Astra Games – Part of the Novomatic Group of Companies – once again re-affirmed its position as the lead games innovator in the UK by revealing a wide and varied range of product at ATEI 2008. Exciting new developments for both the domestic and overseas markets placed a clear marker for Astra’s intentions in 2008, and was met with a mixture of delight and appreciation by Industry partners.

“The investment we poured into development in 2007 really produced dividends at ATEI 2008”, stated Astra Managing Director Neil Chinn. “In line with the Astra core game strategy, the entire product range incorporated a blend of familiar Astra proven game concepts with a collection of vibrant, innovative ideas; Enforcing Astra’s position as a groundbreaking company with strong, established game brands that transcend geographic boundaries and market sectors.”

The focussed efforts of Astra’s development team came to fruition in the form of both video and reel based Category C games; the evergreen themes of Party Time and Bullion Bars re-incarnated in a dazzling new Platinum presentation, complete with a new Category C overhaul, were of particular interest to a jovial UK operator congregation. These games were accompanied by Astra multiplayer “Locomotion” - arguably the Category C star of the show – which introduced a compelling presentation enhanced via three 32” LCD top screens; a visual extravaganza that mixes a Wild West train theme with an innovative top feature that is a bona fide “first” in the UK market.

“Locomotion was unparalleled in terms of machine presentation, it “wowed” not only the UK industry but also the gathered International Industry, an indication of the talent and ideas within the UK sector.”

Category B3 was represented by a host of exciting new product, again in the form of multi game compendium Party Slots, which introduced new game Bullion Bars 500 and the Megaslot feature enhancement, an unparalleled way of heightening the B3 gaming experience. Double Action Slotto with its “Gamble” feature lived up to the pre-show hype by wowing the entire show; its breathtaking game play and dynamic presentation conspired to create what will be the B3 product for 2008.  Alan Rogers, Director of Sales at Astra, emphasised Astra’s dedication to moving things forward:

“Astra realised that 2008 would be a watershed date for new product; I believe we have seized this golden opportunity by launching new product that already has a devoted following, such as Party Time Platinum, plus two of the strongest game concepts that the UK has seen since the introduction of the former Section 16 product, namely Locomotion and Double Action Slotto.”

Astra devoted two thirds of stand 620 to the ten markets – Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Holland, Italy, Poland, Spain, Slovak Republic – that make up the export market.

Czech Republic sees Riverboat Gambler 750 and Hi Energy 750; The Netherlands introduced the Multi Game compendium in the Mk5 cabinet for street locations; House of Fortune for Denmark, a growing performer, made an appearance; Belgium presented Royal Riches and Party Dice in the Games Palace compendium, as well as multiplayer Las Vegas Dice; A strong Eastern European showing with Slovakia – Riverboat Gambler 300, Poland – Riverboat Gambler 500 and Hungary – Fortune Sevens, was met with a very positive response by Astra’s partners in each of the countries. Spain, a market where Astra have been establishing a brand presence with an expanding range of games, featured exciting new product tinged with the passion and colour of the Mediterranean. Game of Fortune ably represented Italy, and new market Germany presented a trio of “Wall Cabinet” games in addition to the Multi Game Upright concept aptly named Party Games. Stand 620 was a must visit for customers of all nationalities:

 Neil Chinn commented:

“A fantastic range of Export product was excellently presented by Astra’s partners in each of our key countries. The games were confidently received by an enthusiastic customer base and I believe that 2008 will be a strong year for Astra across our international markets.”

Adjacent to the Astra stand was Novo Casino UK, presenting the latest Category B1, B3 and C games from Novomatic’s impressive stable. Magic Games II, the everlasting Adult Gaming Centre multi game compendium, once again appealed to the UK customer base, as did Category B3 multi game compendium Magic Lotto. Both products incorporated new compliant games that have enhanced the game play and created a new gaming experience for the player. Alan Rogers said:

“The games have been enhanced to not only incorporate the machine standards and regulations, but to also improve the game play and offer even greater, more entertaining games”

Stunning new cabinets and unbeatable new games is the formula for Novomatic’s UK B1 product range in 2008, combining the visually splendid aesthetics of the Super V+ Gaminator cabinet with a host of new Coolfire II games, including Beetlemania Deluxe, Lucky Lady’s Charm Deluxe and new game Egyptian Experience. Also in attendance was Novomatic’s mystery win Flexi Link system, a glorious 57 inch plasma screen presentation that will create a focal centre piece on any casino floor. Sales Executive Richard Barr is enthusiastic about new product:

“The introduction of Coolfire II in the UK market gives UK operators and players the chance to see the next generation of games from Novomatic for the first time. Superior graphics, multiple win line options and the head turning presentation of the Super V+ Gaminator cabinet, all combine to make this product range unparalleled in the UK market. Following the upheaval of the smoking ban and legislation change, the dramatic entertainments of the Coolfire II games are a welcome shot in the arm.“

Overall ATEI 2008 was a positive start to the year, indicating a clear path for the future in all areas of Astra’s ever expanding business. Neil Chinn:

“Firstly, I’d like to say thank you to Astra’s partners and customers for the tremendous support shown at ATEI. It has been a difficult time for UK gaming and the commitment from all areas was abundantly evident on both the Astra and Novo Casino UK stands.  Astra’s campaign to deliver product that embody our key brand values of quality, innovation and service came to the fore at ATEI this year, I believe that it is the first step in bringing success for Astra, our partners and our customers.”

The London Shows (ATEI, ICE and ICEi) underlined their reputation as being the most international expos on the industry calendar. Data for the first two days of the 2008 exhibitions reveal that a total of 122 national territories were represented on the show floor. First-time representations from Nicaragua, Rwanda and Tonga raised the total number of jurisdictions represented since 1995 to 181. Also official figures released for the first two days of the London Show 2008 – comprised of ATEI, ICE and ICEi – show a total increase in visitors of 2.7 per cent, to nearly 23,000 year-on-year. Attendance at ICE increased by 8.9 per cent in the period, from 8,605 to 9,370, while ICEi recorded the largest jump with a rise of nearly 25 per cent to 2,555 visitors. ATEI attendance dropped by 5.8 per cent, to 10,913.
 

Peter Rusbridge, Chief Executive of organising company Clarion Gaming, said:
“We have always maintained that our exhibitions reflect the industries they serve. The two-day figures represent a snap shot of the business. The consolidation and uncertainty within coin-op markets is manifest in the ATEI attendance. ICE continues to build on its status as one of the strongest events for land-based casinos. Of course we are delighted with the development of ICEi, both in terms of the number and the calibre of attendees. However, attendance figures in isolation are relatively meaningless and as always the response of our stakeholders – visitors and exhibitors – will provide the litmus test.”

Exhibitor quotes ATEI:

Robert White – MD, IGT UK (in charge of Barcrest)
“This show itself has been a great success to us, the stand has been phenomenal. For us the show is about bringing product that has been tested and really launching it into the market place. It’s a great opportunity to demonstrate the product on such a large scale event, to multiple markets.”

 John Farrington – MD, Cosmic Video Amusements
“We've signed a number of really good deals here at the show, it’s a great opportunity to meet and do business. I'm really impressed with the show, we've had a great response and there has been a lot of traffic through the stand. We've had every major operator look at the stand. Everyone is screaming out for something different and that’s what they're here for. This year has been our biggest presence at the show ever, and it’s been worthwhile. Great three days, really good turnout, especially from overseas.”

 
Phil Burke – International Sales Manager, JPM International
“It’s either been very, very busy, or very quiet – more busy periods though. But people have been coming in waves! So many of our products have been exports, and that’s what we’ve been concentrating on here. Over 90 per cent of our output goes abroad, and there’s been a definite increase in international visitors, most notably from the Eastern European market. I think the increase has added a whole new dimension to the show, and ATEI has become the only truly international show.”

Exhibitor quotes ICE:
Max Lindenberg – Marketing & Business Development, Novomatic – Austrian Gaming Industries
“It’s been a crowded, busy show as always. Every year it gets bigger and better, and again the success has not been unexpected to us. It’s brilliant. The show attendance has been excellent and the reaction has been great, and some of the visitors have been calling our stand Earls Court 3. ICE is the most important show for Novomatic, the international part of the show is getting bigger and better every year, which is what we're looking for.”

Georg Steiner – Sales/Marketing Director, Amatic Industries
“The show has been very good indeed, very busy and an excellent place to meet clients. We've been in the industry for 15 years now, so nothing surprises us, but it’s been a very impressive show.”

Nick Khin – Executive General Manager EMEA, Aristocrat Technologies Europe
“ICE 2008 has proved, once again, to be a unique platform to launch new products, stimulate the market and strengthen relationships with our customers in the region. I’m pleased to report that Aristocrat, ACE Interactive and PokerTek have succeeded on all three accounts – the show has been a great start to 2008.”

FutureLogic, Inc., today announced that the company will mark a milestone in the thermal printing industry this year, celebrating 25 years in business. Founded in 1983, FutureLogic has established a leadership position in the TITO printer market through technological innovation and outstanding customer service.

FutureLogic began doing business as an electronic design consulting business, and created its first custom printer for the medical device market in 1995. FutureLogic printers also helped facilitate the development of supermarket couponing systems that are used to retain and reward shoppers. Today the company designs and manufactures thermal printers for casino gaming, medical, RTAL, gas pumps, promotional equipment, kiosk, and industrial applications.

In the gaming industry, FutureLogic has been setting performance standards since 1999 – winning ten industry awards in the past three years. “FutureLogic developed and launched the first TITO gaming printer, in collaboration with IGT designers, for the introduction of EZ-Pay,” says Nick Micalizzi, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for North America. “Today we have more installed TITO printers than all other manufacturers, and currently estimate that more than four billion tickets per year are printed across the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia."

Although TITO technology has been widely adopted in U.S. casinos and some countries around the world, it is still a developing market in other parts of the world. One of the company challenges is to ensure that those regions receive the engineering, technical service and regulatory support that has made FutureLogic the leader in gaming printers worldwide. FutureLogic International has enjoyed significant growth over the last three years and market penetration in Europe and Asia has exceeded all expectations. The company has also grown operations in Latin America, and recently expanded operations with a sales, service and distribution center in Macau.

“Our goal is to be our customers’ best printer resource, worldwide. This means direct global support coupled with in-depth local knowledge,” said John Edmunds, Vice President of International Sales & Marketing.  “Choosing FutureLogic is not just about specifying a reliable, high performance product – it’s also about the world-class support behind the FutureLogic name; whether that’s rapid turnaround on new firmware and ticket design requests for a casino opening, or on-the-ground support for major TITO trials and installations.”

In addition to establishing engineering and technical service operations in key markets around the world, FutureLogic is working hard at developing new technologies and implementing emerging OEM design requirements.  “Our collaboration with industry-leading game manufacturers around the world has been an important factor in our ability to improve printer functionality and develop the interfaces required for next-generation electronic games,” said Micalizzi.  “Our new GEN2 Universal printer, for example, anticipates new standards for the hottest trend in gaming – downloadable games.”

The GEN2™ Universal printers provide a migration path and support all current and emerging game types by incorporating three game ports, including RS232, NetPlex and USB 2. As a platinum member of GSA, FutureLogic participates in the development of communication standards and reference designs, sits on the Board of Directors, and chairs the GSA’s GDS (Gaming Device Standards) committee.
Another key development from FutureLogic is the PromoNet solution, a template-based promotional coupon system. “PromoNet will help casinos design and manage a wide range of promotional campaigns from the convenience of a workstation PC, and can be used with any gaming machine that is equipped with the GSA version of FutureLogic’s popular GEN2 Universal or GEN2 VST Universal printer,” said Edmunds. “With non-gaming revenue becoming more important to casino resorts and complexes, linking reward programs across multiple leisure experiences, as well as casino floors, will provide operators with new marketing opportunities.”
Edmunds noted the GSA open protocol allows casinos to leverage existing GEN2 Universal hardware across the casino floor, eliminating the need for costly modifications to printers and/or communication protocols. PromoNet is being developed in concert with the GSA standards and FutureLogic anticipates it will be installed in harmony with the release of certain GSA standards.

“Although FutureLogic currently dominates the TITO market, our focus remains on developing technologies that improve reliability, add value, and expand printer functionality,” said Micalizzi. “We see continued growth in the global gaming market and are positioned to deliver the engineering expertise, local support and exceptional customer service required to advance the evolution of cashless technology.”

Tyco Electronics' Elo TouchSystems business, a global leader in touch technology, is to make a special presentation to Suzo International at the International Casino Exhibition (ICE 2008) from 22nd to 24th January at Earl’s Court 1, London, UK in recognition of the gaming distributor’s exceptional sales performance during the last 12 months. The “Star Distributor” award will be made on the second day of the show at Suzo’s stand (3920) by Elo’s regional manager Mike Sigona.

Sigona commented, “This award is to mark our recognition of Suzo’s exceptional performance in 2007 which has seen a staggering eight-fold increase in sales volume with a number of major contract wins across Europe. In addition we have seen an increase in market share that can only be described as phenomenal. Our association with Suzo goes back to 1999 and has grown steadily over that time, blossoming into a highly fruitful and mutually beneficial relationship last year. This is due in no small part to Suzo’s knowledge and experience of the European gaming market along with the company’s exceptional reputation and international reach.

Marcel Oelen, Suzo’s Managing Director, commented, “We are very pleased to receive this award as it acknowledges the hard work put in by all our employees to help make Elo touchscreens and touchmonitors a big success in the gaming market. The unrivalled quality of the product and the excellent technical and logistical support provided by Elo makes our job easier in a very competitive market. With Europe’s booming leisure industry and the new products Elo is launching at ICE, we expect continued growth for Elo touchmonitors in the years to come.”

Meeting planners, party suppliers, and event locations can now add the fun, spontaneous experience of a photobooth to parties, gatherings, and corporate events of any size
 
Fantasy Entertainment, the largest owner/operator of electronic self-service photo imaging systems in North America, has announced immediate availability of its “Vintage” photobooth -  the first in a new line of photo booths designed exclusively with the specific needs of the special events and meetings industry in mind. This new product will be introduced and on display at “The Special Event” Conference and Tradeshow in Atlanta, GA from January 16-18, 2008.

“Our Vintage photobooth represents a new and profitable service offering that makes photobooth fun an ideal addition to any special event or occasion – corporate events, weddings, graduations, bar mitzvahs, and birthday parties,” says Casey Cammann, Fantasy Entertainment’s Vice President of Business Development.

According to Cammann, the concept of the photobooth as a rental item is being reconsidered now that the right combination of product, price, and features is available. “Our Vintage booth has been designed with a nostalgic look and feel that will be a big hit with guests while delivering a unique photo memento. Also, its unique modular collapsible design reduces transportation costs and shortens setup and teardown time for operators.”

In addition, Fantasy Entertainment will make selections from its extensive graphics library available to be customized through an exclusive web-based graphics editor. “Now, customers will be able to personalize our Foto Fun® Strips themselves for every special event,” says Cammann. “They can select stock graphics from our library based on the event theme, and even upload their own business logo if they choose. Then, add personalized text and download their custom graphics to a USB flash memory drive for easy importing into our photobooth.”

“The wedding industry is an especially exciting market,” says Cammann. “Not only do wedding guests enjoy the fun, spontaneous photobooth experience, but the resulting photos can be used by booth operators to create unique, value-added items like photo albums for the wedding couple, as well as scrapbooks, digital slideshows, and photo party favors to commemorate the occasion.”