here - Welcome to neilmead

CALENDARwww.euroslot-online.comEvents and exhibitions26-28 JulyCAMC Fair 2012Venue: Chengdu City, ChinaWebsite: www.camcexpo.comEmail: luzhe@chinaamuse.com16-18 OctoberBalkan Entertainment and Gaming Expo (BEGE)Venue: Sofia, BulgariaWebsite: www.balkangamingexpo.comEmail: info@balkangamingexpo.comDATE CHANGE18-19 OctoberSurexpoVenue: Warsaw, PolandWebsite: www.wigor-targi.comEmail: office@wigor-targi.com2-3 OctoberDigital Out-of-Home Entertainment NetworkAssociation (DNA) ConferenceVenue: Los Angeles, U.S.Website: www.thestingerreport.com/dna.phpEmail: kwp@thestingerreport.com11-12 SeptemberMalta iGaming SeminarVenue: St. Julian’s, MaltaWebsite: www.maltaigamingseminar.comEmail: karencooke@swanevents.co.uk23-25 SeptemberGTI Asia China ExpoVenue: Guangzhou, ChinaWebsite: www.gtiexpo.com.twEmail: gametime@taiwanslot.com.tw9-11 OctoberEuro Attractions ShowVenue: Berlin, GermanyWebsite: www.iaapa.org/exposEmail: jparsons@iaapa.org14-15 OctoberEastern European Gaming SummitVenue: Sofia, BulgariaWebsite: www.eegamingsummit.comEmail: info@eegamingsummit.com22-24 January 2013EAG InternationalVenue: London, UKWebsite: www.eagexpo.comEmail: karencooke@eagexpo.comNot listed?Add your event to our calendar:just email euroslot@barnabypage.com with the details and we’ll try to fit it in.There’s no charge.5-7 February 2013ICE Totally GamingVenue: London, UKWebsite: www.totallygaming.comEmail: charlotte.cowdrey@clarionevents.comJCM’s family of award-winning products areGLOBALLY PROVEN and INTERNATIONALLY TRUSTED.4 JULY/AUGUST 2012 THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF THE AMUSEMENT AND STREET GAMING INDUSTRY

www.euroslot-online.comINDUSTRY NEWSJCM can help you ERASE PROBLEMS and CREATE SOLUTIONS.Two to BISLScientific Games subsidiariesBarcrest and Games Media havejoined the trade organisation Businessin Sport and Leisure (BISL) and leftits counterpart BACTA.Said Ian Timmis, chief executive ofScientific Games’s gaming division:“Our group of gaming businesses hasa far broader customer constituencythan any other gaming business in theUK, providing multiplatform contentand solutions to pubs, arcades, bingoclubs, licensed betting offices andinteractive gaming operators.“We’re grateful for the high level ofsupport and contribution we havereceived from BACTA. However, as aresult of our evolving product mix,and as the growth of online and socialgaming increasingly blurs the linesbetween these constituencies, it isimportant that we support the widergaming industry.“The gaming industry is continuallydeveloping with regards to legislationand taxation and it is increasinglyimportant that we work towardsforming a united voice on suchissues.”Scientific Games’ Global Draw unitwas already part of BISL.“We feel confident that BISL willbenefit from their involvement in thedetailed gaming and slots dialoguethat we continue to cultivate withboth the government and theregulators,” said the trade body’sPeter Hannibal.Playing for a good causeAmusements industry professionals are working – and playing – hard this summer to raise money for charitiesand community causes.Praesepe’s annual charity five-a-side football tournament was hailed by the firm as an “unprecedented success”after it raised a record £12,000 for disabled children’s charity Chips.Hundreds of spectators turned out to support the 26 competing teams – from Barcrest, Town and CountyLeisure, SE Leisure, E-Service, Genesis Games, Seamers, Voyager, Talarius, EMW Solicitors, and Beacon Bingo –who battled it out at the Milton Keynes Powerleague ground.Genesis Games’ Genesis All Stars won a hard-fought final against Barcrest, while two Cashino teams competedin the women’s final, with Gill’s Girls (pictured) victorious.Meanwhile, Adrian Lau-Flynn, a senior engineer at E-Service, raised nearly £1450 for Cancer Research UK in theLondon Marathon. He completed the run in four hours, 12 minutes and 22 seconds.And Robert White, chief operating officer of Scientific Games’ gaming division, will be participating in a 100kmwalking race along the South Downs, raising funds for Oxfam and the Gurkha Welfare Trust. He said: “There’s nodoubt that it will be a tough challenge. But we have been training hard and we feel confident that we’re up to thetask, with the support of our sponsors to spur us on.”Be BETTER, SMARTER and FASTER today.Call JCM at +49-211-5306-4550 or visit jcmglobal.comTHE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF THE AMUSEMENT AND STREET GAMING INDUSTRY JULY/AUGUST 2012 5

INDUSTRY NEWSwww.euroslot-online.comNEWS IN BRIEF ... NEWS IN BRIEF ... NEWS IN BRIEF ... NEWS IN BRIEF ... NEWS IN BRIEF ... NEWS IN BRIEFIn brief...Leonardo Cinalli has been namedas general manager of MDArgentina, the local subsidiary ofMagic Dreams Group. He waspreviously with Electro Chance.Reporting directly to MagicDreams’ general manager LucaGerardini, he will head up thefirm’s Latin American expansiondrive.OpenBet, the supplier ofsportsbook and online gamingsoftware, has been awarded acontract to supply PGI and itsPhilippines subsidiary IEST withfixed-odds games known locallyas Instawin. They will be deployedon terminals in Pagcor’sauthorised entertainment venuesthroughout the Philippines.The Atrax event at Istanbul’s ExpoCenter on 6-9 December isexpected to attract 300 exhibitorsand more than 12,000 visitors.Products on show will includedarts, billiards and paintballequipment, laser gamesequipment, and lottery andgambling products.DRGT, newly representing KonamiGaming in Germany, Belgium andLuxembourg, is to supply Konamislots to the Saarland Spielbankencasino group.JPM restructures, closes Welsh site...JPM Group is closing its Cardiff operations and restructuring to reflect changes in the gaming and amusementsmarket.Said the firm’s Simon Herbert: “Internationally, the market is transforming at a phenomenal rate and it’s crucialthat JPM’s structure enables it to embrace the many opportunities that continue to present themselves.“Recently JPM outsourced its manufacturing to ensure resources can be focused on content development and thesupport of trading partners.”As part of the reorganisation JPM’s Cardiff facility will close. with a number of staff relocating to its Birminghamheadquarters, home of the company’s games development team.“Our future will be built upon exceptionally performing games for use in a wide variety of gaming applications. Ourgames will be augmented through investment in our own team and, where appropriate, strategic alliances,” saidHerbert.The firm will also continue its strategy of expanding overseas through local partnerships, confirmed chief operatingofficer Paul Bursnell.“We’ve learned a great deal about the value of strong relationships and local expertise from our close associationwith Synot in the Czech Republic, where our Max Power local gaming system now has a majority share of its marketsector,” he said.“We will also soon be announcing new strategic alliances to extend our international reach and to secure practicalknowledge of local preferences and regulatory requirements.”However, Bursnell was keen to stress that the UK will not beignored: “We are concerned that UK retailers are confrontedwith diminishing choice and we’re willing to play our part inremedying that situation. In return, we need a more flexibleapproach towards product testing from those retailers.Without this the current commercial model will not besustainable,” he said....and gives Al Murraya third game outingJPM International is continuing to exploit the Al Murraythe Pub Landlord brand with the release of a Category Cproduct, Al Murray’s Beautiful British Game, to follow theCategory B4 successes Big Nite Out and All Hail to theAle.Said the firm’s Paul Bursnell: “The Al Murray the PubLandlord brand delivers high entertainment value and hasbeen hugely popular in the club sector – in fact, the latestrelease has remained at the top of the charts since itslaunch.“Al Murray’s Beautiful British Game will take the brand tothe heart of the pub business, exactly where it belongs. Thisnew release is feature-rich and makes full use of theCategory C technical standards, including an appealing newgame-to-game 100 percent holdover feature.”Al Murray’s Beautiful British Game is a three-reel multistakeproduct with a lapper which awards features, cash,hints and bonuses. Feature entry is achieved via a reel winor by completing a row or column in the Barrels matrix.A full Barrels matrix will elevate the player to the Guv’norfeature, in which a mini-reel spins and the player ischallenged to accept or reject a hidden cash value.The Guv’nor feature can also be accessed by completingred and blue (odd and even numbers) darts trails lit by thenew hi/lo game-to-game feature.Al Murray’s Beautiful British Game ships in JPM’s Linearcabinet with an optional switchable note recycler.10 JULY/AUGUST 2012 THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF THE AMUSEMENT AND STREET GAMING INDUSTRY

INDUSTRY NEWSwww.euroslot-online.comArcade fraudsters caughtby remote monitoring techRemote machine monitoring helped an arcade owner detect two fraudsterstargeting his business while he was away on holiday.Tony Green of TMG Leisure in Blyth, Northumberland, used Site ManagerEnterprise from JCA Systems to check out activity on an Astra Slotto machine.“The CCTV looked as if they were playing it correctly and there was nosuspicious activity in the arcade,” said Green. “I wasn’t even on-site at the time,I was on holiday, but I was looking at the Site Manager Dashboard featureremotely on the system and could see that the players had gained over £600 incredit on the machine.“I immediately contacted the staff in the arcade and they intervened andswitched off the machine and the fraudsters left in a hurry.”John Comfort of JCA Systems also ran a report from Site Manager for Green,showing the fraudulent transactions, which was passed on to the police. CCTVpictures and a warning were sent to local press.Enada and Balkan faircelebrate birthdaysTwo gaming and amusements expos are celebrating milestonesthis autumn.Italian trade fair Enada, running 17-19 October in Rome, is markingits 40th birthday, while the Balkan Entertainment and Gaming Expo(BEGE) and Eastern European Gaming Summit (EEGS) a few daysearlier are five years old.Companies booked so far to exhibit at BEGE include Alfastreet,Atronic, Abbiati, Casino Technology, EGT, Magic Coin, Suzo, CGI, ArtDesign, Intergames, Proxima 3, Decart, Wizzy Cast, ISU/Sega, Rodiz,JPL/WMS, FinInvest, Future Gaming, Rodiz, and Microintelect.At Enada, meanwhile, organisers promise the full range of gamingand amusements products on show, including slot machines, VLTs,video games, pinball machines, billiards, table soccer, amusementequipment, fittings and services for amusement arcades and bingohalls, and online gaming systems.Around 200 companies exhibited at the last Enada.Disneyland Paris thrives, Alton Towers waversEurope’s theme parks are performing less well in terms of visitor numbers than their overseas counterparts, according to thelatest figures from the Themed Entertainment Association and economic analyst AECOM.Asian parks did especially well in 2011 and North American ones recorded modest growth, while the picture in Europe was moremixed, with investment in new attractions at some parks leading to increased visitor numbers while others saw attendance fall off.Portaventura in Salou, Spain; Disneyland Paris; Efteling in Belgium; and Tivoli Gardens in Denmark were among the bestperformers, while Britain’s Alton Towers; Phantasialand in Brühl, Germany; and Parc Asterix near Paris all experienced declines.12 JULY/AUGUST 2012 THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF THE AMUSEMENT AND STREET GAMING INDUSTRY

Fastcount up to 6,000 mixed coinsper minute or 1,000 mixed notesper minuteAccuratecoin counter with bag stop technology andnote counters with preset and adjustablestrap limitsReliableour machines are simple to use and needvery little maintenance givingyou less down timeVersatilefrom large floor standing to smallerdesktop machines for all sizesof businessServiceour Nationwide service supportnetwork is there when you need usA great range of desktop counters andsorters, scales and more – we’ve gotit all, just call!Count QuickerWhether running a smaller amusement arcade or a round-the-clock casinooperation, Cummins Allison has a complete money processing system, coinsorter, note/ticket scanner or coin counter to fit your specific needs.Cummins-Allison money processing products are always up to the volumesand 24/7 schedules of the leisure and gaming industry.0800 0186 484cumminsallison.co.uk

INDUSTRY NEWSwww.euroslot-online.comGerman casino seeks optimumpositioning for slot machinesAgaming venue in Germany has discovered how positioning can make all the difference inattracting players to a machine.“We have researched exactly how we should deploy the AWP. An Apex Gaming Pinnacle SL standsslightly rotated relative to the other AWPs and you approach it directly when you go towards the exit.That is a very important location in our establishment,” said the managing director at Munich’s CasinoRoyale.“The aim is for our players to notice the Pinnacle SL more easily. And that is actually the case – wehave often seen how our customers decide to remain here for a little while longer, in order to play onthe Apex gaming machine”.Meanwhile, Apex is setting up another German office in the southwestern state of Baden-Württemberg to complement its headquarters near Munich.LA line-upOrganisers of October’s DNA digital out-of-home entertainmentconference in Los Angeles are taking the unusual step of splitting theevent over two locations.The first day of the 2-3 October conference will take place at the Universityof South California Davidson Conference Center, while on the seconddelegates will move to the Vortex Dome Theater for “a glimpse of a leadingedgeimmersive entertainment venue”.The keynote of the first day will be presented by Chris Stapleton ofSimiosys, focusing on the impact of the increasing fusion of real and virtualexperiences for leisure facilities, and the power of experiential entertainment.It will be followed by sessions including:• The Next-Generation Arcade, with Randy White of White HutchinsonLeisure, Marc-Antoine Pinard of Adrenaline Amusements, David Young ofBMI Gaming, and Kevin Williams of KWP, creator of the event.• New Models of Interactivity in Movie Theatres, with Greg Roach ofStoryslinger, Julie Eckert of NCM Media Networks, Jon Hussman of TimeplayEntertainment, Karl Floyd of Blue Wave Media, and Ed Lantz of VortexImmersion Media.• Maximising Social Media in Leisure Facilities, with Courtney Rayburn ofPalace Entertainment, Clark Dodsworth of Osage Associates, Anne White ofSnibbe Interactive, Cammie Dunaway of Kidzania, and Matthew Nelson ofTribal DDB.• Augmented Reality’s Next Stage in Leisure Facilities, with Harold Tan ofImmersive Technology Association, Craig Hanna of Thinkwell Design, BrunoUzzan of Total Immersion, Brian Selzer of Ogmento, and Bryan Lee ofD’strict.• Interactive Experiences in Public Places: Entertainment Applications, withPhilip Lelyveld of the Consumer 3D Experience Lab at USC, Ernest Yale ofTrio-Tech, Brent Young of Super 78 Studio, Dan Jamele of Mediamation, andMark Stutz of Mark Stutz, Inc.Sessions on the second day include:• Riding the Wave of Gesture-Based Experiences in Leisure Facilities, withKevin Williams of KWP, Jon Fox of Helios Interactive Technologies, JonEpstein of Omek Interactive, Vincent John Vincent of GestureTek, EricMauriello of Schematic, and Mark Schmitz of Zebradog.• 3D Interactive Marketing Experiences in Public Places, with Eric Davis ofNational Media Services, Jack Hattingh of Monster Media 3D, Eric Davis ofNational Media Services, Barry Threw of Obscura Digital, and Joshua Cohenof Pearl Media.The second day of the conference will also include an interactive laserpresentation from Glenn Hill of Laserharps.com. For further information visitDnaconference.org.14 JULY/AUGUST 2012 THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF THE AMUSEMENT AND STREET GAMING INDUSTRY

SPORTS BETTING NEWSwww.euroslot-online.comEuros beat the World Cupfor punters, says BetfairBetfair’s interim chief executive Stephen Morana described this summer’s Euro2012 championships as “the world’s biggest ever sports betting event” andsaid that his firm had taken more bets on the Euros than it did on the 2010 WorldCup.The tournament was a substantial contributor to increased revenue at Betfair,along with steep growth in betting from smartphones and tablets, aided by amobile app developed specifically for the Euros.“There is a substantial uplift per customer because they bet more with theirmobile products than they do online,” chief technology officer Tony McAlister wasquoted as saying. “Sitting in front of one of these Euro 2012 matches with youriPad on your lap really increases the betting that customers are doing.”The company will consider replicating the app for future major tournaments.Money backOnline bookmakers attempted to spice up bettingon the Euro 2012 tournament with offers toreturn losing stakes on certain wagers.Titan Bet, for example, not only refunded losingbets on the final winner laid before the tournamentbegan, but also had a refund offer on every game forfirst goal-scorer and correct score.“There were plenty of opportunities to spread betsin a more open manner while being able to minimiserisk,” said the firm.Other bets on which Titan paid out refunds includedthe 1-1 draw in the tournament opener (Poland vsGreece), and the draw in the Portugal vs Spain semifinal.BetVictor also refunded losing bets in the outrightwinner market placed before the first ball was kicked,to a maximum of £50.Said spokesperson Charlie McCann: “The cashbackcost us a substantial six-figure sum; our beliefwas that La Roja would miss both Carlos Puyol andDavid Villa, that Fernando Llorente had finished theseason poorly and that Fernando Torres had struggledto find his form all season. Little did we know Spaincould win the tournament without a recognisedstriker.”He added: “If you are going to have such an offer ithas to be on one of the fancied nations or it ismeaningless.”Lucky underwear on show againPaddy Power’s lucky underpants made an unexpected appearance at UptonPark in July when they were worn by heavyweight boxer Dereck “Del Boy”Chisora at the weigh-in for his eagerly anticipated grudge match against DavidHaye.The tense atmosphere was temporarily lightened when the 242lbZimbabwean muscleman proudly displayed his green Paddy Power luckyunderpants while on the scales.Mobile betting soarsBank note joke is bannedThe global mobile betting market is expected to reach $45bnby 2017, according to new data released by JuniperResearch, and comprise more than 40 percent of total bets withintwo years.The report, titled Mobile Gambling: Casinos, Lotteries & Betting2012-2017, states that online sportsbooks and betting exchangeshave been among the leading beneficiaries of the consumersmartphone and tablet boom, while wagers via mobile devicesacross all forms of gambling are expected to reach $100bn by2017.Said report author Windsor Holden: “Companies such asLadbrokes, William Hill and Paddy Power are all seeing 40 percentor more of online sportsbook customers placing bets via a mobileor a tablet, with the result that those devices already account foraround 20 percent of bets placed.”Over $13bn in bets, including $3bn in the UK alone, were placedvia mobile devices worldwide in 2011, ICE Totally Gaming reported.APaddy Power promotion using augmented reality to animate bank notes has been withdrawn afterobjections from the Bank of England.The promotion, launched for the Euro 2012 season, brought Queen Elizabeth II to life on any £10 notethrough the augmented reality app Blippar.After downloading the free Blippar app on iPhone or Android, customers were able to “blipp” any £10note by opening the app and holding their phone over it. An animated Queen would appear on the phonescreen and voice her opinion on footballing matters.The content was randomised and refreshed daily during the full three-week tournament, so customerssaw something new each time they blipped.However, said a Paddy Power spokesperson, “according to the Bank of England we’ve broken the law.We’re not so sureabout that but giventhe absence of decentfootie this month we’llhappily retire theQueen from punditryduties, for now.”Since it launchedlast year Blippar haspartnered with majorglobal brands includingNike, Sony, Heinz andGuinness to bring theirproducts andadvertising to life.Paddy Power is thefirst gambling brand ithas worked with.The underpants had last been seen at Euro 2012 when Danish striker NicklasBendtner chose to display them as part of his goal celebration againstPortugal.Said a spokesperson for Paddy Power: “The lucky pants were a success forNicklas in the Euros so we’re hopeful they’ll do the same for Dereck.”However, Haye went on to beat Chisora with a knock-out in the fifthround.16 JULY/AUGUST 2012 THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF THE AMUSEMENT AND STREET GAMING INDUSTRY

SPORTS BETTING NEWSwww.euroslot-online.comStores for StanStan James has acquired 25 betting shops from Betfred for£5m.The Office of Fair Trading ruled last year that Betfred’s £265macquisition of the Tote, which gave it 517 Tote retail outlets, wouldlead to “significant reduction in choice of betting shops forconsumers” where Tote and Betfred shops were too close to oneanother.The sale of the 25 bookmakers to Stan James should now answerthat concern, and although it is subject to OFT approval it is expectedto receive it.Touch here to bet...William Hill used the Epsom Derby to show off its new betting app using theGiant iTab device.Operated like an iPhone but with a 55-inch screen, the large-format display fromTouch2View allowed visitors to use the touchscreen to view up-to-date details of eachrace for the day, register for a free bet, examine the form and check the latest odds onany race.Once registered on the Giant iTab, individuals could log on to their account using theirown smartphone or mobile device and place bets throughout the afternoon.It was the first time the Giant iTab had been used directly in conjunction with asmartphone app to create a promotion combining mobile communications withinteractive digital signage.Social gambling trialAnew social betting concept involving groups of friendsrelying on each other’s football knowledge was launchedby Irish startup Bragbet to coincide with the Euro 2012tournament.The BragBet Euro 2012 contest, a beta trial ahead of a widerlaunch for the new football season, involved teams of up to sixfriends or colleagues taking turns each day to place bets onmatches in the tournament.Team members were encouraged to post their daily choices onthe social networking site, agree or disagree with their friends’choices and boast about their successes, while their opponentswere also able to see how each team was performing.No cash changed hands during Euro 2012, but cash prizestotalling ¤2012 were on offer, including ¤1000 for the bestperformingteam. The full service will allow players to placemoney on the performance of their team.Said Bragbet CEO Phil Riordan: “Online betting has neverbeen a very social activity and we want to change all that byintegrating it with the very best aspects of social media. TheBragbet Euro 2012 contest was our opportunity to trial theplatform for the first time, introducing a new kind of fun,interactive betting that will particularly appeal to the youngermarket.”IOC: no fixing worriesThe International Olympic Committee (IOC) has said it is confident thatit can prevent fixing of events at the London Olympics.“Experts are telling us that the Olympics is not a primary target ofmatch fixing because they are such a huge event, under such scrutiny, thatit is a big risk to try to fix competition at the Olympic Games,” IOC directorgeneral Christophe de Kepper told Reuters.“We treat this as a serious threat and we have taken measures to beready in case anyone would want to fix competition at the OlympicGames,” he added.European football may not be so lucky, however, according to Sicily’schief anti-mafia prosecutor Antonio Ingroia. He has warned that the sportis vulnerable to mafia match fixing.“These activities can generate tons of money, and that’s what CosaNostra is after,” Ingroia said. “The mafia can load the dice in some footballmatches and this has already happened in the past.”Betfred on the moveBetfred.com has signed a deal to deliver integrated gaming andbetting services to mobile agency InfoMedia, which holds exclusivedeals with a number of UK operators including the Orange and T-Mobilebrands.The betting operator will work with InfoMedia to insert Betfred oddsacross applicable services to cover all major sports such as football,racing, rugby, tennis and Formula 1.The integrated services from InfoMedia and Betfred.com will deliversports betting, bingo, gaming and casino mobile services across iPhone,Android, Windows and BlackBerry platforms, as well as exclusivecompetitions and promotions.The services will cover not only sporting fixtures but also television,celebrity and novelty bets. A interactive football predictor and race cardwill be developed, delivering odds, news and predictions to users’handsets.Said Betfred.com managing director Chris Sheffield: “This is agroundbreaking deal for the mobile industry and a very exciting evolutionfor Betfred.com. More customers will be able to access and enjoy ourbetting platform. We pride ourselves on giving the best value and uniquebonuses, which will now be available to the millions of customersavailable via InfoMedia’s approved operator channels such as Orange andT-Mobile.”At InfoMedia, which will manage the relationship, CEO Michael Tomlinssaid: “Given the sports and editorial pedigree we have developed, addingthe betting facilities under a strong brand like Betfred makes solidcommercial sense. We will handle not only the customer-facing issuessuch as SMS communication and inserting the odds for given sports eventor news story, but also the back-end customer relationship management.“This is typical of the kind of proactive, fully-integrated deal we arenow brokering, adding tangible, incremental value to carriers, mediacompanies and value-added service providers alike. We have a strongtrack record in delivering the technical integrations these services require,and a reputation with leading sports and editorial content brands and themobile networks.”18 JULY/AUGUST 2012 THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF THE AMUSEMENT AND STREET GAMING INDUSTRY

NEWS ANALYSIS – ONLINE BRANDINGwww.euroslot-online.comLots in a nameA glut of new Internet domains will present opportunities and pose challengesfor amusement and gaming operators, writes Barnaby PageKeeping control of your brand online is about toget a whole lot tougher.The snappily-titled Internet Corporation forAssigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), theorganisation which oversees the Net’s system ofdomain names, has begun the process which willpotentially lead to the use of hundreds moretop-level domains – the bits at the very end of Webaddresses.Currently these are limited to about 20 genericendings, most famously .com but also including .net,.gov and so on, along with the two-letter codessuch as .uk and .de which pertain to particularcountries.But now ICANN is opening the door to many,many more of the former, descriptive type,technically known as generic top-level domains(gTLDs). It spent the first few months of this yearaccepting applications for new gTLDs, and receivednearly 2000 of them before the end-of-Maydeadline.Each application carried a $185,000 fee, whichshows how valuable the successful establishment ofa new gTLD is expected to be: its owner will haverights to all possible domain names with that ending.For example, if someone applied for and won .burger,they’d control www.mcdonalds.burger,www.recipes.burger, www.relish.burger, and so adinfinitum. The proud new owners wouldn’t have tooperate all these Websites themselves, of course;most likely they’d rent out the individual domains toother companies, just as happens with .com and itsfellows today.There will soon bemany more potentialdomain names thatcould exploit your brandwithout authorisationSo this presents both threats and opportunities forgaming operators. Opportunities, because the newgTLDs may enable strengthening and fine-tuning ofbranding, for example by differentiatingwww.mybrand.poker from www.mybrand.bingo(assuming, of course, that the winners of the .pokerand .bingo gTLDs are willing to do business withyou); and threats, because there will now be manymore potential domain names that could exploit yourbrand without authorisation.Says Mark Owen, an intellectual property specialistat London law firm Harbottle & Lewis: “Whilepotentially very profitable for some people andopening up a range of possibilities for new services,the whole exercise has been viewed with trepidationby many brand owners. Already faced with the costsof having to defend their brand against unauthoriseduses online, they will now have hundreds of new usesto object to.”Gaming was certainly a significant theme in theapplications, with five received for .game, four eachfor .casino, .poker, .bet and .play, and two apiece for.bingo and .juegos as well as single applications for.games and .vegas. Doubtless some off thesuccessful applicants have social or video gaming inmind, but others clearly are contemplating wagerbasedgaming, though oddly there were no proposalsfor .gaming or .gamble. (The most sought-after ofall, by the way, were .app, .home and .inc.)Now the hard bit starts. As Campbell Newell,partner at law firm Marks & Clerk, puts it: “Lookingat the list, it can be seen that there are severaldomain names such as .app and .book with multiplereputable applicants, none of which have aparticularly unique claim to the phrase in question. Itwill be interesting to see how these disputes playout.”To handle these conflicting applications, ICANNhas developed a procedure that boils down to “sort itout between yourselves, and if you can’t, the gTLDgoes up for auction”. And thanks to this and otherelements of the elaborate process, it’s unlikely thatthe first of the new gTLDs will be up and runningbefore next spring.The intervening period, therefore, is one thatoperators – whether or not they’re already activeonline – should use to figure out how (at best) theycan benefit from domains with the new endings, andhow (at least) they can put systems in place to watchout for, and then stamp on, any illegitimate use oftheir brands under these gTLDs.20 JULY/AUGUST 2012 THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF THE AMUSEMENT AND STREET GAMING INDUSTRY

INTERNATIONAL NEWS - USAwww.euroslot-online.comDelaware makes e-gaming historyThe slow, but now seemingly certain,progression of the U.S. casino sector towardlegalised online gambling took two important stepsforward this summer, writes Barnaby Page.To start with, Bally Technologies andInternational Game Technology (IGT) became thefirst companies licensed to supply interactivegaming technology and services to operators inNevada, a signal that the state’s commitment toallowing online poker is real.Then, more dramatically though likely with muchless long-term impact on the gaming industry, thesmall state of Delaware became the first to legaliseall kinds of casino e-games, including roulette,blackjack and slots as well as poker.Delaware, aptly nicknamed “the first state”, ishoping to stem the loss of gaming-related revenueto its neighbours Pennsylvania and Maryland –levies on gambling provide around seven percent ofits budget – and authorities forecast that thestate’s three racecourse casinos could be offering e-gaming on their Websites by January 2013, viatablets and smartphones as well as PCs.Lottery tickets will also be available online, as isalready the case in Illinois, and indeed it isDelaware’s Lottery Office that will oversee e-gaming operations. Geolocation software willpinpoint the devices from which bets are placed, toensure that only individuals within the state’sborders can participate.The approval by the Nevada Gaming ControlBoard, meanwhile, puts Bally, IGT and their casinopartners in a position where they should be able tomove quickly to introduce e-gaming. The two firms,both headquartered in the state, already haveexperience in the field through deployments of theironline gaming technology in Europe.Bally and IGT will only be providing technology,not running gaming businesses, but thesignificance of their licensing is that it indicates thatNevada is serious about pushing ahead with e-gaming soon. Some two dozen operator companiesCould states join forces?have reportedly applied for licences in the state,including Caesars Entertainment and MGMResorts, and it’s expected that the first pay-to-playsites could be up and running by the end of theyear.For now, free-play is one way that casinos canhelp their U.S. customers grow accustomed to theidea of online gaming.“We believe that online gaming is inevitable inthe United States, and that our free-play site willenable the Golden Nugget to be well-positioned tocompete when U.S. laws allow for online gaming,”said Tilman J. Fertitta, chairman of three-siteoperator Golden Nugget, which has formed apartnership with Bally to offer free-play pokerwhile it awaits the arrival of pay-to-play.Bally’s technology in the Golden Nugget venturealso offers a foretaste of how the casinomanagement system of the future is likely to lookas more and more jurisdictions allow onlinegaming. It is designed to offer a single view of theplayer across online, mobile and land-basedactivities, and to support casino table games,video slots, bingo, and sports betting as well aspoker.“The integration with Bally’s CMP playertrackingsystem and Elite Bonusing Suite willenable casino operators to track and bonus playersseamlessly through the traditional and virtualcasino environments,” said John Connelly, vicepresident of business development at Bally. “Weare licensed as a gaming manufacturer in hundredsof jurisdictions around the world and will work withcasinos to provide one view of their patrons acrossonline, mobile, and traditional platforms.”While Nevada and Delaware are the first states to take such concrete measures towardenabling e-gaming, others including New Jersey are expected to follow suit soon, after longrunningand fruitless attempts to legalise online gambling through the federal governmentabruptly ceased to be a sticking point.That was thanks to a Department of Justice decision that federal law does not, as waspreviously believed, prohibit e-gaming – leaving the way open for individual states to maketheir own rules for online gambling within their borders.Cross-border gaming transactions would still, it seems, fall under Washington’s purviewand as such are not yet permitted. But the Delaware representative who introduced thestate’s e-gaming legislation – with the governor’s encouragement – believes that cooperationamong states to jointly offer online games to their collective populations could bethe next step, with benefits including improved liquidity.“I think interstate compacts are the next progression,” John Viola was quoted as saying.“I don’t know of anybody seeking that at the moment, but I think that’s the next move. Ithink it’s coming and that we’re not too far away from it. The nitty-gritty is in the details —who gets what, when and how? Does each state get a percentage? Who knows? It’s allsomething that they will have to wheel and deal.”22 JULY/AUGUST 2012 THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF THE AMUSEMENT AND STREET GAMING INDUSTRY

REGULATIONwww.euroslot-online.comIs it legal?Every month Euroslot updates you on the latest news affectinggaming policy and regulation around the worldBULGARIAThe new Bulgarian law on gaming, permitting online gambling,came into effect on 1 July.Other land-based gambling was already illegal but some operators hadexploited a loophole: the law did not specifically forbid running land-basedvenues that offered access to Internet gaming.CYPRUSThe government of Cyprus has banned most forms of onlinegaming, including poker and casino table games, saying itspurpose is to crack down on illegal operations. Only sports betting withbookmakers (but not sports betting on exchanges) and lotteries will be legal.Operators of online sportsbooks will now be required to pay a ten percent taxon net revenues, and a further three percent of gross revenues to sporting bodiesand problem gambling charities.The ban has been widely criticised, and there have been threats of a challengeat European level.Some see it as a way to give OPAP, Greece’s partially state-owned lottery andsports betting firm, an effective monopoly in Cyprus, where it is alreadypermitted to provide land-based gambling tax-free. It has been alleged thatOPAP influenced members of the Cypriot parliament to pass the new law.EUROPEEuropean commissioner for the internal market and servicesMichel Barnier has announced a number of gambling-relatedinitiatives including the relaunch of investigations into the compliance of memberstates’ laws with EU rules.Commissioner Barnier has given MEPs, some national authorities andstakeholders an outline of the upcoming commission’s communication on onlinegambling in the internal market, which will include an action plan. He advocatedEU action in the field of online gambling, given the cross-border and even globalnature of that activity and the difficulty for member states of responding alone tothe challenges that it poses.The communication will mainly seek to tackle consumer protection (includingthe prevention of under-age and problem gambling), money laundering and thefight against match fixing. In order to attain those objectives, the commission will24 JULY/AUGUST 2012 THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF THE AMUSEMENT AND STREET GAMING INDUSTRY

www.euroslot-online.comREGULATIONencourage administrative co-operation between national authorities, in particularwith a view to agreeing minimum common standards of consumer protection;will promote the development of an attractive offer in those jurisdictions thatdecide to open their market; and will ensure respect of EU law.Barnier indicated that he would instruct his services to “contact all memberstates concerned by ongoing cases or complaints in order to remind them of theapplicable rules and suggest that any problematic situations are rectified in linewith current case law. If blatant infringements persist, I will not hesitate topropose to my colleagues that the appropriate proceedings be taken orrelaunched.”The commission has not yet proceeded with any of the complaints lodged bythe online gambling industry against member states’ gambling laws.Said Clive Hawkswood, chief executive of the Remote Gambling Association:“We can only welcome any action on infringements, considering that manymember states seem to have assumed that EU law will never be enforced againstthem. However, we do not know yet whether effective action will be taken. Wevery much hope that commissioner Barnier’s announcement will lead to somemeaningful results before the end of his term.”U.S.As we went to press, New Jersey was poised pass a law allowingthe use of mobile devices in Atlantic City casino hotels. The statewould be following in the footsteps of Nevada, where the Silverton Casino Hotelis the latest to take advantage of similar rules by signing up Cantor Gaming torun a sportsbook including mobile. Legislators have approved the new law; it nowawaits gubernatorial approval.PHILIPPINESManila may ban all forms of gambling, with the second readingof an ordinance to that effect now passed by the city council.UKIn its annual report, the Gambling Commission says it managedto reduce visits to operators by nearly 20 percent last year by“increasing focus on higher-impact operators and issues”.Other achievements it highlights include “taking action to stop the trend tosite category B2 machines (FOBTs) in premises which were not genuinebookmakers, with the majority of those approached closing down or adaptingtheir offering to become compliant”, “stopping major newspaper chainspromoting illegal lotteries”, and “actively policing the boundary between SWPmachines and gaming machines”.It has also reduced the regulatory burden on operators, it says, by removingthe requirement to obtain prior approval from the commission for all new casinogames or game variants; discontinuing the requirement for land-based casinos tohold a casino gaming reserve; modifying Category C gaming machine technicalstandards to allow for a variable speed of play and for game links to be offeredon a 100 percent basis; and improving the regulatory returns process, particularlythe online system.Slightly reduced costs “enabled us to cut licence fees for over 1700 operatorsthis year, and not increase them for over 2000 operators”, the regulatory bodyadded.The information you need -whenever you need itVisit euroslot-online.com to benefit from free, unrestricted access tothe full content of Euroslot magazine including:• Product reports• In-depth global market data• Regulatory updates• Industry news• Full archive of magazine back issuesYou’ll find every sector of the amusements industry covered in detailat euroslot-online.com – arcades, betting shops, pubs, pool andsnooker, bowling and much more.Your competitive edge is only a click away.UKThe Gambling Commission and Hackney Council in London havewelcomed a court verdict rejecting an appeal against the removalof a club gaming permit and club premises certificate from a premises offeringpoker in Hackney.The International Private Members Club had appealed the decision of HackneyCouncil to withdraw its club premises certificate and cancel the associatedgaming permit at a licensing hearing in October 2011. But the appeal wasdismissed.Said the commission’s director of regulatory risk and analysis Matthew Hill:“We welcome this verdict, which confirms that the narrow permission allowingmembers of genuine members’ clubs to play poker cannot be used to justify theprovision of what amounts to a commercial poker club.”UKThe Gambling Commission is encouraging personal licenceholders to register online at its Website in advance of the firstfive-year maintenance fee payments falling due in September. Payment must bemade within 30 days of the fifth anniversary of a personal licence being issued.euroslot-online.comTHE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF THE AMUSEMENT AND STREET GAMING INDUSTRY JULY/AUGUST 2012 25

SPAIN MARKET REPORTwww.euroslot-online.comSPAINPopulation 46.8mUnder 15 7.1mAged 15-64 31.7mUrban population 77 percentMajor cities Madrid (5.8m), Barcelona (5m)GDP per capita $29,499Business climate Although rapid economicmodernisation since the end of the Franco era has givenSpain a per-capita GDP comparable with its Europeanneighbours’, it was one of the nations worst affected bythe economic downturn, with a sharp reduction in GDP.That has shaken confidence hard, and unemployment hassoared. The large swathes of the world speaking Spanish(albeit sometimes a slightly different form from thatfound in Spain) position the nation well as a contentexporter. Spain is divided into 17 autonomouscommunities which bear most of the responsibility forgaming regulation, meaning that companies moving intothis country must deal with multiple jurisdictions.Gaming in Spain was worth some ¤27bn in 2010. Although thisrepresented a fall of more than nine percent on the previousyear, it remains a considerable chunk of GDP, and not all sectorsof the gaming industry were hit equally.Type B slots (see below) were badly affected by thedownturn, losing some 15 percent of their income year-on-year.In total, the AWPs market is worth about ¤3.7bn.By contrast, lotteries and sportsbooks lost less than threepercent. Casino gaming was down about seven percent, yet thecountry’s 40-odd casinos actually saw total visits increasingslightly, by 225,000 to 4.3m.The bingo sector, comprising some 400 halls, was downabout eight percent.The overall picture appears to be one of a very substantial,but slightly declining, offline gaming market. That decline maybe speeded by the arrival last year of significant new legislationfor online gaming.Gaming machinesGaming machines are divided into three types: A, B and C. TypeC are casino slots, so the amusements market in arcades,gaming halls and bars is therefore dominated by Type A and Bmachines.Type A are purely for entertainment, and offer no prizes. In2010 there were about 77,000 of these.Type B are AWPs, typically returning about ¤0.70 in the euroto the customer. In 2010 there were about 240,000 of these,many of them in locations such as bars which have only threemachines at most. That figure fell from 247,000 in the previousyear, reflecting dire economic conditions.In addition to these locations there are about 450amusement arcades – a figure that dropped almost 15 percentyear-on-year, with 75 establishments closing – and nearly 2600gaming arcades in the country. Their number stayed essentiallystable year-on-year.BettingSpain’s sports betting market emphasises live betting, whichaccounts for about half the market. There are more than 1500sports betting terminals in operation.Smoking banSpain introduced in January 2011 a new smoking ban muchstricter than its predecessor. Anecdotal evidence is that this isparticularly affecting the bingo market.LiberalisationRevenue-raising imperatives have led many of the autonomouscommunities to allow new forms of gaming. For example,Valencia was a pioneer in permitting sports betting in bars, and26 JULY/AUGUST 2012

www.euroslot-online.comSPAIN MARKET REPORTMadrid led the way in allowing video slots in 2009, a policysince adopted elsewhere.Online gamingOfficially, the online gaming market in Spain to date has beensmall, with about ¤45m spent annually on lotteries and somesports betting. However, it is estimated that a far greater figure– as much as ¤1.6bn – might be spent with foreign operatorsillegally taking Spaniards’ bets. There are believed to be around370,000 Spaniards betting online.This, and of course the pressing need for the fiscally-strappedcountry to raise new revenue, have led to the biggest change inthe Spanish market for some time – the introduction in May lastyear of the new gambling law originally announced in 2007.Spain’s regulatory structure has been bifurcated for decades.There has been a national legal framework for gambling in placesince 1977, and that has continued to remain in force, but thebulk of regulatory decision-making has been devolved to theautonomous communities since 1985.The 1977 framework did not, of course, envisage the arrival ofonline gaming, and that has led to some anomalous situations –for example, the autonomous community of Madrid went aheadwith legalising Internet gambling before the nationalgovernment, ironically based in the same city, had done so.The new rules should bring some clarity to this situation andthe first online gaming operations authorised under them arenow established.A new supervisory body, the Comisión Nacional del Juego(National Gaming Commission), is being created withnationwide oversight of licensing.A further new body, the Consejo de Políticas de Juego(Gaming Policies Board), will advise on regulatory andenforcement policy, and include representatives from theregions.Taxation for the majority of games has been set at 25 percentof gross gaming revenue, after the government – followingprotests from the likes of the Remote Gambling Association –did a U-turn on earlier plans to levy taxes as a percentage oftotal stakes.This page was sponsored by:JULY/AUGUST 2012 27

TECHNOLOGY FOCUSwww.euroslot-online.comMaking the connectionThe addition of Internet features is transforming thejukebox and the photo booth alike, reports Jon BrufordWhile the explosive growth of e-gaming on PCsand smartphones has been the most visiblechange in the gambling and amusements marketbrought about by the Internet, the makers of placebasedtechnology such as photo booths andjukeboxes have not failed to exploit the potential ofonline either.For example, new photo booth products fromDigital Centre such as New Generation, The Strip,Mega Strip and Mega Combo combine touchscreentechnology with Internet connectivity to addrelevancy for the user, as the firm’s Paul Jacobsexplains: “The photos have a code and Web address,Myphotocode.com, printed along the left side.The customer can then use his or her smartphone,home computer, iPad, laptop, or whatever to sendcopies of the photos to themselves or friends.Simply go to the Website and type in the code andthen send via email, or send directly to Facebook orTwitter.“For the operator, it turns the photo booth into aneven greater revenue producer because thecustomers will take more pictures knowing they cansend them via social networking. Also, the operatorcan remotely access reports, so it’s doublybeneficial.”At rival Apple Industries, president WarrenFriss agrees – and enthuses about hiscompany’s technology, adding: “Last yearwe launched our Smile 2.0 software,which is our photo sharing software.On any photo booth we sell now, inaddition to getting your strip ofphotographs, you can now also getthem emailed to yourself, friends orfamily, post direct to Facebook, andtweet from the booth.“Additionally, of course, beingonline gives the operator tremendousadvantages because the booth cansend them reports that they’reworking, how much revenue isgenerated, how much paper is left soit can be monitored remotely, howmuch cash versus card action there is,and so on. There are huge benefits.”It’s these additional features thatcan drive new revenue for operators,or alternatively allow operators to addvalue for customers.. If the operatorwants to charge a pound or a eurofor customers to share their imagesonline, the benefits are obvious – notleast because it doesn’t cost theoperator anything extra for thecustomer to carry out the operation.But as Friss points out, the newfeatures have a bigger impact whenthe services are free, and “50 or 60percent of people are emailing theirpictures to themselves, with postingit on Facebook second most popular,and tweeting a distant third”.A further benefit is that even if an operatordoesn’t charge for allowing people to email theirimages, the booth can collect the email addresses ofits customers, eventually giving the operator avaluable customer database for marketing andpromotional purposes (although data protection ruleshave to be borne in mind).The booth can collectthe email addressesof its customersAnd the evolution is not over – upsells are thefuture, says Friss: “We’re also going to be adding theability to have people purchase not just photos, butmugs, keychains, screen-savers and more that can beupsold to the consumer when their picture is taken.”This is particularly smart when you take intoaccount the strong figures recently posted in aFuturesource Consulting report on photomerchandisein Europe, which notched up animpressive 11 percent growth last year to reach a totalvalue of more than ¤470m. Much growth is expectedto come from sources such as the mobile market, butHot propertySlender and compact, Tab Austria’s MaxFire Jukebox HD gives users direct accessto the latest songs and videos as well asclassics from a century of music history,with updates daily. The jukebox adaptsautomatically to the needs of each venue,and also stands out thanks to its design,the firm says.Hardware and software work seamlesslytogether; an intuitive user interface designprovides an optimal overview with its 32-inch touchscreen, so all the Max FireJukebox HD features can be in view.This compact and multifunctionaljukebox is ideal for the diverse needs ofbars, pubs and restaurants, says TabAustria.28 JULY/AUGUST 2012 THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF THE AMUSEMENT AND STREET GAMING INDUSTRY

www.euroslot-online.comTECHNOLOGY FOCUSNot dead yetThe rise of the digital camera, particularly thedigital SLR, meant the end for film cameras;similarly, camera phones with resolution ofeight megapixels or more have brought abouta decline in the popularity of point-and-clickdigital cameras. So how has the photo boothnot only endured this competition, butthrived?Warren Friss, president at Apple Industries(and featured in this month’s EuroslotProfile on p34), says his firm’s products –such as FacePlace – have benefited becausepeople are more interested in takingphotographs: “Camera phones have actuallyhad a positive impact on our industry. One ofthe things we’ve seen is an increase over thelast four or five years in the usage of ourphoto booths.“You would think it would be going in theother direction because it’s so easy to take apicture with your cellphone but the truth ofthe matter is, people – and specifically teens,kids, 20- and 30-somethings – are moreinterested in photos these days than they everwere in the past. They love to take photoswith their iPhones, in photo booths, to haveother people take photos of them, then sharethem and show them to friends, post them onFacebook, show other people what they’redoing.“My daughter is 12 years old and she usesInstagram constantly; wherever she is,whatever she’s doing, she takes a picture andshows it to her friends.”But Friss acknowledges that a photobooth is still a different experience, and thiscould be its strength: “One thing about photobooths you don’t get with your iPhone isgetting into the booth with your friend orgirlfriend, closing the curtain, pulling funnyfaces and having a great time. With yourcamera phone, you’re just smiling and sayinghi. Because our booths are fully digital, we cansee how they are being used by customers;and that’s teens with friends, pulling faces,smiling, hugging – very different to if youwere snapping a shot with your cameraphone.”the innovators behind modern photo booths willsurely also have an impact on the popularity ofphoto-merchandise.A bigger jukeboxJukeboxes have also benefited from Internet ornetwork connectivity; although PPL rules restrictjukes in the UK to holding just 40,000 tracks, aconnected device can draw on alarger online library to offer extra songs at a premiumat the same time as adapting its locally-stored tracklist to customer tastes.NSM’s Alex Kirby explains: “A networked jukeboxcan increase cash box by charging more credits for adownload track. It’s another way of creating a fullercash box. The hard drive can hold 40,000 tracks, butwe have over 100,000 on our server.“Charts began in 1952, but if you hadevery single Top 40 on thejukebox that wouldactually only be about35,000 tracks. Sohaving millions andmillions of tracks onyour jukebox is largelypointless, it’s quantitynot quality, as you endup with customershaving to work throughthousands of tracks orartists that are just notrelevant to them. You stillneed a mix of music,though.“As soon as the jukeboxgoes online, the customercan see everything on ourserver; because thejukebox only contains40,000 tracks, the chancesare they’re going to seesomething on our serverthey want, and it will say‘download’ next to it. Theyselect the track, they’re toldit will cost, say, two credits;the track downloads to thejukebox but in order to makesure it does not exceed itsallotted 40,000, it knocksthe bottom track off. Ascustomers ‘profile’ thejukebox to tracks they like, itwill earn the venue greater cash box.“Of course, you don’t have to do it that way, theredoesn’t have to be a premium on a download track,it’s just another means of increasing revenue.”NSM’s Apollo and Fusion jukeboxes also use RSSfeeds to attract customers. Says Kirby: “Customerscan see time, date, weather, sports results and it’sfree to the customer; the idea is for the customer toTHE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF THE AMUSEMENT AND STREET GAMING INDUSTRY JULY/AUGUST 2012 29

TECHNOLOGY FOCUSwww.euroslot-online.com‘make friends’ with the jukebox and get them infront of the device – while they’re there, they mightjust play a track. It’s free to customers andoperators, you just have to put it online to get that.”Some NSM products also have the ability to viewYouTube videos. Playing audio over internal speakersso they can be only be heard near the jukebox, theseare another way to entice punters over to themachine.How many people can youfit in a photo booth?Lack of broadbandmay be an obstacle forsome sitesAt Sound Leisure, meanwhile, another innovationtaking advantage of connectivity is the tie-in withLast.fm on the VenueHub jukebox. It’s provedsomething of a hit, with over half a million paid-for“scrobbles” – entries of songs onto a customer’spersonal profile – so far.Last.fm offers users the opportunity to build up aprofile of their favourite music online, which theycan access remotely from the VenueHub jukebox intheir local pub. This means that they can simply logon via the jukebox and see all their favourite trackswithout having to search for them.The Last.fm application also builds up a profile ofthe bar or pub, based on all the music chosen andpaid for by customers.And a further feature of the Last.fm site is adedicated radio station created from the trackschosen by subscribers. So for customers at theQueen’s Head pub who want to recreate the sameambience at home, they can access the Last.fmQueen’s Head profile and play the music that hasbeen chosen and paid for by customers in the venue.The benefits to operators are similar to thosefrom a photo booth, as Sound Leisure’s Chris Blackexplains: “The operator Web page allows theoperator to log on to view takes, updates andmachine status, background music times, and so on.From a player’s point of view the online machinesensure that the latest andmost significant tracks and adverts can be displayedat the most relevant times. With machines likethe VenueHub it also gives the player access toover 7m tracks, ensuring that all musical tastesare catered for.” So it’s win-win for player andoperator.However, although Black has an eye on furtherdevelopments for Sound Leisure, he is keen tostress an obstacle that some sites may face – nobroadband.He says: “With the VenueHub product we arebeginning to see a glimpse of what the connectedfuture looks like, features such as being able to viewyour favourite tracks on the jukebox by simplylogging onto the machine. Contactless paymentscan be taken once the machine is connected – theUK has witnessed a slow uptake in this so farPhoto-Me has established a Guinness world record by cramming seven people into a singlebooth at London’s King’s Cross station.The record attempt was part of a wider Photo-Me promotion that saw the company offerhundreds of free photos to the public.The seven successfully squeezed and remained inside the booth for over five seconds,earning Photo-Me the new Guinness world record “Most People Crammed in a Photo Booth”.Recalls Olivier Gimpel, Photo-Me’s UK chief operating officer: “It was a successful day for usand a lot of fun for all commuters and station users. A day to remember!”30 JULY/AUGUST 2012 THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF THE AMUSEMENT AND STREET GAMING INDUSTRY

SHOW REVIEWwww.euroslot-online.comPark AvenueThe sun shone and Electrocoin opened their ParkAvenue doors to the trade for beer, barbecueand a chance to catch up with friends and contacts inthe industry, and maybe secure a couple of ordersalong the way. Some of the companies in attendanceshared their thoughts on the day with Euroslot.Suzo-HappMatt Harris andNorman Ridallwere on handfrom Suzo-Happ, showingthe innovativeand eye-catchingTrilliards tableand meetingcustomers andcontacts in theindustry.According toHarris “We reallylike the informalsetting of thePark Avenue Open Day, it gives us a great chance totalk to our customers in a more relaxed environmentthan would usually be the case at a big trade event,and we’re really looking forward to following up onsome of the positive conversations we had on theday”.LAI GamesSteve Bryant, LAI Games International SalesManager, was also in attendance, along with SalesDirector Ian Pawson and Terry Farr from LAI’sexclusive UK distributor AMG Leisure, showing thelatest LAI Games’ hit, Speed of Light. According toBryant: "Speed of Light is a thrilling redemptiongame that tests players' speed and reflexes, whileproviding onlookers an entertaining show in theprocess." Adds Pawson "The first time we saw thegame, we understood its potential for the UK market.It is a great looking, unique and new concept. It cango into any location and be an asset." Of the dayitself, Bryant commented, "Park Avenue is a greatopportunity to meet and chat in an informalenvironment. All parties involved should be proud ofanother successful Open Day."Sega Prize EuropeAccording to Sales Executive Tracy Kemp andcolleague Maxine Davison: “Sega Prize Europespecialise in providing family entertainment centresand amusement locations with high quality licensedplush and merchandise. We take great pride inproducing high quality products and do not believe incompromise. Our prize program is constantlygrowing, by acquiring popular licences that are highlydesirable to the players of today. We believe in valuefor money and where possible our merchandise willbe safe for all ages or as we like to call it ‘Sega Safe’.”AstroSystems LtdSteve Priest (pictured with the new Microcoin SPfaceplate) shared the following: “During the past 6months, we have developed the Microcoin SP coinacceptor to meet bespoke customer requirementswithin the UK amusement industry. This hasincluded a powerful Bonus Credit function, Timerfeatures, and the option to remotely programsoftware and firmware via the host machine. All ofthese features are integral to the Microcoin SP , andare built in to the product at no extra charge.Traditionally the SP has been available with either a115mm or 155mm plastic faceplate, however we haverecently designed a new faceplate for the MicrocoinSP; ideally suited for the amusement market formachines with steel doors . We are pleased that wehave been able to exhibit the new faceplate at thePark Avenue Open Day.”JNC SalesAccording to Mike Smith, Sales Director (picturedwith the Kiddie Sub ride): “Just over 12 months agowe began our search for a product that would fit theKiddie Ride sector, combining it with the latestinteractive technology. We finally found TECWAY,who worked closely with us to create the InteractiveRides of Kiddie Sub, Kiddie Pirate and the PuppylandCarousel.Since April we have taken delivery of a containereach week to satisfy the demand with the remaining32 JULY/AUGUST 2012 THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF THE AMUSEMENT AND STREET GAMING INDUSTRY

www.euroslot-online.comSHOW REVIEWOpen DaySound LeisureSound Leisure enjoyed another fruitful Park AvenueOpen Day. The Leeds-based jukebox manufacturershowed the V-Hub and the latest RPS 20,000Sound Wave models with their music supply partnerSoundnet, as well as the Summer of Sportpromotion, where jukebox customers can win an iPadevery month.“We were really pleased at the quality of visitor atthe Open Day,” said Sound Leisure ManagingDirector Chris Black (looking typically fresh despitehis gruelling recent “underwater” bicycle marathon).“We saw a wide range of customers includingbrewery representatives and operators. I would like tothank the team at Electrocoin for hosting anothergreat event, which is firmly embedded in the showcalendar.”As Clay says “Not only does it enable the operatora faster and more accurate way of counting mixednotes, but can also be output to a printer or PC(using Cummins Allison’s Jetwedge software), toprovide a total cash-breakdown of coin and notes foreach machine.”2 containers due within the next 2 weeks – it’s onlyat this point have we had any surplus stock availableto offer! Make no mistake - without this Kiddie Subride, 2012 would have been a much more difficultyear for us than it’s turned out to be.”E-serviceMike Clokie (pictured) and Paul Smith were busilyflying the E-service flag. According to Clokie: “TheOpen Day is a great event for us. We get to see ourcustomers, catch up on the latest news and gossip,and make a few new business contacts along theway. And given we’ve just moved into our largerpurpose-built premises, we’re ready for the extrabusiness!”Cummins AllisonPaul Clay from Cummins Allison was exhibiting their‘mid-range’ Model 4200 Jetsort, which can sort upto 4,000 coins per minute, has an easy to operatetouch-screen, and boasts the same reliability that theJetsort has become renowned for. Connected to theJetsort was their Jetscan Model 4161 ‘single-pocket’note scanner with the capability of counting bundlesof mixed denominations of notes, using the latest innote-scanning technology.ElectrocoinThe last word, of course, goes to Kevin Weir fromorganisers Electrocoin, who yet again produced afantastic day, even arranging for the sun to shine! Ashe says: ‘We were delighted with the attendance, notonly the quantity of visitors but also the quality. Youcould say the industry came to Park Avenue!One noticeable trend was the increase inattendance from the single site operators andrepresentatives of the pubco’s. We believe that this isdue to the commitment that we have shown to thissector and is it is pleasing to see the response thatwe got on the day.Everybody who participated appeared to have agood day and my thanks go to all those who workedso hard to make it a successful day for business aswell as for charity. Rays of Sunshine supported theday with great energy and I know that their effortswill be rewarded.’THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF THE AMUSEMENT AND STREET GAMING INDUSTRY JULY/AUGUST 2012 33

THE EUROSLOT PROFILEwww.euroslot-online.comQ&A: Warren FrissApple Industries’ president regards the amusements sector as part of the entertainmentindustry – and the Internet as the big game-changerHow did you first get involved with theamusements industry?I’ve been in the entertainment business for over 20years – through my work as an attorney in theentertainment industry and then as head of ToppsSports & Entertainment – and I see theamusements industry as another form ofentertainment. It’s all about creating fun for theconsumer and that’s what I love to do.Why? What attracted you to this sector?It’s a much, much bigger industry than most peoplerealise, with lots of opportunity. Everywhere you goyou see amusement equipment, whether it’s amovie theatre, bowling centre, theme park, shoppingmall...the ability to create products that can beeverywhere is very exciting to me.Do you think it has changed much since then?Not since I started a year ago! But the industry isdefinitely changing. Products that offer the benefitsof Internet connectivity have become a must inorder to attract people of all ages – not just kids.What are the biggest positive factors for thesector right now – the drivers of growth anddevelopment?It’s definitely the ability to use the Internet. Our newphoto booths allow you to email your photos, andpost them to Facebook and Twitter. And, for theoperator, the photo booth provides daily emailreports showing usage, whether the booth isworking properly and whether it needs paper. Thiswill make photo booths much more profitable andefficient to operate.It’s all about creatingfun for the consumerLooking at your whole career, what do youreckon was your smartest move (large orsmall)?Negotiating an exclusive licence with Major LeagueBaseball was definitely the highlight of my career.It was very difficult to accomplish and requiredthat some difficult decisions needed to bemade – but it was an extremely important dealfor Topps.And your dumbest one?In 1998, when we were launching Etopps, an onlinetrading card platform, we were looking for a partnerto host the trading floor for the Etopps cards. It wasbetween Amazon Auctions and eBay. I choseAmazon Auctions...oops! Luckily, Amazon Auctionstold us they were shutting down before we signedthe deal and I was still able to convince eBay topartner with us.Where do you hope you’ll be, professionally, inten years’ time?Still running Apple Industries/Face Place!And finally – if you’d never embarked on thiscareer, what other line(s) of work would youhave liked to pursue?A professional baseball player. Is it too late?And what are the negative ones – the obstaclesto growth?With all of the mobile devices that provide gamesand other forms of entertainment, we need to makesure our products provide value and a uniqueexperience. It used to be that the games in alocation were the only form of entertainment, butnow people carry their entertainment with them.We, as an industry, need to be aware of thatcompetition.Curriculum vitaeWarren Friss, president of Apple Industries/Face Place, earned a law degree from the University ofPennsylvania and began his career as a corporate attorney at the New York law firm of Shea & Gould. In 1995he joined The Topps Company, where he served as general counsel, and in 2000 Warren invented andsuccessfully launched Etopps, an Internet trading card platform now in its 11th year.Following this, Warren headed Topps’ sports and entertainment division, with more than 125 employees,from 2006 to 2011. Warren led that division to dramatic growth and, ultimately, to a sale of the firm toMichael Eisner’s Tornante Company in 2007.34 JULY/AUGUST 2012 THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF THE AMUSEMENT AND STREET GAMING INDUSTRY