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Alchemy3 and The Recording Academy® Offer Lottery Players Money,
Music and More!
Once –in-a-lifetime
trips to The GRAMMY® Awards lets players live like a rock
star.
ATLANTA, Georgia (October 22, 2009)
-- Alchemy3 has signed an
exclusive deal with The Recording Academy® to create GRAMMY® Awards
themed lottery games. In addition to cash, consumers can win special
collections of GRAMMY music and “money can’t buy” trips to Los
Angeles to attend the 52nd Annual GRAMMY Awards on Jan. 31, 2010.
“The GRAMMY team has worked hard to provide lotteries with a solid
selection of merchandise and experiential prizes. They are very committed
to doing what it takes to create successful games for Alchemy3’s lottery
clients. We definitely feel that this brand is yet another smart match
for the lottery category” said David Schorr, Alchemy3’s CEO and
one of the company’s three founders.
Evan Greene, Chief Marketing Officer
for The Recording Academy, explains, “We're pleased to work
closely with Alchemy3’s marketing team to create programs for their
clients that provide truly custom-winning experiences, and to help make games
even more state/province specific..” Experiential trips include
first class airfare/accommodations, VIP seating at The GRAMMY Awards ceremony,
a walk down the red carpet, a GRAMMY Style Studio appointment (same styling
suite that wardrobes GRAMMY nominees), exclusive access to GRAMMY
rehearsals, the official GRAMMY Celebration after party and more. “We
look forward to beginning this partnership with a brand as committed to music
as Alchemy3,” said Greene.
Alchemy3’s marketing team has
put together complete and integrated marketing programs to help lotteries bring
the GRAMMY programs to life. “Lotteries will be able to do
tremendously creative things with this brand. Our whole team looks
forward to discussing all the options with our clients” said
Schorr.
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About Alchemy3:
Founded by lottery industry veterans
in 2007 Alchemy3 has quickly become the leader in lottery branding. The
company focuses on creating what it calls “smart matches”
between licensed consumer brands and lottery games. Alchemy3 works with
lotteries to capitalize on the power of established consumer brands to attract
new players with tailor-made instant and on-line games. In addition to
The Grammy’s, Alchemy3 represents premier brands including The American
Music Awards, Bass Pro Shops, CBS Consumer Products (Cheers, Happy Days, The
Brady Bunch, The Love Boat and Dynasty) Frank Sinatra, The Professional Bowlers
Association (PBA), Royal Caribbean, Six Flags, and 20th Century
Fox. Alchemy3 also created A3 Rewards—lottery prize packages that
instantly award non-cash prizes including movie tickets, gasoline, CDs,
DVDs, B&B stays, backyard grilling packages and more.
For more information on The
Grammy’s or other Alchemy3 programs, visit:
www.alchemy3.com
About The Recording
Academy:
Established in 1957, The Recording
Academy is an organization of musicians, producers, engineers and recording
professionals that is dedicated to improving the cultural condition and quality
of life for music and its makers. Internationally known for the GRAMMY Awards
— the preeminent peer-recognized award for musical excellence and the most
credible brand in music — The Recording Academy is responsible for
groundbreaking professional development, cultural enrichment, advocacy,
education and human services programs. The Academy continues to focus on its
mission of recognizing musical excellence, advocating for the well-being of
music makers and ensuring music remains an indelible part of our culture. For
more information about The Academy, please visit www.grammy.com. For breaking
news and exclusive content, join the organization's social networks as a
Twitter follower at www.twitter.com/thegrammys, a Facebook fan at
www.facebook.com/thegrammys, and a YouTube channel
subscriber at www.youtube.com/thegrammys.
CONTACT: Jeffrey Schweig,
770-442-6993, Email: js@alchemy3.com.
GTECH / LOGISTA Joint Venture
Lottomatica Group Subsidiary GTECH And Logista S.A. To Assist
Organizacion Nacional De Ciegos De Espana (ONCE) In Creating A Complementary,
Physical Retailer Network
GTECH/LOGISTA Joint
Venture To Provide End-To-End Lottery Technology, Marketing Services,
Logistics, And Retailer Services For ONCE
Average Annual Revenues
To GTECH Of €50 Million Over The Contract Term.
ROME Italy, PROVIDENCE, Rhode
Island, USA (October 26, 2009) -
Lottomatica Group
S.p.A. announced that GTECH
Global Lottery SLU, and Spain’s leading integrated logistics operator,
LOGISTA S.A., have signed a contract with
Organizacion Nacional de Ciegos de
Espana (ONCE) to provide end-to-end lottery technology, marketing services,
logistics, and retailer services for a complementary retailer network.
This network will complement
ONCE’s existing 22,000 lottery agent network with thousands of new retail
locations selling online and instant-ticket lottery products. The joint venture
created by GTECH and LOGISTA, with each company holding a 50 percent equity
stake, was awarded a multi-year contract following a competitive procurement.
The contract, which is subject to positive verification of related game
regulation modifications by the Protectorate Board, the government
administrative body that supervises relevant acts of ONCE, commences October
2009 through December 2020, and is expected to generate average annual revenues
to GTECH of €50 million over the contract term. ONCE was established in
1938 to provide full care and employment opportunities for sight-impaired
residents of Spain, and is authorized by the Spanish government to administer
lottery and wagering games in the country.
“Lotteries today are
constantly exploring new forms of retailer venues, player channels and games,
in an effort to increase revenues for good causes. With the addition of this
sales channel, ONCE will essentially be complementing its sales network to
reach players and locations it cannot reach today,” said GTECH
President and CEO Jaymin B.
Patel. “As the lottery system provider for ONCE’s lottery
agents since 2003, GTECH understands the complexities of the Spanish gaming
market, the changes in player preferences, and being able to offer lottery
products where and how consumers want them. Together with LOGISTA, we look
forward to collaborating with ONCE to offer end-to-end lottery solutions,
including a complete range of marketing and logistic services, as well as
advising ONCE on a diversified product and game mix tailored to meet the needs
of ONCE’s expanded retail landscape over the next 11 years"
“ONCE is one of the most
highly-regarded lotteries in the world, ,” continued Mr. Patel.
“We are extremely pleased to have been selected with LOGISTA for this
very important project.”
Over the contract period, GTECH will
implement the Company’s Enterprise Series solution, which will enhance
ONCE’s capabilities to process online and instant-ticket transactions for
the new complementary retailer base, and the existing kiosk/street vendors,
combined. As part of the joint venture, GTECH will also provide ONCE with a
wide array of lottery products including Imagine™ online terminals and
Lottery Inside for thousands of new retailers comprised of tobacconist shops,
news stands, gas stations, and other establishments. Lottery Inside allows
retailers to sell and distribute online lottery products without a dedicated
lottery terminal, in the checkout aisle.
In addition, GTECH’s ES Connect
offers a highly-secure, high-volume IP-based open standards network interface
allowing ONCE to integrate third-party applications into the Enterprise Series
central system solution once it is operational.
GTECH will also deploy a variety of
other products including Ticket-Scan™ units, the Company’s ticket
checkers, allowing players secure access when identifying winning tickets in
addition to the amount won. Moreover, GTECH will introduce ES MultiMedia
digital advertising displays to stimulate increased brand awareness, winner
awareness, and player recognition of jackpots and game activities, directly at
the point-of-sale.
GTECH will provide consultancy for
the design and procurement of a nationwide IP telecommunications network, as
well as marketing and consulting services including online and instant products
design and development; retail marketing services; marketing communications
services, including media advertising; and market analyses.
As the first comprehensive logistics
operator in both Spain and Portugal, and one of the largest companies operating
in the south of Europe, LOGISTA will use its knowledge and expertise in those
sales channels it currently operates, as well as its logistics and distribution
capabilities, to perform services in logistic operations, customer service,
invoicing and cashing at the lottery retailer points-of-sale for ONCE.
About Lottomatica Group
Lottomatica Group is a market leader
in the Italian gaming industry and one of the largest Lottery operators in the
world based on total wagers and, through its subsidiary GTECH Corporation, is a
leading provider of lottery and gaming technology solutions worldwide.
Together, the companies are the only vertically integrated full service lottery
group. Lottomatica Group is majority owned by De Agostini, which belongs to a
century-old publishing and media services group. Lottomatica is listed on the
Stock Exchange of Milan under the trading symbol “LTO”. In 2008, the
Company had approximately €2.1 billion in revenues and 7,500 employees in
over 50 countries when combined with GTECH.
For further information:
Simone Piattelli Palmarini
Lottomatica
Group S.p.A
Media Communications
T. (+39) 06 51899877
M. (+39) 335
5305097 |
Robert K. Vincent
GTECH
Corporation
Public Affairs
T. (+1) 401 3927452 |
Giuliano Boggiali
Lottomatica Group S.p.A
Investor Relations
T. (+39) 06 51899020
|
SOURCE: Lottomatica Press
Release
INTRALOT Recognised for Its Business Excellence
ATHENS, Greece (October 26, 2009) -
INTRALOT's Systems
Technical Division after committing itself to Excellence in 2007 is passing now
to the 2nd level of Business Excellence as defined by the European Foundation
for Quality Management (EFQM) with its General Technical Division being awarded
the "Recognised for Excellence in Europe - 4 Stars" distinction. The
award was delivered to INTRALOT during a ceremony that took place on October
22nd in Athens.
INTRALOT was recognised by EFQM for
its successful actions and best practices towards Business Excellence following
its engagement when passing the 1st level of the model. All levels of the EFQM
program "Levels of Excellence" are based on 8 important principles of
excellence; Results Orientation, Customer Focus, Leadership & Constancy of
Purpose, Management by Processes & Facts, People Development &
Involvement, Continuous Learning, Improvement & Innovation, Partnership
Development and Corporate Social Responsibility. The distinction was a result
of an evaluation procedure realised by the Hellenic Management Association, the
national partner organisation of EFQM in Greece that ratified INTRALOT's
consistency with the above mentioned principles and EFQM Model's 9 criteria
covering areas such as leadership, strategy, people, partnerships &
resources, processes, customer results, people results, society results and key
performance results. The assessment was completed mainly via top management
interviews and various employees' focus groups emphasizing upon organisation's
determination and commitment to business excellence and continuous improvement.
EFQM is a non-for-profit
organization which is the focal point of the Organizations which are pursuing
the best practices for their businesses. The above program was founded in 2001
in order to compensate the efforts and the results of the enterprises which
adopt the EFQM model as well as to motivate them to keep seeking the
everlasting improvement of their entrepreneurship.
Mr. Constantinos Farris, General
Technical Director Systems Division of INTRALOT S.A., stated: "The
continuous improvement of INTRALOT's services and products is the company's
never ending, essential and dynamic goal adopted by the Management Team all
over the world. The EFQM Business Model for Excellence seals our commitment,
placing it within a tangible framework in everyday practice".
About INTRALOT
INTRALOT, a public listed company,
is the leading supplier of integrated gaming and transaction processing
systems, innovative game content and sports betting management, to
state-licensed gaming organizations worldwide. Its broad portfolio of products
& services, its know-how of Lottery, Betting & Video Lottery operations
and its leading-edge technology, give INTRALOT a competitive advantage which
contributes directly to customers' efficiency, profitability and growth. With
presence in more than 50 countries, with 5,000 people and revenues of €1.1
billion for 2008, INTRALOT has established its presence on all 5 continents.
For more info: Ms. Persa Kartsoli,
Head of Corporate Affairs, Phone: +30-210 6156000,
Fax: +30-210 6106800, email:
kartsoli@intralot.com -
www.intralot.com
SOURCE: Intralot
MDI Agreement with Elvis Presley Enterprises Includes New Elvis™
Artwork
ALPHARETTA, Georgia (October 26,
2009) -- MDI Entertainment, LLC
(MDI Entertainment), a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Scientific Games
Corporation (NASDAQ:SGMS), today announced that it has entered into an
exclusive, worldwide license agreement with Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.
(EPE) to showcase “The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll” to
lottery players around the world. Under the agreement, in addition to the
iconic images already available through EPE’s extensive asset library, new
Elvis artwork will be offered to provide a fresh and exciting graphic look on
game tickets and promotional materials.
“We are thrilled to have
Elvis back in our portfolio” said Kyle Rogers, General Manager and
Executive Vice President of MDI Entertainment. “We worked closely
with staff at EPE to develop dynamic new artwork that will give lotteries some
fresh choices for Elvis Presley graphics. Lotteries all over the world can now
take advantage of the equity of the Elvis brand. To add to the fun and
excitement associated with Elvis, travel prize packages to Las Vegas and Hawaii
can be built into the games.”
Carol Butler, Vice President of
Worldwide Licensing for EPE added, “MDI has proven to be a valuable
partner in the lottery category. Their willingness to create unique designs of
Elvis for their customers gives us a fresh new dimension in exposing our brand
to the widest audience possible.”
For more information on the Elvis
themed lottery games offered by MDI, visit:
www.mdientertainment.com.
About Scientific Games
Scientific Games Corporation is a
leading integrated supplier of instant tickets, systems and services to
lotteries worldwide, a leading supplier of server based gaming machines and
systems, Amusement and Skill with Prize betting terminals, interactive sports
betting terminals and systems, and wagering systems and services to pari-mutuel
operators. It is also a licensed pari-mutuel gaming operator in Connecticut,
Maine and the Netherlands and is a leading supplier of prepaid phone cards to
telephone companies. Scientific Games' customers are in the United States and
more than 60 other countries. For more information about Scientific Games,
please visit our web site at
www.scientificgames.com.
About Elvis Presley Enterprises,
Inc.
Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. is
based in Memphis, with additional offices in Los Angeles. In addition to
Graceland and its related attractions in Memphis, including the Heartbreak
Hotel, EPE is aggressively involved in a worldwide licensing program,
merchandising, music publishing, and television, film, video and Internet
projects. For more information on EPE and Graceland, visit www.elvis.com. EPE
is a subsidiary of CKX, Inc. (www.ckx.com), a publicly traded company listed on the NASDAQ
Global Market® under the ticker symbol CKXE.
CONTACT: Aimee Remey, MDI
Entertainment, 212-754-2233.
BCLC Named Among Top 100 Employers in Canada
KAMLOOPS, British Columbia, Canada
(October 21, 2009) - British
Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) has been officially recognized as one
of the Top 100 Employers in Canada for 2010 by Maclean's magazine.
"Being named one of Canada's top
employers is a tremendous achievement and incredible success for the
organization," said Michael Graydon, President & CEO, BCLC. "We have a
workforce passionate about what they do and devoted to providing the best
gaming experience to our players."
In addition to being named to the
Top 100, BCLC has been named a Top 55 Employer in British Columbia, marking the
fourth consecutive year that BCLC has been recognized as a top employer in the
province.
BCLC employs more than 800 people at
its corporate office in Kamloops, the marketing office in Richmond, and with
field staff stationed throughout the province.
"BCLC's employees have long
recognized this as a great place to work. In the recent engagement survey, over
three quarters of employees strongly recommend BCLC as an employer to a
friend," added Graydon. "Last year, the great work our staff did helped
to generate over a billion dollars to support community, charitable, government
programs and services."
Along with continuous learning and
professional growth opportunities, employees are encouraged to contribute to
their communities through investing their time and support to charitable
organizations and through volunteering. BCLC also has a tailored recognition
program specifically designed to meet the needs of the dynamic
organization.
BCLC was named one of Canada's Top
100 Employers by Mediacorp Canada Inc. which rates employers according to
physical workplace, work atmosphere, health, financial and family benefits,
vacation/time off, employee communications, performance management, training
and skills development and community involvement. Mediacorp reviewed the
recruitment histories of more than 75,000 employers and invited 16,000 to
participate in this year's competition.
For more information, please
CONTACT: Chris Fairclough, BCLC Communications Officer, 2010, Phone:
604.247.3122, Cell: 604.341.1935, Email: cfairclough@bclc.com.
SOURCE: BCLC.
Virginia Lottery Recognized With Three Prestigious Industry
Awards
RICHMOND, Virginia (October 23,
2009) -- A public service announcement aimed at encouraging responsible play, a
television commercial promoting the Fast Play Dodge Ball game and a promotion
for the Lottery’s partnership with Bass Pro Shops – all have been
honored by the North American
Association of State and Provincial Lotteries (NASPL). The awards were
presented to the Virginia
Lottery at NASPL’s 2009 Conference in Oklahoma City.
The awards honor excellence among
all lotteries in North America. The specific awards won by the Virginia Lottery
are:
- Hickey Award, Special Events
Promotion: Bass Pro Shops
- Batchy Award, Television
Advertising, Fast Play Dodge Ball – Miss
- Batchy Award, Special Categories,
TV under $10,000, Problem Gaming Public Service Announcement –
Numbers.
“The Virginia Lottery has
always been known for its innovative advertising and communications,”
said Virginia Lottery Executive Director
Paula I. Otto. “We
are honored that our peers in the lottery industry recognize those efforts as
we work to raise money for Virginia’s K-12 public schools.”
The “Numbers”
public service announcement is part of the Lottery’s Play Responsibly
campaign. It was produced in-house by the Virginia Lottery’s
Communications Department. The Fast Play Dodge Ball ad was produced by the
Lottery and its advertising partner Qorvis Communications. It depicts people
going about normal daily activities when suddenly they find themselves caught
in a dodge ball game. The Lottery partnered with Alchemy 3 and the Virginia
Tech fishing team to hold exciting events at Virginia’s two Bass Pro Shops
locations in Hampton and Ashland. The events promoted the very unique Bass Pro
Shops Scratcher game to outdoor lovers.
Nearly 95 cents of each dollar spent
on the Virginia Lottery by players goes back to the Commonwealth in the form of
contributions to education, prizes and retailer commissions. Since 1999, all
Virginia Lottery profits have been designated solely to K-12 public school
education in the Commonwealth. In that time, the Lottery has turned over more
than $4 billion for Virginia’s public schools. The latest annual profits
of $439.1 million currently represent about 7 percent of state funding for
public education in Virginia. In 21 years, the Lottery has sold more than $21.1
billion in tickets, awarded more than $1.1 billion in retailer commissions and
paid more than $11.6 billion in prizes to players.
SOURCE: Virginia Lottery.
Lottery Transfers Over $115 Million to Education
Fund
RALEIGH, North Carolina (October 22,
2009) -- Today, the North
Carolina Education Lottery (NCEL) transferred over $115 million to the
State Education Lottery Fund.
This transfer brings the overall
tally of funds that the NCEL has generated for the education fund to over $1.25
billion.
“All of us here at the NCEL
are so pleased that we have been able to continue to generate good sales and
once again transfer a substantial amount to the designated education
programs,” said Tom Shaheen, NCEL executive director. “We are only
able to accomplish this with the help of our hard working retail partners and
the citizens who play our games.”
The NCEL made the electronic
transfer to the Office of State Budget and Management (OSBM) this morning.
The Lottery Act designates that 50
percent of proceeds is to be split between pre-kindergarten programs for
at-risk four year olds and class size reduction in the early grades; 40 percent
to school construction; and 10 percent to college scholarships.
Since inception (March 30, 2006)
through Oct. 21, 2009, the NCEL has surpassed $3.9 billion total gross sales
with anticipation of surpassing $4 billion in November. Over 95 cents of every
dollar is returned to North Carolina in the form of beneficiary programs,
prizes and retailer commissions.
SOURCE: N. C. Education Lottery.
Time to do the Disco with NeoGames Partners’ New
Game
Today, NeoGames Partners
Have Launched Their Brand New Game, Disco Keno, at Scratch2Cash and
Hopa.com
MALTA (October 22, 2009) -- Today
Disco Keno is the brand new Keno scratch game, launched on leading online
scratch card websites, Scratch2Cash and Hopa.com. Disco Keno’s theme
is a combination between a bingo and keno game.
Disco Keno is described a multi
game, where players can actually play up to 8 cards in 1 game.
Players will come across eight cards
which they have to choose from to play (any between1-8). Once the players
select their bet amount and play the number of cards they choose, they hit the
play button to activate the keno machine which will release 20 balls. Each card
has 15 numbers which have to match 15 of the 20 balls that come out the machine
in order to win a big prize.
As usual there sparkling is a
$/£/€200,000 Jackpot to be won, so players may find themselves disco
dancing to win the big prize!
So if you are to dance in the
spotlight and win, come join us on the dance floor to play Disco Keno today.
This game can be promoted via
NeoGames Partners.
SOURCE:
NeoGames press
release.
Slot Machine Association’s New-Generation
Pajatso
FINLAND (October 23, 2009) –
Pajatso, RAY’s most
well-known slot machine, has a fresh new look and novel features. Although the
display is now partly virtual, the new Pajatso still has the look and feel of
the previous version. Pajatso brings out the social and fun aspects of
gaming.
The design goal of the virtual
Pajatso was to create a new Pajatso using modern technology while honouring the
Pajatso tradition.
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According to player feedback, we
have succeeded in our efforts. Players see the look and feel of the new machine
as an appropriate combination of traditional and modern-day techniques, says
Product Manager Jyri Pääkkönen.
Pajatso is a social game where
skill, luck and nerves of steel determine the outcome. These are also the
features which appeal to players. The new-look Pajatso is expected to increase
interest in the game, boosting Pajatso playing.
New technology facilitates new
game ideas
New technology allows almost an
unlimited number of new games to be added to the new Pajatso machine. Two new
games have already been added. The coin-flicking feel resembles that of the
classic 50-cent Pajatso, although the coin changes into virtual form once it
passes the gate. This makes it possible to have more than one Pajatso game in
one machine.
As well as the Classic Pajatso, the
new Pajatso has two new games – Voittopeli (Payoff) and Porttipeli (Gate).
In Payoff, the player has 16 coins and 90 seconds to reach as high a score as
possible. In Gate, the idea is to hit all the gates as quickly as possible.
Because of the technology used, it is possible to add other new games to the
machines later.
One of the new features is the
adjustable coin-flicking height. It helps players of different height to find
their optimal coin-flicking technique. Players can adjust the height of the
machine within a 20 cm range. Another new feature is the possibility to use
cards for payment. This allows players who have no small change on them to use
tokens to play. With card payment, players can specify a daily spending limit
for gaming. This lets them control their gaming better. Card payment also makes
it easier to control underage gaming, as the payment system checks the age of
the player automatically.
For more details, please
Information about RAY
Raha-automaattiyhdistys (Finland’s Slot Machine
Association), which is generally referred to as RAY, was established in 1938 to
raise funds through gaming operations to support Finnish health and welfare
organizations. RAY has an exclusive right in Finland to operate slot machines
and casino table games, and to run a casino.
CONTACT: Product Managers Jyri
Pääkkönen, (tel. +358 9 4370 2571) or Kauko Piri, (tel. +358 9
4370 2563).
SOURCE: RAY.
Swedish Games Strong Quarter Breaks Downward
Trend
SWEDEN (October 25, 2009) -
Swedish Games delivered a
strong performance in the third quarter and broke the downward trend that had
been experienced in the first half. Operating profit increased by 21 million
compared to the march quarter 2008.
Income after financial items and tax
for the period January to September fell by 3 617 million, a decrease of 194
million kronor, compared with the same period in 2008.
It is gratifying that the sale of
our retail agents is increasing, mainly on products of Lotto and Joker.
Agencies report the third quarter of this year, 60 million more than March
quarter 2008. A strong and wide distribution through the Agents may have
strongly impacted sales due to the high levels of jackpots we had this Fall. In
addition, work is continuing to reduce our costs, "says
Meta Persdotter, CEO
of Swedish Game.
We still have a degraded
performance compared to January-September 2008 - it is a relatively good
outcome, given the current state of the economy. This is due to lower gaming
revenues in the first half in particular as an effect of introduced responsible
gaming measures on the Internet, increased costs caused by previous years'
investments and a deteriorating financial items related to interest rate
movements.
It is gratifying to note that the
fall in revenue on the Internet for Casino Cosmopol is not because we lost
customers, but because it spends less money on their gambling.
Our share of the total market of
game is now down to 20 %. This is the lowest percentage we've had since Swedish
Screenshots 1997th. In the full explosion of the gambling
advertising we have seen over the last year , obviously the strength of the
Swedish Spel's trademark is invaluable.
During the period, Swedish Game
launched an organizational change that will ensure long-term cost effectiveness
and continued strong profitability in combination with a genuine concern for
customers.
“We want to be on a strong
foundation and give ourselves the best possible position to succeed in our
mission: to combine attractive gaming experience with a strong gaming. In
today's largely unregulated competition is more important than ever with a
responsible alternative that can address many people's demand for gambling,
"says Meta Persdotter.
Interim period January to
September 2009 in brief:
- Business Sector Internet net gaming revenue
amounted to 879 million kronor, down 60 million compared to the same period in
2008.
- Business Area Casino decreased their net gaming
revenue increased by 9 million to 898 million over the same period last year.
- Business Area Restaurant Games and Bingo Halls
increased their net gaming revenue by 61 million to 1 557 million compared with
the corresponding period in 2008.
- Business Area Outlets increased their net gaming
revenue by 16 million to 3 SEK 838 million compared with the corresponding
period in 2008.
- Net sales from gambling etc. amounted to 5 859
million (5 921), a decrease of 62 million.
- Operating profit was EUR 3 583 million (3 726), a
decrease of 143 million kronor.
- Net financial items amounted to 34 million, a
decrease of SEK 51 million compared to same period in 2008.
- Net profit after financial items and taxes was EUR
3 617 million (3 811), a decrease of 194 million crowns.
Significant events during the
period:
Thomas Agrell has hired as marketing
director for the Swedish game. Thomas took up his duties on 1 September 2009
and has been included since then in corporate management.
Following the Board's decision in
December 2008 to phase out operations in Live Bingo halls have been negotiating
with representatives of alliances and prospective operating companies.
Agreements have been signed with the new operator to take over operation of all
seven Live Bingo halls from 1 July 2009.
The government proposes to Budget
Bill (2009/10: 1) that the parliament approves the government on the Swedish
Spel AB Annual General Meeting 2010 does for the general meeting deciding on a
grant to the sport in the form of a grant of 500 million to the special
attention Idrottslyftet and a contribution equal to 1 / 26 Part of the
company's surplus in 2009 from New Money Lotten intended for art, theater and
other cultural purposes.
A follow-up Swedish Spel's
environmental work shows that the company's carbon dioxide emissions reduced by
30 percent since 2005, mainly through more efficient distribution and
logistics.
The interim report in its entirety
can be found
here
For more information contact:
Meta Persdotter, CEO Swedish Game,
phone 08-757 77 77.
Andreas Jansson, Director of
Communications Swedish Game, phone 070-330 37 70.
Swedish Spel's Annual General
Meeting held in Visby, April 20, 2010 at 9:30
SOURCE: Svenska Spel
Lottery’s “Play It Again” Offers Cash,
Merchandise
LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas (October 19,
2009) - The ASL’s
Play It Again, an important second-chance feature, has achieved remarkable
success.
Ernie Passailaigue,
ASL Executive Director, called Play It Again “an incredible way to give
our players added value, creating both merchandise rewards and additional
opportunities to win the top prize for each instant ticket
game.” Eligible tickets for Play It Again are those that did not
initially qualify for a prize.
To qualify, players simply can
access the ASL website,
www.myarkansaslottery.com, sign up once for a free personal
account, and continue entering information on their eligible tickets.
When each game ends, one lucky Play It Again player will win a drawing for the
top prize offered for that ticket. Then, in early 2010, players will be
able to log on to their account, view their accumulated points, and redeem them
for a variety of merchandise at a virtual “store” on
www.myarkansaslottery.com.
In the first three weeks of
operations, the Play It Again site has been enormously successful, with 46,050
registered players submitting 1,157,036 eligible ticket entries. Play It
Again members have already earned more than 8,000,000 Points for Prizes in only
21 days.
In addition to making the Lottery
more entertaining, Play It Again has the added bonus of encouraging players to
retain the tickets until they can be entered on a computer and then disposed of
properly—thus cutting down on litter.
For more information CONTACT: Julie
Baldridge, 501-683-1877.
Camelot’s Approach to Stakeholder
Engagement
LONDON, U.K. (October 16, 2009) --
Camelot has operated the
UK National Lottery since
it began in 1994. Corporate responsibility lies at the heart of our business,
alongside our goal of raising as much money as possible for Good Causes in a
socially responsible way. We see stakeholder engagement as a core pillar of our
corporate responsibility work and one that enables us to achieve this ongoing
goal.
Camelot is responsible for
developing and marketing new games, managing the lottery infrastructure,
providing services for players and winners, and working closely with a large
network of retailers. Around 70% of UK adults regularly play National Lottery
games – including draw-based games, such as Lotto, Thunderball and
EuroMillions, as well as Scratchcards and online Instant Win Games.
The UK National Lottery is the sixth
largest lottery in the world in terms of sales but 66th in the world in terms
of per capita spend – with an average spend of around £3 per player
per week – highlighting the success of our strategy to encourage many
people to play but to spend relatively little.
Communicating with our
stakeholders
Camelot engages in a variety of ways
with a wide range of stakeholders. We use a range of methods to consult with
those who are affected by our company or who have an impact on the way we do
business and the feedback we receive determines the actions we take. Our
stakeholder groups include players and winners, employees, public interest
groups, governmental bodies, local communities, suppliers, shareholders and
retailers.
Our stakeholder engagement is
underpinned by our governance culture. Camelot’s main board is ultimately
accountable for the company’s corporate responsibility strategy –
ensuring that it remains a core priority in the commercial decision-making
process – and is supported by formal sub-committees, advisory groups and
stakeholder panels. The Corporate Responsibility Board is chaired by our Chief
Executive, Dianne Thompson, and comprises senior directors from across the
business. Reporting directly to the Camelot Board, it sets the overall
direction of the strategy and ensures that corporate responsibility is embedded
into day-to-day business.
The Advisory Panel on Corporate
Responsibility (APCR) is made up of independent specialists with professional
expertise in areas of stakeholder concern. Its job is to challenge the
company’s approach and provide advice on how to continuously improve. The
area of responsible play is, for example, overseen by Sir Robert Worcester, the
founder of MORI, who represents the interests of players and winners. Our Chief
Executive and another executive director attend each APCR meeting, which is
chaired by Camelot’s Deputy Chairman, Gerry Acher.
The internal Player Protection
Panel, made up of a cross-section of departmental directors, ensures that the
company’s commitments within its strategies to prevent underage and
excessive play are supported. We are currently looking to set up an internal
Stakeholder Engagement Panel, which will further widen our engagement
practices.
The Corporate Responsibility Board,
APCR and Player Protection Panel are supported by consultative groups including
the Staff Forum and the Retailer Forum. The later is a formal body that meets
on a quarterly basis and represents the different trade sectors in our retail
estate. Camelot’s recent move to a new 10-year licence involved replacing
the entire network of National Lottery terminals, introducing new touch-screen
terminals, cutting-edge media screens and printers – connecting over
27,500 retailers to an upgraded gaming system via a brand new communications
network. This successful project was the largest, and fastest, lottery upgrade
of its kind in the world. The Retailer Forum was a vital channel through which
we were able to ensure that all the new in-store equipment was suited to the
needs of our retailers.
Best practice
Stakeholder engagement has not only
allowed Camelot to build trust and safeguard its reputation but, it has also
allowed it to innovate. With the gambling landscape changing rapidly in the UK,
academics from the International Gaming Research Unit at Nottingham Trent
University, who attend the company’s quarterly Public Interest Group
forum, were commissioned by Camelot to develop a tool to assess the structure
of a game, to determine whether it was likely to encourage problem play. This
has now been made available to the wider gambling and lottery industry. This
tool complements an existing tool used by Camelot to assess the potential risk
of new games.
In addition, Camelot continues to
work hard to set and maintain the highest standards of player protection in the
UK market, as well as in the lottery sector worldwide. To achieve this, and to
encourage other lotteries to follow best practice, we have been working to
develop global standards on player protection.
We have led the development of a
global Responsible Gaming Framework through the
World Lottery Association (WLA)
and European Responsible Gaming Standards through the
European Lotteries Association
(EL). Dianne
Thompson co-chairs the WLA Responsible Gaming Working Group and champions
responsible play on the EL Executive Committee.
The new longer licence period has
opened up an opportunity for us as an organisation to think more strategically
in a number of areas, and to widen stakeholder participation and make it even
more meaningful. One such development has been a recent session, facilitated by
YouGovStone, of over 50 influential individuals – including business
leaders, heads of charities and academics – to generate new ideas about
Camelot’s future engagement. The independent, open-ended and creative
dialogue from this forum generated a number of common themes which will provide
valuable and refreshing ideas about how we can engage with our audiences in the
future.
£23 billion and
counting…
The most tangible benefit to society
of our work can be seen in the amount of money we continue to raise for the
Good Causes. To date, The National Lottery has raised over £23 billion, a
sum that that has so far been used to fund more than 325,000 individual awards.
With an average of 112 grants for every UK postcode area, this amounts to the
largest programme of civic and social regeneration since the 19th century
– an achievement of which UK National Lottery players can be rightly
proud.
About CSR360 Global Partner
Network
CSR360 Global Partner Network is a
network of independent organisations that work in the field of Corporate Social
Responsibility and that is convened by Business In The Community.
SOURCE: CSR360 Global Partner
Network.
Lottery Kicks off Fiscal Year with a Bang, $33 Million Transferred to
State
NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (October 27,
2009) - In the first quarter of fiscal year 2010, the
Louisiana Lottery
Corporation transferred more than $33.4 million to the state treasury,
exceeding last year's first-quarter transfers by more than $3 million.
With first-quarter revenue of
$95,665,945, the Lottery contributed to the state 35 percent in proceeds, which
are earmarked for public education. Retailers earn five percent sales
commission on Lottery tickets, which amounted to $4,916,228 for July through
September of 2009.
Lottery President
Rose Hudson credits much of the
Lottery's success over the last three months to high Powerball jackpots as well
as new, value-added promotions for its scratch-off games.
"Powerball and Lotto sales are
strongly driven by jackpot size," she explained. "Louisiana Powerball
sales are up over 20 percent compared to last year, with one jackpot reaching
$250 million and the next rolling over $170 million during the first
quarter."
In addition to strong sales for its
draw-style games, scratch-off sales were also up slightly from the previous
fiscal year.
In July, the Lottery partnered with
its sports sponsorship and media vendors to provide weekly second-chance
drawings for summer-themed prizes. Second-chance drawings give players who do
not win a scratch-off prize, the opportunity to enter those tickets into
drawings for other prizes.
In September, the Lottery launched
the $5 scratch-off New Orleans Saints, featuring the team's marks and logos.
That ticket also offers second-chance drawings for players to win tickets to
Saints games, autographed merchandise and more.
"Our partnership with the New
Orleans Saints has truly been a win-win experience, giving our players the
chance to win once-in-a-lifetime prizes that mesh perfectly with our brand of
fun and excitement," said Hudson. "Six-week sales for the game are
double the average for our $5 product."
Under state law, the treasury
department receives 35 percent of every $1 in Lottery sales. At least 50
percent of sales is used to fund Lottery prizes, and retailers receive at least
5 percent as commission on ticket sales. Less than 10 percent is retained by
the Lottery for operating costs.
"In fulfilling our mission of
maximizing revenue for the state while upholding the highest level of public
trust, the Lottery has not wavered from its core philosophies that have made it
successful," said Hudson. "We continue to responsibly offer our
games as a fun entertainment option with added value."
Hudson noted that Lottery ticket
purchasers must be at least 21 years of age and encouraged anyone with a
gambling problem, or friends of anyone with a gambling problem, to call
toll-free 1-877-770-7867 for assistance. For security purposes, the Lottery
strongly encourages players to sign the back of their ticket after
purchasing.
SOURCE: Louisiana Lottery.
INTRALOT Maintains Presence In Chile Signing New
Contract
ATHENS, Greece (October 29, 2009) --
INTRALOT was granted a
lottery contract by the Lotería de Concepción in Chile for the supply
of technological solutions and management of lottery games in the country. The
contract has an initial term of 7 years with an option of 3 annual renewals.
Additionally, the parties agreed to expand their agreement in South
America.
Lotería de Concepción,
founded in 1921, is the oldest lottery and one of the two leading gaming
operators in Chile. It offers lottery games, such as KINO, IMÁN, Kino5,
Raspes, BOLETO, etc, under a license granted by the Chilean Ministry of
Finance.
A significant percentage of the
lottery’s revenues is offered to Good Causes assisting financially
different organizations, such as the Red Cross, University of Concepcion,
welfare institutions and sport organizations.
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The CEO of the Loteria de
Concepcion, Mr. Mariano Campos, stated: "We are very pleased to enter in
this strategic cooperation with INTRALOT and explore jointly business
opportunities in Chile and Latin America. We are confident that based on
INTRALOT's experience and technological know-how we will manage to get the
Loteria de Conception into a new era, serving our purpose which is the support
and the development of the local community."
Mr. Constantinos
Antonopoulos, INTRALOT Group CEO, commented: “INTRALOT considers
Chile as an important and very challenging country to pursue business
opportunities in. This country became one of our first international
milestones, as we have strongly believed in the dynamic of the local gaming
market. We are confident that through our partnership with the Lotería
de Concepción we will manage to boost the Lottery’s performance and
thus increase its contribution to good causes in the country, and look into
opportunities in the wider region of Latin America.”
About INTRALOT (www.intralot.com)
INTRALOT, a public listed company,
is the leading supplier of integrated gaming and transaction processing
systems, innovative game content and sports betting management, to
state-licensed gaming organizations worldwide. Its broad portfolio of products
& services, its know-how of Lottery, Betting & Video Lottery operations
and its leading-edge technology, give INTRALOT a competitive advantage which
contributes directly to customers’ efficiency, profitability and growth.
With presence in more than 50 countries, with 5,000 people and revenues of
€1.1 billion for 2008, INTRALOT has established its presence on all 5
continents.
For more information please CONTACT:
Ms. Persa Kartsoli, Head of Corporate Affairs, Phone: +30-210 6156000, Fax:
+30-210 6106800, email: kartsoli@intralot.com -
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