3M Nets Platinum Award for MicroTouch Capacitive TouchSense System

3M Touch Systems received the highest honors in Casino Journal’s Top 20 Most Innovative Gaming Technology Products of 2007 contest. The company’s MicroTouch Capacitive TouchSense System netted the Platinum Award at this year’s Gaming Technology Summit, where attendees voted for their favorites of all Top 20 winners.

The MicroTouch Capacitive TouchSense System is a next-generation touch interface for gaming machines where players receive tactile feedback on the touch screen surface as well as the traditional audio and visual cues. The system is an enhanced MicroTouch ClearTek II touch system and can either be designed into future gaming cabinets optimized for tactile touch slot games or retrofitted into existing on-floor casino games to replace CRT or LCD displays — giving old games new life. This system has allowed game manufacturers to replace their mechanical buttons with a video-based button panel so players receive tactile feedback similar to pressing a mechanical button, which will increase player involvement and time on machine.

“We really relish this Most Innovative Gaming Technology Product of the Year award since the selection was made by the broad range of industry technology specialists in attendance,” said Scott Hagermoser, gaming nusiness unit manager for 3M Touch Systems. “This award is another indicator that the MicroTouch Capacitive TouchSense System could become the next-generation touch interface for the gaming machine industry.”

Bally Technologies was awarded both the Gold and Silver awards at the Gaming Technology Summit — the Gold award for its TableView Real Time Table Rating and Tracking System and the Silver for its GameMaker HD product.

The TableView system is a standalone application designed to allow floor operations staff to use a touchscreen device for entering real-time player ratings, request chip fills and credits, input table closers, issue player comps and markers and change the table shift. Data gathered by the TableView system can be seamlessly integrated into the Bally Casino Management System and can be installed on every table or at an individual pit stand. The system also creates an almost paperless environment.

Bally’s GameMaker has been revamped into a new high-definition format as GameMaker HD. As the only widescreen, multigame platform on the market, it features a clear, sharp screen, enhanced audio and the reliability of ALPHA OS, wrapped in a multi-denom in three distinctive cabinet styles: CineVision widescreen; single-screen V20; and V20/20 dual screen with stacked 20.1 inch touchscreen displays. All GameMaker HD games are presented in a high-definition (1,286 lines of resolution) widescreen format that supports an array of popular game titles. A fully configurable multigame package offers multiple denominations, multiple percentages and configurable max-bet-per-theme type. Additionally, a patent-pending Game Select feature allows players to change the game theme and demon directly from the game being played, without having to exit to the main game menu.

TableMAX, Galaxy Gaming Ink Content Agreement

TableMAX and Galaxy Gaming have signed an exclusive letter of intent that will bring Galaxy’s library of proprietary game content to TableMAX’s proprietary electronic table game technology. The result is a cache of content designed for the casino players of today and tomorrow.

Included in the letter is Galaxy’s Lucky Ladies side bet for blackjack and Texas Shootout, which brings poker games like Texas Hold’Em to the pit.

“TableMAX continues to lead the electronic table games market by adding world class proprietary content to our exclusive platform. By combining Galaxy’s well-known brands with our exclusive rights to operate a wide area progressive, we are delivering exciting electronic table games content to drive customer play with a large progressive jackpot. No other company can make such a claim,” said TableMAX CEO Stephen Crystal.

Galaxy Gaming President Robert Saucier said he felt the partnership would be beneficial and exciting for both companies. “TableMAX has a unique operating system, and combined with our innovative games, makes this a real win for players, and by extension for operators,” he said.

TableMAX Holdings LLC is a leading developer of electronic table games and designs, engineers and distributes patented electronic table games worldwide. TableMAX owns global rights to proven and popular table game content, including Progressive Blackjack, Caribbean Stud poker, Caribbean Draw poker, Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker and Bonus Blackjack. Galaxy Gaming, Inc. is the second largest developer of table games in the world. Galaxy owns the proprietary rights to popular games such as Lucky Ladies, Emperor’s Challenge, Texas Shoot Out and many others.

GLI's Regulator Roundtables a Hit in North America, Europe

Gaming Laboratories International has wrapped up its two most recent regulator roundtables: the seventh annual North American Roundtable and the fifth annual European Roundtable. The North American Roundtable drew more than 200 regulators from 93 jurisdictions across the United States and Canada, while the European Roundtable saw attendance from 47 regulators from 18 jurisdictions across Europe.

“We are thrilled with the way the roundtables went. Today, 111 jurisdictions around the world are more informed and more prepared for their regulatory challenges, and that is extremely beneficial to the global gaming industry,” said GLI Senior Director of Engineering and Client Services Ian Hughes. “No other company offers such an experience, and we are proud to present the roundtables and to do it free of charge.”

GLI said it would be conducting condensed versions of the roundtables in multiple international jurisdictions over the remainder of 2008. Next for GLI is a series of training sessions throughout the year in the company’s GLI University program. The trainings are also presented free of charge to regulators.

“GLI’s Roundtable is a great opportunity to become more familiar with new technologies and current world practices in adopting them. We found the roundtable very useful, and we are impatiently waiting for the next meeting,” said Danielius Stašys, head of gaming devices inspection and register division for the State Gaming Control Commission in Lithuania.

Paltronics Nets Nevada Gaming and Manufacturing License

Chicago, Ill.-based Paltronics Inc. has secured a gaming and manufacturing license in Nevada the company announced last week.

The license, the company said, is a significant step toward the realization of its new Random Rewards bonusing product. Random Rewards utilizes proven hardware and software platforms and can be deployed as a standalone model, to several banks at once or across the entire enterprise using Paltronics well-known One Link system.

Late last year, Paltronics launched its GLI field trial of Random Rewards at the Catfish Bend hotel-casino in Iowa, enabling the casino operator to build bonusing games and tailored marketing programs directed toward their loyalty programs. With that successful trial complete, the company looked to Nevada to jumpstart demand for the product.

“Obtaining licensing here was necessary to launch our Random Rewards products,” said Angelo Palmisano, chief executive officer of Paltronics Inc. “Players are increasingly looking for the ‘more’ instant gratification experience with regards to progressive jackpots rather than waiting for the big hit. This is especially true in a more locals driven market. Casinos are driven to deliver non-traditional progressive opportunities like Random Rewards that provide these more frequent wins in ways that increase the players’ time on device.”

Aristocrat's VIRIDIAN Cabinet Gets Key Lab Approvals

Aristocrat Technologies announced that its VIRIDIAN cabinet has received multiple test lab certifications in key North American markets. The product is now certified in most GLI jurisdictions, New Jersey, and three Canadian provinces.

Aristocrat also completed its Colorado field trial of the VIRIDIAN cabinet ahead of schedule, and is in the final stages of field trial in Nevada. VIRIDIAN was initially placed in select approved markets in late March and the company said it has received an extremely positive response from players and operators alike.

“Our reports show that customer acceptance is very high, and early numbers indicate improved casino performance with more than a 50 percent increase in multiple locations,” said Sean Evans, senior vice president of sales. “We believe that can be directly attributed to VIRIDIAN’s unique features including its dynamic scorecard, easy-play interface, and high impact cabinet presence.”

The VIRIDIAN cabinet is designed for optimal player comfort and operator serviceability and features a slimmer footprint, high resolution dual LCDs and unique, wrap-around belly art, creating a truly unique product offering. VIRIDIAN embraces environmentally responsible design and production methods, resulting in a 100 percent RoHS-compliant product and increased energy efficiency for operators.

Driven by an Intel™ processor, the innovative GEN7 platform features dynamic scorecards and an enhanced Easy Play on-screen interface, including player-selectable denominations. The new platform utilizes Smart card and flash card technology, and, in addition to offering an enhanced player experience, GEN7 paves the way for downloadable, server-based and wireless gaming, supporting the technology of today while driving the technology of the future.