it’s components or supply – cannot be marketed or handled or managed as if it was any other product, be it cars, refrigerators, toasters, or “family vacations.” There are plenty of already-existing markets that more than adequately cater to those requirements from the public. Casinos aren’t it. Casinos are unique, and should be a unique experience. Make it so again, and the money will flow like honey. Your coffers will be full, and all the Bankers and financiers will smile. And that’s what I’d like to see in the casino business – happy bankers, happy financiers, and happy customers. Go back to the simple basics – the casino – learn how to cater to the gambler in all of us, and then it will all be Oh so easy.

Defining Social Media Marketing Why Do Casinos Need to Make Social Media A Part of the Marketing Plan. By Rick Campbell

he internet has transformed the rules of the overall marketing world. A marketer has to transform marketing strategies to make the most from the web-enabled ideas and technologies and this includes social media and social networking. The trouble with any discussion about social media and social networking is the vague definition of either term. In discussions with some marketing executives, I have found that some marketing executives do not see a difference between the two terms. If you search the terms social media and social networking, thousands of definitions come up and all the definitions between both social media and social networking intertwine and overlap. Social Media is an ever growing and evolving collection of online tools, platforms and applications. Social Media provides a way for people to share ideas, content, thoughts, and relationships online. Social media differs from so-called “traditional media” or “mainstream media” in that anyone can create, comment on, and add to social

media content. From Wikipedia 2008, social media was defined as the online technologies and practices that people use to share opinions, insights, experiences and perspectives with each other. Social media includes blogs, wikis, video and photo sharing and much more. Social media also includes travel review sites, restaurant review sites, and any site where people can exchange opinions. Social Networking is a sub-set to social media. Social networking occurs when people or businesses create a profile and interact to become part of a community of friends and like-minded people. The most important part of this definition is the word; interact. To this day, there are many casino companies that still use social media and social networking as a medium of advertising and do not engage a conversation with the audience. Many casino executives that I have discussed social media marketing with have said that their marketing plans have very minimal objectives in social media because of the many issues that can arise from using social media. One issue I hear from many casinos that is a major concern is a story (good or bad) going viral, which ultimately impacts the public perception of the casino, its offerings and the brand. Despite the potential for negative public relations, the marketing opportunity from social media is such that all casino operators will eventually have to engage in social media and not just use it as an advertising medium. Most people associate social media with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube, but it is so much more. To reiterate the definition from above, Social media also includes web sites such as Foursquare, Yelp, TripAdvisor, Hotels.com, blog sites, photo sharing sites â&#x20AC;&#x201C; literally hundreds of places where people, including casino visitors, share news and opinions about their experiences. Whether or not a casino operator says they are not going to get involved with social media, more than likely their business already is because it is being discussed on a social media site. Operators need to know what their customers are saying online. There are a lot of online tools to use to listen to what is being said online about your business. For instance, you can do things like Google alerts as a tool to find what people are saying about your business, your hotel, your restaurants, your games or any number of parts

of your business. It helps with finding out what is being said about your business and also helps to find out where your customers are talking about your business. The key is to establish keywords such as property name, name of restaurants, promotions, entertainers, etc. Just because Facebook is the #1 social media site, does not mean that is where your customers are talking about your business. They could be talking about your business on review sites or in blog postings. Using the right online tools can help you find your customers and where your business is being talked about. Providing the right content on the right social media site and engaging with the customers is only part of the equation. When negative postings appear, the casino operator has to know how to react. Deleting the negative posting should not be an option. It will only lead to a social media crisis and can escalate to epic proportions in minutes, because the negativity will grow from not being addressed and will keep appearing on other sites and blogs. When a crisis management plan is put into place by casino management, it needs to have an entire section dedicated to social media. Every casino company should have a social media policy, not just for the marketing department and customer service staff, but for the entire company because most of the employees at a casino are on social media. Every department in a casino is impacted by social media and needs to be prepared to address issues that may arise on social media that pertain to their department(s). Sometimes complaints are legitimate and the casino operator should take advantage to improve the product and / or service. Address the complaint in the public forum. Always remember, if it is a complaint that cannot be validated, or needs to be addressed with a customer on a personal level, take it offline by addressing through email, phone or in person, but let the public know that it is being addressed. Like any form of marketing, social media takes a lot of thought and planning. Social media creates opportunities for casinos to solidify relationships with their best players, but it does come with risk as social media can also expose a casino operatorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s weaknesses and mistakes. Exposing weakness and mistakes can also create opportunities for a casino operator, as long as the operator has a good social media policy and social media plan in place.

Sales • Distribution • Servicing

Ukraine is a country where casinos are currently illegal. However, plans are underway to bring gambling back legally in late 2015. Before then, please consult with us about potential casino locations, equipment sales, distribution and servicing. Leontovicha street 6A office, Kyiv, Ukraine Tel: + 380 44 230 02 14 • info@aceukraine.com www.aceukraine.com

SPOTLIGHT – ICE 2015 Scientific Games: Stronger Together Entering 2015 as a wholly transformed, diversified, global supplier of gaming entertainment and technology products and services, Scientific Games will demonstrate, for the first time at ICE 2015, the benefits of its recent combination with Bally. The Company’s new global organization is unmatched, bringing together under one roof the powerful Bally, WMS, Shuffle Master, SG Gaming, Williams and Barcrest brands, and a suite of products and services that address casino operators’ diverse needs across their land-based and interactive channels. This comprehensive product portfolio uniquely positions Scientific Games to be our customers’ partner of choice for their gaming product and service needs as we work closely with them to offer unique experiences to players. Our expanded product portfolio and service capabilities make our company Stronger Together and enable us to deliver new benefits to our customers. Highlights of Scientific Games’ new for sale, gaming operations, systems and interactive products on display at ICE 2015 include:

WMS Product Highlights

Leading the Company’s portfolio of WMS-brand products at ICE 2015 is the Blade s23 cabinet, a hybrid slant cabinet that combines the Blade cabinet’s player-favorite features, dual 23” HD displays and the latest Blade cabinet content as well as a captivating bank appearance and dynamic game-driven ambient lighting. The WMS Blade video cabinet, equipped with one of the industry’s strongest performing platforms, the next-generation CPU-NXT3 operating platform, will be shown with a number of new game themes – including 9 Suns and Power and Beauty themes – along with the Cool Jewels theme, the first simultaneous land-based, social and real money wagering launch from WMS and Williams Interactive. Supporting multiple languages and currencies for international markets, the Game Chest HD MultiGame series features eight top-performing themes that players can choose from on an interactive

main menu that displays themespecific reel layouts and features. WMS will also demonstrate a number of new premium participation titles, including THE FLINTSTONES™, AUSTIN POWERS™ and Life of Luxury Progressive themes. Bally Product Highlights Bally brand products on display at ICE 2015 include Friends™, a video slot which reunites players with the beloved characters from the worldwide hit comedy that TV Guide Magazine named one of the 50 greatest shows of all time. Presented on the Pro Theatre cabinet, a new configuration built on the award-winning Pro Wave and topped by a massive 1080p 55-inch display, Friends features many clips of the show’s hilarious moments. MultiDeluxe, on the Pro Series V27/27, is a fourlevel standalone progressive with an interactive second screen feature, showcasing five incredible games in one cabinet: the Mixteca, Golden Relics, Luxury Dreams, Karnak and Yellow Emperor themes. The 88 Fortunes and 5 Treasures themes will also be featured on the Duo Fu Duo Cai link which offers players the chance for much luck and wealth. Both titles feature All Up, Reel Ways, Free Games that can be re-triggered, and the Fu Bat Jackpot Feature, which awards players one of four progressive levels. The 88 Fortunes and 5 Treasures themes are offered on the Pro Series V22/22, V22/22 Hammer Head and V27/27 slant cabinets. Other key Bally premium participation content includes The Blob™, Betty Boop’s™ Firehouse and two Wonder Woman™ titles.

Bally Systems Highlights

Bally Systems’ strong presence at ICE 2105 includes several key product offerings. The award-winning Elite Bonusing Suite– including applications such as U-Spin Bonusing, DM Tournaments and Virtual

SPOTLIGHT – ICE 2015

Racing – combines with iVIEW Display Manager to enable playercentric bonusing events that add dramatic new levels of excitement and anticipation to the slot-play experience. Tournaments Express is a stand-alone tournament system designed to offer exciting tournaments on more than 100 cabinets from various manufacturers, easily and quickly converting revenue-producing games to tournament games. In addition, the Bally Enterprise Progressive System enables operators to easily manage and audit their progressives from one central location, consolidating existing progressive system and controller offerings into one powerful system.

Shuffle Master Product Highlights

The Shuffle Master brand returns to the ICE floor this year with a comprehensive suite of products. The Safe-Bacc system is a revolutionary new product that combines a shuffler and cardreading shoe to increase game speed and improve security on baccarat tables while i-Deal Plus is the Company’s next generation i-Deal shuffler. Tablemaster Fusion, shown with blackjack at ICE 2015, transports the fast-paced excitement of live table gaming to a fully electronic platform thanks to its high-definition, 72-inch LCD display with attractive virtual dealers and 22-inch widescreen player terminals with touchscreen betting, enhanced graphics, and multiple side bets. Free Bet Blackjack heads a lineup of proprietary table games on display that also includes DJ Wild Poker and Ultimate Texas Hold’em.

SG Gaming Product Highlights

SG Gaming (UK) will demonstrate a full suite of Ticket in Ticket Out (“TITO”)-capable terminals, including the cutting edge T8 and Clarity terminals and the renowned Triple 7 and Infinity terminals. Innovative games at ICE 2015 include category C

community games created in conjunction with WMS– including THE WIZARD OF OZ™ Ruby Slippers theme – along with B3 titles such as Moon Shadow, and Spartacus Gladiator of Rome themes. SG Gaming will also showcase its server-based solution for Arcade and Bingo venues which is offered on the Company’s Triple 7, T8 and Infinity terminals. This solution includes TITO functionality and allows for operational efficiencies through ticket redemption stations. It also offers full service terminal installation, exclusive content, a robust system and full service, support and account management.

Interactive Product Highlights

In addition to showcasing robust land-based gaming options at ICE 2015, SG’s Interactive team will be featuring Game Server content as well as its new iGaming platform. The Game Server content will highlight a number of 2014 hits as well as upcoming slot and table game titles from the Company’s Williams, Barcrest, Bally and Shuffle Master studios, including dual-release content for simultaneous launch across desktop and mobile channels. Featured games on display will include a number of proven land-based performers launching in 2015 to the Company’s Remote Game Server, including Zeus 1000, Ooh Aah Dracula, Aftershock, Three Card Poker and Quick Hits Platinum themes, among others. In addition, the Company’s first online progressive game, Rainbow Riches Progressive theme, will be on display, taking one of the biggest names in online slots and making it even bigger with the inclusion of incrementing jackpot awards. The Company’s new iGaming platform solution, which represents new technology powered by the combination of Bally Interactive and Williams Interactive, will empower land-based casinos to keep their players in the game. It offers on-property players a mobile wagering option property-wide or in specific areas such as sports books or gamblertailored lounges and off-property desktop and mobile players robust free-play and social-style casino games under the casino operator’s brand. By providing players incremental options for ways to engage with the casino and enjoy their favorite casino-style games, SG’s iGaming platform solution will allow casinos to better engage both current and new players directly in the palm of their hand.

SPOTLIGHT – ICE 2015

Gaming Incubator

Incubating Gaming Companies for Increased Profitability and Sustainable Growth We are proud to exhibit for the first time at the London International Casino Exhibition in London from February the 3rd - 5th, 2015. The Gaming Incubator is an established advisory company with extensive experience in Land-based, Online and Social gaming to cover the broad spectrum of the gaming industry. We have a physical presence in UK and Hyderabad, India additionally with a number of Partners located in the U.S. and Asia. We have conducted business in over 65 countries. Our mission is to help entrepreneurs navigate from Start-up through Growth to Exit and beyond... Our strategic approach is to: • Find Raw Diamonds – Companies/Entrepreneurs that have a winning combination of the talent and drive to succeed together with a gaming concept/ product with the potential to develop into a scalable and profitable business; • Polish the Diamonds – The period in which we provide Advisory and Hub Support services to our clients to support and accelerate traction and profitability

business models and operating opportunities. We believe that in mature markets with limited product differentiation our ability to recognise, qualify and support the growth of innovation makes us an ideal strategic partner, advisor and investor. As he continues, “Our services are categorized under Advisory (strategy, business and financial planning), Capital (process, execution) and Hub Support (all non-core operating activities). Our value to our incubator clients rests in our ability to provide top-level advisory services whilst supporting operations with a subsidised low cost central operating Hub. For investors we are attractive as we provide packaged opportunities with the aim of delivering the ‘diamonds’ whilst supporting and leveraging growth”. He states that the Gaming Incubator works hard to support teams and companies that have the potential of having an immediate and long-term impact. If you would like more information or would like to meet with us, we will be exhibiting at ICE on booth N7-366.

• Leverage on Scale – Where we provide access to our Network and Ecosystem together with our Hub Support services to support profitable growth. Ben Dodds, founder and General Manager, explains, “Our focus is on unique gaming technology,

GAMING INCUBATOR 43

SPOTLIGHT â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ICE 2015

Cammegh to deliver a fabulous spread at ICE 2015

SPOTLIGHT – ICE 2015

ammegh, makers of the world’s finest roulette wheels, will debut Spreadbet Roulette; dynamic new roulette side bet, recently approved by the UK Gambling Commission, at ICE 2015. The unveiling of Cammegh Spreadbet Roulette gives operators the opportunity to offer a wider range of roulette bets with exciting new payout levels. Operators with existing Cammegh 360 wheels and Billboard displays can offer the thrilling new roulette-based side bet, with configurable payouts from even money up to 1,200 to 1. In addition to Cammegh Spreadbet Roulette, a brand new range of Billboard display panels will be shown. Complimentary to the current range, the new slim double sided screens conceal a host of new features together with pin sharp, customizable graphics. Cammegh will also be showing its EyeCard Plus card recognition system, Slingshot 2 automated wheel and a roulette bundle which combines Cammegh’s renowned Mercury 360 wheel, with Bally

Technologies’ Chipstar, roulette table and colour wheel checks as part of a single source solution. All this will be on show alongside the Billboard MediaPro, MultiBoard and complete array of analysis options from Cammegh. The ICE 2015 show in London will also mark the 25th anniversary of Cammegh and the whole team looks forward to welcoming everyone to stand S6-120 to celebrate this very special occasion.

SPOTLIGHT – ICE 2015

ICE

PREVIEW

Eric Tom, IGT EVP of Global Sales

SPOTLIGHT – ICE 2015 When the gaming world converges on ExCel London for ICE Totally Gaming 2015, there will be no mistaking that IGT has once again built the industry’s most exciting, end-to-end product portfolio. IGT’s dazzling showcase of gaming innovation will be on display in Stand N2-240. “Our ICE 2015 portfolio is a direct reflection of our commitment to our customers and IGT’s leading role in cultivating thrilling gaming experiences,” said Eric Tom, IGT EVP of Global Sales. “Our customers look to IGT to push the envelope of innovation. The cross-platform content, hardware advancements and casino management systems that IGT will spotlight at ICE will speak volumes about our laser focus on meeting our customers’ demands of today and capturing the opportunities of the future.” A must-see from IGT’s collection of gamechanging innovations is the all-new CrystalDual Cabinet. Making its world debut at ICE, this sensational hardware is a sister product to the widely praised CrystalCore cabinet. The CrystalDual will appeal to players with its dynamic player experience and modern design, while operators will value the hardware’s improved serviceability features and the refreshed look that it will bring to casino floors. The CrystalDual boasts a pristine touch screen display and a user-friendly digital player panel. This standout hardware is backed by an exciting library of game content, including both legacy titles and new themes including Golden Eagle, The Fates and the recently introduced title, King Reels. IGT’s famous prancing pachyderm, Tipsy the pink elephant will bring the party to ICE with a fresh take on one of IGT’s most widely loved themes - Party Time. This multi-level progressive boasts the same time-tested base games and identical math

that propelled the original version of this title to the top of players’ minds. Destined to be a hit, Party Time features refreshed versions of Mystical Mermaid, Wolf Run Party, Prairie Party and Trailer Park Party, including improved sound, graphics and presentation. Players in the bonus events will recognize the delightful, twirling Tipsy the pink dancing elephant as they play for big payouts. Other showstoppers from “Out of the Blue,” include Race Ace: the latest addition to IGT’s skill-based Video Reel Edge (VRE) game family that allows players’ skill in the bonus round to influence their bonus reward, tokidoki: a colorful, high-volatility and attention-grabbing spin on the widely loved lifestyle brand and the Dynasty Edition series: a revamped, refined and re-launched collection of several of the Company’s top-performing titles including Wolf Run, Siberian Story and Treasure of Troy. IGT Interactive will spotlight a vast portfolio of the industry’s finest cross-platform content for mobile and desktop. Must-see new titles to join IGT’s MegaJackpots game family include SHERLOCK HOLMES, Family Guy and the widely acclaimed title, Wheel of Fortune. To learn more about IGT and the Company’s ICE product portfolio visit igt.com or join at the conversation via @ IGTNews and #igtblue.

SPOTLIGHT – ICE 2015

Interblock’s upgraded G5 generation of products to be presented at ‘ice 2015 london show’!

SPOTLIGHT – ICE 2015

t is a great pleasure to welcome our customers, business partners and friends in the gaming industry to meet with us and see the presentation of company’s 18th visit to the International Gaming Expo - ICE Totally Gaming in London at the ExCel venue, the unique waterfront location in the heart of London’s Royal Docks from February 3-5, 2015. All the products that will be displayed at ICE London 2015 show will be our latest, newest and most innovative design ever in the industry: * G5 MiniStar Roulette with 05 Play Stations with Single Sided PID and LED Sign Straight Single Sided (Single Zero Game and TouchDown Side Bet) * G5 MiniStar Roulette with 08 Play Stations with Double Sided PID and LED Sign Round (Single Zero Game and GoalRoulette! Side Bet) * G5 MiniStar Roulette with 10 Play Stations with Double Sided PID and LED Sign Round (Single Zero Game and Jackpot Progressive Golden Chip) * NEW Terminal for Power Tournament Support * G5 Roulette Generator with 10 G5 Play Stations with PID and Roulette Sign (Single Zero Game) * G5 Dice Generator (StandAlone) with Craps Game * G5 Card Generator (StandAlone) with Multihand Blackjack Game * G5 Live Roulette Generator (Stand-Alone) with Single Zero Game * G5 Live Card Generator (Stand-Alone) with Baccarat Game

* G5 Live Dice Generator (Stand-Alone) with Craps Game * G5 IBHG 55’’ with 05 Play Stations (Blackjack, Multihand BJ or Baccarat Game) * G5 Star Bar with Power Meter, Physical Buttons and Button Deck LCD * IB Multidata Terminal * Special Project for Belgium market: Wheel of Dice with 06 Play Stations The latest product released by Interblock was for the newest Interblock game, Video Poker (G5 Poker), which features a variety of titles and can be displayed in two distinct formats. Available as a single game or part of a multiplay setup and the most important, the game is available also on a Star Bar, this new technology that redefines the gaming experience on a bar surface, as well as any G5 Interblock play station. Under a new company Slogan, Interblock will present the latest and most innovative G5 products accompanied with one of the most popular games on Casino Floors, the brand new presentation of Interblock’s G5 Poker Game on one of the Star Bar products. Join us at Interblock booth # S3 - 310!

SPOTLIGHT – ICE 2015

APEX gaming – The ICE Preview APEX gaming sends out a warm welcome to the forthcoming ICE that will take place between 3rd and 5th February at the ExCel in London. Once again APEX gaming will be showing even more gaming solutions on its stand number S3-350. ENLARGED INTERNATIONAL SALES TEAM Innovative APEX gaming solutions are in demand and the team has been strengthened to offer even stronger support. Mr. Max Pessnegger is looking forward to his first ICE with APEX as CEO (with Mr. Johannes Weissengruber now being the company Chairman). Furthermore, Mr. Kubilay Özer will be leading the sales team in his position of Global Sales Director, having joined APEX in December. His international experience will be put to optimal use with the ever-expanding solutions of APEX gaming. NEW UPDATED PINNACLE GAMING CABINET SERIES The Pinnacle gaming machines have received a facelift. This not only retains the youth of the Pinnacle yet also offers even more space to present the HD graphics of the APEX games. The upright Pinnacle 22” has now been updated to the Pinnacle 24” and the slant top Pinnacle SL is now equipped with 27” screens. These new gaming machines retain all the benefits customers are accustomed to, such as optimal component choice, security and patented cooling system to enable 24/7 gaming entertainment. THE EVO PLATFORM The EVO platform within the Pinnacle gaming

machines allows the APEX games to be brought to life. This is the platform of the future which enables both 3D and 2D games to be played upon. Operators can offer their customers more games choice here. The standard choice is with five 3D games, twenty classic games and two brand new games – namely Red Hot 20 and Red Hot Burning. The games are clearly structured on the screen and can be simply chosen with the same technology that users are used to from smartphones and tablets. THE iDROP – UNITING BOTH SLOTS WITH TABLE GAMING AND SLOTS AND MOBILE GAMING The iDROP is making waves in the global gaming industry and rightly so. The iDROP is available in two versions: The iDROP is the perfect table game solution that has filled an important gap in the market place – namely as the link between table, slots gaming, accounting and the casino management system. It combines security, speed and flexibility and accepts and can also dispense tickets. It contains a banknote reader with bulk note feeder so that croupiers can enter the notes in a bundle. The ticket printer can then print out a ticket if required (for cashing out or should the player wish to only exchange part of the ticket win for chips, then the remaining value is returned in ticket form). The iDROP can be integrated into all systems and its real-time accounting information enables management to have complete and immediate information of the iDROP contents. The second key factor of the iDROP is that it unites land-based slots gaming with mobilebased tablet gaming. Gaming operators have the

SPOTLIGHT – ICE 2015 possibility to offer tablet gaming to their customers. The question is how to link the slots and tablets. The solution is the iDROP. The money on the ticket is converted to credit on the tablet. On cashing on the tablet, the credit is transferred to a ticket thanks to the iDROP. APEX MOBILE SLOTS APEX provides complete solutions. This naturally also relates to mobile gaming. The name is APEX MOBILE SLOTS. The APEX games are simple to integrate on any standard (Androidbased) tablet. Operators can therefore offer their customers the solution to unite slots and mobile gaming on their premises. The classic games such as Leonardo’s Code, Arriva, Ocean Tale and Red Hot Fruits are already available for mobile play. APEX PLAYER STATION APEX gaming formally introduced the APEX PLAYER STATION (APS) at the last ICE. Much has happened since then. It is already certified for the market in Macau. This fully electronic multiplayer offers four table games Roulette, Baccarat, Sic-Bo and Quikker. Quikker is unique to APEX and is a card-based table game that is just great to play. Come to the APEX stand to find out just why.

The APS can be connected to a total of four roulette wheels – giving players more choice and operators even more reasons to choose APEX. These include both electronic and live wheels. Furthermore, APEX gaming offers its customers the chance to integrate the APEX slot games into the APS. The APS is terminalbased. The customer decides how many player positions there should be. Any future expansion is simple to integrate. Players have the complete choice on four table games and the APEX slot games here. AND MUCH, MUCH MORE…! This year’s ICE promises so much for APEX customers, as Mr. Johannes Weissengruber, founder and Chairman, points out: “We are dedicated to taking gaming to the next level. Our new management structure represents this and our product range has never been so large and innovative. This will be an ICE never to forget”.

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea

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ICE is where it happens

A key date in our events calendar

DISCOVER AT ICETOTALLYGAMING.COM EXCEL, LONDON 3RD - 5TH FEB 2015

@TOTALLYGAMINGHQ #ICEGAMING

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We would never miss the ICE show

The most important international show of the year

AFFILIATE PROGRAMMES, ASSOCIATIONS, AWPS, BETTING EXCHANGES, BINGO EQUIPMENT, CASH HANDLING, CASINO MANAGEMENT, CCTV, CHIPS, COMPONENTS, CONSULTANTS, CRM, EPOS, FOBTS, FRAUD, LOTTERY, MEDIA, MOBILE, ONLINE, PAYMENT, POKER, RECRUITMENT, REGULATORS, ROULETTE, SECURITY, SLOTS, SOCIAL GAMING, SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, SPARES, SPORTS BETTING, TABLE GAMES, VIDEO, WIRELESS

SPOTLIGHT – ICE 2015

Aristocrat adds more dimensions to ICE through gaming operations portfolio

ristocrat Technologies is planning to take operators on a mind blowing exploration of a new dimension at ICE 2015 (London, 2nd-5th February) with a multifaceted line-up of gaming operations products spanning a premium collection of licensed brands and linked solutions. S2-250 in the South Hall of the ExCeL Centre will feature major centrepiece attractions recently introduced, due for imminent launch and currently under development for later release to European gaming floors. Taking prime position at the front of house will be

three globally renowned brands exclusively hosted on Aristocrat’s new Wonder Wheels™ dual-seat immersive pods. Standing a colossal 3.2m (10.5’) high with game play portrayed on a 55” vertical screen and three mechanical wheels and added effects through the interactive iChair™, the Wonder Wheels banks have been optimised for play on Aristocrat’s new, advanced Helix™ Slant lowboy cabinet and come in both single- and doublefaced variations. Pending imminent release in Europe, the first title in the Wonder Wheels series is the Batman™ Classic TV Series slot game, featuring characters and animations from the original 1960s hit television series, with the legendary Adam West and Burt Ward fending off The Joker, The Riddler and Catwoman. Each playing position has its own mechanical wheel whilst playing this 25-line, 250-credit max bet game in denominations of 1c, 2c

SPOTLIGHT – ICE 2015 or 5c. There’s also a central bonusing wheel for the game-bank, where players can work up to the Single Site Progressive (SSP) Jackpot. Along the way taking in bonus mini-games in which players join the Dynamic Duo in crime-fighting exploits against their arch enemies. Follow-up titles in the towering Wonder Wheels range will also be displayed on Aristocrat’s ICE stand. The first involves stepping up to the 1970s to join Superman™ The Movie. Here players will reach for the heights of the SSP Jackpot on an Xtra Reel Power™ configuration, battling against Lex Luthor and saving Lois Lane across a range of interactive, content-rich bonusing games in familiar settings including the Daily Planet and Fortress of Solitude. Due for release later this year, Aristocrat will also demonstrate the latest developments on its third Wonder Wheels title, themed on the hilarious US movie release, Ted™, featuring actors Mark Wahlberg and Seth MacFarlane and a real-life teddy bear. Ted’s close to the knuckle capers helped the film become the highest-grossing R-rated comedy of all time upon its release in 2012, grossing $550M worldwide. Aristocrat has seen huge successes with its Tarzan™ franchise in North American gaming operations and is now set to see the king of the

jungle swing into Europe with the new release of Tarzan of the Apes™. Another jackpot attraction, this game features a raft of audio-visual interactive features, including a large animated progressive wheel and four jungle adventure-based mini features. Available in 3 and 4-seat modules, a 55” HD display integrated into signage and interactive iChairs take players deep into these legendary adventures. Another eagerly-awaited arrival, the first link game in Aristocrat’s hugely popular E*Series™, Pixie Wishes™ will be making its first showing in Europe at ICE 2015. Two of this entertainment segment’s most successful games of 2014, Sky Rider™ Golden Amulet™ and Silver Treasures™ are now being boosted with the addition of a multi-level Hyperlink™ progressive overhead, accessed by a magical Pixie Wishes 3x3-reel feature awarding jackpots, credit prizes, free re-spins and an interactive pick-‘em feature. Standalone games also feature strongly amongst Aristocrat’s range of premium licensed games

SPOTLIGHT – ICE 2015

with the content-rich rock masterpiece, The Rolling Stones™ slot game being joined by another high profile Feature Top Box game, Let’s Make A Deal™. Based on the hit US game show, this is pure entertainment American-style, packed with over-thetop features incorporating the host and characters from the show and a five-level jackpot where bigger is clearly better! “Aristocrat’s gaming operations portfolio has to be the strongest currently in the market, with some of the most widely recognised film, television and musicinspired brands, backed by multi-billion dollar investments already made by the world’s biggest publishing and production houses,” stated Donal Maguire, Sales & Marketing Director - Europe. “With such a range of ready-packaged marketing armoury and arguably the best maths and audio-visual creativity out there today, we are confident that operators will find these compelling opportunities irresistible in the on-going challenge of to sharpen their competitive

edge and expanding their player bases.” “We will also be parading some spectacular new future concepts in hardware and software, so fresh in the development cycle, they’ll be up-to-the minute prototypes that will leave stand visitors simply awestruck,” Mr Maguire added, concluding, “This gaming operations segment completes a quartet of groundbreaking new genres for 2015, joining our portfolio of E*Series™, J-Series™ and C-Series™ games in a total collection that transcends existing boundaries and takes gaming into a whole new dimension.”