Casino Life May 2016

May 2016

ASPERS CASINOS

“Everyone’s First Choice for Casinos”

The NOVOMATIC

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International Sales: Jens Einhaus, Phone: +43 2252 606 319, sales@novomatic.com www.novomatic.com

Editorial: Editor in Chief: Glyn Thomas Mob: +38 976 007 007 glyn@ace123.com Features Editor: Damien Connelly dconnelly@ace123.com Associate Editor Asia: Bill Healey bill@ace123.com Associate Editor North America David Mckee dmckee@ace123.com Special Assignment Correspondent: Jack Bulavsky jackbulavsky@yahoo.com International Casino & Gaming Correspondent: JJ Woods jjsilks@eircom.net Technology Correspondent: Rebecca Green rebecca@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

Editor’s page Welcome to Casino Life...

Just back from Macau – and Hong Kong – and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed G2E Asia. Whilst many thought that the MGS show would cause it to be reduced in scale and size – and importance - it has instead, reasserted itself. The addition of a wellorganized awards dinner and ceremony was the icing on the cake. As a rule I don’t tend to like awards ceremonies as they are either overblown, over-lengthy proceedings with inappropriate entertainment and / or require you to sponsor / buy a table to have the dubious pleasure of picking up a “star award”. This had none of those and a hat should be tipped to the organisers. Next year I expect bigger – better but equally a time limit of less than two hours as faithfully delivered this year.

Now, having said all that, this does not on the other hand mean that the MGS show later this year has become any less important or valid. Whereas Las Vegas had two shows and one had to be killed off for everyone’s sanity, in this instance there is clearly room for both. The scale of the whole of Asian market is huge and demands more than a single show. They may change shape, emphasis or dare I say it – venue, but two Asian based shows are entirely feasible, sustainable and we shall continue to attend both – supporting the industry and continuing to enjoy and report back from the many casinos there.

Whilst at the show I was slightly bemused to spot a trend from exhibitors and the odd operator, many who I’ve known for over a decade; some just at the show itself. Many people observed – some in fact urged – there to be a magazine new or modified that would deliver juicy, punchy stories about the real truths and the real happenings in the world of gambling. At one point a small group even declared they would start one. My reply was that they deserve all the luck in the world for a number of reasons. Firstly, nobody would advertise in a publication that is a “loose cannon” as next week it could be fired at you. Secondly for those not involved as serious publishers they should remember the maxim: “How do you make a million dollars from publishing? Simple, start with two million” Don’t give up your day job guys. In the meantime we’ll continue to channel the newsworthy items and press releases to our online website, social media and daily e-news service and promote balanced, well-written editorial from the operators and manufacturers though the hard copy and online versions of the magazine.

Publisher: Peter White Tel: +44 (0) 1892 740869

Mob: +44 (0) 7973 273714 pwhite@ace123.com

Glyn Thomas Editor in Chief

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Contents 1

Editors Page

3 Guest Comment Charles Hiten Chief Executive, Merkur Gaming Americas 4 Hospitality Beyond Borders José Manuel Xambre, Casino Director at Solverde, S.A. speaks to Peter White 12 Everyone’s first choice for Casinos

Richard Noble, Chief Operating Officer at Aspers Group Limited, chats to Glyn Thomas 20 Cammegh “Where Quality Counts” Andrew Cammegh, Sales Director, speaks to Glyn Thomas 23 Originality & Reliability Christian Eder, Operations Director, DRGT chats to Andrew Behan 28 Innovation in Action JJ Woods chats to Ron Babini Sales Manager AMATIC Industries

32 The right solution for every need Aristidis Tsikouras, Managing Director, GeWeTe speaks to Rebecca Green, Technology Correspondent, Casino Life 38 Juegos Miami Preview Casino Life catches up with Novomatic ahead of Juegos Miami 2016 39 Why Getting a Job is Like Selling a House Mark Wayman, Founder and CEO of the executive placement firm The Foundation, LLC 41 Y et more regulation for the UK casino industry on the horizon David Clifton, Clifton Davies Consultancy Limited 44 The Customer Experience Robert Ambrose Instructor, Gaming & Hospitality Center for Hospitality & Sport Management, Drexel University 46 How to Get Millennials to Gamble – and Like It!

Victor H Royer 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: Charles Hiten

W

ithout doubt one of the most exciting aspects of the gaming industry is its ever changing landscape. One key aspect of that are the business-to-business events that populate the diaries of gaming suppliers and operators around the world. Exhibitions bring buyers and sellers together. Conferences provide an insight, through expert opinions, on how the industry is developing and give a preview of what exactly those developments will come to mean.

Educational events expand the knowledge, and thus the capabilities, of those that shape the fortunes of the industry and those gatherings that focus on legislative and regulatory matters help to clarify the path to a better and more productive future.

But to put all of those elements into one production represents a mammoth task, a hybrid coming together of the various strands that are the lifeblood of our industry. So, welcome to Juegos Miami: a multi-faceted gathering of professionals from all of those significant business-to-business areas, and all under one roof. Juegos Miami was the unique concept of the late Jens Halle: a legendary figure of the gaming industry who had the farseeing idea of uniting all of the many gaming territories that make up Latin and Central America and providing a framework from which all would benefit.

Defining and planning for that framework was the challenge gladly accepted by Clarion Gaming (organisers of ICE Totally Gaming) and their USA offshoot, Urban Expositions. Now, as Juegos Miami opens its doors for the first time at the Biltmore Hotel, Coral Gables, expectations are high and anticipation abounds.

Merkur Gaming was the first Tier One manufacturing company to commit to Juegos Miami and, against its background of rapid expansion and

Charles Hiten Chief Executive, Merkur Gaming Americas

success across Latin America, has swung its full support behind the concept and the reality of this new event. With a huge international reputation for both the innovation and manufacturing quality of its products, backed by its topline service and support infrastructure, Merkur Gaming has ‘The Team That Delivers’. That team is ready and waiting, with no small sense of excitement, to welcome Juegos Miami attendees to what is predicted to be a landmark in the development of gaming across a continent that is one of, if not ‘the’ industry’s hotspots; both today and in the future. Enjoy Juegos Miami, Merkur Gaming looks forward to seeing you there!

Charles Hiten Chief Executive, Merkur Gaming Americas

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Hospitality Beyond Borders JosĂŠ Manuel Xambre, Casino Director at Solverde, S.A. speaks to Peter White

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José Manuel Xambre, Casino Director at Solverde, S.A.

How important is hospitality and entertainment to the Leisure Hotel Casino?

The hospitality and events organized by Casino Chaves are of the utmost importance to the success of the project carried out in the region.

In addition to essential resources to enhance the profitability of the Casino, - Solverde’s core business in Portugal, - events also allow our integrated region to be boosted through a diverse schedule of gastronomic and musical events that otherwise would not be available.

The Hotel accommodation is an important tool for attracting customers to the casino, whether they are regular or walk-in.

What is the highest pay out for slots in your Casino and what have been the biggest pay outs won in recent years at the Casino?

The biggest payouts in the slots at Casino Chaves have been around €28.000. At this time, the highest award that the customers can play for is an amount just shy of €130.000.

Does the Casino Host Slot Tournaments?

Several times a year we organize free entry slot tournaments, that include attractive prizes, such as cars and travel. They are an interesting complementary tool to increase membership and use of the loyalty card Privilege Club, offering clear benefits for our customers.

Annually we always participate in the European Slot Championship, international slots tournament that has made our Casino internationally renowned.

How popular is the Solverde Poker Tournament and do you welcome participants from across Europe. and how How much is the winning prize money?

The Solverde group is considered the founder of poker tournaments in Portugal, as it was the first casino group that initiated the operation of poker tournaments with the Solverde Poker Season brand. Ten years have passed since the first tournament, and the Solverde Poker Season has matured, becoming the largest and most prestigious poker circuit. It is recognized both nationally and internationally and attracts international players to our tables.

In addition, we provide weekly poker tournaments of lower buy-in, dubbed the Solverde Four Seasons Poker, and most recently opened a new Iberian poker circuit, ECT Poker Tour, which has been important in attracting Spanish customers.

We are proudly involved in the organization of three stages of the 2016 WPT - National Iberia with € 1.000.000 guaranteed.

The Casino Life Magazine team monitors many Casino operator websites to help us with our research for these interviews. The Solverde Casino website design reflects very well the glamour and

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fun aspect very well aspects of the business, with the information easily accessible from the site. Is this an area of the operation that has benefited from much research and development?

The marketing department is always looking ahead for the latest trends for that might enhance the planning and execution of the Solverde website, which is a very important means of communication with our customers.

The site provides information about various aspects of the Solverde Group’s business, from casinos, hotel reservations, events, poker tournaments, golf, to all our customer-related activities.

What have been the best performing slot machines and EGMs at the Casino?

The most popular slot machines in on the gaming floor are the video reel machines, and the more technologically advanced, the better. The Portuguese market is particularly technology orientated, as evidenced by penetration rates of many technologies in other areas of business, and casinos are no exception. The best performing machines overall are Aristocrat, Novomatic and IGT slots compared with the other installed manufacturers.

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Has the Casino a cashless gaming option and, if so, is it operational on all gaming devices?

All slots in Casino Chaves use the EZPAY - TITO system from IGT, which is an important tool for the ease of operation and control of the slot floor. However, most importantly, it is easy for our customers to understand and use.

What would you say are some of the unique aspects about Solverde Casinos?

Solverde Casinos have unique aspects that clearly differentiate them from the competition, being the most notable of which is costumer relations.

A strong investment in customer comfort and reception in our venues is the main focus, with complementary services such as hospitality and the exceptional quality of F&B to emphasize our strategy.

While the investment in the latest gaming equipment has been a major challenge, it has allowed the group to grow sustainably throughout its 42 years of existence.

fair to catch up with the latest news from the international gaming industry.

As previously mentioned, our main aim is to have the best, latest and most fun gaming technology available for our customers, and a specialty trade shows show like ICE is the place to be to discover future trends in gaming technologies.

The Casino Chaves always strives to acquire the latest products that can make the gaming experience as immersive as possible for our customers.

Did you find time to attend ICE Totally Gaming this year and, if so, did anything catch your eye?

Every year, the Solverde group travels to the ICE

Could you provide an insight into the organisation’s approach to its Privilege and Rewards programme?

The Privilege Club is the loyalty card used by all

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Solverde Casinos. It is a major tool in our bid to provide customers unique advantages as well as providing Solverde valuable insights for shaping future marketing strategies. This card allows the holder to accumulate points each time he/she plays.

The accumulated value can be used exclusively for the purchase of goods and services from within the Solverde group, ranging from consumption in bars and restaurants, hotel accommodation, entertainment shows and giveaways in Casinos, to exclusive articles from our Privilege Club Boutique, among others.

What are the most popular Table Games at Solverde Chaves?

The most popular table games at Casino Chaves are, beyond doubt, the American Roulette and BlackJack.

We also explore the French Dice Table, which is a uniquely Portuguese game that maintains high rates of occupation among our customers for its speed and ease of play.

With the Casino located in the north of Portugal, ten kilometres from the Spanish Border, do you also cater for Spanish patrons? What is the ratio of locals to tourists and business visitors to Casino Chaves and is that representative across all the

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Solverde casinos or is it unique to your location?

The proximity to Spain to Casino Chaves, ensures easy access for Spanish customers to our venue, which has only parallel in is also the case for Solverde Group’s Casino of Monte Gordo on the border with Spain in the south of Portugal. Spanish customers are more likely to be attracted to table games rather than in the slots, as the Spanish market is liberalized with slots in cafes and bars something that does not happen in Portugal.

Still, we have an interesting percentage of Spanish customers visiting us quite regularly as well as tourists, although the region in which we operate only recently began to be seen as a tourist destination of excellence in the north of the country.

The golf market, in which the Solverde Group is also closely involved, allows us to project the image of the group Solverde Casinos&Hotels across borders, with a strong component of attractiveness for our venues.

How do you see the prevailing Portuguese economic climate for 2016 and do you think there will be an increase in disposable income providing more opportunity for it to be spent in leisure and entertainment this year compared to last?

The political in change of recent months in Portugal

is something that we follow with some concern, as it has direct influence on the profitability of the business. At this moment we are optimistic regarding the economic prospects for 2016 as economic indicators have shown some growth in the first months. However, with a minority government, the risks are still high that a political crisis could endanger the consumer optimism. Still, we are prepared to face what changes lie ahead and we will respond appropriately.

Value for money is an important factor in customer retention whether it’s buying a drink or having something to eat. How do Solverde Casinos’ prices for food and beverage compare with other Hotel Leisure Casinos in Portugal and Spain?

The food and beverage pricing strategy in the Solverde Casinos is to maintain a tight price alignment with our main competitors. However, we choose to differentiate ourselves through superior quality and product variety. It has been a winning strategy and recognized by all customers.

And finally, what are the main goals for 2016?

To continue to have our costumers pleased with our Casinos and Hotels. I strongly believe that the rest will follow as a means to achieve our goals!

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Everyone’s first choice for Casinos Richard Noble, Chief Operating Officer at Aspers Group Limited, chats to Glyn Thomas It’s always nice to start an interview with congratulations and in this case it’s for winning approval to operate the large Casino in Southampton. Everyone involved must be very pleased?

Thanks Glyn, we are absolutely delighted to be awarded the Southampton large casino licence. It’s a very significant win for a couple of reasons.

Firstly, it’s the last remaining large licence available under the 2005 Act, and in a very competitive pitch it has been a real endorsement of Aspers’ model that we were lucky enough to be chosen by Southampton Council.

Secondly, with only three of the eight large licences awarded since 2005 actually being operational, it’s important to the industry that we show large licence casinos can be positive contributors to the local economy, can create jobs and local wealth and can help stimulate economic growth. It helps enormously that we successfully operate two of those three licences, in Stratford and Milton Keynes, so when we put our cards on the table, we can show with our track record that we do it.

The Royal Pier Waterfront development designs looks very impressive. Do you expect a similar type of patron to those at Westfield?

Yes, we do. We have a model that’s proven to work, which is high volume, low spend per head across all leisure customer demographics within beautifully appointed casinos, so we won’t be straying too far from that tried and tested formula.

There are regional differences that we plan for.

The travel infrastructure in London, for example, allows for a far wider catchment area, and a much

greater population density than, for example, Milton Keynes. Southampton is a very vibrant and forward looking city and we expect the presence of the Ports and Cruise Industry will have a role to play in our customer mix.

The plans that Southampton Council have for the Royal Pier Waterfront, are tremendously exciting, and we’re very pleased and honoured to be a part of it.

Can we expect to see at the Southampton Casino an Aspers style signature bar like, for example, the Sky Bar at Westfield?

You’ll definitely recognise the Aspers touch, but it won’t just be a re-tread. Part of our DNA is to strive for continual evolvement and innovation, so we’ll be taking lessons from our other properties and incorporating them into the Southampton design.

What is involved in your role of Chief Operating Officer?

Put simply, my role is to put it all together and make it all work. There isn’t a part of the business that I’m not involved in: From product design through marketing, to floor layouts and security briefings, my remit covers every part of the organisation but it all boils down to the same aim – how can we be everyone’s first choice for casinos, how can we be the best in everything we do.

What is Aspers’ approach to money laundering?

Zero tolerance. This is a very topical area at the moment, and we take it very, very seriously. We now only take Scottish Bank notes in our Newcastle property, and have limited the amounts that can be deposited. We have ID checks for cash transactions

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at the most stringent levels they have ever been and we have commissioned independent audit advice from Ernst and Young to ensure our KYC “Know Your Customer” policies are as tightly controlled as possible. On top of that, our risk management committee meets weekly to review our procedures and we invest a lot of time and money in staff training.

‘Simply the Best Casinos in the UK’ is a big statement given the high standard of UK Casino operations. Can you provide an insight into the facilities provided for VIP Guests?

It’s a big statement, but we can back it up. There are individual VIP properties like Les Ambassadeurs, The Ritz and Crown Aspinalls that stand out, of course, but I don’t believe that for the mass market, there are any that can hold a candle to Aspers’ offering. Aspers Stratford was the UK’s first large licence property and outperforms any other venue on any measure of value you care to pick. We offer the most variety of slots, the biggest poker room, the largest table offering; we even offer the best jackpots, with a winner every 18 hours, and on our main progressive, winning an average of £15,000 plus. No other mass-market competitor can point to those metrics and say they are as good.

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Aspers’ website packs an impact, it’s very stylish.

Clearly the brand is an important part of the operations marketing mix.

Thank you. Brand is vital for us, and our primary focus is how the brand positioning, the promise, relates to the actual customer experience. There’s no point having an all-singing, all-dancing website if you can’t back it up on the gaming floor. That just causes disappointment. I spend a lot of my time with the senior leadership team discussing how we bring the brand to life and deliver it to our customers every time. There is an Aspers way of doing things, and we strive to get that across in everything with which the customer interacts.

I’ve seen all the vacancies listed across all the Casinos on the Aspers.co.uk website. Is that a sign of expansion and although the new Casino is some way off, that trained experience staff will be required?

It’s a sign of expansion within the existing estate rather than us resourcing up ready for Southampton, which is not due to open until 2021.

We are continuing to grow all of the time. All of our properties are 24 hour, and in the large licence premises, we’re expanding the gaming footprint within the demise, changing layouts, relocating

tables, adding more valet operations. We’re hiring because we’ve got momentum.

When we do go into Southampton, our plan is to focus our recruitment on the local marketplace.

We don’t want to just transport a team in, as you lose the local link. We didn’t do it at Stratford, and we didn’t do it in Milton Keynes. We like to create jobs for the local market, to train people and give them careers. In MK around 40% of the workforce at launch were was recruited from the long-term unemployed. That’s a massive boost for the local economy, for the Council’s aims, and for the individuals. It’s the part of what we do that makes me most proud.

The entertainment is an important factor with in retaining as well as gaining new patrons. What kinds of events and concerts does Aspers Casinos host?

We don’t really go in for concerts to be honest, as we don’t have concert venues. We run live entertainment in our bars and we run a full calendar of promotions and events throughout the year but the entertainment factor we concentrate on is the casino experience itself. That doesn’t automatically mean gambling; you can come for a meal, or a drink, or on one of our party packages and not wager a

penny, but the physical and sensory experience of being in an Aspers casino is entertainment in itself.

We’ve had a lot of people tell us it’s great for a first date, because there are never any awkward silences with so much to take in.

How is the Milton Keynes Casino performing with the especially with the recently opened Genting RW Birmingham Casino just up the road?

Resort World hasn’t impacted on us at all, and we didn’t expect it to. Our market is the MK population - the surrounding towns like Luton, Northampton, Bicester - whereas theirs will be Birmingham, Coventry and, over time, the visiting Arena crowd.

It’s important they do well. They’re the only other group to get a large licence running to date, and we wish them well.

What percentage of the patrons to the Casino are local vs versus tourist and business people?

Most of our customers live or work in relative proximity to the venues. We get more tourists in Stratford than in Northampton, but then we get more of the leisure crowd in Newcastle when there’s a game at St James’ Park, so it’s very quite varied.

What Charities does the do Aspers support?

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We support a myriad of local causes in each casino, including the Cynthia Spencer hospice in Northampton and Breast Cancer Awareness in Milton Keynes but our main Charity is the Aspinall Foundation. This is the registered charity headed by our Chairman Damian Aspinall, which is actively involved with a diverse range of conservation activities at Howletts and Port Lympne Wild Animal Parks, and several well-established overseas projects. The Foundation’s main conservation activities include captive breeding, eco system management and rehabilitation of confiscated wild animals through their Back to the Wild projects.

The Foundation is something our employees actively support through internal fund-raising efforts, and we in turn use that to drive employee Reward and Recognition, with trips to the Parks, discounted accommodation offers, and even trips to the Gabon being offered as prizes.

Casino Life is introducing a restaurant review; would you be up for one of our journalists to visit for example - Westfield?

Absolutely. We’re open seven days a week from 6pm and cater for all tastes.

What gaming systems and equipment installed over recent years in the Casino have made the biggest significant difference, and what slot machines have been the most successful - or are there several in both cases?

Aspers prides itself in offering the best Slots, Electronic Gaming and Live Table Gaming products to its customers and is constantly looking for new equipment and ways of delivering it to the players.

With the limited number of slots available under the existing regulations, Multi-Game video slots continue to dominate the market with Novomatic and IGT providing the majority of the machines sited within our casinos, although we have seen an increased demand for B2 slots (FOBTs) designed for the LBO (licensed betting offices) market. Over 90% of our current machines are server based which means we can deploy new games as soon as they’re released to market and then tailor the game mix on each machine based on the demand from our players. The big shift over the last couple of years since the stakes and prizes were changed is the increased popularity of ‘Progressive’ machines. In Stratford and Milton Keynes we offer three separate progressives in each site with up to 24 playing positions each, creating regular Jackpot wins daily!

Our focus on Electronic Gaming Terminals has been on improving the speed and consistency of the game as well as investing in new display screens and signage, giving the player a more dynamic and enjoyable experience. We also had a major upgrade on our Live Table Gaming offer whereby we invested in a large number of new roulette wheels and displays from Cammegh and chippers and shufflers from Scientific Games/Bally.

We’ve invested heavily over the last 12 months but don’t intend slowing down. We’ve got a number of existing projects coming up in the next few months so watch this space!

What aspects of your role do you find most satisfying?

This may be a cliché but it doesn’t feel like a job to me. It’s certainly not office hours, put it that way.

My first career was military, and when that ended I knew I couldn’t be a 9 to 5 man sat at a desk so I went into the Bingo Industry. From there I found my

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way to Aspers, initially as the site General Manager, and from there up to my current role as Group COO. What’s most satisfying is occasionally looking back, seeing how far we have come and how successful we have been, and then quickly turning around and seeing how much opportunity still lies ahead for us. To know we have so much potential, and to have the opportunity with this team to achieve it, gives me enormous satisfaction. It’s exciting.

How closely do you work with your marketing team on gaming promotions?

Aspers Marketing Director is Jon Spittle and we both sit on a four-man strategy team along with the Chairman and Finance Director that meets weekly, plus we sit opposite each other when we’re in the office, so our working relationship is pretty close!

Everything we do at Aspers is collectively agreed and executed. We’re paranoid about silos and fanatical about shared accountability. In terms of gaming promotions, Jon has reports at each of the sites, and their roles are to help their General Managers achieve their targets, be that visitation, revenues, occupancy, or restaurant covers.

Promotions can provide short-term tactical bursts and develop into longer term pricing and positional strategies, but none of this is decided in isolation.

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Operations, marketing, finance, we all input and we all execute.

A couple of years back Westfield Casino was able to utilise more floor space so it could accommodate for Poker tables. How is Aspers Casinos Poker tournaments popularity continuing to expand or are you satisfied now with the steady level of regular participants?

We’re delighted with the poker operation at Stratford and feel it offers one of the best experiences in the country. Recently we’ve signed a licensing and tournament deal with 888.com that brings with it a new calendar of high profile tournaments and events, so far from being satisfied, we’re looking to build on our success and push on again.

What would you say have been amongst the primary influences that have gone into the layout and style of the Aspers Casinos and has that involved influence from overseas such as Crown?

There are three main areas for us. Our history with Aspinall’s and the standards demanded by our Chairman have greatly influenced style, décor and presentation. Crown obviously bring a wealth of knowledge of layout optimisation, how to utilise floor space efficiently and what works in product

mix, and lastly, and most importantly, our own experiences and observations. We’re constantly evolving, and we’ve found that providing a flexible gaming space, so we can move product around and create specific zones, has proven very beneficial to our customer experience, so this is something we will be looking to continue evolving.

What elements on the gaming floor, in your opinion, present the biggest challenges & and opportunities?

Space is the biggest challenge for us. We have high footfall, high demand and we want to keep growing. Other than the physical constraints, the other big challenge we face is keeping up with the fast changing nature of technology, especially in slots and electronics. Globally, the UK slots market is a small player, so getting bespoke product that works for a UK audience that has perhaps grown up more with fruit machines and B2’s than the casino B1 product, is a challenge and, conversely, also an opportunity.

What would you say are some of the additional unique aspects about Aspers Casinos that set them apart from their rivals?

I’ll pick just two. The first is the amount of female customers we attract. This is by design rather than

accident, as we purposely set out to offer a relaxed and sociable environment that appeals to a female audience.

Our venues are light and airy; facilities such as the Skybar in Stratford, or Clary’s in Milton Keynes are designed with a female audience in mind, and we use partnerships with brands and media partners to ensure we are top of mind for the female leisure seeker.

The second area where we stand apart is our staff, and their incredible dedication to the company. I am very lucky to work with some amazing people across the Group and many of them have been with Aspers since day 1. In fact we recently celebrated our ten-year service awards up in Newcastle and it was great to see how many people have stayed with us and progressed up to very senior positions. However, it’s not length of service that makes the difference; across all of our teams what stands out is the mind-set for success that we have cultivated over the years. Demand more to achieve more, be innovative, have the courage to try new things, and don’t fear failure.

Everyone who thrives in Aspers shares these values, from the veteran to the first day valet, and in many ways my role is to continue to find people with the Aspers attitude, and to continue giving them the platforms to deliver.

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Cammegh “Where Quality Counts”

Andrew Cammegh, Sales Director, speaks to Glyn Thomas How has the past year been for Cammegh?

The past year can be measured in various ways; in terms of sales revenue it was our highest performing year. In terms of product development, we have developed a brand new range of Billboard Displays and our range of side bets, including Spread Bet Roulette, which has gained traction in various markets including Australia, South Africa, India and the UK. On top of this, we are nearing the release of our 3rd generation of Mercury 360 RRS. Finally, we have expanded our staff and production facilities to meet increasing demand for our products.

What is the range of Wheels you provide and has the variety of styles evolved from feedback from customers or have the styles developed as a result of new materials and production techniques?

Cammegh’s unique range of eight routes wheel models offer solutions for every roulette

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requirement, from the entry level, yet precision engineered roulette wheel, and Cammegh Classic for basic live operations, to the incomparable Mercury 360 RRS, which is ideally suited for the online sector.

The range has evolved as a result of customer feedback, but also as a result of continued R&D in manufacturing techniques and materials – and, as always, our own ideas.

Our new Mercury 360 Aurora Halo wheel is an example of how customer’s feedback, our manufacturing techniques and new materials have come together to produce something really special - using light to trace the ball in the track, changing colour at various stages during the game. It is visually eye-catching and also useful for surveillance.

What are the primary reasons for the undoubted popularity of the Cammegh Wheels World Wide?

Cammegh has built its reputation on quality, high

end precision engineering, together with a highly personal customer service. We have also placed R&D at the company’s heart, ensuring we are at the forefront of innovation. Over the years, our customers have endorsed our company and products demonstrating total confidence in our offering, and helping us to widen our global market presence.

Are there any other specific reasons behind this growth and your recent successes?

So important is our commitment to quality, innovation and customer service, it is worth repeating them in this answer. Specifically looking at our production capabilities, the introduction of our own CNC machine shop and clean room for our Billboard Screens allows us to have total control and confidence in the manufacturing process.

With regards to the Billboard Display Systems Graphics layout, how easy is it to configure the layout so that the Casino logo and brand image can be incorporated into the visual displays?

We have a dedicated team who work on creating our impressive range of Billboard graphics. Typically we ask for our customer’s logo and use it to create a header image, which sits at the top of the screen.

We also ask our customers for examples of their table layouts, chips and preferred colour scheme before going on to provide several layout options from which they can choose. The customer is able to customise the layout in terms of what statistics and animations are shown or whether they wish to make use of our media pro package which provides

the option for live TV streaming, - for example, with live sports.

Cammegh Billboard Display Systems has some very visually eye-catching features such as Multiboard, Live TV Streaming, custom graphics and customer LED lighting. Tell us more about these displays?

Cammegh’s Billboard Display Systems have received significant changes in recent years. The aesthetic appeal has been bolstered by a new slim line design giving them a sleek and modern appeal, superior to rival displays. A recent addition to our Billboard Displays is the option for customisable RBG LED light strips down each side which we feel can improve the ambience of the gaming floor while complementing our Mercury 360 Aurora Halo wheel.

We are continually adding new software features, on top of the already existing custom graphics we can provide for all our customers. Our displays now have the option to steam live TV which has been particularly popular for major sporting events. Most recently we have added the Multiboard feature, which allows players and dealers in the casino to view multiple table results on one screen.

How popular is the option for operators to have their Roulette wheels fully customised and what are the choices available to them?

Customised roulette wheels are a popular choice for many operators and it’s an area that we at Cammegh are very passionate about. Customers are able to customise almost any aspect of the wheels,

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the most popular choices being customised ball stops, pockets and paint work. This has allowed us to create some incredible designs, - for example the Chinese themed wheels which were installed in the Venetian Macao last year. On top of this, customers who purchase our Billboard Displays can receive customised paytables, animations, Multiboard and side bets, to name but a few.

One of the biggest and highest profile Casino Operators in the World, MGM Resorts, confirmed during the latter part of last years a significant order with Cammegh that involves installations at ARIA, Bellagio, MGM Grand, New York New York, Monte Carlo and The Mirage Resort. Can you comment on this deal and the progress regarding installation and training?

Cammegh had been in dialogue with MGM Resorts since G2E 2014, and during the course of the following 12 months had identified a specification for both wheels and displays suitable for this market sector, specifically highlighting large 32” doublesided screens and Cammegh’s unique Voustone stable and durable bowls for the Mercury 360 wheels.

The installation and training in MGM Resorts took part in 3 phases starting in December and reaching completion in February, during which the appropriate training took place.

This major order must serve as a superb independent endorsement for Cammegh products in the US market and World Wide?

Having exhibited at G2E for 20 years, we’re extremely honoured to have won this order and are proud of the confidence that MGM Resorts has placed in our company. This is a substantial addition to our portfolio in Las Vegas and serves as a huge endorsement for our products in the US market. I’m sure this will help us continue to increase our market share not just in the Nevada, but the US as a whole.

How has the market taken to Spread Bet Roulette and will it be on-show at G2E Asia?

Spread Bet Roulette has proven to be very popular since it was first announced last year. The roulette side bet has been installed throughout the UK in Grosvenor, Aspers and Aspinalls casinos as well as

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sites in Goa, India. On top of this there has been significant interest in Spread Bet Roulette at shows, particularly in the recent ICE show in London. We are very excited about taking this game to territories around the world and the game will be featured on our stand at G2E Asia.

The precision engineering of each Cammegh roulette wheel has assured your worldwide reputation. Could you explain to readers about the processes involved in creating the unique Voustone bowls for the Mercury 360 wheels?

At Cammegh the focus has always been to ensure that our wheels meet the highest engineering standards using the best materials. Voustone is one such material which is used to create the bowls of our Mercury 360 wheels. Voustone uses a cast resin which has an advantage over traditional materials, such as MDF, as it is not susceptible to environmental conditions, ensuring the wheel maintains its shape in all casino environments throughout the world.

Christian Eder, Operations Director, DRGT

Originality & Reliability Christian Eder, Operations Director, DRGT, chats to Andrew Behan 23

What is involved in your role of as Operations Director?

My role as Operations Director at DRGT covers a wide range of responsibilities. Working for a systems company, technical support is a key part of that role – we pride ourselves on the level of support we provide to our customers. I lead the technical support for our European customers and also support our DRGT offices throughout the world.

When we win a new customer, then the responsibility of the project management falls to me – that means following the project from the beginning (gaining the order) to the end (installation).

This involves both Materials Management and Logistics, which I also oversee. My role sees me also includes supporting the company’s IT (both in Austria and group-wide) as well as supporting the DRGT Quality Management team (ISO 9001).

DRGT achieves strong staff retention. What have been amongst the most appealing aspects of working at for the company?

DRGT is a young and dynamic company that is changing the way systems are seen in the industry.

Gone are the days when systems were viewed as a necessary yet complicated requirement. DRGT offers a whole world of innovative solutions – with plenty of customer-related features. We are always innovating and the corporate culture oozes entrepreneurialism.

We work as a team throughout the world. At DRGT we are very much customer-focused – we react very quickly to enquiries. And we are not burdened by a big structure that requires managers needing to spend hours in meetings. This means they are more readily available – to support both our customers and our staff. DRGT systems solutions are very stable and innovative and this has enabled us to achieve yearon-year growth. In short – it’s a great place to work!

Did you ever visit Casinos before you worked in this industry?

Yes, I did. I have often found casinos to be a very special and entertaining places. I regard myself as fortunate to be working in this industry.

The installation of the DRGT Operating System clearly provides a superb endorsement for DRGT in Switzerland and this must have helped grow the organisation’s impressive reputation.

We are very proud to be so successful in Switzerland.

But let me give the stage to our customers. Here are quotes from three of them in that country. (Please

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Swiss Jackpot at Casino Bern

check out our news section on our website for more details).

Mr. Gerhard Stiegler, Technical Director at Grand Casino Bern: “For us it is unique in the market. The future-looking DRGT technology requires no central server and that is a massive benefit as there is no single point of failure. The functionality of the DRGT system is excellent; it is easy to use and we can manage all our systems requirements – not just the jackpots, but also the accounting and ticketing as well.”.

Mr. Marcel Wenger, Managing Director of Casino Basel: “The entire change-over to DRGT was completed in one day. And in that day the casino was open. The planning was excellent so that players hardly noticed the work going on around them”.

Mr. Oliver Grimm, CEO of Casino Interlaken: “The speed of progress from order to implementation was excellent. The DRGT team is extremely professional.

We are very pleased with the DRGT system and we can look back on 12 months of the system working faultlessly.”.

Can you provide an insight into the facilities of the Swiss Casinos and what was your approach to the this particular project?

The facilities of Swiss casinos overall offer a broad mix of various types of slot machines. This fits well with what DRGT is providing for its customers: working with all slots regardless of age or type. We provide one system for an almost infinite variety of solutions.

The Swiss Jackpot is a prestigious project for

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Casino Bern

which we were both willing and able to adapt our product in accordance with the Swiss operator’s requirements. Moreover, we did this in a timely manner and were thus able to beat the competition.

What was the main restriction of the Casino’s existing operating System?

The Achilles heel of many systems providers is the potential of for a single point of failure (SPOF). In such cases, all the slots can be affected. In addition, the costs of supporting such a system are higher. The great benefit we offer is that there is no single point of failure. If there were a failure, it would affect a single slot machine. No expensive IT staff are required to manage a DRGT system, so the ongoing costs are lower when implementing DRGT. What were the advantages gained by the Casino from employing the DRGT Operating System?

Unlike other systems, the DRGT system has no single point of failure; it is easy to install and easy to operate. Our customers even noted that using the DRGT system increases a casino manager’s quality of life!

With the Swiss Jackpot being a wide-area jackpot that can be played in seven different casinos, with players at Grand Casino Bern, Baden, Luzern, Basel, St. Gallen, Lugano and Zürich, this installation must have been a major undertaking for DRGT?

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The co-operation, communication and joint project management with the Swiss operators was excellent, allowing us to control and optimize the installation. While there is a highly regulated market in Switzerland, we were able to meet all the requirements with ease, thanks to our worldwide experience in with big projects in comparable markets.

How many are there, on average, in your team when involved in an installation of the new operating system in the 7 Casinos, and do you plan out their individual tasks and responsibilities?

We do not need a lot of manpower thanks to our simple-to-install system with its plug-and-play functionality and simplified system architecture.

It is important to add that we provide training and demo installations to our customers before we start installing an operational system, so they are fully conversant with it prior to start-up. In addition to this, I wish to state must emphasise that we have excellent DRGT technical staff with optimal skills and knowledge for Switzerland. One person stands out, in particular, for the technical support in Switzerland – namely, Senior Technical Service Engineer Armin Tepesch responsible for installation and support in Switzerland.

What aspects of your role give you the most satisfaction?

Casino Interlaken

Customer feedback and especially positive customer feedback is the motivator and engine for doing a great job that satisfies me - and I think everyone - at the end of the day. Positive feedback from a client is the best indicator that a job has been well done and to the complete satisfaction of that client.

In addition to the increase in Jackpots operating on the DRGT Operating Systems what other benefits do the Swiss Casinos gain?

Alongside the operational benefits, I would like to mention that we have an enormous wide range of different jackpots available. On top of drJackpots, the Swiss Casinos use drCashless with cards or tickets. Technically we provide an extremely stable solution without any single point of failure. Servers are not needed for any operational usage, neither accounting, nor jackpots, cashless nor ticketing.

Once the installations were completed how do you ensure the Casinos maximise all the various features of the new Operating System?

As the systems innovator in the industry, it is our duty to see that our customers are able to make full use of new product innovations. We schedule releases to include as many new features as possible. The casino receives these automatically with a maintenance and support contract. The updates are always done always with a senior engineer like Armin Tepesch on site; this guarantees a professional handover of the

new versions, including some customer training for the new features.

Does the system provide for cashless gaming as an option on all gaming devices?

Yes. Almost all machines in Switzerland support a serial communication protocol which is capable of doing that.

What elements on the gaming floor, in your opinion, present the biggest challenges & and opportunities?

The biggest challenge relates to the wide range of different types of machines on gaming floors - not only the brands, but also the different models and age of the slot machines. Last, but not least, we see the connectivity to, and compatibility with, machines as one of our biggest strengths. If we detect some issues with machine compatibility it is always our mission nevertheless to make it work for the customer and, if necessary, to build a different solution to make it work. This is one of our core strengths for which we are well known and it brings us many opportunities.

Finally, when you are not at work – how do you relax?

I spend as much time with the family as I can, relaxing by doing some sports like running or enjoying the beautiful Austrian mountains as an enthusiastic climber.

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Innovation in Action JJ Woods chats to Ron Babini, Sales Manager AMATIC Industries 28

AMATIC Industries won the prestigious Golden Dice award at ICE Totally Gaming 2016

Tell us how you came to join AMATIC Industries?

I have always loved slots, right from the beginning of my adult life. They are my passion and my hobby – I enjoy playing slot machines. I have been able to make my hobby my profession. After many years working in the industry, my last position was not as slot-focused as I would have liked. I have known the AMATIC team for a long time and really like their slots – both the cabinets and the games. Having worked for larger corporations in the past, I was looking to join a medium-sized company with a lean management structure. AMATIC is the perfect fit.

You joined AMATIC at a perfect time – just before the ICE. Why did you choose this time?

My recommendation to people joining a new company in the industry – to join for the ICE is the perfect time. It makes a double impact. It gave me the opportunity to meet my customers and colleagues at the outset and make the most of the event.

How did AMATIC at the ICE live up to your expectations?

I have amassed lot of experience in the gaming industry so I had naturally high expectations. The AMATIC product range really impresses me and I can envisage a great deal of opportunities for the company. But it was not only the product range that impressed me. What has impressed me even more is the way I have been welcomed by the AMATIC team. While it is not always easy to be accepted within a family company, I have been drawn into the team with enthusiasm and that motivates me to be successful for AMATIC. What makes AMATIC stand out in the market place?

AMATIC is not afraid to take risks. This is a company that wants to bring new, fresh ideas to the market. It is a company that focuses on innovation and one that has the flexibility to achieve its goals.

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Do you find AMATIC innovative?

I find AMATIC to be very innovative. AMATIC has proven experience in the market place and the product range is strong. Indeed, the team here is always looking to the future and how to meet the future player needs and not rather than just the needs of today. They don’t rest of their laurels, making the most from two or three popular games.

What really impresses me is their willingness to listen and learn, and I am presently heavily involved in several game design projects. These involve a bidirectional flow: I can take current products to market and give feedback from my own experience and that of customers. That helps us to further strengthen our product range to provide an even greater player experience.

Every company has its own particular strengths – what are the strengths of AMATIC Industries?

AMATIC Industries has more than twenty successful years of doing everything in-house. All the development and manufacturing is thus controlled and managed by the AMATIC team – and that has enabled the company to create and uphold their maintain a reputation for excellent design, quality and security. The lean management structure ensures that the time-to-market for new product ideas is kept to a minimum. That is why AMATIC has been able to introduce innovations to the market that much quicker and draw in the crowds at exhibitions to see what the future of gaming can look like. At the end of the day, it is the people who make a company successful – and the team here is for sure certainly a great asset.

Which products particularly impress you?

As a slots man, I am particularly impressed by AMATIC’s offerings in this area: the Performer Grand Arc slant-top and the AMAROX C24 upright, for example. The design of these slots is so pleasing to the eye and it reflects the company’s focus on product excellence. Everything about AMATIC is about style and innovation. The blend of classic evergreens and the new, exciting games make the AMATIC games choice very powerful.

What feedback are you getting in the marketplace on AMATIC? I have been travelling practically non-stop since

the ICE. The comments I receive relate to how impressed operators are about the cabinet designs of the PGA and AMAROX C24. I see great opportunities for growth. We are offering so much for a price that puts a smile on operator faces.

What are your goals for AMATIC Industries?

Naturally my goal is to extend the customer base.

The opportunities are truly global and we are working very hard to ensure that operators are made well aware of the benefits of having AMATIC slots on their gaming floors.

Where do you see AMATIC heading in the upcoming coming years?

This is just the beginning. There is no end to what we can do. We have the people, the products and the will to drive success and I am proud to be supporting the AMATIC team in our global growth programme.

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The right solution for every need Aristidis Tsikouras, Managing Director, GeWeTe speaks to Rebecca Green, Technology Correspondent, Casino Life 32

How was 2015 and how is 2016 looking so far for the company?

GeWeTe is the specialist company within the Gauselmann Group for solutions centred on money changing and innovative payment methods. With 23 years of experience, the focus is, and always has been, on providing solutions for individual applications in our markets with the best and most secure technology available to us. We have embodied this from day one and this it has enabled GeWeTe to grow so strongly over the years. 2015 was, once again, a successful year for us and we foresee not only matching this success but exceeding it this year.

What has the reception been from Casino & Gaming operators for GeWeTe cash handling solutions at exhibitions so far this year?

We have always had solutions for the casino industry and have long-standing casino customers.

The reason why we did not focus on the global gaming market in the past was that this was the remit of our sister-company HESS that is also a part of the Gauselmann Group. The casino solutions segment of HESS was sold off last year and the

natural step has been for us at GeWeTe to step in to cater to the global gaming market’s needs within the Gauselmann Group.

What would you say are the main benefits that gaming operations get from partnering with your organisation?

First and foremost, we are one of the largest and most successful cash handling solutions providers in the world – with continued proven success. I personally do not know of any other similar company in the industry that can offer the such a complete range of solutions. The gaming industry is fragmented – and player and operator needs can vary enormously. We do not try to offer a one-size-fits-all solution. Our strengths are that we understand our markets – we know the requirements and invest in creating the right products to satisfy these varying and, at times, changing needs.

We have 23 years experience of doing what we do with an installed base of over 60,000 machines around the world. We may not be a household name right now in the global gaming market, but in the street market it’s a completely different

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situation. In our home market in Germany, for example, we enjoy a market share of almost 70% for change machines.

The demands are very high in the street market where machines are heavily used and optimally secured – factors that cannot be compared to those of a protected casino, which is well guarded and equipped with many high-tech cameras and the personnel to match to observe the casino floor.

Only change machines of the highest quality can succeed in the street market and our market share underlines our strengths in this sector.

Casino operators also profit from our flexibility.

We serve several markets – including the market for payment systems (such as in banks and at municipalities) where at times our machines are positioned outdoors. Our great focus on quality and security are factors that any casino operator will much appreciate.

What are the benefits of the recently launched Cash-Center Compact-Casino PC Database technology?

The Cash-Center-Compact-Casino has been designed exclusively for the casino market and offers a plethora of benefits for casino operators. That explains why, in this short time, we have already successfully sold this to several casino companies in Europe. We understand our markets. For example, we know how important the connectivity to the casino system is for change / cash handling machines.

There is a wide range of systems providers in the global casino market and we have ensured that our Cash-Center-Compact-Casino can easily be connected to any Casino Management System. We develop our solutions to be modular so that they work perfectly in any payment environment – such as card-based and ticket-in, ticket-out. Whether operators require our solutions primarily as bill breakers, change machines or cash pay-out devices (when cashing in wins on a ticket or card), this is all possible with GeWeTe. One last point on the Cash-Center-CompactCasino: its capacity for banknotes and coins in such a compact machine speaks for itself and is yet another reason why casino operators should work together with us.

How do you go about finding the ideal solution for Gaming & Leisure venues for your Payment machines and Recyclers?

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It is not just our experience that plays a role here but also our focus on direct dialogue with our customers. We continue to invest in our support team so that our customers can discuss their requirements directly with us and we ensure that operators have the right product that matches these needs.

We provide the entire solution and service at GeWeTe, having the A to Z of solutions. This perfectly matches market demands and our product range. Indeed, the entire research and development for our products is carried out in-house – and that for both software and hardware.

The value-added chain is maintained in-house, meaning that R&D, product management, production, sales and after-sales support can all be found within GeWeTe. We do not outsource this – thus we are in the position to quickly and professionally cater to our customers’ needs. Our

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focus on flexibility, security and quality has made us the company we are today.

There are Gaming establishments that are often on or near borders with other countries with different currencies. How can GeWeTe assist these operations?

This is all part and parcel of our daily business routine. We have ample experience in providing multi-currency solutions, something we have been doing since day one at GeWeTe. What are the key reasons for the success of GeWeTe among Gaming Leisure Amusement operators?

Our slogan says it all – ‘The right solution for every need’. And that is only possible with the right quality at the right price and with a range of products that is unique in the marketplace. As market leader in Germany we are passionate about keeping one step ahead of the competition – a fact borne out by our long-term quest for innovation.

Despite the higher costs of being a ‘Made in Germany’ provider, we have consolidated our success through the great number of machines we have produced throughout the years, earning the economies of scale from which our customers have profited from and continue to profit from.

What are your strongest markets for GeWeTe cash and banknote solutions and what markets do you see providing you with the best growth potential over the coming years?

We are active on a global scale with the successes to match. In Europe the strongest markets at present for GeWeTe can be found in Germany, Great Britain, Scandinavia, Spain and Italy. While these are important business regions, large numbers of GeWeTe machines can be found all around Europe and our international presence is now growing thanks to our focus on the global casino market.

With the half way mark nearing for 2016 what have been the highlights for you so far this year and what excites you most about the second half of the year?

I am pleased to say that it looks like 2016 will be one of the most successful years in our company history. Our order entry books are full well into the second half year and we are expecting a further increase in orders.

Innovation and product development are key

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to the continued success of any business. Can you provide examples of the sorts of innovation your company has incorporated into coin change machines?

Innovation has played a key role in our success right from the very start. This innovation has led to a very broad range of products that embody a great deal of functions. The benefits of using GeWeTe cash handling machines are not only appreciated in the casino, gaming and amusement markets – GeWeTe solutions can be found in other market segments such as sports betting and FECs as well as in other industries such as parking, ticketing and other municipal-related areas.

With increasingly resourceful computer hackers in the background, how confident are you of the safety of the systems in place with your coin and ticket reading redemption machines?

That is a good question and the answer lies with our experience in the street market – the most challenging market for secure cash handling machines. Attempted manipulation tampering is almost a daily occurrence in the German street market and our level of security – for both software and hardware – has been instrumental in our gaining that impressive market share of over 70%. Indeed, to this day we have not had one single case of successful malicious tampering to report concerning our change machines.

Are you looking to continue to expand the range of change machines for the Gaming Leisure and Amusement industry in the coming years?

We are placing great focus on enabling casino operators around the world to benefit from our experience – so, yes, we will continue to expand globally.

What’s the best piece of business advice you have ever been given?

‘Quality is always worthwhile and always succeeds in the end!’ We work according to this motto.

Let me give you an example: we have machines in the field that are over 20 years old and are still in daily use. At that time they were all programmed for the German Deutsch Marks and during the Euro introduction had to be all converted to accept and payout euro notes and coins – a feat we achieved very successfully. I ask you, is there a better example of return on investment – being able to update the machines to accept and pay back a totally different currency, which would not have been envisaged when they were originally purchased?

Reliability is an essential factor with all GeWeTe equipment as it is very often the only machine of its type located in any given location. so if If a change machine is down, business can be lost.

Machine reliability has made GeWeTe the company it is today. Reliability is reflected in all our machines – no matter for which segment or market they have been created. And that is how our range

of products has grown – to cover individual market requirements.

Here an example from the UK street market: This market is moving from cash to TITO, yet this the transition is being implemented at different speeds by the AWP providers. Our bestselling change machine in Europe – the Cash-Recycler – offers both payment systems at the same time. Thus, it can be used as a redemption machine for TITO and accept coins and notes and even change these into tickets. The operator has everything in one machine to ensure a successful transition – meaning continued machine uptime. The CashRecycler offers even more – it can pay out wins from sports betting and can even be used in bingo halls as the redemption machine for bingo.

Exhibitions are an excellent showcase for the latest gaming machines, equipment and associated systems. Do you plan to exhibit at any of these events this year?

We make use of exhibitions not just to show our latest solutions and meet / build our contacts. Shows are an important source of feedback and information sharing – a form of market research to ensure we have the right products, not just for the market today but for the future as well. That explains why we exhibit at several exhibitions throughout the year – not only in the gaming market. Apart from the summer months, not a month goes by where GeWeTe is not exhibiting somewhere around the world.

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Jeugos Miami Casino Life catches up with Novomatic ahead of Juegos Miami 2016 Novomatic are involved with the latest new event of Clarion Gaming (organisers of ICE Totally Gaming exhibition), called Juegos Miami, can you explain a little about that show what attendees can expect to see at this exciting new event from Novomatic?

The first edition of Juegos Miami, an invitation-only event for the Pan-Latin American and Caribbean gaming industry, will take place at the Biltmore Hotel in Miami from May 31st – June 3rd and be largely supported by NOVOMATIC Gaming Industries (NGI). The event will encompass all forms of gaming – casino, bingo, betting, sports betting, lottery and social – allowing NGI and its numerous Latin American subsidiaries to demonstrate NOVOMATIC’s unprecedented strength in the region across a full spectrum of products.

NOVOMATIC representatives from Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay and Peru, will be in Miami to meet their customers during this totally new gaming show format.

With a market-leading presence in both Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as being a major partner of Clarion gaming events around the world, NGI confirmed its presence just two weeks after the event was announced. The show aims to address the rapidly growing needs of Latin American and Caribbean operators and offers a platform for

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suppliers, operators, regulators and officials to discuss the future of gaming in the region.

NGI will have a key presence at the fourday event and preview a range of industryleading products including the new GAMINATOR® Scorpion cabinet that made its international debut at ICE this year. A selection of V.I.P. cabinets will be a predominant feature and include the international hit NOVOSTAR™ V.I.P. II as well as the new V.I.P. Lounge™. Also on show will be the DOMINATOR® Curve that has already made an impact in the region.

Another brand new cabinet will be the NOVOSTAR® II. This sleek new terminal will feature a selection of games including the new game mix designed specifically for the cabinet called the One & Only™ mix.

Also on the stand will be Octavian, demonstrating the power of its ACP (Accounting – Control – Progressives) Casino Management System.

Why Getting a Job is Like Selling a House Mark Wayman, Founder and CEO of the executive placement firm The Foundation, LLC discusses executive recruitment

M

y name is Mark Wayman, and for the last twelve years I have owned an Executive Recruiting firm focused on gaming and high tech.

Compensation starts at $100,000, my average placement is $200,000 and last year I placed eight executive’s north of a million dollars.

Although my articles are targeted at more senior executives, most of these points apply to all levels.

Not here to judge or criticize. The only purpose is to communicate what Executive Recruiters and hiring companies look for in top executive candidates.

The Economy is a Major Factor – House prices go up and down depending on the economy. They peaked in 2008, and then dropped like a rock until

2012. Salaries and hiring follow the same trend.

They move up and down with the economy. When Depression 2.0 hit in 2008 I went from 120 job openings to 10 in less than 30 days. Slowly, but surely, hiring has made a comeback, but during a down economy…you can’t ignore it.

You Don’t Live in the Same House Your Whole Life – Well, most people don’t. Maybe 2% of folks live in the same house for a lifetime and the same number work in the same job for 30 years and retire. For the other 98%, they will change jobs multiple times.

The company takes care of the company. You need to take care of you. Be a consulting company of one that just happens to be on someone’s payroll.

You Need to Listen to Your Real Estate Agent –

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Your Real Estate Agent is the expert. They know the “comps” and what you can reasonable expect to get for your house. For executive candidates lucky enough to be represented by an Executive Recruiter (they have all the good jobs!), listen to the Recruiters advice. Occasionally I get candidates that want to be the smartest guy in the room. Recruiters know the economy, the hiring market and the compensation ranges. Listen to their counsel.

You Have to Be Reasonable About Price – Most people are emotionally attached to their home and price it way above market value. The Real Estate agent tries to explain that pricing the house too high will result in the house going stale on the market, and no offers. This is probably the number issue with candidates – they are unreasonable about compensation. For example, I recently received a resume of a Director making $125,000. Market rate for that job is $100,000, so they were already above market rate. The candidate wanted…wait for it…$175,000. That is never going to happen. Which results in the next issue…

If the House Sits on the Market Too Long, Buyers Lose Interest – If a house does not sell the first couple of months it’s listed, buyers start to wonder what’s wrong. Does the roof leak? Are there cracks in the foundation? For those in transition, keep in mind that companies want to hire gainfully employed executives. The next most attractive candidate is just leaving their current employer.

Once a candidate is unemployed for six months, it’s a big red flag for hiring companies. Trust me on this! Mostly this situation is related to the candidate being unrealistic about compensation (see above). I know executives that NEVER found another job because they were trying to get back to their glory days. Compensation packages are not what they used to be.

How Badly Do You Want to Sell It? – Of course quite a bit depends on how badly you want to sell your house. Are you in escrow on a new place and have 30 days to get your old house sold? Or are you just “testing the waters” to see how much you can get? If a candidate is gainfully employed, typically they want a better title, increased base salary and/ or equity. A bigger and better OPPORTUNITY. And they have the luxury of being gainfully employed and being choosey. For the unemployed, the clock is running. I don’t recommend anyone go from one

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bad employment situation to another, but on the other hand, you don’t want to end up unemployed for two years.

Don’t Negotiate Your Way Out of a Sell – If someone makes an offer for your house, it’s pretty common to negotiate certain things. Who will do repairs; who handles the closing costs. When a candidate gets a job offer, I’m astounded at some of the silly things they do. After interviewing for three months, they want to fight about car allowances and who pays for dry cleaning. What? That makes you look trivial. And occasionally I have someone that agreed to $200,000 prior to interviewing, and then says, “I want $225,000.” The worst part is they usually justify it with “I have a big mortgage” or “I have to put my kid through college.” Let’s be crystal clear: Your expenses and lifestyle have zero to do with your compensation package. And holding the hiring company hostage for more money at the eleventh hour is the worst strategy ever.

Don’t Overreach – Many people purchase homes they can’t afford, and the first time they have a financial hiccup, they are foreclosed on or bankrupt.

The grass is not always greener, and sometimes you need to be exactly where you are. I have seen great Directors flounder as VPs. Great VPs that failed as Presidents. It’s sad because they were highly successful in their previous role and company, but lured by big titles and salary, they make a change… and don’t make it. Not everyone can be the CEO. This Father’s Day…Drop the Rock (Bonus Tip) – My Dad jumped out of an airplane on D-Day in Normandy at the age of 18. He was my hero, and although he passed away while I was fairly young, he instilled two traits in me above all else – honesty and integrity. When it came to revenge, his advice was, “Son, you don’t need to get them back, they will get what’s coming to them.” Great advice! Not everyone lives by the Lord’s prayer (forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those the trespass against us) or John 13:34 (love one another as I have loved you). Everyone is on a different journey. Maybe they are fighting a drug or alcohol addiction. Maybe they recently lost a parent or child. Maybe they are going through a tough divorce. Maybe they hate their job. Regardless…drop the rock! Don’t take it personally, and never seek revenge. As Mother Teresa said, “In the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.”

Yet more regulation for the UK casino industry on the horizon

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by David Clifton, Clifton Davies Consultancy Limited

ritish casino operators might be forgiven for thinking that there was a limit to the extent to which even more onerous regulatory burdens could be heaped upon them in the near future. However, more robust requirements in relation to both anti-money laundering controls and data protection are set to land on them that will demand preparatory steps to be taken now.

Anti-money laundering

All casino operators in Great Britain have had to focus increasingly on their antimoney laundering controls following recent well-publicised investigations by the Gambling Commission into AML failings on the part of a number of high-profile operators.

In addition to this, at the beginning of May, the Commission announced proposed amendments to its Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice in relation to the prevention of crime associated with gambling.

The amendments (which are intended to come into force in Autumn 2016) follow a Commission consultation that took place at the end of 2015, in which it also consulted on an update to its AML guidance “The prevention of money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism�, the updated version of which will be re-published shortly. As well as the written responses to that consultation, the Commission has taken account of comments made during a series of stakeholder meetings and workshops held between October and December 2015.

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The new rules will require casino (and other gambling) operators to: • c onduct an assessment of the risks of money laundering in their business, and show that they have effective policies, procedures and measures to mitigate these, and • r eport to the Commission any criminal investigations involving them or their premises where it appears their measures to keep crime out of gambling have failed, They will also allow licence-holders to determine the best approaches to adopt to achieve the crime prevention outcomes required by the Commission, including the use of improving technological tools.

According to Nick Tofiluk, the Commission’s Director of Regulation: “These new requirements encourage licensees to take a proactive and tailored approach to meeting their obligations to achieve meaningful results rather than focusing on processes alone.”

Data protection

The EU General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) was approved by the European Parliament on 14 April 2016.

When it comes into force in mid-2018, replacing the current Data Protection Directive, it will introduce a much stricter data protection compliance regime and a tiered approach to financial penalties, enabling fines of up to 4% of annual worldwide turnover (subject to a €20 million maximum) for the most serious infringements and 2% of annual worldwide turnover (subject to a €10 million maximum) for other infringements.

The GDPR will be directly applicable in all EU member-states without having to be transposed into national law. As a result, its provisions will be of equal relevance to British casino operators and other European casino operators alike.

Even if the “leave” vote triumphs in the UK’s EU Referendum on 23 June, it will be vital for the digital economy that the UK’s data protection laws are of a comparable standard with other major jurisdictions. As a result, British casino operators should not assume that the GDPR can be ignored.

This has been confirmed by the Information Commissioner’s Office (“ICO”) that has said as

follows in its “Statement on the implications of Brexit for data protection”: “The UK will continue to need clear and effective data protection laws, whether or not the country remains part of the EU. The UK has a history of providing legal protection to consumers around their personal data. Our data protection laws precede EU legislation by more than a decade, and go beyond the current requirements set out by the EU, for instance with the power given to the ICO to issue fines. Having clear laws with safeguards in place is more important than ever given the growing digital economy, and is also central to the sharing of data that international trade relies on.”

The two year time lapse before the GDPR comes into force means that there is time for casino operators to prepare for the data protection changes that are coming but they would be welladvised to start that preparation sooner rather than later.

The ICO has already published on its website advice on preparatory steps that should be taken now, but it is worth noting in particular that under the GDPR: • data controllers and processors whose “core activities” involve “regular and systematic monitoring of data subjects on a large scale” will have to appoint a Data Protection Officer.

This is going to catch all casino operators for whom regular and systematic monitoring (including behaviour tracking and profiling) of their customers – not only to ensure effective marketing but also to enable fulfillment of their AML and social responsibility functions – constitutes a core activity conducted on a largescale basis • a right to erasure will be introduced by the GDPR. This is likely to raise tricky questions for casino operators in relation to customer self-exclusions, bearing in mind their obligations both to retain records of self-exclusion agreements and, in the UK, to participate in multi-operator selfexclusion schemes. One hopes that the ICO and the Gambling Commission will enter into sensible dialogue to find the soonest possible answers to those questions. dc@cliftondavies.com www.cliftondavies.com

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The Customer Experience The Customer path, at times, is like walking a bull through a china shop. There are narrow twists and turns line the experience along the way and in the process you hope nothing gets broken As in the my china shop example; the path to follow is difficult for your employees engaged in the Customer Experience (CE.) It is layered strewn with both predictable and unpredictable moments that can either fracture or enhance a the customer experience.

What narrow twists and turns define your customer’s experience? How strong is your employee’s dedication to guide them? I recently questioned a group of my Hospitality Master students on what a ‘Great Customer Service Experience’ meant to them.

I heard phrases like: “Memorable, sometimes beginning with a smilelinking to a unique adventure and culminating with a desire to experience it again.”

One student posted this: “We in hospitality understand the basic needs of our guests but how do you define those moments that truly will mark the experience? How do we define the experience as “unique” making it customised to the guest?”

This is my favourite: “It is when an organization has taken the care to educate each of their employees and empower them with the tools and autonomy to execute great customer service at each and every encounter.” Give that critically thinking student an A! “Exceeding guest expectations while providing a memorable experience. Sometimes you may only get one chance to provide a great service moment…” Obviously this student understands that each employee may only have one chance to offer

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that customer the expected experience.

“Great service is what sets brands apart and sets a standard to be maintained…” This student defines the brand identity and that consistent “thread” of linkage in the customer service experience.

To achieve a successful Customer Experience there must be the application of a consistent model that both challenges the boundaries of the traditional “CE” as well as tugs at raising attempting to raise the experience bar for the customer. The property presentations are about great teams of employees all operating on the same consistent company message and driven by executives that “get it.”

These property leaders continually offer employees education programmes and empowerment opportunities to motivate and energise them to meet guest expectations.

Understand that any marketer can bring a customer to the door, but it’s what takes place between the customer and employee within that Customer Service Experience that will pave the road for a return visit.

By the way, the bull made it safely through the china shop - this time…

Bob Ambrose, Instructor, Gaming & Hospitality Center for Hospitality & Sport Management, Drexel University

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How to Get Millennials to Gamble – and Like It!

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A simple way for Casinos to attract Millennials – and show them how to Enjoy Gambling! ~ By: Victor H Royer

n my 33 years in Las Vegas, I’ve read a lot of magazines. Trade magazines, consumer magazines, Gaming, Leisure, Travel, and so on.

Mostly on casino gaming, casino games, and the business of Casinos, and casino gambling. I have also written for a lot of these publications – more than 4,000 articles to date, and counting. Actually – I lost the count a few years ago, but I still have all my computers – dating all the way back to 1984 – and so I can fire them up, and revisit at least some

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of those writings.

In recent times, most of the Gaming Industry literature has been a lot about Millennials, and how they “don’t gamble.” How they “look for nongaming attractions”, and so on. At the same time, many of these reports and writings quote and/ or paraphrase a slew of gaming executives – from manufacturers, to suppliers, to casino operators – all of whom seem to be universally in a common panic over these pesky Millennials.

The questions they always seem to ask – and over which they all seem to puzzle – is this: “Why is it that Millennials don’t gamble? How can we get them into the Casino? How can we turn them from Club-goers to Casino Players?”

And so on.

Valid questions, of course.

The problem is, though, that many of the leading casino operators have kind of dropped the ball on this. Instead of looking for solutions to make GAMBLING the CENTER of their operations, they are doing everything BUT. And that results in further attrition of the gambling dollar, and declining revenue from casino operations.

Nevertheless, these same executives and casino operators are investing hundreds of millions – and even Billions – of dollars in all things NON-gaming, and then wonder: “How come the figures aren’t working out?”

One of the reasons is that while casino operators are paying less and less attention to their core

business – namely the CASINO – they are at the same time raiding and plundering the revenue from their casino operations in order to bolster the sagging revenue and increasing LOSSES from their misguided NON-gaming operations!

The CASINO is still making money – and it always will. But sucking the profits and resources from the casino operations – while ignoring them and their needs – and then using those proceeds to bolster the loss-leaders in their erroneously-conceived non-gaming investments only serves to place more and more undue burdens on the one aspect that still DOES make money – the CASINO – while at the same time distressing that very money-maker by using it as a cash-cow to cover the losses in those very same ill-conceived non-gaming operations.

And – lately – these same executives and casino operators have latched onto the Millennials as the culprit that is, and will continue to, cause their casinos to lose money, because they “just don’t gamble”. It’s this argument that the casino operators and their executives are using to try and answer, and understand, the decline in casino revenue and casino players. That fear is – somewhat – real. Eventually, in the next 10-20 years, the aging Millennials will have more and more disposable income, and they will become the core customers of all businesses – not just the casino. And that’s why it’s even more important TODAY, to stop this nonsense with NON-gaming attractions, and get the Millennials to start GAMBLING. But how?

Actually, it’s simple.

Millennials just don’t know the thrills and excitement of the CASINO experience. And no one has SHOWN THEM. At least not to date. Both the OEM’s and Casino Operators have jointly ignored this group. Instead, they are trying to replicate the SOCIAL GAMING with which these Millennials have grown up, and which is still a large part of their lives.

But that’s NOT the right way. That’s NOT the key.

Everyone is missing the point!

Why? Because everyone has FORGOTTEN just exactly WHAT kind of a business they are IN. OEM’s are NOT in the business of making “social games” – at least not as these may apply to CASINO GAMBLING. Casino Operators are NOT in the business of Shopping Malls, Arcades, Roller Coasters, Ferris Wheels, Sports Arenas, head-banging noisy Night

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Victor H Royer President of Gaming Services & Research

Clubs and Day Clubs, Celebrity Chef restaurants, Conventions, meeting halls, Art Galleries, or even lagoons in the middle of the desert in a drought, and an Island in the middle.

All of this is wasted money, because none of it gets the Millennials into the casino!

And – for places like Las Vegas – and for any place where the company is in the business of GAMBLING, this SHOULD matter.

OK – so how do we get these Millennials to gamble?

By realizing what they have NOT experienced!

Millennials grew up with cell phones, computers, tablets, video games, Internet, online games, and so on. To them, that’s “normal.” They don’t even give it a thought. And when they go to the Casino today, that’s all they see – the SAME STUFF. Video games. Video this and that. Stuff they already HAVE experienced. So, while nice, and great to try, it’s not something that captures their on-going interest.

At least not in the kind of numbers that the casino industry would like to see. And that’s also why the Millennials are gravitating more to Table Games, with REAL CARDS and Real Chips, because that’s not something that they have – or can – experience on their smart phone or tablets. At least not the in REAL way – tangible, tactile way, like holding real cards, real chips, real money, and real dice.

Is the light beginning to dawn here? Are you starting to get the point?

Let me ask you this: What’s the ONE THING that NO Millennials have experienced in the casino?

Are you thinking? Tick-tick-tick … OK, time’s up.

When I first came to Las Vegas, and to my first casino, what was the overwhelmingly exciting thing that I – or anyone coming into a casino – could experience?

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The SOUND OF MONEY. Yup – the SOUND of MONEY! Money falling out of slot machines! Real money that could be put into a slot machine, a handle that could be pulled, reels that would clang and rattle, and then the symbols on the machine would line up, and PRESTO! Money falls out! What a THRILL! And justifiably so.

But Millennials have NEVER had that experience.

They have NEVER SEEN a slot machine in a casino that DROPS MONEY. So, here’s what you do: If you are a Casino Operators, designate a portion of your casino floor for coin-and-token-operated slots. Either buy the old ones, the reall One-ArmedBandits from the 1950’s and 1960’s, as well as the electro-mechanical slots from the 1970’s and 1980’s, or make a deal with one or more of the OEM’s to make them for you.

Then put up signage in your casino that says: Nostalgia Slots. Or: Classic Vegas. Or something like that. Then make sure that you have good staffing 24/7 – this means Change Carts with real money and tokens. Attendants to handle fills and coin jams. Supervisors to handle player and other issues as they come up. A good Hard Count team. And so on. And have them there in sufficient staffing numbers – even at night – so that players can actually get the service they deserve, like they used get to way back when, when Casinos still WERE casinos.

And then PROMOTE this as a great NEW experience!

Now the Millennials will suddenly have a reason to go to the casino, to stay in the casino, LEARN TO ENJOY GAMBLING, and consequently become your new customer base FOR the Casino.

And, if you are a manufacturer, you can do this too. Make a deal with a casino operator. Make these kinds of machines for them, and you’ll both profit from it.

And that’s how you’ll get Millennials to LOVE the Casino, and casino games. They will now UNDERSTAND the THRILL of the Casino, and will therefore have a better appreciation for it, and for the great entertainment that it provides. MUCH better than those noisy, overpriced Night Clubs!

So, if you’re a Casino Operators, or OEM, go ahead – just do it. And, if you do, remember where you got the idea. Send me a check. I can then use it to play the kinds of games I loved when I first came to the Casino.

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