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Paradise City integrated resort opens atYeongjong Island amid the Korean missile crisis SoUth korea P28

IGT has signed a definitive purchase agreementto sell its social casino subsidiary, Double DownUS P26

Ukraine’s Ministry of Finance has vowed to reintroduce gambling throughout the countryUkraine P16

Gabriela Zapata faces charges of accepted bribesto influence gaming licences and legislation Bolivia P10

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May 2017

IAGA SUmmIt New York

May 2017Contents

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EventsIAGA Summit

ReportsThe Bahamas

international Association ofGaming Advisors in NYcEvents P42A diverse programme of hottopics will be under discussionat the IAGA Summit in NewYork this month. G3 interviewsthe protagonists

every piece crucial to Omni-channel solution deliveryInteractive P90G3 stole time with Greentube’sChief Technology Officer,Thomas Kolbabek, to discuss theinfluence of Omni-channel onthe near-future gaming business

Turning famous names intofamous gamesInteractive P100Valerié Bozzetto and MeganGoodwin, co-founders of IRM,explore the challenges andopportunities involved in takingIntellectual Property into gaming

caribbean Market report -Winner takes it all Reports P76The latest market report detailingthe gaming market of TheBahamas, from inception, throughthe figures, and including all land-based locations and ‘web shops’

NEWSWIRE / INTERACTIVE / 247.COM P5

Brazil P10The Brazilian government is planning to

privatise instants, sports betting lotteries andonline sports betting

Uk P16The Rank Group has extended its contract withPlaytech to include CMS integration of tablesand slots across its entire Grosvenor estate

Ukraine P18The Ukraine government has committed itselfin a letter to the International Monetary Fundto the creation of a new gaming market

PortUgal P20Portugal’s bingo halls are to be allowed tooperate electronic bingo terminals for the firsttime after legislative changes come into effect

Bolivia P12The former girlfriend of ex-President Evo

Morales has been accused of granting gaminglicences and offering to change gaming laws

Brazil P14Minas Gerais, a state in the north of

Southeastern Brazil, is attracting lots ofinvestor interest

new JerSey P26New Jersey's online casinos posted another

banner month in March, which helped theindustry hit some crucial milestones

SoUth korea P30Paradise City opens in South Korea amidChinese travel ban as concerns over NorthKorea’s missile threats escalate

caMBodia P32Virtue Resources Corp. is building a US$200mcasino resort called Empire World City in BavetCity in Cambodia close to Vietnam’s Moc Bai

MacaU P33Macau Legend reveals results and remainspositive as renovations and a new Cape Verderesort are planned for the future

nevada P28IGT bought Seattle-based Double Down in2011 for $500m, but falls in revenue and a

declining installed base has driven the sale

nevada P29A new eSports Arena Las Vegas, scheduled to

open in early 2018, will become the firstpermanent eSports venue on The Strip

EMEASOUTH AMERICA

NORTH AMERICA ASIA & OCEANIA

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CommentMay 2017

Conferences always become a lot more interesting during periods ofdisruption. Legislative change brings both opportunities anddisappointments, but either way they’re great discussion points andmake the most lively and interesting conferences for attendees. Whether you’re travelling to Juegos Miami, the Japan Gaming Congress,Betting on Football or the G2E Asia show this month, there’s a feast ofnew markets, new products and fresh legislative challenges to makethe conference calendar one of the most interesting, compelling andtruly global that I can remember. On my agenda this month is the IAGA Summit taking place in NewYork at the end of May. It’s the first time G3 has attended the event,despite supporting the Summit for the last three years with articles andinterviews with the speakers and moderators that have included someof the biggest profile names in gaming. This year is no exception, with a stellar line-up of instantly recognisablenames joined with those that represent the leading experts in theirfield. Our interview with Mitch Garber is both frank and revelatory,with the Caesar’s executive firing both barrels into the mid-rift of anindustry he believes has far to travel in attracting the next generation ofcasino-goers. We spend time with speakers addressing responsible

gaming issues at the Summit, sports-betting, new technologies andtech-start-ups, eSports and skill-based gaming. If you only read one article this month, make sure it’s our chat with theCEO of the Torrenzano Group, Richard Torrenzano. Specialising inbuilding and protecting corporate reputations, G3 interviewed Mr.Torrenzano just as United Airlines took the bold move of beating andremoving a fare-paying passenger live on social media - a brutalexercise in the sort of ‘digital assassination’ that will be the focus ofRichard’s keynote address at the IAGA Summit. Probably the feature you shouldn’t read this month, unless you’vebooked your holiday already, is our latest Caribbean market report. Thismonth we’re scrutinising The Bahamas, looking at all sectors of thegaming market, from land-based, to lotteries and online gaming. Enjoy.

G3 INtervIewed mr. torreNzANo jUSt AS UNIted AIrlINeS took the bold move of beAtING oNe of ItS fAre-PAYING PASSeNGerS

lewis PekEditor

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G3 Magazine Editorlewis Pek

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G3Newswire EditorPhil Martin

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Features Editorkaren Southall

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ConsultantJohn carroll

[email protected]

International News EditorJames Marrison

[email protected]

Contributorszorair asadour (Betconstruct)

kelvyn gardner (liMa Uk)Brent dolan (SiS)

Commercial DirectorJohn [email protected]+44 (0)7917 166471

Advertising ExecutiveJames [email protected]+44 (0)7814227219

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Calendar

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SOuTh AMERICA

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EMEA

Betting on Football Conference 2017May 3-5, 2017

LOCATIONStamford Bridge, Chelsea FootballClub, London, UKORGANISERSBC EventsNew Kings House136-144 New Kings RoadLondon SW6 4LZ, United Kingdom

CONTACTLizzie BlakeT: +44 1457 867683E: [email protected]/betting-on-football-2017

Cyprus Gaming Show 2017May 8-9, 2017

LOCATIONKaya Artemis Resort & Casino Bafra,North CyprusORGANISEREventus International LtdSuite 1104, Crawford House70 Queen’s Road Central

Hong KongCONTACTT: +852 5511 8385E: [email protected]

Southern Gaming Summit & Bingo World 2017May 2-4, 2017

LOCATIONMississippi Coast Coliseum & Convention Center, Biloxi, Mississippi, USORGANISERBNP Media Gaming Group2401 W Big Beaver Road, Suite 700Troy, Michigan, US

MI 48084CONTACTLesley GrashowT: +1 248 362 3700E: [email protected]

SAGSE Central America & Caribbean 2017May 10-11, 2017

LOCATIONEl Panama Convention Center, HotelEl Panama, Panama City, PanamaORGANISERMonografie SAAvenida Alvear 1883, Loc 21 Buenos Aires

Argentina 1129CONTACTJoanna ManaT: +54 11 4805 4623E: [email protected]

Japan Gaming CongressMay 10-11, 2017

LOCATIONGrand Hyatt Tokyo, JapanORGANISERClarion EventsFulham Green, Bedford House69-79 Fulham High StreetLondon SW6 3JW, UK

CONTACTCurtis RoachT: +44 207 384 7700E: [email protected]

May 2017

NORTh AMERICA

EMEA

NORTh AMERICA

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ASIA

Belgrade Future Gaming 2017May 30-31, 2017

LOCATIONBelgrade Fair, Hall 3, Belgrade,SerbiaORGANISERBelgrade Future GamingBelgradeSerbia

CONTACTT: +381 11 367 4427E: [email protected]

IAGA Summit 2017May 30-June 2, 2017

LOCATIONJW Marriott Essex House, New York,USORGANISERBNP Media Gaming Group2401 W Big Beaver Road, Suite 700Troy, Michigan, US

MI 48084CONTACTLesley GrashowT: +1 248 362 3700E: [email protected]

G2E Asia 2017May 16-18, 2017

LOCATIONThe Venetian Macau, ChinaORGANISERReed ExhibitionsUnit 303, 3rd Floor, Tower 3Kerry Plaza, No 1 Zhong Xin Si RdFutian Cbd, ShenzhenChina 518400

CONTACTSean ChenT: +44 207 384 8212E: [email protected]

Euromat & DAW Gaming Summit 2017June 1, 2017

LOCATIONAXICA Berlin, Pariser Platz 3 Berlin, D-10117 GermanyORGANISEREuromatRue de Luxembourg 22-24Brussels, Belgium 1000

CONTACTT: +32 2 761 6684E: [email protected]/euromat-gaming-summit

Juegos Miami 2017May 31-June 2, 2017

LOCATIONThe Biltmore, Coral Gables, Miami,Florida, United StatesORGANISERClarion EventsFulham Green, Bedford House69-79 Fulham High Street

London SW6 3JW, UKCONTACTGreg SaintT: +44 207 384 2771E: [email protected]


El gobierno de Brasil tiene previsto privatizarlos tiques de lotería instantánea, las loterías yapuestas deportivas y las apuestas deportivasonline a fin de duplicar los ingresos que recaudapor los impuestos sobre el juego. Esto incremen-taría dichos ingresos de 6000 a 12 000 millonesde reales brasileños en los próximos años. Segúnfuentes locales, el Congreso comenzará próxima-mente a debatir un proyecto de ley que permitirálas loterías y apuestas deportivas y las apuestasonline y que se conocerá genéricamente bajo ladenominación «Sportingbet».

la antigua pareja del expresidente EvoMorales ha sido acusada de utilizar su influenciaen la concesión de licencias de juego y de ofre-cerse a modificar la legislación sobre el juego. unTribunal de Bolivia está intentando determinar siGabriela Zapata aceptó sobornos para influir através de su relación sobre las licencias del juego ylos cambios en la legislación.

Betconstruct se ha asociado con Edge Gaming en uruguay para suministrar Virtual Cock-fighting a la red de socios de BetConstruct. VirtualCockfighting es una tecnología exclusiva de ani-mación avanzada con contenidos nuevos paragenerar unas imágenes hiperrealistas.

tras haber alcanzado un éxito considerablecomo uno de los proveedores de equipos de juegomás importantes en el sector mexicano del juegoy los casinos, Merkur Gaming México se ha con-vertido ahora en miembro de pleno derecho de laasociación del sector más activa del país, la AIEJA(Asociación de Permisionarios, Operadores yProveedores de la Industria del Entretenimiento yJuego de Apuesta en México).

casino technology ha instalado sus multijuegos Gamopolis en tres nuevos establec-imientos de Colombia propiedad del grupocolombiano VICCA (Victoria Casinos Group).

codere s.A. ha informado a la comisiónNacional del Mercado de Valores de España(CNMV) de que ha adquirido Grupo Caliente, prin-cipalmente a través de su filial íntegramente enpropiedad Codere México S.A.

El rank group, uno de los operadores dejuego más afianzados en el Reino unido, ha acor-dado una significativa ampliación contractual conPlaytech para incluir la plena integración de sussistemas de gestión de mesas y tragaperras en latotalidad de sus 54 casinos terrestres uKGrosvenor.

greentube, la división de Novomatic Interactive, ha lanzado sus juegos de casino máspopulares con el operador de juego online LasVegas Casino. Greentube ofrece ahora a losjugadores húngaros los juegos terrestres de Novo-matic y otros juegos de alto rendimiento a partir deuna gama selecta de estudios de diseño de juegosde Novomatic a través del primer casino onlinecon licencia de hungría.

SoUth aMerica

Gaming LaboratoriesInternational experts traveled toBuenos Aires, Argentina toperform a series of trainingsessions for the Loteria NacionalSociedad del Estado, the gamingregulatory entity for the City ofBuenos Aires, Argentina.

The City of Buenos Aires is hometo three casinos that areregulated by the LoteriaNacional Sociedad del Estado,and more than 6,000 gamingmachines are in operation. Theregulatory entity contacted GLIto provide expert andcustomized training as part of itsefforts to continue their stronginspection departmentpersonnel’s professionaldevelopment and skills.

Produced by GLI’s world-renowned education program –GLI University – the trainingwas tailored to meet the

jurisdiction’s specific needs. TheLoteria Nacional’s objective inrequesting training was to buildon its inspectors’ andprofessionals’ knowledge inorder to continue to guaranteeregulation compliance in thejurisdiction’s casinos, which, inturn, protects public trust, publicorder and due taxes.

GLI’s Director of Latin Americaand Caribbean GovernmentRelations and BusinessDevelopment Karen MarcelaSierra-Hughes said, “Thesessions included classroom-type training and hands-ontraining for field inspectionprocedures of all the differenttypes of technologies availablein the jurisdiction,” she said.“GLI is committed to theregulators’ education, which isone of the key factors inmaintaining governability andcompetence to effectivelysupervise and ensurecompliance of the jurisdictionregulations. It is also the key topreparing regulators for thefuture, especially as newtechnologies continue todevelop in the gaming industry.”

GLI trains Argentina’sLoteria NacionalSociedad del Estado

argentina

Currently the only legalised formof sports betting in Brazil is via asmall number of lottery typegames offered by CAIXA

brAzil LEGISLATION

Brazil Plans to Privatise sports-BettingThe Brazilian government is planning toprivatise instants, sports betting lotteries andonline sports betting in order to double therevenue it collects in gaming tax revenue. Thiswould raise tax revenue from R$6bn to R$12bnover the next few years. According to localsources Congress will soon begin debating a billwhich would allow for sports betting lotteries,as well as online betting which will be knowncollectively as "Sportingbet."

The news follows the announcement inSeptember that Lotex - the instant lotteryticket arm of Brazil’s largest state owned bankand lottery operator CAIXA - would beauctioned off as part of a 25 point plan designedto kick-start the economy. According to reportsnow surfacing in local media the licensingprocess for Lotex could begin in August and theauction could go ahead in November. Howeverthe tender could go ahead a month before sothat the new privatised version of Lotex couldwell be in operation by the first half of 2018.

Meanwhile CAIXA will continue to run andoperate traditional lotteries such as its mostpopular lottery the Mega-Sena which is drawntwice weekly and CAIXA will be a minority

partner in both Lotex and Sportingbet. However,lottery owners are concerned about thereduction in the number of customers, since,currently, CAIXA games can only be made viathe physical network.

"It is likely that a large portion of the playerswill migrate to the online platform and this willput at risk the network of 13 thousand lotteryoutlets in the country, which employs around200 thousand people," said AdrianaDomingues, communications director for theLottery Association of São Paulo and Interior(ALSPI). In January it was revealed that fundsgenerated by CAIXA lotteries reached R$12.8bna 13.8 per cent decrease compared to last yearwhen the figure stood at R$14.9bn.

According to the The Secretary for EconomicMonitoring, which is part of the Ministry ofFinance, the decrease was due to the downturnin the Brazilian economy in 2016.

Brazil offers a huge and as yet untapped marketwhen it comes to sports betting. One of thereasons behind the huge popularity of onlinesports betting is that there is no bricks andmortar solution in place to meet demand.

chile

Chairman of the board of Enjoy,Javier Martínez has urged theauthorities for more claritywhen it comes to the licensingprocess for municipal casinos. Ina letter published in the 2016Annual Report, Mr Martínez,asked that the "uncertainties"which currently revolve aroundthe bidding process be resolved.“In Chile, we are confident thatthe authorities will resolve thecurrent uncertainty over theoperating permits of themunicipal casinos, whichrepresent an important source ofrevenue for Enjoy, work for ouremployees and resources for themunicipalities," he said. Enjoyoperates nine properties in Chileand Mr Martínez said that thecompany had reported sustainedgrowth in its gaming, hospitality,gastronomy and entertainmentoperations. Meanwhile touristspending was down in Punta delEste Uruguay due to a decreasein visitors from both Brazil andArgentina. While the Enjoyowned Conrad hotel recorded a“shortfall” which will be difficultto recover, he said.


los políticos de Val d'Europe, a unos 35 kmal este de París y cerca de Disneyland París, deseanque la región que alberga al parque temático seconvierta en el destino europeo por excelencia parael juego abriendo «entre cuatro y seis» casinos.

El Ministerio de Finanzas de Ucrania se hapropuesto reintroducir el juego en todo el país convistas a aprovechar los ingresos que debe generarun nuevo mercado del juego en el próximo año. Leha remitido a la directora del Fondo Monetario Inter-nacional, Christine Lagarde, una carta firmada porel Primer Ministro donde se declara: «Nosdisponemos a legalizar el juego, lo queproporcionará unos ingresos adicionales alpresupuesto estatal no más tarde de 2018».

Novomatic acaba de recibir la aprobación porparte de la Agencia Federal Antimonopolio de Ale-mania para la compra del grupo alemán CasinoRoyal Group, lo que allana el camino para ampliar lacontinua expansión de la posición de mercado deNovomatic en Alemania.

El Ministerio de Economía de Portugal haautorizado nuevas reglas que permiten los termi-nales de bingo electrónicos en el país. En vigordesde el pasado 13 de abril, dichas reglas especifi-can cómo se pueden instalar y operar dichosterminales de bingo electrónicos.

la société Française de casinos (sFc) creciómás de un 20 por ciento en 2016 en virtud defusiones y adquisiciones.

la entidad describió el año como «un intensoejercicio en términos de crecimiento externo, con laadquisición de cinco casinos».

los casinos online legales de Nueva Jerseyrecaudaron ingresos procedentes del juego sufi-cientes como para registrar otro excelente mes enmarzo, algo que ayudó al sector a superar algunoshitos cruciales, incluidos un total de 80 millones dedólares en ingresos fiscales derivados del juego.

la tribu india de los cowlitz ha obtenido permiso para abrir un casino valorado en 510 mil-lones de dólares en La Center, al sudoeste delestado de Washington y cerca de la frontera conOregón, a resultas de una decisión del TribunalSupremo de EE. uu.

international game technology ha suscrito uncontrato de compra definitivo para vender su filialde casino social, Double Down Interactive, a unaempresa afiliada de Doubleu Games, un operadorglobal líder en casinos sociales con sede central enSeúl (Corea del Sur).

Evolution gaming se dispone a construir unnuevo estudio de Live Casino vanguardista en elárea metropolitana de Vancouver (ColumbiaBritánica), en lo que será su primer proyecto deestas características fuera de Europa. Previsto parainaugurarse antes de que acabe 2017, el estudioserá el octavo de Evolution y es el resultado de unacuerdo para suministrar juegos y servicios de LiveCasino a la BCLC (Corporación de Loterías de laColumbia Británica).

A court in Bolivia is seeking toestablish if Gabriela Zapataaccepted bribes to influencegaming licence and legislativechanges through her relationship

bOliviA GOVERNMENT

cash for influence scandal hits Bolivia

Gabriela Zapata faces charges of helping secureUS$500m in government contracts for aChinese engineering firm which employed herand was arrested for alleged influence-peddling,illicit enrichment and money-laundering inFebruary.

Three people involved in gaming in Santa Cruzwere amongst the victims of Gabriela Zapata'sscam according to the charges brought againsther during her trail which began in April as sheand a number of others face a series of chargesthat include criminal conspiracy and moneylaundering.

According to the Public Prosecutor'sinvestigation, the commercial ex-agent of theChinese company CAMC, together with lawyerSigfredo Antelo and Wálter Zuleta, asked formoney in exchange for assurances that theywould help change a gaming law that wassupposedly in the works. Three people involvedin the gaming industry in Santa Cruz wereamongst the victims of Gabriela Zapata’s scam.

The alleged victims appeared before the FirstCourt of Anti-Corruption last week as Zapataand others stand trial. Jovsep Assef Gonzales,stated to the Public Prosecutor’s office that hegave US$50,000 to Zapata in order to process a

law that would allow him to resume gamingactivities in Santa Cruz. He said that when herealised that it was a scam he tried to ask for themoney back, but only received US$30,000. InMarch Gonzales said that Zapata had asked forUS400,000 in return for legalising casinos inthe country.

Meanwhile Fernando Ramos, said that he hadbeen contacted by Sigfredo Antelo, who told himthat he knew a woman of power and influencewith the government and that they could helpshape a new gaming law which was currentlybeing developed. He said that he handed overUS$10,000. Javier Lozada Guzmán, who saidthat he owned the Flamingo gaming house saidthat Antelo, Zuleta and Zapata asked for 70 percent share of his business to share amongstthose developing the new bill. However herefused.

Bolivia President Evo Morales lost his fourthterm bid in February after he lost a referendumwhich would have allowed him to stand for afourth term in office. The loss was blamed partlyon the scandal revolving around Zapata, whoaccording to the charges brought against herprofited from the Chinese companies who hiredher to secure state contracts worth hundreds ofmillions of dollars.

Uruguay

BetConstruct has partneredwith Edge Gaming to provideVirtual Cockfighting to theBetConstruct partner network.Virtual Cockfighting is aunique and fresh contentfeaturing advanced animationtechnology to bring an ultra-realistic image to life. Thegame is backed withmultilingual and multi-currency interface, seamlesswallet integration andfrequent updates. Edge Gaming Director DonBrooks said: "We are veryexcited to partner withBetConstruct who we see asone of the leading innovatorsin the industry. The need forunique gaming experienceshas heightened in recent yearsand we expect our offering tohelp to open up markets thathave been historically hard tocrack.”

The former girlfriend of ex-President Evo Morales has been accused of using herinfluence in granting gaming licences and offering to change gaming laws

Sportradar’s Integrity Services willuse its Fraud Detection System tomonitor betting patterns acrosseach of the league’s 92 matcheseach season. In a multi-yearcontract, the Associação de Clubesde Futebol Profissional de SantaCatarina (ACFPSC) and theFederação Catarinense de Futebol(FCF) will work with SportradarIntegrity Services to safeguard theCampeonato Catarinense Serie A, acompetition in Brazilian football.

ACFPSC CEO Luiz HenriqueMartins Ribeiro said: “Ourresponsibility is to ensure thatSanta Catarina’s football is pure,exciting and uplifting. There can beno half measures in this regard. Ifour commitment level is thehighest possible, the calibre of ourpartner must be the highestpossible. There was no way we

could consider anyone other thanCONMEBOL and FIFA’s officialpartner Sportradar.”

FCF President Rubens RenatoAngelotti echoed these sentiments,“Our state has a proud tradition offootball and we are glad we canestablish a working relationshipwith the global leaders in integrity.Their reputation precedes them andwe are sure that their oversightwill send a powerful message ofhow the FCF and the ACFPSCintend to drive the CampeonataCatarinense’s bright future.”

Andreas Krannich, who leadsSportradar’s Integrity Servicesworldwide added: “The level ofsupport and respect that we havereceived in Brazil has beenincredible and we are humbled thatthe ACFPSC have put pen to paperwith us and that the FCF havethrown their support behind therelationship as well. We will worktirelessly to support our newfriends over the coming seasons.”

SoUth aMerica

Brazil

Sportradar to monitorbetting patterns in Brazil

Minas Gerais, a state in the northof Southeastern Brazil, is thesecond most populous state andthird by GDP, and it’s attractinglots of investor interest

brAzil CASINOS

investors Flock to Minas gerais resort

At least three groups of investors have shown aninterest in the construction of a resort-casinowhich would be located in the AdministrativeCity complex, headquarters of the Minas Geraisgovernment.

According to Marco Antônio Castello Branco,President of the Company of EconomicDevelopment of Minas Gerais (Codemig) twoSpanish groups and one group from the UnitedStates, all of which are already involved in thecasino industry, have approached the companyin order to seek out further information onwhether it would be possible.

Marco Antônio Castello Branco said: “Theinvestors came looking to find out about thebusiness conditions, but since Codemig nolonger owns the structure, I advised them to talkdirectly to the Minas government.”

According to Castello Branco, the intention ofthe state would be not to sell the structure, butrather to grant a concession for the building’suse. "From what I read, the procedure will bedone through bidding, thus ensuring all

transparency," he said. According to CastelloBranco the state government is looking at how itcan use the complex as gaming laws, as they arecurrently being developed, are linked to thebuilding of large scale resorts and hotels.

Designed by internationally renowned architectOscar Niemeyer and intended to house 16,000civil servants the whole complex was built on aplot of 800,000 square metres. It is also near theTancredo Neves International Airport. Thecentre consists of four large building. Twobuildings accommodate 17 of the stateministries; the third building consists of anauditorium, with a capacity for 540 guests. Thefourth building the "Palacio do Governo", is theworld's largest suspended structure, built inreinforced concrete.

Legislation is currently under debate in bothhouses. The text of the latest draft in the Houseof Deputies defines the types of gaming that canbe played in Brazil, the criteria for how licencesare to be granted and the rules for thedistribution of prizes as well as how gaming is tobe taxed in the future.

Mexico

Having achieved considerablesuccess as one of the majorgaming equipment suppliers inMexico’s casino and gamingindustry Merkur Gaming Mexicohas now become a full memberof the country’s most activetrade association, AIEJA. AIEJAis the nexus group for many ofMexico’s current license holders,operators and suppliers and isdedicated to promoting, throughbringing to reality the longawaited new gaming law, anindustry that presentlyencompasses more than 38,000direct and up to 140,000 indirectjobs and which is a majorcontributor to Mexico’s Federaltax revenues. The President ofAIEJA, Dr. Miguel Angel OchoaSanchez, warmly endorsed themembership of Merkur GamingMexico, stating: “As AIEJA workstowards its aim of helping tocreate a fair, transparent andeven more successful gamingindustry in Mexico we welcomethe input, participation andexpertise of leading companiessuch as Merkur Gaming.”

At least three groups of investors have shown an interest in the construction of aresort-casino which would be located in the Administrative City complex

COLOMBIA – Casino Technology has installed itsGamopolis multigames at three new locations inColombia, owned by Colombian VICCA Group(Victoria Casinos Group).

Players at Casino Ipanema unicentro and CasinoIpanema Santa Fe in the capital Bogotá as well as atCasino Buenavista in Barranquilla now can fullyenjoy the games of the game pack GamopolisSpeedway. The successful math, high interaction,bonuses are just few of the features that guaranteehigh performance.

Juan Carlos Afanador, CEO of Victoria Casinos Groupcommented: “While visiting casinos in Peru, I haveconstantly come across Casino Technology’s slotmachines. The feedback from operators wasexcellent as the slots were outperforming othermachines on the floors. That led me to the decisionto have the Casino Technology cabinets in my halls.It was a step with sight turned to the future as theslot machines are innovative and the powerful mixof excellent game packs allow the opportunity tosort the games on volatility and popularity thatclearly distinguishes from other game providers.The rich library of titles allow us to constantly offernew options for gaming”. A marketing campaign isgoing on now in the VICCA locations for CasinoTechnology machines with special fiesta time whenplayers are experiencing the excitement of bonuses.

MExICO – Codere S.A. has informed the SpanishNational Securities Market Commission (CNMV)that it has acquired Grupo Caliente, mainly throughits wholly-owned subsidiary Codere México S.A.

According to the communication with the CNMVCodere, via its subsidiary Codere México S.A, hasacquired 32.7 per cent of Caliente that it did notpreviously control for uS$26m.

With this agreement both groups put an end to allcompany agreements and contracts between theparties, although Caliente will continue to provideCodere with certain services related to the sportsbetting business. The transaction has been madefor uS$26m of which uS$22m corresponds to acash payment and the remaining uS$4m will becarried out in the form of the cancellation of anexisting account between the two groups.

Codere and Caliente have had a long standingagreement in Mexico and Codere has beenproviding gaming management services and halldevelopment services since 1997 for Caliente. In2010 Codere and Caliente signed an agreementwhich consisted of the restructuring ofapproximately uS$121m of debt of Caliente throughthe acquisition by Codere of a share of its gamingoperations.

SoUth aMerica

Merkur Gaming has installedits Avantgarde slots at EnjoyPunta del Este in Uruguay.Following a successful trialperiod Merkur Gaming hasnow installed a bank of itsAvantgarde slant top units onthe main casino floor wherethey’ve proved a major hitamong the more than 550machines that constitute thecasino floor and adjacent ClubFortuna VIP slot area.

Merkur Gaming Argentina’sGeneral Manager Alejandro

Saraintaris said: “Punta delEste is a major attraction forvisitors from Argentina andone of the major attractions ofthis beautiful seaside resort isthe Enjoy Punta del EsteCasino.”

Enjoy Punta del Este Casino’sMarketing Director, FabianGiame told us: “The addition ofMerkur Gaming’s Avantgardemachines has already provedhighly successful. As our brandname mentions, we alwaysaspire to offer greatentertainment in gaming andour players are, without adoubt, really going to enjoy theAvantgarde machines ofMerkur Gaming and thefascinating games that we arepresenting.”

Merkur installsAvantgarde slots atEnjoy Punta del Este

Uruguay



Die brasilianische regierung plant die Privatisierung von Lotterien mit sofortigerGewinnauszahlung, von Sportwetten mit Tipp-schein und von Online-Sportwetten mit dem Zielder Verdopplung ihrer Glücksspielsteuereinnah-men. Dadurch würden die Steuereinnahmen inden kommenden Jahren von 6 Mrd. Real auf 12Mrd. steigen. Laut einheimischen Quellen wirdder Kongress in Kürze die Beratung einesentsprechenden Gesetzentwurfes für die unterdem Sammelbegriff „Sportingbet“ vereintenBereiche Sportwetten und Online-Wettenaufnehmen.

Die frühere Freundin des Ex-Präsidenten Evo Morales ist angeklagt worden, ihren Einflussbei der Vergabe von Glücksspielzulassungenmissbraucht sowie Gesetzesänderungen ange-boten zu haben. Ein Gericht in Bolivienuntersucht, ob Gabriela Zapata Bestechungs-gelder angenommen hat, um mithilfe ihrerBeziehungen Einfluss auf Zulassungsvergabev-erfahren und Gesetzesänderungen zu nehmen.

Betconstruct arbeitet in Uruguay gemeinsam mit Edge Gaming an der Bereitstel-lung virtueller hahnenkämpfe für seinPartnernetz. Virtuelle hahnenkämpfe sind eineinzigartiger und brandneuer Inhalt, der mithochentwickelter Animationstechnik für ultra-realistische Bilder sorgt.

Nach dem Erreichen beachtlichen als einerder größten Anbieter von Glücksspielausstattungin der mexikanischen Spielbanken- undGlücksspielbranche ist Merkur Gaming Mexikojetzt Vollmitglied des umtriebigsten Branchen-verbandes des Landes, der AIEJA, geworden.

casino technology hat seine spieleauswahlGamopolis in Kolumbien an drei Standorten imBesitz der kolumbianischen VICCA-Gruppe (Vic-toria Casinos) installiert.

Die codere s.A. hat die spanische Börsenaufsicht (CNMV) von der Übernahme derMehrheit an der Grupo Caliente durch ihre hun-dertprozentige Tochtergesellschaft, die CodereMéxico S.A., in Kenntnis gesetzt.

Die rank gruppe, einer der angesehenstenbritischen Glücksspielbetreiber, hat sich mitPlaytech auf ein umfangreicheVertragserweiterung geeinigt, die die vollständigeIntegration von Playtechs Spieltisch- und -auto-matenverwaltungssystemen in den gesamtenBestand der 54 Grosvenor-Kasinos der Gruppe inGroßbritannien vorsieht.

greentube, der interaktive unternehmensbereich von Novomatic, hatgemeinsam mit dem Online-GlücksspielanbieterLas Vegas Casino erstmals seine beliebtestenAutomatenspiele für Spielbanken auf den Marktgebracht. Greentube bietet Spielern in ungarnjetzt über das erste in dem Land zugelasseneOnline-Kasino sowohl die für ortsfeste Kasinosentwickelten Novomatic-Spiele als auch weiterehochklassige Spiele aus einer exquisiten Auswahlder Entwicklungsabteilungen von Novomatic.

The Rank Group has extended itscontract with Playtech to includethe full CMS integration of tablesand slots across its entireGrosvenor casino estate

uK CASINO SySTEMS

rank group Extends Playtech contract

The Rank Group, one of the UK’s mostestablished gaming operators, has agreed asignificant contract extension with Playtech toinclude the full integration of its table and slotmanagement systems across its entire 54 land-based UK Grosvenor casino estate.

The announcement comes just a year on froman initial deal to implement Playtech’s Neoncasino management system across the casinoestate which has since driven significantrevenues for the group.

The new project will see Playtech implement theNeon Slots system to manage the group’s 3,000electronic gaming machines and the NeonTables iPad application to cover Grosvenor’s 650tables. Rank will migrate its 54 casinos from itsexisting system to Neon in the second half of2017. Rank Group’s Neon system, developed byPlaytech subsidiary IGS, is the most technicallyadvanced retail casino system in the worlddelivering a browser-based HTML5 userinterface via Microsoft Azure.

Playtech’s retail division, including IGS, is firmlyestablished as the fastest-growing supplier ofsystems to land-based casinos with themajority of UK casino groups using Neon tomanage their operations. In 2016, Playtechsuccessfully implemented the Neon systemacross all 54 Grosvenor casinos in order tomanage player tracking data, guest relations andcash desk operations, and to support the group’s

responsible gaming, anti-money-launderingand security activities. Rank also uses the NeonAnalytics business intelligence platform,including a suite of custom dashboards designedto meet the specific needs of its venue and headoffice management teams.

Richard Playle, Director of Finance forGrosvenor Casinos, said: “The project to replaceour management systems was very successful.We worked as a team to address a wide range oftechnical challenges and business innovationsand have successfully rolled out a system whichis performing well across the estate, andmeeting our business and technical goals.

“Migrating our gaming systems to Playtech willenable us to complete our modernisation, offeran improved player experience and completeour vision for a single account and wallet acrossour retail and digital businesses,” he added.

Martin Sykes, Managing Director of PlaytechRetail subsidiary Intelligent Gaming, said: “Rankis the largest casino operator in the UK and oneof the most technically innovative in the world. Iam positive that no other system supplier couldhave achieved what we did in 2016.

“We developed new features, optimised Neonfor deployment in the Cloud, providednumerous integrations and supported thetransition from legacy systems, keeping data instep as we implemented the 54 sites.”

hungary

Las Vegas Casino launches with Greentube

France

Politicians in Val d'Europe,around 35 km to the east ofParis, near Disneyland Paris,want the region that includesthe theme park to become theEuropean destination ofgaming by opening ‘four to six’casinos. The electedrepresentatives of Val d'Europewant to preserve thedevelopment model of theirterritory for the next 20 years.To achieve this, they areworking on new solutions andare trying to involve their long-standing partners, such as theEPA Public Establishment), theState and Disney. The mostobvious obstacle is legislation.Set in 1902 a law has long beenin place prohibiting theestablishment of a casinowithin 100 kilometres of Paris.

This agreement further strengthens Playtech’s achievements with its omni-channel gaming solutions and its pioneering Playtech ONE suite of software

Greentube, the NovomaticInteractive division, has launchedits most popular casino slot gameswith online gaming operator LasVegas Casino. Greentube is nowoffering Hungarian playersNovomatic’s land-based gamesand other high performing gamesfrom a select range of Novomaticgame design studios via the firstlicensed online casino in Hungary.

Novomatic’s blue chip games Bookof Ra, Lucky Lady's Charm,Sizzling Hot deluxe are amongstthe most prominent titles nowavailable on www.vegas.hu withimmediate effect. GernotBaumgartner, Greentube Head ofMarketing & Sales, commented:“We are very happy to announceour successful games launch in the

Hungarian Online Gaming marketwith our partner Las Vegas Casino.Players will from now on not onlybe able to enjoy the most popularNovomatic titles on the Casinofloors of LVC, but also in an Omni-channel environment via PC andmobile devices.

Samuel Falconello Jr, ExecutiveDirector of the Las Vegas CasinoGroup, added: “We are very excitedabout our partnership withGreentube, which will add itssuperior content to our portfolio.We believe that with the deepindustry knowledge and marketexpertise of Greentube, we will beable to satisfy local demand evenbetter, and provide our playerswith the grandest and mostenjoyable gaming experience.”

eMea

Novomatic has now receivedapproval from the GermanFederal Cartel Office to buy theGerman Casino Royal Group,paving the way for furthersustained expansion ofNovomatic’s market position inGermany.

The Casino Royal Groupcurrently employs around1,000 people and recordedgross sales of €102m in the2016 financial year. The slothall operator is stronglyrepresented in the Germanstate of North-RhineWestphalia in particular. Theexisting management of RolfFalke and Dirk Schilling havebeen awarded a substantialportion of the excellentcorporate development of theCasino Royal Group in recentyears.

Novomatic CEO HaraldNeumann announced in

February that he wanted thecompany to grow in particularthrough acquisitions in Europeand the pursuit of itscommitments in the USA. Hesaid: "The German market willbe characterised by strongchanges in the coming years.For this reason, we are alreadytaking the necessary stepsthrough acquisitions tomaintain and further expandour strong position in thefuture."

Martin Restle, spokesman forthe management of theAdmiral playing venues inGermany added: "We plan tomaintain the alreadyintroduced brand name of theCasino Royal Group. In thenext few months, we will beworking towards therealisation of potential synergyeffects, with the main objectiveof keeping employeecompetency within thecompany."

Through the acquisition of theCasino Royal Group,Novomatic has taken its totalnumber of employees inGermany to over 4,800.


Politiker im Val d'Europe, etwa 35 km östlichvon Paris, nahe dem Disneyland Paris, möchtendie heimatregion des Freizeitparks durch dieEröffnung von ‚vier bis sechs‘ Spielbanken zurersten Glücksspieladresse Europas machen.

Das ukrainische Finanzministerium hatzugesichert, das Glücksspiel bis zum nächstenJahr landesweit wieder zuzulassen, um mithilfeeines neuen Glücksspielmarktes weitere Einnah-men zu erzielen. Der Präsidentin desInternationalen Währungsfonds, ChristineLagarde, wurde ein vom Premierminister unterze-ichnetes Schreiben übermittelt, in dem es heißt:„Wir werden das Glücksspiel legalisieren, wodurchdem Staatshaushalt spätestens 2018 zusätzlicheEinnahmen zufließen sollten.“

Novomatic hat jetzt vom deutschenBundeskartellamt die Genehmigung zur Über-nahme der deutschen Casino Royal Gruppeerhalten, wodurch der Weg zu einem weiterennachhaltigen Ausbau der Marktposition von Novo-matic in Deutschland geebnet wird.

in Portugal wurden von dem zuständigenWirtschaftsministerium neue Zulassungsbestim-mungen für den Betrieb elektronischerBingo-Automaten erlassen. Ab ihrem Inkrafttretenam 13. April legen die neuen Bestimmungen fest,wie elektronische Bingo-Automaten aufgestelltund betrieben werden dürfen.

Die französische société Française de casinos(SFC) verzeichnet für das Jahr 2016 ein durchFusionen und Übernahmen bedingtes Wachstumum mehr als 20 Prozent. Man bezeichnet das Jahrals ‚eine intensive Übung in Sachen externenWachstums durch die Übernahme von fünf Spiel-banken‘.

Die legalen Online-Kasinos in New Jerseyhaben genügend Glücksspieleinnahmen erzielt,um im März einen weiteren Rekordmonat zu ver-melden, was dazu beigetragen hat, dass dieBranche einige wesentliche Meilensteine erreichenkonnte, darunter Steuereinnahmen von insge-samt 80 Mio. uSD.

Der stamm der cowlitz-indianer hat aufBeschluss des Obersten Gerichtshofes der uSAdie Genehmigung zur Eröffnung eines Kasinos miteiner Investitionssumme von 510 Millionen uSD inLa Center im Südwesten des BundesstaatesWashington unweit der Grenze zu Oregon erhal-ten.

international game technology hat einenendgültigen Vertrag zum Verkauf von DoubleDown Interactive, ihrem Ableger für virtuelle Kasi-nospiele, an ein Tochter¬unternehmen vonDoubleu Games, einem der weltweit führendenAnbieter von virtuellen Kasinospielen mit Sitz imsüdkoreanischen Seoul, abgeschlossen.

Der hauptgeschäftsführer der Jimei gruppeaus Macau, Jack Lam, hat seine Mehrheitsbeteili-gung an der hongkonger BeteiligungsgesellschaftJimei International Entertainment an die CosmicLeader holdings verkauft, die 65 Prozent an demunternehmen übernommen haben.

The Ukraine government hascommitted itself in a letter to theInternational Monetary Fund to thecreation of a new gaming market

uKrAiNe LEGISLATION

New gambling Market in Ukraine by 2018

Ukraine’s Ministry of Finance has vowed toreintroduce gambling throughout the countrywith revenues to be generated by a new gamingmarket by next year.

It sent a letter, signed by the Prime Minister, toInternational Monetary Fund boss ChristineLagarde, which stated: "We will legalisegambling which should provide additionalrevenues to the budget not later than in 2018.

Gambling in Ukraine was banned in 2009 aftera fire in a slot hall in Dnipropetrovsk left ninepeople dead. The blanket ban came into force onJune 25 when it was signed in President ViktorYushchenko. By July 20, 2009 over 500 illegalcasinos and slot halls had been closed downwith over 6,000 slot machines confiscated.

Legislation was introduced two years ago toonce again legalise land-based casinos, sportsbetting, a national lottery and online gamblingwith the hope of generating revenues of $1.5bn

per year. A key part of the proposal was thedevelopment of gaming zones where hotels withat least a 4 star rating and 100 rooms couldapply for a casino licence.

The proposed law fell down though on thesuggested license fees and tax rates, which weredeemed too high by potential operators. Thegovernment believes it has missed out on$370m on gambling tax revenue over the pasttwo years.

The government’s letter to the IMF added: “Wewill refrain from any major tax cuts and will notintroduce new tax exemptions and amnestyschemes."

"We will substantially tighten the simplified taxregime from January 1, 2018, which provides amajor loophole in our tax net. We will alsorefrain from introducing preferential taxtreatment – other than for local property taxes–for companies operating in industrial zones."

Ukraine’s Ministry of Finance has written to the International Monetary Fundvowing to reintroduce gambling throughout the country with revenues to be

generated by a new gaming market by next year.

eMea

georgia

Casino Technology confirms itsplans for growth by opening anew office in Batumi, Georgia.The gaming manufacturer willoperate through a new company- Casino Technology GeorgiaLLC, established in searching fornew premises in the region. Nina Alexandrova, BusinessDevelopment Russia, Georgia,Kazakhstan at CasinoTechnology commented: “CasinoTechnology has solid positionsin Eastern Europe anddistribution in CIS countries. Themarkets in the region are verydynamic and rapidly developingand the company strives toreflect new challenges throughopening the new office inBatumi. We will offer innovativesolutions, tailored to the currentneeds, fully compliant with theregulations and requirements inthe region”. The office in Batumi is dedicatedto localised 24/7 service for thecompany’s partners with apersonalised approach for fastand responsive support. At thesame time the team brings thecompany brand of rich productportfolio to the region.

Novomatic cleared toacquire the CasinoRoyal Group

germany


Portugal’s bingo halls are to beallowed to operate electronicbingo terminals for the first timeafter legislative changes comeinto effect

POrTuGAl GAMING LEGISLATION

Electronic terminals for Portuguese Bingo

New rules which allow for electronic bingoterminals in Portugal have been released by theMinistry of Economy.

Going into force on April 13, the rules outlinehow electronic bingo terminals may be installedand operated. According to the preamble of thenew law changes were necessary in order “tokeep pace with technological developments andinvest in the modernisation of bingo gamingoperations through the use of modern toolsoffered by new technologies.”

The new rules state that electronic bingoterminals may only be installed “in a separateroom or room independent of the room fromwhere traditional bingo is practiced, with thesound insulation necessary so that its operationdoes not disturb the running of the traditionalbingo room.” In addition the number ofelectronic bingo terminals may not be morethan half of the number of the positions set upin the traditional bingo hall.

60 per cent of revenue minus tax will beawarded in prizes compared with 55 per cent fortraditional bingo. Crucially the new law alsoallows operators to offer a national prize pooland states that bingo terminals may be part of alinked network.

Operators will initially be able to form a prizefund with a lump sum made up of €100,000.After that time the accumulated bingo prize willbe made up from €0.50 from the prizes awardedfor each game.

The new law was developed after consultationwith the Portuguese Association of BingosAssociação Portuguesa de Bingos, and unionsrepresenting workers in the sector.

There are currently 16 bingo halls in Portugal.Nine are owned and run by local sports clubsand one bingo hall is located in a casino. Five arelocated in capital Lisbon, two in Porto while therest are located throughout Portugal.

Uk

NMi has been appointed by MrGreen as its compliance partneras Mr. Green further expandsinto established and emergingregulated markets. The Mr Green2.0 business strategy, saw theaddition of the fully managedKambi Sportsbook, and customdesigned Live Casino withEvolution gaming last year, andthis February it secured theacquisition of DanskUnderholdning for the Danishexpansion of Mr. Green.

“Finding the right partners thatmeet our ambitions is part of ouroverall strategy” says Mr Green& Co CEO, Per Norman. “NMi isthe right partner to support ourgoals and build consolidationaround our obligations”.

Julian Borg-Barthet, BusinessDevelopment Director for NMicommented: “Supportingambitious growth for award-winning gaming operators suchas Mr Green is the principlefoundation of what NMi bringsto the global gaming market.Matching the ambitions of ourcustomers is what drives NMi.”

New rules which allow for electronic bingo terminals in Portugal have beenreleased by the Ministry of Economy that will bring new gaming devices to the

country’s 16 existing bingo sites, one of which is located in a casino

SPAIN – APEX gaming has signed an agreementwith Spanish distributor Comatel at the Fería delJuego in Madrid, with Comatel displaying a widerange of APEX machines on its stand in Madrid.

“APEX gaming has so much to offer the Spanishmarket. From our initial discussions last year, weimmediately saw the potential. That is why weconducted an extended trial in the VLT market. Theresults have been excellent and we are very excitedabout the future for APEX in Spain”, stated FidelMolina, CEO of Comatel.

Comatel was founded in 1990 by Fidel Molina toprovide improved service and choice to the Spanisharcade and bar gaming market. Today Comatel isone of the largest distributors of gaming machinesin Spain. The headquarters are based in Valenciawith subsidiaries in Madrid, Sevilla and Zaragoza.

“Testing and homologation are complete. Now is thetime that Comatel can bring APEX into the Spanishmarket,” added Johannes Weissengruber, Chairmanand founder of APEX gaming.

SOUTh AFRICA – Sun International opened itsTime Square Casino in Menyln Maine on April 1 with60 tables and 2,000 slots along with 18 newrestaurants and bars. The next phase of the projectwill see a state-of-the-art Arena with 8,500 seats,with the venue officially complete in November,followed by phase three, next year with the MaslowTime Square hotel.

The casino has become the second biggest in thecountry. Its opening follows the publication of Sun’slatest financial figures. Sun International grew itsrevenue by an impressive 31 per cent to R7.7bn inthe second half of 2016, with the strong growthattributable to the inclusion of Dreams S.A. and GPISlots’ operations for the full period. EBITDAincreased by 24 per cent, however on a comparablebasis it decreased by 12 per cent.

South African revenue continued to be impacted bydifficult trading conditions and reduced consumerspend. Excluding revenue from GPI Slots,comparable revenue was flat on the back of lowercasino revenues. Sun City and the Table Baycontinued to benefit from an increase ininternational tourism which helped boost roomsrevenue by 14 per cent. Growth in Chile slowed overthe six months with Sun Dreams’ revenue up oneper cent in local currency. Monticello was impactedby the relocation of the toll road to the Santiago sideof Monticello, making it more costly to reach theproperty, whilst Iquique, which is located in a coppermining region, was impacted by the weak copperprice.

eMea

The Société Française deCasinos (SFC) grew by morethan 20 per cent in 2016 due tomergers and acquisitions. It described the year as ‘anintense exercise in terms ofexternal growth with theacquisition of five casinos.’

Consolidated sales amountedto €22m up 20.8 per cent, butwith the group’s portfolioincreasing from four to ninevenues, any comparison withprevious results is complicated.The SFC bought 100 per cent ofthe capital of the casino ofChamonix-Mont-Blanc and 47per cent of the capital of thecasino of Capvern during thefinancial year.

The activity of the latteracquired at the end of thefinancial year will only bereflected in the consolidatedfinancial statements as of

November 1, 2016. The Groupalso acquired a 49 per centstake in Société Franco-Belgede Casinos (SFBC) Controlledjointly with the BelgianArdent-Circus Group ofcasinos, which holds thebalance of the capital. SFBCacquired 100 per cent of thecasinos of Port-Leucate,Briançon and Carnacrespectively in January, Marchand September 2016.

At the start of the year thegroup operated casinos inChâtel-Guyon, Port-la-Nouvelle, Gruissan andCollioure. It also obtained thepublic service delegation of thecasino of Bagnères-de-Luchon, which is expected toopen this year. SFC added:“Adjusted EBITDA rose by 28.7per cent to € 2.2m, benefitingfrom a strong performance andthe positive contribution of thenew casinos, particularly thoseof Port Leucate and Chamonix.This has allowed the group toabsorb structure costs. In thesecond half of 2017, the groupwill open the casino ofBagnères-de-Luchon, thelicence it bought last year.”

Acquisitions drive 20per cent growth forFrance’s SFC

France

The JOA Casino Group is seekingto accelerate the sign-up ofyounger players with theintroduction of sports-betting viaits new sports bar concept

FrANce SPORTS-BETTING

JOA launch Montrond-les-Bains sports Bar

The Casino JOA in Montrond-les-Bains haslaunched its latest innovation, Le Bar des Sports,as part of an on-going strategy which has seenthe average age of its customers decrease from63 to 43 years in the last eight years.

Laurent Lassiaz, President of the JOA Group,said: "The more we develop non-gamingactivities, the more we attract a new, youngerclientele, as our will is also to rejuvenate theprofile of our customers.

The Sports Bar will allow us to pursue ourambition: to get people to understand our worldas a distraction, a leisure and not just as aunique gaming destination.”

Accessible to all, seven days a week, the SportsBar features a wall of giant screens, in a 100 percent digital live atmosphere, at any time of theday and every day of the week. With the JOAmicro-brewery on site, customers can enjoy anartisan beer whilst watching on 16 screens.

Customers can consult the best betting odds,register on the online games site JOA.FR via thetablets made available to them or directly fromtheir mobile (free wifi) and benefit from the

advice of experts JOA.FR to place their bets.Guests can also play roulette at the bar via twoterminals embedded in the bartop.

For any registration on JOA.FR, the JOA Cluboffers up to €250 to play online and in casino.The first bet is refunded and once €50 depositedand bet on JOA.FR, JOA offers the customer ameal for two people and €50 of chips to play incasino. Claude Giraud, Mayor of Montrond-les-Bains, welcomed the opening of the Sports Bar:"Since the inauguration of the JOA Casino in2012, our city has a real leisure center, bowling,arcade games, a quality restaurant, an eventspace . This new innovation enhances theattractiveness of the city. It will enable us toperpetuate the operation of the casino andstrengthen the remarkable partnership with theJOA Group."

Located in the heart of the spa resort, the Casinode Montrond-les-Bains is a true leisure complexof 4,400 m² with 225 slot machines with thepossibility of playing outdoors in a tree-linedpatio, 41 electronic terminals as well as livetables of blackjack, roulette and poker,alongside bowling, arcade games, a brewery,restaurant, a dancefloor and seminar rooms.

Malta

3D iGaming content supplierBetsoft Gaming announced it isentering into a partnership withBitcoin specialist Rollthebit,operators of the iGaming sitewww.rollthebit.io.

The partnership terms will allowRollthebit to deliver Betsoft's fullsuite of iGaming entertainmentto their players, including therenowned Slots3 collection oftrue 3D video slots and theaccompanying ToGo line ofmobile games. Rollthebit.io willbe targeting players from LatinAmerica, Spain, Brazil, Portugal,Europe, the Philippines,Australia and Asia.

"We are thrilled to be partneringwith Rollthebit at this time," saidJulian Camilleri of Betsoft. "Theyare a fresh face in our business,yet they are staffed by industryveterans so we know that theywill go far and achieve muchsuccess.”

The Casino JOA in Montrond-les-Bains has launched its latest innovation, Le Bardes Sports, as part of an on-going strategy to appeal to younger playerseMea

Politicians in the Slovakian cityof Bratislava haveimplemented new legislationto ban all forms of gamblingfrom the capital except sportsbetting, forcing 305 venues toone day shut down.

City council membersapproved laws that will refuselicence applications fromexisting casinos meaning thatonce their existing licences runout they will have to closedown. The city has 305 casinos,slot halls and bingo halls. Thelegislation follows a vote backin February where councillorsmade their feelings known butfailed to pass any new laws.

Bratislava Mayor Ivo Nesrovnalsaid the ban would be

introduced in May but won’tsee gambling bannedcompletely for another fouryears. That is when the city’slast casino licence, granted tothe Banco Casino in theCrowne Plaza hotel, will runout. It will lose nearly €3m ayear in gambling tax.

Mayor Nesrovnal said: “We willreplace the drop in revenues.This was not a vote aboutmoney but about values. It willnot work in such a way that wewill wake up tomorrow and allthe gambling venues will beclosed but we finally have aninstrument to begin pushingthem away.”

The Entertainment and GamesAssociation (AZaH) hasslammed the move as beingillegal and said it wouldchallenge it in court, warningthat as a result of the land-based ban both onlinegambling revenues and illegalgambling will increase.

Bratislava to closedown 305 gamblingvenues

Slovakia


AUSTRIA –Crane Payment Innovations has signeda long-term preferred partnership agreement withWINWIN to specify the SC Advance note acceptorin all its video lottery terminals (VLTs) acrossAustria. This agreement deepens an already strongpartnership that dates back to 2011, whenWINWIN began specifying the legacy CAShFLOWSC note acceptor from CPI.

WINWIN is the VLT operator of Casinos Austria andthe Austrian Lottery (Österreichische Lotterien).The company, which currently operates 16 VLToutlets across four Austrian states (Lower Austria,upper Austria, Salzburg and Tirol), has created anew gaming concept in the country by prioritizingthe player experience. Gaming takes place in arelaxed atmosphere, with integrated cafés and bars,and great care has been taken to ensure thetechnology – straight down to the components ofthe machines – can’t be beat. This includes thenote acceptors.

The player experience is proven to soar when noteacceptors perform each and every time. That iswhy WINWIN first turned to CAShFLOW SC noteacceptors so many years ago and why they arenow specifying its successor, SC Advance, today.

Management at WINWIN explained that playersatisfaction has risen even further since changingto SC Advance, which they said provides “a perfectand seamless interface between the player and VLTitself. It accepts everything it should – on the firsttime – with zero acceptance of any frauds. And themachines seem to run forever.”

SC Advance is known for its powerful performancecapabilities. It offers the best first-pass acceptancerate for street-grade banknotes in the industry, soplayers can be confident to use even the well-wornnotes they carry in their wallets. “SC Advance hasproved itself so well, that we are now working toupgrade our entire field base,” said WINWINmanagement. “The cost savings are really going toadd up, too, because we’ll soon only have oneproduct to maintain, train our people on and stockinventory for. We are very pleased that SC Advancewill be our standard note acceptor from now on.”

“WINWIN is an extremely professional companythat demands the highest quality for its customers.Their decision to have only SC Advance in all theirslots is a true testimony to its product performanceand quality”, stated Anette Jauch, CPI sales director– EMEA Gaming. “WINWIN has pledged their long-term allegiance with us by signing the PreferredSupplier Agreement, and we are committed toreturning their gesture with the outstandingcustomer service and product performance theyexpect and deserve.”

Dutch Gambling Authority,(Kansspelautoriteit, KSA) isgetting tough ahead of onlinegaming legislation in TheNetherlands

NeTherlANdS ONLINE GAMING

Dutch Authority confirms Online crackdown

The Dutch Gambling Authority(Kansspelautoriteit, KSA) has confirmed it willdeploy a stricter enforcement strategy for thecoming period to combat illegal onlinegambling.

This means that the KSA will no longer issue awarning first but will take immediateenforcement measures. Such measures mayinvolve fines of up to €820,000 or 10 per cent ofthe operator’s turnover.

It is expected that the KSA will also continue toput up barriers against third party serviceproviders that provide services to illegaloperators (such as payment service providers).

The KSA will increase the level of enforcement,as it considers visible enforcement as the“Achilles heel” of a regulator. It confirms that itis fully ready to meet the 80 per cent channelingdegree to the legal online offer as envisaged bythe Dutch government, meaning that the KSAwill actively fight against illegal onlineoperators.

It said that despite its efforts, fines imposed aredifficult to collect. This is partly because abinding remedy to collect fines imposed onforeign illegal online operators is lacking, butalso because offenders are often unable to paybecause of debts issues. Despite this, the KSAtakes several steps to improve the number offines actually collected.

The KSA expects to grant a totalizator license inQ2 2017.

A number of charity lottery license applicationsare still being handled over the coming period.

The KSA will be closely involved in the revisedcasino regime, whereby Holland Casino will beprivatized. Sixteen business locations will besold and two additional licenses for newlocations will be issued. The KSA will beresponsible for granting the necessary licensesand will supervise the (feasibility of the) newregime. It is unknown when the new regime willkick off: the bill was adopted by the House ofRepresentatives on 31 January 2017 and will nowbe handled by the Senate.

The Dutch Gambling Authority has confirmed it will deploy a stricter enforcementstrategy for the coming period to combat illegal online gamblingeMea

Heads of The CordishCompanies David S. Cordishand Joseph S. Weinberg havesent a letter to the head ofMadrid city governmentCristina Cifuentes, whichreaffirms their willingness tobuild a large scale resort andcasino in the municipality ofTorres de la Alameda. The letterre-confirms the companies“steadfast commitment todevelop the full €2.2bn projectmaster plan submitted to theAutonomous Community ofMadrid Government.” Thecompany also says that it iswilling to “quickly resolve anyoutstanding issues.”

In December Cordishannounced plans to create alarge scale hotel, casino andleisure complex near Madrid.The company said that it had

chosen Madrid due to itsalready existing infrastructure,its increasing popularityamongst tourists and welldeveloped transportationnetworks. However last month,having originally welcomedthe plan, Madrid’s regionalgovernment ruled it could notgo ahead in its current form.

It estimated that thegovernment would have tospend €340m on road and railinfrastructure to provideaccess to the out-of-towncomplex. However in its letter,Cordish Companies has notrequested any infrastructureimprovements on behalf of thegovernment for the project andstates that “no public” subsidy”has been requested. It also saysthat no “public aid or taxbenefits not already providedfor in any current laws and/orregulations, will be requestedor sought for the benefit of theProject” and that the companywould fully comply “withapplicable governinglegislation.

Cordish reconfirms‘steadfast commit-ment’ to Madrid

Spain

UK – SIS has signed an agreement with B2B totesupplier, The Global Tote (TGT), for uK & Irishgreyhound content. The deal allows TGT, asubsidiary of TopBetta holdings, to broadcast uKand Irish Greyhound racing events, and TGT willdistribute live picture content and The Global Toteodds services to international bookmakers for theirpunters around the world.

Paul Witten, Commercial Director of SIS, said: "Weare excited to be working with The Global Tote toprovide them with some of the best horse andgreyhound content in the world. We are sure thatthis content will prove popular with their customersglobally and generate significant revenues."

TopBetta CEO, Todd Buckingham, said "It's asignificant deal for all stakeholders; firstly, that TGTcan distribute both live vision and The Global Toteodds service to bookmakers to, in turn, offer theirpunters access to more content, as well ascompetitive pricing. Importantly for all parties, thisis TGT's commercial model for how to monetiseracing content into new jurisdictions - live contentwith a no-risk betting engine that generatesrevenue for race clubs, bookmakers and TGT - andat the same time gives punters the best valueproduct in the market.

"TGT intends to apply this model across as manybookmaker channels around the world as it can,and will continue to work with bodies from allracing codes that would like to gain access toglobal markets."


UK – Inspired Entertainment has celebrated thesuccess of its Virtual Grand National, which saw thepredicted winner, Cause Of Causes, finish in secondplace in the live event at Aintree. Following anexclusive long term partnership with CarmProductions and The Jockey Club, Inspired’s VirtualGrand National 2017 was broadcast for the firsttime on national television in the uK on the Fridayevening ahead of the live event on Saturday.

The virtual race, which was uniquely developed tofeature the 40 declared runners and riders from the2017 Grand National field, used complex dataalgorithms to eventually predict Cause Of Causesas the winner of the 2017 Grand National. In a nail-biting climax, One For Arthur took the title, with thevirtually predicted winner finishing a close second.

“Trying to predict the result of what can often beone of the most unpredictable races in the sportingcalendar was always going to pose a risk and achallenge,” said Steve Rogers, CCO Digital Games,Inspired, “but I’m delighted that the strength of thealgorithms which we used to devise the producthave proven their sophistication.”

Uk

Greentube has acquiredMazooma Interactive Games(MIG) to streamline theinteractive units across theNovomatic Group. MIG plays akey role in the UK market andprovides a game integrationcapability to enable land-basedgames to enter the onlinemarket. The company hasfocused its attention ondeveloping digital content forInternet and mobile marketsboth in the UK andinternationally. The conceptionof Greentube UK providesMazooma’s former customerbase local access to the entireNovomatic Group portfolio – aswell as Greentube’s productsand services. Greentube UKwill retain the game build andits design capabilities in thisnew format. Georg Gubo,Greentube COO, added: “This isa significant businessreorganisation to support ourgrowth plans in the UK bothfrom a B2B and B2Cperspective.”


le gouvernement brésilien prévoit deprivatiser les tickets de loterie instantanée, les loter-ies avec paris sportifs et les paris sportifs en ligneafin de doubler les revenus que rapportent les taxessur les jeux d'argent. Les recettes issues des taxesdevraient passer de 6 à 12 milliards de réauxbrésiliens au cours de ces prochaines années.D'après des sources locales, le Congrès va bientôtdébattre d'un projet de loi autorisant à la fois lesloteries avec paris sportifs et les paris en ligne, dontl'association prendrait le nom de 'Sportingbet'.

l'ancienne petite amie de l'ex-président EvoMorales est accusée d'avoir utilisé son influencepour obtenir des licences de jeux et d'avoir proposéde modifier les lois relatives aux jeux d'argent. unecour de justice bolivienne cherche à établir siGabriela Zapata a accepté des pots-de-vin enéchange de sa tentative de faire modifier les droitsde licence et les lois relatives aux jeux d'argent aucours de sa relation avec Evo Morales.

Betconstruct s'est associé à Edge gaming enuruguay pour fournir le contenu Virtual Cockfight-ing à l'ensemble du réseau de partenaires deBetConstruct. Virtual Cockfighting est un contenunovateur unique avec une technologie avancée enmatière d'animation pour une image ultra-réaliste.

Après son incroyable succès sur le marchémexicain des casinos et des jeux d'argent en tantque fournisseur majeur d'équipements de jeux,Merkur Gaming Mexico fait dorénavant partie del'AIEJA, l'association professionnelle la plus activedu pays.

casino technology vient d'installer sesmulti-jeux Gamopolis sur trois nouveaux sitescolombiens appartenant au groupe colombienVICCA (Victoria Casinos Group).

le groupe codere s.A. vient d'informer lacommission nationale du marché des valeurs(CNMV) qu'il a acquis le Grupo Caliente, principale-ment via sa filiale en propriété exclusive de CodereMéxico S.A.

le groupe rank, l'un des opérateurs de jeuxles plus reconnus du Royaume-uni, vientd'accepter d'étendre son contrat avec Playtech : ilinclut dorénavant la fourniture intégrale de sessystèmes de gestion de tables de jeux et demachines à sous auprès des 54 casinos basés auRoyaume-uni que compte la société Grosvenor.

greentube, la filiale interactive de Novomatic,vient de lancer ses jeux de machines à sous lesplus populaires via l'opérateur de jeux en ligne LasVegas Casino. Greentube offre dorénavant auxjoueurs hongrois des jeux Novomatic habituelle-ment proposés dans les casinos ainsi que d'autresjeux haut de gamme issus des bureaux d'étude deNovomatic via le premier casino agréé en ligne enhongrie.

Novomatic vient de recevoir l'accord del'Office fédéral allemand pour acquérir le GermanCasino Royal Group, autorisant ainsi l'expansion dela position de Novomatic sur le marché allemand.

Results from online gamingoperations in March reachedanother crucial milestone in bothrevenues and tax receipts

NeW JerSeY ONLINE GAMING

New Jersey online sector passes milestoneNew Jersey's legal online casinos hauled in enough gaming revenue to post

another banner month in March, and that helped the industry hit some crucialmilestones — including $80m in total tax revenue

north aMerica

The Cowlitz Indian Tribe hasbeen given permission to opena $510m casino in La Center insouthwestern Washingtonstate near the border withOregon following a decision bythe US Supreme Court.

The Cowlitz Tribe has beenworking to bring a casino to itstribal land for several yearsand has faced stiff oppositionfrom several groups. The USSupreme Court denied apetition to review a lowercourt decision that upheld the

US Department of Interior'sauthority to take land into truston behalf of the tribe, rebuffinga series of legal challengesfiled by tribal casinoopponents. The 360,000sq.ft.Ilani Casino Resort opened itsdoors at the end of April.

The Clark County casinoincludes a gaming floor, with75 table games and 1,200 slotsalongside a concert hall and 15restaurants, bars and retailstores.

Cowlitz tribal ChairmanWilliam Iyall said: “This is atriumphant moment for TheCowlitz Tribe because it marksthe end of a 160-year journeyback to our homeland, and thebeginning of a new journey.”

uS courts allowCowlitz tribe to openIlani Casino

washington

las vegas

AGS has submitted a draftregistration statement on FormS-1 to the United StatesSecurities and ExchangeCommission relating to apotential IPO. The Las Vegasbased company has its roots inthe Class II, Native Americanmarket although it has recentlyexpanded its product lines toinclude top performing slotgames for the Class IIIcommercial marketplace, aswell as live felt table games andmobile gaming. The number ofshares to be offered and theprice range for the offering havenot been determined. The IPO isexpected to commence after theSEC completes its reviewprocess, subject to marketconditions. AGS intends to list itscommon stock under the tickersymbol AGS. The group recentlybought slot manufacturerCadillac Jack and RocketPlaytaking it into the mobile gamingsegment. Increased slot titlesand jurisdictional licenses havemade AGS the second largestsupplier of Class II games in theworld.

New Jersey's legal online casinos hauled inenough gaming revenue to post another bannermonth in March, and that helped the industryhit some crucial milestones — including $80min total tax revenue.

The New Jersey Monthly Internet Gross RevenueReport, which was released Wednesday by thestate's Division of Gaming Enforcement, showedthat legal online casinos generated a record$21.7m in gross revenue in March. That is thefirst month revenue has exceeded $20m and itpushes New Jersey past $536.5m in totalrevenue since the state legalized online casinogames and poker in 2013.

In addition to tax revenue, the key milestoneshit include three New Jersey legal online casinospassing significant revenue marks includingBorgata Hotel Casino & Spa surpassing $150msince its launch, Tropicana Casino & Resortcrossing $100m in total revenue and ResortsDigital Gaming passing the $50m mark.

"Nearly three-and-a-half years since itsinception, the train that is the New Jersey onlinegambling industry continues to gather steam,"said Robert DellaFave, senior analyst forPlayNJ.com.

The vast majority of the revenue generatedonline is from new customers, rather thanexisting customers simply shifting their spendonline. Executives from Borgata, CaesarsInteractive Entertainment, and Golden NuggetAtlantic City have all confirmed in statementsthat more than 80 percent of their onlinecustomers are new to their casinos.

"Any fears that land-based gamblers are tradingin their chips and slot pulls for their onlineequivalents are misguided," DellaFave said."New Jersey online gambling revenue largelycomes from players that have never set footinside an Atlantic City casino. Online gamblingis a critical component of Atlantic City'srevitalisation efforts."

IGT bought Seattle-based DoubleDown in 2011 for $500m, but fallsin revenue due to fewer dailyactive users and a declininginstalled base has driven the sale

NevAdA SOCIAL GAMING

igt to sell Double Down for Us$825m

International Game Technology has signed adefinitive purchase agreement to sell its socialcasino subsidiary, Double Down Interactive, toan affiliate of DoubleU Games., a leading globalsocial casino operator headquartered in Seoul,South Korea. The cash purchase price is $825m,which represents 10.5x DoubleDown's full-year2016 Adjusted EBITDA. The transactionestablishes a new multi-year strategicpartnership between IGT and DoubleU Gamesto provide innovative player experiences in thesocial casino market worldwide.

"Since acquiring DoubleDown in 2012, IGT hasgrown it into one of the largest and mostsuccessful brands in the North American socialcasino market," said Marco Sala, CEO of IGT."After several years of strong, organic growthand increasingly attractive valuation levels, thetime is right for us to maximize the value of thisasset for our shareholders. We will continueparticipating in the growth of the social casinomarket through our multi-year, strategicpartnership with DoubleU Games."

"This transaction represents a unique and value-accretive partnership combining the operational

excellence of DoubleU Games with IGT's worldclass slot content," said Ga-Ram Kim, CEO ofDoubleU Games. "With this partnership, we areexcited and confident about DoubleU Games'future as a global leader in social casino."

Proceeds from the transaction will be used forgeneral corporate purposes, including debtreduction. IGT will provide an updated financialoutlook that includes the full impact of thistransaction in late May, in conjunction with itsfirst quarter of 2017 results.

Upon the closing of the sale, the parties willenter into a game development, distribution andservices agreement which will enable DoubleUGames to offer IGT's extensive casino gamelibrary on DoubleU Games' combined socialcasino platforms, in exchange for ongoingroyalties to IGT.

The sale has been approved by the Board ofDirectors of IGT and the necessary governancebody of DoubleU Games, and is subject tocustomary closing conditions, includingregulatory approvals. The sale is anticipated tobe completed in the second quarter of 2017.

canada

Gateway Casinos &Entertainment has now openedCascades Casino Penticton with400 slot machines and gamingtables including blackjack,roulette, and baccarat. Tony Santo, CEO of Gateway,said: “Gateway is proud to invest$25m in Penticton and bring upto 150 new employees for a totalof approximately 300 teammembers to the community.Cascades Casino Penticton willbe a significant addition to thelocal economy andentertainment landscape ofPenticton.”

Mike Magnusson, GeneralManager added: “We want everyguest to have an experience thathas them planning their nextCascades trip before they leave.”

The Cascades of Cash promotionalso kicked off in April, whereplayers can instantly win$1,000,000, just by swiping theirEncore Rewards card.

IGT has signed a definitive purchase agreement to sell its social casino subsidiary,Double Down Interactive, to an affiliate of DoubleU Games

Hard Rock International has now officially announced the completedacquisition as well as unveiled plans for the launch and significantredevelopment of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City. Dignitariesincluding Governor Chris Christie, Atlantic City Mayor Don Guardian,Hard Rock International Chairman Jim Allen and Senate President StephenSweeney, as well as local representatives, gathered to learn more about themomentous opportunity the project will bring to Atlantic City. The formerTaj Mahal building will undergo an all-encompassing $375m renovationand reopen in the summer of 2018.

The upcoming Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City is situated on 17-acres of Boardwalk real estate, offering vast views of the city and AtlanticOcean. Impacting local and regional economies, as well as contributing tothe revitalisation of Atlantic City, the partnership between Hard Rock andthe Morris and Jingoli families will create more than 1,000 jobs duringconstruction and 3,000 permanent jobs. Since the transaction on March31, Hard Rock has already hired 23 employees as it sets out to bring theonce iconic property back to life.

new Jersey

hard Rock to spend $375m on Taj Mahal overhaul


les politiciens souhaitent que le Val d'Europe, une région située à 35 kilomètres à l'estde Paris, près de Disneyland Paris, ne comprenneplus seulement un parc à thème mais qu'elle devi-enne la première destination de jeux européenneavec l'ouverture de quatre à six casinos.

le ministère des finances ukrainienne apromis de réintroduire les paris à travers le payspour permettre à ce nouveau marché de générerdes revenus d'ici l'année prochaine. une lettresignée par le premier ministre a été envoyée à ladirigeante du Fonds monétaire internationale,Christine Lagarde, avec les explications suivantes :'Nous allons légaliser les paris pour permettre ànotre budget de bénéficier de recettescomplémentaires avant 2018'.

le ministère de l'économie vient d'entériner de nouvelles lois autorisant les terminaux de bingoélectroniques au Portugal. Ces lois, entrées envigueur le 13 avril, encadrent la manière dont lesterminaux de bingo doivent être installés et gérés.

la société Française de casinos (sFc) aconnu une croissance de plus de 20 % en 2016grâce à des fusions et acquisitions.

Elle résume cette année en un 'exerciceintense en termes de croissance externe avec l'ac-quisition de cinq casinos'.

les nouveaux casinos en ligne agréés du New Jersey ont généré suffisamment de profits,avec un mois de mars exceptionnel, pour que lesecteur atteigne des chiffres record : le total desrecettes fiscales s'élève ainsi à 80 millions de dol-lars uS.

la tribu indienne des cowlitz vient de se voiraccorder le droit d'ouvrir un casino de 510 millionsde dollars uS à La Center, dans le sud-ouest del'état de Washington, près de la frontière avec l'Ore-gon, suite à une décision de la Cour Suprêmeaméricaine.

international game technology vient de signer un contrat de vente pour sa filiale de jeux decasino en réseau, Double Down Interactive, à unefiliale de Doubleu Games., un opérateur de casinoavec jeux en réseau dont le siège social est basé àSéoul, en Corée du Sud.

Evolution gaming devrait construire une nouvelle salle de casino live dernier cri dans le dis-trict régional du Grand Vancouver, en ColombieBritannique, la première hors Europe. L'ouvertureest prévue avant fin 2017 et la salle sera lahuitième d'Evolution, résultat d'un accord prévoyantla fourniture de jeux de casino live et de servicespour la BCLC (British Columbia Lottery Corpora-tion).

tcsJohnhuxley vient de signer un accord pour devenir le distributeur exclusif d'une gammede tables de jeux conçues par Club Gaming, unefiliale en propriété exclusive de Crown Resorts.L'accord couvre cinq jeux et prend effet immédiate-ment. TCS John huxley a dorénavant la possibilitéde commercialiser ses jeux à travers le monde pourl'ensemble des sociétés de son client mondial.

north aMerica

US – Scientific Games has bought mobile andsocial game company Spicerack Media. The additionof Spicerack, creator of the Bingo Showdown socialbingo game app, complements Scientific Games'impressive stable of social casino games andmobile offerings. The acquisition will be immediatelyaccretive to earnings and cash flow. Terms of thedeal were not disclosed.

Barry Cottle, Chief Executive, SG Interactive, said:"We are excited by the addition of Spicerack'stalented team and complementary nature of theirsuccessful bingo game offering to our expandingportfolio of rapidly growing social casino apps. Theacquisition will be immediately accretive andprovide additional momentum in the mobile gamingspace, as we look to exceed players' expectations ofexciting and engaging gaming entertainmentexperiences."

Spicerack's leading product, Bingo Showdown,which constitutes the large majority of Spicerack'srevenue, was a top five social bingo title in 2016,and has seen increased growth and market sharegains each quarter since its launch. Spicerack'sgames are available on Facebook, Amazon.com, theApple app store and Android app on Google play.

north aMerica

US – Konami Gaming’s Synkros gaming enterprisemanagement system has been selected by TahoeBiltmore Lodge & Casino, a Northern Nevada resortproperty in the town of Crystal Bay. Featuring morethan 200 casino slots and table games, TahoeBiltmore is the first property on Lake Tahoe tointroduce Konami’s systems advancements.

With Synkros’ enhanced promotional capabilitiesand targeted rewards, Tahoe Biltmore helps ensurethat casino players are connected with real-timeoffers and incentives that are most relevant to theirentertainment preferences.

“From longtime patrons to new visitors, ourbusiness is focused on providing guests a fullservice casino experience that allows them to relaxand enjoy a cycle of exciting player’s club benefits,”said Tyler Gaffaney, general manager at TahoeBiltmore Lodge & Casino. “Synkros allows us toconveniently create and manage targetedmarketing incentive programs that are quick andfun for customers to redeem.”

“Tahoe Biltmore is focused on delivering itscustomers a comprehensive player loyaltyexperience, and in creating that engagement, theyare also driving a new competitive edge for theirbusiness,” said Scott Richards, senior director,systems sales at Konami. “We are thrilled for theopportunity to work with their team in Synkros’ firstlaunch at Lake Tahoe.”

The new Esports Arena Las Vegas,scheduled to open in early 2018,will become the first permanenteSports venue on The Strip

NevAdA ESPORTS

MgM to launch Esports Arena las Vegas

MGM Resorts has made a huge move intoeSports teaming up with Allied Esports, ownerof a network of esports venues, and EsportsArena to develop a new dedicated esports venueat its Luxor Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Thenew Esports Arena Las Vegas, scheduled toopen in early 2018, will become the firstpermanent esports venue on The Strip and willbe the center of Allied Esports' growing globalnetwork of esports properties spanning NorthAmerica, Europe and China.

Esports Arena Las Vegas will combine the bestof interactive entertainment and Las Vegasnightlife, and become the global epicenter foresports experiences. With design andprogramming contributions from Allied Esports'enterprises around the world, its NorthAmerican arm Esports Arena will take the leadin bringing the Las Vegas concept to life. Namingrights opportunities for Esports Arena Las Vegasare also being considered.

"We have very ambitious expansion plans overthe next two years, and when we realized that a

location at Luxor was possible, we jumped at theopportunity to develop our flagship here," saidJud Hannigan, CEO of Allied EsportsInternational. "Just as Yankee Stadium, MadisonSquare Garden and Wembley Stadium areconsidered their sports' most aspirationalvenues by players and fans alike, Esports ArenaLas Vegas will be the iconic destination inesports and complement the city's incredibleappeal, attracting video gaming competitors andfans from around the world."

Esports Arena is working with Luxor andrenowned design firm YWS Design &Architecture to transform the space currentlyoccupied by a 30,000sq.ft. nightclub into amulti-level arena complete with a competitionstage, LED video wall, telescopic seating, dailygaming stations, a robust food and beverageoffering, and state-of-the-art streaming andtelevision-quality production studios. The arenawill provide a ready-to-go championshipdestination for tournaments, leagues andmatch-ups in a setting designed to deliver anunparalleled fan experience.

new Jersey

The New Jersey Division ofGaming Enforcementconfirmed that gross operatingprofits in the fourth quarterreached $118.1m up from$99.8m in 2015, according tofigures from the state. Grossoperating profits for the yearas a whole increased by 7.3 percent to $587.4m. Gross GamingRevenue included internetrevenues came in at $3.71bn in2016 compared to $3.7bn in2015. At its peak Atlantic Cityhad 12 casinos but the longsuffering downturn has seenfive venues close. The bigchange last year for theremaining casinos was theclosure of the Taj Mahal. Grossgaming revenue for 2016 camein at $2.5m, an increase ofnearly one per cent over 2015.Colin Mansfield of FitchRatings said of the Taj Mahalgambling spend: “Most of thathas gone back into the market.Properties are using the sameamount of people and havingmore business come in.”

MGM Resorts has made a huge move into eSports teaming up with Allied Esports,and Esports Arena to develop a new esports venue at its Luxor Hotel and Casino

Evolution Gaming is to build anew state-of-the-art LiveCasino studio in the MetroVancouver area of BritishColumbia, its first outside ofEurope. Expected to launchbefore the close of 2017, thestudio will be Evolution’seighth and is the result of anagreement to provide LiveCasino games and services forBCLC (British Columbia LotteryCorporation).

The five-year agreement plusrenewal options will seeEvolution’s offering streamedvia BCLC’s PlayNow.comwebsite. However, Evolution’svast 16,000 sq ft studio will bebuilt with the intention ofsupporting additionalCanadian lottery corporations,with each jurisdiction able tooffer both shared anddedicated tables. This studio

will, over time, create morethan 170 new jobs in theVancouver area as Evolutionlooks to recruit operationalstaff locally.

At launch, BCLC will offer 10online live tables for blackjack,baccarat, and roulette, bringinglive dealer gaming toPlayNow.com on desktop,tablets and smartphones, sevendays a week. Monica Bohm,BCLC’s Vice-President,eGaming, said: “New andinnovative products like LiveCasino will help BCLC continueto deliver the very best ingambling entertainment to ourplayers while benefitingcommunities across BritishColumbia.

Evolution Group CEO MartinCarlesund added: “Entering theCanadian market with BCLCsignifies a huge breakthrough,outside of our Europeanoperations. Through this newpartnership, we are confidentwe will deliver the very bestLive Casino experience forBCLC players.”

Evolution Gaming is tobuild its first studiooutside Europe

canada



Paradise City opens in SouthKorea amid Chinese travel ban asconcerns over North Korea’smissile threats escalate

SOuTh KOreA CASINO OPERATIONS

Paradise city Opens in south Korea

South Korean casino operator Paradise Co andJapan’s pachinko specialist Sega Sammy havenow cut the ribbon on Paradise City, the firstintegrated resort in Northeast Asia, which hasopened at Yeongjong Island close to IncheonInternational Airport in South Korea.

The foreigner-only casino has debuted with 154game tables, 281 slot machines and 62electronic gaming terminals. Its opening comesat a difficult time with China, which accountedfor just under half of South Korea’s 17.2m foreignvisitors last year, imposing a travel ban on itscitizens travelling to Korea in groups althoughindividuals will still be able to travel. Thatpolitical fallout has followed the positioning of aUS-supplied missile system on South Koreansoil, put in place to counter North Korea’smissiles. Known as Terminal High Altitude AreaDefence (THAAD), its timing could not havebeen worse for the casino’s debut.

Paradise Co, which operates another fiveforeigner-only casinos in South Korea, said ofthe travel ban: “There are concerns about theChinese market but we don’t expect the missileissue to continue in the long term.” ParadiseGroup Chairman Chun Phil-lip said the planwas to attract tourists from other parts of Asia.

Mr Chun said: “Tensions over THAAD will not beeased in the short term. We are approaching thismatter with a conservative perspective. We havebeen heavily relying on China but we will lookat new markets, such as Japan and SoutheastAsian countries, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia,Malaysia and Hong Kong.

He added: "Most of our customers individuallyvisit Korea, so they are actually not influencedby the travel ban of the Chinese government.But we will deal with the issue in a conservativeway, and we hope more Chinese customersreturn to Korea during next year's PyeongChangWinter Olympics. We are consideringcooperating with the Korean OlympicCommittee to accommodate VIPs who visitKorea during the Winter Games. We want toshow the Korean wave to foreigners and letthem know Korea also has an integrated resort."

The 330,000sq.m resort is believed to have costupwards of US$1.1bn and includes a Y-shapedhotel with 711 rooms, a casino, an exhibition halland one of Korea's largest grand ballrooms. Ithas been named as an ‘art-tainment resort’ withover 2,700 art pieces. The aim is for the resort tobecome the top landmark attraction in SouthKorea attracting 1.5m tourists a year.

hong kong

The CEO of Macau’s Jimei Group,Jack Lam, has sold his majoritystake in the Hong Kong holdingcompany Jimei InternationalEntertainment to Cosmic LeaderHoldings, which has acquired 65per cent of the company. Thedeal follows accusations that Mr.Lam tried to bribe PAGCOR chiefAndrea Domingo which led to anarrest warrant being issued byPhilippines President, RodrigoDuerte. The HK$443m deal seesCosmic Leader Holdings raisetheir interest in Jimei to almost74 per cent. Notably, the offerprice of HK$1.20 per sharerepresents an 82 per centdiscount with Lam’s stake downfrom around 80 to just under 15per cent. Cosmic LeaderHoldings is 80 per cent ownedby Yan Xu – a Chinese propertydeveloper – and 20 per centowned by Chen Hong, atelecomms specialist.

South Korean casino operator Paradise Co and Japan’s pachinko specialist SegaSammy have now cut the ribbon on Paradise City, the first integrated resort in

Northeast Asia, which has opened at Yeongjong Island

ChINA –March surpassed expectation for Macau’scasino revenue, which increased 18 per cent from ayear ago, and represented Macau’s best monthaside from holiday months for two years.

March GGR came in at MOP21.2bn (uS$2.65 bn)marking the biggest year on year gain sinceFebruary 2014 when there was a 40 per centincrease to the record ever monthly revenue ofMOP38bn.

The figures have been driven by the return of VIPgamblers. JP Morgan believes the VIP segmentgrew 27 per cent last month and 19 per cent inFebruary, outstripping mass growth of 10 per centand 16 per cent respectively. A breakdown of theresults will be available later in the month.

Analysts Carlo Santarelli and Danny Valoy stated:“The second quarter has been softer than the firstquarter over the last three years from an absolutedollar GGR perspective. We expect the negativedelta to narrow in 2017 and are projecting just afour per cent sequential slowdown.”

AUSTRALIA – SIS and Tabcorp have welcomed astrong start to their uK greyhound partnership.Tabcorp’s racing media arm, Sky Racingcommenced broadcasting pictures across Australiafrom uK stadia in February after striking a deal withSIS, for the supply of uK greyhound racing livepictures and data.

Despite only a soft launch, the meetings haveproved popular with the Australian market, withTabcorp pleased with the turnover generated by theracing product.

Brett Gorman, General Manager of International atTabcorp, said: “Early indications show ourcustomers have welcomed the new greyhoundracing product from the uK. Although most of thecoverage so far has been late at night or earlymorning, the feedback we have received has beenvery positive.”

SIS currently broadcast two race meetings a day toAustralia using Tabcorp’s extensive globalcommunications network. The picture and datafeeds are augmented with Tabcorp’s own local, in-house commentary for the Australian audience, andpictures are broadcast from late night through tothe early hours of the morning.

SIS acquired the rights to stream BAGS greyhoundracing to international customers in 2015. The dealallows SIS to provide coverage from 20 uK tracksfeaturing almost 30,000 races each year andoperates in mainland Europe and South Africa.

aSia & oceania

Synot has continued itsexpansion within the Asianmarket opening its the thirdcasino in Vietnam in Can Thocity. The casino is located in afive star hotel and isexclusively equipped withgaming machines from theSynot brand, placingapproximately 50 videoterminals and roulettes.

The grand casino opening lastmonth was attended by 250guests. Synot Group wants tocontinue in its successfulbusiness in this region,focusing on Cambodia andother Southeast Asiancountries.

Synot Group employs 3,000employees and operates onalmost every continent, inapproximately 20 countries allaround the world. Its businessactivities are spreadthroughout in Europe, Africa,America, Australia and mostrecently in Asia.

Synot opens its thirdcasino in Vietnamesecity of Can Tho

vietnam

Virtue Resources Corp. is buildinga US$200m casino resort calledEmpire World City in Bavet City inCambodia close to Vietnam’s MocBai border crossing.

cAMbOdiA CASINO OPERATIONS

Virtue confirms $200m Empire World cityConstruction of Virtue Resources Corporation\’sEmpire World City is expected to begin by theend of 2017, with the first phase aiming to becompleted by the end of 2019. The US$200mcasino is to be located close to Vietnam’s MocBai border crossing and will include a shoppingmall and a Water Show Arena and will create3,000 jobs as part of the construction andoperations process. The resort will be designedby 3Ti Progetti Asia, the Asian subsidiary ofRome-based civil engineering firm, 3Ti Progetti.A ground breaking ceremony for the project washeld on April 14.

During the groundbreaking ceremony, the CEOof Empire World, told those gathered to watchthe event: “We are going to kick start thisproject by starting the leverage work and weestimate by the end of this year we can start theconstruction phase.”

The Group CEO of Virtue Resources Corporation,added: “The total time for the development andcompletion of Empire World City will be 10

years. We are building this mega projectbecause we saw the potential of economicgrowth in Cambodia over the forthcomingdecade. We believe that the Empire World Citywill boost the local economy by attractingneighbouring Vietnamese into the city.”

Virtue Resources is working with Carton Hotelon the project. The CEO of Carton Hotel, said: “Iam glad that Virtue Resources has given us anopportunity to enter Cambodia as the firstcontainer style hotel and resort. We are veryconfident that our presence in Empire WorldCity will add more value to the project.”

The town of Bavet, located in one of Cambodia’spoorest provinces, borders with Vietnam, andhas become one of the liveliest cities in thecountry. There are total of 11 large and smallcasino entertainment venues, and many moreare in the midst of construction. CambodianPrime Minister Hun Sen has already expressedhis intent to develop Bavet into what hedescribes as Cambodia’s Las Vegas.

Saipan

The Federal Bureau ofInvestigation has confirmedthat it did visit Imperial PacificInternational Holdings’ casinoon the remote US island ofSaipan and that it has arrestedone person in connection withthe death of a constructionworker. Michele Ernst, an FBIspokeswoman, said: “The FBIconducted a search and madean arrest in response to therecent death of an individualworking at the construction siteof the Imperial Pacific Resort.The investigation is related toallegations of a federalviolation of the workplace visasystem, including reports thecompany was systematicallyharboring individuals who areout of status and in violation offederal statutes.”

Imperial Pacific said: “Havingmade all reasonable inquiries,the board of directors of theCompany hereby clarifies anddeclares that the investigationinto the relevant constructionaccident of Saipan externalconstruction team conductedby US Federal Bureau ofInvestigation, is not related tothe Group and its employees.”

aSia & oceania

Saipan

Imperial Pacific Resort to host 44 baccarat tables

Whilst Imperial Pacific’s permanent casino on the Pacific island of Saipanin the Northern Mariana Islands is still yet to open, executives from thecompany have confirmed how large Imperial Pacific Resort, as it will nowbe named, will be.

Marketing Director David Largent stated that the new casino will havemore than 300 gaming tables including 48 baccarat tables, and over 350slot machines, housed on a main gaming floor and two VIP rooms, bothwith four tables. Access to the VIP rooms will be restricted to customerswho have joined the Imperial VIP Club. A date for the delayed opening ofthe permanent casino is set to be announced soon. In March unaudited VIPgambling rolling chip volume at its temporary casino, Best Sunshine Live,increased by 57 per cent.

Ratings agency Moody’s Investors Service said last week that ImperialPacific was at ‘very high’ risk of defaulting on its debts and questioned thesubstantiality of its business model ‘given its high levels of accountsreceivables.’ Kaven Tsang, Moody’s Vice President, said: “The downgrade ofImperial Pacific’s corporate family rating reflects our concern over thecompany’s trend of weak operating cash flow. downgrade also reflects ourconsideration that the high collection risk on the company’s accountsreceivables will unlikely improve further over the next 12 to 18 months.”

AUSTRALIA – TCSJohnhuxley has signed anagreement to become the exclusive globaldistributor for a range of new table games designedby Club Gaming, a wholly owned subsidiary ofCrown Resorts. Initially covering five games, theagreement commences immediately and allowsTCS John huxley to market the games worldwide toits global customer base.

Crown Resorts is renowned for its innovation, inaddition to providing an exceptional customerexperience.

Rebecca Kingswell, TCSJohnhuxley ManagingDirector APAC said: “New table games have alwaysbeen difficult to promote and sell, but we believe wehave the perfect fit here with an experiencedoperator who has tested the games on the floorand has them in operation in their own properties.Crown are a global company that understandsdifferent markets and requirements around theworld - this insight is extremely important whenoffering products to a wider audience.”

The first game being released by Crown is Nutz, asimple and easy to play dice game where playersaim to roll Five of a Kind. Currently running acrossthree tables in the Crown Melbourne property, thisfun and easy to play game allows players to be partof the action by shaking the dice. This playerinteraction has been a big hit in the casino andshould prove as popular when it’s rolled out globally.

Tim Barnett (General Manager Tables Strategy &Commercial) and Joseph Crepaldi (Crown’s ChiefRevenue Officer), both experienced casinoprofessionals have been instrumental in developingthe suite of games and will be working with TCSJohn huxley to bring them to market.


NEPAL – Silver heritage Group has said it will needto spend an extra uS$14.8m to complete theconstruction of Tiger Palace Resort Bhairahawa inNepal. This will take the final cost of the project touS$54.5m up from $39.8m.

The company said: “Construction of Tiger PalaceResort Bhairahawa has made good progress.Infrastructure is 90 per cent complete, hospitality is80 per cent complete and casino and public areasare 60 per cent complete. however there is a delayto opening and an overrun on budget. A new projectmanagement team has been appointed and newproject management measures have beenimplemented. The company requires uS$14.8m ofnew capital to open Tiger Palace. The opening willbe in stages from August 2017 with the hotel to theResort & Casino Grand Opening in November 2017.The company is finalising the structure by which itwill raise capital.”

Macau Legend reveals resultsfrom its properties and remainspositive as renovations and a newCape Verde resort are planned forthe future

MAcAu CASINO OPERATIONS

Macau legend Enjoys Modest growth

Macau Legend Development saw its revenueincrease by 2.5 per cent year on year toHK$1,471.5m in 2016 with gaming revenueincreasing by 6.1 per cent to HK$952.4m. SavanLegend contributed reported revenue ofHK$98.2m during the first four months underthe ownership of the Group. Gaming revenue ofmass gaming tables at Pharaoh’s Palace Casinoand Babylon Casino decreased by 9.1 per centand 4.3 per cent year-on-year respectively,mass gaming tables at recently acquired SavanLegend contributed HK$38.6m.

Gaming revenue at the company’s VIP tablesincreased by 22.4 per cent year-on-year toHK$217.1m. New Legend, the self-run VIPoperation of the Group, added gaming revenueof HK$175.4m whilst VIP tables at Savan Legendadded HK$16.8m in its four months.

Co-Chairman, Executive Director and ChiefExecutive Officer of Macau Legend, David Chow,said: “Despite a weaker start to 2016, the marketconditions for Macau appear to have stabilisedand we are seeing some recent improvements inboth mass markets and VIP markets. In Macau

for 2016, we were focused on the completion ofthe Legend Palace Hotel and Casino at MacauFisherman's Wharf . We are happy to announcethat this 223 five stars hotel and casino openedon 27 February with 60 live tables and 92 slotmachines. We would like to thank theGovernment of Macau for the additional 15 newgaming tables that were granted to MacauLegend to coincide with the opening of thisproperty,” he said.

At the same time, the company continues to befocused on completing the disposal of TheMacau Landmark. On September 1, the Grouptook over the ownership and operations for theSavan Vegas Hotel and Entertainment Complexin Laos. Mr. Chow added: “We have re-brandedthis 472 rooms, 466 slot machines and 82gaming tables property as Savan Resorts andexpect to commence the renovation andexpansion program in May. In Cape Verde,construction works for the planned hotel andcasino project has commenced. The integratedresort will be developed in two phases and thefirst resort hotel, casino and office building istargeted to be completed in upcoming two years.

Macau Legend Development saw its revenue increase by 2.5 per cent year on yearto HK$1,471.5m in 2016 with gaming revenue increasing by 6.1 per cent

NORTh KOREA – Showing a spectacular sense oftiming, North Korea is looking for investors to fund acasino cruise liner looking to boost maritimetourism in the Mount Kumgang tourist region, aspecial development zone and port.

Despite gambling being banned in North Korea, thegovernment is looking for up to $20m to operate acasino-cruise ship sailing to Southeast Asia andVladivostok, in eastern Russia.

Mount Kumgang's tourism website said: “We aretrying to diversify international tourism at the world-renowned Mount Kumgang by using cruise shipservices. The tourist passenger ships will have avariety of facilities, so 1,000 passengers canexperience safe and cultural travel. Preferentialbusiness conditions will be guaranteed for the ship."

The site identifies the Royale Star cruise liner whichis currently docked in the port of Kosong, close toMount Kumgang.

aSia & oceania

Creating a Japanese version ofthe Las Vegas or Cotai Stripwould maximise the economicbenefits of a tourist magnetthat could see Japan take ongaming’s leading lights of LasVegas, Macau and Singapore.

Global Market Advisors saidthat clustering three casinoproperties on Osaka’sYumeshima Island, creating an‘Osaka Strip’ tourismdestination could generate anestimated US$10.9bn ingaming revenue by 2025.

The findings were delivered inthe executive summary of awhite paper conducted byGlobal Market Advisors. In it,Steve Gallaway, ManagingPartner for Global MarketAdvisors, said: “Developing theOsaka site, with multiple

operators on the ‘Osaka Strip,’would create critical mass anda true tourist destination. Thiswould compete with Las Vegas,Macau, and Singapore ingenerating nearly $11bn fromthat district alone,” said.

An Osaka Strip developedalongside domestic-focusedproperties in Tokyo, Sasebo,Sendai, Yokohama andHokkaido would generate amarket value of twice thatamount.

“Japan has the potential to beone of the largest gamingmarkets in the world,generating up to $24.2bn at sixdifferent locations by 2030,”said Mr. Gallaway.

Global Market Advisors’Brendan Bussmann, added:“The Diet needs to balance thatregulatory structure with thedesire of an operator to buildan iconic facility that isrepresentative of a specific siteto maximize gaming and non-gaming revenue.”

A Japanese casino‘cluster’ could competewith Macau

Japan

Japan

The Japanese government hasstarted work on a second pieceof casino legislation called theimplementation bill which willoutline the detail behind whatJapan’s Integrated Resort casinowill look like, what they willoperate, how they will beregulated, where they will belocated, how many there will beand how they will be taxed.Prime Minister Shinzo Abecommented: “To realise cleancasinos, we will introduceregulations at the world’shighest standards and develop asystem to properly enforce them.Through those measures, we aimto create attractive Japanese-style integrated resorts.”

Officials from variousgovernment agencies haveformed a task force to work onthe bill that won’t be completeduntil the autumn. Localgovernments in Hokkaido,Yokohama and Osaka have allexpressed their interest inhosting a casino.


NEW ZEALAND – International Game Technologyhas signed an agreement with the New ZealandLotteries Commission to provide a Remote GameServer (RGS) system and Instant Win content to theNew Zealand market. IGT, as legacy GTECh, hasprovided lottery equipment and services to Lotto NZsince the lottery's inception in 1987.

"IGT and Lotto NZ have worked togethersuccessfully for approximately 30 years, and thisagreement demonstrates the customer's continuedtrust in our ability to deliver industry-leadingsolutions and content that will responsibly increaselottery sales and continue generating funds forgood causes," said Declan harkin, IGT Senior VicePresident and Chief Operating Officer, International.

This new agreement, which is the result of acompetitive procurement, is for an initial term offive years from the go-live date of the RGS, with anadditional two-year extension at Lotto NZ's option,as well as an additional extension option upon theagreement of both parties.

under this agreement, IGT will provide interactiveInstant Win games hosted by its award-winningRGS system. Designed to operate securely whilesupporting engaging play experiences and third-party content, IGT RGS is optimised for a seamlessplayer experience on both mobile and desktop.

It will enable Lotto NZ to leverage IGT's vast gamingcontent library, as well as to quickly and easilyintegrate game content from third-partydevelopers, offering players more innovative,entertaining games through Lotto NZ's successfulMyLotto interactive site.


InsightSOuTh AFricASun International

DRGT has worked closely with Sun internationalon this tailored approach finding innovative newsolutions. This partnership has led to theintroduction of ‘The Lions Share” a third excitingWide Area Progressive from DRGT, that hasbeen added alongside the existing Duma andSunStriker themes, already big hits within thegroups casinos.

‘The Lions share’ has been installed on 191machines across 9 of the group’s South Africanvenues, taking the total number of DRGT linkedWAP machines to over 600 by April 2017. All 3of the themes have been exclusively designedin-conjunction with the operator to meet theirrequirements.

‘The Lion’s Share’ was created with an Africantheme which brings the action closer to homewith striking graphics and local hit artist DanielBaron providing the custom made theme song,this WAP offers jackpots that increase faster andhit with unmatched regularity, to keep theplayers keen and wanting more.

DRGT South Africa’s Managing Director, CharlGeyser (pictured right) spoke of the benefit ofthe tailored approach. “By listening to SunInternational’s vision and, working closely withthe team, we have been able to produce gamesand themes that have proven to bothsignificantly add to the bottom line and improvethe players experience. We look forward tocontinue growing our relationship with thegroup through this tailored approach, as Sunidentify new ways of improving the gamingexperience for their players.”

DRGT Africa has continued to build on its strong relationship with theglobally renowned casino operator, Sun International, creating anddelivering a further new product that fulfils the customer’s vision

DR GaminG TechnoloGyDR Gaming Technology (DRGT) is thefastest growing, independent, globalsupplier of integrated casino managementsolutions in the gaming industry. Foundedin 2006, headquartered in Aalst Belgium,with offices in Malta, Peru, Austria andColombia. DRGT’s innovative, forwardthinking, flexible system approach, meansits server-less technology greatlysimplifies implementation and enablescustomers to have total managementcontrol over their entire casino operation.In 2015, DRGT moved to its newheadquarters of over 17,000sq.ft in Aalst,Flanders, Belgium. The new office andwarehouse is only minutes away fromBrussels International Airport. Theexpanded facility enables DRGT toguarantee a quicker turnaround globally.

DRGT takes the Lion’s Share ofSun International’s WAP themes

By listening to Sun’s vision and,working closely with the team,we have been able to producegames and themes that haveproven to both significantly addto the bottom line and improvethe players experience. We lookforward to continue growingour relationship with the groupthrough this tailored approach.


InsightSG GAMiNG Riviera Cabinet

SG Gaming expands casinopresence with first B1 terminal

Revealed at the ICE show in London, the Riviera cabinet fromScientific Games’ UK division, SG Gaming, is a new, state-of the-artgaming solution, designed specifically for the UK casino sector.

Unveiled at the ICE Totally Gaming show in Londonthis February, the bespoke Riviera cabinet drawsinspiration from Scientific Games’ renowned globalcasino offering but has been developed in the UK,specifically for UK casinos and players.

With LED lighting, an impressive high gloss HDscreen, and an interactive Vdeck button panel, theRiviera cabinet has been designed for maximumimpact on the modern casino floor. Players can enjoyproven B1 content, which draws on SG Gaming’sexisting library of popular titles, developed under theBarcrest, Bally, and WMS gaming brands and tailoredto the casino audience. Each game has a maximumjackpot of £10,000 and a maximum £5 stake.

Operating on a server-based gaming platform, whichis connected to the casino management system, theRiviera boasts a range of performance- enhancingfeatures designed to optimise player experience.These include on- terminal promotional functionalitysuch as tournaments and live venue monitoring foroperational efficiency, along with TITO technology.

Phil Horne, Chief Executive Officer of SG Gaming,said, “As a business, we spotted an opportunity to useour vast experience in the gaming industry to expandour UK casino offering with our first bespoke B1platform and content solution.

“Our expert team here in the UK has used theirexperience and knowledge of design and technologyin developing the Riviera cabinet, and we were

delighted that it was well received at ICE TotallyGaming, where it took pride of place on our stand. Thelaunch has helped us to further an existingpartnership with Aspers Casino and opens up a newcategory for SG Gaming to operate within the UKcasino sector.”

With the new cabinet and content combined, SGGaming is looking to make its mark on the UK casinosector and deliver its leading content to a largeraudience. The new Riviera cabinets which operate afull suite of B1 content, have now been rolled out atAspers Stratford City and 12 Grosvenor Casinosthroughout the UK. SG Gaming’s B1 offering willenable the venues to provide their customers with anew innovative cabinet and well-known populartitles from online and other land-based retailenvironments, whilst also benefiting from SGGaming’s data analytics and account managementsupport.

Rick Mountney, UK Director of Content Developmentat SG Gaming, said, “Our in-house contentdevelopment team have been working hard to tailorour successful retail titles to the UK casino sector.

“The new Riviera cabinets have a variety of B1 titlesavailable, including two from the Rainbow Richesseries - Rainbow Riches Pots of Gold and RainbowRiches Pick and Mix and player-popular titles BlackKnight and Spartacus. A full games developmentschedule of further content is planned for 2017 as wecontinue to innovate our game title offering.”

“The new Rivieracabinets have a varietyof B1 titles available,including two from theRainbow Riches series -Rainbow Riches Pots ofGold and RainbowRiches Pick and Mix andplayer-popular titlesBlack Knight andSpartacus. A full gamesdevelopment scheduleof further content isplanned for 2017 as wecontinue to innovate ourgame title offering.”

Phil horne,Chief Executive Officer,SG Gaming

“Our expert team here in the uKhas used their experience andknowledge of design andtechnology in developing theRiviera cabinet, and we weredelighted that it was well receivedat ICE Totally Gaming, where it tookpride of place on our stand. Thelaunch has helped us to further anexisting partnership with AspersCasino and opens up a newcategory for SG Gaming to operatewithin the uK casino sector.”


InsightASiAElecronic Table Games

Grandstanding in Asian markets- why ETGs are such BIG news

Ahead of the G2E Asia gaming show in Macau, G3 talks to Interblock’s VicePresident of Asia, Michael hu, about the growing scale of Electronic Table Gameinstalls with regional operators who are ‘thinking big’ when it comes to ETGs

michael, why are etGs so popular in Asianmarkets right now, and what specifically aboutInterblock’s products are proving so attractivewith operators?

Electronic table games (ETGs) offer a variety ofplayer benefits especially appealing to Asiandemographics such a true table gameexperience, more privacy and more games perhour. They offer players lower buy-ins than livetable games, and even provide beginner playerswith the opportunity to learn games at theirown pace in a low-stress environment.

Interblock is an operator and player favorite dueto our product’s radiant appearance, cutting-edge technology and intuitive player experience.Our products are bold and create a strong focalpoint on any casino floor, large or small.

Interblock recently installed a 50-seat Stadiumat Sky casino, a new casino at resorts worldGenting malaysia. there are lots of differentconfigurations possible with this product, couldyou describe this installation and explain howGenting is using this product?

Yes, the Stadium product line is incrediblymodular and can be customised to any customerpreference or need.

Interblock Stadiums can be a combination ofour three generator types: dealer assist,automated or video generators. The dealer assist platform is offered in fourdifferent dealer assist generators includingwheel, dice, traditional cards, or multi-handcard, allowing for the configuration of sixdifferent game forms, such as Roulette, Craps,Sic Bo, Baccarat, Blackjack, and Multi-handBlackjack.

Genting’s unique multi-game space consists ofthree generators, connecting players to fourgames: two Baccarat games, Roulette, and Sic Boconducted by real, live dealers. Fifty playerstations make up the space and a video wallconfigured behind the live dealers displaysstatistics, trends and results.

Even though Genting’s games are dealerassisted, the Stadium can easily turn into anautomated Stadium when dealers are notpresent, providing a continuous revenue streameven when live dealers are not available.

we’ve seen some of the largest volumeinstallations of multi-players taking place inAsia - what’s the reason for this and how areoperators configuring their floors to incorporateetGs that’s different from other markets?

Many factors explain the growth of large ETGinstallations in Asia. In areas where thegovernment has put a cap on live table games,ETGs have been finding their niche. They arealso improving operators’ bottom line, due totheir ability to be active 24/7 with or without alive dealer, they eliminate collusion and dealererror, and increase game speed—multiplying thenumber of games per hour for increasedrevenue.

In certain markets throughout Asia, ETGs arereally aiding the overall health of Asian marketsas they recover from the collapse of the VIPmarket and the current caps on table countlimits.

Are operators using all the configurationspossible when they create their Stadiums -such as the dealer-assisted/fully automated,multiple different games and wheels etc.?

Absolutely—as I mentioned earlier, Stadiumsare a customisable product and operators arecreating fully dealer assisted, fully automated,or combinations of both depending on space andneeds. Operators are combining multiple gametypes in their Stadium spaces, providing playerswith multiple game options.

what are operators’ views of Interblock’sPUlSA AreNA, with its spectacle and audienceinteraction. Is it a product that would fit withAsian player preferences?

PULSE ARENA is one of the only products of itskind that truly transforms an entire section of acasino floor by combining music, social media,lights, and interactivity.

PULSE provides an ideal gambling experiencefor operators who are looking to draw in newplayers and to reenergize existing playerslooking for new ways to wager. We believe thePULSE ARENA is the right option for certaincasinos, however, throughout Asia our Stadiumconfigurations work for every type of casino.

In february, Interblock installed 100 units onthe okada manila casino floor, including 84play stations and two automated diamondroulette configurations with eight units. Are wegoing to see increasingly large stadiuminstallations in Asia in the future or are thesmaller eight unit configurations still the focusfor the majority of operators?

As new casinos open throughout Asia, I thinkwe will see an increase in large stadiuminstallations. We recently introduced a 50-seatStadium at Resorts World Genting; a 40 seatStadium at One Opera Hotel; and a 40-seatStadium in New World Hotel.

Michael hu, Vice President Asia, Interblock

In November 2016, Michael huwas promoted from Sales Directorof Asia, to Vice President of Asia.Prior to Interblock, Michael servedas Sales Manager of Asia forTCSJohnhuxley, Australia, where hemanaged and developed salesstrategies to maximize revenue inAsia. he also served as SalesExecutive of Asia for IndoPacificGaming, Australia, a company thatdistributes live casino table gamesand slot machines to Asia andAustralasian markets.

aGem inDex

The AGEM Index reached anotherrecord high in March, continuing themomentum from previous months.The composite index stood at 361.28points at the close of March 2017,which represents an increase of 9.84points, or 2.8 per cent, whencompared to February 2017. The Indexreported a year-over-year increase forthe 18th consecutive month, rising136.93 points, or 61.0 per cent, whencompared to March 2016. During thelatest period, nine of the 13 equipmentmanufacturers reported month-to-month increases in stock price, withthree up by more than 10 per cent.Four manufacturers reporteddecreases in stock price with threeexperiencing double-digit losses.


membeRship news

AGeM Key board of directors Actionsl AGEM continues to have dialogue with the Nevada Gaming Control Board and

the Attorney General’s office on account wagering and other issues containedwithin proposed Regulations 5 and 5A. Separately, on April 5, a notice wasposted by GCB Chairman A.G. Burnett outlining new proposals ultimatelydesigned to help speed up the approval process of new products or changes toproducts. AGEM members will have a chance to weigh in when a meeting withGCB Technology Chief, Jim Barbee, is finalised.

l AGEM approved support of two important educational initiatives recently. TheUNLV Center For Gaming Innovation received $10,000 funding that will gotowards new equipment to aid student’s development of gaming innovations.For the third year in a row, a contribution of $10,000 was also awarded to theAmerican Indian College Fund AGEM Scholarship. This worthwhile and verysuccessful cause provides full scholarships for multiple students each year.

l AGEM members discussed the recent activity in Florida that could be promisingfor gaming regulations to be passed this year although the Senate and Housebills have vastly different goals. One seeks to expand, while the other wishes tofreeze gambling. However, the Florida Legislature is fast approaching its lastregularly scheduled session day. The state Senate and House are set to adjournfor the year on May 5, adding urgency in finding a resolution to the gamblingdilemma.

l The European Casino Association recently appointed Philip Easthill as ExecutiveDirector, who has been working with AGEM regarding EU initiatives that mightimpact members. A proposed directive on liability for defective products iscurrently in consultation and might change the rules that are decided at EUlevel. Of larger impact, there is also development of online gambling reportingstandards. This would be a big step forward for European Standards and othertechnical specs, but has a likely timeframe of three-years of development oncethe European Commission has made an official request, expected mid-2017.

events and Activitiesl The Japan Gaming Congress takes place May 10-11 in Tokyo. AGEM members

approved a sponsorship of $15,000 to support the Congress and ensure thatAGEM has a strong presence in this important new market.

l AGEM will be very visible at G2E Asia in Macau, May 16-18, in support of showpartners American Gaming Association and Reed Expo.

l The European Dealer Championship will be held May 8-10 at the HippodromeCasino in London. AGEM is once again sponsoring this important event thatbrings together dealers from all over Europe to compete for the top prize.

membeR pRofile

company / Zitro, Sarl web address / www.zitrogames.com

ageM Membership level / Silver description / Zitro is a multinational gaming company, leader in

Video Bingo and Electronic Bingo and supplier of Video Slotgames under its brand Bryke. Zitro owns Zitro Interactive, its

online division that covers the social market with its app Worldof Bingo and the B2B market

new products for 2017 / Zitro recently launched its video slotproduct BRYKE with its first multi-game series Pick & Win.

Each Pick & Win multi-game comes with five individual games.With proven success in South American markets since it first

release in 2016, Bryke was presented at ICE 2017 and iscurrently being released in European jurisdictions, includingSpanish bingo and gaming halls. For the video bingo market

Zitro presented 20 new games and started to commercialise theZitro Partneship Programme in Europe, a programme that

includes advice and management of the Big Time promotionalsystem, as well as its associated mobile application called Busca

Premios for Spain and Mexico. For the online Casinos Zitro isoffers new games and functionalities through its online

Division Zitro Interactive and social Casino World of Bingo.newsworthy events to share / 2017 is the year of the 10th

anniversary of Zitro and coinciding with this special year ofcelebration, in June 2017 Zitro will host its most important

customer event of the year, Zitro Experience, in Mexico City. AtZitro Experience, Zitro will be unveiling its new product offering

for the upcoming year, including breakthrough hardwaretechnology, new games and promotional systems for the VideoBingo market as well as new games for the Video Slot market.

Forthcoming events / Zitro will be exhibiting at G2E Asia Macau,G2E Las Vegas, SAGSE Buenos Aires and BEGE Bulgaria.

AGEM is an international trade association representing manufacturers of electronic gaming devices, systems, lotteries and componentsfor the gaming industry. The Association works to further the interests of gaming equipment manufacturers throughout the world.Through political action, tradeshow partnerships, information dissemination and good corporate citizenship, the members of AGEM worktogether to create benefits for every company within the organization. Together, AGEM and its member organisations have assistedregulatory commissions and participated in the legislative process to solve problems and create a positive business environment.

AGEMMeMberShiP NeWS


EventsiAGA SuMMiTNew york 2017

The International Association ofGaming Advisors heads to NyC

Today, gaming is constantly redefining itself asmodern entertainment with cutting edge productslaser-focused on the desires and demands of its fluidcustomer base, and these advancements, along withthe challenges and opportunities they create, is thefocus of the upcoming 2017 IAGA InternationalGaming Summit at the JW Marriott Essex House inNew York City May 30 – June 1.

Now in its 36th year, the Summit has changeddramatically since it was first held in Monte Carlo in1985, just a few short years after several Nevadaattorneys known for their expertise in gaming lawcreated an association to unite casino professionalsand facilitate more productive negotiations betweenoperators, regulators and legislators. Hoping topromote education among executives that wouldprotect and enhance the industry’s professionalismand success, these six attorneys—Robert Faiss, LyleRivera, A.J. “Bud” Hicks, Frank Fahrenkopf, ShannonBybee and Mike Sloan—founded the NationalAssociation of Gaming Attorneys (NAGA) andappointed Lyle Rivera as NAGA’s first president.Renamed the International Association of GamingAdvisors in 2007 to reflect the group’s globalmembership of representatives from all gamingindustry segments, IAGA’s annual Summit drawsdelegates from the four corners of the world whoactively participate in interactive discussions about awide range of relevant issues.

Reflecting the non-stop movement of global gaming,

this year’s compelling program covers topics rangingfrom the basics of creating a start-up technologycompany, to a roundtable review of how gamingindustry projects are funded, to the challengesoperators face when balancing their responsiblegaming social responsibilities with ensuring asustainable and profitable industry. The agenda alsoaddresses relevant and timely questions like is there away to monetize e-sports, does negative mediacoverage have a measurable impact on gamingoperations and is there a possibility that the federalsports betting prohibition imposed by theProfessional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of1992 will be repealed by the Trump administration.

The International Gaming Summit agenda alsoincludes keynote speeches from numerous industryleaders, beginning on Tuesday, May 30 with aninsightful look into the trailblazing responsiblegaming initiatives taking place in the United Kingdomcourtesy of Tim Miller, Executive Director ofCorporate Affairs and Research for the BritishGambling Commission. On Wednesday, Mitch Garber,CEO of Caesars Acquisition Company and Chairmanof Cirque du Soleil, will share his insights into howCaesars leveraged its brand and shared assets toevolve from a traditional bricks and mortar casinocompany into a multi-faceted entertainment-focusedbusiness where the key revenue generators areentertainment and restaurants, not gaming. And, onThursday, June 1, best-selling author and crisis andbrand-management expert Richard Torrenzano will

“Our 2017 program agendafocuses on critical issuesfacing gaming, with thediscussions benefitting fromthe deep experience of ourinternational panelists. Asgaming continues to expandglobally, staying abreast ofcritical issues like the latestanti-money laundering andfinancial crime preventioninitiatives or the challengesfaced by operators whenevaluating player data anddata privacy protections iscritical to operatingsuccessfully in our diverseand changing industry.”

Kirsten clark,Executive Director, InternationalAssociation of Gaming Advisors

IAGA Executive Director KirstenClark has over 10 years globalgaming industry experience, Clarkwas most recently Senior VicePresident and Chief OperatingOfficer -Asia, for Gaming PartnersInternational where she wasinstrumental in expanding thecompany’s day-to-day businessoperations throughout Asia and thepacific rim while simultaneouslyoverseeing GPI’s global marketingand product managementdivisions. her gaming industryexperience also includes extensivestrategic marketing, publicrelations and events managementexperience for Shuffle Master, Inc.where she served as Vice Presidentof Worldwide Marketing for severalyears.

Finance. Art. Fashion. Entertainment. As one of the world’s most dynamic anddiverse cities, New York City is the epicenter of so many trends, and just like NewYork, the global gaming industry is multi-faceted and trendsetting, with productsand services that have come a long way since the first bricks and mortar casinosbegan offering traditional table games.



offer an insightful look into how “digitalassassins” destroy brands and reputations andhow gaming companies can best protectthemselves from online and other digitalattacks.

“Our extensive and thought-provoking 2017Summit program focuses on internationally-relevant gaming issues and provides ourdelegates with an unmatched opportunity toexpand their knowledge about these issueswhile growing their relationships with globalcolleagues,” commented Michael Cohen, IAGAPresident. “Each critical issue will be addressedfirst with valuable insight provided by topicexperts, and then will be expanded by theinsight of the world-class audience. I lookforward to welcoming our delegates to NewYork City and our International Gaming Summitthis May.”

The Summit also features two full-dayworkshops focusing on responsible gaming andregulatory compliance issues. Held Tuesday,May 30, the Global Responsible Gaming Forumtakes a comprehensive look at the challengesthe industry faces as it ensures that playersgamble responsibly while discussing some ofthe latest developments worldwide. The Forumincludes sessions focused on the responsiblegaming consequences of new technology andtechnology providers, the latest in responsiblegaming research and the importance ofproactive responsible gaming employee trainingand awareness. Available to all Summitattendees, the Forum is a must-attend foranyone in the gaming industry who wants tobroaden their knowledge and understanding ofresponsible gaming best practices andadvancements.

Tuesday’s second full-day workshop, the GLIUniversity Regulator’s Seminar, includessessions focused on current regulatory issueslike the challenges new online gaming channelspresent to both traditional land-based operatorsand regulators, how domestic gamingjurisdictions reign in illegal gaming behaviorand protect the gaming activity occurring withinstate borders, and current technologyadvancements in Europe and Asia. Offered byGaming Laboratories International, the GLIUniversity Regulator’s Seminar is an excellentopportunity for Summit attendees to delvedeeper into specific gaming product regulationissues.

“Our 2017 program agenda focuses on criticalissues facing gaming, with the discussionsbenefitting from the deep experience of ourinternational panelists,” said Mark Clayton, ashareholder with Greenberg Traurig and co-chair of the International Gaming Summitcommittee. “As gaming continues to expandglobally, staying abreast of critical issues like thelatest anti-money laundering and financialcrime prevention initiatives or the challengesfaced by operators when evaluating player dataand data privacy protections is critical tooperating successfully in our diverse andchanging industry.”

Lynne Levin Kaufman, Summit committee co-chair and Partner with Cooper Levenson,further explained that “we have really focusedthis year’s agenda on topics of internationalimportance that are explored by experts frommultiple gaming jurisdictions, providing ourattendees with comprehensive insight into eachissue. So many of the issues faced by globalgaming executives in one territory are also being

considered in other jurisdictions, and being ableto discuss the challenges and solutions as agroup provides an invaluable benefit to theindustry.”

This year’s International Gaming Summit’scomprehensive program is accentuated by dailynetworking events, beginning with an openingcocktail reception held in the Art Deco room atthe JW Marriott Essex House. On Wednesday,we’ll host a second evening networkingreception at the Loeb Boathouse in Central Parkwhere, perched on the edge of the lake, ourdelegates will enjoy cocktails and horsd’oeuvres while overlooking the tranquil park.We’ll conclude the Summit with our annualPresident’s Reception and Dinner at TheMetropolitan Club, a private club overlookingCentral Park from its prestigious location onFifth Avenue and Sixtieth Street. Founded in1891 by a group of New York gentlemenprominent in the city’s civic, commercial andfinancial life, the Club’s first President was JPMorgan and paintings of many of its historicmembers grace the club’s walls.

The International Association of GamingAdvisors (IAGA) will hold its 36th annualInternational Gaming Summit May 30-June 1, 2017 at the JW Marriott Essexhouse, New york, uS.

IAGA



Just what is gaming? A firesidechat with Caesar’s Mitch Garber

mitch, the topic for your fireside chat at the IAGASummit asks, ‘just what is gaming, anyway?’ howdo you define gaming today, and how has thatdefinition adapted to the times and evolved with thevarious economic cycles?

We’ve seen a major shift and one that’s quite simpleto define. Seven to 10 years ago, the revenue mix onthe Las Vegas Strip was around 60 per cent gamingand 40 per cent non-gaming, but today it’s 60 percent the other way. So I think the question is: what istoday’s gaming industry? I think it has become anentertainment industry, in which gaming is 50 percent of EBITDA and declining, whereby 30 years ago itwas 75 per cent of EBITDA. The experience haschanged, it’s undeniable from the numbers that wherethe industry has adapted, it has not been in gaming,but in non-gaming. It has been night clubs and dayclubs, celebrity chefs, retail and entertainment. Whenwe talk about gaming in Las Vegas, it's really aboutthe entertainment industry with some gambling in it.It’s not negligible, but it is diminishing.

In the multi-faceted entertainment focusedbusiness that is caesars today, is it right to say thatthe gaming hasn’t evolved to match the pace of non-gaming amenities, for example hospitality,restaurants and entertainment - what lies behindthis?

If you ask 10 people in the gaming industry you’ll get10 different answers, but my view is that the choicesconsumers have today are so vast, interesting,advanced, digital and immediate, it makes sense thatit’s less attractive to sit at a slot machine for fourhours than it was 20 years ago. When you haveNetflix streaming and Apps on your phone withfamily texting and posting pictures, there is just somuch else to do. The next generation is moredistracted by these readily available formsentertainment than they were 25 years ago.

how effectively have land-based casino operationsmanaged to blend together elements of interactivegaming on their floors to appeal to both a younger

Mitch Garber,CEO of Caesars Acquisition Companyand Chairman of Cirque du Soleil

Mitch Garber is the Canadian bornCEO of Nasdaq listed CaesarsAcquisition Company (CACQ)which controls Caesars InteractiveEntertainment (CIE) as well as LasVegas strip casino hotels, Planethollywood, Bally’s, The Cromwell,The LINQ, and harrah’s NewOrleans, as well as the horseshoecasino in Baltimore. (CIE) owns theWorld Series of Poker and Playtika,one of the world's largest and mostprofitable developers of social andmobile games. In 2016 heparticipated in the TPG led buyoutof the Cirque Du Soleil and isChairman of the Board.

he was born in Montreal Canada in1964, where he lived a modest life.his early education was subsidizedby the donations of anonymousdonors. he went on to graduatewith a Bachelors degree from theesteemed McGill university, andthen earned his law degree fromthe university of Ottawa, in French.Garber became a practicingattorney from 1990-1999, whilesimultaneously working as asportscaster.

he left his law practice andsportscasting positions in October1999 to become a senior executiveof Terra Payments, a publiccompany spin-off of Bell Canadawhich Garber had helped create.Garber’s ascent to his various CEOappointments began in 2003,when he engineered a merger andwas chosen to head Nasdaq listedOptimal Payments, Inc. (OPAy). heleft Optimal to become the CEO ofPartyGaming Plc., a large capLondon Stock Exchange listedcompany until 2008, when hebecame a founding shareholderand the CEO and President ofCaesars Interactive Entertainment,now a subsidiary of CaesarsGrowth Partners and CaesarsAcquisition co. since CACQ wentpublic in November 2013.

At the IAGA Summit, Mitch Garber, CEO of Caesars Acquisition Company andChairman of Cirque du Soleil, will share his insights into how Caesars leveragedits brand and shared assets to evolve from a traditional bricks and mortarcasino company into a multi-faceted entertainment-focused business wherethe key revenue generators are entertainment and restaurants, not gaming. hewill also share his thoughts on why the right answer is to avoid certainemerging offerings and give his thoughts on what the future holds for gaming



audience and tech-literate current generation ofplayers?

So far I would say not at all. I think if we are honestwith ourselves, 25-30 year old males are not runningaround telling their friends about the new coolestgame on the casino floor. And that’s problematic.Online poker was one way in which the past met thefuture, but with the law passing in 2006, that car wasput into reverse. It was, to date, the best marriage ofold school and new school technology and nothinghas come close since.

Is the industry doing enough to connect social andmobile technology to improve the customerexperience? Is gaming keeping pace with thechanges in this social environment in order toremain relevant to its player base?

I think my colleagues at Caesars, MGM, Wynn etc.,would all tell you that they have not dedicated enoughresources to the social mobilisation of their databasesand their businesses. Although everyone is nowputting resources against it, I think they'll all admitthat they didn’t put in enough - or soon enough.Obviously, the elephant in the room is that CaesarsInteractive, by putting huge resources into mobilegaming, did incredibly well and sold our business forUS$4.4bn. However, I think more has to be done goingforward. We built it and we sold it, but now the futureof social is more important than ever.

where do consumer options such as e-Sports and

play-for-fun social games fit into the modern casinooffering?

I think eSports, Daily Fantasy Sports and mobilesports-betting each have real audiences. To bringthose audiences to slot play you have to socialise it -you have to tie slots play on the floor to rewards bothon your phone and on-premises. It needs to beconnected to your Facebook page and to your friends’accomplishments in the game, with play offered bothoffline and online, for real money and for virtualmoney. If that’s all integrated together then I thinkthere is a future.

what part does regulation play in constraininginnovation in the gaming industry? what changeswould you like to see?

In my nine years with Caesars the Nevada GamblingCommission has been incredibly open-minded toeverything within reason and has been open tolooking at anything interactive. Nevada and NewJersey continue to be in the lead and they are bothopen to interactive. The problem isn’t regulation it’sproliferation. Having other states enact their ownlegislation having missed the boat on having a federalpoker bill in the US, which would have meant that wewouldn’t have to go state by state. Those are the thingsthat get in the way.

has the industry done enough to harness a youngercustomer and appeal to the changing demographicof this key demographic?

I think if we are honestwith ourselves, 25-30 year

old males are not runningaround telling their friends

about the new coolestgame on the casino floor.

And that’s problematic.Online poker was one wayin which the past met the

future, but with the lawpassing in 2006, that car

was put into reverse.

IAGAThe International Association ofGaming Advisors (IAGA) will hold its36th annual International GamingSummit May 30-June 1, 2017 atthe JW Marriott Essex house, Newyork, uS.


In some ways yes. The World Series of Poker does, allthe big night clubs and day clubs, some of the coolercelebrity chef and restaurants. I think there is a realeffort to attract a younger generation of Las Vegascustomer, but they are just a little less interested inspending as much time on the gaming floor as theyused to. I think that if the games were available ontheir phones with more social features attached, forreal money, then you would have a chance.

At the IAGA Summit, you’re to share your thoughtson the right answer to “just what is gaming,anyway,” is to avoid certain offerings, like dailyfantasy sports. why is dfS an avenue that the land-casino industry shouldn’t pursue?

You need a business with clear regulatory rules andframework in order to make it work and DFS havedone things backwards. They went out and created abusiness, booked every minute of advertising onESPN; bombarded people with DFS and theybombarded the regulator too. And sooner or later itwas determined that this was gambling, or at leastsimilar enough to gambling that it required a closerlook. I think in this case you have to go back to theway we did things in the past; bring in the regulator,create a framework that is lawful and can beprofitable and then relaunch it. Daily Fantasy Sportshas effectively lost two years, but it is far from deadand I think it can make a comeback.

where should today’s operators be focusing theirattention and how does this differ from the presentoffer being served to casino goers?

Every casino company today should have on theirexecutive committee a representative ofonline/digital/social/mobile gaming and behaviouracross the board, and that person has to be asimportant as the person running the gambling

operations at the casinos. And if you look around rightnow, that’s largely not the case. That needs to change.

G3’s last interview with you was in 2010, when youdiscussed with us the launch of harrah’sInteractive’s www.cAeSArSbingo.com. has theland-based gaming offer to online players developedin the way you expected and is the industry in theright place regarding online?

It has developed way slower. I thought that we wouldget a federal poker bill in 2009-2010 and we didn’t.However, that was the catalyst for how we turned a$100m business into a $4,4bn business. Realisingthere was no federal poker bill coming and runningCaesars Interactive with the World Series of Poker, wehad the kind of business in which we could make realmoney in digital.

We were very opportunistic and very lucky inentering social games at exactly the right time. Inanswer to your question though, online gambling onlyin Nevada and New Jersey is not at all what I had inmind seven years ago and it’s not where we should bein the future. The mix of online is going to have toincrease so that you can capture-back some of thedeclining gambling revenue.

what message are you looking to deliver at the IAGASummit?

The importance of focusing on the next generation byhaving teams of people who have worked at Googleand Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram. Make themexcited about working in the gaming andentertainment industry and have them as importantfigures on the management team - don’t just give it tothe marketing team and hope they understand social,mobile and what the millennials are thinking. That’swhat I hope delegates will take with them.

Garber has become a well knowntelevision personality in Quebecthrough his participation in theFrench language version of "SharkTank". he is also a committedphilanthropist with his wife Anne-Marie who are together activelyinvolved in a number of causes inthe areas of education, health careand water. Mitch and Anne-Mariehave two sons and live in Montreal.

Every casino company todayshould have on theirexecutive committee arepresentative ofonline/digital/social/mobilegaming and behaviouracross the board, and thatperson has to be asimportant as the personrunning the gamblingoperations at the casinos.And if you look around rightnow, that’s largely not thecase. That needs to change.



Just what does it take to launcha startup technology company?

G3 talks to serial startup entrepreneur, Kent Young, about the unique regulatoryissues faced by startup technology companies in the gaming industry ahead ofhis IAGA Summit discussion. Given the growing intersection of technology andgaming, there are unique issues a tech startup company faces with regards togaming licensing, especially when dealing with venture capital investors, angelinvestors and employees, in regards to licensing and compliance, andimplementing an appropriate compliance programme for such startups

kent, you’ve now helmed two startup techbusinesses in the gaming sector; what were the bigchanges and what did you learn in the process?

Things have changed a great deal since starting TrueBlue Gaming back in 2007. Then we were focused oncontent delivery rather than technology, because atthe time there were lots of restriction on third-partiesworking with manufacturers, which meant we wereconcentrating on delivering assets-only, not delvinginto the technology side.

When we started Spin Games, the landscape hadchanged significantly. Although we began under thesame model, creating third-party content, regulatorychanges meant we were allowed to focus on thetechnology too, while the other big change was thefact that iGaming had become regulated in North

America. This new market segment presented anopportunity for a small nimble company. So althoughwhen we first started we were developing justcontent; developing maths, sounds, assets, graphicsetc., about a year-in, we were developing iGamingtechnologies and a remote gaming server (RGS)specific to New Jersey. There were a lot of macro-elements that had changed the marketplace that ledto a different business model in terms of our focus.

Generally speaking, I’d say that I learned a lot frommy first experience creating a start-up, which I usedthe second time around. A lot of the fundamentals arethe same in terms of raising money, putting the rightteam together, areas of focus and generating revenue.Without question - doing it for a second time you geta lot of leverage from the experiences learned the firsttime around.

Kent Young,CEO Spin Games

Kent young has been involved inthe gaming industry his entirecareer, with 30 years in thebusiness to date. Kent started inthe operations side, cleaningashtrays in the gaming clubs ofSydney, Australia.

he worked in operations for fiveyears before heading to university,which led Kent to findingemployment with AristocratTechnologies, immersing him intothe manufacturing side of thebusiness.

Leveraging the experiences gainedin the corporate side of the gamingindustry taught Kent a lot about thebasics and the fundamentals of theindustry. he learned about gamingtechnology, content andcompliance, which has helped himto navigate the waters whencreating not just one startup, buttwo.

After 11 years with Aristocrat, Kentcreated the third-party contentdevelopment company True BlueGaming, a third-party gamesdeveloper focused on contentsupply, as opposed to puretechnology. Kent and Scott Olive,one of the best games designers inthe world, both left Aristocrat tostart True Blue, creating games forAtronic, IGT and Stargames etc.

Following two successful years, thebusiness was sold to AruzeGaming, for whom Kent becameGeneral Manager of AruzeAmericas for a several of yearsbefore starting Spin Games. Kentyoung has been the CEO of SpinGames for four years.



what have been the regulatory changes that havehelped accelerate the growth of Spin?

In mid-2000s with True Blue, there were a lot ofrestrictions concerning third-parties touching theplatform/software. There was a line in the sand youcouldn’t cross without getting licensed. However, thelarge manufacturers at that time wanted to outsourcea lot of their development to countries such India,particularly the slots systems business, which waslooking to set-up development centres outside theUS. The Nevada Gaming Control Board agreed that aslong as these third-parties didn’t affect the code anddidn’t touch the random number generator or theoutcome of the game, then manufacturers could use athird-party. This meant that some of the first dealswith Spin Games we were actually integrating thegame into a platform, which would have beenunthinkable before.

We could now utilise a GDK, which still separates thecontent from the slot platform, so even though wewere dealing with code, it wasn’t affecting theoutcome of the game, so we could port the gamedirectly onto the platform. It was a big change thatwas taking place at the same time in which iGamingbecame regulated in North America, so we moved intothat technology by developing an RGS, becoming afull manufacturer, with a full licence in New Jersey.

Is it easier now than ever to start-up and grow anew gaming focused company?

If you’re looking at it purely from a third-partyperspective, manufacturers are a lot more open tousing third-parties than back in the days of True Blue.I would say that the pool of third-parties is a lot largernow, but in saying that it’s also a lot more competitive.At Spin we have shifted away from that space tobecome more an iGaming RGS, technology andcontent provider, rather than purely offering third-party content. We have grown full circle, whereby wenow take manufacturers’ content and deploy it ontoour Remote Gaming Server.

I think the overall market is a lot more robust than itwas - there are a lot more market segments and newcategories, such as skill-based products for example.Traditional manufacturers are looking to third-partiesto provide differentiated content in that space. Thething about the large manufacturers is that they’re notgenerally speaking good at moving quickly,particularly with differentiated product outside theirDNA. There are definitely a lot more opportunities,but it’s a double edged sword. A lot of third-partieshave entered now entered this space. If you look atGamblit and Gameco, they have been created toprovide skill-based as a competitor to the establishedmanufacturers, as opposed to working with them.

At Spin we have becomean iGaming Remote

Gaming Server, technologyand content provider,

rather than purely offeringthird-party content. We

have grown full circle,whereby we now take

manufacturers’ contentand deploy it onto our RGS.

IAGAThe International Association ofGaming Advisors (IAGA) will hold its36th annual International GamingSummit May 30-June 1, 2017 atthe JW Marriott Essex house, Newyork, uS.



I think there’s a lot of new technology optionsfor start-ups to focus upon too; on-propertymobile, mobile tournaments, virtual reality,social gaming etc. There’s a lot more innovationin technology today that have direct applicationsin the gaming industry, which provide nicheopportunities initially that make it somewhateasier to be a start-up now. When we startedTrue Blue, there were five manufacturers withproprietary platforms operating in a much morerigid regulatory framework. So I would sayoverall, there are more opportunities for start-ups in gaming industry today than ever before.The only caveat being that if you’re going toprovide traditional slot cabinets with a platformand 50 line video slots, that opportunity hassailed. Today, there are around 20manufacturers instead of just five, andlaunching into that particular space would bemuch, much harder.

Are we seeing a healthy volume of newstartups entering the gaming sector?

If you separate Europe and the US, Europe seena lot more startups, new entrants andcompetition in the market because theregulatory compliance bar is simply not as highas in the US. There are opportunities to shelterunder existing licenced entities, which mean thebarrier to entry in Europe is a lot lower,particularly from the compliance side. Thedownside to that is that there are now morecontent providers in Europe than the marketactually needs.

In the US, we are seeing a lot of new entrantsconcentrating upon new technologies, such asvirtual reality. When the shift to the adoption ofHTML5 took place, we saw a lot of new entrantsinto this sector. If you are innovative and you’requick then there are a lot of opportunities. Ithink we’re in a good space in terms of newentrants right now.

how do you ‘handle’ venture capital and angelinvestors involvement in the business and howdo they handle the word ‘gambling?’

It’s a bit of a double-edged sword. A lot ofinvestors get very excited about the word“gambling” because they think of it is as a veryfruitful industry in which casinos are cash-cowslicensed to print money. However, on the otherside there are certain companies with ethicalissues about investing in gaming, so I think thefocus for any startup is upon finding the rightkind of investor. There is a pool of startupinvestors especially focused on gaming, so it’s alot easier if you approach this group first.

As regards ‘handling’ the investors, there areways you can manage investment withouttriggering licensing issues that are all aboveboard. It all depends upon how deep the investorwants to get involved in the business. Generally,the trigger is over 4.9 per cent, at which pointthey need to be licensed. There are others way toachieve this with a convertible note, wherebythey lend you the money under a debt scenariothat has an equity trigger upon a material event.When that event occurs they’re out of thebusiness, so there’s no need for them to belicensed. And if licensing is an issue for theinvestor, especially if they don’t understand thelandscape (it’s a lot of work, time and disclosureof personal information after all), there arecreative ways to achieve your goals, but gettingadvice from regulators is always adviseable.

Is hiring the right staff for a tech startup bothcomplicated and expensive?

From a compliance perspective it’s normally justyour senior people that need to come forwardfor licensing, which is something everyone inthe gaming industry has to deal with. You haveto be aware of it and tick the right boxes whenyou employ people.

One of the issues that is really important isgeography. If you setup your startup in SanFrancisco then you’re going to be payingastronomical salaries. However, one of the greatthing about the US is that there are a lot ofregional areas that have a lot of great talent thataren’t necessarily in Seattle, Los Angeles or SanFransisco, where the cost of living is soexpensive. We are based in Reno and have avery good relationship with the university here.

From a programmers’ perspective we employ alot of people from UNR directly out of thecomputer sciences department, which meanswe employ great people at a reasonable salary.

It’s been extremely successful for us as peoplecoming out of college want to work hard, buytheir own home and pay off thier student loan -so they are both motivated and maleable interms of being molded to work within ourbusiness culture. Overall, Reno has been afantastic environment for Spin Games. We camein at the right time in which there were a lot oftechnology start-ups in the city creatingsomething of a hub, which has expanded a lotsince then.

Spin Games has been going twice as long astrue blue. how do you manage the growingpains of scaling a startup business?

Scaling the business comes down to yourobjectives. If you want a nice lifestyle businessthat grows organically, that’s a very differentscenario to one in which you’re seeking to turnthe company into a US$100m business. If youreally want to leverage the business then youneed to inject additional, substantial capital,which changes a lot of the dynamics in thebusiness. The fundamentals of that, obviously isthat you have to show a growth trajectory andhave a clear idea of what that capital injectionwould do to take you to the next level.

In the uS, we are seeing alot of new entrantsconcentrating upon newtechnologies, such asvirtual reality. When theshift to the adoption ofhTML5 took place, wesaw a lot of new entrantsinto this sector. If you areinnovative and you’requick then there are a lotof opportunities. I thinkwe’re in a good space interms of new entrantsright now.


It’s certainly an interesting scenario. Generallycompanies at that stage are doing okay - so youreally have to think long and hard aboutjustifying such a significant injection of capital.It can also be a very tricky process, whichcomes down to finding the right sort of investorthat’s not looking at your current EBITDAmultiple, but at what the capital injection coulddo for the business in the future.

And I think a lot of companies get stuck in thisposition, because it is a really is a difficultposition. We have been going through a lot ofthat - considering our vision for the businessand what we’re looking to achieve. We havebeen talking to investors and I’m not sure ifwe’re going to do it. We have some big plays onthe organic side that might get us where wewant to be anyway.

If you’re going down the licensing route, howdo you create an appropriate complianceprogramme?

When we started Spin I knew that at some pointdown the line we had to be licensed. So wealways conducted ourselves in a compliantmanner and did all the things to ensure that if aregulator wanted to conduct a thoroughexamination of our business that we’d done ourdue diligence on our suppliers and employees,we had all the appropriate language in ourcontracts, and covered all the bases.

However, it’s not until the point at which you’reapplying for your license do you need to puttogether a compliance programme. It’sdefinitely something that you need to be awareof from the day you start. You don’t want to getin investors that have dubious backgrounds oranything like that - you have to be very awareof these things from the outset. However, it’sonly at the point at which you’re gettinglicensed that you really need to put everything

in place to become a fully licensed andregulated company.

do tech companies from adjacent sectors findgaming’s compliance barriers too high?

A lot of companies simply: “don’t know whatthey don’t know.” At whatever point in thedevelopment cycle, you need to be developingwith all the regulatory standards in mind. Youneed to have all the right reporting mechanisms,the right encryption modules so that peoplecan’t access the random number generator; youneed to use an RNG such as twister that’sregulator approved. A good example is thatwhile a lot of companies went into the socialspace, they found that they couldn’t simply portover into real money gaming as it doesn’t haveall the components that are required from aregulatory perspective. And that’s just on thetechnology side, as there are so manyadministrative elements that you’ve also got tobe aware of. It’s not simple - you do need tohave specific knowledge, otherwise you’re goingto burn through a lot of cash and still not be ableto break through that wall.

how do you negate the risks that investorspose to a startup business?

My objective has always been to ensure that wedidn’t have to rely on the investors. I put initialseed money into the company and attempted toprogress the business to cashflow positive assoon as I possible to negate that risk. If yourrunway is such that you need capital for asignificant amount of time, and you just rely onone investor, it is definitely dangerous. Myadvice would be to have a contingency, alwaysbe out there talking to other potential investorsand have others in your back pocket. It doesdepend on the cashflow requirements of thebusiness over a period of time, but if your onlylifeline is one investor and you’re aware that

factors could potentially change, then withoutquestion you’d want your fishing line in thewater. There are other things that you can docontractually with investors too, such asagreeing an assignment in your contract thatgives you six months of working capitalwhatever the change in circumstances. It’sbetter to make thing provisions in the front-endso that you can do to protect yourselves andnegate the risk in the future.

from a blank sheet start-up, how do you buildequity and recognition in the brand?

Our industry is fairly small in terms of thepeople that actually pay attention to what’sgoing on. We do a lot of press releases, and Iknow that sounds very simplistic, but you get alot of really good exposure in the market whenyou’re announcing deals and when you’re goinglive in certain markets, releasing new games.I’ve always conducted a lot of interviews withtrade magazines, and also find exposure onconference panels an effective marketing tool.Of course, the proof is in the pudding - youlaunch a startup, you create some traction, youcommunicate to the market, build momentumand continue to announce what you’re doing.You also need the key ingredients: greatproducts, technology and IP, which adds a lot ofvalue. I have a marketing background, and so Iuse those skills specific for our industry - andwith Spin we’ve built strong brand recognitionin the market in just a couple of years.

People are really watching and paying attentionto what we are doing. It certainly helps if youhave the opportunity to work on themanufacturing side first and gain individualexposure. People get to know you and whatyou’re capable of and they watch what you’redoing. Before you know you’re not out chasingthe business, the phone starts ringing withpeople chasing you.



All casinos trumpet their responsible gamblingcredentials - but is the industry doing enough toprotect its own future by providing robust, credibleprogrammes, dedicating enough resources etc., - orare operators just doing the bare minimum tocomply with laws?

Caesars Entertainment was the first gaming companyin the industry to develop Responsible Gamingguidelines more than 25 years ago, and it remains atop priority at Caesars. Our program comprisesresearch, innovative technology and practical toolsand comprehensive training for all staff. We’re alsoactively seeking new innovations that demonstrate aneven deeper commitment.

That said, different companies have different levels ofcommitment to responsible gambling. But over the

last decade, I believe the global gaming industry hasexperienced a sea change in its approach todeveloping a sustainable player base and minimisingthe risks associated with excessive gambling. We trulyhave advanced beyond a compliance-driven approachto one that internalises and reflects a responsiblegambling ethos. Operators by and large understandthat commercial viability and social responsibility arenot mutually exclusive, and the sustainability andlegitimacy of their business hinges in part on how weaddress and promote responsible gaming. Responsiblegaming affects so many aspects of our operations –including recruiting top-flight talent and maximizingemployee engagement – that any operator today wholooks at responsible gambling as simply a compliancefunction is missing the big picture and missing out onmuch of the value that accrues to a company from arobust, dedicated responsible gambling programme.

Jan Jones blackhurst,Executive Vice President Public Policy& Corporate Responsibility

Jan Jones Blackhurst is a long-timepolitical and business leader whohas left an indelible imprint on thelives of millions of people. Shespent most of the 1990s as one ofthe most popular mayors in LasVegas’ history. She then joinedCaesars Entertainment, where sheand her teams developed theindustry’s first Responsible Gamingpractices and create a diverse andinclusive workplace, advancingenvironmental stewardship,advocate for important socialissues and give millions of dollarsto individuals, families andcommunities in need.

Over the last decade, Ibelieve the global gamingindustry has experienced asea change in its approachto developing a sustainableplayer base and minimisingthe risks associated withexcessive gambling. Wetruly have advanced beyonda compliance-drivenapproach to one thatinternalises and reflects aresponsible gambling ethos.

Acting responsibly: walking thewalk - not just talking the talk

Jan Jones Blackhurst is to deliver her keynote address at the IAGA Summit inNew York and moderate a session on employee training and awareness. G3discussed the importance and relevance of these topics ahead of the event


how can operators influence in a positive way theperceptions of the public that gambling can be anentertaining and fun activity if done so responsibly?

The global popularity of casino gambling amongadults and its proliferation around the world isevidence that the public does indeed view a night outat a casino as a fun and entertaining activity. One ofthe best things operators can do to reinforce theseperceptions is to promote their products and servicesin a responsible manner. Among other things, thatmeans avoiding marketing to those too young togamble, and depicting the gambling experience as onewhere entertainment and fun are central. It alsomeans taking some of your marketing dollars anddevoting them to messaging that encouragesresponsible gambling.

For example, in 2002, Caesars launched the industry’sfirst broadcast campaign solely devoted to promotingresponsible gambling and continues to air thiscampaign today. Our experience with these ads hasshown us that customers respect those messages, and

we know from research that they can enhance thereputation of your brands without negativelyaffecting perceptions about your casinos as fun placesto play. Caesars also developed an advertising andmarketing code almost two decades ago thatcontinues to inform and guide our business team. Weimplemented this code absent of pressure from thepublic or from regulators – we simply recognised itwould be good for our business, and the right thing todo. In that respect, it’s no different than ourpioneering programs on responsible gambling that webegan implementing in the 1980s.

how visible should an operator be in promoting theirresponsible message to the public - is there such asthing as too much exposure, forcing a message toohard?

Caesars has taken some good-natured ribbing fromthe problem gambling services community over theyears in the United States because of where and howwe provide the national toll-free helpline number –it’s a feature of just about all of our points of customercontact, and it’s not that unusual for a customer to callthe helpline and ask instead about our buffets orhotel reservations. But we don’t know when acustomer might make that often tough decision toreach out for help. We want that number to be frontand center whenever they decide to take that step.

It is true that responsible gambling programmes muststrike a balance between promoting responsiblebehavior and not be so intrusive that they disrupt theenjoyment of the experience for the overwhelmingmajority of adults who gamble responsibly.

Customers want to be treated as responsible adults,and they want to make their own decisions abouttheir gambling. So there is a danger of, as you say,forcing a message too hard. There’s also a danger ofmixed messages – responsible gambling adcampaigns have to be responsible gambling adcampaigns, not subtle or unintended messages to“come gamble with us.”

As an example, Caesars had to edit its responsiblegambling TV ad prior to airing it because researchindicated that the image of playing cards fanned outon the felt of a table distracted from the responsiblegambling message. These dangers aren’tinsurmountable, of course, if your responsiblegambling program is derived from a clear, well-understood philosophy and position statement and isfully integrated across the business.

how do you communicate your message of socialresponsibility to a younger generation of players -the millennials - who aren’t subscribed to thetraditional media channels?

Through the use of social media channels and our blogwe are connecting with younger millennialcustomers. Our Citizenship channels on Facebookand Twitter are updated on a regular basis andpromote our corporate and social responsibilityactivities. We post on average two blogs each monththat highlight our responsible business practices. ForEarth Month, we ran a “Did you Know” campaign thatincluded daily posts on our social media channels and

Caesars developed anadvertising and marketingcode almost two decades

ago that continues to informand guide our business

team. We implemented thiscode absent of pressurefrom the public or fromregulators – we simply

recognised it would be goodfor our business, and the

right thing to do. In thatrespect, it’s no different thanour pioneering programs on

responsible gambling thatwe began implementing in

the 1980s.

Our Citizenship channels onFacebook and Twitter are

updated on a regular basisand promote our corporate

and social responsibilityactivities. We post on

average two blogs eachmonth that highlight our

responsible businesspractices.


The International Association ofGaming Advisors (IAGA) will hold its36th annual International GamingSummit May 30-June 1, 2017 atthe JW Marriott Essex house, Newyork, uS.

IAGA



included facts and statistics highlighting the socialand environmental impact Caesars has made on ourproperties and communities.

what should the message be to this millennialaudience, since we’ve already seen that they’realready disengaged with the casino-goingexperience?

Our goal is to effectively communicate ourresponsible gaming ethic to a variety of audiences,regardless of where or how they engage in ourproducts. The message is always the same: We arecommitted to promoting responsible gambling, andwe only want people who play for fun andentertainment to engage with our products. If a guestis not engaging in our products in a responsiblemanner, we are ready and able to help them.

can operators inform, educate, be responsible and atthe same time appeal to players to come andgamble? can the same message deliver all thesethings - or do we need lots of different messages,which could contradict each other?

This is a very important issue, and I alluded to itearlier. When we first began conceptualising ourdedicated broadcast ad campaign on responsiblegambling, we did focus groups with customers aboutcontent and messaging. One of the things they told usloud and clear was that any “come gamble” messageundercut a responsible gambling message. That’s whyin our broadcast ads devoted to encouragingresponsible gambling we don’t use a lot of imageryassociated with gambling.

This is also an instance where Caesars Marketing andAdvertising Code plays a major role. This Code showsthat you can deliver effective gambling marketingcampaigns in a responsible manner withoutdetracting from the entertainment appeal.

how involved in “solution” should operators be? thesetting of time limits - money limits - keepingrecords - taking frequent breaks - exit strategies -knowing where and how to get help - counsellingetc. where do the responsibilities of the operatorbegin and end?

First and foremost, our programmes are responsiblegambling programmes, not problem gamblingprogrammes. Our employees aren’t in a position toidentify and diagnose mental disorders – that’s a jobfor experienced clinicians. What we can do is provideexcellent customer service and respond to concernsthat a customer may be gambling irresponsibly. Infact, much of our in-casino responsible gamblingefforts involve leveraging customer service skills andexpertise. We never want to tell a customer he or shemight have a gambling problem; we want them tohave tools and resources available that can help themgamble responsibly. That said, we do have proceduresin place that can result in our unilateral decision todeny a patron gambling privileges. Again, though,these decisions are not based on any kind of“diagnosis” of a gambling problem. We are excitedabout emerging technologies that may help playersset and keep limits, and we continue to evaluate themas part of our efforts to continually improve andinnovate in the ways we address responsiblegambling.

how impactful on reputation and revenues is thelack of enhanced social responsibility programmes,as opposed to the doing something substantial toaddress the issue today?

We believe it is our responsibility to our guests andemployees to be a good corporate citizen. Our Code ofCommitment has been guiding the conduct of ourbusiness since 2000. The Code of Commitmentincludes our responsible business practices with ouremployees, our communities and the environment.

Jan serves as a director of the u. S.Chamber of Commerce and theWomen's Campaign Fund inWashington, D.C. She serves onseveral boards including the LasVegas Stadium Authority and theNevada Resort Association, and isalso a member of the Women'sLeadership Board at the John F.Kennedy School of Government atharvard university. Jan has receivedmany recognitions and accoladesincluding the Diversity in PR Awardfrom PR Week, the Annual BlackImages honors from the 15thAnnual Soul Festival, the DomPérignon Award of Excellence fromuNLVino and the Diversity heroAward from PR Week.

In early 2015, Jan was honored asthe PR News CSR Professional ofthe year and was named by the LasVegas Business Press as one of its“Women Who Mean Business.” In2014, she was one of the firstwomen to be inducted into theAmerican Gaming Association(AGA) Gaming hall of Fame. Jan hasbeen honored by the AmericanDiabetes Association and the "Ihave A Dream" Foundation, and shewas named humanitarian of theyear in 1998 by the MuscularDystrophy Association. In 2005 shewas honored by the Women ofDiversity in their project "100 yearsof Influence – The Role of WomenShaping the First 100 years of LasVegas."

When we first beganconceptualising ourdedicated broadcast adcampaign, we did focusgroups with customersabout content andmessaging. One of thethings they told us loud andclear was that any “comegamble” message undercuta responsible gamblingmessage. That’s why in ourbroadcast ads devoted toencouraging responsiblegambling we don’t use a lotof imagery associated withgambling.

who should be informing the curriculums that formresponsible and problem gambling programmes -and how involved should operators be in the training,education and awareness of these issues?

We have consulted with leading treatmentprofessionals and researchers on problem andresponsible gambling in forming our programmessince their inception. In the 1980s, that meantworking with gambling behavior pioneers like HenryLesieur and Julian Taber. Today, that means workingwith a new generation of clinicians and scholars oninnovations in training, policy, and procedures.

These collaborations have been invaluable. There aremany stakeholders in responsible gambling, and weall bring expertise to the table. Responsible gamblingprogrammes must be informed by the latest researchand clinical insights, as well as by the real life nutsand bolts of operating a casino. They must also beregularly reviewed and evaluated, both internally andexternally, to ensure continuous improvement.

Spending and investing in prevention is alwaysdifficult to quantify, since by its nature, it yields fewstatistics. how should operators justify investmentin social responsibility when it’s so difficult tomeasure the results?

Caesars’ corporate responsibility and corporate socialresponsibility programs began out of a desire to be agood corporate citizen and a recognition of ourcommitment to employees, guests and our planet. Wehave found that the caring culture has benefits thathave come back to help the company through anengaged workforce and by communicating ourcitizenship programs to guests.

The happier and more supported our employees feel,the better our team is able to provide exceptional levelof service for our guests. The correlation between

satisfied employees resulting in satisfied guests isconsistently proven through input from our regularsurveys — nearly 1,000,000 in 2015 alone.

Guest awareness of Caesars' Citizenship programsincreased 4.4 per cent in the first quarter of 2016.Customer research shows that our guests care howCaesars manages its environmental impact.

Each year, more guests say Caesars commitment toCodeGreen influences their choice to stay and play atCaesars.

Is the industry currently on the right path and onlyneeds to invest more, shout more about it’s goodwork - or is there a need for radical intervention -new technologies, new programmes, newinitiatives?

As the pioneer of Responsible Gaming, we are alwaysmonitoring the science and literature on the topic andare always open to innovations that can improve ourprograms. Caesars has taken many pioneering steps,like our national self-exclusion program, our science-based training on customer interactions, and ournational RG promotion via TV. Also every propertyhas an RG Committee ensuring compliance with ourRG policies and procedures.

Are there lessons that can be learned from adjacentindustries, automotive, alcohol, tobacco etc., in themanagement of consumer trust and management ofcrisis situations should they occur?

We constantly keep an eye on other industries,particularly the industries that are tied to ourbusiness. Through our Responsible Supplier program,for example, we are closely monitoring the industriesand our vendors to ensure the companies we dobusiness with align with the corporate responsibilityphilosophy at Caesars Entertainment.

Prior to joining Caesars in1999, Jan served two termsas Mayor of Las Vegas. Shewas the city’s first femalechief executive and one of itsmost popular mayors, havingbeen re-elected in 1995 by a72 percent margin. While inoffice, Jan presided over anunprecedented period ofeconomic, social and culturalexpansion. She spearheadeda massive growth andredevelopment effort in thecity’s once-neglecteddowntown neighborhood andwas among the first mayors inthe country to advocate forLGBT rights and issues asearly as 1991.

Caesars has taken manypioneering steps, like our

national self-exclusionprogram, our science-based

training on customerinteractions, and our national

RG promotion via TV. Alsoevery property has an RG

Committee ensuringcompliance with our RGpolicies and procedures.




what are the key challenges in introducing gamblinginto eSports?

ian Smith: I don’t see it as a challenge to introducegambling into esports – that ship has sailed – there isalready gambling in esports and it is growingexponentially. There is legal and illegal, regulated andunregulated, visible and invisible. The challenge is toensure esports retains its integrity in the face ofwidely available gambling. Where there is a market,there is always someone trying to manipulate thatmarket and the only question is whether or not theyare succeeding. Over 90 per cent of match-fixing ismotivated by betting fraud, so that is what esports hasto deal with, and fast.

ryan Morrison: The key challenges with introducinggambling into esports come from both directions. Inone matter, it's a near impossible endeavor to explainto the normal gambling regulatory boards throughoutthe world what exactly esports are. Will theyunderstand what a skin is versus a virtual currencyversus real world money? Likely not. On the flip side,coming into esports legitimately, from a gamblingavenue, means you will be competing against a nearendless amount of sites *not* following the law. Howcan the legitimate compete against the cheap andunregulated?

who should be the ones policing eSports and

keeping players safe?

ryan Morrison: I am a huge fan of self-regulation inthe digital age. The ESRB is a great example of thevideo game industry policing itself so outsidelegislation, which would be too broad or poorlywritten, never got introduced. However when we seeterrible humans like Trevor Martin or Josh Beavertricking their fan bases into illegal underagegambling, or we see giant mega-corporations likeValve looking the other way, we are begging foroutside regulation as an industry.

ian Smith: The whole industry ought to band togetheron this common threat – that is what ESIC is trying topromote – a common approach to a commonproblem. We need publishers, tournament operatorsand platforms, teams and players and bettingoperators and regulators to work together to makeesports safe for everyone, including gamblers.

Should the eSports industry self-regulate or shouldoperators be controlled by Gaming controlcommissions?

ian Smith: The esports industry should self-regulate(and they better get on with it before an externalagent like the EU/EC seek to regulate them) andbetting operators should be controlled by GamingControl Boards – good ones!

ryan Morrison, Founding PartnerMorrison & Lee LLP

Ryan Morrison has made a namefor himself through ensuring thelaw protects everyone. havingworked on more esports playercontracts than anyone else on theplanet, Ryan has seen the kinds ofheadaches that pro players dealwith commonly. Deemed "TheVideo Game Attorney" by thecountless developers and playershe has helped through his freeonline legal Q&A's, Ryanunderstands that this new andinnovative industry requires a newand innovative approach to law.

ian Smith, Integrity Commissioner, EsportIntegrity Coalition, ESIC

Ian Smith is the esports integritycommissioner. Ian is a uK lawyerwith over 20 years’ experience intraditional sports, primarily inregulation and governance. hisparticular focus has always beenthe connection between theathlete and the rules andregulations that govern theathletes’ professional life. Ian leftprivate practice in 2004 to go in-house as legal director of theProfessional Cricketers’Association in the uK where hewas responsible for advisingplayers on a range of issues, butalso negotiating, on their behalf,the contracts, rules and regulationsthat applied to them, such as theAnti-Doping and Anti-CorruptionCodes. For two years between2013 and 2015 Ian also ran theFederation of InternationalCricketers Associations (FICA).

Gambling on video games has grown unexpectedly and exponentially in thelast three years. International video game tournaments have increased thevisibility of eSports, as well as increased the opportunities for wagering notonly on the winners of these tournaments, but on events that occur within thegame. With the crackdown on illegal unregulated in-game and “skin” wagering,operators are now looking for ways to tap into the public desire to gamble oneSports. G3 speaks to IAGA panelists Ian Smith and Ryan Morrison about theopportunities and challenges inherent in monetising this global phenomenon

Cashing in on Call of Duty. Is itpossible to monetise eSports?


ryan Morrison: Same answer as above. And it'sesports. The capital S can start wars!

what are regulators currently doing to protectplayers and ensure operators are abiding to the rulesset out in gambling legislation?

ryan Morrison: In esports? Nothing I'm aware of,outside the Washington State Gambling Commissionpoking at Valve. Eager to see where that goes.

ian Smith: Good regulators are doing a great deal(UGGC and Nevada GCB spring immediately to mind)and others are decades behind – there is a lot ofignorance about what esports is and, therefore, whatgambling on it entails. Is it akin to sports betting andshould it be regulated as such? I would say anemphatic “Yes”, but it’s pretty funny how difficult aquestion that is for some people – semantics is astrange hurdle to get stuck behind while gambling onesports grows exponentially and the threat to esportsintegrity grows at the same speed.

Should eSports games by controlled in the sameway as gambling products, requiring certificationfrom testing laboratories?

ian Smith: No. Games are not designed for gambling –gamble on games at your own risk.

ryan Morrison: Gambling through casinos or bookiesshould be regulated similarly. Otherwise esportsshould be untouched by government bodies.

how should the industry deal with unlicensedwebsites jumping on the back of popular videogames and encouraging players to gamble?

ryan Morrison: The game publishers, governments,and anyone else possible should stop it fromhappening. Can you get them all? Of course not. ButTom Syndicate, one of Britain's most popular internet

stars, got away with this scott free. That'sembarrassing for everyone.

ian Smith: This is a commercial question for eachpublisher to answer depending on the perceivedcommercial damage the sites are doing to them. Onthe other side, the issue of illegal gambling websites isan issue for regulators. The big problem here is thatgambling regulation is stuck in the 19th century as ittries to deal with a 21st century challenge. A personcan operate a gambling site from a laptop anywhere inthe world. Regulators are stuck with borders andlengthy and expensive legal procedures – we’ve allgot a long way to go in dealing with these problemsand it’s not fair to put the whole burden on thepublishers, although some are more complicit thatother, of course, when it comes to facilitatinggambling, even inadvertently.

the Uk Gambling commission believes that theexisting regulatory framework, rigourously applied,is sufficient to mitigate the risks of eSports “evenwhere they do manifest themselves differently.” doyou agree?

ian Smith: Yes – I thought their response to theconsultation was very sensible.

ryan Morrison: Nope! Hard to explain how differentthey are in a few sentences, but I think it's the heightof lunacy to pretend esports, its fanbase, or its matchmaking system parallels traditional sports in morethan superficial ways.

eSports integrity is highlighted as a particularlydifficult issue to address without overwatch -ongoing risk assessments, monitoring of suspiciousbetting activity, codes of conduct and rules onintegrity, effective investigation of misconduct withpenalties and fines, player education programmes;and transparent controls governing commercialagreements between companies and eSports teams.

Nevada Gaming control boardThe Esports Integrity Coalition(ESIC) has signed an informationsharing Memorandum ofunderstanding (MOu) with theNevada Gaming Control Board(NGBC). The MOu allows the twoorganisations to share informationabout suspicious bets and otherinformation related to betting fraudand match manipulation in esportswithout further formality. Thisfacilitates the real time exchangeof vital data aimed at preventingcorruption in esports andenhances the activities of ESIC andits other betting and regulatorypartners globally as they worktogether to combat betting fraud inesports.

Esports Integrity CommissionerIan Smith said, “We are delightedthat the Nevada Board haveagreed to work with us as theystart their journey in the regulationof esports wagering. The GCB isthe gold standard in the regulationof sports betting in the uS and ithas already been a pleasureworking with them. Adding theexperience and vital information ofour other partners in theinformation exchange to theBoard’s intelligence database andvice versa will undoubtedlystrengthen all our effortsconsiderably.”

Nevada Gaming Control BoardChairman, AG Burnett, added, “Aswagering on esports grows inNevada, it is important for the GCBto work with integrity-focusedgroups such as ESIC. This MOu willallow for the exchange ofinformation and sharing of datathat goes toward our mutual goalsof ensuring wagering on esports isdone safely, with integrity and afocus on removing the chances ofissues arising with esportsbetting.”



IAGA



how do we address all these issues?

ryan Morrison: How long do we have to get intothis one? There is no league in esports, there isno one game in esports (heck, the most popularone is named Overwatch, which you used with adifferent meaning in your question). There's notmagic solution here, and it starts with realisingthere is no "esport" more than there is a "sport."Each game requires different rules,considerations, and regulations. The publishersown the football here, and its their job to startthe policing. Each game has a different publisherand therefore a different immediate regulator.

ian Smith: ESIC has been addressing theseissues for nearly a year already through the ESICProgramme. Every element mentioned in thequestion is covered in detail except for controlsgoverning commercial agreements (we don’tinterfere in the commercial activities of ourmembers). The issue is really with inconsistencyacross the industry and we’re trying to addressthat by building a coalition to address these keyissues. We’ll get there, but there’s a long way togo.

we have already seen the first prosecutions forin-game skins item trading and betting. howdoes the industry control this aspect ofeSports?

ryan Morrison: It doesn't. This decision has alsoseen no changes in the industry I am aware of.

ian Smith: Again, there are two key stakeholdersinvolved here – first the publishers need to becareful about how they enable the acquisitionand trading of in-game items and considergambling when they set up their systems.Second, the regulators need to engage with lawenforcement and enforce the laws that underpintheir ability to regulate and prosecute. It’s worthadding that governments are also complicit hereand need to play their part – if a countries ideaof gambling regulation is to simply prohibit it,then it has to then actively enforce thatprohibition. Finally, all the engaged parties needto start cooperating, rather than seeing

themselves as adversaries.

do you see the use virtual currencies used tobet/trade as an issue in itself within eSports?

ian Smith: No more so that in any other form ofgambling. The only esports unique challengearises when in-game items become, inthemselves, virtual currencies and that is amatter in the control of the publishers. We saw ithappen with skins in CS:GO and DOTA2 andthat continues to be an issue, but much less sothan it was before Valve took action.

ryan Morrison: Yes for a plethora of reasons,mostly being that regulators don't inherentlyunderstand what it is. On the flip side, it is mostcertainly "consideration" to make these wagersgambling. Don't let shady internet forums foolyou otherwise.

what levels of risk are video games companiesand gambling operators opening themselvesup to when they combine their activities tooffer eSports betting?

ryan Morrison: A ton, especially in its currentform. Let's look to Washington and Valve to seehow bad it turns out.

ian Smith: First, practically no video gamescompany has combined their activities withgambling operators – the two industries workmore or less isolated from each other – some dosupply official data and some acceptsponsorship from regulated betting operators,but this sort of interaction is very rare. Currently,I think the risks some betting operators aretaking are outrageous. I’ve seen markets offeredfor matches that had been played two weeksbefore. I’ve seen markets offered based on atime delayed broadcast feed.

I see multiple suspicious betting alerts raisedbecause the bookmaker has just got the marketwrong – far more than I ever saw in traditionalsports. This is understandable to an extent in anew “sport” without the history and wealth ofdata available in traditional sports, but a lot of it

is just reckless pursuit of a slice of the market atany cost. The risk to games companies is thereputational (and, therefore, revenue) risk theywill suffer if their game is linked to a majormatch-fixing scandal arising from betting fraud.This is what ESIC is trying to prevent.

do you think that playing a video game for aprize should require a gambling licence?

ian Smith: No – it’s not gambling. These are notgames of chance, they are games of skill. Andshould the participants in eSports competitionsbe allowed to bet on themselves to win?Absolutely not – no player should be allowed tobet on any match in the game he plays – period.There is far too much of an integrity risk on aplayer being involved in any way with wageringon the game he or she plays.

To be clear, I mean that, if a player plays CS:GO,he or she should not bet on any game of CS:GOanywhere at any time. This is accepted practicein the vast majority of traditional sports and itexists for good reason.

ryan Morrison: That's a big question as well, butif you mean "I bet you five dollars I can beat youin this game," then no, that's a skill basedcompetition and not gambling under mostjurisdictions. However betting on yourself in atournament (akin to pro baseball players bettingon themselves) becomes wrong for a lot of otherreasons, such as match-fixing.

Is the association of gambling with videogaming a concept that’s going to lead toeSports bans in certain markets?

ryan Morrison: Absolutely not. Esports are heredespite what anyone above the age of 40 wants.Your children know their favorite esport playerover their favorite football player, and it's onlygaining popularity every day. As long as thereare video games there will be esports. It isludicrous to think they are going anywhere butup.

ian Smith: Possibly, but only out of ignorance.



The responsible gamingconsequences of technology

A hot topic being discussed within the global gaming industry is the issue ofattracting millennials / Generation Y players. The growth of skill-based, fantasysports and social games that appeal to new players raises new challenges withrespect to educating consumers on ‘responsible’ ways to play. G3 talks to theexperts discussing this topic at the IAGA Summit in New York this month

how do you attract a new generation of players,while doing so in a responsible manner?

omer Sattar: It is unequivocally true that the world ischanging and by most accounts, at an ever rapid pace.The key trends applicable to gaming are convergenceof channels and the rise of social interactivity. Inorder to better understand the convergence ofchannels we in the gaming industry should recognizethat the definition of gaming needs to broaden beyondwhat we have considered to be gaming over the lastfew decades.

Today, we should be looking beyond content deliveredon slots and tables at traditional B&M venues to thesame content being delivered on a mobile device on oroff property or even at a state lottery. Not only thatwe have to think about how Fantasy (daily orotherwise), eSports, skill based, social, or other formsof “gaming” are being interacted with by patrons.“Gaming” delivered in the form and format that thepatron prefers, all tied to loyalty, with the ability toshare with friends/family/and the world at large, isthe meta-trend of our generation, and one that wemust contend with. The lessons of responsible gaminglearned at slots and tables over the last generationneed to be applied to this meta-trend in order toprotect the integrity of gaming for what it should be,strictly entertainment.

The first step to such action is to recognize thatgaming is no longer just what we used to think asgaming and that convergence is coming. Once that isrecognized and accepted by the suppliers, operators,regulators, legislators, responsible gaming researchersand academics, and various other constituents, we asan industry can collectively work to apply not onlyexisting learnings but devise new ones that bettersuite this evolution of gaming.

connie Jones: The advertising guidelines in the ‘AGACode of Conduct for Responsible Gaming’ are still

applicable for promotions of both online and landbased casino games. They state that marketingmaterials will not: Contain images, symbols,celebrity/entertainer endorsements and/or languagedesigned to appeal specifically to children andminors. — Feature anyone who is or appears to bebelow the legal age to participate in gambling activity.— Contain claims or representations that gamblingactivity will guarantee an individual’s social, financialor personal success. — Be placed before any audiencewhere most of the audience is ordinarily expected tobe below the legal age to participate in gamblingactivity. — Imply or suggest any illegal activity of anykind.

david trunkfield: Attracting a new generation ofplayers requires marketing to the players throughappropriate channels with appropriate messaging,and providing the gaming experience in aform/channel that reflects how that customer baseprefers to interact. A good example would be the UKbingo industry, and the traditional land basedbusiness vs the online bingo industry which has amuch younger consumer demographic. Doing soresponsibly requires maintaining strict safeguards onplayer identification, and awareness of how differentadvertising mediums/platforms need to be managedto ensure promotional messages are reaching the rightaudience.

Is technology the only way to bring Generation Yplayers into traditional gaming venues?

david trunkfield: I believe it is about using newtechnology to enhance the existing core gaming offer,rather than necessarily throwing out traditionalcontent and venues - for example self serve bettingterminals in UK betting shops, wi-fi provision,enhanced display screens etc

connie Jones: No. While technology is certainly theprimary vehicle for interesting Generation Y players, I

Omer Sattar,Co-Founder and Executive VicePresident of Strategic Initiatives,Sightline Payments

Omer Sattar has over 10 yearsoperations experience in thegaming payment industry. hepreviously served as President ofuB Ventures, a service provider tothe prepaid card industry. Prior tothis, he was Senior Vice Presidentof Cash Access Services for GlobalCash Access where he had P&Lresponsibility for over $350m inrevenue and over $75m of EBITDA,and was an integral part of theteam that launched GCA’sproducts and services in Macau.Prior to joining GCA, Mr. Sattar wasthe Vice President of ProductDevelopment and Sourcing forPhoenician Imports, Inc.In thiscapacity, he gained extensiveexperience living and working inmainland China.

constance r. JonesDirector of Responsible GamingAssociation of Gaming EquipmentManufacturers (AGEM)

Constance Jones is Director ofResponsible Gaming for theAssociation of Gaming EquipmentManufacturers (AGEM). her rolehas helped to strengthen thebridge of communication andunderstanding between thegaming industry, specifically thatof a gaming technology providers,and the problem gamblingcommunities. Jones, a twenty-yearveteran of the gaming industry,has presented at numerousconferences and events on thegaming manufacturer’s role in RGand the evolution of RGtechnologies.


think they are still responsive to mail promotions thatmay or may not contain incentives such as free itemsor other enticements. Billboards and posters are stilleffective as well as magazine ads..

omer Sattar: It is important to recognize thattechnology inherently is not the goal but rather amechanism which permits a person to do the“something” which they desire to do. To that extent,technology should be as invisible as possible andrather the focus should be on the UX (UserExperience).

We know from extensive published research onMillennials and Gen Y that they are more social andinteractive than ever before, we know that they don’tmind sharing information publicly but paradoxicallyalso believe that corporations have an ethical duty topreserve their privacy, we know that they prefer not tobe actively marketed to by brands but rather prefer tocurate their experience in the manner they deem fit,and we know that they will share the feedback of theirexperience not only with their friends and family butalso with the world at large. So, technology is by nomeans the only way but we as the gaming industrymust take the time and make the effort to scour thelatest technologies and products and layer them intothe experience of visiting a traditional gaming venue.Gaming has historically been a late adopter of mosttechnology (an example being electronic payments)and we must strive to change that.

can we adapt current regulations governing gamingto encompass new technologies, or do we need anew rulebook?

omer Sattar: There is a great body of currentregulation, albeit with variances amongstjurisdictions, in gaming. Much of this can be adaptedand built upon. It is almost entirely incumbent onoperators and suppliers to educate legislators andregulators as to the latest products and technologies.Protection of the integrity of gaming has always beenand will always be critical to the survival and thegrowth of the industry. As long as all constituentsagree to that as a baseline, existing regulations can beadapted.

david trunkfield: It depends on the starting point ofthe regulations - the longer ago they were written, thegreater the need for a "new rulebook". However thecore principles and aims of regulation dont need tochange - it's just in some cases it may be easier to drafta new set of legislation (e.g UK's 2005 Gaming Act)rather than trying to amend legislation that dates fromthe 1960s or earlier

connie Jones: I am not a regulator but I don’t believewe “need to reinvent the wheel.” Current regulationscan be modified and in some cases new regulationsmay need to be added.

what are the most disruptive technologies facing thegaming industry right now - and how should we dealwith them to protect the player?

connie Jones: The explosion of e-Sports and DailyFantasy Sports poses challenges for responsiblegaming. According to an ESPN survey, about 118

million Americans gambled on sports in some mannerin 2008. · About 67% of all college students bet onsports. · Sports betting is second to poker in popularityof gambling games among college students. The NCPGdocument, Fantasy Sports Consumer ProtectionGuidelines Final December 4 2015 provides acomprehensive set of guidelines for player protections.

omer Sattar: Approximately 88% of Americans carryless than $100 in cash in their pockets on any givenday, yet when these same people come to a gamingfacility, they have to source cash in order to game.When it comes to how a gaming facility operates todayit is effectively how retailed worked three decades ago.There is a massive burden associated with handlingcash, not to mention the AML/KYC issues, and yetonce TITO replaced coin more than a decade ago theindustry basically stopped innovating to take the nextstep beyond TITO. The good news is that in the lastfew years this is finally changing. There is a concertedeffort by various participants to create and deploy an“invisible layer of payments” that allows a patron tosafely and responsibly play their game of choicewithout physically handling cash. Over the next tenyears this is probably one of the most significantchanges that we’ll see take place in gaming.

david trunkfield: New types of events that offerwagering or wagering like activity (e.g. esports, fantasysports) which are not captured by traditionaldefinitions need to be brought into the fold ofregulation in order to protect the player. As adisruptive technology in gaming, augmented andvirtual reality could potentially have a major impacton casino and slot games.

how can technology be harnessed to not only providenew experiences, but also make them safer too?

omer Sattar: Technology has always been and mustremain a tool to make our lives better, and betterincludes safer. Whether it’s the removal of physicalcash, deep learning or AI, or the benefits ofprivate/public blockchains, if our North Star remainsthe question, does this technology protect the integrityof gaming, we will continue to enhance the experiencein a safe and sound manner.

david trunkfield: Technology provides theopportunity for gaming companies and regulators tohave much greater knowledge about individual playersand their behaviour, and an ability to monitor this.Harnessing this data could significantly enhanceplayer protection from a responsible gamingstandpoint, if embraced by the industry.

connie Jones: It is somewhat ironic that it is mucheasier to provide responsible gaming tools via anonline gambling product as opposed to a land baseddevice, yet there is greater fear related to gamblingaddiction due to legalization of online gambling. Froma technology perspective, it is far simpler for players toself-exclude online or to set limits in time and money.Responsible gaming information and guidelines canalso be incorporated into a gaming website. Moreplayers are seeking problem gambling informationonline. Chat rooms and various treatment modalitiesare being utilized via the internet to assist players whomay have a problem.


david Trunkfield,Partner, PwC Global Gaming Leader

David is a partner in the uK firm ofPwC and leads the Global GamingGroup at PwC. David has been withPwC since 2001, and prior to thatspent 5 year working for the COBAGroup, a boutique strategyconsulting firm. David has beenworking in the gaming industrysince 1999, working on gamingprojects across the world across allproduct areas and across a widerange of issues. Most recentlyDavid has been leading PwC’sOnline Gambling researchcommissioned by Gambleaware,looking at how to better identifyand mitigate harmful play online.David has written a number ofgaming thought leadershippublications and has been featuredin trade press and the national andinternational press. he has actedas an expert witness in a casinolicense application, and is a regularspeaker at industry conferences.


IAGA



In the future, everyone willhave ‘15 minutes of shame’

At the IAGA Summit in New York, Richard Torrenzanois to discuss how businesses can thrive in anincreasingly complex digital world. Speaking toRichard ahead of the event taking place in his hometown of New York, he explains that he wants theaudience to consider three things: what’s happeningin the digital world, why it’s happening and what weshould be thinking about right now.

“For me, the most significant issue right now ismobile,” states Richard. “There’s about seven and ahalf billion people in the world and of that number,two and a half billion are mobile social users. Thething that’s significant is not only the numbers, butthat the figures increased by 30 per cent last year,almost 600 million, and I predict that will increasesignificantly over the next two-three years. The worldhas gone mobile - first and foremost, and if yourdigital presence is not ‘mobile-optimised,’ which isnot the same as ‘mobile-friendly,’ then you’re missingout on everything.”

It’s not surprising that North America, South America,Eastern European and Western Europe have thegreatest penetration of mobile users, with centralAsia, Middle East etc., lagging behind, but expected todramatically catch-up in the next few years. And it’sthis global connectivity of mobile phone users that’s akey ingredient in ability of millions of sociallyconnected people to create both an ‘audience’ and a‘jury’ for brands and businesses.

“If you think about the Internet today, what happensin 60 seconds is astonishing. There are two and a halfmillion Google searches that begin in that time, three

million video views on Youtube, Facebook has morethan 700,000 logins, and close to 350,000 tweets aresent in 60 seconds,” describes Richard. “If you look atother posts on the Internet the number is equallyastonishing.”

The Internet has become a driver in both our lives andeconomy, and as far as Richard is concerned, unlessyou are a master of it in both your personal andbusiness life, you are going to left behind. “What’shappening primarily is that people are takingadvantage of this Wild West arena - in my book,Digital Assassination: Protecting Your Reputation,Brand or Business Against Online Attacks - we saythat in the future, which is now, everyone will havetheir ‘15 minutes of shame,” explains Mr. Torrenzano.“Digital combat is taking place between corporationsand disgruntled employees, trolls, competitors andeven through government oversight. What’s mostimportant is that you have to understand theseattacks, be prepared for them with the right resources,talent, and training to address them. And if you don’t,just look at what’s happened to United.”

Once videos hit the Internet of the bloodiedpassenger, United Airlines CEO, Oscar Muñoz, wasseen not only trying to put out the fires his employeeslit during the incident, but he was made to repeatedlyclarify his own comments directly after the event,having tweeted publicly and emailed internally to hisemployees, which were subsequently leaked to thepublic. Two days after the event he was appearing infront of news channels trying to calm down calls toboycott the brand and make amends by clarifying hisown position and that of his airline.

There’s about seven and ahalf billion people in theworld and of that number,two and a half billion aremobile social users. Thething that’s significant is notonly the numbers, but thatthe figures increased by 30per cent last year, almost600 million, and I predictthat will increasesignificantly over the nexttwo-three years. The worldhas gone mobile - first andforemost, and if your digitalpresence is not ‘mobile-optimised,’ then you’remissing out on everything.

richard Torrenzano,CEO, The Torrenzano Group

Richard Torrenzano is chiefexecutive of The Torrenzano Group,a reputation and high-stakesissues management firmspecialising in building andprotecting corporate reputations,helping clients grow their businessand enhance brand andshareholder value. The TorrenzanoGroup helps organisations takecontrol of how they are perceived.Richard is a sought-after expertand leading commentator on crisis,brands, reputation and socialmedia.

IAGA

In mid-April, United Airlines forcibly removed a Taiwanese doctor from its flight toLouisville, causing a Twitter-storm for the airline that plunged the business intocrisis. It’s an issue that brings into sharp relief the topics Richard Torrenzano willbe discussing at the IAGA Summit in New York, concerning the digitalassassination of reputations, brands and businesses in the modern digital-first era



The fact that it took United Airlines two days torespond in a thoughtful way, ensured that the eventbecame what Richard describes as an ‘Internet folly.’“Exactly the same thing happened when McDonalds’Twitter account was compromised at the beginning ofApril, whereby the corporation sent out a tweettrolling Donald Trump,” states Mr. Torrenzano. “Suchhacks are going to continue and most corporations arejust not ready to handle them. Their social mediadepartments are excellent at promoting a product or aservice, but they don’t understand the issuesinvolving a digital attack.”

Highlighting this distinction between promotion andprotection, the now embattled CEO of United Airlines,was awarded with PRWeek’s “Top Communicator ofthe Year” honour just three weeks before two majorsocial media scandals hit the fan. Managing your ownmessage and containing the damage created by othersappears to be a totally separate skill-set.

DealinG wiTh fake newsThe other thing executives need to focus upon is fakenews. A recent survey of 800 executives showed that75 per cent of the management boards wereconcerned both about fakes news and leaks insidetheir own corporations. “Fake news is not new,” saysRichard. “If you go back to Roman times, in its originalform, people used to write critiques on the side oftavern walls rating food, service and wine. It’s ancientgraffiti that was also used for vicious political attacks.The infamous rumor that Emperor Nero fiddled whileRome burned was spread through graffiti, which likemodern day social media, can rock companies,governments and even overthrow them.”

One of the phenomenons of fake news is that peopletend to believe the stories if they affirm opinions theyalready hold, or would like to believe are true. In thecase of the hacker who tweeted from the McDonald’scorporate account the following: “You are actually adisgusting excuse of a President and we would love tohave Barack Obama back, also you have tiny hands.”

It took McDonald’s seven hours to take down thetweet and issue an apology to its 150,000 Twitterfollowers, explaining it was a hack and that it waslaunching an investigation. However, by that stagesocial media was already awash with usersproclaiming they were loving the message in onecamp, or hating the brand and never buying fromthem again in the other, or simply conspiracytheorising that police were looking to arrest thehamburglar for the crime.

“A huge problem corporations are facing is disgruntledemployees,” underlines Mr. Torrenzano. “It’s an issuethat’s been building in the last two years and is goingto take off like lightening in the next two-three years.Disgruntled employees have a lot of informationabout companies and they have the means todistribute it. If you remember the movie “The DarkKnight - Alfred, the butler played by Michael Caine, isasked by Batman, why does the Joker steal? To whichhe replies: “Because it’s good sport. Some men are notlooking for anything logical like money, they can’t bebought, bullied or reasoned with, or negotiated with.Some men just want to watch the world burn.” Well,we’ve seen these people using Wikileaks to do exactlythat and it’s an issue we’re starting to face everyday. Itis harder and harder in this environment todistinguish these trolls from criminals, activists orblackmailers, hiding behind the mask ofAnonymous.”

Attacks on corporate entities are not new, but what isnew and what Mr. Torrenzano is convinced thatorganisations don’t understand fully, is that theseattacks are amplified in terms of global reach byspeed and magnitude, due to an Internet that can besearched and reacted to via mobile phones. “Oncesomething is posted on the Internet, it is always there,you can’t get rid of it,” warns Richard. “And unlike thetavern wall in Pompeii, which could not be seenthroughout the Roman Empire, all you had to do to getrid of it was paint over it. Today, these messages areuniversal and you can’t just paint over them. Even if

If you remember the movie“The Dark Knight - Alfred,

the butler played byMichael Caine, is asked by

Batman, why does theJoker steal? To which he

replies: “Because it’s goodsport. Some men are not

looking for anything logicallike money, they can’t be

bought, bullied or reasonedwith, or negotiated with.Some men just want towatch the world burn.”Well, we’ve seen these

people using Wikileaks todo exactly that and it’s an

issue we’re starting to faceeveryday. It is harder and

harder in this environmentto distinguish these trolls

from criminals, activists orblackmailers, hiding behind

the mask of Anonymous.”



you could, Internet archival sites like the ‘WaybackMachine’ ensure that everything that was once on theWeb will remain on the Web, even though it has beenchanged. Most people just do not understand that.And it has been the downfall of a lot of people.

“Robin Williams in one of his routines used to talkabout ‘Little Snitch,’ and when I do these speeches Ihold up my iPhone and introduce the audience to‘Little Snitch.’ Corporate espionage has been aroundfor a long time, but with the iPhone or any kind ofSmartphone, it has become easy. You can hit therecord button and video and audio record aconversation and within minutes play it for all theworld to hear.”

lawyeRs RunninG amokIt’s Richard’s view that, for the most part, lawyers justdon’t understand the concept of digital assassination,and that you can’t use the same tactics carried overfrom the old media world in this new digital one. Theexample Richard gives is of a lawsuit brought bysinger and actress Barbara Streisand, whichultimately became known as “The Streisand Effect.” Itdescribes her efforts to sue a photographer, but whoseefforts in trying to suppress online informationbackfired spectacularly.

In 2003, Streisand sued photographer KennethAdelman for distributing aerial pictures of hermansion in Malibu. But Adelman was not aphotographer looking for a sensational story, heoperated the California Coastal Records Project, aresource providing more than 12,000 pictures of theCalifornia coast for scientists and researchers to useto study coastal erosion. At the time Streisand suedAdelman for $50m, the picture in question had beenaccessed a total of six times - twice by Streisand’sown lawyers. Nonetheless, her lawsuit stated that thephotos explicitly showed people how to gain accessto her private residence.

Of course, news outlets around the world reported onStreisand’s outrage, and before long, the photo onAdelman’s website had received over a million views.The photo was also picked up by the Associated Press

and was reprinted countless times. As if single-handedly causing the exact thing she didn’t want tohappen wasn’t bad enough, Streisand also lost thelawsuit, whereby the judge ordered her to cover the$155,567.04 Adelman incurred in legal fees.

According to Richard’s book, ‘age needs to approachtechnology with great skill, while youth needs toapproach technology with greater wisdom.’ “You havea great divide between young people and older peoplein their approach and use of the Internet,” heexplains. “My friend’s daughter who I have known allher life, applied last year to medical school. She wasan ‘A’ student, but there were a number ofphotographs of her on Facebook, with her boyfriendin one arm and a red cup in the other arm. She doesn’treally drink, but she looked terrible in the pictures.

“The medical school, despite her grades, refused heradmittance, because they said she’d used ‘poorjudgement,’” describes Richard. “In this new digitalworld others not only have the ability to shoot at us,we also have the ability to shoot ourselves. Grad-schools, universities and corporations are now allchecking the Internet for personal profiles. Were onceyou would obtain a credit report on a person, you’renow able to view a digital report to see how wise orsmart they are when they’re socialising and what kindof employee or student they’re likely to be in thefuture. The Internet is affecting all of our lives, ourcorporate lives, entertainment lives and shoppinglives. Most people just don’t understand that yet andmost corporations have not dedicated the necessaryresources to fully protect themselves and their brandfrom it.”

Of course, this type of ‘accidental’ assassination canalso be also be conducted by third-parties. In 2007,female students studying law at Yale university cameunder attack via an Internet message board’s graphicdescription of how each student had traded top gradesfor sexual favours with their professors. It was carriedout on a largely unmoderated blog and it’s believedthat most readers knew it was a joke, so you’ve got toask - what was the big deal? Well, Google and itssearch engines became the big deal. Several of these

The Torrenzano GroupThe Torrenzano Group is a reputationand high-stakes issuesmanagement firm specialising inbuilding and protecting corporatereputations, helping clients growtheir business and enhance brandand shareholder value. Torrenzanohands-on senior level businesspeople work in a culture of criticalthinking and focused results.

Torrenzano builds on selective long-term relationships that add value toclient business goals and objectives.The Group create a ReputationalCushion that actively protectscorporate reputations, helping clientsgrow their businesses and enhanceshareholder value.

A large global transportationcompany sought to sue thesponsors of website thatused their brand followed bythe word “sucks.” Thecompany sought an Internettakedown order, only todiscover in court that suchorders only pertain to strictcopyright violations, such asa pirated movie for example.The court held that critical orsatirical sites are protectedunder the uS Freedom ofSpeech Act. The result wasthat this transportationcompany now has to paymonthly expenses to thiswebsite to defame them formany years to come.


women excelled at Yale law school, but received nojob offers from the country’s major law firms aswould normally be expected, and the reason is thatthe first result prospective employers saw about thesestudents in Google’s search engine was this messageboard. So the prospects for these women weredigitally assassinated.

Barbara Streisand could have ignored thatphotograph, she didn’t, she chose to sue for US$50m,which spread it like a dandelion across tens ofthousands of websites. It’s the element of ‘wisdom’that Richard is seeking to underline. It’s not justunderstanding the technology, it’s understandingwhat to do and what not to do in these situations, notonly due to generational issues, but how these socialmedia platforms work.

The delay in response to the issue caused United andMcDonald’s to fall so far behind the digital discussionthat they lost the argument, whereas in the case ofthe Streisand photograph, inactivity would have beenthe best course of action. These action and non-actions have a dramatic effect on sales, market valueand most importantly reputation. And asorganisations become increasingly digital-focused,there’s going to be an escalation of this issues facingthe near future.

fiRe-fiGhTinG oR beinG pRo-acTive?While many companies continue to adopt a fire-fighting approach to digital attacks, around half of thecorporations contacting the Torrenzano Group aredoing so pro-actively. “I think corporations arelooking what’s happened to their peers andcompetitors in other industries and they understandthat they need to take appropriate action,” statesRichard. “They understand the need to instigate a top-to-bottom analysis of what they need for theirindustry, their geography, clients and customers, butthey need to also recognise that it’s an internal issuetoo. While the over 45-50 year olds don’t understandthe technology, the under-25s just don’t have thedepth and breadth of understanding of the business toknow what should or should not be done from awhole host of issues affecting shareholders,

customers and reputation etc.” The cyber-attacks canaffect websites, hackers can takeover of social mediaplatforms, and employees can steal sensitive data. Youcan try to protect your infrastructure as vigorously aspossible, but protecting your reputation is just asimportant, and here speed is becoming increasinglyimportant.

One of the things the Torrenzano Group advises itsclients to consider is the eight hour digital day. It’swhat Richard describes as one of the “real truths ofour times,” and which many corporations have yet tounderstand. One case that illustrates this happened in2009, when two employees of Dominos Pizza posteda disgusting prank on Youtube. Dominos’ President atthe time, Patrick Doyle, responded to the prankwithin 48 hours with a sincere Youtube apology,decisive action and an impassioned defence of its100,000 employees. In the old media world, this was abold, lightning speed reaction to a digital problem, butin the new digital world Doyle was five days late.

During those two days, thanks to the power of socialmedia, the perpetrators ended up with felony charges,while Dominos faced more than a million disgustedviewers, and a major public relations crisis. In just 12hours references to it were five of the first 12 resultson the first page of Google search for “Dominos.” Itwas later revealed that the company had learned ofthe video within hours of its posting, but executivesdecided not to respond aggressively, hoping thecontroversy would quiet down.

“In the world of an eight hour digital day, when anissue mounts an assault on a corporate reputation orbrand, something that is a real exposure that must beanswered, you really have only up to eight hours toget together at least an initial response before a postcan go viral,” states Mr. Torrenzano. “You’re probablylooking at four to six hours for that response today, inwhich you have to get together your General Counsel,your CEO and PR team to get the message out. Mostcorporate organisations and most advisors to thesecompanies are simply not built to operate at a digitalspeed. And some companies are going to be burnedseveral times before they understand the new timingof this eight hour digital day.”

In relation to Dominos, the company’s stock wasaffected dramatically as were sales, and they had tomount a major multi-million marketing campaign tofight the negative publicity. “You have to look at thisissue and ask how it could affect your business andwhat you should be doing about it now to protect ourbrand, company, employees and good name?” saysMr. Torrenzano. “There is a difference in all of theseissues between management and leadership. Inmanagement we control resources, expenditure andactions of our employees. In leadership you have toguide and direct through difficult times. So whenyou’re dealing with crisis on the Internet you needleadership not management, because managementfails to get the right message out, it fails because of alack of planning; there’s no muscle memory, no drills,no rehearsals. These responses take a lot of time andcare. It is not a light switch, it can’t be turned off andon in an instant. There is no right or wrong answer,which is why companies hire digital firms that havebeen involved in this digital combat, such as ours.”

In the world of an eight hourdigital day, when an issue

mounts an assault on acorporate reputation or

brand, something that is areal exposure that must be

answered, you really haveonly up to eight hours to get

together at least an initialresponse before a post can

go viral. you’re probablylooking at four to six hoursfor that response today, in

which you have to gettogether your General

Counsel, your CEO and PRteam to get the message

out. Most corporateorganisations and most

advisors to these companiesare simply not built to

operate at a digital speed.And some companies are

going to be burned severaltimes before they

understand the new timingof this eight hour digital day.”



IAGA



Progressing compliance-basedresponsible gaming programs

What are the new approaches and opportunities for the global gaming industryand its advocates to move forward and lead the discussion on responsiblegaming rather than waiting for regulators or legislators to come up withsomething? Should companies have a dedicated responsible gambling team or isit better to have responsible gambling embedded in the organization as a whole?

Elizabeth, you’re hosting an interactive session at theIAGA Summit looking at Responsible GamingPrograms (RGPs) from different angles:

where are we regarding the current state ofresponsible gaming programs in the US?

This is an increasingly important issue and an area inwhich we are growing our investment focus andincreasing our resources to unify the industry andamplify our approach to this issue. The AGAendeavours to keep up-to-date on new problemgaming research, examining very closely the NationalCentre for Responsible Gaming’s academic research,while also looking at the opportunities in which wecan update the tools and resources we create for theindustry. The AGA’s online store is a resource weprovide to the industry that offers informationalbrochures; on-premises posters and a wide variety ofpamphlets that raise the awareness of consumers and

the importance of this issue to the wider public. TheAGA is also currently in the process of evaluatingareas in which can enhance our Responsible GamingCode of Conduct with the goal of releasing an updatebefore the end of this year.

do current rGPs go far enough beyond the remit ofcompliance?

When we look at this issue, it isn’t just aboutregulatory compliance and making sure thoseobligations are met; we look at it morecomprehensively and take a holistic approach to theissue. The AGA’s view is that it’s about being a goodcommunity parter and creating a strong environmentas an employer, as we know that employees reallyvalue the opportunity to learn more and be educatedabout responsible gaming. As casino operators andsuppliers are employers of a large number ofemployees, they are constantly looking at how they

We know that we mustcontinue to elevate the issueand make sure it is a priorityfor both gaming leaders andcustomer-facing individualson the casino floor. Werecognise it is important thatthis issue touches everyonethat is involved in theindustry. It’s not an issuethat’s job specific, it’simportant to everyone -from the consumer throughto the highest levels ofleadership.

elizabeth cronan, Senior Director of Gaming Policy,American Gaming Association

The AGA’s Code of Conduct forResponsible Gaming The American Gaming Association(AGA) and its members pledge toour employees, our patrons, andthe community to makeresponsible gaming an integral partof our daily operations across theunited States. This pledge includesemployee assistance and training,alcohol service, the provision ofcasino games, and casinogambling advertising andmarketing. This Code also coversthe commitment of our membersto continue support for researchinitiatives and public awarenesssurrounding responsible gamingand underage gambling.


foster the opportunity to raise awareness withtheir employees and create educationopportunities, which obviously impacts theconsumer experience.

Is it best to supplement compliance-basedresponsible gaming programs with ‘highlyvisible’ schemes that ‘show’ an operator isbeing responsible?

It is important that there’s awareness of theindustry’s attention and investment in theseissues. We obviously want employees that workwithin the industry to have all the rightinformation and be empowered to assistconsumers. We also want consumers to knowthat the operator takes these issues seriouslyand is implementing appropriate responsiblegaming measures. We want the consumers to beaware of the resources that are available for awide range or responsible gaming practices,making sure that it remains a leisure pursuit. Tothis end, we seek opportunities to raiseawareness both within the industry and withother stakeholders as well. Patrons andconsumers are an important part of that, whichis why we make a big investment in creating thetypes of resources made available by the AGA,

such as the brochures we provide and makeavailable through our online store*.

The AGA’s detailed brochures explain themechanics of slot machines, for example. Theyare transparent resources that are very clearand easily digestible, and more recently wehave released a brochure addressing the odds ofall types of casino games, including the newlyintroduced skill-based games machines.

does a programme need to be a joint effort,bearing an industry standard and signed up toby a majority of operators, to be fullyrecognised as significant?

There is certainly value in a unified industry-wide approach in which there are somecommonalities. Currently the AGA’s code ofconduct on responsible gaming serves thatpurpose. This touches on the industry’scommitments to both patrons and responsiblegaming practices to prevent misuse orunattended minors gambling in casinos;promote advertising and marketing in aresponsible manner and to making surebeverages are served responsibly too. There isalso a component that relates to the industry’scommitment to fund research in this space. Atthe moment, this serves as one illustration of anindustry-wide approach. Depending on acasinos location, its demographics, its customerbase, there may be certain nuances and uniquemeasures that the individual operator wants toput into place. However, there is certainly valuein having consistency.

how critical are rGPs to the future security ofthe sector in your view?

From the AGA perspective, this is somethingthat is an increasing priority for us and in whichwe are increasing our resources, attention andfocus. And we know that what we’re doing hereat the AGA is reflective of industry-widepractices. We have a task-force composed ofAGA members to address this issue, They are avery engaged group of leaders who have a deepcommitment to continuing to explore ways toenhance responsible gaming programmes.

We know that we must continue to elevate theissue and make sure it is a priority for bothgaming leaders and customer-facingindividuals on the casino floor. We recognise itis important that this issue touches everyonethat is involved in the industry. It’s not an issuethat’s job specific, it’s important to everyone -from the consumer through to the highest levelsof leadership. We have been very pleased andencouraged by the industry’s investment andcommitment to this across the board.

what are the most important elements anoperator should add to their program that goesabove and beyond a compliance-baseapproach?

I think this returns to our code of conduct for

responsible gaming; promoting responsiblepractices, preventing underage gambling,advertising, marketing responsibly and acommitment to research and training.

Is this simply future risk management or arethere economic reasons for investingadditional dollars into rGPs?

This is not just an economic issue or acompliance issue, it is a very holistic andcritically important issue for the future healthof the industry. It is important for theconsumers, employers, employees and for theindustry as a whole to be a good corporatecitizen and community partner. It touches somany aspects that are crucial to the health andlongevity of the industry.

does the industry get the balance rightbetween the promotion of gaming and theprotection of the vulnerable?

Here in the US, the industry is always lookingfor ways to more significantly promote itscommitment to responsible gaming. Andwhether that takes place on the casino floor oron the corporate website, I know that there isalways an ongoing evaluation that thecommitment is promoted in the most effectiveway and that it touches the greatest majority ofpatrons.

where do you see responsible GamingProgrammes moving towards in the future?

We want to ensure that any resources werelease and make publicly available arereflective of the new types of games that havebeen introduced by the industry, so that theyincorporate new technologies, such as skill-based games for example, and that we continueour investment in resources that are reflectiveof new evidence and research. We must keep anadaptable and flexible approach and be mindfulof any new tools made available to the industry.

Is the industry currently where it needs to be?

There is a strong commitment and there’ssignificant investment and this is an issue inwhich there is currently an eagerness toenhance and improve and continue to growthese programmes and investment. I think theindustry is in a strong place, but there is alwaysan appetite to do more, which is veryencouraging.


The IAGA will hold its 36th annual InternationalGaming Summit May 30-June 1, 2017 at theJW Marriott Essex house, New york, uS.

IAGA



Sports Betting: Is it time to playthe ‘Trump’ card in uS market?

“The United States’ approach to sports betting lagsbehind Europe and other countries that effectivelyregulate a legal market. Today, at least $150 billion ayear is wagered illegally on sports betting in theUnited States” – according to a memo sent by theAmerican Gaming Association to President Trump’stransition team in support of its call for repeal of thefederal sports betting prohibition imposed by theProfessional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of1992 (“PASPA”).

To those of us advising the gambling industry in theUK, as I have done since the early 1980s, it seemswholly anachronistic that 57 years after our Betting &Gaming Act 1960 put in place a system for licensingand regulating retail betting, the US is still wrestlingwith the issue of whether to follow suit itself.

The principal concern in the UK prior to 1960 was theprevalence of unlawful betting. With reports of anestimated $4.5 billion being bet illegally during andafter Super Bowl 51, it seems obvious that a similarsituation exists in the US now. The licensingframework that was adopted in the UK all that timeago was almost wholly successful in curbing theproblems of street betting and illegal cash bettingoffices. Further legislative reforms culminating in theGambling Act 2005, that came into force ten years ago,have permitted sports betting to mature into thesuccessful and well-run industry that it is today.

I do not suggest for one moment that constitutionallyany meaningful comparison can be drawn betweengambling laws in the US and the UK, fundamentallyby reason of the fact that, in the case of the former,various prohibitions on sports betting exist not only

david clifton,Founding Director, Clifton DaviesConsultancy Limited

David is a founding director of CliftonDavies Consultancy Limited (havingformerly been a senior partner inLondon law firm Joelson Wilson for30 years).

Renowned for his depth ofexperience in all aspects of licensingand gambling law, in which he hasspecialized for nearly 35 years, headvises a broad range of gamblingindustry clients both throughout theuK and overseas and has been acontributing editor for leadingtextbooks on the subject of gamblinglaw..

Whilst practising as a solicitor, hewas for many years top-ranked inthe Legal 500 and Chambers &Partners Guide to the LegalProfession, where he was “singledout for his advocacy skills” anddescribed as “a genuine expert in thefield, fantastically dedicated andclient-oriented”.

With Suzanne Davies, David set upClifton Davies Consultancy Limitedin 2013 to provide practicalcompliance, regulatory, licensing andgambling law advice to both onlineand land-based sectors of thegambling industry.

Even in the realm of onlinesports betting, successivejudgments of the EuropeanCourt of Justice haverestricted the Eu’s influencein the gambling sphere withthe consequence thatgambling regulation isprimarily dealt with acrossEurope on the basis ofnational rather than Eulegislation.

With an existing legal challenge to legislation by New Jersey and another rumoredfrom New York, is a repeal of PASPA now on the horizon? The Sports-betting panelat IAGA will provide delegates with an update on this key issue with David Cliftonof Clifton Davies Consultancy moderating what’s going to be a lively session


under a range of different federal laws but also understate law, whereas the regulation of all forms ofgambling in Great Britain is now subject to just onenational statute. Even in the realm of online sportsbetting, successive judgments of the European Courtof Justice have restricted the EU’s influence in thegambling sphere with the consequence that gamblingregulation is primarily dealt with across Europe on thebasis of national rather than EU legislation.

However, I am going to mention below just a fewfactors relating to the licensing and regulation ofsports betting in the UK that might just possibly bearconsideration on both sides of the debate in the USwhether to regulate or continue the prohibitionsunder PASPA and other federal laws.

In my view, quite regardless of the tax revenue and jobcreation benefits that quite obviously flow from aregulated betting sector, the following factors do showthat a successful balance can be struck between theliberty of an individual to bet on sporting events as heor she wishes on the one hand and the need to preventthe evils and abuses that could arise in the absence ofeffective and robust regulatory controls on the other.

l Since 2007, sports betting operators in the UK(including fantasy sports operators) have beenlicensed and regulated by one central regulator, theGambling Commission, rather than by local courts.The licensing of betting shops is a matter for localcouncils, but it is subject to strict parametersprescribed by national legislation that includes as alicensing objective the protection of children andvulnerable persons from being harmed or exploitedby gambling.

l Since 2007, all gambling debts (including thoserelating to sports betting) have been legallyenforceable, although the Gambling Commissionhas the power to void a bet if satisfied that the betwas substantially unfair. Exercise of this power issubject to oversight by a Gambling AppealsTribunal.

l Advertising of sports betting (like all other forms ofgambling) is subject to advertising codes of practicethat apply to the form and media in which theoperator plans to advertise its business (includingsocial media and affiliate marketing), withparticular provision being made to protect under 18


Since 2007, all gamblingdebts (including those

relating to sports betting)have been legally

enforceable, although theGambling Commission has

the power to void a bet ifsatisfied that the bet was

substantially unfair.

The IAGA will hold its 36th annualInternational Gaming Summit May30-June 1, 2017 at the JW MarriottEssex house, New york, uS.

IAGA



year olds and to ensure that marketingmaterial does not amount to or involvemisleading actions or misleading omissions(including in relation to free bets andbonuses). In addition, the British gamblingindustry has formulated its own code forsocially responsible advertising, nowreinforced by the betting sector setting up anindependent body, the Senet Group,specifically to promote responsible gamblingstandards.

l Another of the prescribed licensing objectivesis ensuring that gambling is conducted in afair and open way. With this firmly in mind,the Gambling Commission has made it clearthat it puts the interests of consumers at theheart of regulation, which (in addition toreviews of advertising controls) has led torecent investigations into potentially unfairterms and misleading practices and themanner in which gambling complaints andconsumer disputes are handled, designed to

further protect consumers.

l The Gambling Commission’s Sports BettingIntelligence Unit receives reports anddevelops intelligence about match-fixing andother potentially corrupt betting activity froma range of sources including betting operators,sports governing bodies, law enforcement, thepublic and the media. Representatives of theCommission have also joined withrepresentatives from the betting industry,sports governing bodies and law enforcementto form the Sports Betting Integrity Forum,recent successes of which include developingand establishing information exchangeprotocols, reviewing the provision andeffectiveness of education programs in sportand enhanced engagement with prosecutingauthorities to improve management of sportsbetting corruption cases.

l The third prescribed licensing objective towhich all gambling operators are subject is the

prevention of crime (including moneylaundering). It is a measure of the success ofboth the British sports betting sector and theregulatory controls implemented by theGambling Commission that the UKGovernment has recently determined toexclude the betting sector from its new MoneyLaundering Regulations on the basis of“proven low risk” posed by the nature andscale of their services.

The fear of the unknown will always act as adisincentive to replace prohibition withregulation, but one hopes that the Britishexperience, certain aspects of which I haveoutlined above, will serve to inform what seemsto be an increasingly topical debate on the USside of the Atlantic Ocean.

Exchanges of views in relation to that debate willform the core of the sports betting panel sessionat the IAGA Summit in New York that I will havethe pleasure to moderate on 31 May.

Joe Asher,CEO, William hill US

Joe Asher has been CEO of Williamhill uS since 2012, when Williamhill acquired BrandywineBookmaking, a company Ashercreated. Brandywine was a purestartup, which Asher launched in2008 under the brand nameLucky’s Race & Sports Books afterhe relocated to Las Vegas.

will President trump repeal theban on sports-betting - and whattimetable might we be lookingat?

It's hard to guess at the timing.Obviously, there are a lot of bigissues on the legislative agenda atthis time. Hopefully, creating150,000 jobs and raising billions intax revenue can get this issue infront of Congress.

what are the main reasons whythe ban continues to this day,and what might still de-rail therepeal?

There has never been this level of

engagement in pushing to overturnPASPA. The AGA has done a greatjob of highlighting the ways inwhich the law has failed andengaging with the sports leaguesin a quest for a solution that webenefit all stakeholders, includingordinary Americans who just wenta safe, convenient and legal way tobet on the game.

has the US failed to protect itssports-betting users from illegalgaming?

Absolutely. PASPA has created amassive black market, which doesnot protect consumers.

the AGA talks about a broadcoalition of support for repealingthe sports-betting ban - whatparties are opposed to the repealand why?

I'm not aware of any party withinthe gaming industry opposed to arepeal of PASPA.

how will the industry take shapeif the ban is eventually repealed?

I think it should be left to thestates to decide if and how to offersports betting. If New Jersey wantsto offer it and Utah does not, that isentirely consistent with our formof government.



Everyone has a ‘Skill’ and otherinsights into the ‘future casino’

Discussing the hot topic of the IAGA Summit, “Redefining the Casino Floor – theImpact and Potential of Skill-based Games,” Lloyd Levenson and Lynne LevinKaufman of Cooper Levenson look at what the future holds for the casino floor

You won’t hear any casino gaming expert say thatwhen millennials age they will start playingtraditional slot machines. But for many years, theconcept that the same millennials who eschewed slotmachine play when they were young would becomeslot machine players once they aged was the mantraof many. Slot machines were updated with this inmind, and casinos continued to buy and place newslot machine product.

However, over time, certain statistics became hard toignore. Slot handle and slot revenue in commercialUnited States jurisdictions peaked in 2007, and hasbeen steadily declining. The only rising statistic is theaverage age of a slot machine player. The idea that theonset of gray hair and wrinkles would turn amillennial into a slot player became a myth.

Cognisant that many jurisdictions worldwide havelegalised Internet gaming, and recognising thatyounger generations grew up playing video and socialgames on computers, smart phones, and otherdevices, a segment of the US gaming industry focusedon legalising Internet gaming – tied to land-basedcasinos. Although naysayers believed Internet gamingwould cannibalise land-based gaming revenue, theseproponents believed regulated Internet gamblingwould attract a new younger player. Some were

already gambling on illegal websites, and many hadnever gambled at a land-based casino. Thus, theInternet gaming revenue generated by these playerswould be new, additional casino revenue. Theseproponents acknowledged that certain land-basedcasino players would participate inIinternet gaming,but believed their Internet gaming activity wouldsupplement, not supplant, their land-based visits andrevenue.

Furthermore, while a land-based casino’s primarygoal was to increase total revenue by adding Internetgaming revenue, an equaling compelling goal was tointroduce a new generation of players to the land-based casino. Once these “new” players establishedInternet gaming accounts, casinos would cross-market. Internet players would be entered intoland-based promotions, and be offered cash and non-cash complimentaries. A prize for winning an onlinetournament could be a seat in a land-basedtournament. Therefore, casino revenue (and non-gaming revenue) would increase as a result of newInternet gaming revenue and increased land-basedgaming revenue. With this increased revenue, casinocompanies could enhance and update their land-based products to draw in more players and furtherincrease revenue.

lloyd levenson,Chief Executive Officer and Chairman ofCasino and iGaming Law Practice Group,Cooper Levenson

Lloyd D. Levenson is anaccomplished trial attorney andrecognized expert in complex casinoregulatory matters, Levenson is alsoa well-published author andfrequent speaker on a broad rangeof industry legal issues. he hasserved as President of IAGA and isnow a Counselor to that group. hehas twice served as chairman of theCasino Law Section of the NewJersey State Bar Association andalso has served as chairman of theGaming Law Committee of theAmerican Bar Association. In 2010,Stockton university established theLloyd D. Levenson Institute forGaming, hospitality and Tourism(LIGhT) in its School of Business.The Institute combines research,training and managementcomponents to fill the need for acomprehensive institute to serve acritical aspect of New Jersey’seconomy.

The legalisation of Internetgaming in conjunction withland-based casinos inNevada (poker only), NewJersey, and Delaware hasresulted (so far on a relativelysmall scale) in bringing ayounger demographic to theland-based casino. however,initial cross-marketingefforts did not address thecrucial fact that the casinofloor, with its predominanceof traditional slot machines,did not appeal to thisyounger demographic.


Although most early predictions were overlyoptimistic, the legalisation of Internet gaming inconjunction with land-based casinos in Nevada(poker only), New Jersey, and Delaware has resulted(so far on a relatively small scale) in bringing ayounger demographic to the land-based casino.However, initial cross-marketing efforts did notaddress the crucial fact that the casino floor, with itspredominance of traditional slot machines, did notappeal to this younger demographic.

Yes, in recent years slot machine visual displays wereupdated with plasma screens, interactivity features,and pop culture themed games. Manufacturersrecognised the appeal of a skill-based element, andcreated games with optional skill-based bonusfeatures. However, as slot machines were oftendefined by statute or regulation as “games of chance,”further foray into the production of slot machineswith skill elements was restricted. And a mere bonusfeature was not enough to attract the same tech savvymillennials playing regulated games on the Internet.These millennials knew that despite new “bells andwhistles,” and even with a bonus skill element, slotmachine technology was essentially the same as in1895 when the first US slot machine reportedlyappeared in California.

In hindsight it is easy to see why the old technologydoes not appeal to most millennials who grew upplaying video and electronic games where theiractions and abilities impacted game outcome. These‘gamers’ don’t want to lose just because they have ‘run out of luck.’ Having grown up with “social” media and ‘social’ non-casino gaming, many arelooking for a ‘social’ experience to accompany theirplay. Game enjoyment stems from interaction andcompetition with others. Sitting in front of a slotmachine with a totally randomly determinedoutcome is an isolating passive experience with asmuch appeal as putting money into a broken sodamachine.

Still, not all the millennial news was bad. Althoughnot playing slot machines and sometimes notgambling at all, millennials were visiting casinos toenjoy non-gaming amenities such as nightclubs, dayclubs, bars, restaurants, and concert venues. UsingLas Vegas as an example, Eric Meyerhofer, the CEO ofGamblit Gaming, a prescient skilled game developer,succinctly summed up the age gap as follows: “Themajority of visitors to Vegas are under the age of 50,while the majority of those who play slot machinesare over 50.”

Realising a dramatic change was necessary, casinos

Slot handle and slot revenuein commercial united Statesjurisdictions peaked in 2007,

and has been steadilydeclining. The only rising

statistic is the average age ofa slot machine player. Theidea that the onset of gray

hair and wrinkles would turna millennial into a slot player

became a myth.


The IAGA will hold its 36th annualInternational Gaming Summit May30-June 1, 2017 at the JW MarriottEssex house, New york, uS.

IAGA



supported the efforts of start-up skilled gamingcompanies Gamblit Gaming and Gameco, Inc., as wellas those of traditional slot machine companies, allwho were developing skilled gaming product for thecasino floor. These skilled game manufacturers beganmeeting with regulators in New Jersey and Nevadawho had been acutely aware that the skilled gamemarket could be at least become a partial solution todiminishing slot play. The parties workedcooperatively to resolve regulatory concerns, andregulators then: (i) proposed statutory revisions(where needed); (ii) drafted and revised regulations;(iii) developed standards for testing and certification;and (iv) tested and approved games.

What exactly is skilled-based casino gaming?Skilled-based contests are permitted in almost alljurisdictions worldwide, and are not considered‘gambling’ – so why do casinos need skilled gaminglaws and regulations?

As we noted, in most jurisdictions slot machines (andtable games) must be based on chance. Thus, thepopular and lucrative world of skill-based games andrelated tournaments operated outside the “casino”regulatory framework. By legalising skilled-basedgaming, casinos can tap into this market andtransform millennials from pure ‘gamers’ to casino‘gamblers.’

Although definitions vary, a skilled-based casinogame (called a hybrid in certain jurisdictions if chanceis involved) is an approved game where gameoutcome is dependent in whole or in part upon theplayer’s physical dexterity and/or mental ability.Unlike traditional games, skilled games provideactive, social, and competitive experiences. Mostsignificantly, unlike traditional games where eachmachine must have the same payout odds/rates for

each player, with skilled games casinos can useobjective criteria called identifiers to offer differentpayout odds/rates to different players.

Identifiers can include a player’s skill, membership ina loyalty program, frequency of play, extent of play,and other factors. Skilled players can be given betterodds, and can receive a higher payout. A casino canalso reward non-skilled frequent or high volumeplayers with better odds or incentives. And there ismore.

In New Jersey for example, skill-based games caninclude “an adaptive feature” which, when a player iscontinually losing, offers the player extra chances towin to increase the payout rate. New Jersey and otherjurisdictions also permit players to buy or earn“enhancements” to increase the ability to win, as withonline video games. Minimum payout percentages arestill required if a game has both skill and chance,although in some jurisdictions (New Jersey) a puregame of skill is not required to have any minimumpayout.

And here we are. Casino skilled-based games arebeing introduced worldwide, notably in Great Britain.In the US, casino skilled games have been rolled out inNew Jersey, Nevada, and tribal California casinos,with the latter two a short time before this article’sdeadline. It is too soon to measure success, but so farso good. As hoped, a younger demographic isparticipating. Also as hoped, many of these playershad never previously gambled in a casino. Per BlaineGraboyes, CEO of Gameco, initial results indicate 60per cent of the skilled game players are under 40, 50per cent would not likely have been in the casino ifnot for the skilled game, and 84 per cent wouldrecommend the games to friends. With social mediainfluencers now a significant driver of commerce, the

lynne levin Kaufman,Partner Casino & iGaming Law practicegroup, Cooper Levenson

Lloyd D. Levenson is anaccomplished trial attorney andrecognized expert in complex casinoregulatory matters, Levenson is alsoa well-published author andfrequent speaker on a broad rangeof industry legal issues. he hasserved as President of IAGA and isnow a Counselor to that group. hehas twice served as chairman of theCasino Law Section of the NewJersey State Bar Association andalso has served as chairman of theGaming Law Committee of theAmerican Bar Association. In 2010,Stockton university established theLloyd D. Levenson Institute forGaming, hospitality and Tourism(LIGhT) in its School of Business.The Institute combines research,training and managementcomponents to fill the need for acomprehensive institute to serve acritical aspect of New Jersey’seconomy.

In most jurisdictions slotmachines (and table games)must be based on chance.Thus, the popular andlucrative world of skill-basedgames and relatedtournaments operatedoutside the “casino”regulatory framework. Bylegalising skilled-basedgaming, casinos can tap intothis market and transformmillennials from pure‘gamers’ to casino‘gamblers.’

impact of those recommendations can beexponential.

What types of games will we see? A broad range ofinteractive games that appeal to all ages and genders.Games which involve destroying battleships, shootingdown fighter planes, and invading castles. Puzzlegames, maze games, and games similar to candycrush and other popular video games. Pinball andother arcade type games. Racecar driving.Additionally, skilled-game manufacturers haveentered into licensing arrangements with video gamedevelopers to ‘gamblify’ versions of popular videogames and other pop culture icons. Think JetpackJoyride with 350 million downloads. Think Star Trekthemes. Think Frogger. Games will be progressivelylinked. And competitive - directly with other players,against a clock, or even against a computerisedopponent.

Plus - we see almost endless possibilities. In Malta,the recent skilled gaming legislation defines fantasysports as a skilled game. Skilled games also provide aperfect tie-in with eSport tournaments and eSportbetting (the subject of another IAGA Gaming Summitpanel!).

What will the skilled game devices look like? Imaginesmaller, even handheld devices, for some skilledgames. Other games will resemble the arcade gamesthey are modeled after. Instead of slot machinebuttons and handles you will see touch screens,keypads, joy sticks, motion sensors, image detectors,3-D capability, accelerometers, and more.

And what about the casino floor? Perhaps the biggestchange is starting to occur. While some games will belocated on the main casino floor, interspersed withtraditional games, we envision the current open

casino floor to be divided into smaller, sometimestemporary themed spaces, where games of skill andnew more interactive and social games of chance (seebelow) are played. Expect more tournaments. Expectmore lounges like MGM’s Level Up, with itscombination of skilled games, low stakes table games,a skilled virtual reality golf game, and social gamessuch as air hockey and ping pong. Per Meyerhofer ofGamblit - families, friends and even strangers arebanding together to play, for long stretches. Already,the average demographic of this group is 10 yearsyounger than the current slot player. That age isexpected to decrease, given the correct game mix.

Will slot machines be a thing of the past? Not anytimesoon, but they will change. Many will provide anactive social experience. Inspired Gaming and othershave launched RNG virtual sports games worldwidewith dynamic graphics and play-by-playcommentary. Alfastreet’s Royal Derby machines haverealistic sound effects and mimic live horse racing.We will see more social automated roulette games,live streaming dealer-cams, and multiplayer gamessuch as that of Dynamic Gaming Systems. In sum,new RNG games will try to create the samestimulation and emotion produced by video andsocial games.

Where will regulated skilled gaming next appear? Inthe US - Massachusetts already has skilled basedregulations, and numerous jurisdictions such asPennsylvania are in the wings. Worldwide? Staytuned and hear more at our IAGA Gaming Summitpanel, “Redefining the Casino Floor – the Impact andPotential of Skill-based Games”, where we willdiscuss the launch, early results, next steps,predictions and more with our panelists - theindustry leaders responsible for the development,regulation, and successful launch of skilled gaming.

In New Jersey, skill-basedgames can include “an

adaptive feature” which,when a player is continually

losing, offers the player extrachances to win to increase

the payout rate. New Jerseyand other jurisdictions also

permit players to buy or earn“enhancements” to increase

the ability to win, as withonline video games.

Minimum payoutpercentages are still required

if a game has both skill andchance, although in some

jurisdictions (New Jersey) apure game of skill is not

required to have anyminimum payout.



ReportsThe cAribbeAN - The bAhAMAS

The Bahamas is made up of a chain of over 700islands and islets and was the site ofChristopher Columbus’ first landfall in the NewWorld in 1492. Although the Spanish nevercolonised the Bahamas they did ship many ofthe native Lucayan people to slavery inHispaniola.

The islands were mostly deserted until the Britsarrived in 1647 to create their settlement and theislands became a British colony.

The Bahamas is located in the LucayanArchipelago in the Atlantic Ocean north of Cubaand south of Florida whilst its capital Nassau islocated on the island of New Providence.

Americans brought slaves over and establishedplantations and today descendents of the slavesand free Africans make up around 90 per cent ofthe population.

The Bahamas gained independence from the UKin 1973 and the islands have prospered throughtourism, international banking and investmentmanagement. Today it is one of the wealthiestcountries in the Caribbean. GDP stands at$9,066bn in 2016 with a 0.3 per cent growthrate last year and per capita of $24,600. Theeconomy has a very competitive tax regime withno income tax, capital gains or wealth tax.Tourism is responsible for around 45 per cent ofGDP and provides jobs for around half thecountry’s workforce.

The tourism sector began to boom in the 1950swhen a number of hotels were built and thegovernment capitalised on the growing economyof the US. There were around 52,000 visitorsback in 1951 growing to 142,000 by 1954.

The islands attract around 6.1 million visitorseach year with around 78 per cent coming fromthe USA. Expenditure for 2015 was $2.5bn intotal for all the islands.

The GaminG inDusTRyGaming in the Bahamas dates back as far as the1920s when the Bimini Bay Rod and Gun Clubopened in Alice Town which became Nassau’sfirst casino. This was later followed by theBahamian Club and during the 1960s the islandsbecame homes to several large scale casinos.

The casinos operated under an exemption to alaw which made all gambling illegal. The firstregulatory framework was the Lotteries andGaming Act of 1969 which basically establishedcasino licensing procedures, set up the gamingboard and made lotteries and other sectorsillegal.

The Gaming Board of the Bahamas governs thegaming sector and was also established in 1969alongside the gaming act. It has three divisionsincluding the Gaming Enforcement, Finance andSupport Services.

There have been many amendments to the actincluding a 1978 amendment which allowed theHotel Corporation to be the only entity allowedto grant casino licences.

The Bahamians are not allowed to gamble in thecountry’s casinos whilst foreigners arepermitted and encouraged to do so. As suchcasino gambling has grown significantly andtourist gaming is part and parcel of the lure ofthe island.

The various sectors evolved - casinos grew,

bookies accepted wagers and gaming housesboomed. The gaming act has been amended overthe years to accommodate such activitiesparticularly sports betting and pari–mutuelwagering but the law was inadequate to regulate21st century gambling.

Casinos were affected by the economicdownturn with declining revenues whilstadvanced technology means expansion wasimminent and this needed to be backed by theupgrading of the gaming law to remaincompetitive.

The locals meanwhile were actively engaged innumbers games – paying small amounts ofmoney to bet on the numbers they chose thatday would ‘fall’ on any given day. For a $2 bet aplayer could win up to $900. Although thesegames of chance were never legally sanctionedfor decades they existed and the authoritiesturned a blind eye.

In 2010 the government decided to regulate theweb shops and plans were put into action toregulate by the then Free National Movement

The Bahamas gained independence from theuK in 1973 and the islands have prosperedthrough tourism, international banking andinvestment management. Today it is one ofthe wealthiest countries in the Caribbean

Winner takes it all

government. However the plan didn’t come intofruition as the government could not get thesupport from the church.

When the PLP came into power in 2012, PrimeMinister Christie initiated plans again to regulatethe web shops and held a referendum todetermine the will of the people to regulatethese shops and also establish a national lottery.

Although the public voted against both these

suggestions and although the Prime Ministerclaimed he would abide by the referendum, hechanged his mind and instead announced hewould regulate and tax the web shops althoughdidn’t permit a national lottery to be set up.

The government said at the time that the webshops generated around $600m gross annualrevenue and given this figure it seemedimportant to tax it whilst also protecting theconsumer.

The web shops basically provided two differentbusinesses – firstly online gaming for theircustomers and secondly as bankers, oftenlending money to customers and operatingautomatic teller machines. Both of theseservices in an unregulated situation could causemajor problems. Some 4,000 people areemployed by the web shops also – a factor thegovernment also took into consideration.

The Gaming Act 2014 was introduced in October


Trade winds that blow through the islands ensure that theaverage temperature in the Bahamas ranges between 20and 32 degrees, with sea temperature around a constant26 degress all year round.

Andros is the largest island on the Bahamas and boastssome of the most exceptional natural surroundings. Theisland is rinded by the world’s third-largest fringing barrierreef and has the highest concentration of blue holes in theworld - marine sinkholes.

l1

l2

The uninhabited island of Big Major Cay is affectionatelyknown as Pig Beach thanks to its famous swimming pigs.Fed by visitors, the pigs have become a well-knownattraction in the Exuma group of islands.

Junkanoo street parades are the main festival in theBahamas and see dance troupes and musicians paradingthrough the streets in vibrant costumes. The liveliest andlargest of the Junkanoo party parades takes place in thecapital, Nassau.

l3

l4

country The Bahamas capital Nassau Total Area 13,880 sq.km Population 327,316 Median age 31.8 years ethnic groups Black (90%), White (4.7%), other religions Protestant (70%), Roman Catholic

(12%), other languages English (official) currency Bahamian dollars Government type Parliamentary Democracy under

a constitutional Monarchy chief of State Queen Elizabeth II (represented

by Governor General DameMarguerite Pindling)

head of Government Prime Minister Perry Christie(since 2012) – Progressive LiberalParty

elections Monarch is hereditary. GovernorGeneral appointed by Monarch.Following elections leader ofmajority party appointed PrimeMinister. Next election May 2017.

Essential information and factsabout The Bahamas:



2014 alongside the Gaming Regulations 2014 andthe Gaming House Operator Regulations 2014and this basically modernised the sector, reclassified casinos and also provided theregulation for the webs shop industry.

The object of the new act was to create astreamlined, user friendly and efficientregulatory regime whilst the Minister was ableto set fees in respect to the licences whichallowed for greater flexibility in the future for taxand fee structures. The new Gaming Actpermitted casinos to offer sports betting, in-playbetting and online gaming, incentives for junkettrips plus ironed out several other issues. TheGaming Act includes the following points:

l Licences held by casinos are renamed GamingLicences.

l Gaming activities can now be conducted bygaming licensees which authorises a gaminghall, casino or resort, betting hub and junketoperations and include:

- Mobile gaming (allowing players to wager

via mobile gaming devices or computers fromanywhere within the licensed casino facility.)

- Proxy Gaming (allows casino licensees(licensed before Feb 2015) and part of a resorthotel to operate remote wagering and proxywagering systems. So players can place a betwithout physically being on site.

- Restrictive interactive gambling (internetgaming in casino or for foreign citizens.)

l Enforcement of gaming debt- allowing astreamlined process for the enforcement of alldebts incurred by gaming activities in alicensed casino.

l In-play sports betting permitted by casinos,or their partners, to accept wagers on an eventafter the game has started.

l Each casino must adopt a responsible gamingplan and raise awareness for problem gaming.

l Locations operating webs shops need to nowobtain:

- A gaming house operators licence

- A gaming house premises licence

- A gaming house agents licence (for thirdparty agents)

l Suppliers licences are required for thosedistributing or supplying gaming devices, bothhardware and software.

l Employees must obtain relevant licences.

l Enclosed gaming suites and private gamingareas (VIP) must be established in licensedcasinos.

l The use of independent gaming laboratorieshas been introduced.

l Licensees have to implement a responsiblegaming programme with provisions forexclusion facilities.

Prior to the act the web shops offered sportsbetting whilst the new act basically only permits


domestic players, permanent residents and workpermit holders to participate in numbers games.

The new act also prohibits foreign visitors fromgambling in the gaming house establishmentsand via their websites operated by theselocations which has, in turn, given the casinosexclusive rights to foreign players both locallyand online.

Web shops can operate cash betting transactionsonly, on the numbers games only and withdomestic players. The web shop must set up

accounts on a ‘face to face’ only basis whichessentially blocks them from establishing onlineaccounts for foreigners.

Under an earlier draft bill the government hadproposed that while Bahamians would still beprohibited from gambling in casinos, permanentresidents and work permit holders would beable to do so. But following an up roar thecontinued ban on locals stands.

The new act provides for hotel based casinooperators to hold several licences permitting

gaming in areas of the resort outside of casinos(so includes internet gaming) whilst permittingforeigners to access these websites. Casinooperators have long pushed for new legislationto modernise the sector.

The government anticipated some $12m to becollected from the web shops annually. Webshops were apparently earning up to $950,000 aday back in 2010. They were offering sportsbetting to their customers on a variety ofmatches and events such as the FIFA World Cup.

GAMING HOUSE LICENCE FEESLICENCE NEW LICENCE ANNUAL LICENCE AND DEPOSIT APPLICATION FEE MONITORING FEE

Gaming House Operator Licence $5,000 $250,000 $100,000Gaming house Premises Licence $2,000 $2,000 $30,000Gaming house Agent Licence $1,000 $1,000 $15,000Key employee licence $250 $120 $2,000Gaming employee licence $150 $80 $1,000



Under an earlier draft bill the government had proposed that while Bahamianswould still be prohibited from gambling in casinos, permanent residents andwork permit holders would be able to do so. But following an up roar thecontinued ban on locals stands

LOTTERYnone

GAMING HOUSES500 approx

GAMING HOUSES REVENUES$138m

CASINOS4

CASINO SLOTS2,750

CASINO TABLE GAMES300

CASINO REVENUE$1bn estimate

CASINO AND GAMING HOUSE LICENSING FEESLICENCE NEW LICENCE DEPOSIT ANNUAL LICENCE APPLICATION FEE FEE

Gaming licence $5,000 $100,000 Small casino/gaming house $100,000Medium casino/gaming house $250,000Large casino/gaming house $500,000

Proxy Gaming licence $2,000 $75,000 Large casino $80,000Medium/small casino $30,000

mobile gaming licence $2,000 $50,000 restricted interactive gaming licence $3,500 $75,000

Large casino $150,000Medium/small casino $40,000

junket operator licence $1,000 $30,000 $600Supplier licence $1,000 $15,000

Company $5,000Key employee licence $120Gaming employee licence $80

key employee licence $250 $2,000 Gaming employee licence $150 $1,000

There are now strict guidelines to those applyingfor a gaming house licence and are based onfinancial security including the source andnature of the funding plus managementexpertise.

Once operators submit their RFP applications aninvestigation is then launched and reputation,financial stability, criminal records andexperience are checked.

web shopsWeb shop gaming was illegal in the Bahamas formany decades until the government asked theBahamians in a referendum if they wanted aregulated industry. Despite the negativeresponse Christie went ahead and legalised theindustry in 2014.

When the Gaming Act 2014 was introduced itrequired a full and frank disclosure from webshop owners of their past business operations inorder to reclassify their businesses including thepayment of any tax arrears. Those who failed tosubmit a sworn affidavit and lodge their paperswere ordered to cease operations. Any failure topay such arrears meant disqualification inapplying for a licence bid.

The closing date for applications for the newgaming house licences was February 2015.

Each new licence has an application fee of$5,000 in addition there is an annual licence feeand monitoring fee of $100,000 for smalloperations (less than 5,000.sq.ft, $250,000 formedium (5-10,000 sq.ft and $500,000 for largeoperations (larger than 10,000 sq.ft).

The casino taxes include an annual basic tax andin respect of a small casino this is $50,000, for amedium $100,000 and $200,000 for any othercasino. Small casinos then pay 10 per cent ontaxable revenue up to $10m or 15 per cent foranything over $10m revenues. Medium and largecasinos pay 25 per cent under $10m revenue and$2.5m plus 20 per cent on taxable revenue forrevenues between $10m and $16m; $3.7m and 10per cent for anything between $16m and $20mand $4.1m plus five per cent on incomes over$20m.

The Gaming House taxes is either (whichever isgreater) a monthly tax rate of 11 per cent of thetaxable revenue or 25 per cent of earning beforeinterest, taxes, depreciation and amortization.

It was estimated that the gaming houses saw atotal of $138m in gross revenues last year whilstthe casinos saw revenues of $1bn. The gaminghouses could owe around $34.5m in taxes lastyear.

Of the nine licences applications submitted tothe gaming board only one (Bet Vegas) wasdenied. So initially there were eight provisionallicences to operate supplied to the old webshops although The Four Point Group trading asAsue Draw+Spin did not renew its operatorlicence last year leaving seven operatorscurrently with shops including A Sure Win (GLKLtd); Chances Games (Jarol Investments Ltd);Paradise Games Bahamas; Island Luck (PlaytechSystems Ltd); Percy’s at The Island Games (TIGInvestments); Bahamas Dreams Web Café Ltdand FML Group of Companies (FML Webshop).

It is now being decided whether a moratoriumwill be held for the eighth licence spot due to theamount of fees and penalties the existinglicensees had to pay to require their licences.

The Bahamas Gaming House OperatorsAssociation wants a moratorium of up to 10years on any new licences to be issued. Theoperators say the market is saturated and there’sno room for additional web shops.

Each company operates at least 50 shops, somemuch more. A Sure Win for example operateslottery, casino and sportsbook whilst the FMLGroup, is one of the largest gaming companies inthe Caribbean, with operations also on otherislands. It was founded in 1999 and in 2015announced a partnership with BetConstructwho provides FML with sportsbook, virtualsports, skill games and poker.

Meanwhile in October last year an Island Luckaffiliate applied to acquire a 65 per cent share inBahamas Dreams. If it goes ahead this firstconsolidation in the newly legalised web shopsector will give Island Luck, headed by SebasBastian, a huge market share.

It seems Bahamas Dreams was forced to seek apurchaser after a deal with supermarket chainSuper Value to place web shop kiosks in thestores was blocked by the Ministry of Tourism.

The legal web shop owners however are stillcomplaining that illegal operates are siphoningoff nearly a third of the legal operators marketby using hand held devices which the legaloperators are not permitted to use.




The name Bahamas comes from theSpanish ‘baja mar,’ which meansshallow sea. There are around 700islands in the Bahamas, of whicharound 30 are inhabited.

The islands are known for theircrystal blue seas, which lay claim tobeing the clearest waters in the world,with visibility at around 200 feet.

Conch, the national dish of theBahamas, can be found in just aboutevery traditional restaurant.

The longest known underwater cavesystem is in Lucayan Ntional Park onGrand Bahama island: over six milesof the Lucayan Caverns have beencharted.

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Pool betting comes under the RacecourseBetting Act which also provides for a RacingCommission to licence racecourses andregulates the use of totalisators on racecourses.

There is currently no horse racing track in theBahamas. Horse racing in the Bahamas datesback 200 years and began in 1782 but ended in1977. The Hobby Horse Hall Race Track was builtin 1792 and was the main entertainment for theisland. It was burned to the ground in 1958 butrebuilt and re-started operations in 1960 finallyclosing for a final time in 1977. The track waslocated where the resort Baha Mar is locatedtoday.

Racebooks and sports betting are held via thecasinos and sports betting has been permitted inthe casinos since 2013 and most of the casinosoffer this service so guests can follow livesporting events and wagering is on sports andhorse races.

Under the previous gaming bill domestic players(residents), permanent residents and workpermit holders were permitted to participate in‘numbers games’ with licensed web shops.

A numbers game is defined as a game madeavailable by the holder of a gaming houseoperator licence where numbers can be wageredon.

However under the new gaming act a web shopis now granted a gaming house agent licence, agaming house operator licence or a gaminghouse premises licence.

Online gambling remains illegal in the Bahamas.When webs shops existed this type of gamblingbegan to flourish and the government stepped into halt the growth. Betting on foreign onlinegambling sites is also illegal for residentsalthough this does not seem to be enforced andsites are not blocked.

Bingo is legal in the Bahamas and offered bymost of the casinos although as no locals canenter casinos, then this limits play for the locals.Likewise poker is permitted in casinos but notfor locals.

ResoRT casinosThere are four resort casinos in the Bahamas –Atlantis Resort and Casino, Baha Mar Hotel andCasino, Resorts World Bimini Bay and TreasureBay Casino.

The first casino to open in the Bahamas was theBahamian Club in Nassau in the late 1920s andthen followed by a small casino on the island ofCat Cay. At the time they were open on aseasonal basis for tourists. The 1960s saw thefirst major casino open, The Monte Carlo at theLucayan Beach Hotel.

The Lucayan Beach Hotel was opened in 1963and this was quickly followed by a 500 room

There are four resort casinos in the Bahamas – Atlantis Resort and Casino, BahaMar hotel and Casino, Resorts World Bimini Bay and Treasure Bay Casino.The first casino to open in the Bahamas was the Bahamian Club in Nassau in thelate 1920s and then followed by a small casino on the island of Cat Cay. At thetime they were open on a seasonal basis for tourists

Holiday Inn also at Lucaya and 800 room KingsInn (later known as Princess Hotel) which hadcasino.

The late 1960s saw Nassau follow suit andcasinos were opened here and on ParadiseIsland and by 1968 the Bahamas saw its first onemillion visitor figure.

The following years saw some stagnation andproblems and investors pulled out forcing thegovernment to take over a number of hotels.Despite these difficulties there was somerecovery in the late 1970s and some major hotelswere opened and in the 1980s the islands saw

some serious problems with increasedcompetition from other destinations in theregion.

Then came the Gulf War which saw tourism dropand by 1992 the hotels saw low occupancies andlow average room rates. A new government in1992 brought a turnaround. Firstly thegovernment decided it would no longer be in thehotel business (after owning several hotels)whilst the Ministry of Tourism was revampedwith the aim of ‘transforming the quality of theproduct’.

In 1993/94 tourism had hit a low point with 55

per cent room occupancy and $80 a night roomfees.

So in 1994 the Resorts International ParadiseIsland hotel was sold to Sun International andthis property was transformed. Thegovernment’s other hotels followed suit andwere also sold and big investors moved in andbegan to upgrade and rebuild.

Many casinos have opened and closed over theyears and at the moment there are four resortcasinos now open.

It is said there are 163 million US residents living


CASINO REVENUE FOR 2015 ACROSS THREE ISLANDSTYPE NASSAU/PARADISE GRAND BAHAMA OUT ISLANDS ISLAND ISLAND

SLOTS/TABLE GAMES DROP $909,377,657 $31,492,044 $162,050,167SLOTS/TABLE GAMES WIN $151,226,048 $5,438,536 $25,284,245 SPORTSBOOK BET $18,610,951 - * $1,824,700SPORTSBOOK WIN $552,058 - $55,734 RACEBOOK BET $2,293,700 - * RACEBOOK WIN $424,584 - *casino in Grand Bahama did not operate a sportsbook or racebook during this period.



within 1,000 miles of the Bahamas making it avery lucrative market for the casino industry. In2014 the Bahamas saw around $146m inrevenues from its gaming industry with annualrevenues per casino of $48.6m

Atlantis is located on Paradise Island. It beganback in 1994 when Sol Kerzner at SunInternational bought Resorts International fromMerv Griffin. The resort, once very popular, wasdeclining but Kerzner saw its potential andbegan to transform the resort.

It is set on a beautiful lush tropical island with atwo mile white sandy beach. At the time tourismwas on the decline in the Bahamas andunemployment rates were high. But between1994 and 1998 Kerzner created the mythical cityof Atlantis from the ground up spending morethan $800m in the process.

It is a huge project and holds the worlds largestopen air marine environment, home to 50,000sea creatures, lagoons and waterfalls and theMayan Temple waterslide complex. There are 11swimming pools and a $15m marina with villas

and condos, 21 restaurants and 19 bars. In 1998the 1,200 room Royal Tower opened which wasto house the Caribbean’s largest casino.

In 2007 another phase of development beganwith a $1bn project to add various otherelements to the resort including a 600 roomresort called Cove Atlantis; a 497 key condo-hotel called the Reef Atlantis; a 14 acre dolphinhabitat called Dolphin Cay; a 63 acre waterparkcalled Aquaventure; a nightclub called Aura,10,000 sq.ft of conference facilities and the30,000 sq.ft Mandara Spa.

The casino links the towers and spans the sevenacre lagoon and with walled glass brings theoutdoors inside. It is equipped with a playertracking system so guests can insert their roomkey into any slot or table game to play and earnpromotional giveaways.

There are 85 tables including Baccarat, TexasHold ‘Em, Let it Ride, Craps, Roulette andBlackjack and over 700 slots. It also houses theAtlantis Race and Sports Book, powered by CGTechnology, offering Las Vegas style race and

sports book with LED Video Wall spanning 67feet with over 500sq.ft of viewing. There are 20simultaneous video feeds, 44 betting stationsand six VIP betting stations. Players can alsodownload the mobile sports app on theproperty.

Treasure Bay casino is located on the GrandBahama island on the stretch of privatecoastline at the Grand Lucayan Resort. Theresort is an AAA four diamond resort with 740guest rooms and suites plus 15 restaurants andbars. There are also 478 rooms available at theReef Village Resort with another fourrestaurants and kid friendly camp so is a familyfavourite. There is a retail outlet and golf course,spa and fitness centre.

The casino is open daily and offers 215 slots withtraditional reel machines and video reel gamesplus there are various table games fromBlackjack, Roulette, Craps and Poker. This resortwas hit by the hurricane last year and onlyremains partly open.

Resorts World Bimini Bahamas is a huge 750

Resorts World Bimini Bahamas is a huge 750 acrebeachfront resort located on the border between theGulf Stream and Great Bahama Bank on the Biminiisland, a small island just 50 miles off the coast ofMiami. It was opened in July 2013 by Genting inpartnership with RAV Bahamas

acre beachfront resort located on the borderbetween the Gulf Stream and Great BahamaBank on the Bimini island, a small island just 50miles off the coast of Miami. It was opened inJuly 2013 by Genting in partnership with RAVBahamas Ltd in what was once just a hard toreach fishing village.

The resort offers a range of condos and villas andeven tree houses whilst the newly completed305 room Hilton Hotel with opened in April2015. There is also a lazy river pool, spa, salon

and piano bar plus six restaurants andconvention rooms. The marina which opened in2014 is the largest in the Bahamas and althoughthey stopped with the Bimini SuperFast cruiseferry they partnered with airlines and a ferry tobring clients in from Miami.

The casino is 10,000 sq.ft offering 160 slots and20 table games (a further eight table games arein the VIP area) and sports book area. With floorto ceiling windows it offers a panoramic view ofthe outdoors and has a restaurant and sits

directly on the Mega Yacht Marina. The openingof these projects almost doubled RW Bimini’snet revenue in 2015.

The fourth casino resort Baha Mar, now calledthe Grand Hyatt at Baha Mar, is located on thenorthern shore of Nassau on New Providenceisland, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean andCable Beach. The first phase of thedevelopment, hotel, casino, convention centreand golf course, opened this year on April 17,with the company completing its employment


Inagua, the sourthernmost island of the Bahamas, is hometo over 80,000 flamingos, the islands’ national bird,alongwith a further 140 species of native and migratory birds.The island is known as the birdwatching capital of theBahamas.

Once heavily reliant on agriculture and fishing, the Bahamashas diversified its economy into tourism, financial services,

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and international shipping. While the nation enjoys a percapita income that is among the top 30 in the world, thereis a big gap between the urban middle class and poorfarmers.

harbour island is famour for its three and a half miles ofpink sand beaches. The pink colour comes fromForaminfera, microscopic animals with bright pink shells

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drive at the beginning of the year.

The resort is owned by Chow Tai FookEnterprises, a Hong Kong based conglomeratewhich took ownership of the resort last year viaits subsidiary company CTF BM Holdings Ltd.The resort will comprise of the Grand Hyatt, theSLS Lux, due to open in the summer, andRosewood by 2017. The Grand Hyatt will starttaking ‘paying guests’ on May 29. There are sixswimming pools; a 30,000 sq.ft spa called Espa;fitness centre and racquet club; 40 restaurantsand bars all located in a lush landscape withfountains and pools and golf course. There is alarge convention room, three ballrooms andeven a chapel.

The casino is a huge 100,000sq.ft Las Vegas stylegaming area overlooking the ocean andfeaturing 1,500 slots and 150 table games. Thereare private VIP gaming salons, mobile, sportsbetting and online gaming throughout the resortplus a 4,500 sq.ft sports book area.

Some 1,000 rooms are now open as part of thesoft opening in April alongside the conventioncentre, golf course and casino and shops. BahaMar is expected to bring an additional 315,000air passengers per year to the Bahamas and isset to cost $3.5bn.

Meanwhile the developers are also looking atthe redevelopment of the Wyndham CrystalHotel and the possibility of refurbishing thisproject in the future. The Crystal Palace casinoclosed its doors in 2015 in preparation for theopening of the new Baha Mar development.This resort first opened in 1983 under the nameof Cable Beach Casino and was rebranded asCrystal Palace in 1988 under the ownership ofCarnival Cruise Lines. Baha Mar bought theproperty in 2005 from the Ruffin Group to turn itinto a world class resort destination.

Memories Grand Bahama Beach Resort islocated on the Grand Bahama island just outsidethe town of Freeport and is an all inclusiveresort with casino which opened in 2014. Itclosed in October last year when it was hit byHurricane Matthew.

The damage removed 1,500 rooms from GrandBahamas island’s hotel inventory withMemories closed and just 200 rooms open at theGrand Lucayan.

The government has said it will pay out $2.5m tospeed up repairs. Parent operator is BlueDiamond Hotel and Resorts chain, the SunWingTravel management company, which is part of aconsortium which includes the Hard Rock

International and they are apparently involvedin a $110m bid to buy the Grand Lucayanproperty which was hit by the hurricane.

Owner Hong Kong conglomerate HutchisonWhampoa has apparently never turned a profiton this location and has been keeping it afloatwith subsidies with reported losses of up $10-$20m each year since the property opened in2011. The Wynn Group of Canada is also lookingat this property.

Many fear this will affect tourism in the GrandBahama island as the Bahamians move to lookfor work at other resorts. Baha Mar for instanceis currently recruiting 1,500 people.

loTTeRyNumbers games date back to the 18th century inthe Bahamas and although all gambling wasillegal in the Bahamas casinos were operated byway of an exemption.

The Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe hasbeen pushing the lottery idea saying it wouldhelp with the enormous costs associated withnatural disasters the Bahamas are subject to.

Hurricane Matthew alone caused around$600m in damage whilst Hurricane Joaquin

which hit more recently has cost around $200m.

Wilchombe said $3m was raised from the oneper cent levy on web shop chains buthighlighted how useful a lottery would be toboost this figure for such situations.

When web shops were legalised in 2014,Wilchombe said at the time: “The gaming housesemploy 3,600 Bahamians. Our casinos employjust over 1,000. The contribution they make tothe community and taxes they pay are morethan those paid by the casinos. Save but one, allof them pay and they pay on time. They aregood, prudent businessmen.

“The question is do we consider a lottery in thefuture? How soon it will be is another question,but it has to be looked at.”

They suggested a co-government and publicowned lottery which can then be given to aprivate entity to run. Back in 2013 the subjectwas put to a referendum but an overwhelmingnumber rejected the regulation.

There are some games available which complywith the gaming act which now accommodates‘lotto’ and other such products.

There have also been several queries over a newgame launched by Island Luck. Island Luck is a‘numbers game’ although they recentlyintroduced a Quick Draw game which is a threeball game offering 32 draws per day and this hascome under some criticism. However QuickDraw is not a public lottery and number gamesare permitted under law.

Island Luck is operated by Playtech Systems Ltd.Players can access online and play lottery,casino or sportsbook via 60 locations across theisland.

The problem is many argue that if there is to be alottery it should be a national lottery and thatthis lottery doesn’t pay much back at all tocharity or organisations.

There have been many calls to change the law inthe Bahamas to not only permit locals to gamblebut also to introduce a more liberal gaming actand allow a national lottery.

This particular subject has been debated sincethe 1990s and it has been estimated that a legallottery could net the government an extra $20min taxes.


Memories Grand Bahama Beach Resort is located on the Grand Bahama islandjust outside the town of Freeport and is an all inclusive resort with casino, whichopened in 2014. It closed in October last year when it was hit by hurricaneMatthew. The damage removed 1,500 rooms from Grand Bahamas island’s hotelinventory with Memories closed and just 200 rooms open at the Grand Lucayan


InteractiveOMNi-chANNel SOluTiONS

everyone seems to have a different take onomni-channel right now - what does it mean toGreentube?

An Omni-channel offering delivers the samegaming experience across all distributionchannels. In its purest form, the player has oneaccount, one balance and one tailored gameselection, along with a consistent userexperience.

The operator, in turn, can focus on the playerrather than worrying about the availability offeatures, gaming content or other technicalitiesthat are a challenge in today’s “cross-channel”solution.

how is your role as cto involved in delivering anomni-channel solution to Greentube’scustomers and partners?

I have the privilege of leading our extremelycapable technical teams towards providing thecomponents that make up our Omni-channelsolution. I have always had a deep appreciationfor what happens “behind the scenes” – what isnot visible to an end user. An Omni-channelsolution takes this to an entirely new level as thepurpose is to create a system that serves multiplechannels appear as one.

what are the most important technologycomponents/channels that comprise the omni-channel solution from Greentube?

By definition, each component is equally crucialand important. If you take away any part, theOmni-channel solution would have a gap andnot serve or be accessed by a certain customergroup or operational team.

From a risk perspective, the commoncomponents that provide accounting and

transaction functionality are more crucial thanever. Failure will affect not one or two channelsbut the whole operation.

how do you create a ‘universal solution’ that’salso specific to the needs of individualoperators?

Through configuration and custom-builtextensions. Greentube has been developingmulti-tenant applications since 2000 out of purenecessity. The alternative, which is to providecompletely independent software solutions, wasnever part of our strategy. While “customdevelopment” sounds appealing at first theadded effort of maintaining entirely segregatedcode bases is rarely worth the effort.

As we started to configure our solutions, wefound that decoupling of functionality viamessages and events is an extremely effectiveway to scale development and providecustomised solutions with little need forduplicating code.

why is it important right now to offer operatorsomni-channel solutions when we’re seeing onlya handful going live across markets in europe?

G3 stole time with Greentube’s Chief TechnologyOfficer, Thomas Kolbabek, to discuss theinfluence of Omni-channel on both the presentdirection and near-future of the gaming business

Every piece crucialto Omni-channelsolution delivery

Thomas Kolbabek is serving Greentube as CTOsince September 2016. he is leading thetechnical teams that provide IT Infrastructure,Data Management, Business Intelligence,Software Development, Technical Operationsand Software Delivery Management.Thomas has joined Greentube back in 2000 as asoftware developer. he moved from hands-ondevelopment work to delivering projects toestablishing and mentoring teams. he enjoysmastering the ever changing environment of thegaming industry a lot.

Thomas kolbabekchief technology officer,greentube

Going forward an Omni-channel offering will be in amuch better position tomanage critical data, such aspayment details and personallyidentifiable information (PII), ina single and secure area for thewhole operation.


We are definitely at the early stages as just a fewjurisdictions are even considering Omni-channel solutions. Established land-basedregulations have rarely considered online in thepast, and as such, the online offering has veryoften been regulated separately. New onlineofferings, however, are usually regulateddifferently.

I recently started to compare the situations toelectric cars, even though I try to avoidexplanations by analogy as much as possible formany reasons, but in this case the analogy fits:The charging infrastructure is not widelyavailable yet, the range could be improved, butyou still see them on our streets more and more– some as pure electric cars but the majority ashybrids.

The same is true for Omni-channel. Even thoughthere are few applications for true Omni-channel solutions, parts can be launched inmany markets to support either online or land-based operations.

Mastering those hybrid deployments, andtesting Omni-channel offerings where possible,allows us to fully understand two industries that

have historically been very different. Mostteams or even companies have deep knowledgein one of these channels, but very few haveexcelled in both. It is an opportunity to learnexactly that.

why is the player data derived from omni-channel so valuable?

In an industry that has historically beensegregated into online and land-based deliverychannels, data is very often aggregatedmanually or with significant delays.

An Omni-channel approach, however, which isrecording all gaming operations andtransactions centrally, has unparalleled accessto real-time data. The data itself has theadditional dimension on how and, especially forland-based offerings, exactly where the playeris accessing the gaming offering.

For operators used to land-based offerings, thespeed and direct access to data will beinteresting; for online operators the connectionto the real end user is most likely an excitingnew option far beyond the obvious marketingand loyalty features; and for the players and

regulators, the key advantage is convenience,transparency and security.

A single wallet and gaming account allowsresponsible gaming limits to be set across alloperations, augmented with automated and pro-active early warning systems, as well as protectonline accounts with two-factor authenticationon request and have transaction records readilyavailable to settle disputes. And these are justsome the obvious examples of what is possible.

Going forward an Omni-channel offering will bein a much better position to manage criticaldata, such as payment details and personallyidentifiable information (PII), in a single andsecure area for the whole operation. Segregatingsuch data will be key to adequately cater to therequirements of various regulatory bodies aswell as cross-cutting concerns like PCI-DSS andGDPR.

how do you gather and deliver this data to theoperator, and how is the solution designed toenable operators to respond to the data?

Data is gathered centrally and in real-time. It isaccessible to personnel via dashboards, reports,


alerts and player management tools. Themanagement tools allow the operator to act andintervene as required.

On top of that, we see it becomes more and moreimportant to automate established processes asmuch as possible to keep an operationcommercially interesting and allow experiencedpersonnel to understand the less commonaspects of the operation better.

Supporting automated and configurable actionsin a system provides a huge edge to anyoperator. Where sensible, technically-ableoperators can listen to events and messages toimplement functionality in any way they see fit.This is especially useful when the decision thatshould be taken is not clearly defined or

frequently changes, for instance in marketing oreven for risk management tools.

where are we in terms of the full integration ofomni-channel with operators? Is this a processthat will take many years, or are we close toseeing the market switch quite soon?

Based on how quickly markets have changedsubstantially in the past years I think that wehave to be patient with that process. It may befaster in markets that have little or no existingregulation but will potentially take longer inwell-established markets where an Omni-channel product may even require changes toexisting law.

does omni-channel mean lack of variety ofproviders of games, or can omni-channel beinclusive and offer the widest possible choice?

The content portfolio is not influenced by thedelivery tool in our discussion of an Omni-channel platform.

While that is easy to say for the platform, thegame portfolio usually depends on the gameprovider, integration method, the operator andavailable resources. What has been true for themove from Flash to HTML5 is also true forproviding Omni-channel enabled game content.

The earlier the game design and developmentprocess, the easier it is to produce an Omni-channel game. Greentube is in a very fortunateposition in that we are part of the NOVOMATIC

Group, which designs games for land-basedoperations, and at the same time, have the in-house developed novoSDK (Novo SoftwareDevelopment Kit – www.novosdk.com) thatalready supports Omni-channel deploymentsand is used by a vast range of suppliers today.

what can operators do to prepare thegroundwork for omni-channel, even if they’renot in the position to press the button andlaunch a solution right now?

I would recommend picturing how the operationand organisation would change if an Omni-channel offering would launch tomorrow.

Even if it is not possible to launch a completeOmni-channel solution right now, could such asystem solve a problem today by utilising a partof the potential offering?

As a next step contact potential partners, likeGreentube, or visit tradeshows to get moredetails regarding a potential solution.

what for you is the most exciting part ofdeveloping an omni-channel solution?

As someone that has been involved mostly withonline gaming, it is immensely exciting for me toadd physical devices to our gaming offering. Youcannot touch an online offering except theservers. Even simple components like ticketprinters are an unusual component to see in ourdevelopment department, let alone fullyconnected gaming machines.

Supporting automated andconfigurable actions in asystem provides a huge edgeto any operator. Wheresensible, technically-ableoperators can listen to eventsand messages to implementfunctionality in any way theysee fit.

InteractiveOMNi-chANNel SOluTiONS


InteractivedAilY FANTASY SPOrTS iN eurOPe

Additionally, when it comes to football clubs,Europe is the epicentre of the world with, forexample, the best Brazilians, Cameroonians,Koreans and Australians playing in Europeanteams. By offering a DFS game on Europeanfootball, one is therefore extending their marketto the entire globe.

Offering a Daily Fantasy Football game thereforeseems like the smart, natural move.

shoulD opeRaToRs also pick''smalleR'' spoRTs?With 10-15% of the European bets, tennis is,

from far, the second most popular sport inEurope but, unfortunately, the format of thissport only allows what is called a ''bracketchallenge'' DFS, which is much less interestingfor customers and therefore remains a veryniche market.

Operators that wish to offer different sports willtherefore need to offer as many small sports aspossible, fully aware that if each one of them cancontribute at least a small volume of interest andprofit, then adding all these sports togethershould generate a rather interesting volume.

This strategy, known as the ''long tail'', has largelyproven to be efficient, but only for a market thathas reached a certain level of maturity.

The reason is obvious; when there is a large cakeon the table, as is the case with new markets,and when the competitive intensity is still low,why spend time and money hunting for thecrumbs on the floor?

It is certainly not the ideal strategy since notonly will you have less cake for yourself, but

Since Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) is an Americanconcept, most DFS games are currently based onUS domestic sports (American football, baseball,basketball, ice hockey and so on). Any EuropeaniGaming operators hoping to integrate a DFSproduct with their platform therefore need tomake the strategic decision regarding whichsports to integrate

Being focused onfootball is the rightchoice - for now...

valery Bollier, co-founder and ceo, oulala

Football is, of course, the mostobvious pick because inEurope it is the only real mass-market sport. Because footballrepresents 65-70 per cent ofthe bets on sports, the crossselling opportunities are huge

Valéry Bollier has over 13 years of experience inthe iGaming industry. he is a regular speaker atindustry conferences and seminars, as well as acontributor to various B2B publications.Equipped with a passion for Daily Fantasy Sports(DFS) and ''Big Data'', Bollier is the co-founderand CEO of Oulala, a revolutionary fantasyfootball game which was launched four yearsago.


even worse, the pieces that could have beenyours will be consumed by your competitors.You are therefore reducing your own marketshares.

DFS is, in Europe, in a very early phase of itsdevelopment. At present, adopting this strategyshould therefore be recognised ascounterproductive for operators.

In the case of social games (like DFS), thisstrategy is even worse at an early phase,because social games are like dance floors. Noone wants to be the first one to dance and also,the more people there are dancing, the better.

The notion of “critical mass” is therefore key andit makes perfect sense; instead of scattering yourcustomers in the directions of various types ofgames, and create dissatisfaction and infidelity,one big successful dance floor should be offeredinstead.

After ensuring the success of your first dancefloor, it might then be pertinent to think aboutopening another one. When your football DFS

product is successful, you will then need todecide whether or not to open up other sports.But absolutely not before then!

An operator recently expressed that becauseDraftKings is offering American sports to itsEuropean customers, it would make sense to dothe same thing. We strongly disagree.

DraftKings is a pure player in DFS and not amulti iGaming platform. When you arespecialised in one type of game, your strategyshould be to create bridges between the varioussports that you are offering, which is the onlything that you can really do.

however, when you are offering various types ofgames it is far more efficient to create bridgesbetween your most successful games and yournew ones.

Initially, adopting a DFS solution that will offermultiple sports may seem like the most efficientand secure strategy. however, after seeing thehighly counterproductive impact of a long talestrategy on a new social market, it seems

obvious that being specialized in football duringthe next 18 to 24 months is the real beneficialstrategy for any iGaming operator hoping toadopt a DFS product. The long tail is for us, rightnow, simply a tale!

An operator recently expressedthat because DraftKings is

offering American sports to itsEuropean customers, it would

make sense to do the samething. We strongly disagree.

DraftKings is a pure player inDFS and not a multi iGaming

platform. When you arespecialised in one type of

game, your strategy should beto create bridges between the

sports that you are offering


InteractiveGANAPATi - buSiNeSS iN JAPAN

Most famous amongst his teachings is a treatiseon drama titled ‘Fushikaden’ or ‘The Book ofTransmission of the Flower’. In essence, theconcept of fushikaden is about transferring ‘theflower of creativity’ from generation togeneration. Each generation must learn itspredecessors’ art, add something of its own andpass it onto the next generation.

This teaching comes to mind as I look at the rushto embrace Japanese culture in the run up to theJapan 2020 Olympics.

Japan is influencing the West more than ever,with sushi restaurants now almost as ubiquitousas the curry house in UK high streets andJapanese animation, better known as Anime,more popular than ever. however as interestincreases over the next few years I hope thatfushikaden is front of mind for businesseshoping to tap into this market.

The recent controversy around the newhollywood release, Ghost in the Shell, surroundsits alleged ‘whitewashing’ of the original

Japanese animation on which it is based. Itseems hollywood bosses assumed Westernaudiences couldn’t cope with Japanese actors.But fortunately we have come a long way fromthe days of Breakfast at Tiffany’s Mr Yunioshiand audiences actively seek out a moreauthentic experience. But it sometimes feels asthough businesses have a long way to go to catchup with where their audiences are at.

Today it is all about disruption and walking awayfrom the past. A lot of this is driven byopportunities created by new technologieswhich opens up new and exciting roads toexplore. But in constantly striving for the newand forgetting the lessons of the past, we can betempted to reject the old instead of embracing it.If instead we strived to understand tradition andour role in maintaining it, as Zeami taught, couldit not be possible to achieve a more genuine level

Ganapati’s Mitsuya Fujimoto discusses thesubtle nuances of doing business in Japan asthe gaming industry hungrily eyes its future

Why it’s time toembrace Japan’s‘Fushikaden’

Mitsuya Fujimoto, chief operating officer,ganapati Plc

The recent controversy aroundthe new hollywood release,Ghost in the Shell, surroundsits alleged ‘whitewashing’ ofthe original Japaneseanimation on which it is based.It seems hollywood bossesassumed Western audiencescouldn’t cope with Japaneseactors.

If you work in the arts in mynative Japan, the chances areyou’re familiar with theteachings of Zeami Motokiyo.The 14th-15th centuryplaywright is renowned for hisinsights into the art ofperformance and his uniquetake on life.

Mitsuya Fujimoto is the Chief Operating Officerfor Ganapati Plc, a new entertainment brandfrom Japan with global ambitions. he is alsoChief Executive Officer for Ganapati Malta, theGanapati-owned games development studiobased in Malta.


of creativity that feels more ‘real’?

This search for the authentic and real drivesmany consumer purchasing decisions today.You only have to see how many brands’ socialmedia marketing campaigns go array to see howquickly a backlash can form if a consumerperceives the business to be actinginauthentically.

What is clear is that for any brand seeking tocapitalise on this wave of enthusiasm for allthings Japan, understanding the modernconsumer is crucial. And audiences today,whether they be moviegoers, gamers or readers,crave authenticity above all else.

I do a lot of work in the gaming world wherecreating an authentic experience is soimportant. Real fans can spot the difference

between an imitation and an authentic Japaneseexperience. It might be the way someone drawstheir sword. Or the language used by aparticular character. In Japan, authenticity canonly be achieved through a commitment todetail and crucially in fushikaden – byunderstanding and respecting its past in order tocreate something new.

The unity between old and new is somethingunique to Japanese culture, a concept which wasrecently captured beautifully by Visit Japan. It’swhy I will only work with people who have astrong connection and appreciation of Japaneseculture and history.

So whilst in the run up to 2020, we’re likely tosee a whole host of businesses attempt tocapitalise on consumer appetite for Japaneseexperiences, it is only by understanding

fushikaden that you can deliver the trulyauthentic experience today’s audiences crave.

For me, this is where the real opportunity lies inthe run up to Japan 2020.

For any brand seeking tocapitalise on this wave ofenthusiasm for all thingsJapan, understanding the

modern consumer is crucial.And audiences today, whether

they be moviegoers, gamers orreaders, crave authenticity

above all else.


InteractiveSiS - GreYhOuNd rAciNG

When Wimbledon Stadium shut its doors for thefinal time in March this year, the closure of oneof greyhound racing’s most iconic venues was asad day for everyone associated with the sport.home to the English Greyhound Derby until2016, the old track played host to some trulymemorable moments in the sport’s history andwill never be forgotten.

But as one chapter ends, another begins. WhileUK greyhound racing leaves the London suburb,the popularity of the sport continues to growaround the world. There is a clear appetite forthe sport from punters and operators alike,certainly from operators that we have beentalking to recently. It all makes for an excitingtime for greyhound racing as it enters newterritories for the first time and opens itself up tonew audiences.

Through several new commercial deals, SIS isnow distributing greyhound racing from the UKand Ireland via streaming, to several newterritories, expanding the sport’s internationalfootprint as a result. Many global operators areappreciating the premium product and contentwe offer through our low latency streamingservice, SIS Stream.

After striking a deal with SIS, Tabcorp becamethe first Australian bookmaker to show UK and

Irish greyhounds to their online and retailcustomers in February. It’s already provedhugely popular in Australia, with the UK versionof the sport becoming one of Tabcorp’s mostpopular international products to date.

Of course, greyhound racing already has a strongheritage in Australia so its success may not comeas a surprise to some, but when you take intoaccount the time difference between UK eventstaking place in Australia, with some occurring inthe early hours of the morning, it’s animpressive feat.

The UK sport is also proving to be an attractiveproposition for territories perhaps lesssynonymous with greyhound racing. Through anagreement with TopBetta holdings Limited, itssubsidiary The Global Tote (TGT) now distributeslive UK and Ireland greyhound racing and TheGlobal Tote odds services to internationalbookmakers for their punters around the world.

From Eastern Europe to Central Asia and SouthAfrica, it’s clear that greyhound racing is provingpopular, as operators from across the globe arekeen to snap up live streamed greyhound racing.

And the closure of Wimbledon by no meansspells the end for greyhound racing on these

SIS is now distributing greyhound racing from the uK and Irelandvia streaming, to several new territories, expanding the sport’sinternational footprint as a result. Many global operators areappreciating the premium product and content we offer throughour low latency streaming service, SIS Stream.

Paul witten, commercial director, SiS

Paul Witten became commercial director for SIS,the worldwide leader for broadcast and dataservices in betting retail and online, in August2014. he is responsible for enhancing thecompany’s retail betting products includingvideo and data delivery.

Prior to SIS, Witten worked at German lotteryprovider Tipp24, where he developed key globalrelationships, particularly in the public sector.he has more than 10 years’ experience in thebetting and gaming industry, including morethan five years in eCommerce, mobile andeGaming with Ladbrokes, and four years atBetfair where he rose to the role of Director ofFootball.

having worked initially in sales, Witten is alsoexperienced in advertising, playing a role in theemergence of eBay’s fledgling uK business.

Despite the closure of one of the UK’s most famous dog tracks,it’s an exciting time for greyhound racing as it enjoys a surge inpopularity across the globe says SIS’s Paul Witten

UK greyhoundracing showing itsteeth by going global

InteractiveSiS - GreYhOuNd rAciNG

shores either. SIS is making significantinvestments in greyhound racing in the UK. Forinstance, we’re currently in the process ofacquiring Newcastle and Sunderland stadiafrom William hill, demonstrating ourcommitment to the sport and our confidence ingreyhound racing as a betting product.

Technology improvements

Thanks to technology advancements, the

growth in global operators deploying UK & Irishgreyhound racing is set to continue, with theintegration of live streams into a bookmaker’secosystem becoming easier than ever before.

Gone are the days of slow internet speeds andbuffering videos. The world demands instantaccess to news stories, videos and live streamsof major events without any interference whichcould disrupt the user experience.

And greyhound racing is no exemption to therule.

Our streaming platform – SIS Stream, isoptimised for betting, with low latency, so thatbookmakers can now offer almost-live picturesacross their channels, whether in-shop (via ourIPTV platform), or online via SIS Stream Online.

While UK greyhound racing comes to termswith the loss of one of its most iconic stadiums,the flurry of international operators looking tolive stream greyhound racing demonstrates justhow popular the sport is proving to be in theoverseas markets.

It really is an exciting time for the sport, and Ilook forward to seeing which regionsgreyhound racing enters next.


InteractiveiP riGhTS ANd WrONGS

If what you’re trying to create sits in the digitalgaming space (such as a slots game which usesthe imagery, theme or characters of a hit movie,book or PC or video game) then you’re facingeven more complications, including brand fit,demographic fit and more specificallyregulatory matters – the laws on gambling,whether bricks and mortar or online, are wildlydifferent from one country to another (or, if youplan to operate in the US, between one state andanother).

Sorting out all of the different variables beforesuccessfully launching a digital version of anexisting IP is a complex operation.

There is an argument that the very first thing youneed to do is define your target audience andunderstand what appeals to them, what digitalmedia they consume and on what devices.

Slots, for example, have a heavy female bias,with most players aged between 40 and 55 andearning below average. From a pure financialperspective, the biggest-spending online slotsmarket is the UK. For ‘free to play’ or social

games, however, it’s the US. Themes andimagery for both physical and online slotsmachines will tend to appeal to this audiencedemographic and resonate with them. USplayers tends to prefer stronger fantasy lookinggames.

Agatha Christie, for example, works – and thereis actually an Agatha Christie online slots game(Agatha Christie’s Mystery Wilds). I shouldadmit at this point that we ourselves did thisdeal, which has succeeded brilliantly because ofa great brand and demographic fit.

We worked for over nine years on the digitalbrand extensions of Agatha Christie and welearnt a huge amount about translating IP intothe digital space from that experience.

Agatha Christie’s works have sold roughly twobillion copies worldwide – a figure only beatenby the Bible and the works of Shakespeare.According to experts, she is the most-translatedindividual author in the world, with her booksavailable in at least 103 languages. On top ofthat, there are all the films based on her books

Valerié Bozzetto and Megan Goodwin, co-founders of digital consultancy InteractiveRights Management (IRM), explore thechallenges and opportunities involved intaking a well-known book, film or TV showand creating an online gaming version

Turning famousnames into famous games

One thing we’ve learnt is thatthe Maori people – the nativesof New Zealand, who colonisedthe country around 1300 CE –are very proud of their heritage.As a result, Maori traditions,symbols, cultural artefacts,music, dance and religiousceremonies are protected bylaw and their use in film, TV,and online is monitored andcontrolled.

Translating films, TV shows, books and other intellectualproperty into digital products and services can be a challenge –particularly when you’re creating something that’s going to bedistributed in a number of different countries.


and, of course, the hugely successful TV serieswhich have been sold around the world.

There are very few countries which will not befamiliar with Agatha Christie, hercule Poirotand Miss Marple. however, even AgathaChristie’s works had to be adapted for somemarkets – Japan, for example, is the onlycountry in the world where both Miss Marpleand Poirot feature in the same creative work, theNhK anime cartoon series Agatha Christie’sGreat Detectives Poirot and Marple, where thetwo are linked by a new character, Mabel, who issupposed to be Miss Marple’s great niece andPoirot’s new assistant.

Well-known authors can translate into theonline gaming world; so can familiar historicalperiods and cultures, particularly ones whichare rich in visual imagery. Again, you need tolook at your audience to see what resonateswith them.

If we are looking at slots games, then, asmentioned above, the audience is heavilyfemale. According to research published in

January 2017 by research company QuanticFoundry, women like ‘Match Three’ tile movinggames (like Candy Crush) and time and resourcemanagement games (like Farmville).

So it’s worth exploring both of these genres andseeing what themes appear there – and whatyou’ll find is that ‘Match three’ games inparticular use imagery from ancient cultureslike the Egyptians, Romans and Greeks, becauseof the rich history and iconography available todesigners.

Unsurprisingly, similar themes appear in socialslots - so you have Roman chariots, gladiatorsand coins, Greek heroes and legendary figures,and Egyptian gods, goddesses, hieroglyphics andarchitectural details.

You also have a huge number of slots gamesthemed around Native American topics – notjust because of the attractive imagery and US-oriented cultural elements, but also, probably,because of the leading role played by NativeAmericans in the US gaming industry. USFederal laws govern officially-recognised tribal

territories or reservations, not state laws, sotribes can run casinos and other gamblingoperations when the surrounding state hasbanned them.

Not all cultures, however, are open to being usedin online gaming – so it’s important to checkthat you won’t run into opposition from nationalor tribal groups.

We’re working with global entertainment group

Megan goodwin, Joint Managing director, irM

Megan Goodwin is joint Managing Director ofIRM. An accomplished business developer andmarketing expert with over 15 years’ experiencein television, publishing and digital media, herspecialties include content innovation anddistribution, cross platform development andmarketing partnerships. A proven innovatorfocused on monetising brands, Meganspecialises in the creation of great digitalproducts and pioneering new business models.Megan has not only established IRM but has alsobeen digital strategy advisor to some of themost notable international media companiesincluding Endemol, BBC Worldwide and FoxTelevision advising on some of the world’s bestknown TV series.

valerié Bozzetto, Joint Managing director, irM

Valerié Bozetto is joint Managing Director of IRM.An innovative digital strategist with extensiveexperience in funding, mentoring and investingin start-ups, she has a strong track record ofadvising leading media organisations, IP rightsholders and brands on digital content,gamification and social media strategies. With apassion for mentoring young entrepreneursValerie's experience has led her to both assistand often lead funding processes and craft exitstrategies. She has also lead numerous M&Anegotiations with the likes of Celador, Sony, All 3Media and Ludorum to name but a few.

Well-known authors cantranslate into the online

gaming world; so can familiarhistorical periods and cultures,particularly ones rich in visual

imagery. Again, you need tolook at your audience to see

what resonates with them.


Fremantle Media, advising them on theworldwide roll-out of New Zealand TVsensation, Sidewalk Karaoke, created by MaoriTV.

One thing we’ve learnt from that relationship isthat the Maori people – the natives of NewZealand, who colonised the country around 1300CE – are very proud of their heritage. As a result,Maori traditions, symbols, cultural artefacts,music, dance and religious ceremonies areprotected by law and their use in film, TV, andonline is monitored and controlled.

So be sure you understand what language andcultural barriers you may have to overcome.

We’ve also had problems with what you mightcall another kind of ‘cultural’ issue. When wewere working at Celador, launching the classicTV quiz show, Who Wants to be a Millionaire?,we found that ‘Ask the audience’ just could notbe made to work in Russia.

Why not? Because the audience wasn’tinterested in helping the contestant to win moremoney.

In Japan, we had to totally re-structure theshow’s format to make it more active, adding

extra hosts so that the show had a moreenergetic feel.

These are all issues which could affect thesuccessful translation of an existing propertyinto a digital product to be launched in othercountries.

Then you have to understand the local moralcodes and regulatory system. We ran into aproblem with an online game we launched inSingapore. Consumers would win prizes, butthere was, as far as we were concerned, nogambling element. We had launched the samegame with no problems in multiple countries. InSingapore, however, our game was classified as agambling product and subject to a heavy extratax, which made it far less profitable for us thanin other territories.

You also need to understand who owns the IPrights in the different countries you want to sellthe new product into, which is not always easy,as new technologies are constantly creating newformats, which may require new licensing deals.

This last point can be a real pain; you sometimesfind that earlier IP rights deals for differentterritories effectively give someone the rights toall versions of a property, even when what you

We’ve also had problems withwhat you might call anotherkind of ‘cultural’ issue. Whenwe were working at Celador,launching the classic TV quizshow, Who Wants to be aMillionaire?, we found that ‘Askthe audience’ just could not bemade to work in Russia. Why not? Because theaudience wasn’t interested inhelping the contestant to winmore money.


want to do wasn’t even considered possiblewhen those deals were signed.

This question has actually been around since thebeginning of the computer games industry: backin the 1980s, there were numerous cases in theUK where a company which bought the rights tocreate a board game based on a TV show alsofound itself owning the rights to do computergames.

That’s because when the original licensing dealswere signed, computer games weren’t the multi-billion-dollar industry they are now, so peoplejust lumped them into a generic ‘games’category.

There can also be issues with the names of gameshows, computer games, books and so on,particularly if they are fairly common terms –or if they’ve been around for long enough thatlocal businesses have stepped in and registeredthem as trademarks or copyright.

Sometimes, such registrations are perfectlyinnocent, particularly if a word or phrase isalready in common use; at other times, though,they are examples of ‘brand squatting’, wherepeople try to cash in on someone else’s hardwork.

We have worked on projects where problemsoccurred because TV show titles had not beencleared and properly investigated for potentialtrademark or copyright infringement before aninternational roll-out, leading to concerns aboutclaims from brand owners from other industries.

As a result, on a couple of occasions – one a TVshow and another involving a well-known retroconsole game – digital extensions have had to becalled by a different name in some areas. Forexample, with the Endemol TV show, Wipeout,when we launched a mobile game we had to callit Big Red Ball Challenge in some territories.

So you need to fully understand the dynamics ofthe different regions and countries you areplanning to launch your product in.

Obviously, brand values and resonance isimportant; but cultural issues can be just asimportant. Then you have to check who ownsthe rights to the IP in different countries –including looking at any previous deals that mayhave been signed and checking just what rightsmay have been given on what platforms towhich companies.

In over 15 years of brand licensing in the digitalspace we have seen a lot of changes, mostly to

do with different digital platforms emerging; butthe principles remain the same; brand integrity,resonance, cultural influences, local regulationsand IP clearance are key to success.

The last hurdle to overcome is the rights owner.We have often faced opposition from IP holdersover translating their properties into onlinegaming or slots products – until we showedthem the potential revenue streams.

The last hurdle to overcome isthe rights owner. We haveoften faced opposition from IPholders over translating theirproperties into online gamingor slots products – until weshowed them the potentialrevenue streams.


Innovation has always been an important partof DRGT’s philosophy and G2E Asia will see theunveiling of the latest ingenious product,drScreenUltra.

drScreenUltra is the biggest player trackinginterface in gaming today, the new device uses avivid 1280 x 320 resolution, 8.8 inch (23.8cm)multi-touch screen and incorporates a built-inRFID reader, allowing players to simply Tap andPlay to start their gaming session as easily asthey would make a purchase with a contactlesspayment transaction with a card or mobilephone.

DRGT has done a lot of research in coming upwith the new custom screen size, to find asolution that fits all historic and current slots,whilst introducing the largest player trackingdisplay available in gaming today. That is why"size does matter" and this bigger display willallow operators better interaction with theircustomers and give players a richer experienceat the slots.

This new device compliments the existingdrScreen which will also be on show withfurther new functionality. drScreen uses themain game screens to enhance the userexperience either, as an alternative to a separateplayer tracking display, to play bonus game,allows players to watch TV whilst playing theirfavourite slots, just a few among many excitingfeatures.

DR Gaming Technology (DRGT) is very excited to announcethat it will be participating in G2E Asia for the first time thisMay. As one of the gaming industry’s leading events, G2E Asiagives DRGT a fantastic platform to continue its rapid growthinto the Asian market and beyond. DRGT will be using G2E Asiato show its full range of casino system solutions, designed to beflexible and scalable, to meet all operators' individual needs.

PreviewG2e ASiA 2017

Drgt to show why size does matter at g2E Asia

GPI is a leading global supplier with anextensive suite of table game productsincluding chips, plaques, jetons, playing cards,RFID solutions, layouts and dice. GPI will beshowcasing these as well as its newestcurrency, table layout and RFID offerings to itsAsian market customer base.

GPI has the most extensive gaming currencyofferings available in the industry and providescustomers options that include chips, plaquesand jetons. The V-Series, produced with a new,innovative and highly durable injectionmaterial formula, is a Bourgogne et Grasset(BG) chip that was developed to providecustomers an additional gaming currencyoption with advanced chip design flexibility.The V-Series chips are unique in that theyallow customers to design their chips with agreater amount of versatility. The V-Seriesoffers a wide range of chip and decal securityfeatures and for customers who order the V-Series with four or more color shots, the chipsalso come standard with an infra-red securityfeature exclusive to GPI.

GPI’s gaming currency offers an unmatched

range of currency security features to providecustomers expanded options in protecting theircurrency. These include covert securityfeatures that are easily authenticated throughvisual inspection and overt security featuresthat are invisible and can only be authenticatedwith special tools. Currency security featurescan be layered to help provide optimumcurrency protection. Our 3-in-1 UV is ataggant that is invisible under standard UVwavelengths but is revealed with a specialdevice. Because it can be added to plasticinjection-molded chip materials, it providesmass chip validation for chips placed in stacksor racks. SecuriFilm, which is compatible withRFID, is used on a chip’s decal and features asemi-transparent hologram-like effect.SecuriFilm can be easily authenticated at thetable and includes an additional covert securityfeature enabling a higher level of validation.

Our full graphic EGC layouts will be coveringour tables and will be on display. Our syntheticlayouts offer sharp, full vibrant, color graphicsthat can duplicate almost any photo orsophisticated design with exacting precision.Ideal for all game types, EGC layouts provide

an exceptional playing surface and are adurable and economical choice that providesextraordinary design flexibility.

Customers can see firsthand our Gemaco brandline of playing cards which includes both paperand plastic card types. With a variety of stocksand finishes, our line of cards provide idealhandling and dealing for all types of table gameplay.

Customers will be able to see firsthanddemonstrations of our exclusive SMART RFIDofferings. SMART offers the latestadvancement is casino currency RFIDtechnology and when used with our ChipInventory System (CIS) software, SMARTdelivers a complete currency tracking andauthentication solution. GPI offers all thenecessary components from SMART RFIDcurrency, both antennas and readers. SMARTis available on all of our currency brands.

gPi highlights innovative currency and rFiDGaming Partners International is excited to return to Asia in May for this year’sGlobal Gaming Expo being held at the Venetian Macao

DRGT will also be showcasing its flexiblejackpot technology, drJackpots and drWAP,which are a huge success across the world,offering a huge-range of customizable jackpotsolution and features for all slot machines. Thetailored jackpots solutions offer jackpots fromstandalone linked mysteries to multi-levelsymbol driven wide area progressives (WAP).

The WAP has proven to be a success in SouthAfrican and Swiss markets among others. DRGTalways works with their customers to customisethe jackpot solutions to exactly matchcustomers needs.

Along with their market leading slot systems,DRGT is excited about bringing its new andinnovative table side games to Asia. The sidegames give an extra dimension of excitement tothe classic baccarat and Blackjack games. Themulti-level prizes and progressives are fasthitting and rapid incrementing; the side bets aredesigned to increase the players spend andsession time at the gaming tables. Driven by ourstate of the art drSensor and server-freetechnology, all side bet progressives can be setup on one table, across a gaming floor or linkingdifferent venues. A large-scale deployment of

side games has recently been installed on tablesin the newly opened Time Square casino inSouth Africa.

Co-founder and CEO Jurgen De Munck said, “Weare excited to show our product range at G2EAsia, we know the increasing importance ofmarketing and player loyalty in the casinolandscape. Finding ways to promote anddifferentiate your brand as a casino operator isalways challenging, DRGT offers cutting edgehardware and software, tailored to suit yourrequirements. We don’t believe one size fits all,we understand that different markets anddifferent customers can have completelydifferent requirements. As an independentsystems provider we adapt the system to ourcustomers needs rather than the other wayaround”.

“Although DRGT is not new to the Asian market- already having a strong systems installationbase – we are looking forward to showing ourexciting, innovative product range”. Jurgen DeMunck added "We are excited to see you at G2EAsia and the team is looking forward to showingyou why you should look to DRGT for ‘Your NextSystem’”.

From casino management systems solutionsand high-definition gaming cabinets, toimmersive True 4D gameplay and skill-basedinnovations, IGT’s G2E Asia portfolio is fueledby a passion for delivering customisedsolutions for its Asia-based customers.

As a leading systems provider in Asia, IGT willshowcase its globally successful casinomanagement systems solutions such as IGTAdvantage, along with a series of othersystems solutions and bonuses that Asia-based operators can leverage to maximize theregional popularity of table games, and theuniversal relevance of mobile devices. IGT willspotlight its Table Manager solution, anautomated system for rating and rewardingplayers and its Lucky Chip Bonus, a bonusmodule that can drive trial play and creates

surprise jackpots for table game players.

The award-winning Cardless Connect mobilesolution will also be demonstrated in IGT’sstand. Cardless Connect can be embedded intoa casino's mobile app, enabling players toinitiate patron loyalty sessions using theirmobile devices, and seamlessly transfer fundsfrom their existing player accounts—eliminating the need for physical loyalty clubcards and TITO tickets.

G2E Asia attendees can experience IGT’saward-winning PlaySpot mobile softwaresolution. Recently named “Casino Product ofthe Year” at the Global Gaming Awards,PlaySpot enables players to place wagers onlive roulette and baccarat games that aretaking place on the casino floor, from theirmobile devices, from any location within thecasino. Players can enjoy live feeds from activetables on the casino floor, and can set tableplay criteria and be notified when a tablemeets the conditions and is “hot.”

IGT’s innovative SPHINX 4D game on theCrystalCurve TRUE 4D cabinet will makes itsAsia debut at the Show. The game offers amulti-sensory experience that enhances itsglasses-free 3D technology with mid-airhaptic and gesture-based technologies thatenable players to touch and manipulate 3Dobjects emerging from the screen.

G2E Asia will be the world debut for IGT’sTRUE 3D title Phoenix Rising 3D™. Housed onthe AXXIS 3D™ cabinet, Phoenix Rising 3Dfeatures bold, fiery graphics and offers playersan immersive glasses-free 3D gamingexperiences. The game leverages theSurrounding Wilds feature to create frequentand entertaining wins. Players can engage thegame’s Free Games Bonus that is triggered bythree or more 3D Fireball symbols, and thegame’s Wheel Progressive Playoff Bonus that istriggered with three 3D Wheel Symbols.

IGT will also spotlight the multi-levelprogressive title Cai Yun Heng Tong™. Afollow-up theme to the highly successful gameGong Xi Fai Cai® and sister-game to Wan ShiRu Yi™, Cai Yun Heng Tong offers players ahigh-volatility four-level progressive. Thegame’s multiplier symbols generate coins thatcan trigger the MLP bonus, or place randomwild symbols anywhere on reels two, three,four and five.

Another standout theme in IGT stand will beRong Hua Fu Gui™ on the CrystalDual™cabinet. The four-level progressive video slotgame was designed for the Paltronic Link andincludes a mystery bonus trigger that unlocksthe game’s Pick Bonus. Rong Hua Fu Guifeatures the Rapid Touch feature forprogressive picks and leverages a proven mathmodel.

To experience these and more IGT“Innovations for Asia” visit stand 601 at G2EAsia. For more information visit igt.com.


The Isle of Man’s reputation as the leadingEuropean jurisdiction for Asian gamingbusinesses is well-known: world-class tech anddata centre facilities, a highly regardedregulatory framework and a growing cluster ofcompanies, ranging from licensed firms tosoftware houses, from payment gatewaycompanies to specialists working in areas suchas law and recruitment.

Part of the Island’s continued success is drivenby the investment that Asian firms have put intothe Isle of Man and setting up HQs there. Well-known names including Dafabet, 188bet,SBOBET, 138, FUN88, Galaxy Bet and BabylonGaming are now firmly established, serving

clients globally, and the Island continues toattract interest from the region.

The Isle of Man Government has also beenworking hard to grow its strong regulatoryproposition. The Gambling SupervisionCommission (GSC) has an in-depthunderstanding of market characteristics and iswilling to support businesses in accessing thecomplex Asian consumer-base whilemaintaining rigorous player-protectionstandards.

In February, the GSC announced it would besetting out a range of new changes to itslicensing regime aimed at lowering costs forlicensees and making the games testingcertification process even more efficient andstreamlined.

One of the most exciting developments isliberalisation of the framework to allowoperators to accept deposits, payments andwithdrawals using virtual currencies and digitalitems. With eSports continuing its rise in

popularity in many parts of Asia and indeedglobally, Isle of Man-licensed operators willnow be able to capitalise on the sector byoffering digital skins-betting facilities to theircustomers. Equally, operators are now entitledto accept virtual currencies such as Bitcoin forgambling transactions and pay out in the sameway.

The regulator has been pushing for internationalco-operation on the issue of testing proceduresand certification standards for several years,and has recently reached a breakthrough. Undernew rules, firms who are certified by reputablegaming laboratories in other jurisdictions willalso be certified to operate out of the Isle ofMan, providing the jurisdiction in question hasentered into a Memorandum of Understandingwith the Isle of Man’s regulator.

So far, the Island has entered intomemorandums with Alderney, Denmark,Estonia, Jersey, Malta, the Netherlands, theSeychelles and United Kingdom, meaning thatthe process to add an additional Isle of Manlicence for companies certified and licensed inthese regions can be done reallystraightforwardly.

igt to present innovations for Asia in MacauThe IGT stand will host a range ofproducts that reflect its G2E Asia 2017theme, “Innovations for Asia.”

New developments propel iOM’s g2E Asia offerThe Isle of Man’s Director for eBusinessand eGaming, Jonathan Mills, will be inattendance at G2e Asia to furtherpromote the Island’s proposition on theback of some exciting developments inits regulatory offering.


Continuing its strong relationship with the StarGroup in Australia, at the recently rebrandedJupiter’s Casino, now the Star Gold Coast,Cammegh is installing new Mercury 360 wheelswith customised graphics, each with newBillboard displays and integrated securitycamera housings and a further 16 mini-baccaratdisplays.

Heading due north to Brisbane, Cammegh isalso working with Star’s Treasury Casinosupplying Mercury 360 wheels and displays,with an additional 21 mini-baccarat displaysand five blackjack displays completing asensational order. Skipping across the South

China Sea, Manila Resorts World is replacing itsroulette displays, with Cammegh having startedinstalling Billboard displays for roulette and isthrilled that the casino is also trialling itsphenomenally successful Spread Bet Rouletteside bet.

Commenting on the installations with StarGroup, Andrew Cammegh says: “It’s wonderfulto be involved in these exciting projects inAustralia, which sees us continuing our long-standing relationship with Star. Star Group isundertaking significant reinvestment in itslocations, which includes major redevelopmentsand the procurement of new gaming equipmentwheels and displays, and we’re very proud to bea part of their expansion plans. Our installationof 24 Mercury wheels and 21 Billboard displaysto Sky City Adelaide at the beginning of the yearfurther increases our footprint in theAustralasian market.”

Cammegh is eager to discuss its expandingportfolio of gaming products with visitors to the

Macau gaming show. This year the company isexhibiting its baccarat display system; itsincomparable range of wheels, including thestunning Mercury Halo wheel; the automaticSlingshot 2 and a wide range of state-of-the-artdisplays with custom graphics and highdefinition screens. In addition, Cammegh will beshowcasing its growing series of roulette-basedside games, with Spread Bet Roulette headliningat G2E Asia, having recently gone live in Manilawith its first trial in the region.

“Spread Bet Roulette has gained impressivetraction in the live sector, which has now beenincorporated into the Novomatic Unity 2 gamingterminals. Also, we are now at advanced talkswith an on-line operator wishing to add SpreadBet to its on-line offer,” explains Andrew.“Going live in Manila builds on our success inEurope, Africa and most recently the US and weare looking forward to discussing Spread BetRoulette’s operator benefits at the Macau show.We look forward to seeing you on the Cammeghbooth at the Venetian in Macau.”

All that glitters is gold for cammegh at g2EAsia gaming exhibition at the Venetian Macau

Ahead of Macau’s G2E Asia show,Cammegh, makers of the world’s finestroulette wheels, have been busyservicing regional casinos with ordersof wheels and displays to Australia,New Zealand and the Philippines.


Punters play because they love the experience.The excitement. And, regardless of whether theprediction made was correct or not, there isenjoyment in the process. Traditionally realsports, real casinos, and real lotteries have metthese demands from players, however virtualofferings have proven to be at least equallyappealing – sometimes even more appealing –for players and operators alike.

At the heart of Asian gaming industry isMacau, and the G2E Asia 2017 is rapidlyapproaching. The G2E brings the opportunity togain insight into business optimization for theAsian marketplace, learn about the latestproducts and services, and network withpotential providers, partners and customers tobuild the best strategy for success in thismassive market.

On May 18 – 18, 2017, at stand # 1825 at TheVenetian Macao, Golden Race will exhibit theentire range of proven and profitable virtualsports and numbers games, as well as theflexible and affordable solutions to bring themto your players.

Successful operators around the world choseGolden Race, creators of the award-winningReal Fighting, the “King of Virtual Sports” 3DFootball, and the entirely unique, all-newONLINE platform and direct-to-mobileexperience.

Only Golden Race capture the authenticbetting experience from real sports and casinobetting, and package it into a data-friendly,fast, secure, reliable, and completelymanageable 24/7 betting solution.

For the Asian market, where consumers areparticularly tech savvy and mobile internetaccess surpasses PC-based access, it is vital todeliver fast, seamless, and user-friendlybetting experience. Players can quickly makebets, access results, and watch events live inretail locations, online at home, or direct fromtheir mobile device, wherever they are.

With real odds created by professional in-house bookmakers, certified andmulti-regulatory body compliant games andsolutions, all the popular markets, all the majorcompetitions, built-in player retentionsystems, combination bets, accumulator bets,bonuses, and more, Golden Race provides thecomplete, authentic betting experience,completely manageable, completelyschedulable, and completely white-label,ready to be branded from POS all the waythrough to in-game panels, promotions,colours, logos, teams, and more.

Visit stand # 1825 and see why the biggestoperators around the world trust Golden Raceto provide the most authentic experience totheir players, every few minutes, 24/7.

golden race to deliver an authentic bettingexperience designed for winning in AsiaGolden Race will be showing its authentic betting experience to visitors to theG2E Asia gaming show to be held in the Venetian Macau exhibition hall


Zitro will participate in G2E Asia, which willtake place from 16 to 18 May in the city of Macao,where it will show its wide catalogue ofproducts specifically targeted at the Asianmarket.

This way, Zitro reiterates its commitment to thiscontinent, bringing the latest innovations inVideo Bingo and introducing Big Time to theAsian Market. This new product comes with newgames for Casinos and Bingos specificallyadapted for the Philippine market - where Zitrohas a significant share - and Big Timepromotional systems that allow the operator toprogram promotions in a dynamic and flexibleway.

As a novelty for the Asian market, Zitro willpresent its new video slot brand Bryke, with its

first multi-games of the Pick & Win series,which is backed by surprising results in LatinAmerica, where it has been tested withunprecedented success.

Sebastián Salat, CEO of Zitro, says that “we areconvinced that Big Time will receive in Asia thesame enthusiastic acceptance it has had in othercontinents, and we believe that our Bryke videoslots can bring a differentiated product tooperators in the region, particularly operators inthe Philippines, a market that Zitro sees as apriority in this part of the world on our way toour goal of becoming a global leader in thegaming industry. "

Zitro will be exhibiting in booth #1315, sharingspace with its distributor, RGB, a company ofrecognized prestige in the region.

Zitro set to introduce its Bryke video slots forthe first time to the Asian market at g2E AsiaZitro will participate in G2E Asia, which will take place from 16 to 18 May in Macao,where it will show its wide catalogue of products targeted at the Asian market

GLI is pleased to participate in G2E Asia 2017 because it is a uniqueopportunity to share our global expertise with those who visit thecompany at booth #906. G2E Asia is one of the region’s most importantevents, and we are excited to discuss advancing technologies andcutting-edge concepts with our clients.

Because GLI has had a strong presence in Asia for the past 10+ years, andwe are very familiar with local challenges in the region. At G2E Asia, ourexperts will be more than happy to discuss the following wide range ofservices and more: Network Risk Assessments, Network SecurityReview, iGaming Testing, Regulatory and Jurisdictional Consultation andQuality Assurance Testing.

With over 1,000 experts located on six continents and in over 20locations worldwide, GLI brings a truly global and local perspective to

the show. For over 25 years, GLI has delivered land-based, lottery andiGaming testing and consulting to over 475 jurisdictions all over theworld. By offering so much more than just testing, we have become atrusted partner for many regulators, suppliers and operators.

Important to many of our clients is the Gaming Labs Certified mark,which is recognised globally. The product bearing this symbol haspassed the most challenging tests and meets the most rigorous industrystandards. It is only given after devices pass tests for the intendedjurisdiction. Our experts would be pleased to discuss this mark and itsimportance as a sales tool, which can be displayed at trade shows and inother places, with you.

gaming laboratories internationaladdressing regional challenges Sharing its global expertise, GLI will be on hand at the G2EAsia exhibition to guide clients through market challenges

GLI VP of Global Services Ian Hughes, GLI Asia GM Client Services Marina Wong and GLI Asia Regional Services Manager Ricky Manalo.

Luxury gaming manufacturer Interblock will beon stand #751 with its latest products,functionality, and newly licensed side bets.

“Asia is one of Interblock’s fastest-growingmarkets, and continues to lead the ETG segmentin record numbers with large-scale productplacements,” said Michael Hu, VP of Asia atInterblock. “Interblock Stadium is one of manyproducts we can offer casinos for their players.We are delighted to be exhibiting at the G2EAsia show once again with new innovationsdesigned to deliver incremental revenue forcasino operators.”

Interblock will exhibit a mix of its Diamond,MiniStar, and StarBar product lines, including:Interblock eTable, Diamond Video Baccarat andBlackjack, Diamond Automated Roulette andSic Bo, MiniStar, Big Six and StarBar.

The company’s new eTable is offered withBaccarat in a five-seat configuration and allowsoperators to simply press a button to change thegame to play with or without a live dealer. If theoperator chooses to have a dealer, the dealerpresses a button to initiate and confirm thegame. This option gives operators the flexibilityto generate revenue with or without a dealer,depending on their needs and preferencesthroughout the week or time of day. The eTablecan also support Blackjack games andInterblock side bets.

interblock to unveilnew Etg products andfeatures at g2E AsiaInterblock has announced plans toexhibit its Diamond, StarBar andMiniStar product lines at G2E Asia


Quixant, the UK-headquartered, world-leadingsupplier of gaming platform hardware andmonitors, will once again be showcasing agrowing product offering at G2E Asia 2017.Held at the Venetian Macau from 16th to 18thMay, the exhibition is the primary event in theAsian gaming calendar.

A long-renowned manufacturer of controlboard solutions, Quixant have recently furtherstrengthened its versatile range with therelease of the QXi-400 – the company’s mostadvanced platform to date for use in two-screen applications. Utilising powerful AMDprocessing technology with its on-board 3rd-Generation G-series SoC, QXi-400 providesunprecedented opportunities for those game

designers using a more compact cabinetfootprint. There is full Windows 7 and 10support, thus providing an option for bothplatform upgrade in existing machines, andentirely new developments.

Visitors to G2E Asia will have the opportunityto experience this cutting-edge solution for thefirst time in this region.

The QXi-6000, another recent addition toQuixant’s control board portfolio, will also beon show. Already proving hugely popular on aglobal scale, QXi-6000 provides three-screensupport, 4K UHD compatibility, and a vastarray of connectivity and security features – ina highly affordable package. Allied to these

new lines, established products such as thecost-effective QXi-307, and the impressivelyversatile QXi-300, will also be available fordemonstration on stand 238.

Quixant’s gaming monitor range has developedsignificantly in the last twelve months, and isdrawing an increasing number of customerslooking for a “one stop” combination to suittheir needs. Designed to complement itsgaming platforms, the new standard 23.8”monitor is attracting great attention, as areinnovative 15.1” and 16.4” button decksolutions. These products will also make theirAsia debut at the exhibition – another exampleof the constant evolution of gaming technologythat is the blueprint of Quixant’s success.

“Asia has always been an incredibly importantmarket for us.” comments John Malin, SalesDirector of Quixant UK Ltd. “This year at G2E,we will have our widest spectrum of productsever, and are looking forward to sharing ourexisting and new solutions with customers andprospects alike.”

Quixant, the UK-based supplier of gaming platform hardware and monitors,will once again be showcasing a growing product offering at G2E Asia 2017


Rebecca Kingswell, TCSJohnHuxley ManagingDirector APAC comments, “We are very excitedto be debuting Qorex to our customers in Asia.Following the launch at G2E Las Vegas and theICE show in London, customer reaction hasbeen overwhelming with the roll out andinstallation program well underway in manyregions. The flexibility of Qorex is perfect for alltypes of casino operations, allowing traditionalterminal configurations as well as moreinnovative designs and layouts. We will beunveiling our Qorex Tablet Table with integratednote acceptors and ticket printers, that providesoperators with yet another innovative electronicgaming solution for their casino floors.”

All Qorex terminals are driven by the GamingFloor Live platform, which delivers essentialrequirements such as security and real-timereporting so casino operators can evaluate thestatus of their terminals at any time and actimmediately as required.

The benefits of the Gaming Floor Live platformwill also be seen showcasing GFL Bonusing, thepowerful floor-wide event and mystery drivenprogressive jackpot system. Featuring Power 8’s,the thrilling progressive Baccarat side-bet,operators will be able to see how to configureevent-driven and mystery jackpots respectivelywhich drive player participation andexcitement.

Debuting at the show will be three new originalgames – Nutz, Lucky Roll and Poker Bo. These

are the first in a range of proprietary and side betgames which are being offered exclusively byTCSJohnHuxley following the recent agreementwith developers, CLUB Gaming Pty Ltd, a whollyowned subsidiary of Crown Resorts Limited(Crown). All fun and easy to play, the gamesprovide an exciting addition to casino operators’gaming mix, increasing player engagement andrevenues.

Other products being shown are HD BlazeRoulette, a new and improved addition to theBlaze product suite, which now incorporates

even more spectacular animated graphiccapabilities to excite players by adding the wowfactor to games. In conjunction with thestunning SaturnTM Glo roulette wheel thatprovides programmable in-rim lighting toindicate game status and display an array ofunique attract modes in a variety of colours,these products deliver increased security to thegame whilst bringing high impact brilliance andexcitement to table games.

To discover these and the rest of the productportfolio, visit booth 1351 as G2E Asia

TCSJohnhuxley be showcasing its newQorex electronic gaming solutions aswell as the exciting GFL Bonusingprogressive system and a suite of newgames at the G2E Asia exhibition


tcsJohnhuxley focuses on innovations at g2EAsia with the showcasing of Qorex terminals

Quixant’s ever-expanding versatile platformhardware range heads to g2E Asia 2017

Located at stand number 1809, Betsoft will beexhibiting many of the newest games in theSlots3 collection, including FA-FA TWINS, THESLOTFATHER: PART II and THE ANGLER.Betsoft’s new Vault download client will also beshowcased at the event. Vault™ will enableplayers to download Betsoft games directly totheir desktop computer rather than accessingthem via a browser, creating near instant loadtimes.

G2E Asia is Asia's premier conference foroperators and suppliers in the ever-growingiGaming industry. This annual event will behosted at the Venetian Macao from 16-18 May2017. G2E Asia boasts an attendance rate of over95 per cent of casino operators from all acrossthe continent, all converging for the latestdevelopments and advances in technology inthe iGaming market. G2E Asia 2017 is expectedto have exceptional attendance.

Betsoft Gaming will be showcasing several oftheir latest Slots3 games, most notably amongthem THE SLOTFATHER: PART II. This long-awaited sequel to the original smash hit THESLOTFATHER brings back the iconic charactersof the seedy underworld, and features anexciting bonus round where players can claimtheir own cut of the Slotfather’s ill-wonearnings.

Also to be shown is gorgeous, anime-styled FA-FA TWINS, which pays 243 ways and isdominated by a special functionality wherereels will synchronise with adjacent reels toprovide many opportunities for winning. THEANGLER, the newest addition to the Slots3family, is centered around a burly fishermanand a unique fishing mini game, where playerscan fish up bonus credits.

"We always look forward to attending G2EAsia," commented Mark McKeown, Betsoft's VPof Sales and Marketing. "This is an unmatchedopportunity to let our Slots3 product shine forthe show's attendees. We are pleased tointroduce Vault, our new download client, as webelieve it will create a better experience for allplayers of Betsoft games.

“Our stand, 1809, at G2E Asia 2017 will beexhibiting the best games available in themarket today, alongside Vault, and we are proudto offer these creations to the show's attendeesas a taste of what Betsoft has to offer."

Betsoft gaming to exhibit newest gamesat g2E Asia 2017Industry innovator Betsoft Gaming,creators of the blockbuster Slots3collection of true 3D video slots, willhave a prominent stand at this year'sG2E Asia conference in Macau

Novomatic displays range on Ainsworth standSharing a stand with Ainsworth Game Technology (AGT) for the first time at G2EAsia, a range of NOVOMATIC product innovations will be on prominent display


The latest slot and bingo machines with market-attuned content will be featured on Stand #1305,alongside key system solutions, anddemonstrate the ongoing expansion ofNovomatic in the Asia-Pacific region.

Novomatic , supported by its official distributorin the region Jade Entertainment and GamingTechnologies, will showcase a range of productson the stand of AGT at the eleventh edition ofG2E Asia in Macau. A bank of sleekGAMINATOR Scorpion cabinets will stand at thefront of the stand, featuring a wide range ofcontent including the NOVO LINE InteractiveMacau 1 game mix. From the V.I.P. cabinet linewill be the space-optimized V.I.P. Lounge withbrand new content as well as a special version ofGlobe Roulette that has recently been approvedin Macau.

On show for the first time at G2E Asia will be

cutting-edge video bingo machines by Otium,which became part of the Novomatic Group lastyear. A spotlight will be on the OT-100 cabinet,which is already proving a major success in thePhilippines, updated with new features such asLED animations, a USB charger and optionalmodular separators. The machines will featureleading bingo titles such as Bingosaurus andMulti Dragon, as well as standalone and linkedjackpots.

With an increasing number of installationsthroughout Asia, the Octavian ACP –Accounting Control and Progressives – casinomanagement system will be returning to G2EAsia. The systems specialist of Novomatic will beon hand to present new modules, includingintelligence, reporting, player tracking andmarketing. In addition, as part of the ACPsystem will be diverse progressive and mysteryjackpot solutions.

“Asia Pacific is one of the most exciting regionsin the world for gaming, and JCM Global hasthe products backed by world-class service tohelp operators succeed by making trueconnections with their customers. We inviteeveryone to join us at G2E Asia to discoverhow our products seamlessly blend securityand convenience,” said JCM General Managerof Asia Pacific Ian Payne.

Leading JCM’s exhibition is the landmarkiVIZION, one of the most widely used billvalidators in the global gaming industry.iVIZION is the better, smarter, faster billvalidation solution and captures more than 9.5million data points on every note. It utilisesCIS (Contact Image Sensing) scanningtechnology and optical and mechanical anti-

stringing technology for ultimate in security.

Operators of all sizes will appreciate JCM’siPRO-RC bill validator, which combines thehighest levels of security with the convenienceof note recycling. JCM’s ICB (Intelligent CashBox) eliminates multiple points of humanerror for faster, more accurate drops. Plus,because it electronically matches cashbox toEGM, any box can be used at any gamingdevice. JCM will also show the GEN2 U,equipped with ITH (Intelligent TicketHandling), large paper capacity, and anexpanded graphics memory. The new GEN5printer builds on that foundation, and adds aneven faster processor, dual channelcommunications, and FUZION-readytechnology. When the iVIZION and GEN5 areconnected to the casino’s existing CMS, JCM’sFUZION has the potential to turn every slotinto a multi-line profit center, with lotteryticket vending and redemption, race andsports ticket vending and redemption,promotional couponing, tax forms, and more.

JCM Global will help casinooperators in Asia-Pacific movebeyond transactions to making realconnections with their customers


JcM global takes APAc operators beyondtransactions to real connections at g2E Asia


123 roulette table games Maximumgame internationalDesigned to broaden the roulettemarket by creating interestamongst seasoned players as wellas attracting new players to thisbrand-new game, the 123Roulettedesign simplifies the traditional300-year-old Roulette wheel witha “visually easier” numericallayout. unlike the traditionalroulette wheel, 123Roulette issimpler in design, and in Londonduring the ICE in February, onevisitor, remarked: “It just lookseasier to beat than traditionalroulette”. Jess Chavez, CEO ofMaximum Games International,added: “It’s incredible the interestshown by operators the world over,from Las Vegas, Florida, uSA, toLatin America, Russia, Australiaand South Africa. 123Roulette hasbeen exceptionally well received byboth operators and players alikeand will create new possibilities forhigher roulette revenue.”

Evolution Gaming has extended its Live Roulettegames offering with the launch of Speed Roulette,the world’s fastest online Live Roulette game.

Speed Roulette, available on desktop, tablet andsmartphone portrait and landscape, is a super-fastversion of Evolution’s leading live dealer Roulette. Inthis Speed version, game rounds take around 25seconds from spin to spin.

Speed Roulette game is delivered with a customdesigned wheel by TCS John huxley located in itsown dedicated studio at Evolution’s Riga studios. Thetable has multiple cameras for an ‘immersive’gaming experience and is staffed by experienced livedealers specially trained to maintain the fast pace ofthe game.

Betting takes place only during the spin, so there’sno ‘dead time’. No time is lost in getting on with thenext spin either, as video-based winning numberrecognition enables the dealer to start the next spinas soon as the previous spin’s winning number iscaptured. The speed enhancements mean playerscan enjoy around 50 extra game rounds per hourcompared with playing Evolution Live Roulette andImmersive Roulette.

Todd haushalter, Chief Product Officer at Evolution,said: “Speed Roulette is now the world’s fastest Live

Roulette game and is a great addition to ourextensive suite of Roulette products. There are nochanges to the core game that players know andlove, we have just made it much quicker. We workedreally hard to create a game that feels relaxed whileat the same time being blazing fast. This is a trickybalance to achieve, and by giving the game its owndedicated studio, with numerous immersive camerashots, and letting players bet during the spin wehave created a game that will appeal to serious andnovice players alike. This game is twice as fast asany other Roulette game we offer so will fit verynicely into our suite of Roulette products.”

Speed Roulette is available to Evolution licensees asan optional 24/7 add-on table.

speed roulette Online live rouletteEvolution gaming

The beginning of the year 2017 marked thepresentation of Alfastreet’s brand new product, theMulti Touch Roulette. It’s a fully Automated, or LiveRoulette game, featuring a 65ins. hD central monitorand eight gaming stations.

During the past years other producers tried to enter thegaming venues with similar products, but were lackingboth in design and reliability. The Multi Touch table iscombining industry’s leading experience in the field ofelectronic table games, latest technology and thesublime art of transferring the touch and feel of a livegame into an automated electronic version. The clearand entertaining graphic animations from the centralmonitor provide complete immersion to the playersthat each play on the individual betting screen. This isthe only machine of its kind that provides 8 gamingstations in such a compact and efficient format.

Multi Touch can be fitted with both live and automatedRoulette wheels, depending on operator’s requirementsand can be aesthetically fully personalized, to best fitinto the venue environment. The main advantages overclassic roulette tables are the absolute security andease of operation, since there’s no need for a highlyskilled professional dealers and supporting personnel.This machine is also completely inter-connectable withother systems and can be easily expanded with rangeof Alfastreet products. Interaction between players isalso worth the notice, as this game displays all the betson the community screen and the players are able tocompete, compare and strategize, based on the bettinginformation provided.

The response after the 2017 ICE presentation inLondon has exceeded the predictions and the first unitsare already up and running in selected casinos of NorthAmerica, Asia, Latin America and, after the latestinstallation, in Europe as well. These results areboosting the testing on future expansion modules withadditional games and features, elevating the value ofthe tables inside a contemporary gaming venue.

Multi touch rouletteMulti-players Alfastreet

Productsland-BaSed and interactive gaMing

Eclipse cabinetgaming cabinets synot groupSynot Group has participated inthe latest gaming and gamblingtrade show in Madrid. The showwas held at the end of March2017 with the participation ofEuropean lottery companies.

"During the exhibition, we havefollowed the success of theFebruary exhibition in Londonand we have realised a lot ofbusiness meetings. I firmlybelieve that some of them willresult in further cooperation.There was a great interest aboutour machines and above all, theSynot VLT System was the keyproduct at the exhibition," saidManuel Torres Alvarez, CEO ofSynot Gaming Spain.

This year Synot presented thenew Eclipse cabinets with thenew game compendium. Thesecabinets have met with greatsuccess and were among themost attractive machines onthe show at all. Visitors to theSynot booth could test thelatest games on mobileplatforms, either on an All-in-One touch PC or tablets andmobile phones.

cuckoo Online slotsEndorphinaEndorphina is continuing to spiceup its game selection by adding anew flavor into its portfolio mix. Byintroducing its newest Cuckoo slotright after everyone is back fromEaster, Endorphina chose to focuson the mesmerizing art of Gzhelcrafts and linked it up to thedelicacy of egg-painting. The art ofGzhel originally started in Russiaand can easily be recognized by itsdistinctive hand-painted bluedesigns on a solid whitebackground – a beautifulcombination that can be spottedon ceramics and porcelain crafts.

This Cuckoo slot is here to impressyou with its elegance andfascinating blue designs that willsurely charm you with its traditionand history. Admire its symbols of3 hand-painted eggs, stylish cards,and original Gzhel clocks that canhelp you win big this Easter. Watchthe hands of time turn on theancient clocks. If you’re lucky, theymay even offer you a bonus game.

eGamingServices, the Lisbon-based gaming consultancycompany, has announced ainnovative client supporting VideoChat Service. This service, will beprovided from refurbished contactcentres in Brazil and uruguay togaming companies targeting LatinAmerica, Brazil, Portugal or Spain,with the possibility to offer thesolution only to segmented groupsof users. The solution can betriggered on specific pages of thesite, such as the deposits page orat a specific KyC section.

The solution, handled by trained,native, customer support agents,allows eGamingServices partners,to offer value addedcommunication with Video Chat,Voice Calls and 2-way screensharing, while offering a fullbranded experience. The solutionallows the user screens to beshared with the operator on a largerange of web-browsers, includingMobile Devices (iOS or Android). Aninstallation of additional software isnot necessary, while keeping aprivate, secure and reliableenvironment.

The National Indian GamingAssociation’s 2017 Tradeshow andConvention featured a completearray of Konami Gaming’s latestgame developments for its provenConcerto Collection of video slots.

Premium, progressive, and basegame options arrived in San Diegoto thrill more than 6,000 casinoexecutives and tribal leaders.Among Konami’s top highlightsincluded Castlevania themed slots;all-new progressive game seriessuch as Cai Lai Si Ji and SmashSmash Festival; custom singlescreen releases Dragons Fury andPharaoh’s Fury; and leadingSynkros systems updates such asSynkros Dashboards and SynkrosOffers Management. The world’sfirst Castlevania themed slot

machines was a top featured gameat NIGA 2017. Castlevania wasshowcased on Konami’s curvedConcerto Crescent cabinet andincludes bonus adventures thatinvite players to journey throughDracula’s castle and battle variousdark monsters for their chance atjackpot victory. Each game is filledwith characters, scenes, andsounds from the iconic video gamelegend that has captivatedgenerations of worldwide followers.

Steve Walther, senior director,

marketing and productmanagement, said: “Last fallKonami announced the expansionof its proven Concerto cabinet to acomplete collection of video slotproducts to meet any variety ofmarket needs. That cabinetdiversity is now translating to anexpanded library of proven gamethemes that we’re thrilled tohighlight during this year’s IndianGaming show. Our Concerto KP3+themes deliver new gamemechanics and original math tocasinos across Indian Country.”

Gaming hardware technology specialist, uK-basedQuixant, has confirmed its presence for the secondsuccessive year at Juegos Miami 2017. The exhibition,to be held from 31st May to 2nd June at the Biltmorehotel, was inaugurated in 2016 and has alreadybecome a major event in the Latin Americancalendar.

Quixant’s principal focus is on the continuousdevelopment and innovation of PC based gamingplatform and monitor solutions. Showcased in Miamiwill be the new QXi-400 – its most advanced controlboard for use in two-screen machine applications.harnessing 3rd-Generation AMD G-series processortechnology in a fully fan-less design, QXi-400provides unprecedented game design opportunitiesfor those using a more compact cabinet footprint. FullWindows 7 and 10 support ensures additionalversatility, with options for both platform upgrade inexisting machines, and entirely new developments.

Complementing this new addition, Quixant’s existingcontrol board solutions will also be on show at theexhibition. QXi-307, a highly effective dual displayplatform for cost-sensitive markets, has become verypopular in Central and South America. Where a thirdmonitor, or button deck, is required, QXi-6000 – withtop-level AMD R-Series processing on board – fitsthe bill perfectly.

Quixant’s gaming monitor range has developedsignificantly in the last 12 months – another exampleof the perpetual evolution characterising thecompany’s product development - and is drawing anincreasing number of clients looking for a “one stop”combination to suit their needs.

QXi-400 and QXi-307components Quixant

Video chat service Online gaming egaming services

castlevania casino slotsKonami gaming


Major industry supplierBetConstruct has released its front-end source codes as open source.The release allows BetConstruct’spartners to develop landing pagesand front-end functionalities oftheir betting and gaming websiteshowever they wish. The front-endsource code for web and mobile isavailable in Github.

“By making the front-end sourcesopen to everyone, we remove

barriers for our partners,” saysBetConstruct Executive ChairmanVigen Badalyan.

The project is distributed under MITlicense. It enables users to takeadvantage of BetConstruct’s

powerful API and build a front-endmore independently. BetConstructhas also started delivering datareplication services. Its purpose is toprovide operators with full controlover their data, including playerinformation.

source code sports-betting Betconstruct



Bryke casinoslots Zitro

lucky 8 roulette Multi-players AlfastreetAlfastreet was satisfied with theoutcome of the 2017 FER Interazarexhibition in Madrid, as it shows thesteady growth of the market andhigh demand for the company’sproducts. All major gamingoperators visited the stand, makingthis one of the best editions of theshow ever and confirmed thestrenght of Alfastreet’s partnershipwith its exclusive distributor

unidesa is responsible forAlfastreet's recent success in Spainand both companies work closelytogether to improve and adapt theproduct line, with the final goal of

achieving a leading position in themarket. The new automatedelectronic roulette Lucky 8, hasbeen specifically tailored for therequirements of the market and itwas the highlight of the show. Thecompact 8-station machinecombines the technical featuresand performance of the bigger R8,with an approximate 25 per centless floor space occupancy. Thefull-optional edition of the R8 wasalso unveiled beside the Lucky 8,both machines equipped with abrand new user interface, which ispart of a software overhaul,another premiere for Spain.

crystal slant casinocabinets igtAt the FADJA show in ColombiaIGT significantly built upon itsinternational momentum ofdelivering unique products suchas TRuE 3D title, ZuMA 3D, inaddition to other excitinggaming solutions that are newto the region. IGT extended itsinnovative TRuE 3D gamelibrary to the region with theintroduction of ZuMA 3D, avibrant theme which featuresseven must-hit progressives;Treasures of Olympus, inspiredby the legacy title; Icarus theJourney , and other compellingtitles such as Grit Guns and Gold3D, and Cash Fever 3D. Thesegames deliver an engagingglasses-free 3D experience, andare set on the Company’s AXXIS3D cabinet. FADJA also markedthe premiere of IGT’sCrystalSlant cabinet to theColombian market. TheCrystalSlant cabinet is acompact, upright hardwaresolution with a 27-inch top boxwhich offers an extensive gamelibrary.

The past trade show in Madrid hasconcluded with an overwhelmingsuccess of Zitro that has presented20 new Video Bingo games, 14Video Slot games, its BET ElectronicBingo systems and the new ZitroInteractive games for onlinecasinos.

The star of the show hasundoubtedly been Bryke and itsmulti-game Pick & Win, Zitro's newvideo slot games offered for thefirst time in Spain. Sebastián Salat,CEO of Zitro, said: "We are happyand grateful for the positiveresponse we have received fromthe operators of gaming halls, bingohalls and spanish casinos to ourproposal of video slot games. Theimportant list of orders that wehave obtained confirms the greatexpectation and interest of ourcustomers. however, theexpectation generated by Brykecarries the responsibility, which weat Zitro gladly assume, to make thisnew product line a guarantee ofprofitability for the operators ofSpain and the world. "

To continue to lead the video bingomarket Zitro has presented at theshow 20 new games that will helpSpanish operators to renew theircommercial offer. Attendees at the

Show of Madrid have been able tolearn about the Zitro PartnershipProgram, or ZPP, which includesadvice and management of the BigTime promotional systems, whichallows the scheduling ofpromotions, adapting to thecommercial needs of the venue, aswell as the communication of Zitroproducts in-venue through itsmobile application, Busca Premios.

Johnny Ortiz proudly stated afterthe show: "Zitro's biggest display ofvideo bingo products coincided withthe launch of Bryke in Spain andthe celebration of the company's10th anniversary. It has been 10years of success in which Zitro hasdominated the video bingo marketthanks to the continuous focus oninnovation, differentiation andexcellence, but in particular, thanksto our passion for what we do. Thepassion for good work is what

distinguishes the people who workat Zitro, and undoubtedly is thereason for our successes ".

At its stand, Zitro presented its BETproduct, which can be adapted tothe regulation of each AutonomousCommunity, as well as the variouscommercial requirements of theoperator of bingo halls such as thephysical blower or virtual version.Zitro has been the first to put onlineoffline convergence to the service ofbingo operators through its mobileapplication Busca Premios, whichallows players to know what prizeswill be offered in the various venuesas well as their physical location. "

Zitro's product offering also putspecial emphasis on the onlinechannel through the presence ofZitro Interactive, who has presentednew games for online casinos, andsocial casino ‘World of Bingo.’

roadshow 2017 sports-betting Betconstruct BetConstruct continued its RoadShow 2017 in markets as diverse asKampala, Bogota and London last month. The Roadshows are a seriesof free workshops to showcase its product line-up and giveparticipants hands-on experience with using BetConstruct tools. InApril the BetConstruct team visited Kampala to meet local operatorsand hold the third workshop in the series at the Serena hotel. “It is onlythe start but we can already see the results,” says BetConstructExecutive Chairman Vigen Badalyan.

Workshops in Bogota, Colombia and London, uK followed the Kampalaevent. The BetConstruct team in Latin America hosted the fourthworkshop on April 25 while the European team’s workshop was held inLondon at the start of May. During all events participants create theirown betting websites in two hours taking advantage of BetConstruct’sback-end and front-end tools and functionalities. The events combinegood debate, great food and fantastic entertainment.


hansel and gretel Online slots NetEnt

Flow, Evolutionand cube componentssuzohapp

NetEnt has released the secondtitle from its Fairytale Legendstrilogy, hansel and Gretel. The 5-reel, 3-row, magic-filled video slottakes players into the deepest,darkest woods as they try to helpthe siblings make their waythrough the thicket – and staysafely away from the wicked witch.

hansel and Gretel is packed withrandom and bonus features, freespins, stacked wild re-spins, andwild substitutions. The gameplay iswrapped in a stunning NetEntvisual production and features aseries of beautiful animations thatbring the classic story to life. Simonhammon, Chief Product Officer ofNetEnt comments “The latestchapter in our Fairytale Legendsseries is another thoroughlyenchanting one. With its engagingfeatures and breath-taking design,the game demonstrates NetEnt’screative capabilities at their best.”

The Fería Internacional del Juegoset the scene for SuZOhAPP todemonstrate its leading position inproviding value-adding technologyto the market. SuZOhAPP’s largestand housed a great variety ofsolutions - from spare parts andcomponents to complete cashmanagement solutions.

Cash recycling plays a key role inthe Spanish gaming market.Visitors in Madrid learned about theBill-to-Bill 300 note recycler whichcan recycle up to 300 banknotes inup to three differentdenominations. The multi-escrowfeature and the fact that notes arepaid back in bulk make this theideal solution. For coin recycling,SuZOhAPP introduced the ICS(Intelligent Coin System) at the

show. Coins are counted and sortedinto eight payout tubes, so all Eurocoin denominations can be paidback. Each tube is self-replenishing, so the coins arerefilled after every payout.

For complete cash managementsolutions, SuZOhAPP showed twoComestero money changers: DualCoin Pro and, the latest generation,Swing Next. The wide range ofSCAN COIN coin and notecounting/sorting solutions were ondisplay, too, as demand for theseproducts continues to rise.

For monitors and touchscreens, thehigh quality VisionPRO and ELOsolutions were on display and, for

printers, the TransAct productswere showcased. SuZOhAPP isknown worldwide for its hoppersand toppers and its best sellerswere presented in Madrid - theFlow, Evolution and Cube hoppers,as well as the Sh1950 videotopper.

SuZOhAPP is also the specialist forredemption and amusementsolutions and visitors appreciatedseeing its CompetitionPROselection. Further products ondisplay included push buttons,ASSA and Venia locks, theComestero RM5 electronicmechanism, the MFL casinobanknote reader, as well as the SCAdvance banknote reader.

The progressive Asian themedgame Five Blessings De Lux aswell as the single game Red BirdAnd Golden Dragon are on thespotlight at Casino Technologystand #351 during G2E Asia inMacau. Both titles are speciallydesigned and dedicated for theAsian markets. The themes followtraditional Chinese mythologymotifs, presented with impressivevisual effects.

The Five Blessings De Lux isincludes a progressive featuretriggering a four level progressivejackpot, which could be eitherstandalone or linked. It presentsan innovative betting structure,

unique concept with different setsof free games and multiplier thatmakes the game more exciting,volatile and entertaining. Red BirdAnd Golden Dragon is a 50 linegame with free games and extrawins, triggered by symbols like yinand yang and Dragon. One of thebest performing games of CasinoTechnology, Duck Of Luck, willalso be presented and available to

the markets in South East Asia.Duck Of Luck is a 25 line game,with free games, which wasreleased as part of theGAMOPOLIS multigame set fromCasino Technology.

Rossi McKee, VP of CasinoTechnology said: “We have beenfocused to release games strictlycommitted to the Asian players.The new portfolio of products wehighlight at our stand in Macaoare featuring products, designedparticularly for the market here.Our games are already availableonline and our effort is to tie nicelythe landbased and online byoffering a complete package tothe operators, not only with ourslot games, but also with thesystem platforms portfolio thatallow seamless play with onecommon player’s e-wallet”.

Five Blessings De luxcasino slots casinotechnology

silver lion DeluxeOmni-channel lightning BoxSpecialist slot designerLightning Box Games hasmade its uK retail debut afterone of its games went live inan exclusive deal with Williamhill. A tailored version of thesupplier’s popular online gameSilver Lion is now available toplay across hills’ 2,300 plusnetwork of Licenced BettingOffices (LBOs).

Silver Lion Deluxe is a 4x5 reel,10-line slot. The Deluxe editionnow includes a new BonusRespin feature designed tocater for the difference inplayer taste in land-basedenvironments. The game isavailable on an exclusive basisto players in William hill’sshops.

Peter Causley, Lightning BoxGames said: “Silver LionDeluxe has been tailored withthe help of our friends atBetDigital to suit the needs ofplayers within the operator’sLBOs and we’re sure they willenjoy playing the game asmuch as we did making it.”


GameCo, creator of the world's firstvideo game gambling machine(VGM), has entered into a licenseagreement with CBS ConsumerProducts to which the company willdevelop a new skill-based gamblingvideo game based on the iconicStar Trek franchise.

Set to debut in fall 2017, GameCo'sfirst game under the licenseagreement, Star Trek Deep SpaceNine Adventure, will allow players to

take lead of the uSS Defiant andbattle their way to victory throughimmersive ship-to-ship combat.The game will feature highlypolished 3D models of the iconicspacecraft that will attract fans ofboth Star Trek and the spacecombat genre alike. The deal wasbrokered by RichmondManagement Group and providesGameCo access to multiple StarTrek series including Star Trek: TheOriginal Series, Star Trek: The NextGeneration, Star Trek: Deep SpaceNine, Star Trek: Voyager and StarTrek: Enterprise. Star Trek is a popculture phenomenon consisting of

six television series, 13 movies, andmore than 700 hours of contentavailable across several media andonline platforms.

"This fan-favourite franchise hasbeen entertaining people across theglobe and is established as one ofthe most iconic and popular brandsever. We are excited to work withCBS Consumer Products to bring aspace battle action game to casinofloors that highlights theentertainment value Star Trek isknown for," said Rich Maryyanek,Global Business Development,GameCo Inc.

star trek skill-basedgaming gameco



Crane Payment Innovations(CPI), a Crane Co. Company,will be exhibiting on stand#825 at G2E Asia with themost comprehensive portfolioof automated paymentsystems in the Gamingindustry. Among the productson display will be the SCAdvance note acceptor andEASITRAX Web cashmanagement solution.

At G2E Asia, visitors will havethe opportunity to evaluate SCAdvance alongside thepowerful EASITRAX Web cashmanagement solution.EASITRAX Web is a recentsoftware extension of theRFID-based EASITRAX SoftCount system, which has nowbeen installed in more than200,000 games worldwide. Itworks by collectingperformance data from SCnote acceptors and funnelingthat information into anintuitive database that can beleveraged to streamline thedrop process, assetevaluations, maintenanceprograms and more. Designedto maximize control andflexibility, EASITRAX Weballows operators to createcustomized reports, grantpermission levels and trackperformance remotely fromanywhere in the world withsecure intranet access.

In addition to SC Advance andEASITRAX Web, CPI will showa range of coin acceptors, coinhoppers and integrationdevices – including PayLink,which allows developers toquickly and easily integratedifferent combinations ofpayment peripherals into amachine without having tospend the time and moneyassociated with creatingcustomized paymentsoftware.

With the DF5400hD-DN/IR Dallmeier introduces anew infrared camera which has been designedspecifically for applications requiring images withhighest resolution in real-time at day and in the IRmode at night.

The DF5400hD-DN/IR is an ultra hD camera withintegrated IR illumination. Built into an IP66-ratedweather-proof enclosure, the camera is designed forboth indoor and outdoor applications. The camera isoperated with Power over Ethernet (PoE Class 0,IEEE 802.3af) which allows for an easy, quick andcost-effective cabling and commissioning.

The high resolution of the sensor and thesophisticated image processing enable real-timerecordings with uhD resolution at a frame rate up to25/30 fps (2160p/30) with excellent quality.

The automatic Day/Night operation is supported by auniform IR illumination by means of semi-covert 850nm high power LEDs. In the IR mode at night, the

camera provides excellent results due to the highinfrared sensitivity and thus meets the mostdemanding requirements in a 24-hour operation.

The camera has a motor-driven megapixel varifocallens that is perfectly tuned to the image sensor. Theadjustment of zoom, focus and iris is madeconveniently using a web browser. Manual lenssetting directly at the installation site is not required.

The lens is equipped with a P-Iris control providing aprecise and automatic adjustment of the optimumaperture. Thus, the camera achieves a much betterdepth of field than with conventional DC auto irislenses under almost any lighting conditions. ItsDigital Image Shift function allows a comfortable fineadjustment of the captured image section via a webbrowser ensuring a quick and easy installation of thecamera. The camera’s RAM memory is used by theEdgeStorage function for storing the video stream incase of a network failure. When the network isrestored, the SmartBackfill function ensures a fasttransmission to the SMAVIA recording system. Thisstores the video stream with high speed and thencontinues the recording of the live streamseamlessly.

AGS has made waves acrossblackjack tables throughout the uSwith its popular Buster Blackjackside bet, and now the game is goinginternational. The company hasformed a strategic partnership thatallows Crown Melbourne inAustralia to trial Buster Blackjackand expose their table gameplayers to this simple and funblackjack side bet; the deal alsorepresents the first internationalplacement of Buster Blackjack.

John hemberger, Senior VicePresident of Table Products at AGSsaid: “Crown’s executives knowtheir players seek excitement fromgames with high volatility, which isone of the reasons they wereattracted to this side bet; it’s alsowhy we’re confident this will be alasting partnership that allows us toexpand our reach internationallywith more of our core-gamblerstyle table products.”

As part of the deal, CrownMelbourne will install BusterBlackjack on 15 of its blackjacktables as a trial, with an opportunityto extend across further blackjacktables throughout the property.Easily added to existing blackjackgames and side bets, BusterBlackjack is an optional post-gamebet where players win odds-basedpayouts when a dealer busts. Themore cards in the dealer’s bustedhand, the more players win. Itsgameplay doesn’t interfere with orslow down the game since bets are

quickly resolved with all playerslosing or paid equal amounts.

“We first saw Buster Blackjackduring a visit to the Californiamarket, and were really impressed,”said Tim Barnett, GM Table GamesStrategy & Commercial at CrownMelbourne. “Our players have astrong appetite for this type ofbetting, and we’re confident it willdo well as a dual side-bet on ourblackjack tables,” added SeanKnights, Executive General ManagerTable Games at Crown Melbourne.

Buster Blackjacktable games Ags

DF5400hD-DN/ir securityDallmeier

EAsitrAX Webcash cashManagement cPi

Power Plant Onlineslots yggdrasil

yggdrasil Gaming has announcedthe launch of its new portrait-modeslot, Power Plant. The slot is thefirst title to take advantage ofyggdrasil’s enhanced hTML clientframework, iSENSE 2.0+, whichfeatures a revamped mobile uI.

The futuristic game transportsplayers to an electrified industrialworld, where they search for bigwins across 82 paylines.

This game is amped up with aninnovative 5x8 reel set, which is afirst for yggdrasil and is designedspecifically to be portrait-modefriendly, with its long reels andnewly-introduced scrollablepaytables. The player only needs tohit a full stack wild to activate theexciting re-spin feature. The playergets a free re-spin with the wildstack sticky, and on top of that twoto four extra bonus features areactivated.

intellia and WinUPManagement systems Win systems

Win Systems carried its earlyyear momentum into Q2 with asuccessful showing at FeriaInternacional del Juego, Madrid.Delegates flocked to see WinSystems’ innovative productrange on the stand hosted byEGASA, its exclusive distributorfor slots and gaming machinesin Spain. With its full suite ofcasino solutions on show,including WIGOS, Intellia andWinup, the reaction waspositive over the three days.

Senior personnel were on handto demonstrate the cutting-edge products, which enablecasino management to run acasino floor more efficiently withthe aid of real-time data andvisualisation tools.

Spanish casino operators werealso introduced to the benefitsof Win Systems’ exclusivegaming machine distributionpartnership with EGASA. Thepartnership enables operatorsto easily integrate high-endgaming cabinets and electronicroulette into their own estates.

Amatic Industries has been a firmfavourite in Spain for many years.The popularity of Amatic ’selectronic roulette and slotmachines could be seen at thelatest Madrid gaming show whereAmatic exhibited together withSpanish partner, Comatel Group.

The long-standing partnership withComatel is crowned with success.The Grand Jeu electronic roulettefrom Amatic is one of the mostpopular roulettes in the whole ofSpain. The latest Grand Jeu 24X hasthe powerful and secure hARDROX(hX) platform inside - making theplay response time even quickerand portraying crystal cleargraphics.

Spanish operators have three typesof Amatic gaming cabinets tochoose from – the Performer GrandArc slant top, the AMAROX C24upright and the dual-screened V24,which has been especiallydeveloped for the Spanish market.This brand new gaming machine isthe perfect solution for stand-aloneoperation in bars and arcades. All

cabinets include the AMATIC MuLTILINER range, including populargame titles like Arising Phoenix,Bells On Fire, hot Scatter, LuckyLittle Devil or Diamond Cats just toname a few.

The GO FOR GOLD bonus gamefeature has established itself in theSpanish arcades. The bonus gameis started together with the maingame or by pressing the ‘Go’button. New for Madrid was theinstallation of GO FOR GOLD withtwo V24 slots. This means thatAmatic now has the GO FOR GOLDbonus game feature across theirslots in bars as well.

“Our partnership with Amatic datesback to 2004”, explains FidelMolina, CEO of Comatel Group.“Within the first five years we hadplaced over 500 electronic roulettesin Spain. Today that number ismuch higher. The Amatic team hasalways wanted to understand thespecific players needs here in Spainand that has been a greatcontributor to our success as well.For example, the special slotmachine development for ourmarket is paying strong dividends.The V24 cabinet is very popularhere – especially with the GO FORGOLD bonus game now availablefor the bar segment”.

V24 gaming MachineAmatic industries

M-BOX gaming MachineMerkur DosnihaGauselmann subsidiaries MerkurDosniha and GeWeTe showcasedtheir latest products for theSpanish market at the “FeriaInternacional del Juego” in Madrid.

“The joint appearance of MerkurDosniha and GeWeTe impressivelyillustrated the plethora ofinnovative and forward-lookingproduct solutions that theGauselmann Group has in itsportfolio for the Spanish market,”said Ju ̈rgen Stu ̈hmeyer, SalesDirector Gauselmann Group. “Weare especially proud of thesuccessful market launch of the M-BOX, the group’s internationalflagship – the positive reactionsfrom customers prove us right!”

At the show, Merkur Dosnihapresented the M-BOX as a slant-top and an upright model. With itsprogressive design, pin-sharp full-hD graphics and impressive lighteffects, the cabinet innovation setsnew standards in the Spanishgaming market. In terms ofcomfort and ergonomics. The M-BOX features the Merkur Dispenser100 Gold as standard. In

combination with the GoldenNugget jackpot system, the M-BOXpromises the ultimate gamingexperience.

The Merkurpolis jackpot for theWB4 Casino cabinet also drewplenty of interest. The elegant citydesign, sparkling diamonds andgold bars encourage players to playfor three jackpots. Merkur Dosnihaalso has a number of innovationsup its sleeve when it comes togames content. Whether for theWB4 Casino cabinet with 10games or the Vision Slant Top with14 games - the Merkur Magic IIImultigamer package continues thesuccessful games series. With thefirst Merkur Magic I+ KIT, MerkurDosniha also presented a newgames package featuring as manyas 14 games. Titles such as Soul of

Nature, Prime Liner Wild, WildSamba and Egypt Sun.

For the Spanish bar and restaurantsegment, Merkur Dosniha wasrepresented with its popular Geniecabinet, which with its gamingpackages has already establishedan excellent position on the market.A real eye-catcher was the newDiamond Roulette from Interblock,which was demonstrated for thefirst time with integrated MerkurDispenser 100 Gold and is offeredby Merkur Dosniha exclusively inSpain. The cumulative hardwarecompetence of the GauselmannGroup in the sports bettingsegment was presented for thefirst time for the Spanish marketwith the innovative Merkur BetBook and the Merkur Bet Book soloand met with a great response.


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