International presence
by Jack Bulavsky
International presence
AGEM members focusing on UK, Russia to expand product offerings and services
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.
AGEM members have been traveling to trade shows around the world the past few months displaying their products and striking up new friendships. It's been hectic, yet energizing.
In December, AGEM members were in Moscow for EELEX, then went to London in January for the International Casino Exhibition (ICE). In February, they were able to spend a few days looking for Punxsutawney Phil before heading over to Harrisburg for the Pennsylvania Gaming Congress. Then it was the Canadian Gaming Summit in March in Niagara Falls, Ontario.
Now, many members have enough airline mileage reward points to go where the dress code is shorts and rum is the proper pre-dinner cocktail.
Here's a quick rundown from four AGEM members who will be well represented in the United Kingdom (with their anticipated government's deregulation of gaming) and Russia.
Bally Gaming & Systems
The company showcased a new video slot operating system, a new ergonomic cabinet, and dozens of reel-spinning and video gaming devices for Europe and the United Kingdom.
Besides the games, international visitors were greeted to Bally's expanding casino-management systems capabilities through its CashMaster Connexus(tm) and MCC product lines.
Marcus Prater, senior vice president of marketing for Bally Gaming, said the company's systems division displayed a variety of slot accounting, slot management, and promotional products for the European and international gaming markets. There was also a selection of integrated slot management tools that can function on all major back-end computer environments.
"In Moscow," said Prater, "we had a strong presence at EELEX and debuted our new ALPHA video games for a Russian market that is dominated by video."
WMS Gaming
In preparation of the expansion of casino gaming in the UK, WMS opened an office in Uxbridge on the outskirts of London.
"That office," said Seamus McGill, vice president of worldwide sales, "will focus on developing product for this emerging market and our existing markets in Europe and Russia."
The company announced that it had amended its distribution agreement with its Russian distributor, Belco Handels GmbH and its Russian affiliate ZAO Unicum, until 2011. The agreement provides for the purchase of at least 4,000 new WMS gaming devices in each contract year beginning July 1.
"This agreement furthers our international expansion and represents the largest single customer arrangement in the history of WMS," said Brian Gamache, president and CEO. "We're pleased to extend our relationship with Unicum, the market leader, and it enhances our ability to capitalize on the expected growth in Russia over the coming years."
JCM
The company chose ICE to celebrate 50 years as a manufacturer of money handling equipment and presented five new products. The center of attraction was the Universal Bill Acceptor (UBA), a validator that verifies-without any hardware adjustment-any currency in the world from the tiny 5 Euro to the impressive 50 Pound Sterling banknote.
According to a JCM spokesman, "the UBA has many features that will excite the gaming industry, starting with a minimum guaranteed acceptance rate of 98 percent."
Atronic Games
Atronic showed the largest range of new e-motion(tm) and Cashline(tm) games ever at ICE and it also launched two new linked gaming concepts. However, their exhibition floor stand design stole the show.
Billed as the Atronic "Masterpiece Collection," new game titles and products were displayed on the stand covered in red velvet and complimented by chandeliers, comfortable sofas, and a large plasma screen. The spacious stand also provided the perfect venue to wind down at the end of each day. During the company's Happy Hour, hosts and hostesses served cocktails and Atronic awarded prizes.
The Moscow show gave Atronic the opportunity to demonstrate their partnership with Unicum and display more game titles than ever before to the highest number of visitors in the show's history.
Gerhard Burda, managing director and CEO of Atronic, said EELEX is crucial because "it's one of our biggest markets and the success we enjoy in Russia is also a result of the close cooperation with Unicum. We were delighted with the positive feedback from our customers and look forward to working with Unicum to continue our joint success."
AGEM members focusing on UK, Russia to expand product offerings and services
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.
AGEM members have been traveling to trade shows around the world the past few months displaying their products and striking up new friendships. It's been hectic, yet energizing.
In December, AGEM members were in Moscow for EELEX, then went to London in January for the International Casino Exhibition (ICE). In February, they were able to spend a few days looking for Punxsutawney Phil before heading over to Harrisburg for the Pennsylvania Gaming Congress. Then it was the Canadian Gaming Summit in March in Niagara Falls, Ontario.
Now, many members have enough airline mileage reward points to go where the dress code is shorts and rum is the proper pre-dinner cocktail.
Here's a quick rundown from four AGEM members who will be well represented in the United Kingdom (with their anticipated government's deregulation of gaming) and Russia.
Bally Gaming & Systems
The company showcased a new video slot operating system, a new ergonomic cabinet, and dozens of reel-spinning and video gaming devices for Europe and the United Kingdom.
Besides the games, international visitors were greeted to Bally's expanding casino-management systems capabilities through its CashMaster Connexus(tm) and MCC product lines.
Marcus Prater, senior vice president of marketing for Bally Gaming, said the company's systems division displayed a variety of slot accounting, slot management, and promotional products for the European and international gaming markets. There was also a selection of integrated slot management tools that can function on all major back-end computer environments.
"In Moscow," said Prater, "we had a strong presence at EELEX and debuted our new ALPHA video games for a Russian market that is dominated by video."
WMS Gaming
In preparation of the expansion of casino gaming in the UK, WMS opened an office in Uxbridge on the outskirts of London.
"That office," said Seamus McGill, vice president of worldwide sales, "will focus on developing product for this emerging market and our existing markets in Europe and Russia."
The company announced that it had amended its distribution agreement with its Russian distributor, Belco Handels GmbH and its Russian affiliate ZAO Unicum, until 2011. The agreement provides for the purchase of at least 4,000 new WMS gaming devices in each contract year beginning July 1.
"This agreement furthers our international expansion and represents the largest single customer arrangement in the history of WMS," said Brian Gamache, president and CEO. "We're pleased to extend our relationship with Unicum, the market leader, and it enhances our ability to capitalize on the expected growth in Russia over the coming years."
JCM
The company chose ICE to celebrate 50 years as a manufacturer of money handling equipment and presented five new products. The center of attraction was the Universal Bill Acceptor (UBA), a validator that verifies-without any hardware adjustment-any currency in the world from the tiny 5 Euro to the impressive 50 Pound Sterling banknote.
According to a JCM spokesman, "the UBA has many features that will excite the gaming industry, starting with a minimum guaranteed acceptance rate of 98 percent."
Atronic Games
Atronic showed the largest range of new e-motion(tm) and Cashline(tm) games ever at ICE and it also launched two new linked gaming concepts. However, their exhibition floor stand design stole the show.
Billed as the Atronic "Masterpiece Collection," new game titles and products were displayed on the stand covered in red velvet and complimented by chandeliers, comfortable sofas, and a large plasma screen. The spacious stand also provided the perfect venue to wind down at the end of each day. During the company's Happy Hour, hosts and hostesses served cocktails and Atronic awarded prizes.
The Moscow show gave Atronic the opportunity to demonstrate their partnership with Unicum and display more game titles than ever before to the highest number of visitors in the show's history.
Gerhard Burda, managing director and CEO of Atronic, said EELEX is crucial because "it's one of our biggest markets and the success we enjoy in Russia is also a result of the close cooperation with Unicum. We were delighted with the positive feedback from our customers and look forward to working with Unicum to continue our joint success."
