Pechanga Resort & Casino Implements Bally’s iVIEW DM
Bally Technologies Inc. has signed an agreement with Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif., to provide up to 5,000 iVIEW Display Manager (DM) controllers, an award-winning technology that enables a customer and employee interface using the game display. Bally has been testing iVIEW DM with Pechanga since May on gaming machines manufactured by Bally, Aristocrat Technologies and Konami Gaming. Pechanga was ready to commence a large-scale rollout by mid-October on 600 games, with plans to add iVIEW DM on all of the casino’s gaming machines over the next 24 months. For more information, visit www.ballytech.com.
IGE Secures ECA Backing for Two Years
London’s International Gaming Expo (IGE) is set to remain the official and exclusively endorsed exhibition of the European Casino Association (ECA) until at least 2012, following the agreement of an extension to the existing contract between the ECA and IGE organizers, Clarion Gaming. The deal, which includes a continuation of the ECA’s prestigious International Casino Conference (ICC) held at Earls Court on the eve of IGE, as well as a prominent ECA presence both on and off the show floor, will see both parties co-promoting and cross-marketing each other’s features and benefits throughout the year. For more information, visit www.ige-exhibition.com or www.europeancasinoassociation.org.
Snoqualmie Casino Converts to MEI EASITRAX Soft Count
Snoqualmie Casino in Snoqualmie, Wash., has installed EASITRAX Soft Count® on its entire slot floor. The integrated software/hardware solution places information collected in the CASHFLOW SC® bill validator into a database that can be networked to multiple locations and be accessed to analyze slot floor performance. Snoqualmie Casino opened its doors last year with CASHFLOW SC and recently added EASITRAX to leverage MEI technology from the casino floor to the soft count room. For more information, visit www.meigroup.com.
FireKeepers Casino Opens with MEI CASHFLOW SC
FireKeepers Casino in Battle Creek, Mich., had a successful opening with MEI CASHFLOW® SC bill validators on its floor. CASHFLOW SC has redefined expectations from bill validators in the gaming industry with its increased acceptance rates and unrivalled security. For more information, visit www.meigroup.com.
FireKeepers Casino Selects FutureLogic Printers
FutureLogic Inc.’s GEN2™ printers have been selected by FireKeepers Casino. The new $300 million gaming property, which opened in August in Battle Creek, Mich., has installed the GEN2 printers on all of the casino’s 2,680 TITO games. After previously deploying FutureLogic’s GEN2 printers at other properties, FireKeepers credited the printers’ features, flexibility and reliability as the basis of this exclusive agreement. FutureLogic’s GEN2 printer, together with the GEN2 Universal™ printer, has won 10 industry awards during the last six years. For more information, visit www.futurelogicinc.com.
FireKeepers Casino, GameLogic Team Up
FireKeepers Casino has successfully launched New Play™, GameLogic’s new player acquisition platform. More than 75,000 eligible prospects have been captured to date, including more than 50,000 converted to carded club members ahead of the property’s grand opening. FireKeepers combined New Play’s web-based player registration and profiling with its interactive new player portal including PlayAway™ games—all working in concert to attract prospective patrons, capture them into the casino’s marketing database, provide them a daily chance to win, and ultimately instill in them a strong sense of “stake” in Red Hot Rewards, FireKeepers’ player loyalty program—all before the property ever opened. For more information, visit www.gamelogic.com.
Philip Satre Named Chairman of IGT Board
IGT has named Philip G. Satre as chairman of its board of directors, effective Dec. 1, 2009. In conjunction with this action, current Chairman T.J. Matthews, who formerly served as IGT’s president and CEO, will step down as chairman but will continue to serve on the board. Satre has served on IGT’s board of directors since January 2009 and also serves as chairman of Nevada Energy Inc. Satre retired from Harrah’s Entertainment in 2005, having served on the company’s board of directors since 1988 and as chairman since 1997. Between 1980 and 1997, Satre held various management positions at Harrah’s. For more information, visit www.igt.com.
IGT Named Technology Company of the Year
The Nevada Center for Entrepreneurship (NCET) presented IGT the Technology Company of the Year award during its 2009 NCET Awards Oct. 14 at the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa. IGT tied with SpecTIR LLC for the award, and both companies will be recognized. The NCET Awards is an annual event celebrating individuals and companies that have greatly enhanced the growth and prestige of the greater Reno-Tahoe technology community. The award is presented to a technology company that has been in operation more than five years that achieves significant sales/revenue growth, employee growth, and a positive effect on the area’s technology industry. Special consideration is given to companies that demonstrate significant patent, R&D and IP activity. For more information, visit www.igt.com or www.ncet.org.
IGT and AC Coin & Slot Realign Corporate Partnership
International Game Technology and AC Coin & Slot are restructuring the companies’ long-standing relationship. Under a new agreement, IGT has purchased the distributorship for new IGT machine sales in Atlantic City and the Caribbean from AC Coin & Slot for $20.6 million, including $10.6 million in cash consideration. Also, IGT and AC Coin & Slot have amended the terms of the AC Coin & Slot proprietary game agreement. AC Coin & Slot will retain the right to utilize IGT’s award-winning base machines and platforms to continue to develop its future product offering. AC Coin & Slot is now free to seek alternative platforms to develop games in other gaming jurisdictions worldwide as well as seek out new partnerships. For more information, visit www.igt.com or www.ac-coin.com.
Multimedia Games Installs at Northern Quest Resort & Casino
Highlighting Multimedia Games Inc.’s ongoing success in expanding the presence of its Class III products on casino slot floors, the company has sold to the Kalispel Tribe of Indians in Washington state 200 electronic Class III player terminals for placement at the tribe’s Northern Quest Resort & Casino in Spokane, Wash. Its Class III Unified Currency System (UCS) also recently went live at the property. Multimedia Games recently installed 126 new player terminals at the Northern Quest Casino and plans to install an additional 74 units in early 2010. The new player terminals installed at Northern Quest feature a broad mix of Multimedia Games’ market-proven Class III titles. The placement at Northern Quest Casino marks Multimedia Games’ third installation of its UCS in Washington state. For more information, visit www.multimediagames.com.
GSA Names Fantini as its Official Publication
The Gaming Standards Association (GSA) has entered into an agreement with Fantini Research and has named Fantini’s Gaming Report the official U.S.-based publication of GSA. Publisher Frank Fantini will deliver the keynote address at GSA’s Annual Meeting, held during the Global Gaming Expo on Nov. 18 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Room N232 at 11 a.m. Five days a week, Fantini’s Gaming Report is delivered by e-mail and is packed with information covering gaming enterprises in every jurisdiction. For more information, visit www.gamingstandards.com or www.fantiniresearch.com.
Tech Results Installs at Coushatta, Chumash, The Meadows
Coushatta Casino Resort, located in Kinder, La., has selected to upgrade WAGER®, a data warehousing and analytics tool from Tech Results. Coushatta will also install Games Direct®, Host VIP!®, Agile Host® and the Free Play Expansion Pack as it moves to unify its business intelligence (BI) and customer relationship management (CRM) approach. In addition to the upgrade of the Patron Revenue and Slot Revenue modules, the enterprise will install the Offer Impact, Event Impact, Group Impact and Free Play Expansion Pack modules.
Chumash Casino Resort, located in Santa Barbara County, Calif., has chosen to upgrade its WAGER and Host VIP! software from Tech Results. The resort will also install additional WAGER modules. The upgrades and new modules will provide Chumash with the most reliable and comprehensive suite of BI and CRM solutions available to the gaming industry.
The Meadows Racetrack and Casino in Washington, Pa., will add to its existing BI and CRM vision with additional software from Tech Results. Solutions chosen by The Meadows include Host VIP!, Agile Host, Total Promo® and Games Direct® Free Play Expansion Pack, Games Direct Self-Redemption Module and the Group Impact, Event Impact, Offer Impact, Free Play Expansion Pack, and Food and Beverage Impact modules of WAGER. For more information, visit www.techresults.com.
Sun International Goes Cashless with ATRONIC’s CRYSTAL.net™
ATRONIC’s Systems Division announced that Sun International is equipping 877 EGMs across 11 casinos with CRYSTAL.net™, offering the next generation of online platform and multimedia LCD player tracking. ATRONIC is building on its success in the South African market. Following the recently signed deal to equip 877 EGMs at Sun International with CRYSTAL.net, ATRONIC Systems continues to hold a strong market share in South Africa. Sun International is the leading casino operator in South Africa and manages casinos in five additional African countries. In total, 16 casinos and 11,520 EGMs are currently equipped with ATRONIC’s systems solutions at Sun International operations. For more information, visit www.atronic.com.
Gary Platt Ships to N.M., Wash., Okla., S.D.
Gary Platt Manufacturing shipped 726 Gazelle Style X-Tended Play chairs with aluminum Hi-Lo pedestals to Black Gold at Zia Park in Hobbs, N.M. Gary Platt Mfg. also shipped 312 Sierra Style X-Tended Play seats with custom fabrics to Northern Quest Casino in Airway Heights, Wash. Creek Nation Casino in Checotah, Okla., received 300 Sierra chairs with a “Checotah Logo” on the outside back through Gary Platt Manufacturing’s distributor, Gitchi Gaming. Deadwood Resort in Deadwood, S.D., also received 280 Gazelle Style seats and 67 Sierra Style seats through Gitchi Gaming. For more information, visit www.garyplatt.com.
New Latin America Appointments for Aristocrat
Aristocrat Technologies Inc. is gearing up to expand its presence in the Latin American region with three key appointments. Based in the United States, Alvaro Nores will support both the existing Argentinean office as well as the newly created Mexican office in his position of vice president Latin America. Carlos Carrion, the current marketing manager for Aristocrat in Latin America, will assume the post of director of sales and operations for Mexico and will move to the new office in Mexico City in November. The new appointments have been made to support Aristocrat’s highly successful Latin American office based in Buenos Aires and assist with the expected growth and expansion of business in this region. For more information, visit www.aristocratgaming.com.
TCSJOHNHUXLEY Appoints Macau Exec.
TCSJOHNHUXLEY has appointed Adam McGregor to the position of executive director of operations for Macau, which commenced Sept. 21, 2009. Reporting directly to Tristan Sjöberg, managing director of Asia, McGregor will be based in Macau and be responsible for service and support, administration, and manufacturing. He brings extensive knowledge and experience to the role, with more than 15 years in the gaming industry. For more information, visit www.tcsjohnhuxley.com.
Phil Hogen Retires as Chairman of NIGC
National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) Chairman Phil Hogen, 64, was appointed chairman of the NIGC by President George W. Bush in November 2002, and has now finished his service in that position. During his tenure, which was the longest for any chairman of the agency, the industry has experienced dramatic growth. Indian gaming now operates at more than 400 tribal locations in 28 states. President Obama has named George Skibine of the Department of the Interior to serve as the acting chairman of the commission. “I’m proud of the team we have built at NIGC,” Hogen said, “and am confident that as I walk out the door, tribal gaming, under strong tribal regulation, together with the commission’s oversight and support, will continue to grow and prosper, and bring the economic development to Indian country ... .” For more information, visit www.nigc.gov.
Harrah’s Resorts Win Seven Awards for Green Tourism
Seven Harrah’s Entertainment Las Vegas resorts received “Travelife Gold” awards for green/sustainable tourism. All eight Las Vegas resorts earned accreditation from Europe-based Travelife Sustainability Systems. Harrah’s is the only gaming-entertainment company to have achieved Travelife accreditation at multiple resorts in Las Vegas and is the only to receive multiple gold-level awards. Caesars Palace, Paris, Flamingo, Bally’s, Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall and Saloon, Harrah’s, and Rio won the Travelife Gold awards. Imperial Palace received a silver award. Tour operator Virgin Holidays arranged to have a green/sustainability auditor perform the rigorous onsite assessments at each resort that are necessary for Travelife accreditation. For more information, visit www.harrahs.com.
Clarion Launches Gaming Industry News
Clarion Gaming has launched Gaming Industry News 2010 (GIN), its widely acclaimed e-mail news digest that enables IGE exhibitors, including those in ATEI, ICEi and the Betting Show, to promote their products and services to more than 20,000 buyers and influencers in Clarion’s unique database spanning 190 jurisdictions. GIN brings together insight on the latest industry topics with news and developments from companies and organizations who will be exhibiting at Earls Court in January 2010. For more information, visit www.clariongaming.com.
CMI Gaming Enters Market
Judith Katz has formed CMI Gaming. President and CEO Katz and her company, Count Me In LLC, with more than 13,000 installations worldwide of its biometric timecard solution, is diversifying its lineup with the launch of CMI Gaming. CMI Gaming’s mission is to provide smart gaming and time management products that are user friendly and that fit into the budgets of small to large gaming operations. Katz believes that CMI Gaming can fill a niche that other companies have not been able to fill or that have been overlooked. Katz highlights her company’s smart products, poker room tracking-waiting list system PokerTable IQ™, biometric timecard solution WorkForce IQ™, and biometric door lock system Entry IQ™. CMI Gaming is pursuing opportunities in tribal gaming as well as opportunities in commercial and charitable gaming markets. For more information, visit www.cmigaming.com.
Kelly Moyer Appointed IT Director at Coconut Creek
Seminole Casino Coconut Creek has appointed Kelly Moyer as its new director of information technology. Moyer had served in that capacity nearly 12 years for multiple companies. Her responsibilities include management of the design, support and administration of Seminole Gaming’s overall technology strategy, as well as Seminole Casino Coconut Creek’s overall technology strategy, while maintaining the service quality focus to support infrastructure, LAN/WAN and telecommunications, and audio visual capabilities for 24/7 operation. For more information, visit www.seminolecoconut creekcasino.com.
Ingenio’s Groovy Machine™ Coming to Quebec Casinos
This fall, Quebec’s casinos are home to Groovy Machine™, the third slot machine game created and developed by Ingenio, Loto-Quebec’s research and development arm, as part of an agreement with Bally Technologies. Following the launch of Ingenio’s first two games in Quebec, Hatch the Cash™ and Dog Show™, Groovy Machine is based on an original game concept developed by Ingenio’s experts. Running entirely on clean-burning flower power, Groovy Machine whisks players away to a fantastic, rainbow-hued world inspired by the hippie movement of the 1960s. Twenty-two Groovy Machine units will be installed at Quebec’s four casinos this fall. The game’s international rollout will be handled by Bally Technologies. For more information, visit www.lotoquebec.com.
Donald Stanford Inducted into Lotto Hall of Fame
GTECH Corporation’s acting CTO and technology fellow Donald Stanford has been inducted into the Lottery Industry Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2009. Stanford was honored at an official ceremony Oct. 7 during the annual North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries (NASPL) Conference in Oklahoma City, Okla. The Lottery Industry Hall of Fame was founded by Public Gaming Research Institute in 2005 as a means of honoring those who have done the most to make the world lottery industry the great success that it is today. Since arriving at GTECH in 1979, Stanford has held every technical leadership position within the company. For more information, visit www.gtech.com.
Ainsworth Granted Approval in Illinois
Ainsworth Game Technology has been approved to provide slot machines into the Illinois market. Ainsworth is very excited at the opportunity to launch the flagship Ambassador® SL cabinet in addition to the outstanding GamePlus™ range of games, which will soon be approved for Illinois. Ainsworth’s SVP Rick Meitzler said, “This is another key approval and the last piece of the puzzle in the Midwest region where Ainsworth is now licensed.” Ainsworth is now approved to sell in 16 states and provinces across the U.S. and Canada. For more information, visit www.ainsworth.com.au.
Ainsworth Appoints Sales Manager
Ainsworth Game Technology announces the appointment of Julie Fox to the position of sales manager – Western USA. Fox joins Ainsworth with more than 11 years of extensive sales experience across multiple industries in California. Ainsworth’s Senior Vice President Rick Meitzler, said, “Julie brings a new dimension and perspective and tremendous energy to Ainsworth as we more aggressively pursue key North American markets.” For more information, visit www.ainsworth.com.au.