Reaching out
by Jack Bulavsky
Reaching out
AGEM quickly proving one of its strengths is as a resource
AGEM Report by Jack Bulavsky
Jack Bulavsky is executive director of the Las Vegas-based Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (AGEM). If you're interested in learning more about AGEM, contact Jack at (702)-434-4597 or visit www.agem.org.
Walt Stowe stays busy enough as vice president of legal and compliance at Aristocrat Technologies. At the same time he is President of AGEM where he handles those responsibilities as well. Stowe was recently interviewed in his company's quarterly publication about the future growth and direction for AGEM. Part of that interview is reprinted with permission of Aristocrat Technologies.
"AGEM's mission has shifted to issues which impact the entire gaming industry, from monitoring key legislative action to acting as a resource for emerging gaming jurisdictions," said Stowe. "In the beginning, our focus was just Nevada. Now we are aware of legislative issues in other states as well."
Stowe explained that many U.S. jurisdictions are looking at gaming for the first time. He noted that AGEM members are a vital resource to these jurisdictions because of the vast experience the manufacturers have in dealing with these same issues in established markets such as Nevada.
"People use our members as a resource for information," he said. "Our goal is to make sure that when new jurisdictions formulate their decisions about gaming, the information they use is as accurate as possible. Our legislative efforts in Nevada are geared to ensuring that the state's legislators are fully aware of the contributions the industry makes to the state's economy. AGEM employs thousands of people and the majority of them are highly skilled. We're a good business for Nevada and other states."
Stowe chairs AGEM's political affairs committee that includes Tom McCormick (AC Coin & Slot), Chuck Brooke (IGT), Neil Friedman (IGT), Brooke Dunn (Shuffle Master), Bill Bartolomay (WMS), Mark Lerner (Alliance Gaming), A.C. Ansani (Bally Gaming), and Erik Batzloff (JCM).
In addition to legislative activity, AGEM's board actively works with the American Gaming Association (AGA) on ways to combat problem gaming. Recently, AGEM became a member of he National Council on Problem Gaming and the Nevada Council on Problem Gaming.
"Everyone in the industry is sensitive to the issue of problem gaming," said Stowe. "We want to be on the forefront of addressing the problem and be involved in finding way to address this issue."
Planning ahead
It may still be winter, but AGEM members are busy planning for 2005 G2E. The main show is Sept. 13-15 and all of us are looking forward to welcoming you to this grand event.
AGEM will once again sponsor the daylong AGEM Slot Track Sept. 12. Here, AGEM members moderate a series of panel discussions with some of the most knowledgeable individuals from within the industry, along with expert consultants who advise on a diverse set of topics.
For instance, David Kubajak, director of Customer Service, JCM American, is working on a tentative panel entitled "North American Currency Updates."
"What we want to do," said Kubajak, "is have a general discussion and presentation from central banks and enforcement agencies on the current status of currency in North America. We'll ask the central banks what they have learned from the last several currency releases, and whether any new currencies planned are planned for the future. Also, we would ask about the release process for currency in these markets."
Kubajak said some of the panel members might include representatives from the Bank of Canada, United States Secret Service, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, and Nevada Gaming Control Board.
Welcome aboard
AGEM added its newest member, MEI, just before the end of the year.
MEI, a division of Mars Incorporated, is a leading supplier of currency acceptors in the worldwide casino gaming, amusement, retail and transportation markets. In 2004, following the launch of the CASHFLOW(tm) SC66 bill acceptor into North American casino markets, MEI reached a milestone by selling more than 3.5 million bill acceptors, 4.5 million coin acceptors, and nearly 1 million control boards. Currently, MEI has the largest worldwide base of unattended payment mechanisms supporting nearly 1 billion transactions per week in 90 countries.
Earlier in the year, Atronic, Gaming Partners International, and 3M Touch Systems joined the non-profit Association.
AGEM was formed in 2000 to promote and represent the interests and concerns of gaming equipment manufacturers and to provide a united voice on matters of importance to the gaming equipment manufacturing industry.
AGEM quickly proving one of its strengths is as a resource
AGEM Report by Jack Bulavsky
Jack Bulavsky is executive director of the Las Vegas-based Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (AGEM). If you're interested in learning more about AGEM, contact Jack at (702)-434-4597 or visit www.agem.org.
Walt Stowe stays busy enough as vice president of legal and compliance at Aristocrat Technologies. At the same time he is President of AGEM where he handles those responsibilities as well. Stowe was recently interviewed in his company's quarterly publication about the future growth and direction for AGEM. Part of that interview is reprinted with permission of Aristocrat Technologies.
"AGEM's mission has shifted to issues which impact the entire gaming industry, from monitoring key legislative action to acting as a resource for emerging gaming jurisdictions," said Stowe. "In the beginning, our focus was just Nevada. Now we are aware of legislative issues in other states as well."
Stowe explained that many U.S. jurisdictions are looking at gaming for the first time. He noted that AGEM members are a vital resource to these jurisdictions because of the vast experience the manufacturers have in dealing with these same issues in established markets such as Nevada.
"People use our members as a resource for information," he said. "Our goal is to make sure that when new jurisdictions formulate their decisions about gaming, the information they use is as accurate as possible. Our legislative efforts in Nevada are geared to ensuring that the state's legislators are fully aware of the contributions the industry makes to the state's economy. AGEM employs thousands of people and the majority of them are highly skilled. We're a good business for Nevada and other states."
Stowe chairs AGEM's political affairs committee that includes Tom McCormick (AC Coin & Slot), Chuck Brooke (IGT), Neil Friedman (IGT), Brooke Dunn (Shuffle Master), Bill Bartolomay (WMS), Mark Lerner (Alliance Gaming), A.C. Ansani (Bally Gaming), and Erik Batzloff (JCM).
In addition to legislative activity, AGEM's board actively works with the American Gaming Association (AGA) on ways to combat problem gaming. Recently, AGEM became a member of he National Council on Problem Gaming and the Nevada Council on Problem Gaming.
"Everyone in the industry is sensitive to the issue of problem gaming," said Stowe. "We want to be on the forefront of addressing the problem and be involved in finding way to address this issue."
Planning ahead
It may still be winter, but AGEM members are busy planning for 2005 G2E. The main show is Sept. 13-15 and all of us are looking forward to welcoming you to this grand event.
AGEM will once again sponsor the daylong AGEM Slot Track Sept. 12. Here, AGEM members moderate a series of panel discussions with some of the most knowledgeable individuals from within the industry, along with expert consultants who advise on a diverse set of topics.
For instance, David Kubajak, director of Customer Service, JCM American, is working on a tentative panel entitled "North American Currency Updates."
"What we want to do," said Kubajak, "is have a general discussion and presentation from central banks and enforcement agencies on the current status of currency in North America. We'll ask the central banks what they have learned from the last several currency releases, and whether any new currencies planned are planned for the future. Also, we would ask about the release process for currency in these markets."
Kubajak said some of the panel members might include representatives from the Bank of Canada, United States Secret Service, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, and Nevada Gaming Control Board.
Welcome aboard
AGEM added its newest member, MEI, just before the end of the year.
MEI, a division of Mars Incorporated, is a leading supplier of currency acceptors in the worldwide casino gaming, amusement, retail and transportation markets. In 2004, following the launch of the CASHFLOW(tm) SC66 bill acceptor into North American casino markets, MEI reached a milestone by selling more than 3.5 million bill acceptors, 4.5 million coin acceptors, and nearly 1 million control boards. Currently, MEI has the largest worldwide base of unattended payment mechanisms supporting nearly 1 billion transactions per week in 90 countries.
Earlier in the year, Atronic, Gaming Partners International, and 3M Touch Systems joined the non-profit Association.
AGEM was formed in 2000 to promote and represent the interests and concerns of gaming equipment manufacturers and to provide a united voice on matters of importance to the gaming equipment manufacturing industry.
