Casino life january 2015 high res

January 2015

DRAGONARA CASINO Malta’s Premier Gaming Destination celebrating 50 years of Excellence

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

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Editor’s page Welcome to Casino Life...

… and to our first issue of 2015. As ever we have a bumper packed edition but more of that later.

Fresh out of the blocks for us this month is a new venture – Casino Play – that will act as an electronic sister to Casino Life.

It’s been an organic development but in my experience slow burning ideas tend to prove to be the most robust. Generally we noticed that our international team of journalists was spending more and more time talking to casinos about the aspects that affect player choice and decisions – not just the commercial aspects. Alongside, everyone is aware that slot manufacturers have diversified, becoming more customer facing, offering popular games on line and even testing some games online before production. Finally, it’s opportune that our online readership is increasingly containing more and more consumers. Players are becoming more interested in the nuts and bolts of casinos; what games are new and going to be on the floor soon and so, rather than become more tightly focused, we’ve diverged and our new venture offers consumers an insight into casinos, how they run, what games to play and which casinos are going to welcome them with open arms! This platform also offers manufacturers the ideal showcase for their new games. Please bookmark casinoplaymagazine.com now and follow our developments.

Back to this issue and we have a cracking start with an interview with Svetlana Buckova at the Dragonara casino in Malta which is definitely on my “list of casinos to visit” later this year. I’m continually amazed by the number of people I have met who either worked at the Dragonara or have visited it – all regarding it fondly.

David McKee brings us up to speed on a year of the USA experiencing online gaming with the market still starting to get it’s bearings whilst still Stateside our special correspondent Jack Bulavsky takes a closer look at the Bally Tech tables games gaining popularity in Europe.

IGT are in the news with their imminent merger but Sabby Gill still found time to talk to me about how the company is still pushing the boundaries of innovation – their latest being an extended IGT tour for operators globally.

Read more on page 18.

Chris Moore keeps sending great copy reminiscing about the old days but in his photos appears younger each time. Perhaps it’s his foray into fiction that’s doing it? Peter White finds out more. Out to defy the would-be villains Chris creates is Jeremy Cassady, Managing Director for Securikey, who looks at the importance of a secure facility for storing cash and chips in casinos.

Finally we end with a round-up of some of the products that you’ll be seeing at ICE and be reviewing soon on Casino Play!

Glyn Thomas Editor in Chief

Contents 4 Guest Comment provided by Harald Neumann, Chief Executive Officer of the Board of Directors, NOVOMATIC AG 6 50 Years of Excellence Glyn Thomas talks to Svetlana Buckova, Director of Operations at Dragonara Casino in Malta 12 Terra incognita After a year of legal online gambling, the market tries to get its bearings. By David McKee 18 Develop & Evolve Glyn Thomas interviews Sabby Gill Senior Vice President International Sales at IGT 22 Bally Tech Table Games Find Home in Europe Gabe Baron GM & Sr Director of Electronic Table Games & Mike Trask Sr Manager of Corporate Communications. spoke about these products to Jack Bulavsky 26 Misperception of Win Cards How Casinos Can Attract New Players at No Cost,

by Victor H Royer 30 Hidden Casino Peter White chats to Chris Moore - Author of Hidden Casino & Dark Casino 34 Bespoke modular vaults are a safe bet for casino owners Jeremy Cassady, Managing Director for Securikey, looks at the importance of obtaining a secure facility for storing cash and chips in casinos.

38 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.

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Guest Comment

t is both a pleasure and an honour to be asked to write this article as a Guest Editor of Casino Life, a publication that is highly regarded both by its journalistic peers and by the entire international gaming community.

We are all very soon to gather in London for a particularly special edition of what is, without doubt, the best gaming show on earth: ICE Totally Gaming. This year is special because it marks the 21st birthday of ICE; an event that has grown from relatively modest beginnings to become the world’s biggest gaming show and a meeting place that is of such great importance for the whole gaming industry.

Since joining the NOVOMATIC Group in 2011, as Managing Director of Austrian Gaming Industries GmbH, I have seen just why it is that ICE is of such paramount importance to our business. ICE sets the scene and also the business climate for each year and, as traditionally the show’s largest exhibitor, it is vital that NOVOMATIC – Europe’s undoubted number one gaming group and also a significant world player – continues to play its part to maximum effect. Just as in NOVOMATIC’s own business ICE has, over the past years, seen many changes in our industry and has had many challenges to overcome. That ICE has continued

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to grow and build its success is a tribute to the hard work and dedication of its organising team.

After taking up the position of CEO, NOVOMATIC AG, in October of last year (my role actually commenced on what was the second day of the G2E show in Las Vegas) I have committed myself and our global workforce to help take NOVOMATIC on to greater success, through entering new markets, seeking out new initiatives and forging new relationships. Against the background of the challenging global economic climate that has existed over the past seven years the tasks ahead of us will not be easy but, with our ambition, our track record of global success and our superb workforce team of gaming professionals, I am confident that NOVOMATIC will rise to the challenge.

Finally, let me invite you all to visit NOVOMATIC at ICE in London and see for yourselves the strength and depth of our Group and the excellence of the innovative products that we will display. You can be assured of a warm welcome and also the traditional Austrian hospitality for which we are rightly famous.

I look forward to seeing you at ICE Totally Gaming in London!

Mag. Harald Neumann Chief Executive Officer of the Board of Directors, NOVOMATIC AG

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50 Years of Excellence Glyn Thomas talks to Svetlana Buckova, Director of Operations at Dragonara Casino in Malta

Svetlana, can you provide some background to the casino? How large and what facilities does it have?

The Dragonara Casino is the foremost casino in Malta situated in a fortified 19th century palace.

Built in 1870 and converted into a Casino in 1964, 50 years ago, the Casino has grown from strength to strength and is now synonymous to one of the most prestigious land based casinos in Southern Europe.

The Casino is a source of unique entertainment for the avid player as well as the recreational player.

The Casino has 300 slot machines providing slot players with a choice of hundreds of games as well as the full range of table games, including but not limited to American Roulette, Black Jack, Ultimate Texas Holdem and Punto Banco to mention a few.

The Casino, which is situated in the most affluent location in Malta, is surrounded by a number of high-class 5 star resorts thereby providing a holistic approach for foreigners travelling to Malta all year round.

You have recently celebrated the casinos 50th anniversary in July 2014 – how were the celebrations?

The 50th anniversary celebrations culminated on the 15th July 2014 with a grand evening at the Casino and the surrounding grounds. Dignitaries and other special guests were invited to celebrate with us this milestone event. A live concert was followed by a reception for some 600 guests some of whom visiting the Casino for the first time. The atmosphere was electric and the guests enjoyed

themselves to the early hours of the morning.

Celebrating 50 years in the entertainment and gaming industry in Malta gives perspective to our operation and places us amongst the elite in Europe. The Dragonara Casino is a jewel in the Mediterranean and its location is quite unique.

Can you tell us more about your new entertainment complex and poker venue?

During the 50th year anniversary event, we unveiled our plans for a multi-million euro expansion and restoration programme within the Dragonara Casino complex. The first part of the project is the reconstruction of the Dragonara Point building at the Northern tip of the Dragonara Peninsula. This building which originally served as the Serving Quarters of the late noble Marquis Scicluna when the Dragonara Palace was utilised as his summer residence, later was converted into a slots area.

The building is now in a state of dilapidation and cannot be utilised for commercial purposes.

Our plan is to convert this building into a multipurpose entertainment complex capable of hosting international poker events, private gaming suites, high-end deluxe accommodation for high-rollers and an entertainment venue capable of attracting top international brands. The poker venue itself will be overlooking breath taking views of both the St George’s and St. Julian’s bay and will be capable of hosting the top international poker events. Once completed it will be the most important poker venue in Southern Europe.

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I understand that at the main event you revealed plans for a multi-million euro expansion and restoration programme – can you tell us more on those two issues?

That is correct. We unveiled our plans for the expansion and restoration programme. These investment plans have been very well received by the Government and we are currently discussing with the Authorities on the implementation plan.

Restoring the Palace and its surrounding grounds to their original grandeur is a top-priority for us. We take pride in being able to operate within one of the most important buildings in Malta, a grand romantic folly embracing a 19th century Palace at the tip one of Malta’s most prominent Peninsulas. Over the years the fortifications and some buildings within the Palace grounds have been left to ruin. Our aim is to restore them to their original splendour as we contribute tangibly to the Valletta 2018 European Capital of Culture project.

Obviously, to be in a position to undertake such an investment, we must also invest in improving our product. Our plans for poker, private gaming, deluxe

accommodation and non-gaming entertainment will complete our vision for the Dragonara Complex as we aim to position this venue as one of the most vibrant locations in Southern Europe.

What do you think makes your casino so special?

We take pride in the history of the Dragonara Casino. We leverage the grandeur of the Palace to be able to provide our guests with a great night out. Our high quality of service, built on our drive for excellence is what enables us to do justice to our ambience. I have been operating in Casinos for a long number of years and I have yet to see and experience the atmosphere that is created around the Dragonara Casino. Players from all over the world visit us to enjoy this unique experience. This mix of cultures in a historic setting shrouded by the vibrant atmosphere of a casino complex makes the Dragonara Casino a place to visit, at least once in your life.

What is the general breakdown of equipment in the casino? Do locals prefer table or slot action?

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We have a very nice range of the games offered; classic table’s games such as American Roulette, Punto Banco, Black Jack, different kinds of poker – Caribbean Stud, Three Card Poker, Ultimate Texas Holdem as well as cash games and daily tournaments. As for slots, we are very proud to offer the latest products from world leading suppliers such as IGT, AGI, Aristocrat and Spielo.

In general, the local clientele give preference to slots.

Which slot games are hot at the moment?

Each supplier has its top performing games. The general rule is always: The simpler, the better!

Do you approach visitors differently from locals from a marketing perspective?

Malta attracts over 1.5 million tourists every year. This provides us with a relatively large volume of visitors when compared to a local population of approximately 400,000 inhabitants. We therefore approach the international market quite differently from the local market. The aim of our marketing efforts internationally is to attract new visitors to our property. This is done in conjunction with other entities that promote Malta as a holistic destination in which gaming and entertainment are essential market segments. We heavily invest in outdoor signage as any visitor can note when passing through the Malta International Airport as well as the Seaport.

For our local players we concentrate more on promotions rather than above-the-line advertising.

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This enables us to bring players to our property on a more regular basis.

What do you have apart from gambling to keep players entertained?

Our best kept secret apart from the casino itself is the Dragonara Brasserie and the Marquis Terrace.

These two properties provide our patrons with exquisite fine dining in a setting with incredible ocean views.

Our Executive Chef prepares impeccable Mediterranean mouthwatering dishes.

Visiting the casino and enjoying a meal in one of our properties is highly recommended.

Moreover, the property itself is a stone throw away from the Malta’s most vibrant night life location with a choice of hundreds of other restaurants, night clubs and bars.

Malta is renowned for being a top tourist destination with plenty of entertainment and sport - when you are not at work how do you relax?

Malta has a lot to offer as a destination. If you like culture Malta offers an incredible selection of historic sites dating back from 5000 B.C. Visiting multiple sites is possible since the island is small enough to enable you to travel from one place to another in a relatively short time. Malta is also synonymous to good weather, great beaches, and a vibrant party atmosphere. So whether you’re into a cultural holiday or here to party Malta offers a great destination.

Terra incognita

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After a year of legal online gambling, the market tries to get its bearings. By David McKee

eports of the death of online gambling in the United States have greatly exaggerated.

We’ve just passed the first anniversary of legalized Internet play in New Jersey and, true, Betfair Poker has folded its hand and Ultimate Gaming has gone out of business completely.

But Caesars Entertainment continues to flourish, marketing its product through a variety of online platforms: HarrahsCasino. com, CaesarsCasino.com and WSOP.com. It also offers online poker play in Nevada but the greatest volume has been in New Jersey. In Year One, Caesars has seen $910,547,346 in wagers, with $529,157,594 bet on casino games and $381,389,752 changing hands on the

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cyber-felt in poker. Players have ranged from 21 years of age to one punter of 101. Seth Palansky, vice president of corporate communications for parent company Caesars Interactive, sat down with us to discuss the first year of digital gambling and what the future holds for Caesars and players alike.

When it comes to the onlinegaming industry in the U.S., should we look at the glass as half-full or half-empty?

It’s clearly one-eighth full. That’s the right way to look at it. We are in the very early stages. This is like taking the land-based environment and taking it back to when there were just a couple of casinos in Las Vegas. Now

regulations are right in New Jersey and Nevada. It’s a high bar you must reach to be able to game to begin with. We’re a trusted, known, longstanding brand.

Poker, there’s no one older than us: We date back to 1970, the World Series of Poker. People know it and trust it. We’ve been operating it without any issues successfully and for a long time, and obviously the Caesars and Harrah’s brands are outstanding brands as well. So that helps. If you’re going to adopt, it helps to have something that has that brand awareness.

You combine with what’s been our stronghold in the land-based world: our loyalty program that we’re accepting in our online casino and poker rooms as well.

We have 50 million people in our database – obviously not that many in Nevada and New Jersey – so we’ve been able to offer them special promotions to try us out online. That’s something that Betfair and Ultimate didn’t really have. Ultimate did have it in Nevada because they’re part of Station Casinos and such. But they had no brand name going in. they didn’t launch under Station, they launched under the Ultimate moniker, which had no affinity here.

try and envision how, what a quarter-century later, the landscape across the U.S. looks like. The online-gaming sector will follow a similar path.

Why has online gaming been perceived in the media as a disappointment to date, if not a failure?

Simply, people just look at line-item numbers of a budget of someone with no point of reference of what the market should or would be, trying to extract to mature-market projections of land-based gaming and trying to come up with numbers for a budget. I pity the person that had to do that because there’s no way to know. It’s a new business model that hasn’t been offered before. It’s hard to put a guess on it. The reality is, everyone should now look at it one year in and what the numbers are as a baseline. And now it’s our job as operators to grow the market from here.

Why are your sites succeeding where Betfair Poker and Ultimate Gaming failed?

Brand is a big factor in this. When you’re trying out a new business in a medium like the Internet where all you see and hear about these days is targets: credit card breach, Home Depot breach, Sony breach, hackers, NSA … there’s still some hesitancy of people to deal with digital transactions, especially that require a lot of personal information before you can play. The

How well are safeguards like geolocation working?

It’s been problematic. There’s two ways to look at it. In terms of doing its intended job, keeping people from out of state [from playing], it’s worked exceedingly well.

That’s really the number-one priority. That said, if you look at how is it to the consumer, it can be disruptive.

There’s false positive readings. We had issues early on, the way the borders – think of it as a virtual fence that was put around New Jersey but it’s a tricky state, with waterways and bordering other states. The digital footprint that was put around New Jersey was not consistent for each user. One time they’d log on from Hoboken and all would be fine and the next time it would say they’re in New York.

So, the technology itself of geolocation could use some refining, because its intended use is different than what we’re using it for. Geolocation was kind of created for merchants to know where someone was from when they’re buying something online. In online gaming, geolocation is done throughout your playing experience.

We are constantly monitoring where you’re from because somebody could be on a mobile device and start in New Jersey but be on a bus going into New York.

We have to cut them off. So it’s a constant process. The technology is sort of learning how to deal with these varying scenarios than what was originally intended when that technology was created.

How much of the domestic market has been tapped?

Very little. This is about the next generation, for all

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intents and purposes. If you think about college students today, they’ve grown up in a completely digital world with their smart phones and their iPads. This is what they know. They are not going to be as interested in products and forms of entertainment that don’t have a digital component. So it was important for us, as a land-based operator, to ensure we also have a presence going forward in what will be a popular form of entertainment for the next generation. We don’t see this as going from zero to the mountaintop in a year or two. This will be a gradual build and no different from mobile-device adoption for almost anything else.

It changes over time but it grows a bigger share of the market and the same thing will happen with casino entertainment. It’s different now. We’re building different experiences. In the land-based, it’s become more about the show, the nice restaurant and nightclub and beach club, and all that, not necessarily the gaming itself.

In poker, we have a very symbiotic relationship driving players to the land-based World Series of Poker by winning your seats in online games. We think there’s a good way for both of these different offerings to coexist well going forward.

How important is social gaming to growing your formoney gaming operation?

We don’t see it as important at all. We may be in the minority but we view it as a completely distinct,

different business. It would akin to licensing the Caesars brand name for dishwasher lines. We get a licensing fee and not much more. To us, social gaming is arcade-style games for people right now. It’s not about gambling, it’s not about the money thrill they have. This is about achievement and breaking through the leader board, and getting to the next level of the game. I was one of those kids that played Ms. PacMan a lot and I put my quarter in and I’d die off in Level Six. I was determined to get to Level Seven, so I’d put in 50 more cents so I could continue the game on Level Six. That’s essentially what social gaming is today and will continue, and it’s not a customer who wants to gamble. We don’t see the crossover but we’ve been able to build what amounts to a nice business in the digital space that keeps our brand awareness out there, which is good.

Enabling legislation has just been introduced (again) in California. How do the chances look for that?

We don’t know. It may be the fifth or sixth bill that’s been introduced. It’s not uncommon for various states to go through these stages of limited interest to broadening interest. California has been a tougher market to handicap, simply because you have various things going on there: You have a strong lottery, strong racetracks, poker-only card rooms and of course tribal gaming is prominent as well. How do you balance that?

There are a lot of pieces to work out. At the end of the day, we take the real long view of, ‘Where are things

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in 25 years?’ In 25 years we’ll see the majority of the states offering some form of online gaming, because it’s ultimately what consumers want and showing, like New Jersey has in Year One, that it can be effectively regulated, licensed and operated.

Are you going into any overseas jurisdictions?

We are in the United Kingdom now. That was actually our first market. We were there to put ourselves in the position to understand the business and what it took before a potential opening of the U.S. market, so it was good experience for us. We’re having a hard time navigating international markets. The ones that are interesting and completely regulated are closed markets. In France, you can only play if you are inside France’s borders and that sort of thing. We don’t have properties there; brand recognition isn’t as good as some [others]. It’s a heavily competitive marketplace that we’ve looked at and said, ‘It’s probably hard for us to be successful.’ We’d be more like Betfair than what we are in New Jersey. So we keep an eye on things.

You will see the European market one day become more open and cross-country in a consistent regulatory environment that’d we’d feel more comfortable in. but currently there’s a lot of unregulated states, loosely regulated states – we won’t touch anything like that, that doesn’t have clear, concise government and regulatory safeguards in place. We dabbled in France and Italy, actually, years ago and determined that we didn’t have enough business opportunity to continue.

What do you make of Sheldon Adelson’s crusade against Internet gambling?

He certainly has his right to spend his money and go after things he doesn’t like or does, for that matter. We find it disingenuous. He’s offering land-based casinos.

We think it has more to do that he’s a bit out of touch with the Internet. This is going to happen. For us, we see this as we don’t want to be the next Borders Bookstore or Blockbuster Video. These were brick-and-mortar operations on many street corners throughout the country. In a decade’s time they’re obsolete. We offer land-based gaming and it’s important and we need to continue to improve and reinvent our offerings in the land-based world and we also have to accept the digital world and what that means to our business going forward. We see this clearly as something consumers are going to want and have already chosen in other industries – to move their business to a digital world.

We just want to be prepared for that.

Are you counter-lobbying?

Yes, we have spent time and money educating lawmakers on the reality. Sheldon talks about underage

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kids and you can just quickly look at the year in New Jersey and not one of his fear-mongering claims has been proven correct. There’s been no underage gambling, there’s been no one stealing Dad’s credit card, there’s been no one from outside the state playing. None of these claims are happening. It’s more misinformation than accuracy and we’re glad that New Jersey and Nevada – like they were in land-based – have led the regulation of this activity and they can prove for all that it’s a safe activity that can be regulated and the concerns are less than they are in the land-based world.

You can go right online to our site now and you can set limits. You can set deposit limits, betting limits, time limits – all sorts of things. [If] I want to play $20 a week betting and I lose $20, I want to be shut out … you can set that up. In the land-based environment, I can go into Sheldon’s casino and bet with him, and lose $20, and go to Atlantic City and walk in various other casinos. There’s no way to shut off in that regard as well as you can in online. This is the future and we’re not going to take the head-in-the-sand approach. We’re going to embrace it and try to offer consumers the best we can.

Are there major developments in I-gaming that we should be anticipating?

Clearly, there is a lot of attention all over the world on this activity and how to best regulate it. The Internet was created before government bodies had the chance to step in and set rules of the road, so to speak. Now it’s clear that we’re in the next decade of people studying this, analyzing it, trying to figure out what’s the best policy for their citizens and enacting legislation that reflects that. So you won’t mind mass expansion of this activity in the next decade in terms of the operators and offerings being put into it, but you will see a much clearer – instead of all these gray markets you’re going to have a lot of black-and-white markets. And that will sort of usher in the next era of operations and different games and entertainment offerings as the market matures and the economies of scale of markets being opened works. Delaware and Nevada have signed a pact to share their liquidity on poker. So this will be the first test inside the United States, and in fact the world, when it comes to regulated shared liquidity where two states with different laws are drawing up standards for this activity to regulate, license and tax it. That should come along in 2015 and provide a nice blueprint for how this can be done.

It’s hard. No one wants to overstep their boundaries, and the lawmakers and regulators are right here to baby-step their way into this, not to let this get too far out of line before they have a chance to look at this activity and monitor it. New Jersey’s doing that and Nevada’s doing that.

Develop & Evolve Glyn Thomas interviews Sabby Gill Senior Vice President International Sales at IGT

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What sorts of customer feedback have you received post-merger?

There’s still a lot of work going on with the merger and IGT and GTECH remain on target to close the transaction in the 1st Half of Calendar 2015. On January 2, 2015 we announced that our shareholders will vote on the merger agreement on Feb. 10.

The merger is subject to certain closing conditions, including the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares of IGT’s common stock and the receipt of required gaming approvals. The complimentary nature of IGT and GTECH, the benefits this will bring in terms of scale, reach, investment and market offerings has been very well received. The combined company will give customers access to one of the most extensive product portfolios in the world, across games, systems, cabinets, services and online offerings. It’s fair to say that access to a single supplier that can give them this marketleading portfolio is something our customers are quite thrilled with.

The ‘IGT ICE Totally Gaming Study Tour 2015’ is an intriguing initiative, can you provide readers details on this engaging gaming industry experience.

The IGT 2015 Gaming Study Tour is an initiative driven out of our Australian organisation. It provides a unique opportunity for operators to experience more than just the normal activities that surround the International Casino Expo, with additional tailored tours, meetings and access to other areas that would not normally be available without the benefit of IGT and their exceptional customer

relationships and access to what would normally be unavailable to any individual operator. This year at ICE, IGT will be hosting an unrivalled interface opportunity with suppliers, operators and regulators from all over the globe. There is no opportunity like it. After London, on return home via South Africa - Visiting Sun City and Cape Town with their variety of casinos and features, including the world famous Pilansberg Game Reserve.

This tour will offer experiences our operators won’t find anywhere else.

Earlier this year it was announced that IGT will launch the new tokidoki-themed games for the Asian markets for 2015 are those plans still on track and can you provide any further details on the games?

Over the past few years, we’ve invested heavily in building games for the specific characteristics of the Asian market – games built from the ground up for that market, rather than just theming American or European base games. In addition to this, where we have themes elsewhere in the world that appeal to Asian markets, we’ll look at building those anew with gameplay for the Asian market. tokidoki is a Japanese-inspired global lifestyle brand, and we identify Asia as one of many markets where this game can be successful.

What predictions can you make about the future of the EMEA market, and what is IGT’s role in that future?

In the course of 2015, a gradual strengthening of economic activity is expected and growth is projected to rise further in 2016.

All EU countries are set to register positive growth in 2015 and 2016.

Casinos across Europe continue to be impacted

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by the challenges of the current economic climate and from competition from online rivals and slot arcades.

We continue to monitor the various projects and expansions across the Casino & Lottery space, and the combined IGT/GTECH company once merged, will be a formidable force and will continue to focus on ensuring that we continue to excel in customer service and provide compelling innovation to all our current and prospective customers.

The company often talks about “culturally-enhanced games”. What is the research involved in creating “culturally-enhanced games”?

It’s actually a combination of research, experience and regional knowledge. With over 30 years’ experience in developing games, we have built up an inherent understanding of the key elements that makes games work. We have game developers from and based around the world, so they bring with them a wealth of cultural knowledge that feeds into the game development process. Finally, our research teams assess markets and local market dynamics. We look at the player types – assessing elements like their preferred type of game play and player demographics. We also look at cultural changes in those markets – are there cultural changes or preferences that can drive game theming, sounds, colours etc. When you combine all these elements together with the right math that resonates with players in the region, you develop and evolve games to being ‘culturally enhanced’ How do you make IGT products stand out from the crowd, especially in such a highly-competitive industry?

At the end of the day, it’s all about engaging the player; giving them the game play and thrills their looking for in their slot-play. We invest heavily in building a library of games that appeal to all player types – a wide variety of themes, bonus styles, volatility mechanics, sound and more. Beyond this, with a portfolio that not only helps players engage wherever they are (with our online, mobile and social portfolio), we also invest in helping the operator make the most of their investments.

Our range of back-end systems, customer services and access to the biggest game library in the industry mean that operators can operate more efficiently and effectively whilst offering their players more. It’s this wealth of market focussed offerings from a single

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vendor that really keeps customers coming back to IGT. Are there developments beyond 2015 in the works that IGT is excited about? What can you tell us about these developments, what they mean for IGT, and what impact they could have on the relevant markets? IGT has become synonymous with innovation and celebrated for a central focus on creating engaging content. What can we expect to see from IGT at ICE Totally Gaming 2015?

In many ways, we have gone back to basics and looked at the key things that make customers want to play our games. We’ve got a remarkable range of new core games that we’ll be showcasing; games that, from the underlying math models, through the bonusing, payouts and ultimately themeing, appeal to the full range of players in the market. Some old favourites have been revamped and

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are making a comeback. But most excitedly of all will be the launch of 2 new cabinets.

We will have the International debut of our S3000 stepper cabinet, that was unveiled in G2E – this cabinet will really bring the stepper game into the video age, and it’s not an overstatement to say with this cabinet, that ‘seeing is believing’. We also have a new video cabinet that will have its world debut at ICE. As with the S3000, our new cabinet has been designed from scratch with the player in mind – giving them a more comfortable, engaging and immersive gameplay experience.

And finally what are the company’s main goals for 2015 – Well as you can imagine, 2015 is all about creating the world’s most compelling endto-end gaming solutions provider. We are on track to complete our merger agreement with GTECH in the first half of the 2015 calendar year.

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Gabe Baron is in front of Mike Trask whom are both alongside Bally SHFL Fusion terminals

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Bally Tech Table Games Find Home in Europe Gabe Baron is general manager and senior director of Electronics Table Systems for Bally Technologies. Mike Trask is its senior manager of corporate communications.

Both are familiar with the company’s latest table and utility products for the European market. They spoke about these products to Jack Bulavsky, Casino Life special assignment correspondent.

How did Bally Technologies get into the table games market?

Trask: As you know, more than a year ago, Bally Technologies acquired SHFL entertainment and it’s been phenomenal. That acquisition gave the company access to the proprietary table game library at SHFL including Let It Ride, Ultimate Texas Hold’em, Three Card Poker, Four Card Poker, and Crazy 4 Poker. We are now the industry leader in table games.

Baron: Europe has had table games but there is room to expand. For instance, Caesars Entertainment U.K. now has a number of Bally Technologies Fusion Hybrid terminals. With this product, players sit at a terminal and are able to play up to four games of Sic Bo, Roulette and Baccarat at once - although at Caesars Entertainment U.K. all four games are roulette. On the terminal, players view the game being played digitally but if they lift their head, they will see live

dealers spinning the wheel and ball. Game action appears on the screen digitally or players can press a button and view a live video feed of the spin and result as it occurs in real time.

Some refer to this as Asian Stadium Gaming, but this is new technology that is spreading across Europe. Why? Let’s start with cost savings. One dealer is dealing to a larger number of players. For instance, a regular table might seat six or seven people and have a higher minimum. With Fusion Hybrid, a nearly limitless number of players can sit and play at their own space and limits. A second advantage to this product is security, as all mistakes are removed such as the dealer counting wrong in baccarat or misidentifying a roulette number on a wheel. Perhaps the strongest advantage of all is speed. Pays and takes are made digitally and the next game begins within seconds of the conclusion of the previous result. This entire scenario invites more players in and more get to play.

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What else can you tell me about the Fusion product?

Baron: The Fusion line of products provides an endless variety of gaming options and brings multiterminal and multi-game configurations to both hybrid/live as well as virtual results. Another popular form of the product is Fusion Auto which features a fully automated Roulette wheel and custom lighting options. This arrangement allows for 24/7 roulette gaming with no staffing cost while keeping the excitement of the live ball and wheel.

Then there is Table Master Fusion which transports the excitement of live table gaming to a fully electronic platform. The contemporary video dealers modernize the look and feel to enhance the five-seat table design which provides operators with the ability to offer Blackjack, Three Card Poker, and Ultimate Texas Hold’em around the clock without any labor cost. The system features many of our most popular side bets as well as a bet scheduler that raises and lowers the game limits as business dictates. Video dealers are able to prompt slower players to make a decision. It’s a wonderful product that we’re excited about.

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What makes electronic table games popular?

Trask: The number one reason is that it takes away the intimidation factor; it’s just you and the table game. Some players are intimidated in a pit with people standing around them. At the same time, there is less pressure from other players waiting for you to take some action on your game or make a move. The learning curve on these games, even those that are a little different, is quick. Players today are extremely comfortable with touch screens and anything digital. It’s become second nature as we all have mobile devices or use touch screens at banks and grocery stores.

What has happened to the community of gaming if players are retreating into their own world?

Trask: It may look like that, but it isn’t happening.

Gaming continues to be very social. It may look different because what a 25-year-old wants from a gaming experience is different than what a 45-yearold wants. Trends are constantly coming and going and we have to stay current. Our internal analysis identities a global customer base spread across six continents with an age span from 21- 91. Thus, we

continue to have Betty Boop in her original game and have also updated her with a ladder bonus and spinning wheel. For the millennials, there is our recently introduced Friends progressive video slot and the proprietary table game Free Bet Blackjack which lets players split and double down for free.

Our other proprietary table games include Fortune 7 Baccarat, Blazing 7s Blackjack Progressive and DJ Wild Poker Progressive. So the community is still there; it only looks different and acts a little different.

So no matter what the trends, there will always be a common thread among your players.

Trask: That’s true. Take the strong relationship Bally Technologies has with Playboy. It’s been 15 years since we introduced our first game with them and it continues today. We are now adding the iconic brand to table game products that have proven popular for both men and women around the world. The Playboy bunny is the quintessential icon for American pop culture that promotes fun and sophistication. The symbol is known to everyone everywhere. It speaks to entertainment and easily transitions itself into our games.

What are European players looking for and what e-table trends do you foresee in Europe?

Baron: European players are a sophisticated group and very accepting of new technology, perhaps even more than those in Asia. One thing that has been a success for us in Europe is the i-Table, where players buy in and receive their balance on a touch screen, make their bets on the touch screen, and have their wagers paid or taken via that same touch screen.

With i-Table, players do all this with a live dealer and live cards or wheel, as well as the complete security of knowing every game will be handled properly and fairly through the product’s security measures. And as if that wasn’t enough, some of our installations of Fusion Hybrid actually connect with an i-Table Roulette game as one of their available results including at The Casino at the Empire in London.

Players in Europe, more so than North America, are very comfortable with electronic wagering and crave the excitement that these products offer. Therefore, we’re always considering new ways to bring more innovation and entertainment to the market rather than just repackaging what might be popular in Asia or the U.S. or Australia.

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Misperception of Win Cards How Casinos Can Attract New Players at No Cost, by Victor H Royer

W

in Cards are not “basic strategy” cards. They are casino promotional items, created, produced and marketed by Ted Gottlieb of Gaming International Inc. They are used with great success to introduce new players to live table games in many casinos worldwide. New players love to buy them not only as souvenirs, but because Win Cards quickly and easily show them how to play table games which they may have otherwise never tried to play.

So – why “misperception”?

Here’s a story I’d like to tell you, which illustrates the point: One of my friends, who is a Director of Casino Operations at a prominent tribal casino, recently asked his General Manager – who has extensive experience in Table Games – if he wanted to try out the Win Cards Program at their casino. The GM stopped, looked the Director in the eye and said, “Why would I want to teach people how to play Basic Strategy?”

And that’s why this article is titled: Misperception of Win Cards.

Even though the Win Cards promotional program has been in effect for many years, there is still this exact misperception in the gaming industry that the Win Cards are basic strategy cards. This couldn’t be

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any farther from the truth.

If we take Blackjack as an example, Win Cards intentionally offer a simple “skeleton” digest of some of the most basic decisions in the game of Blackjack. For example: Always split Aces and 8’s.

Is this a secret? No, it’s not. Just about anyone who plays Blackjack knows this. But a novice? Well, no.

They don’t. Contrary to popular myth, not everyone in the world knows about Blackjack, or how to play

it. Of the 40 million visitors who come to Las Vegas annually, and of which some 86% will gamble at some point during their visit, a mere fraction are those who could be considered as “experienced players” in Blackjack. Or any of the other casino games for which Win Cards are available, such as Craps and Roulette.

The remainder of these visitors are novices, pure and simple.

They are awed and intimidated by the casino experience. Especially table games, and particularly Blackjack. It seems simple, but to novice players it can look difficult. Win Cards now make that experience easy.

This is because the Win Card program is designed for players who have yet to play, are new to the game, are intimidated by the game, or had never before been interested in playing that game. Most such players are simply afraid of looking like an idiot, or losing their money in a boneheaded manner.

This is exactly how they feel, and these words and expressions are those that I have heard from such players directly. And similarly so for Craps and Roulette, the other two programs in the Win Card family. Therefore, whatever a casino can do to get these guests to try and play these games is what the Win Card program is all about. By using the Win Card program, the casino now creates new players, and makes them feel comfortable, and at ease. This makes these guests feel better. They will now play more, play longer, stay longer, and perhaps even try the other games in the Win Card family, and in the casino. Consequently, by using the Win Card program that casino has now captured not just new players, but players interested in trying, and playing, other table games in that casino.

Therefore, the Win Card program is the perfect “feel-good” tool that helps these players become a little more knowledgeable, confident, and therefore happy to become regular players in your casino. Win Cards do not “teach Basic Strategy”. They help with simple pointers, so that the novice player can become more quickly accustomed to the game, and thus stay at the game playing, instead of leaving, being intimidated, and perhaps never playing again.

Casinos which use the Win Card program love it!

It’s a win-win situation for them, and their guests.

According to the Nevada Gaming Control Board’s accounting instructions, the Win Card program costs

the casinos nothing. Zero. It actually pays for itself, and makes a profit. At Circus Circus in Las Vegas, where they have offered the Win Card program for 15 years, the Win Card program created a positive cash flow for their casino of $53 per player. At the Luxor, this is a positive EV for the casino of $83 per player. At the Excalibur it is $88 per player, and at the Mandalay Bay it is $100 positive cash flow per player, because of the Win Card program. Their only question was: “How can we sell more of them?”

So, why don’t more casino executives embrace the Win Card program?

Because of that misperception. See? There’s that word again. They compare Win Cards with Basic Strategy Cards, and think that Win Cards will teach their customers how to beat the game. And that’s why this view is one of such misperception.

Comparing basic strategy cards – those that are actually sold in casino gift shops – with the Win Cards, is like comparing bananas to pineapples.

“Basic Strategy” cards advise a complete and perfect playing strategy for Blackjack, and are a retail item that is sold in casino gift shops.

Win Cards, on the other hand, are casino promotional items that casinos distribute to their customers, to those that have a desire to learn how to play live games. They are a great incentive to create new players for the casino, and the players themselves love them because they are easy to use, and help them to quickly learn how to play.

While the Basic Strategy cards offered in the casino’s gift shops might have the propensity to improve an existing player’s skills, the Win Cards are intentionally limited in their advice for beginners, and novice players. They are totally innocuous, do not teach “how to beat the casino”, and therefore there should not be any casino apprehension about their role as a casino marketing tool.

When Ted Gottlieb first started the Win Cards Program in 1986, at the High Sierra Hotel & Casino in Lake Tahoe, the casino’s General Manager told him that he knew why other casino operators were not jumping at the chance to offer this promotion. He said: “It’s the name ... as soon as a casino executive hears the name “Win Cards”, they think that people are going to come in and win with these cards.

They have so many other things to take care of that anything that they might perceive as causing a

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problem does not get a moment of further thought.

Then, once they have an initial negative take on the prospect of introducing this program, they never really get over their first thoughts.”

At the time Ted told the High Sierra’s General Manager that as soon as a casino operator checks out the limited nature of the cards, they will realize that the information printed on them is just for novices – intended only to help them lose their intimidation, become comfortable with the game they are just learning, and then become regular players in the casino as a result.

Today, some 28 years later, that lingering misperception from 1986 still hovers around, and often prevents casinos from utilizing what is an excellent and feel-good player-friendly marketing and promotional tool. That’s why I have written this article, because this is too good a tool to let lie underutilized, as it is now. Especially today, in this day and age, and in this climate of declining table games play, and casino revenues.

Casinos that use the Win Card promotional program benefit immediately by making it easy for players to become comfortable with the tables games offered by that casino. These are visitors who may have never been casino players, had it not been for the Win Card program. So, let us put that misperception to rest, finally, for ever.

Win Cards are not Basic Strategy Cards. Win Cards

are your casino’s gateway to new players, more players, more comfortable players, and players who otherwise may never have played your casino games at all. And isn’t that what we are all after? New players? Happy players? Players who like your casino because they feel happy and comfortable there?

Because they got their Win Cards at your Player’s Club booth, and now feel like they have a chance, and a little edge? But the chance they have is not that they will “clean out the casino.” It’s the chance to have a good time, and to get value for their money.

It’s the chance they have to enjoy their visit more fully, thanks to your casino, and it’s use of the Win Cards promotional and marketing program. That’s the kind of good-will that no amount of dollars can buy. And that’s why your casino should consider Win Cards, and think of them in this very valuable and positive light. And not as that old and erroneous misperception we mentioned earlier.

If you own, operate or manage a casino that offers table games, it would be of great benefit to your casino to utilize the Win Cards Program, which works to attract, develop and entice people to play your casino’s live table games.

For more information, or to try this program at your casino, contact Ted Gottlieb directly at 775588-4222, or at the Web Site: www.WinCards.com/ casinoexec

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Hidden Casino Peter White chats to Chris Moore - Author of Hidden Casino & Dark Casino 30

You have been writing recollection articles for Casino Life for a few years now. Is there a connection between your recollections and your thrillers?

My recollection articles have been factual. My thrillers are purely fictional. A famous author advised me some years ago that the thrillers I wanted to write should never be anecdotal. He said it would limit my imagination, he was right.

How long did it take to write your first novel?

I started writing my first book over twenty years ago. It has taken me this long to develop the structure and writing style to create a viable thriller. For me it has been a long and challenging learning curve, but I am very happy that I am now able to create what I originally set out to achieve.

Your book subtitles say ‘A Ryan James casino crime thriller’. Do your readers have to be into casinos or gambling to enjoy the books?

Not at all. I believe that anyone who enjoys crime thrillers will like Ryan James. Having spent forty years in the casino world, it seemed sensible to use my experience as a platform for the thrillers.

However I guessed that in the long term the majority of readers would not be from the casino world. Therefore there is no requirement for them to understand anything about casinos, gambling or poker to be able to follow every part of a Ryan James’s thriller. I also hope that the people who have worked in the business enjoy the books and can relate to the stories.

You say you have encountered a selection of dubious characters over the years. Who was the most dubious?

One of the most stimulating elements of working in casinos around the world was the variety of characters I met. Some were extremely charismatic, others highly dubious. In Dark Casino the villain was very loosely inspired by a character I encountered whilst dealing dice in London in the seventies. He was the nastiest, most intimidating customer I was ever subjected to. He dressed like a film star and smoked huge cigars. When playing at the tables, to the maximum, he always had a massive minder towering behind him.

He whispered venomous threats if you made a mistake and glared at you like you were about to be physically assaulted.

Do you enjoy gambling?

I used to. I played poker almost every night when I worked in Iran. When I worked in Amsterdam we were paid daily, and I gambled almost every night in other casinos. I eventually gave up gambling when the agony of losing raced way ahead of the pleasure of winning.

Many people are against gambling. What would you say to them?

Many people are against many things. I agree with Ryan James that everyone’s life is based on gambling on everything we do every day. I remember having an argument with a highflying insurance executive at a dinner party in London.

When he found out that I was a croupier he started ridiculing casinos, accusing them of being dishonest and disreputable. I responded by informing him that the major difference between casinos and his type of company was that casinos offered much fairer odds and always paid out.

What has been the biggest change to casinos since the time you started in the business?

Surprisingly there have not been too many radical changes in the past forty years. Slot machines, gaming software and online gaming have developed dramatically, but traditional casino games are still practically the same. Live casino customers are a very rare breed who demand total integrity and random luck? They need to know that they can win as often as they lose. The live casino gaming margins are thin compared to many of the newer gambling options, but the casino’s real advantage is still that players rarely walk away at the summit of their luck.

Ryan James seems a little like a modern day James Bond. How did you develop his character?

Twenty years of editing and the belief that he could become a character that people would like to follow. The encouraging thing is that the first ten reviews rated Hidden Casino as a fivestar book. It will be interesting to see what the

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ENJOY THE SHOW! Come and discover our latest news and celebrate with us our anniversary

PARTY

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Don’t miss our Anniversary Party February, 3rd 2015 The Hippodrome Casino | London

February, 3-5 2015 Excel London | Stand N4-110

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reaction will be to Dark Casino, which is slightly more complex. The biggest advantage of working within this type of genre is that the casino world remains fascinating to most people, even those who have never gambled.

Hidden Casino is set in Dubai. How do you think the Emiratis might react to the book?

I cannot guess what their reaction will be. I feel sure that some of them would enjoy the plot line. In the book I am extremely positive about Dubai as a destination. I have received numerous responses from readers that have never been there, but are now considering making a visit. The book is purely fictional so I hope it is well received for what it is.

Are we going to see more of Ryan James?

The first two books are published online.

Book three is now being drafted. The story lines for books four five and six are already complete with their chapter plans in place. All of them will feature Ryan James.

Do you hope to become Author Chris Moore a bestselling author?

Becoming a bestseller is as probable as spinning the same number on a roulette wheel three times in a row (although I actually did it once in Africa). My reason for writing the books is that I wanted to create casino thrillers that would appeal to readers like myself. Writing books is a long, lonely, dedicated process, but finishing them is hugely rewarding. I now have two books published on Kindle. If people keep reading them, I will keep writing them.

Where are your next books set?

Las Vegas, the Caribbean, Canada and at sea.

Those locations are likely to change if I am

convinced to focus on different locations, casinos or cultures.

Not everyone has a Kindle, so how can they buy your books?

The link to the Kindle app is available on my website. It can be downloaded free onto your laptop, tablet or smartphone.

Are you going to publish your books as paperbacks?

Self publishing is the first step, but real publishing is my ultimate objective. If the Ryan James thrillers become popular online, there is a chance that they might become attractive to one of the big publishers. That would make it all worthwhile.

Do you consider your references to casino crimes to be negative?

Everything I have written is totally fictional, but inspired by a reality that we all know exists. There have been casino thieves embedded from the very beginning, as there has been in every other industry. Of course I have embellished the crime concept to enhance the thriller element. We all know that the casino world works tirelessly to prevent theft, but it is unlikely to ever disappear entirely.

Is Ryan James based on anyone from the casino world?

If you used all the positive traits and idiosyncrasies from the characters I have worked with over the years to create a new character, then Ryan James would be the result. He will continue to grow and emerge as a character that will hopefully provide fictional escapism for anyone that is in the casino world that enjoys this type of thriller.

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Bespoke modular vaults are a safe bet for casino owners Jeremy Cassady, Managing Director for Securikey, looks at the importance of obtaining a secure facility for storing cash and chips in casinos, and examines how Modular Vault systems can offer a cost-effective, easy-to-install bespoke security system that meets all requirements

I

t is not surprising that compliance regulations in the gaming industry are among the most stringent of all businesses. The UK is one of the largest contributors to the international gambling industry, generating a gross gambling yield of ÂŁ6.2 billion between October 2011 and September

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2012 according to the latest available figures.

The Gambling Commission is the regulatory body for commercial gambling in the UK and was set up under the Gambling Act 2005. Its list of responsibilities includes work to ensure that licensees act in accordance with the requirements

imposed by the Gambling Act 2005 and other related regulations and standards.

The law dictates that a casino must keep in reserve, not only every chip in play on the floor, but the total amount advertised on all slot machines and all the payments that the casino owes to previous winners. However, the risks associated with holding these large sums in one place are extremely high, both in terms of the possibility of their being stolen and in relation to the safety of those tasked with transporting and storing cash and chips. Levels of risk differ depending on a wide variety of factors such as casino location, size of facilities and quantity of cash on site, and each facility is responsible for assessing the risks and taking appropriate measures to protect their valuables and their staff.

Finding a suitable vault and electronic monitoring system that satisfies all the regulatory requirements is a complex process, as all elements of the unique structural layout and requirements of each casino must be taken into consideration. Due to the bespoke nature of each security solution, success depends greatly on the knowledge, experience and flexibility of the supplier.

High Security Storage Central secure storage facilities will need to meet a number of different criteria compared to other areas of the casino, as the greatest quantity of cash and valuables will be stored here for safeholding and must be adequately protected when not in use to prevent unauthorised access.

A wide variety of factors, such as the location and size of casino, will dictate the type of storage facilities required, and often a vault is the recommended suggestion. A casino vault must have the capacity to be integrated with the intruder alarm system, the option of a time delay lock, CCTV coverage and limited access with codes being split between staff members.

In order to attain appropriate storage facilities that meet strict law requirements, casinos have a few choices. They can commission their own building from scratch, which is very costly and time consuming, and a suitable site will also need to be found that will meet all of the logistical requirements. Another option is to hire suitable premises, although again it can be time-consuming to find the perfect storage facility to meet very specific needs whilst being situated in the best possible location.

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Made-to-Measure Security One of the most effective solutions to avoid these issues is to install a Modular Vault. Offering a completely bespoke, on-site-assembled security room to fit an allocated space, Modular Vaults such as the Modulprim from Securikey are increasingly specified for casinos that are being established in new premises or that are expanding quickly, as they not only offer a high security option, they are also relatively quick and easy to install and provide a controlled environment.

Offering a five-sided solution if necessary for maximum security and installation flexibility, the individual components of each modular vault are manufactured off-site to fit the precise specification of the casino, which can be in either a new or existing building. The measurements and precise customer requirements will have been established during a comprehensive survey, before being delivered to site as individual panels and welded securely into place.

Customised furnishing capabilities such as cabinets and rack systems allow effective stock management systems to be put in place. Security deposit lockers can also be provided that not only offer additional security with their high quality aluminium construction, but that can be made bespoke to maximise use of space. Expanding the options further to meet any need, a variety of different locks can be selected for the door depending on the level of security required as a result of the initial risk assessment.

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To ensure optimum security at higher risk moments, such as the retrieval and putting away of cash and chips, and to prevent opportunists from walking in, custom-sized grill gates can be installed in the wall of the vault so casino employees can pass items through to their colleagues from the inside while the door remains firmly closed. As staff may be spending time inside the Modular Vault to undertake stock management procedures, there is the option of integrating certified airing, ventilation and alarm systems throughout the vault room via customised openings in the walls and door. This also allows the casino owner to ensure the perfect storage environment in terms of temperature and humidity, and provides additional security with the alarms being rigged to meet the gaming facility’s requirements. The best ventilation and alarm systems to meet the brief will be established as part of the consultation process.

When selecting a vault, buyers are advised to ensure it complies with European security standard EN1143-1 which ensures European wide approval.

In addition, the vault should be validated by an independent testing house such as the VdS in Germany to prove it meets the stringent criteria to resist attack.

SPOTLIGHT – ICE 2015

Alfastreet expanding product array for 2015

A

lfastreet will take advantage of the upcoming edition of the London ICE show in February 2015 to display surprising new products that will define the extension of the current ETG line and increase competitiveness.

This is the first time in over 20 years, that the company will branch out of the area in which it achieved success and recognition, and established itself as a world leader, and an absolute reference in the business. The idea has been on company’s drawing desks for a while and it is a logical evolution step in design strategies, acquired knowledge and feedback from customers worldwide.

Alfastreet is proud to have established very good connections and partnership with its clients and business professionals, who contributed to

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the future product line to great extent. It is vital to learn about and thoroughly know the operators, their needs and expectations, to define the new designs. The company boasts extensive insight into the secrets of the gaming industry, knowing everything that goes into such venture, from mathematical and physical models, to technical excellence and innovation.

The customers have supported these efforts, knowing the reputation and the dedication of everyone involved. They know, that the new products will incorporate all the characteristics, that adorn Alfastreet ETG’s from the very beginning, such as flawless ergonomics, intuitive and reliable software, that is true to the genuine spirit of the game, and above all; superior quality and attention to details. The management is confident, that the time is right for the launch,

SPOTLIGHT – ICE 2015 and is encouraged by the reactions from the partners, that are eager to place the products on respective markets.

As mentioned in the beginning, everybody involved is very excited about the upcoming unveiling on the ICE show, from 3rd to 5th of February 2015, where the visitors will witness the premiere of the products yet unassociated with Alfastreet. The first units will get to the casino floors of the world immediately after the show, in order to measure them up with the players reactions, and all of the competition.

The company’s beginning of the 2015 is extremely busy, many of the existing products will get some significant improvements that are a result of constant evolution, and the desire to even further adapt to, and satisfy as many demands as possible. There will be definitive versions of some prototype machines from last year and much more.

The London show will be a landmark for Alfastreet, which has set the focus firmly on the market segment, that is a departure from the field, they are the strongest on. Considering the reputation

and the impressive track record they are holding, you can expect to find a new Alfastreet instrument near you in a very short while.

Albert Radman, Sales Director for Alfastreet, commented further: ‘’In the past year we were very successful on our existing markets, and we even strengthen our position in Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America. We also entered the US market and we expect some great results in the year to come. With all the new developments, and the existing prospects, we are more than assured that Alfastreet is on the right path, and will continue growing and ensuring its leading position in the world of ETG product line.’’

3

SPOTLIGHT – ICE 2015 NOVOMATIC Takes the Straight Line to Success at ICE 2015 For anyone and everyone looking to see what’s around the curve for gaming innovations in 2015, NOVOMATIC is heading straight to London in order to present the answer. The Group’s show staging will be simply spectacular – on a booth floor that covers all aspects of the future of gaming for the international markets and their particular segments

F

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rom February 3rd-5th ICE – Totally Gaming once more invites the international gaming experts to attend the event that marks the annual starting signal for this rapidly evolving industry. Held once again at the

ExCeL Exhibition Centre in the London Docklands the theme for ICE 2015 is DISCOVER – and there will certainly be plenty to discover at the NOVOMATIC booth.

The NOVOMATIC Group of Companies’ concerted

SPOTLIGHT – ICE 2015 show staging will again command the show’s most prominent position. The traditional, massive, booth space that has the dimensions of a football pitch provides room for all the Group’s international subsidiary companies and affiliates catering to the various segments of the gaming industry. Live at ICE visitors will discover all the latest innovations of NOVOMATIC. Right at the front the Astra Gaming Group (Astra Games, Bell-Fruit Games, Empire Games, Gamestec and Mazooma Games) will welcome the guests, together with the colleagues of Eurocoin from the Netherlands. Then Admiral Sportsbetting and a large NOVOMATIC Interactive area will cover the right wing of the booth – with the varied online/mobile product offerings of companies such as Greentube, iGaming2Go, Mazooma Interactive, Extreme Live Gaming, NOVOMATIC Lottery Solutions and Betware. On the left wing will be the AWP and VLT offerings for the Spanish, German and Italian markets, presented by NOVOMATIC Gaming Spain, LÖWEN Entertainment and Crown Technologies as well as NOVOMATIC Italia, respectively. And the main booth section at the top part of the booth features the full range of innovative gaming technologies from Austrian Gaming Industries and Octavian as well as a new NOVOMATIC hospitality area and a plethora of meeting rooms for relaxed negotiations amidst the busy noise of the show.

Visitors are therefore, well advised to give in to their curiosity and head straight for the NOVOMATIC booth where they will be heartily welcomed and greeted with the famous Austrian hospitality while they discover what’s behind the curve…

That much can be revealed: Behind the curve is a new cabinet! The evolution of the hugely successful Dominator® takes up its twin brother’s successful concept and enhances its attractiveness with its own unique features. It will be launched at ICE with a set of especially developed brand new games, including mystery progressive stand-alone jackpots.

Further attractions at ICE 2015 will be an enhanced Panther Roulette™ with new attractive LED features and the NOVOSTAR® V.I.P. II with its impressive large screen, presented in Astra’s own

highly successful VIP Wall extravaganza as well as a large range of new games, new mixes and new jackpots.

The final preparations are now well under way and the AGI team as well as the colleagues of the various NOVOMATIC Group companies look forward to the show with eager anticipation and are ready to welcome all visitors to the NOVOMATIC world of gaming 2015 at ICE. Austrian Gaming Industries GmbH (AGI) a 100-percent subsidiary of NOVOMATIC AG (www. novomatic.com) is an integrated global gaming company specializing in the design, development, manufacturing, distribution and sales of electronic gaming machines and advanced technology products. As Europe’s leading manufacturer AGI delivers one of the broadest product ranges in the industry.

The NOVOMATIC Group is one of the biggest producers and operators of gaming technologies and one of the largest integrated gaming companies in the world. The group employs more than 19.000 staff worldwide (2,700 in Austria).

Founded by entrepreneur Prof. Johann F. Graf, the group has locations in 43 countries and exports high-tech electronic gaming equipment to 80 countries. The group operates more than 215,000 gaming machines in its about 1,400 plus traditional and electronic casinos as well as via rental concepts. Part of the group is also Admiral Sportwetten GmbH, Austria’s leading sports betting operator with more than 200 outlets as well as the Vienna based online gaming specialist Greentube Internet Entertainment Solutions GmbH.

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SPOTLIGHT – ICE 2015

AMATIC INDUSTRIES at the ICE 2015 AMATIC to demonstrate its international gaming flair at ICE London MASTERFUL GAMING SOLUTIONS, INFINITE IDEAS

AMATIC INDUSTRIES embodies true international flair, based in the heart of European gaming, namely in Austria. The focus on designing and manufacturing masterful gaming solutions in Austria has created a consistent, innovative, reliable and ever-expanding product range. Customers need only to look to AMATIC for their entire gaming needs, including Cabinets, Multi Game, Electronic Roulette, Online and mobile games, Jackpot systems and a Casino Online System.

AMATIC INDUSTRIES will be presenting these solutions at the forthcoming ICE that will take place between 3rd and 5th February at the ExCel Centre in London.

Visitors will find AMATIC in the same position as last year – at stand S3-150.

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE GAMES…

AMATIC INDUSTRIES continues to focus on its highly regarded games range. The international player understanding has allowed the AMATIC team to regularly create new games in varying themes. This year’s ICE continues the tradition and AMATIC will be presenting its variety of brand-new games that receive their international premiere at the ICE.

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For example, you can feel the heat with ‘Hot 81’ and ‘Red Chili’ or adjust your diet to enjoy ‘Square Fruits’. One can discover many more exciting games that are unveiled at the show. Anyhow, there is something for everyone with AMATIC’s games, especially if integrated in an individual Multi Game configuration, the successful gaming concept from AMATIC INDUSTRIES.

…IN THE RIGHT CABINETS….

AMATIC proved at the ICE 2014 its flair for design. The Performer Grand Arc Slant Top was greeted often as the “show’s most attractive Casino cabinet” with its curved design, particularly on the version with three monitors.

The Performer Grand Arc is to be joined with new highlights for 2015: The C24 Casino Cabinet is the new upright model of the successful Performer series.

This comes with 3 wide-screen 24” monitors, showing brilliant colours for enhanced player attraction and more gaming fun.

The V24 Cabinet is the latest AWP-model from AMATIC INDUSTRIES. Equipped with large and brilliant 24” monitors, the AMATIC V24 is the perfect solution for gaming arcades or stand-alone operation in bars.

SPOTLIGHT – ICE 2015 …THAT CAN ALSO BE PLAYED ON MULTIPLAYERS

The beauty of being a designer and manufacturer of electronic gaming machines and electronic roulette is the possibility to marry together solutions to bring true added value for both players and operators. The range of Grand Jeu electronic roulette machines all have one thing in common – operators can offer players Multi Game slot games as well on the AMATIC multiplayer.

Roulette Grand Jeu 22WS is the well-regarded electronic roulette from AMATIC. Beautiful as ever, made of the finest materials and incorporating only the best electronic components, like 22” wide-screen monitors, the Grand Jeu 22WS is built for 24/7 play. It`s available in 5-, 6- or 8-player configuration and can be connected with numerous terminals to allow many more players to join the live roulette.

The Roulette Grand Jeu Double is a true eyecatcher due to its outstanding design and provides space for up to 10 players around the table. The integrated dual wheels offer double the value in excitement and fun. Players can choose between either one or both wheels to bet upon at the same time (depending on local legislation). The standard configuration comes with four in-built large screen monitors that operators can use to portray all key roulette information and entertainment info as well. Additionally, players can enjoy their favorite AMATIC slot games here as well, as the Multi Game solution can be easily integrated too. Furthermore, a numerous number of players can join the live roulette on the Grand Jeu Double via connected satellite terminals.

AMATIC INDUSTRIES will be presenting its Solitaire electronic roulette wheel. It’s the perfect solution for customers who look for a space-saving roulette solution that can be easily connected with a desired number of gaming terminals, e.g. Slant Tops. The attractive design of the Solitaire embodies AMATIC’s passion for style.

All electronic roulettes from AMATIC will be on display at the ICE with faster number recognition than ever, which means: more hands per hour, more turnover = more profit. The reason why – number

recognition now takes less than a second, making the Grand Jeu electronic roulettes one of the quickest in the industry.

THAT CAN BE MANAGED AND ADDED TO THE JACKPOT…

…with the ‘COS’ Casino Online System that completes the AMATIC gaming range. This entire, state-of-the-art Casino Management System includes clever features like Player Tracking and Cash Card and enables operators to link together all AMATIC’S solutions into their complete machine park.

And finally, the COS can be combined with the right jackpot system.

Thus, it is only natural that AMATIC INDUSTRIES provides a wide range of complete jackpot solutions for individual needs.

AND ALSO AVAILABLE AS ONLINE AND MOBILE SOLUTIONS…

This market segment continues to grow rapidly as does the opportunities AMATIC INDUSTRIES offers here – providing customised solutions for both online and mobile gaming. Players and operators both appreciate creativity as well as performance of AMATIC’s huge and continuously growing game library. Another advantage for the customer is that each can develop an Online Gaming website configured to their individual needs first, whereas the integration of AMATIC games makes the solution complete.

Come to the AMATIC stand at ICE to learn how your customers can enjoy the same great AMATIC games online and via mobile devices.

The entire AMATIC team is looking forward to your visit at the ICE – stand number S3-150.

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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 Very special ice for Suzo-Happ

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Suzo-Happ to celebrate its 60th anniversary at ICE

he forthcoming ICE in February is set to be a memorable occasion for Suzo-Happ. The European part of SuzoHapp (Suzo) was founded back in 1955 and the ICE will be a great opportunity for the company as a whole to celebrate this milestone.

The Suzo-Happ team invites visitors to come to the stand in the same position as last year to celebrate this 60th anniversary at stand number #N4-110. There will be plenty to see here: This will be the first ICE that Comesterogroup will be exhibiting as part of the Suzo-Happ family. The Italian expert for change machines and cash handling was brought into the Suzo-Happ Group in 2014. Both international and solutions specific to the Italian AWP market will be on display. Comesterogroup is also a household name for change machines and cash-in machines, with more then 10 different models with machines such as Rock and Swing offering unique benefits. These are joined by the PRO range, such as Jolly PRO and Dual Coin PRO. The electronic coin selection from Comesterogroup – the RM5 Evolution and RM5 HD – have an installed base of well over a million. These can be found in all applications, including the tailored version for the Italian market for the newslots, including the Suzo-Happ Flow hopper.

The ICE will also mark the first international exhibition for Suzo-Happ as exclusive global distributor for TransAct with the agreement having being extended to Europe as from 1st January 2015.

The Epic 950® printer from TransAct is the perfect solution for ticket-in, ticket-out (TITO) applications.

Currently installed in over half a million slots in casinos throughout the world, its success stands out significantly in Europe. For example, the Italian VLT (video lottery terminal) market and the British FOBT (fixed-off betting terminal) market use TransAct printers exclusively. Operators are invited to see just how many benefits the Epicentral, the promotional software system can offer.

The extended Suzo-Happ product range will be on proud display. This includes the Bill-to-Bill bank note recycler that is the preferred choice in a whole range of applications around the world. Suzo-Happ is known as the ‘hopper and topper company’ and customers and all interested persons are invited to get to know

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just which of these products are best fit for their needs – such as the Cube, Flow and Evolution hoppers and the Xenon LED, Towerlight and Video Topper alongside a number of RBG lightstrips to brighten up any slot machine. Suzo-Happ offers more choice with its PRO brand which includes the VISION PRO, PRINTER PRO AND BILLIARD PRO. The wide range of pushbuttons, including the LCD pushbuttons, will be on display.

Special mention deserves the role Suzo-Happ is playing in increasing its vertical integration service.

Suzo-Happ should not just be seen as a supplier of spare parts and components. Suzo-Happ offers more vertical integration possibilities – an example is the pushbutton panel that saves manufacturers having to integrate pushbuttons individually in their machines. This level of vertical integration has been extended to include contract manufacturing services. Manufacturers have the choice of how much manufacturing integration Suzo-Happ offers, from part-machine manufacturing to complete outsourcing of machine hardware requirements. This enables manufacturers to focus more on their value-add, in other words their software and their games Naturally Suzo-Happ will be exhibiting the solutions of further key distribution partners, such as ELO, Innovative Technology, MEI and Assa.

Mr. Harald Wagemaker, Executive Vice President Sales & Marketing of Gaming and Casino EMA, sends out a warm welcome to ICE visitors, stating, “We are in celebratory mood. Please come and toast the 60 years in business with us at ICE. And then take the opportunity to see just how much we can do for you.

We look forward to seeing you at ICE”.

SPOTLIGHT – ICE 2015

Aristocrat unveils the next dimension of gaming Global games developer, Aristocrat Technologies is counting down to its ICE launch, where it will propel more than 60 new games into the EMEA gaming space. Touching down between 3rd- 5th February on Stand S2-250 in the South Hall of London’s ExCeL Centre will be a brand new generation of games and themes, the majority hosted on Aristocrat’s innovative range of premium, hi-tech Helix™ cabinets

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ffering a whole new dimension of gaming encapsulated in a sleek, sensuous and futuristic cabinet with enhanced audio-visual capabilities, advanced processing power and refined aesthetics and ergonomics, the Helix cabinet range will provide an ideal vehicle to parade Aristocrat’s player centric gaming segments, according to Donal Maguire, Sales & Marketing Director - Europe.

“Coinciding with the introduction of this supreme machine, Aristocrat is making a step change in the game content it provides. Leveraging the key learnings from the hugely successful E*Series™ family of games, the very best elements of their maths, video animations and audio effects have been integrated into two new families – the J-Series™ Jackpot games and

C-Series™ Core games. All three families will feature an extraordinary array of innovative concepts whose massive player appeal will become very quickly evident to visitors to our stand at ICE,” explained Mr Maguire.

“Max Stacks™ was a power-house game mechanic behind much of the E*Series success in 2014, starting with the Sky Rider™ and Temple of the Tiger™ game families and compounded by later models, Moon Maidens™ and Pearl Warriors™, incorporating Double-Up and Triple-Up features,” he continued. “The next chapter in the story, Flowers of Babylon™ takes this theme to the next level with addition of a three-level standalone jackpot over base games Heart of Iris™ and Lily of the Nile™.”

Following on from the most recent E*Series family release, Magic Flower™, Aristocrat is bringing more Exploding Reels™ action to EMEA gaming floors

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SPOTLIGHT – ICE 2015

with two new titles under the Diamond Dynasty™ theme, Heart of Eternity™ and Star of the East™, whilst the brand new 3 Emperors™ games continue this theme with a triple standalone progressive jackpot overhead.

The E*Series Mega Symbol™ range also gets a boost with the introduction of two new families, the first to be released being The Goddess Sisters™ incorporating Queen Coral™ and Viper Princess™.

Extending this concept further, the Sacred Guardians™ family pushes the limits one more step with the addition of a four-level standalone progressive jackpot.

Fully demonstrating the continued innovation in this very successful range is a ground-breaking new E*Series family, with Dual Reels™ technology and a five-level standalone progressive, Romance of Fire & Rain™ games will include Heart of Fire™ and Strength of Rain™.

Aristocrat’s J-Series has just started hitting gaming floors in Europe, with Jackpot Streak™ games Garden of Amazon™ and Sparkling Royal™ and Quickfire Jackpots™ titles Electric Boogaloo™ and Golden Peach™ showing very promising early signs of popularity amongst players.

Quickfire Jackpots will welcome two new games at ICE, Panda Paradise™ and Pharaoh’s Ransom™, alongside the introduction of a new four-level jackpot concept, Gold Pays™, sporting two variants in Golden Festival™ and Golden Princess™, and the four-level jackpot game Pure Gold™ featuring Twin Spins™.

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Having gained tremendous traction throughout EMEA over the last 12 months with its core Player’s Choice™ multi-games, Deluxe and Diamond Edition, Aristocrat is now preparing to release three more multi-game packages with Sapphire, Gold and the high denomination Ultra packs all making their entrance at ICE. Another huge C-Series success story, Wonder 4™ makes a welcome return with a new feature game format, introducing a spinning wheel and the added benefit of overhead jackpots, one for each of its multi-play games, Buffalo Deluxe™, Miss Kitty™, Wicked Winnings™ II and Wild Panda™, as well as an overarching grand jackpot.

Having got off to a swinging start with players, The Fabulous Fifties™ and The Swinging Sixties™ are now joined by a third Mega Reel Power™ game, Celtic Queen™, whilst ICE sees the launch of its new sister category, Mega Line Power™, brandishing launch titles Silver Wolf™ and Downtown Diamonds™.

Underlining the substantial transformation of Aristocrat’s core games segment, a further four C-Series families will be unveiled on the ExCeL show floor, including Super Feature™ games Fortunes of Atlantis™ and Sunset King™, Super Wheel Blast™ games Lion of Venice™ and Miss Liberty™, Extra Bonus Wilds™ games Birds of Pay™ and Wild Lepre’Coins™ and the configurable standalone progressive games Wild Inferno™ and Wild Wings™.

“The combined effect of Aristocrat’s 2015 portfolio of E*Series, J-Series and C-Series games is simply awesome and a ‘must have’ for any operator looking to grow their gaming revenue over the next 12 months,” concluded Donal Maguire. “Add to this the ‘Helix factor’ and a slew of new, jaw-dropping gaming operations centre-pieces – of which more will be revealed in the final weeks before the show – and what we have here really does go beyond the next level; it will take players and operators into a completely new dimension.”

Meet us at ICE Totally Gaming Booth S6-120