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GTECH Receives Rhode Island Hospitality Green
Certification
PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island - (December
10, 2009) - GTECH
Corporation announced that its Corporate Headquarters in Providence, Rhode
Island, has received the Rhode Island Hospitality Green Certification from the
Rhode Island Hospitality Association and Rhode Island Department of
Environmental Management (DEM). GTECH has a self-operated food service
department and this certification was awarded to the Company for attaining
performance standards, implementing best management practices, and complying
with the environmental regulatory requirements in the operation of a green
facility.
"As a global company, all of us
at GTECH are aware of the environmental issues facing our world and we are
committed to reducing our carbon footprint," said Stefano Bortoli, GTECH
Senior Vice President and Lottomatica CFO. "Through our corporate
initiative, 'Green: A Green Pledge,' we have created environmental awareness
among our employees and have already made significant strides in implementing
numerous waste management and energy-saving practices in our daily
operations. This certification is further evidence of our Company-wide
commitment to this important initiative."
The Rhode Island Green Hospitality
Certification program consists of self-certification procedures that focus on
energy and water conservation, waste minimization and recycling, and
sustainable operating and purchasing practices. The program was launched
in January 2008 as an effort to encourage the state's hospitality and tourism
industry to employ green operating practices, therefore decreasing the impact
of their day-to-day operations on the environment.
In order to be considered for this
certification, GTECH completed a comprehensive Self-Certification
Workbook. The completed workbook evaluated GTECH's green efforts in
administrative, kitchen and food, landscaping and maintenance, restrooms,
energy and water conservation, and waste and recycling practices, which was
then reviewed and given a final score by DEM officials. Businesses that
receive 100 points qualify for an automatic certification for two years.
Following the two-year period, businesses must increase their total points to
be eligible for re-certification.
GTECH earned points in all
categories, including the adoption of environmental policies, reducing paper
consumption, offering locally-sourced food, and eliminating the use of
Styrofoam products.
Additionally, GTECH earned points
for the use of water-conserving fixtures, LED signs, sensor lights, and
high-efficiency appliances.
GTECH exceeded the 100 point
certification requirement for its implementation of green practices and earned
a total of 140 points.
The Company's certification is valid
through September 30, 2011, with automatic eligibility for renewal upon
expiration.
GTECH is a leading gaming technology
and services company. With 7,500 people in over 50 countries when combined with
Lottomatica Group, GTECH provides innovative technology, creative content, and
superior service delivery to effectively manage and grow today's evolving
gaming markets. GTECH is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lottomatica Group, one of
the world's largest commercial lottery operators and a market leader in the
Italian gaming industry. For more information about the Company, please visit
GTECH's website at www.gtech.com.
Scientific Games Awarded Australia's Golden Casket Instant Ticket
Contract
NEW YORK, N.Y. (December 9, 2009) --
Scientific Games
Corporation (Nasdaq: SGMS) announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary,
Scientific Games Products Pty Ltd (Australia), has entered into an Instant
Scratch-Its production agreement with
Golden Casket Lottery Corporation
Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tatts Group Limited (ASX: TTS), in
Australia. The Agreement began in November 2009, has an initial term of two
years and includes three one-year extension options. This Agreement is to
supply Golden Casket's Instant Scratch-Its tickets, which are available for
sale in Queensland, Tasmania, ACT and the Northern Territory.
Bill Thorburn, Golden
Casket's Chief Executive commented, "Scientific Games has proven to be a
strong partner over the years and we have been very happy with their attention
to customer service. We look forward to working with them to introduce
innovative scratch-lottery games over the coming years."
"Golden Casket is recognized as
one of the world's leading lottery organizations and has a very strong brand
association and customer loyalty, which we are pleased to continue to
support," commented Mike Chambrello, President and COO of Scientific Games
Corporation. "Golden Casket is a valuable customer and we look forward to
continuing our successful partnership to grow instant ticket revenue and to
return more funds to support a variety of community projects, in their many
markets."
Golden Casket has been operating
lotteries in Queensland for over 90 years and is one of Australia's leading
lottery providers. The Corporation markets the well-known brands of Gold Lotto,
Oz 7 Lotto, Powerball, Instant Scratch-Its, The Pools and Casket. In 2009,
Golden Casket delivered an extremely strong result with overall sales up 8.5
percent on the previous year. The Company's Instant Scratch-Its portfolio
contributed to this success delivering sales growth of 5.1 percent on the
previous year.
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.
Company CONTACT: Investor Relations,
Scientific Games, 212-754-2233.
SOURCE: Scientific Games Corporation
(http://www.scientificgames.com).
INTRALOT Supports Education; Awarding
Scholarships
ATHENS, Greece (December 7, 2009) --
For the second consecutive year,
INTRALOT has been a
contributor to the Piraeus University Scholarship Programme, rewarding two
students of the Banking and Financial Management Department for their excellent
academic performance during the previous year. INTRALOT’s scholarships
were awarded to the students, during a ceremony that took place on December
3rd, 2009 in the premises of the University of Piraeus.
The Banking and Financial Management
Department inaugurated the scholarship programme in 1991, which has soon become
an integral part of the University scholarship programme. In 2009 the
scholarship programme was extended, so as to include the postgraduate and PhD
students of the Department.
INTRALOT as a corporate responsible
citizen has established a CSR programme aiming to enhance the quality of life
of the local communities in which it operates. Among other initiatives, the
company sponsors educational programmes that offer young people an opportunity
to expand their knowledge base, improve their skills and pave their way to
success. The awarding of scholarships is part of “INTRALOT’s 2009 CSR
Programme” that focuses on education, health, sports and environment.
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 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 CONTACT: Ms.
Persa Kartsoli, Head of Corporate Affairs, Phone: +30-210 6156000, Fax: +30-210
6106800, email: kartsoli@intralot.com.
New Hampshire Lottery Holiday Sales Up
Despite Economic
Challenges, Seasonal Instant Ticket Revenues Up Nearly 10%
CONCORD, NH – With a full
complement of holiday-themed lottery instant scratch games now on sale, the
NH Lottery Commission is
reporting strong revenue numbers in that area, with sales up nearly 10% over
the previous year.
“Holiday tickets are
always strong sellers. People often choose lottery products for Secret
Santas, stocking stuffers, and as last-minute gifts for co-workers, friends,
and others,” said Executive Director Rick Wisler. “The NH
Lottery is working harder than ever to reach our revenue goals. This is
positive news.”
The NH Lottery currently has three
holiday-themed instant tickets available at its 1,200 retailers. After
four weeks on the market, sales for the $1 Candy Cane Tripler are 30% higher
than the $1 ticket offered in 2008. The $2 Holiday Cash ticket sales are
24.8% higher that last year’s $2 ticket. So far, sales for the $5
Hollyday Jackpot are 5.9% behind 2008’s $5 instant game.
Wisler says, overall, holiday
lottery sales are up 9.8% over last year.
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 Megabucks Plus®, Tri-State Weekly Grand®, Hot
Lotto Sizzler®, and Tri-State Pick3/Pick4 Daily Numbers® games.
CONTACT: Maura McCann, 603.271.3391
x308, Email: Maura.A.McCann@lottery.nh.gov.
Svenska Spel Selects New Instant Ticket
Supplier
STOCKHOLM, Sweden (December 7, 2009)
-- After completing a procurement process,
Svenska Spel has chosen the
Indian printing company Eagle
Press Private Ltd as its business partner and producer of all Svenska
Spel’s Instant tickets. The agreement will run for three years, covering
both the production and development of lottery tickets, and will apply as from
1 January 2010.
“Eagle Press can offer an
extremely efficient and modern production process, which will entail
significant savings for us. Compared to our current agreement, it will mean a
reduction in costs of around 35 per cent during a normal production
year,” says Johan Granath, Head of Instant ticket Product Development
at Svenska Spel.
A normal production year entails the
printing and distribution of around 160 million lottery tickets for Svenska
Spel. Around 70 per cent of this figure are Triss instant lottery tickets. In
the agreement that will expire at the end of this year, Svenska Spel is
collaborating with a Canadian supplier.
“Eagle Press currently
produces large volumes of Instant Lottery tickets and also produces vouchers
for topping up prepaid cards for national and international telecom operators.
The equipment and process used for this provide unique synergies in the
production of large numbers of single lottery tickets, drastically reducing the
need for subsequent manual work.”
As part of the selection process,
Svenska Spel has been to India to examine in detail both Eagle Press and the
company’s subcontractors. Svenska Spel has also received assistance in
this work from local representatives of the Swedish Trade Council.
“In addition to demands for
capacity, product quality and financial stability, we have placed great
emphasis on prospective suppliers also satisfying requirements in areas such as
the environment, security, ethics and labour law. Eagle Press have demonstrated
that they not only satisfy our requirements, but also meet these requirements
fully in line with or better than other tenderers.”
Svenska Spel has also met
representatives of Swedish companies in India in order to learn more about the
local labour market and Indian corporate culture.
“We will not have any local
presence ourselves in the form of our own personnel, and wanted to take the
opportunity to gather knowledge from other Swedish companies operating locally.
We will be on site during the actual establishment process, however, and
alongside staff from the Swedish Trade Council we will be performing continual
follow-ups in future years,” says Johan Granath.
All the tenders came from
international suppliers. One Swedish supplier was initially involved in the
procurement process, but decided not to submit a tender.
For further information, please
CONTACT: Johan Granath, Head of Instant Ticket Product Development, tel. +46
(0)70-227 68 77 or Ann-Sofie Olsson, Head of CSR/PA, tel. +46 (0)70-650 43
66.
Get 'Em While They're Hot
Even in a Tough Economy,
Holiday-themed Lottery Scratch Tickets Flying Off The Shelves
DES MOINES, Iowa (December 7, 2009)
– Going, going, not quite gone yet! Iowans continue to purchase
holiday-themed scratch tickets in tough economic times.
Iowa Lottery officials announced
today that retailers ordered 18 percent more holiday tickets than last year to
help meet player demand.
In October this year the Iowa
Lottery released six holiday-themed scratch tickets at various price points.
They are: "Nutcracker Cash" ($10), "Holly Jolly Jackpot" ($5),
"Jingle Bell Crossword" ($3), "Snowman Bingo" ($2), "Oh,
Deer!" ($2) and "Season's Delight" ($1).
Already, all six top prizes of
$25,000 have been claimed in the Snowman Bingo scratch game, thus ending the
game. Lottery officials said the other five holiday scratch tickets are still
available at more than 2,000 Iowa Lottery retailers statewide.
"Players seem to really enjoy
this year's holiday scratch tickets," said Iowa Lottery CEO
Terry Rich. "We think
the additional variety of play, varied prices, ease of purchase and a
bigger-than-normal second chance offer has greater appeal for
gift-giving."
Rich said that new this year, as an
added benefit to the holiday scratch tickets, the lottery launched a holiday
bonus promotion called "Tech-The-Halls."
"In addition to cash prizes,
we've brought in a big variety of holiday bonus prizes in Tech The Halls,"
said Rich. "You could win the perfect present for yourself or someone on
your gift list."
The Tech-The-Halls promotion began
in early November, offering 200 prizes of Sony® electronics along with 10
cash prizes of $10,000. Players can enter the promotion online by using
non-winning tickets in the six holiday-themed instant-scratch games available
this season in Iowa. Different levels of prizes are involved for different
tickets. Players have until noon on January 4 to enter Tech the Halls bonus
promotion.
Remaining top prizes for holiday
scratch tickets:
•Nutcracker Cash – Two
$100,000
•Holly Jolly Jackpot –
Five $50,000
•Jingle Bell Crossword –
Eight $30,000
•Oh, Deer! – Nine
$8,000
•Season's Delight –
Thirty-five $800
The lottery is also giving players
free holiday envelopes to help give their lottery tickets in style to family
and friends. Players can choose between two different designs.
Since the Iowa Lottery's start in
1985, its players have won more than $2.4 billion in prizes while the lottery
has raised more than $1.2 billion for state programs.
®Sony products, marks and logos
are registered trademarks of Sony Inc. and are used with permission.
SOURCE: Iowa Lottery press release.
Aristocrat Announce New Structure for EMEA, Asia Pacific and
Japan
LONDON, U.K. (December 1, 2009) -
Warren Jowett, Aristocrat’s Managing Director responsible for Europe,
Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific and Japan, has confirmed details of a dynamic
new business structure which has been developed to help Aristocrat rise to the
challenges presented by gaming in the 21st century.
The headline changes include the
appointment of William Wilsnagh as Managing Director, Africa and Europe and the
promotion of Daniel Lindsay to General Manager, Europe. Reporting to Warren
Jowett, William will be based in Johannesburg and have responsibility for the
South African and European businesses. Daniel, who will be based at
Aristocrat’s offices in London, will have responsibility for the European
business reporting to William Wilsnagh. ACE Interactive CEO Michael Koch will
report directly to Warren Jowett, a move which reflects the importance of the
new gaming technologies that are being developed by ACE Interactive AB
Reflecting on the structural
changes, Warren Jowett said: “We operate in a fast moving environment
underpinned by regulation and characterised by advances in technology,
significant demographic shifts and changing player tastes and demands. Our new
structure and sharp management focus will enable us to rise to these challenges
and in so doing deliver a truly world class business.”
Enquiries: Alex Fierek, Tel: +44 (0)
1273 699900, Mob: +44 (0) 7939 021352, Email: af@sjc.co.uk.
About Aristocrat Leisure
Limited
Aristocrat Leisure Limited (ASX: ALL) is a leading global
provider of gaming solutions that consistently outperforms the competition. The
Company is licensed by over two hundred regulators and its products and
services are available in over ninety countries around the world. Aristocrat
offers a diverse range of products and services including electronic gaming
machines, interactive video terminal systems, electronic tables and casino
management systems. For further information visit the company’s website at
www.aristocratgaming.com.
SOURCE: Aristocrat Press
Release.
World Premiere: Sex and the City™ Slots
IGT Completes Debut Installs
of New Slot Machine Based on Award-Winning HBO® Series at Nine Nevada
Casinos
RENO, Nevada (December 4, 2009) -
Gaming industry leader IGT (NYSE:
IGT) has installed its new Sex and the City™ Multi-Level Progressives
in nine Nevada casinos, with more installs on the way. Focused on delivering
superior player entertainment and boosting operator revenues, IGT has developed
a well-branded and truly fun experience in Sex and the City™ slots. The
Sex and the City® brand was officially licensed by HBO Licensing &
Retail.
Sex and the City™ Multi-Level
Progressives feature IGT's innovative and top-performing MultiPLAY game
interface. Sex and the City™ slots are the first MegaJackpots® product
to offer IGT's exclusive MultiPLAY functionality. MultiPLAY gives players the
option of playing the game up to four times, simultaneously, with different
outcomes on the same machine. MultiPLAY means more ways to win.
Sex and the City™ Multi-Level
Progressives also offer a chance at five progressives and four interactive
bonus games. With each bonus game, players will get to watch their favorite
video clips from the HBO® series. Plus, Mr. Big (played by Chris Noth)
himself talks players through the bonus games, cheers them on and congratulates
them on their wins - "Hey kid, that was well done." Players will also be
immersed in the sounds of Sex and the City with IGT's new MEGAfx Surround
Chair.
"We are excited about our
partnership with IGT on the Sex and the City™ slot machine," said
James Costos, vice president, HBO Licensing & Retail. "We worked closely
with them to ensure the game is true to the Sex and the City brand and are
thrilled with the final product. We're sure fans of the show will be
too."
Fans and players can find Sex and
the City™ Multi-Level Progressives at the Bellagio, Caesars Palace, Hard
Rock, MGM Grand, Palms, Planet Hollywood, the South Point and The Venetian.
They can also find it at the Atlantis in Reno, Nevada.
"We knew this game was a winner
from the start," IGT Vice President of MegaJackpots® Tom Mikulich said.
"Our game development team made sure the slot was absolutely true to the Sex
and the City brand - right down to the shoes and cosmos. And simply put, this
game is fun. Players are going to love it, and our customers will,
too."
International Game Technology (www.IGT.com) is a global company
specializing in the design, development, manufacturing, distribution, and sales
of computerized gaming machines and network systems products.
HBO Licensing & Retail
officially licenses the HBO® brand for the development and merchandising of
innovative product lines inspired by the network's award-winning programming.
With products created around classic series like Sex and the City® to
current hits like True Blood®, Entourage® and Flight of the
Conchords(SM), items including fashion apparel, jewelry, digital and CD
soundtracks, books as well as exclusive, premium collections in partnership
with upscale, designer brands are reflective of the popularity and originality
of the programs and their mass appeal. Merchandise can be purchased in retail
stores, at http://store.hbo.com, and at the groundbreaking HBO retail
hub, the HBO Shop®, located at 42nd and 6th Avenue in New York City. HBO
Licensing & Retail products are also sold internationally across Europe,
Asia and Australia.
Official HBO Licensed Product.
© 2009 Home Box Office, Inc. All Rights Reserved. HBO and related service
marks and trademarks are the property of Home Box Office, Inc.
CONTACT: Julie Brown, IGT Director
of Marketing, Phone: +1-775-448-7823,, Email:
Julie.W.Brown@IGT.com.
SOURCE: IGT.
Svenska Spel (Swedish Game) Invest More in
Gaming
STOCKHOLM, Sweden (December 3, 2009)
- The board of Svenska Spel
(Swedish game) has decided in 2010 to invest an additional 3 million to support
plug and Self-Help Program, two projects to help people with gambling problem
and is now run by the Game Institute.
“It feels good that we might
temporarily go in and rescue a well-functioning business until the authorities
made a decision about who will be responsible for financing,” said
Margareta Winberg, Chairman of the Swedish game.
The purpose of effort is the Swedish
game to be able to take advantage of new knowledge in the development of a
better gaming and the development of both new and existing gaming tools such as
games Koll.
The 3 million crowns means that
support plug and Self-Help Program, a continuation even after the New Year.
Self-help program was completed much earlier date of 1 October this year but
could now resume. Support contacts would originally have been completed at the
end of the year.
Wow, what a relief. It was a very
satisfying answer. Now, hundreds of relatives and players continue to receive
assistance in 2010. The research and monitoring, we will show that support plug
and Self-Help program works very well. It would have been very unfortunate if
we were unable to continue with an activity that is both cost effective and
showing such good results, says Thomas Nilsson, licensed psychologist at Game
Institute.
Support Contact is the first tool of
its kind where you round the clock to pick and choose how you want to talk to a
counselor if you are worried about their own or others' gambling. The caller
can remain anonymous and are offered the opportunity to be called by a
counselor or to discuss via email, SMS or chat. The goal is to increase access
by lowering the threshold for seeking help. At the end of October 2009 had
contact Support over 1 000 unique users. All services related to the support
contact is operated by Games Institute.
Self Help Program is an
Internet-based self-help programs developed and operated by the Game Institute
and funded by the National Institute of Public Health. The program ranks high
above all the young poker players. The program has been in operation since 2005
in project form. Treatment model is structured into eight modules that first
half is based on motivational interviewing and the other on
cognitive-behavioral therapy. Self-Help Program is the only of its kind in the
world who also are evaluated.
“It is now not our job to
finance treatment for people with gambling problems but we will give priority
to social protection into account in all our activities. Our involvement in
these projects have highlighted the need for a distinction between what is
prevention, what is the care and treatment of gambling addiction and how the
roles of different authorities and us as a gaming company should look like.
This needs to be clear from the political side," said Margareta Winberg.
For more information, CONTACT:
Ann-Sofie Olsson, CSR Manager Swedish Game, phone 070-650 43 66th or
Thomas Nilsson, licensed psychologist Games Institute, tel 070-333 05 70th
SOURCE: Svenska Spel.
Colle+McVoy Surprises Real People With Pop-Up
Raffle
MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (December 2,
2009) – A new campaign by Colle+McVoy for the
Minnesota State Lottery
(MSL) brings the real excitement of playing a raffle game to life.
Breaking today, the campaign
features three 30-second television spots that use the element of surprise to
build excitement for the Lottery’s new Minnesota Millionaire Raffle game.
Each spot features a game-show-like host who wheels a large raffle drum into
busy locales where unsuspecting patrons are encouraged to play an instant
raffle. The spots are built on genuine reactions as people go from shocked and
reluctant to actively participating and cheering.
“We wanted to demonstrate the
fun of playing a raffle game through the reactions of real people, not
actors,” said Dave Keepper, group creative director, Colle+McVoy. “We
didn’t know what we were going to get when we rolled in, which was part of
the fun, and you can see that in the spots.”
The television and radio spots run
statewide. Other components include billboards, bus shelters, a 30-second radio
spot and a unique mall mobile featuring a tumbling raffle drum appearing in the
Twin Cities area.
All the elements can be
viewed here
http://tinyurl.com/collemcvoyraffle.
“The Minnesota Millionaire
Raffle campaign brings the excitement of the raffle directly to Minnesotans and
reminds them how fun it is to play,” said John Mellein, director for
marketing, Minnesota State Lottery. “We’re offering more bonus
prizes this year to make our holiday-oriented game even more exciting to
play.”
In its fourth year, the Minnesota
Millionaire Raffle game will run until Dec. 31, 2009. With a limit of 500,000
tickets and two guaranteed $1 million winners drawn on New Year’s Day,
this game gives Minnesotans their best chance of winning a $1 million than any
other Minnesota Lottery game. This year’s prizes have been expanded to
include a Ford Fusion Hybrid, trips to Las Vegas and Hawaii, plus Lottery
tickets and other prizes. Raffle tickets are $10 and can be purchased at any
Minnesota State Lottery retailer.
SOURCE: Colle+McVoy.
GLI Europe Profile for IGE 2010
LAS VEGAS, Nevada (December 3, 2009)
-- For more than 20 years, Gaming Laboratories International (GLI) has been the
world leader in independent testing for the gaming industry. With 13 testing
laboratories spread across Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and
South America, GLI is the only laboratory of its kind to hold both U.S. and
International accreditations for compliance with ISO 17025 and 17020 standards
for technical competence in testing and inspection services.
At IGE 2010, GLI Europe’s stand
#3635 will bring 20 years of experience and innovation with its
“Innovation Station,” where its proprietary inventions –
“GLIAccess®,” “GLI Verify®,” “Point.
Click.Transfer.(SM)” and the new “GLI Link™” – will be
on display.
GLIAccess is the driving force on
the back-end of GLI’s website,
www.gaminglabs.com,
where regulators and suppliers can quickly and easily track and verify
submissions and certifications. Point. Click.Transfer. is an online application
that allows suppliers to quickly and easily transfer previously tested and
certified products into new jurisdictions around the world, literally with the
click of a mouse.
Also on the Innovation Station at
IGE 2010 is GLI Verify, a handheld tool regulators use in the field to verify
that the games and systems operating on a casino floor have been tested and
certified by the lab. GLI has just released its latest version, 5.0, which
faster and easier to use, and enables regulators to take the lab with them to
the casino floor.
Additionally, GLI will show its
amazing new GLI Link that brings global interoperability testing as close as
the nearest lab. With GLI Link, suppliers can test devices against systems for
interoperability over the internet, with no physical shipping of devices.
Making sure that games and systems
talk to each other correctly and give accurate reporting of casino activity is
absolutely vital to ensure accurate transfer of information, including
accounting and security events, and more and more jurisdictions are requiring
this type of testing. However, shipping devices and systems all over the world
can be cumbersome, expensive and delay time to market. To solve that problem,
GLI’s engineers created GLI Link.
GLI Link connects
manufacturers’ products and operators’ systems online, and expands
interoperability testing to every GLI lab. With GLI Link, interoperability
testing can performed on any game with virtually any system from any GLI lab in
any time zone.
With GLI Link, suppliers can test
against specific casino configurations in their local lab, in their own time
zone. GLI Link eliminates wasted time and cost and streamlines the testing
process.
In addition to discussing its
technologies, GLI will spend time talking one-on-one with regulators about the
new devices and systems on the tradeshow floor. GLI will also be talking about
its upcoming 6th European Regulators Roundtable, which takes place 15-16 April
in the Netherlands. The Roundtable is an important event where GLI updates
regulators on the latest technologies and their potential impact on
jurisdictions throughout Europe.
CONTACT: Paul Speirs,
Steinbeck Communications, P (702) 413-4278, F (702) 233-3492, Email:
paulspeirs@cox.net.
Managed Gaming Solutions Expanding: MGS-Siberia Started Its
Operations
LONDON, U.K. (December 3, 2009)
– Managed Gaming Solutions Plc
(“MGS”), a leading provider of mobile & interactive gaming
and micropayment solutions, today announced to have successfully established a
new Joint Venture named MGS-Siberia with Russian and Finnish entrepreneurs and
private investors.
MGS-Siberia, based in Novosibirsk,
is a mobile lottery technology provider that offers mobile gaming services for
existing and new lottery and gaming license holders in the territory of the
Russian Federation. The company aims to significantly leverage the proven MGS
gaming technology, and further customize the existing gaming concepts based on
the specific regional needs. MGS-Siberia successfully started its operations in
November 2009.
The Joint Venture will be key to
advancing and strengthening the company’s strategic focus in the Eurasian
region and will benefit from patent rights which MGS has already granted for
its ‘Method for Gaming and Gaming System.’
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The Board of Directors of
MGS-Siberia has appointed Ms. Elena Timofeeva as a CEO of MGS-Siberia. She
comes with a wealth of experience from the casino and gaming industry, having
headed the largest land-based casino network in Novosibirsk for the past 10
years.
“The new Joint Venture moves
us to an important next stage in our expansion strategy in the fast growing
Eastern European and Eurasian countries. With a population of approx. 142
million, Russia is an extremely attractive market to us and we think that it
will become one of the largest gaming markets in the world in the upcoming
years,” says Mika Kuusisto, Chief Operating Officer of MGS.
“Together with our renowned and professional business partners we aim
to become one of the leading mobile lottery service providers in the region and
to create long-term value for our company,” explains Kuusisto further.
“Additionally, we are very pleased to have Elena Timofeeva on board.
She and her talented team have the experience, track record and ambition
necessary to make this Joint Venture a long-term success.”
“I am very happy to be a
part of the MGS team. I am looking forward to my new challenges at MGS-Siberia
and to contribute to the success of this dynamic and promising
company,” adds Elena Timofeeva, CEO of MGS-Siberia. “With
MGS’ innovative and patented technology we face a huge opportunity to grow
the lottery business in Russia, which is one of the largest markets worldwide.
Plus, this gives us the unique chance to also support charity organizations
which depend on funds from lottery operations throughout Russia,” adds
Ms. Timofeeva.
MGS holds a 20 % stake in
MGS-Siberia, the remaining 80 % are held by Russian and Finnish
entrepreneurs.
For more information about the
company and its services and products offered please visit
www.mgscorporation.com. For any
further information please contact our Investor Relations Team directly:
MANAGED GAMING SOLUTIONS Plc
esVedra consulting GmbH t: +49. 89.
28 80 81 33 f: +49. 89. 28 80 81 49 info@esvedragroup.com, website:
www.esvedragroup.com.
About MGS Plc
MGS Plc is a technology &
service provider for mobile and interactive gaming, and for mobile
micropayments sector. The company provides its customers with complete gaming
solutions for a variety of cross media platforms; and a full payment software
platform for the micropayments transactions. The main focus lies on lottery
games, games of chance played via mobile handsets; and on variety of
micropayment and microcredit products.
SOURCE: Managed Gaming Solutions
Plc.
Camelot Publishes 2008/9 Stakeholder Report
Achievements of a
momentous year place The National Lottery in the best possible position to meet
the exciting challenges of the new Licence period
WATFORD, U.K. (December 8, 2009) --
National Lottery operator Camelot Group plc has published its Stakeholder Report for
2008/9, which details how the company has had a positive effect on those
impacted by its work and has worked hard to keep this wide range of
stakeholders at the heart of its activities. The Report, the tenth of its kind,
highlights the company’s major achievements in what has been a landmark
year for Camelot and The
National Lottery - a period that saw the company achieve its best sales
performance in 10 years, deliver even more money for the Good Causes and start
the third lottery Licence period.
Using the ‘Ready’
theme, the Report details how The National Lottery remains in excellent health
and is in the best possible position to meet the challenges ahead as it enters
the exciting new 10-year Licence period. Key to this has been Camelot’s
successful transition to the new Licence – a process that saw the company
devote over one million people hours to complete the largest and fastest
lottery upgrade of its kind in the world within the agreed timescales.
This has resulted in the
introduction of state-of-the-art technology, networks and systems capable of
handling all of the exciting enhancements that Camelot has planned as part of
its commitment to building an even better and brighter National Lottery.
The Report highlights how, despite
the complex process of transition to the new Licence and a challenging retail
environment, Camelot achieved its best sales performance in 10 years. The
company succeeded in growing annual National Lottery sales in the year to 31
March 2009 to £5,149.1 million – an increase of £182.8 million
(3.6%) on the previous year’s figure of £4,966.3 million.
However, despite being the sixth
largest lottery in the world in terms of sales, The National Lottery is ranked
just 66th in the world in terms of per capita spend. The fact that around 70%
of the UK adult population play National Lottery games on a regular basis but
only spend around £3 a week each continues to underline the success of
Camelot’s strategy of growing sales in a socially responsible way by
encouraging many people to play but to spend relatively little.
The rise in sales helped Camelot to
increase annual returns to the Good Causes by a further £25.8 million on
the previous year, from £1,351.8 million to £1,377.6 million1
– taking the total raised for the Good Causes by The National Lottery
since launch past the £23 billion mark. The number of individual awards
made across the UK now stands at over 330,000 – an average of 113 lottery
grants for every postcode district.
The Report shows that Camelot
continues to be recognised for achieving the highest standards of corporate
responsibility, having won the World Lottery Association’s 2008 Best Reporting Award.
In addition, Business in the Community has again recognised Camelot’s work
on responsible marketing, most recently bestowing the company with a
prestigious ‘Big Tick’ award and short-listing it once more
for its Responsible Marketing Award.
Building on these achievements,
Camelot has further underlined its position as a leader in setting standards
for responsible play and player protection worldwide by receiving certification
of alignment with the European Responsible Gaming Standards established by the
European Lotteries Association.
Having played a leading role in developing the certification framework and
having chaired the European Lotteries Responsible Gaming Working Group since
2005, Camelot is one of only 10 lottery operators so far to have been certified
as achieving alignment with the standards. Camelot has also received Level 4
certification – the highest level possible – with the World Lottery
Association’s Responsible Gaming Framework. On top of this, Camelot was
shortlisted for ‘Socially Responsible Operator of the Year’ at
the 2009 eGaming Review Awards.
The Report goes on to detail how
Camelot engages in a variety of ways with its stakeholders – including
players and winners, employees, public interest groups, governmental bodies,
local communities, suppliers, shareholders and retailers – and uses a
number of different consultative groups and panels to help it understand how to
further improve its products and run an even more responsible business.
The company’s commitment in
this area is set to be further strengthened with the formation of an internal
Stakeholder Engagement Panel in the latter half of 2009/10 to review and
develop Camelot’s working relationships with all those with an interest in
The National Lottery. Camelot is also a lead sponsor of global think-tank
Account Ability’s revision of its AA1000 Stakeholder Engagement Standard
– the only international standard of its kind. The revision aims to
provide a framework for engagement and allow organisations to evaluate
stakeholder engagement practices.
Dianne Thompson, Chief
Executive of Camelot, said: “This Stakeholder Report details a
momentous year for Camelot and The National Lottery. Having been awarded the
Licence to operate The National Lottery for 10 years until 2019, the team at
Camelot has put in considerable effort behind the scenes to make sure that the
lottery remains in excellent health as we enter this exciting new
period.
“However, despite
successfully fulfilling the demanding transition requirements set by the
National Lottery Commission, and delivering the best sales performance in a
decade and returning even more money to the Good Causes, we will not be resting
on our laurels. Our stakeholders will remain at the heart of our activities as
we look to build an even better and brighter National Lottery over the next 10
years. I am confident that, with their continued tremendous support, we can
continue to grow National Lottery sales in a socially responsible way as we
deliver our exciting plans for the new Licence period – and raise even
more money for the Good Causes.”
Camelot’s Stakeholder Report, a
copy of which is available online at:
http://www.camelotgroup.co.uk/pressreleases.html, is
independently assured by Deloitte using the revised AA1000AS (2008) Standard.
It also features a statement by Camelot’s independent Advisory Panel for
Corporate Responsibility.
For further information, please
CONTACT: Rob Dwight, Senior Media Relations Manager: 020 7632 5748, Camelot
Press Office: 020 7632 5711.
BCLC Holiday Ads Urge Parents to Use Their
'GameSense'
RICHMOND, British Columbia (December
8, 2009) – BCLC is
introducing a new advertising and promotional campaign aimed at parents after a
new study indicates they may not fully understand the risks associated with
underage gambling.
The ads, which will appear in
newspapers throughout the province on December 15, implore parents to use their
'GameSense' this holiday season and refrain from giving lottery products
such as Scratch & Win tickets to anyone under the age of 19.
"These efforts are meant to serve
as important reminders to all parents," said BCLC President & CEO,
Michael Graydon. "We're challenging them to act responsibly by not giving
lottery products to anyone underage. Parents should also be aware that their
own gambling behaviour can influence their children's attitudes towards
gambling."
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The DECODE study, titled "Parents
as Partners," was funded by a consortium of organizations interested in
gambling behaviour, including BCLC and other lottery and gaming jurisdictions
across Canada. It finds, parents across the country, including those in B.C.,
are reluctant to discuss the issue of underage gambling with their children.
Parents who participated in the study indicated they either do not see it as a
priority, they do not have sufficient information about the issue, or they
simply do not know how to address the issue.
In addition to the advertisements,
BCLC will be conducting promotional programming at B.C.'s casinos and online by
providing background information on youth gambling and tips on how parents can
have the conversation with their child.
GameSense is BCLC's innovative new
responsible gambling program, designed to assist players with making informed
choices about gaming. GameSense reflects BCLC's commitment to provide gaming
entertainment in a socially responsible manner in communities around B.C.
BCLC is a provincial Crown
Corporation that offers socially responsible gaming entertainment while
generating income that benefits all British Columbians. BCLC is an Official
Supporter of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
For further information visit
GameSense.ca or CONTACT: Trevor Miller, Communications Officer, BCLC, Office:
604-247-3013, Cell: 604-341-0752, Email: tmiller@bclc.com.
Former Lawmaker Reardon Selected To Head Missouri
Lottery
JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri (December
9, 2009) -- The Missouri
Lottery Commission named May Scheve Reardon of St. Louis as the executive
director of the Missouri Lottery during a commission meeting held today in
Jefferson City. Her appointment takes effect immediately. Reardon
will be the Lottery’s fifth executive director since Lottery sales began
in January 1986.
Reardon, the first woman to hold the
position, brings extensive leadership experience in the financial, nonprofit
and government sectors, including 12 years as a state representative serving on
budget, appropriations and a joint committee on gaming and wagering.
“We’re confident that
Reardon has the skills we are looking for to lead the Missouri Lottery and move
the agency in a new direction,” said Kevin Roberts, chair of the
Missouri Lottery Commission. “We look forward to working with her
to help the Lottery maximize funding for public education in Missouri during
these tough economic times.”
Reardon has worked as an
assistant vice president at Regions Morgan Keegan, a private wealth management
firm in St. Louis. Her nonprofit experience comes from her work as
director of development at the Richard A. Gephardt Institute for Public Service
at Washington University in St. Louis. Reardon also has been an
adjunct professor of political science and communications at Webster University
since 2005.
Reardon has a bachelor’s degree
in communications from Saint Louis University and a master’s degree in
communications from Webster University.
“It is an honor to have an
opportunity to work with a group of dedicated individuals who are working to
provide entertainment to Missourians, and to increase the dollars that go
toward providing Missouri’s youth with a first-class education,”
said Reardon.
As the executive director of the
Missouri Lottery, Reardon will oversee 163 employees and report to the Missouri
Lottery Commission. The Missouri Lottery Commission is a five-member
commission, appointed by the governor and approved by the Senate, to govern the
Lottery. The four other commissioners are:
- Gina Hoagland of Ladue,
- Jacque Land of St. Louis,
- Stephen Snead of Turners and
- Pamela Wright of University
City.
The Missouri Lottery generates
nearly $1 billion a year in sales and contributes more than $200 million
annually to Missouri public education programs, including A+ Scholarships,
Special Education Excess Costs, Vocational Technical Schools and capital
improvements at several Missouri public higher education institutions.
SOURCE: The Missouri Lottery
Commission press release.
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