| Boss Media's IPN Poker Network Welcomes 3
Millionth Player Boss
Media's International Poker Network has just welcomed its 3 millionth player.
Together with GTECH's St Minver, Boss Media provides a fully-managed poker
solution. STOCKHOLM, Sweden (April 30, 2009)
-- Boss Media's International Poker
Network (IPN), Europe's largest independent online poker network, has just
welcomed its 3 Millionth player. With a 14% increase in active daily players, a
22% increase in maximum concurrent players, and an incredible increase of 28%
in daily registrations the IPN was the fastest growing independent European
network during 2008. That growth shows no signs of slowing.
Only last month, through a strategic alliance with
CryptoLogic Limited, Boss Media expanded the International Poker Network to add
poker licensees like Extreme Poker, Classic Poker, Opoker, DTD Poker, BetJacks,
InterPoker and ParBet to the network that already included such leading brands
as Virgin Poker, CelebPoker, Casino Club Poker, Poker Heaven,Yahoo, BetClick
and Paradise Poker.
Together with St Minver,
which manages player liquidity, tournaments, customer service and promotions
for a network of poker, bingo and casino sites, Boss Media provides a
fully-managed poker solution. "This is a major
milestone for the IPN," said Atul Bali, President of
GTECH's New Media & Sports Betting Co.
including Finsoft, Boss Media, St Minver, and Dynamite Idea. "We are
building on the strength of each company in the new media group and this is
just the first of many achievements to come." GTECH's New Media
& Sports Betting division focuses on white label services and
technology to customers operating interactive poker, casino, bingo, skill as
well as lottery games, sports betting, and regulated multi-jurisdictional
games. These will include new professional services such as risk management,
player relationship management, fraud prevention, responsible gaming, and
community functions. The International Poker Network
features Boss Media's fast, easy to play No Limit, Pot Limit and Fixed Limit
Texas Hold'em, Omaha, Stud & Draw poker in more languages and currencies
than any other. The network also offers freerolls, guaranteed tournaments,
tournaments with added prize money and satellites to live tournaments around
the world. Every night IPN poker rooms host a EUR25,000 Guaranteed Tournament
and every Sunday night guarantee there will be EUR100,000 in the prize pool.
In addition to the liquidity that poker players look
for, poker rooms in the International Poker Network offer cash incentives that
increase conversions and earn player loyalty. There is still time for players
to qualify for the massive EUR1 Million guaranteed tournament on the 10th May,
with satellites running all day from as little as a EUR3 entry.
For further information: Boss Media AB, Mery Blomqvist,
Head of Marketing & PR, +46 (0) 8 509 200 02, Email:
mery.blomqvist@bossmedia.se
About Boss Media Boss
Media AB is one of the world's leading independent software providers of
complete online gaming & entertainment solutions within Poker, Bingo,
Casino, Gaming management systems and Instant games. Licensees are offered
systems for customized gaming, entertainment, integrated payment and
operator-related services. Boss Media is a majority-owned subsidiary of GTECH;
the leading gaming technology and services company - and can furthermore
provide online and retail products & services in the areas of Sports
Betting, Server Based Interactive Video Terminals and White label end-to-end
services. SOURCE: Boss Media AB.
NH Lottery
Launches Billboard® Instant Game
Offers lottery players up to $30,000 in instant
cash prizes and chances to win music digital downloads
CONCORD, New Hampshire (May 4, 2009) – Now you can
win Beyoncé with your bucks, Eddie Money with your money, or Johnny Cash
with your cash. Officials from the New Hampshire
Lottery have announced the launch of a music-themed instant game,
“Billboard®.” This three dollar scratch ticket
features the Billboard magazine logo and gives lottery players a chance to win
free music downloads, as well as cash prizes up to $30,000.
“Now players can get two of their favorite things
on one ticket: win cash and free music,” said Executive Director Rick
Wisler. “This is a new kind of ticket for us. It’s
part of the Lottery’s ongoing effort to increase sales by offering titles
and prizes that are familiar to the public. We think the music downloads
as secondary prizes will interest players of all lottery age
groups.”
| Advertisement |
 |
Players of Billboard®
will scratch off their Billboard chart song position. If “this
week’s” position is higher than “last week,” the
player wins. If this week’s position is a star, the player’s
prize amount doubles. Top prize for this $3 ticket is $30,000.
There is also a chance to win free music downloads from
Billboard-Puretracks. Players will scratch off the ticket’s bonus
box to reveal a code for free music. Music winners can choose from over 2
million tracks online in either WMA or MP3 format. Instructions for
downloading will be provided on the back of each ticket.
Recently the New Hampshire Lottery has introduced new
scratch tickets such as Boston Red Sox®, Boston Celtics Gold® and The
Three Stooges® with much success. Lottery officials say licensed
brand products are more likely to pique players’ interest and impact
sales. Since 1964, the New Hampshire Lottery has had a
significant financial impact on the state. For the past 45 years, the New
Hampshire Lottery has recorded $4 billion in lottery sales and other earnings,
with $2.5 billion being paid in prizes and other cost of sales. Net proceeds to
education to date total more than $1.4 billion. The
New Hampshire Lottery Commission, located at 14 Integra Drive in Concord,
currently manages all lottery operations in the state, including Instant games,
New Hampshire POWERBALL®, Tri-State MegabucksÒ, Tri-State Weekly
Grand®, Hot Lotto SizzlerÒ, and Tri-State Pick3/Pick4 Daily
Numbers® games. Billboard is a registered
trademark of Nielsen Business Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
CONTACT: Maura McCann, 603.271.3391 x308, Email:
Maura.A.McCann@lottery.nh.gov.
INTRALOT
Unveils Interactive Brand
Shareholders’ Annual General
Meeting
INTRALOT Enters New Development Era With New
Internet Strategy ATHENS, Greece (May, 2009)
-- “Despite the difficult financial and economic situation in 2008,
INTRALOT presented very satisfactory
financial results. The company managed to accomplish its targets,
notwithstanding the negative impact of the foreign currencies’
devaluation,” commented INTRALOT’s CEO, Mr. Constantinos
Antonopoulos, during the Shareholders’ Annual General Meeting.
Mr. Antonopoulos presented
the portfolio of the company’s activities and the new development era the
company is entering. Apart from the provision of excellent technology and
services to clients and national Organizations, INTRALOT has already developed
exclusive points of sale networks in various markets, establishing a strong
international brand name. Moreover, after evaluating the new developments
taking place in the Internet sector, where countries are moving towards a
controlled market liberalization, INTRALOT announced the launch of INTRALOT
Interactive. INTRALOT Interactive will acquire the
company’s assets concerning Internet Gaming. The strategy of the new
company will focus both on providing its pioneering technology to Lotteries and
State Organizations worldwide and on seeking licensing opportunities for
operating in the new liberalized environment.
“The great
potential of the interactive market and our intention to become a significant
global player in this business area has led to the establishment of a new
global company. INTRALOT Interactive aims to gain a significant market share
and gradually become one of the leaders of the Internet gaming
market,” underlined INTRALOT’s CEO. “In 2009, INTRALOT aims to improve further the
profitability of its projects, maintaining its predominance in new projects and
continuing the development of new technologies. We will focus on the Internet
Gaming market, forming new alliances for major privatization projects and
monitoring new opportunities for acquisitions,” added Mr.
Antonopoulos. In 2008 the Group’s Revenues
reached €1.1 billion, confirming INTRALOT‘s dominant presence in the
global gaming market. Moreover, the Shareholders’ Annual General Meeting
approved the distribution of a total dividend of €0.22 per share.
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. It’s 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.
Atlantic Lottery Celebrates World Lottery
Association’s Level III Responsible Gaming
Certification MONCTON, New
Brunswick, Canada (April 30, 2009) -- Atlantic Lottery (ALC) has had
it’s fair share of accomplishments over the past three decades: first to
develop bar code technology on lottery tickets, first to develop the
readers/wands to validate those tickets and first in North America to develop a
secure, regulated website to sell lottery tickets, to name a few. The
most recent accomplishment however, may be the most exciting of all: being
awarded Responsible Gaming (RG) Level III Certification from the
World Lottery Association (WLA).
“To receive this
certification solidifies that we’re taking the right steps to ensure that
Atlantic Canadians are able to play the lottery with confidence,” said
Michelle Carinci, President and
CEO of Atlantic Lottery. “All Atlantic Canadians should feel good
about their play and this certification shows our success in developing and
implementing programs to ensure that all our players have the resources they
require to manage their gaming entertainment choices.”
With four levels of accreditation available as part of the
World Lottery Association’s Responsible Gaming Framework, ALC’s
attainment of Level III accreditation signifies that they’re currently in
a stage of ‘implementation.’ Level IV signifies
‘continuous improvement’. Carinci has
always had always held true to her innate belief that industries must be good
stewards of the trust placed in them by their customers. It is this
belief that led her to become the founding chair and current
co-chair of the WLA’s Corporate Social Responsibility Committee. The
Responsible Gaming framework that the Committee built and put in place, governs
more than 170 member lotteries from 76 countries and 5 continents.
The World Lottery Association’s RG framework is
designed to encourage and benchmark the actions that lotteries are taking to
demonstrate their commitment to the seven Responsible Gaming Principles.
The responsible gambling vision of ALC is to be a company that cares about its
players and the wider community by showing leadership in responsible
gambling. More than a philosophy, responsibility is a
core value at ALC and the foundation for business decisions. Always
keeping the player in mind, responsible gambling plays a vital role in business
planning, product development, advertising and communications.
About The World Lottery Association (WLA)
The WLA is a member-based organization set out to advance
the interests of state-authorized lotteries. Its objectives include
disseminating information establishing best practice standards and ethical
standards. WLA members include global gaming organizations from 76
countries and five continents. CONTACT: Courtney
Pringle, Atlantic Lottery, 506-867-5942, Email:
courtney.pringle@alc.ca.
SOURCE: Atlantic Lottery. Steve Saferin Appointed Chief Creative Officer of
Scientific Games
 |
| Steve
Saferin Chief Creative Officer for the Scientific Games' Printed Products and
Lottery Systems Groups. |
NEW YORK, USA (May 5, 2009)
-- Scientific Games (Nasdaq: SGMS) has
announced that Steve Saferin has been
appointed Chief Creative Officer for the Company’s Printed Products and
Lottery Systems Groups. In this capacity, Steve
is responsible for planning, coordinating, and directing all creative content,
creative business initiatives and related product development activities for
the groups. Prior to assuming his new role, Mr. Saferin served as
President of MDI Entertainment and Scientific
Games’ Properties division. In his new position, Steve will remain
closely involved with MDI on the license acquisition, creative and business
development sides of the business and will add his expertise to the entire
lottery group to drive continued growth on all fronts.
“Steve has been the
incubator for emerging growth opportunities, new products and marketing
initiatives for Scientific Games since our acquisition of MDI in
2003,” said Joe Wright, CEO of Scientific Games. “Steve
has been an invaluable resource for our Company and as Chief Creative Officer,
we plan to fully utilize his creativity, expertise and relationships in
providing game and promotional entertainment for use by the worldwide lottery
industry.” “This is a tremendous
opportunity for me to devote my full energies toward driving growth on the
content and entertainment side for our entire lottery group,” said
Steve Saferin, Vice President and Chief Creative Officer of Scientific
Games. “The entire MDI team and all of Scientific Games are proud
of the growth of our licensed game business and I look forward to bringing the
same creativity and energy to achieving that growth in new areas as I assume my
new responsibilities.” About Scientific
Games Scientific Games Corporation is the 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.
CONTACT: Public Relations, (212) 754-2233.
Lottery Announce Collegiate Scratch™ Ticket
Design Contest Winners BOISE,
Idaho (April 30, 2009) -- For the second consecutive year, a Lewis-Clark State
College graphic design student has won the Idaho
Lottery’s Annual Collegiate Scratch™ Ticket Design Contest.
Andy Burdin, a senior majoring in Graphic Design/Printing Technology won first
place with the design of “Vault Buster”, a Scratch™ game aimed
at breaking the bank and winning up to $10,000. “This competition provides our students the
opportunity to work with a real client and to create a compelling design with
unique game play,” said Brian Kolstad, Associate Professor of Graphic
Design/Printing Technology at LCSC. “Plus, by winning, it gives us the
opportunity to showcase our work to the rest of the great State of
Idaho.” The announcement of Burdin’s win
came during a check presentation with Lottery Officials at Lewis-Clark State
College on Tuesday morning. Burdin earned $1,000 in a cash scholarship from the
Idaho Lottery for the winning design. The straight-forward, colorful ticket
design features two games played on the open doors of a bank vault, one loaded
with gold bars and the other stacked with cash. If a player scratches and
reveals the word “Bust” in the “Bonus Bag” of
money that sits between the two doors, any prize won in the game is
automatically doubled.
“I had been
watching the movies Ocean’s 11, 12 and 13 and thought that idea might work
great as a scratch ticket,” said Burdin during the press event at LCSC
on Tuesday. “I wanted to create something that was definitely a lot of
fun.” This is the sixth year the Idaho
Lottery has sponsored the statewide Collegiate Scratch™ Ticket Design
Contest. The Idaho Lottery was created for the benefit of Idaho’s
public schools and the State’s Permanent Building Fund, including
facilities on the Lewis-Clark State College campus. “This design contest is one more way the Idaho
Lottery furthers our mission of benefiting public schools and college
campuses,” said Sherie Moody-St. Clair, the Idaho Lottery’s
Creative Services Director. “It’s a great opportunity for
collegiate graphic design students to utilize their education skills in a
real-life, work scenario while adding to their creative
portfolio.” Burdin’s “Vault
Buster” was not the only winner for LCSC this year. Amanda
Strong’s colorful, creative design for “Fortune Grove” took
third place honors in the statewide competition. Strong, a sophomore
majoring in Graphic Design/Printing Technology earned $200 in a cash
scholarship from the Idaho Lottery for her intricate game design that features
a unique coordinates-style of game play. Her magical forest design features a
forest full of colorful characters including a wizard, dwarf and pixie.
This year’s second place winner was Grant Hoki from
North Idaho College in Coeur d’Alene for his design of “Cushion
Cash”, a game that features hidden treasures among the cushions of a
sofa. For the second place finish, Hoki received a $500 cash scholarship from
the Idaho Lottery. This is the first top winner from North Idaho College
in the six year history of this event. All three
Collegiate Scratch™ Ticket Design Contest winners are eligible to be
included as part of the Idaho Lottery’s official Scratch™ game
line-up in Fiscal Year 2010. All three of last years’ Collegiate
Scratch™ Ticket Design Contest winners are currently available for sale
from most Idaho Lottery retail locations. This
year’s contest saw a total of 22 entries from Idaho State University,
Lewis-Clark State College, and North Idaho College. The entries were scored by
a select panel of graphics and scratch ticket judges who used design, play
style, marketability, and creativity as the judging for all submissions.
ABOUT THE IDAHO LOTTERY The Idaho Lottery responsibly provides a variety of
entertaining games featuring Powerball, Scratch™ tickets, and PullTabs
with a high degree of integrity to maximize the dividend for Idaho public
schools and the permanent building fund. Since it’s inception in 1989, the
Idaho Lottery has sold more than $1.7 billion in products, awarded over $1
billion in prizes to players, returned more than $100 million in retail
commissions, and distributed more than $402 million in Lottery dividends to
state public schools and buildings. To learn more, please visit
www.idaholottery.com.
SOURCE: Idaho lottery. CONTACT: David Workman, (208)
334-2600. Honey Creek Resort
Selected As State’s First Major Attraction To Make Special
‘Experience Iowa’ Offer
Iowa Powerball® Players Can Get $20
Complimentary Certificates To New Resort; Other Bonus Offers Come Streaming
In DES MOINES, Iowa (April 30, 2009) - The
first special offers available to Iowa Powerball players in the "Experience Iowa"
campaign begin Sunday, with southern Iowa's new Honey Creek Resort offering $20
complimentary certificates that can be used for any activities at the
destination resort, including food, golf, lodging and its indoor water
park.
Honey Creek is one of eight
featured attractions in the summer travel initiative from the
Iowa Lottery and Iowa Tourism Office. The
idea behind the Experience Iowa project with its "Keep Your Powerball Ticket
Handy" slogan is to encourage people to travel the state, frequent Iowa
attractions and businesses, and give the entire state a boost in these tough
economic times. To take advantage of the Honey Creek
offer and additional "bonus" discounts from other attractions, Iowa
Powerball players who have a non-winning ticket from Saturday's drawing (May 2)
can log onto the lottery Web site at www.ialottery.com, print off a coupon
there starting Sunday, attach their non-winning ticket, and then present the
coupon to the participating attraction or business to receive the special deal.
The initial round of offers will be available through Wednesday.
Iowa Lottery CEO Terry
Rich said the summer campaign not only will mean bonus offers for Iowa
Powerball players, it's a way for Iowans to work together to help the
state’s economy. "Iowans are helping Iowans
save money through this project," Rich said. "We can all get out and
play in our state and receive a good value while we're at it."
Located near Rathbun Lake in south-central Iowa, Honey
Creek Resort is a destination spot offering a 105-room lakeside lodge and
hotel, 28 luxury cabins, an 18-hole championship golf course, indoor water
park, restaurant and lounge, RV park and boat and bike rentals. Visit
http://honeycreekresort.com to learn more. Officials encourage Iowans to print
and save the coupon, even if they don’t have immediate plans to visit the
attraction, because the coupon will only be available for the limited time and
it can be used until the end of the year. "In these
tough economic times, people are trying more than ever to stretch their
entertainment dollars," said Nancy Landess, manager of the Iowa Tourism
Office. "Our initiative fits right in with that by providing special offers
from across the state." In keeping with the
all-Iowa theme of the summer initiative, advertising for it will feature Lolo
Jones, a champion hurdler from Des Moines who competed on the U.S. team at the
2008 Beijing Olympics. "Lolo's fun-loving attitude
is the perfect feel to help spread the word about all of the entertainment
options available in Iowa," Rich said. BONUS
OFFERS STREAMING IN As news about the new
initiative spread, other Iowa events and attractions also decided to make
special, unadvertised bonus offers to Iowa Powerball players, Rich said. So,
starting Sunday, players also can visit the lottery’s Web site to find out
how they can use their non-winning Powerball tickets to receive:
- $30 savings on tickets to the
North Dakota St.-Iowa St. football game on Sept. 3 in Ames (receive tickets for
$10 each vs. $40 retail price).
- Up to $25 savings on tickets to
the Principal Charity Golf Classic May 26-31 in West Des Moines (receive
single-day tickets for $5 vs. $15 retail price, or a champions club single-day
pass for $125 vs. $150 retail price).
- $7.50 savings on tickets to the
Summer Jam concert June 27 in Des Moines (tickets for $20 vs. $27.50 retail
price).
- A free 16-ounce coffee at U-Stop
convenience stores in Council Bluffs, Minden and Crescent.
- A free 20-ounce fountain drink or
coffee at all Country Store of Carroll convenience store locations in northwest
Iowa.
- A free 20-ounce fountain drink at
Fast Break convenience store locations in Fort Madison, Mediapolis, Muscatine
and West Burlington.
Powerball ticket holders must
use one ticket per coupon, or select which offer they wish to use.
The special offers being made through the Experience Iowa
initiative will change with each Powerball drawing, so the initial discount
coupons will only continue through Wednesday. A new round of offers will start
Thursday, with non-winning Powerball tickets from Wednesday's drawing eligible
for those discounts. The next round of offers won't be announced until after
Wednesday's drawing, so Powerball players can check back at the lottery Web
site then to learn more. "The idea behind the
project is that Iowa Powerball players can receive more than the purchase price
of their tickets back in value," Rich said. OTHER IOWA ATTRACTION AND BUSINESS OFFERS YET TO
COME The lottery-tourism project will continue
through May and June, with discounts from other featured attractions to include
Riverboat Twilight, which offers riverboat trips from Le Claire to Dubuque;
Kings Pointe Waterpark Resort in Storm Lake; Iowa Marriott Hotels at special
participating locations; Pzazz/FunCity amusement park in Burlington;
Adventureland amusement park in Altoona; Iowa Speedway in Newton; and the
National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium in Dubuque.
The campaign will extend the fun even further in two
ways:
- Starting May 3 through late May,
the lottery also will offer a "Big Beepin' Deal" promotion. For every 20th $10
Powerball with Power Play® purchase made statewide, the lottery terminal
will make a beeping sound like a car horn and the customer who purchased the
ticket will win $20 cash on the spot; and
- Powerball "prize patrol" teams
will visit Iowa festivals, fairs and other local events during May and June to
give out free merchandise and other special offers to folks there who have
Powerball tickets.
SOURCE: Iowa Lottery.
B & B’s And Barbeque From A3
Rewards! Alchemy 3
Announce New Prize Options For Lottery Non-Cash Rewards
ALPHARETTA, Georgia (May 6, 2009) -- Lotteries will soon
be able to offer new and desirable non-cash prize rewards now that
Alchemy 3 has solidified agreements with
Omaha Steaks® and BedandBreakfast.com.
“Lottery marketers
have been very receptive to our A3 Rewards Program” said David Schorr,
Chief Executive Officer of Alchemy3 and one of its three founders. “A
few lotteries have already launched our Casholine™ games--where in
addition to cash, consumers can win MasterCard® gift cards. Also, this
summer, lotteries will begin to introduce our “Movie Nite™”
games that award movie tickets/concessions that are instantly redeemable at
most any theater” Schorr explained. Omaha
Steaks and BedandBreakfast.com’s participation broadens the variety of
rewards now available to lotteries and their consumers. Paul Guziel,
Alchemy3’s Chief Operating Officer, put a twist on the obvious when
creating the Omaha Steaks game concepts. “Lotteries are frequently
looking for game themes that enhance a lottery’s relevance during the
summer season”, said Guziel. “We had a lot of fun with the
Omaha Steaks brand by creating a series of summer grilling/barbecue themed
games. Guziel explained “ we let our imaginations run wild which
resulted in whimsical concepts like “Grillin’ Millions”,
“Steak Your Claim” and “Cash Grills”. In addition to
winning cash, consumers will be rewarded with gift cards to redeem for Omaha
Steaks premium quality beef, poultry, pork and seafood grilling packages.
 |
According to Schorr
“research demonstrates that in these challenging economic times, fewer
families can afford the luxury of taking vacations. Families are spending more
time at home and backyard barbecue parties are more popular than
ever”. Todd Simon, Senior Vice President and
family owner of Omaha Steaks agrees. “Gathering family and friends to
enjoy a delicious meal hot off the grill has become an American tradition. The
grilling packages that lotteries can now offer to consumers provide something
for everyone and a great reason to celebrate.” Trends also demonstrate
that families are still opting for vacation getaways, but they are choosing
destinations that are closer to home. “That’s the beauty of the Getaway Gift Card from
BedandBreakfast.com”, says Matthew Howe, Director, National Sales of
BedandBreakfast.com. “Our gift cards are good at over 4,000 B&Bs in
the U.S. and Canada. If consumers want to use the gift card at a local B&B,
they can do just that. Or, they have the option of hopping on a plane and using
the same gift card at a B&B in Napa Valley for a wine tasting weekend,
lounging by the beach in Key West or experiencing a big city like New York
City” said Howe. “Lottery marketers
have asked us for prizes that allow them to be flexible” said Schorr.
Some lotteries have restrictions on awarding travel prizes that send winners
out-ofstate. For other lotteries, this is not an issue and there are no travel
restrictions. The Getaway Gift Card from BedandBreakfast.com prize offerings
allows lotteries to awardprizes in a way that works best for the lottery that
adopts this theme for their instantgame.” Schorr confirmed.
About Alchemy3
Founded by lottery industry veterans in 2007, Alchemy3
focuses on creating what it calls “smart matches” between licensed
consumer brands and lottery games. The company works with lotteries to
capitalize on the power of established consumer brands to attract new players
with tailor-made instant and on-line games. Alchemy3 represents premiere brands
including The American Music Awards, Bass Pro Shops, CBS Classic TV Shows
(Cheers, Happy Days, The Brady Bunch, The Love Boat and Dynasty), Chrysler,
Frank Sinatra, Professional Bowlers Association (PBA), Six Flags and Twentieth
Century Fox. Alchemy3 also created A3 Rewards – lottery prize packages
that instantly award non-cash prizes including gasoline, movie
tickets/concessions, CDs and DVDs, and now backyard grilling packages and bed
and breakfast getaway packages. For more information about Alchemy3, visit
www.alchemy3.com. About Omaha Steaks
Omaha Steaks, founded in 1917, is an Omaha,
Nebraska-based, fifth generation; family-owned company that markets and
distributes a wide variety of the finest quality USDA-approved, grain fed beef
and other gourmet foods. Today, Omaha Steaks is recognized as the nation’s
largest direct response marketer of premium beef, available to customers by
calling 1-800-960-8400, online at www.OmahaSteaks.com or at retail stores
nationwide. About BedandBreakfast.com
Founded in 1995, BedandBreakfast.com is highly recommended
by The New York Times, Real Simple, Forbes, Travel & Leisure, USA TODAY and
many others. To learn about The Getaway Gift Card from BedandBreakfast.com and
more than 7,000 other perfect choices for your own B&B getaway, visit
www.BedandBreakfast.com, the leading online bed and breakfast directory and
reservation network worldwide. A variety of search functions and extensive maps
enable inn goers to find the perfect B&B. Travelers can make reservations
online, purchase The Getaway Gift Card, read up-to-date trip reports on The
BedandBreakfast.com Blog, read and write independent reviews, and post
questions on expert-hosted message boards. CONTACT:
Jeffrey Schweig, 770-442-6993.
Wincor Nixdorf
Grows During the First Half and Holds on to Forecast Despite Slower
Growth KONSTANZ, Germany (April
23, 2009) -- Wincor Nixdorf AG closed the
first six months of fiscal 2008/2009 with an increase of 4% in net sales and 2%
in operating profit (EBITA). An expert in IT solutions for bank branches and
retail stores, Wincor Nixdorf increased its net sales in the first half of the
year to 1,234 million euros (1,183 million euros) and EBITA to 103 million
euros (101 million euros). Profits for the period rose by 5% to 64 million
euros (61 million euros). As President and CEO Eckard Heidloff made clear when
the figures were announced, the positive result for the first half as a whole
was mainly influenced by a good start to the fiscal year in the first quarter.
Net sales in the second quarter were 588 million euros (581 million euros),
representing an increase of 1%. “This slowdown shows that we too are
feeling the impact of the economic crisis.”
Heidloff noted that it was
still not clear how extensive the effects of the crisis would be and how long
it would ultimately last. He also emphasized that Wincor Nixdorf would continue
to strive to exploit the many good opportunities in the market and thus achieve
its targets for the current fiscal year. "On the basis of what we know up to
now, we are holding firm to our forecast that our net sales and operating
profit will be roughly on a par with the previous year.”
Well positioned with a cost-efficient portfolio of
solutions However, the company’s ability to
achieve this goal will depend greatly on the impact the economic crisis has on
retailers and retail banks. On the one hand, Wincor Nixdorf is noticing a
declining willingness to invest as a result of the crisis. On the other, its
own portfolio of software and services is having a significant stabilizing
effect on the company’s business. Moreover, Wincor Nixdorf is well
positioned with a portfolio that helps its customers save money, and is
registering continuing interest in solutions designed to optimize processes and
reduce costs. In view of this, the company is keeping to its strategy of
future-oriented expansion and further development of its solution portfolio in
order to continue offering its customers innovative concepts and to position
itself for the post-crisis market. At the same time, it is continuing its
efforts to flexibilize cost structures and reduce its own cost levels.
Development in the regions inconsistent
The company again performed inconsistently in the regions:
sales revenues in Germany in the first half soared by 26% to 336 million euros
(267 million euros). As a result, business in Germany accounted for 27% (23%)
of total sales. Sales in the second quarter improved to 181 million euros (129
million euros) or by 40%. In Europe (excluding
Germany), sales in the first six months were 577 million euros (631 million
euros), 9% down year-on-year. Europe again contributed
the largest share to the Group’s total sales: 47% (53%). Net sales in the
region fell in the second quarter by 18% to 245 million euros (298 million
euros).
A significant driver behind
net sales growth in the period under review was the Asia/Pacific/Africa region,
which posted an increase of 20% to 219 million euros
(182 million euros), representing an increase of 5% when calculated in
US-Dollar. The region thus accounted for 18% (15%) of total sales. Net sales
increased by 17% in the second quarter to 118 million euros (101 million
euros). Business in the region America fell slightly
in the first half by 1% to 102 million euros (103 million euros), a decline of
14% in US-Dollar terms. As a result, the share this region contributes to total
sales fell to 8% (9%). Net sales in the second quarter decreased 17% to 44
million euros (53 million euros).
Banking and retail contribute to growth
Banking and retail business both made contributions to
growth. Net sales in the banking segment rose in the first half by 6% to 866
million euros (818 million euros). Net sales in the second quarter were down 1%
year-onyear at 410 million euros (413 million euros). The figure in the retail segment improved slightly in the
period under review by 1% to 368 million euros (365 million euros). In the
second quarter, net sales rose to 178 million euros (168 million euros), an
increase of 6%. Broken down by types of business, net
sales from hardware business fell slightly by 1% to 711 million euros (715
million euros). In contrast, software/services
business recorded an increase of 12% to 523 million euros (468 million euros).
As a result, hardware business accounted for 58% (60%) of total sales. The
share contributed by software/services business rose accordingly to 42%
(40%). The number of persons employed at the Group
fell by 96 to 9,364 up to and including March 31, 2009 (September 30, 2008:
9,460). SOURCE: WINCOR NIXDORF International GmbH.
CONTACT: Andreas Kohlmann, Retail Division Lottery Solutions Director,
Tel. +49 7531 94226 40, Fax +49 7531 94226 99, Mob. +49
170 2283121, E-Mail andreas.kohlmann@wincor-nixdorf.com
New KITcash
Service at SAZKA Terminals – Secure, Reliable and Discreet Internet
Payments PRAQUE, Czech Republic
(May 5, 2009) – On May 5, 2009 SAZKA,
a.s. (SAZKA) will start to offer a new non-lottery service with trade name
KITcash at its terminals, allowing secure, reliable and discreet payments for
goods and services ordered over the Internet. At any
SAZKA terminal, customers can top up their virtual accounts, from which they
subsequently pay for goods and services purchased on the Internet from partners
of KIT digital Czech a.s.
To use the KITcash service,
a customer initially needs to open a virtual account with some of the companies
whose e-shop supports this payment method. This account may be subsequently
topped up anytime by a cash deposit at SAZKA points of sale in the amounts of
CZK 100, CZK 200, CZK 500 or CZK 1,000, at customer’s discretion. The
service at SAZKA terminals is free of any fees. Some
of the greatest benefits of the new service, in addition to zero fees, include
availability, guaranteed by the unrivalled network of more than 4,500 SAZKA
terminals (apart from terminals located at Czech Post offices) across the Czech
Republic, and discreetness, which eliminates the possibility of misusing the
personal data, bank accounts or payment cards. This new service adds to the
large portfolio of SAZKA’s non-lottery activities, which include, among
others, a mobile phone top-up service; sales of tickets for sports, cultural
and other events; a sales module; payments by paying-in slips, invoice and
insurance payments; or other methods of paying for goods and services ordered
over the Internet. SAZKA’s business partner is
KIT digital Czech a.s. (previously Visual Connection, a.s.), which has been
active in designing, supplying and integrating the systems of professional
production, digitalisation, processing, distribution and archiving of
audiovisual materials in many sectors since 1991. For details of the new
service please visit www.kitd.cz.
SOURCE: SAZKA, a.s.
Pollard
Banknote Announces 1st Quarter Financial Results and Distribution
Reduction WINNIPEG, Canada (May 6,
2009) -- Pollard Banknote Income Fund (TSX
Symbol PBL.UN) (the "Fund") today released the financial results of the Fund
and Pollard Holdings Limited Partnership ("Pollard LP") for the three months
ended March 31, 2009. HIGHLIGHTS
| |
1st Quarter
ended
March 31, 2009 |
1st Quarter
ended
March 31, 2008 |
| Sales(1) |
$47.0 million |
$39.1 million |
| EBITDA(1) |
$4.0 million |
$4.6 million |
| Adjusted Distributable Cash(1)
|
$2.2 million |
$3.3 million |
| Distributions(1) |
$5.6 million |
$5.6 million |
| Adjusted Distributable |
|
|
| Cash per unit(1) |
$0.0930 |
$0.1381 |
| Distributions per unit(2) |
$0.2376 |
$0.2376 |
| Payout ratio(3) |
255.5% |
172.1% |
- Sales, EBITDA, Adjusted
Distributable Cash, Distributions and Adjusted Distributable Cash per unit are
for Pollard LP for the period ended March 31, 2009.
- Distributions per unit are for
the Fund for the period ended March 31, 2009.
- Payout ratio is calculated as
Distributions per unit divided by Adjusted Distributable Cash per unit.
“The first quarter presented Pollard with a number of
challenges,” stated John Pollard, Co-Chief Executive Officer. “Lower
than normal order volumes from one large client, coupled with additional
expenditures relating to the development of new capacity, resulted in a
shortfall from our targeted distributable cash. In addition, specific problems
associated with two significant orders resulted in a large one time
reproduction cost.” “While our first quarter
financial results are very disappointing, the industry fundamentals remain
strong, with consistent growth in the instant ticket market creating ongoing
opportunities to increase volumes. Our charitable gaming market business has
also grown during the first quarter of 2009 and we expect this growth to
continue.” Since the IPO in 2005, Pollard had
followed a policy of hedging the net exposure to the U.S. dollar with monthly
forward currency contracts. These contracts were placed 24 months into the
future and locked in the exchange rates for that period. This practice was
discontinued in October 2008, and the last of these contracts will therefore
expire in September 2010.
The average rates locked in
between now and September 2010 are approximately at par (meaning one Canadian
dollar converts to one U.S. dollar). This compares negatively to the
average hedged rate in 2008 of $0.90 U.S. for every Canadian dollar. As a
result, over the next 18 months the net U.S. dollar cash inflow will convert to
fewer Canadian dollars and be a significant drag on our earnings during this
period. Unfortunately, the anticipated offset to this of expected increased
sales and lower costs from our new press line have been slower in materializing
than we expected. The Fund believes at this time it is
prudent to reduce distributions to retain additional capital within Pollard
Banknote. As a result the Fund announces today that beginning with the May
monthly distribution (payable June 15, 2009) the monthly distribution will be
reduced from $0.0792 per unit per month to $0.0475 per unit per month, a 40%
reduction. On an annual basis the distribution is reduced from $0.9504 per unit
to $0.57 per unit. The increased financial requirements of developing the
infrastructure and increased working capital relating to the new press capacity
require additional funds. In addition, the significant capital expenditures
incurred over the past 15 months have resulted in increased bank indebtedness
and retaining cash flow will allow Pollard to strengthen its balance sheet and
capital structure. The distribution reduction will also help ensure financial
flexibility during this time of uncertainty within the banking and financial
sector. “Management and the Trustees of the Fund
recognize the importance of distributions to Unitholders,” stated Pollard,
“but believe that the most prudent decision at this time is to reduce our
monthly distribution payout. This will allow the Fund to continue to
finance the increased working capital and infrastructure expenditures required
to bring our new capacity fully on stream. It will also allow us to enhance our
capital structure after a period of significant capital expenditures. We will
continue to monitor the situation on an ongoing basis.”
THE FUND The
Fund commenced business operations on August 5, 2005, and earnings from the
Fund’s investment in Pollard LP have been accounted for using the equity
method of accounting. Under this method, the Fund’s share of earnings of
Pollard LP is adjusted for the amortization of certain intangible assets
arising from the use of purchase accounting, certain administrative expenses
and any future income tax reductions. The results of operations of the Fund are
dependent on the performance of Pollard LP. The Fund
has declared distributions totaling $0.2376 per unit during the period ended
March 31, 2009. POLLARD LP
Pollard LP is one of the leading providers of products and
services to lottery and charitable gaming industries throughout the world.
Management believes Pollard LP is the largest provider of instant-win scratch
tickets based in Canada and the second largest producer of instant tickets in
the world. SELECTED FINANCIAL INFORMATION
| |
Three months
ended March 31, 2009 |
Three months
ended March 31, 2008 |
| (millions of dollars) |
|
|
| Sales |
$47.0 |
$39.1 |
| Cost of Sales |
38.9 |
32.6 |
| Gross Profit |
8.1 |
6.5 |
| Gross Profit as a % of sales
|
17.2% |
16.6% |
| Selling and Administration
|
|
|
| Expenses |
5.6 |
4.7 |
| Expenses as a % of sales |
11.9% |
12.0% |
| Realized foreign exchange loss
(gain) |
0.5 |
(1.5) |
| Loss (gain) as a % of sales
|
1.1% |
3.8% |
| EBITDA |
4.0 |
4.6 |
| EBITDA as a % of sales |
8.5% |
11.8% |
| |
March 31, 2009 |
December 31, 2008 |
| Total Assets |
$99.1 |
$113.0 |
| Total Long Term Liabilities
|
$60.9 |
$60.4 |
The previous selected financial and operating information
has been derived from, and should be read in conjunction with, the consolidated
financial statements of Pollard LP. Results of
Operations - Three months ended March 31, 2009 During
the three months ended March 31, 2009, Pollard LP achieved sales of $47.0
million, compared to $39.1 million in the three months ended March 31, 2008.
Factors impacting the $7.9 million sales increase were:
During the three months ended March 31, 2009, Pollard LP
generated approximately 75% of its revenue in U.S. dollars including a
significant portion of international sales which are priced in U.S. dollars.
During the first quarter of 2009 the average U.S. dollar versus the Canadian
dollar value was $1.25, compared to $0.99 during the first quarter of 2008.
This 26.1% increase in the U.S. dollar value resulted in an approximate
increase of $7.3 million in revenue relative to the first quarter of 2008.
| Advertisement |
 |
The volume of instant
ticket and related services sales generated during the first quarter of 2009
was similar to the volume in the comparable three months of 2008. A different
mix of products resulted in an increased average selling price providing $0.8
million higher sales when compared to the first quarter of 2008. Charitable
Gaming Products (pull-tabs and bingo paper) volume increased during the quarter
and, combined with a small volume decrease in other product lines, generated
lower sales by $0.2 million. Cost of sales was $38.9
million in the three months ended March 31, 2009, compared to $32.6 million in
the three months ended March 31, 2008 due to the higher exchange rate on U.S.
dollar transactions in the first quarter of 2009 and other factors discussed
below. Gross profit increased from $6.5 million (16.6%
of sales) to $8.1 million (17.7% of sales) in the three months ended March 31,
2009. The increase in gross profit reflects the greater impact on sales of the
strengthening of the U.S. dollar compared to the impact on cost of sales.
The margin was lower than the historical margin of
approximately 21%, due to a number of factors including: lower than historical
order volumes; reduced production volumes due to planned maintenance shut down
in two of our plants during the quarter and a large one time cost associated
with the reproduction of two significant orders. In addition, the start up
period for the new press has been longer than expected, with significant
additional costs incurred during the ramp up and testing process without
corresponding higher production volumes. Selling and
administration expenses were $5.6 million in the three months ended March 31,
2009, compared to $4.7 million in the three months ended March 31, 2008 due to
higher wages, increased professional fees and higher travel costs.
In the first quarter of 2009 a foreign exchange loss was
incurred of $1.6 million, compared to a gain of $1.3 million in the first
quarter of 2008. Within the foreign exchange loss are unrealized losses
of $1.0 million relating to the foreign exchange loss on U.S. dollar
denominated debt (caused by the weakening of the Canadian dollar) and $0.6
million in realized losses relating to forward hedge contracts (caused by a
weaker Canadian dollar relative to fixed exchange rates in the hedges).
EBITDA was $4.0 million in the three months ended March
31, 2009, compared to $4.6 million in the three months ended March 31, 2008.
EBITDA margins were 8.5% in the three months ended March 31, 2009, compared to
11.8% achieved in the three months ended March 31, 2008. The primary reasons
for the decline in EBITDA were higher gross profit offset by higher selling and
administration costs and higher foreign exchange losses due to the impact of
the weaker Canadian dollar compared to the fixed exchange rates of the hedge
program. A non-cash mark-to-market loss of $1.8
million was recorded in the three months ended March 31, 2009, compared to a
non-cash mark-to market loss of $3.8 million recognized in the comparable
period of 2008. The weakening of the Canadian dollar in relation to the U.S.
dollar during the first quarter of 2009 resulted in a non-cash write-down in
forward foreign currency contracts that Pollard LP had in place. These
contracts expire during the next 18 months with the final one maturing in
September 2010. In the three months ended March 31,
2009, $2.3 million was recorded as a net loss in comparison to a net loss of
$2.4 million in the three months ended March 31, 2008. Increased gross profit
and lower mark-to-market loss on foreign currency contracts were offset by
increased selling and administration expenses and higher realized and
unrealized foreign exchange losses. Pollard LP
generated $2.2 million in Adjusted Distributable Cash, or $0.093 per unit for
the three months ending March 31, 2009. Use of
Non-GAAP Financial Measures Reference to
“EBITDA” is to earnings before interest, income taxes,
amortization, unrealized foreign exchange gains and
losses, mark-to-market gains and losses on foreign exchange contracts and long
term incentive plan expense. Reference to “Adjusted Distributable
Cash” is to cash available for distribution to Unitholders, calculated as
cash flow from operations, before changes in non-cash working capital, less
maintenance capital expenditures. Management views Adjusted Distributable
Cash as an operating performance measure, as it is a measure generally used by
Canadian income funds as an indicator of financial performance. Adjusted
Distributable Cash is important as it summarizes the funds available for
distribution to Unitholders. As the Fund and Pollard LP will distribute
substantially all of its cash on an ongoing basis and since EBITDA and Adjusted
Distributable Cash are metrics used by many investors to compare issuers on the
basis of the ability to generate cash from operations, management believes
that, in addition to Net Income, EBITDA and Adjusted Distributable Cash are
useful supplementary measures. EBITDA, Adjusted
Distributable Cash, Maintenance Capital Expenditures and Growth Capital
Expenditures are not measures recognized under GAAP and do not have
standardized meanings prescribed by GAAP. Therefore, these measures may not be
comparable to similar measures presented by other entities. Investors are
cautioned that EBITDA should not be construed as an alternative to Net Income
or Loss determined in accordance with GAAP as indicators of the Fund’s and
Pollard LP’s performance or to cash flows from operating, investing and
financing activities as measures of liquidity and cash flows.
Outlook
| Classified
Ad |
 |
The 2009 outlook for the
lottery industry, and in particular the instant ticket product line, remains
strong. Retail sales of instant tickets in North America continue to grow
approximately 4-5% annually, notwithstanding the current general economic
uncertainty. Many of our most important existing
customers extended their contracts with us or awarded new contracts to us
during 2008 and early 2009. The New Jersey Lottery contract has been extended
until July 2009 and Pollard has responded to the Lottery’s request for
proposal to award a new long-term contract. There are no other material
contracts that come due in 2009 (when extensions are considered), however there
are a number of contracts which come due this year where Pollard is not the
main supplier. We will bid aggressively on all new contract opportunities in
order to expand our market share and profitably utilize our expanding
capacity. Our volumes in the charitable gaming sector
(pull-tabs and bingo paper) have shown increases in the first quarter of 2009
due to improvements in our market share and we expect this trend to
continue. The Canadian dollar weakened relative to the
U.S. dollar dramatically during the last half of 2008 and remained weak during
the first quarter of 2009. Pollard has a net exposure to U.S. dollar inflows so
a weaker Canadian dollar results in increased cash flow. Historically we have
hedged our net exposure to U.S. dollar inflows through the use of monthly
forward foreign currency contracts. Continued volatility in these foreign
exchange rates will continue to generate significant volatility in our reported
net income due to the accounting rules requiring foreign currency forward
contracts be marked to market value. The full benefit of the weaker Canadian
dollar will not be realized until the expiry of those hedges in September 2010,
assuming the Canadian dollar remains weak. Our recent
announcement of the addition of music company EMI to our licensed properties
portfolio is an exciting new development that will allow lotteries an
opportunity to target an important demographic through such mechanisms as
social networking. We have already confirmed our first sale of this new
property and expect more in the near future. Our
balance sheet and capital structure will benefit from the significantly reduced
capital expenditures during 2009. In addition, the reduced level of
distributions coupled with our ongoing review of ownership of land and
buildings will strengthen our capital structure. Legislation relating to the Tax Fairness Plan continues to
evolve. When the current draft legislation relating to tax efficient means to
revert to corporate status is finalized, Pollard Banknote will develop specific
strategic plans at that time. The introduction of taxation under the Tax
Fairness Plan is not expected to apply to the Pollard Banknote Income Fund
until 2011. Pollard Banknote believes that its credit
facilities and ongoing cash flow from operations will be sufficient to allow it
to meet ongoing requirements for investment in capital expenditures, working
capital and distributions at existing business levels. For further information: John Pollard, Co-Chief Executive
Officer, Telephone: (204) 474-2323 ext 204, Facsimile: (204) 453-1375; Gordon
Pollard, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Telephone: (204) 474-2323 ext 211,
Facsimile: (204) 453-1375; Rob Rose, Chief Financial Officer, Telephone: (204)
474-2323, ext 250, Facsimile: (204) 453-1375. 
|
