Casino Career Institute Receives $25,000 from AGEM
The Casino Career Institute at Atlantic Cape Community College (ACCC) will offer new scholarships for students in its slot technology training program through a $25,000 donation from the Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (AGEM). Scholarships providing up to $1,000 tuition assistance will be awarded to at least 25 potential trainees over the next two years. To apply for the scholarships, students must demonstrate financial need and complete an application through ACCC. For more information, visit www.atlantic.edu.
AC Coin & Slot Appoints Seelig to EVP
AC Coin & Slot has appointed Jason Seelig to executive vice president of sales and marketing. Seelig is returning to this role after having held the position between 1997 and 2004. As part of his expanded role as executive vice president of sales and marketing, Seelig will immediately resume leading the company’s sales efforts throughout North America while continuing to oversee all current marketing initiatives. One of his first objectives will be to communicate the success of AC Coin & Slot’s bonusing games and to emphasize the strength of the company’s casino supply business. For more information, visit www.ac-coin.com.
Bally Names Parente VP of Systems Sales, Installs at South Point
Bally Technologies Inc. has named Robert J. Parente vice president of systems sales. In the newly created role, Parente will be responsible for sales and account management of selected corporate and governmental customers in North America. Parente brings nearly 30 years of technology experience to this new position. Prior to joining Bally, Parente worked for IGT following its acquisition of the assets of Progressive Gaming International Corporation, where he served 13 years.
Bally Technologies Inc. has installed its Business Intelligence Solutions (BIS) at Michael Gaughan’s South Point Hotel Casino Spa on Las Vegas Boulevard South. Bally’s award-winning BIS, which replaced a competitor’s product, provides South Point with powerful tools to grow their business and better serve customers through improved use of gaming data. With the insights provided by Bally’s BIS, South Point will be able to understand player behavior and manage game mix and product placement like never before. For more information, visit www.ballytech.com.
Aruze Gaming America Makes Key Appointments
Aruze Gaming America Inc. has made two new key management appointments governing Europe, Africa, Central and South America. Johan Stoop, current general manager of Aruze Gaming Africa, will relocate to global headquarters in Las Vegas as the newly appointed vice president for the Central and South America regions. Stoop will be responsible for executing and achieving Aruze’s strategic objectives and the development of the Central and South American regions. Stoop’s successor, Dries de la Rey, has been appointed as the new general manager for Europe and Africa, subject to regulatory approval and assumed responsibilities for Aruze Gaming’s South Africa offices, located in Johannesburg, Aug. 1. For more information, visit www.aruzeglobalgaming.com.
Konami Installs at Barona, Rivers Casino; Partners with Osage
Konami Gaming Inc. has first installed eight units of its new Podium video cabinet at Barona Resort & Casino in San Diego. Originally introduced at the 2008 G2E, Konami’s new Podium cabinet was developed as a joint effort by Konami Gaming, Konami Digital Entertainment and Stuart Karten Design, a leading industrial design firm.
The Rivers Casino is now utilizing the Konami Casino Management System (KCMS) at its newly opened property in Pittsburgh. Rivers Casino opened Aug. 9, 2009, with KCMS installed in all of its 3,000 slot machines. Along with KCMS, Rivers Casino purchased a variety of Konami’s slot machines, including the Advantage 5™ stepper product and the latest K2V™ video titles.
Konami Gaming has also been awarded the casino management system contract for the Osage Nation. The Osage Nation of Oklahoma operates 3,200 slot machines across seven properties throughout Oklahoma. The KCMS will be deployed in a real-time, one-card, multi-site replicated environment for the Osage Nation. The first property is scheduled to be installed in early September, with all properties scheduled to go live by early December. As part of this partnership, the Osage Nation will be implementing Patron 360 across all seven properties. For more information, visit www.konamigaming.com.
Project and TCSJOHNHUXLEY Unveil Joint Venture
Project, the London games developer, and TCSJOHNHUXLEY have combined their respective areas of expertise to produce a dynamic Live Draw Poker game. This will be debuted at the TCSJOHNHUXLEY stand (#3000) at January’s International Gaming Expo. The concept, which has been in development throughout 2008, features a live poker dealer and table with satellite terminals linking in-venue players to the live game in real time. For more information, visit www.tcsjohnhuxley.com.
Multimedia Games Installs Casino Commander® System
Multimedia Games Inc. has installed its Class III Casino Commander® Tournament System at the Chickasaw Nation’s WinStar World Casino in Oklahoma. It is the first installment for the system. The company has also secured an agreement to install the Casino Commander system at the Chumash Casino Resort in California, subject to licensing requirements and regulatory approvals. Chumash Casino Resort selected Multimedia’s slot tournament system following a review of competitive products from other gaming equipment suppliers. For more information, visit www.mm-games.com.
AGEM Introduces New Members, Partners with SAGSE, Fights Problem Gambling
The Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers’ (AGEM) board of directors has approved the membership applications of seven new companies, bringing the trade group comprised of the world’s leading gaming suppliers to a total of 81 members. The new AGEM members are: Cammegh Limited, based in Bethersden, Kent, U.K., producer of premium-quality roulette wheels and display equipment for gaming customers worldwide; Cole Industries, based in North Las Vegas, an industry leader in designing and manufacturing turnkey gaming cabinets and related products for electronic gaming machines; Paokai Electronic Enterprise Co., based in Taliao, Kaohsiung County, Taiwan, specializes in the design and manufacturing of video slot machines; Trade Show Fabrications, based in Las Vegas, with more than 30 years of experience in designing and fabricating trade show and marketing displays; IdeaWork Studios Inc., with offices in Las Vegas and Santa Barbara, Calif., a full-service interactive agency specializing in online and offline promotions with an emphasis on the gaming and resort industries; INTRALOT S.A. with headquarters in Athens, Greece, and an international presence, a leading supplier of integrated gaming and transaction processing systems, game content and sports betting management, to state-licensed gaming organizations worldwide; and Talent Associates, based in Las Vegas, providing quality models and talent for trade shows, corporate events and the gaming industry since 1996.
AGEM has entered into a strategic alliance with international gaming event organizer Monografie for AGEM to support the South American Gaming Suppliers Exhibition (SAGSE) in Buenos Aires for an initial two-year term. Under terms of the agreement, AGEM will be classified as an Ambassador Level supporter and receive a variety of branding and PR opportunities as Monografie promotes the tradeshow, Sept. 30–Oct. 2, 2009, at the Costa Salguero Convention Center in Buenos Aires. AGEM member companies will also receive substantial benefits for exhibiting at the largest gaming tradeshow in Latin America.
AGEM’s board of directors has also approved $50,000 in contributions to the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) based in Washington, D.C., and $50,000 for The International Problem Gambling Center in Las Vegas. The contributions build on AGEM’s longstanding support of organizations dedicated to the issue of problem gambling. Through the NCPG, AGEM provides funding for the National Problem Gambling Helpline, the Annual National Conference on Problem Gambling and support of 35 state affiliates. For more information, visit www.agem.org.
ATRONIC Accredited as Microsoft Gold Certified Partner
ATRONIC has attained Gold Certified Partner status in the Microsoft Partner Program. By achieving Gold Certification status, the ATRONIC Group has now the official confirmation that its products have met the highest Microsoft standards for quality and compatibility. Microsoft Gold Partner status is awarded only to those companies that successfully meet rigorous testing and evaluation criteria. Microsoft Gold Partners also receive value-added benefits, including access, training and support, giving them a competitive advantage. For more information, visit www.atronic.com.
Ameristar Casinos Promotes Block, Welcomes Darder
Ameristar Casinos Inc. has promoted Matthew Block to vice president of governmental affairs. In his new position, Block will work to enhance the public and governmental perceptions of Ameristar and its subsidiaries through continual involvement in political, regulatory, community and social responsibility affairs.
Ameristar Casinos also welcomes Richard J. Darder, who has joined Ameristar Casino Hotel Council Bluffs in Council Bluffs, Iowa, as senior vice president and general manager. Darder is a casino executive with more than 30 years of experience. For more information, visit www.ameristar.com.
Gary Platt Ships to Mich., Minn., Ill.
Gary Platt Manufacturing shipped more than 3,000 Gazelle style chairs to Firekeepers Casino, located in Michigan. Firekeepers Casino is Battle Creek’s newest gaming hotspot. Mystic Lake Casino in Prior Lake, Minn., received 340 Gazelle Royale style Gary Platt chairs upholstered in custom fabric. Gary Platt Manufacturing also shipped 280 Gazelle Style chairs upholstered in Alpine Green or Sky Blue to Alton Belle Casino in Alton, Ill., through its distributor, Gitchi Gaming. For more information, visit www.garyplatt.com.
IGT Signs Agreements with MGM MIRAGE, Boyd Gaming
International Game Technology (IGT) has formalized an agreement with MGM MIRAGE that will add approximately 300 Wheel of Fortune® slot machines to its existing base of MegaJackpots® branded machines at its casino properties. The MegaJackpots branded machines include linked progressive machines such as Megabucks, eBay™, Star Wars™, The Price Is Right and multi-level progressives such as Fort Knox and Indiana Jones™. IGT has also entered an agreement with Boyd Gaming Corporation to install approximately 200 additional MegaJackpots machines at Boyd Gaming casinos across the country. The new machines will be in addition to the more than 800 MegaJackpots games already in operation at Boyd Gaming’s 15 properties nationwide. For more information, visit www.igt.com.
JCM, Aurora Develop Partnership; Muscogee Nation Chooses JCM
JCM Global has signed an agreement with product development company ADI to provide innovative ideas and to research and develop customer-friendly add-ons to existing JCM Global products. Under the agreement, ADI will work with JCM Global’s clients to develop products and features to add to and complement JCM products to tailor them to meet the client’s specific needs.
The new $195 million River Spirit Casino recently opened in Tulsa, Okla., and it is exclusively operating with JCM Global’s Universal Bill Acceptor (UBA®) and Intelligent Cash Box (ICB®) on its 2,745 gaming devices. River Spirit is the 32nd casino in the world to purchase and operate exclusively with JCM Global’s UBA and ICB, which provide superior acceptance and counterfeit detection while managing currency transactions. The casino also exclusively installed the Epic 950® from JCM alliance partner TransAct Technologies. For more information, visit www.jcmglobal.com.
GPI Announces Retirement of CEO, Appoints Gronau as Successor
President and Chief Executive Officer Gerard P. Charlier will retire from Gaming Partners International Corporation (GPI), effective Sept. 12, 2009. Charlier is completing his seven-year contract, which commenced in September 2002. Charlier will continue to serve as a member of the board of directors. The company has also appointed his successor, Gregory Gronau. Gronau was hired in October 2008 as executive vice president and COO as part of the succession plan for the planned retirement of Charlier.
G. A. Wright Releases Gaming Trends ’09 Report
G.A. Wright Marketing Inc. has released its Gaming Trends ’09 report. The report, compiled from numerous national sources related to gaming, is a comprehensive overview of the industry and offers insight on a wide range of topics, including how the industry is faring in today’s economy, travel trends, use of new media, gaming statistics, Indian casinos, pending legislation and more. “As an in-depth look at these vital topics, we feel Gaming Trends ’09 is a valuable resource for operators and marketers of all type of casinos throughout the country,” said Senior Vice President of Marketing Jack Breslin. For information, visit www.gawrightcasinomarketing.com.
Rivers Casino Selects FutureLogic’s GEN2
FutureLogic Inc.’s GEN2™ printer has been selected by Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh. The casino will install GEN2 printers on 3,000 new slot machines. The multifunction GEN2 Universal™ printer is designed for existing platforms as well as server-based games and supports both SPC (IGT) and GDS protocols. For more information, visit www.futurelogicinc.com.
Marshall Andrew Joins WhiteSand Consulting
With more than 15 years experience in gaming and information technology, Marshall Andrew has joined WhiteSand Consulting. He previously held management positions with Station Casinos, DiGiorgio Corporation and Crown Zellerbach Corporation. He has played a key role in the opening of many new casinos including Green Valley Ranch, Red Rock and Thunder Valley. In his new role, Andrew will create new gaming and hospitality initiatives and support the consulting practice, including technology strategy and project management. For more information, visit www.whitesandconsulting.com.
Bepi Mottes Joins MEI
MEI welcomes Bepi Mottes as vice president-new business development in the EMEA region. In this role, Mottes will be responsible for developing relationships and opportunities in key gaming and financial markets. Mottes comes to MEI with more than 40 years of experience, with previous role at JCM International, Bally Gaming International and Sun International. For more information, visit www.meiglobal.com.
Santa Ana Star Casino Promotes Burdick to Director of Marketing
Santa Ana Star Casino has promoted Michael Burdick to director of marketing. He is responsible for directing the casino’s overall marketing and promotional efforts including advertising, direct marketing and promotions. Prior to his promotion, Burdick served as direct marketing manager for the casino. Previously, he held marketing positions at Primedia Publications in Georgia and Palm Coast Data in Florida. For more information, visit www.santaanastar.com.
Lightning Gaming Names Strano Chief Marketing Officer
Lightning Gaming Inc. has appointed Christopher Strano to its executive team. Strano will serve as chief marketing officer and will be responsible for leading the company’s worldwide sales and marketing, revenue planning, product launch strategy, and field operations. Prior to joining Lightning Gaming, Strano held the position of vice president of AC Coin & Slot Service Company. For more information, visit www.lightningpoker.net.