funworld's Multiplayer games have increased significantly by 33% since January

PHOTO PLAY is the only game terminal with international networking. Players from all around the world can play online with one another in PHOTO PLAY NET and test their skills in tournaments. The international Touchscreen Network makes funworld a sure first-mover and places them and their game platforms way ahead of their competitors. 

“PHOTO PLAY NET creates additional value for players and is an effective instrument for long term customer loyalty. Unique features such as the Multiplayer function motivate the player community and generate an incomparable game experience“, said Josef Öhlinger, CEO funworld ag.

Multiplayer: 800,000 online tournaments
Multiplayer is a Head-2-Head player function whereby players play live against each other in real time. This occurs either move by move as in Backgammon or parallel as in classic games such as Find It.

The Multiplayer function was launched in 2005 and since then has been continually developed due to funworld's high technological competency and power of innovation. In the games sector tournaments are the absolute mega trend at the moment, whereby funworld has been the long term market leader in entertainment terminals with Multiplayer. Playing tournaments in real time, online, live against one another fascinates players and encourages them to continue playing.

funworld's games portfolio is always up to date and manifold. There are currently 13 different Multiplayer games on the terminals. In accompaniment to the European Football Championship football games such as Football Fever or Concentration can be played at the moment.

“The number of Multiplayer games played has increased by 33% since January 2008. The increase from 600,000 to 800,000 games from January to May is very pleasing and reflects the trend towards tournaments. In Greece, Cyprus and Turkey tournaments meanwhile make up a third of all games played. Whereas Backgammon is the leading game in these countries, it is swimming in Germany and Texas Hold’em No Limit in Finland which have the highest popularity ranking in Multiplayer games“, Öhlinger pointed out.

Count Me Out, the national self-exclusion scheme is set to receive a financial boost with the launch of a revolutionary new crime management system which will be giving 100% of its proceeds to the self exclusion scheme.

“SIRCS” (Secure Incident Reporting Community Engagement System) is a unique system that allows for whole communities to be involved in incident reporting, from the public, Neighbourhood Watch schemes, housing estates, shops and Crime Reduction Partnerships, through to Education Departments, the Police, Fire Service, Ambulance Service and even the Coast Guard. It is an easy-to-use, secure network-based application that is designed to help communities effectively tackle problems from crime and anti-social behaviour to reporting on graffiti and other environmental issues. It is a proven crime reduction tool which enables the fast and easy identification of suspects and offenders and allows users to quickly and easily record and share information on a range of issues such as theft, criminal damage, truancy and fly-tipping.

SIRCS is set to revolutionise the way communities, individuals and crime-fighting groups such as the police share information on crime and disorder. The scheme has already got the support of one regional partnership and has also been presented to the police on several occasions.
 
Gary Pettengell, creator of SIRCS and founder of Count Me Out and MachineGuard-UK said “this project is very exciting for me personally.  For many years now I have been involved in community engagement and partnership projects but none on a scale as large as this. SIRCS has the ability to become the most successful crime management tool available anywhere today and I am especially proud to have personally developed a scheme whereby all the proceeds will be going to help problem gamblers, their families and local communities.”

The Count Me Out national self exclusion scheme has been running on a version of SIRCS since August 2007 and MachineGuard has been using the system very successfully since October 2007. 

Pettengell was recently the subject of an international TV program called “The Power of One”. The programme focused on individuals who have made significant improvements to communities and people's lives by their own individual actions. Commenting on this Pettengell said “individuals can make a real difference to people's lives but just think what we can achieve if we all work together 'as one' to help tackle problem gambling through self exclusion. That is the real power of one.”

It is expected that proceeds from SIRCS will gradually allow membership costs of Count Me Out to reduce and eventually be totally eradicated so that operators will benefit from belonging to a nationwide self exclusion scheme at no cost.

Pettengell concluded “Numerous operators have told me that they would participate in a national self-exclusion scheme if it was paid for through their licence fee or similar source. By giving all my profits from SIRCS to Count Me Out I feel I am showing my commitment to the industry that I am serious about making a difference to problem gamblers and their families. I would hope that operators will do their bit by promoting SIRCS to not only their local police and crime reduction partnerships but also to their local authority as it is a complete community engagement system.  SIRCS provides an excellent opportunity for the industry to not only help problem gamblers but also their local communities. I would also like to invite marketing departments of the larger companies to consider sponsoring a SIRCS initiative in their local area and at the same time help to secure the future of Count Me Out as a totally free of charge self-exclusion scheme for all of the gaming industry.”

The American Amusement Machine Association (AAMA) has announced that this year's EXIME (International Exposition for Amusement Machines) Show has been cancelled. 

Mike Rudowicz, AAMA President, explained that the association was unfortunately forced to cancel the show due to a number of logistical problems.  "Due to a conflict with Expo Guadalajara, and lack of available dates in our desired time-frame, it was necessary to cancel this year's show," said Rudowicz.  The EXIME Show was scheduled to be held this summer on July 30-31, 2008 at Expo Guadalajara in Guadalajara, Mexico.

No show this year means that plans are already underway for the 2009 EXIME Show, which looks to be bigger and better than ever!  The show will be held in June of 2009 and returns to the World Trade Center in Mexico City, Mexico.  Dates, travel information, and exhibition/attendee rates for the 2009 Show will be released as soon as it becomes available.  Interested attendees and exhibitors can visit the show's website at www.eximeshow.com or contact Bill Glasgow Jr. at W.T. Glasgow, Inc., Show Management, via phone at 708.226.1300 for more information.  
 
EXIME is owned and operated by the AAMA.  In 2007, the show's 19th year, EXIME boasted 40 exhibitors in 70 booths from countries including the USA, Mexico, and Japan.  Some of the products/services that were showcased included video games, pinball machines, jukeboxes, redemption equipment, pool tables, cranes and rotaries, electronic dart games, kiddie rides, electronics/power supplies, monitors, cabinets, plush, novelties, coin counting equipment, basketball games, golf games, foosball, soccer games, ticket dispensers, debit cards/devices, vending equipment, virtual reality, laser games, simulators and inflatables.  Over 1,700 members of the coin-op amusement industry including distributors, operators, technicians, and suppliers attended the 2007 show.

FutureLogic, Inc ., the leading manufacturer of thermal ticket printers and promotional couponing technology for cashless gaming, announced today that it has signed a strategic partnership agreement with Octavian International , a leading global developer of gaming systems and software solutions. According to the agreement, Octavian will integrate, support and promote FutureLogic's thermal ticket printers and promotional couponing technology across their full range of electronic gaming machines and casino management systems.

FutureLogic's GEN2™ printers and promotional couponing technology will be integrated with all existing and new server-based games and slots equipped with TITO (Ticket-In/Ticket-Out) technology and controlled by Octavian's ACP (Accounting, Control, Progressives) casino management systems. Octavian will also provide technical service and system integration support for FutureLogic products.

"With its history of technical innovation and demonstrated leadership in TITO printer reliability and performance, FutureLogic was the ideal choice to help take Octavian International to the next level of global brand preference," said Peter Moffitt, President of Octavian International. "The GEN2 Printer's enviable position as the number one preferred printer for casinos and EGMs worldwide will be instrumental in further solidifying Octavian's leadership in the rapidly developing international gaming market."

"The timing of this key strategic partnership with Octavian International represents a tremendous opportunity for FutureLogic," said John Edmunds, VP International Markets. "The rapid growth of TITO across EMEA, APR and South America, coupled with Octavian's proven gaming industry expertise and product portfolio, greatly boosts our ability to provide casinos and gaming manufacturers with reliable, innovative printing and marketing solutions."

For further information, contact FutureLogic Europe at: +44.1628.760.083 for sales enquiries, or: +44.1628.760.082 for technical service.

Innovative Technology Ltd received impressive feedback from the preview of their latest validator, the NV200, at ICE in January. Having undergone extensive field tests over the last three months, the response has been excellent. The NV200 is now available for sale at a very attractive price.

The NV200 accepts and stacks notes in just 3 seconds, weighing only 3.0kg. Within these 3 seconds an 86mm bezel allows notes to be accepted as skewed insertions and it accepts industry standard barcode tickets. The unit has a triple lock capability in the form of a lockable validator head and a dual lock cashbox, this security is vital when the cashbox can hold up to 500 street grade notes. The NV200 also has a modular interface allowing flexible connectivity and an easy access MMC card interface for fast programming and statistical data collection. In addition it has simple and advanced programming tools via a PC or handheld unit, has USB on board and possesses both optical and mechanical anti-strimming devices. An option provided is a customer defined multi-coloured backlit bezel which can be created using any variation of the three primary colours. Multiple currency validation is also available and a full listing of datasets can be found on our website. The continued successful use of SPF technology and a seamless note path result in quick transactions with a high acceptance rate of typically 99.8%.