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LOTTERY
INSIDER
is brought to you with the compliments
of
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| Vol. 30 No. 10 -- Monday March 7 , 2005 |
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GTECH Ireland Named One of the 50 Best Companies to Work for in Ireland WEST GREENWICH, Rhode Island, USA (February 28, 2005) -- GTECH Holdings Corporation (NYSE: GTK) today announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, GTECH Ireland Operations Ltd., has been named one of the 50 Best Companies to Work for in Ireland by The Great Place to Work Institute of Ireland. "We are extremely honored to be chosen as one of the best places to work in Ireland," said Jacinta Kielty, Account General Manager of GTECH Ireland. "In a great workplace, employees take pleasure in their work, and in the people they work with, in a deep and lasting way. We aim to provide a dynamic and innovative workplace for our employees and an environment that fosters dignity, pride, and satisfaction. Our place on this list is a clear indication from our employees that we are succeeding in our efforts." The Best Companies study is a comprehensive annual survey that identifies and recognizes the finest employers and the most satisfied employees in Ireland and throughout the European Union (EU). More than 4,000 Irish organizations are eligible to participate, including private firms, the state sector, and non-profit organizations. Participation in the study involves a two-stage evaluation process using an employee survey and a questionnaire which looks at corporate culture. The survey consists of more than 50 statements that cover credibility, respect, fairness, pride, and camaraderie. This year, over 100 companies with more than 90,000 employees were evaluated. The most important factor in selecting companies for this list is what employees have to say about their workplaces.
"Your organization is one of a group of 50 who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to attitudes and policies that make your organization a great place to work. By promoting best practice in the workplace, you contribute to the development of national competitiveness and help to realize Ireland’s broader economic and social objectives," said Mr. Michael Martin, TD, Minister for Enterprise, Trade, and Employment. Other companies named to the list include McDonalds Restaurants of Ireland, GlaxoSmithKline Ireland Commercial, PepsiCo Ireland, Xerox Europe Limited, and Microsoft Ireland. GTECH, a leading global information technology company with over $1 billion in revenues and more than 5,400 people in over 50 countries, provides software, networks, and professional services that power high-performance, transaction processing solutions. The Company’s core market is the lottery industry, with a growing presence in commercial gaming technology and financial services transaction processing. For more information about the Company, please visit GTECH’s website at http://www.gtech.com. SOURCE: GTECH Holdings Corporation (http://www.gtech.com). Veikkaus Reports Per Capita Spend of €248 Euros on Games Last Year VEIKKAUS, Finland (February 2005) -- Finns spent an average of 248.10 euros per capita on Veikkaus' games last year (rounds 1-53) (vs. 239.30 euros in 2003, rounds 1-52). The increase can be explained by, e.g., the jackpots in Lotto and the game reform in Fixed Odds Betting which made the game the third most popular of Veikkaus' games.
The most eager players were found in Töysä in southern Ostrobothnia, western Finland, where people played with as much as 716.50 euros per capita. The second most eager municipality could be found in south-western Finland (the municipality of Suomusjärvi, with 579.10 euros per capita) and the third in south-eastern Finland (the municipality of Pertunmaa, with 561.20 euros per capita). Veikkaus' municipal game sales statistics are counted by dividing the total sales within the municipalities by the number of their inhabitants. Thus, the statistics also include the games played by passers-by and people visiting the municipalities on their holidays. Lotto retained its position as the Finnish favourite game. It was played with an average of 83.30 euros per capita. Keno has established its positions as one of the most popular games, and it was played with 43.00 euros per capita last year. Fixed Odds Betting, which is currently the favourite among the players of games of skill, was played with 18.90 euros per capita. SOURCE: Veikkaus Oy eNews. Texas Lottery® Players Take A Turn On The Wheel of Fortune® AUSTIN, Texas (February 25, 2005) - One of the world's most popular game shows is now available as a scratch-off ticket at Texas Lottery® retailers across the state. The new $2 Wheel of Fortune® instant game offers players a chance to win instant-cash prizes up to $25,000. In addition, players with non-winning tickets can enter a Second Chance Drawing for an opportunity to win one of four trips for two to Hollywood and an audition to be a contestant on the television version of Wheel of Fortune. "I think our players are really going to enjoy taking a spin on Wheel of Fortune," said Texas Lottery Commission Executive Director Reagan E. Greer. "This game offers 'big money' cash prizes from $2 to $25,000, and the Second Chance Drawings mean even non-winning tickets could turn out to be a ticket to Hollywood, and maybe even an appearance on the show."
Wheel of Fortune debuted in 1975, and the syndicated show's hosts, Vanna White and Pat Sajak, continue to be welcomed into millions of North American homes every day. Now, Texas Lottery players can "turn" the letters for themselves. Earnest Stephenson of Lubbock took his turn already this week and won the first of the game's 14 $25,000 top prizes. "I scratched off the ticket just a few seconds after I bought it," Stephenson said. "I was really excited!" "Mr. Stephenson certainly didn't waste any time getting the Wheel of Fortune excitement started," said Greer. "And with millions of prizes remaining, Texas Lottery players can be sure that they're not going to 'lose a turn' at their own excitement." In addition to the $25,000 top prize, Wheel of Fortune offers instant prizes in the following amounts: $2,500, $1,000, $200, $100, $50, $25, $15, $10, $8, $5, $3 and $2. The odds of winning any prize are one in 4.65, including break-even prizes. Stephenson purchased his winning Wheel of Fortune ticket at Sunny's Food & Gas located at 10612 S. Kirkwood Rd. in Houston. The four Second Chance Drawings offer a total of 1,820 Wheel of Fortune merchandise prize packages (455 per drawing), as well as the four Wheel of Fortune audition trips (one per drawing), which include a four-day, three-night trip for two to Hollywood, California. Each trip includes airfare, one hotel room, transfers, hosting, two Wheel of Fortune merchandise prize packages, $1,000 in spending money and an audition for a chance to become a contestant on the Wheel of Fortune television game show. In the event an audition participant is selected to be a contestant on the Wheel of Fortune television game show, a three-day, two-night trip for two, including airfare, hotel and transfers will be provided. To enter a Second Chance Drawing, players must complete the player information on the back of two non-winning Texas Lottery Wheel of Fortune scratch-off tickets. For more information on the Wheel of Fortune Second Chance Drawings or about the Texas Lottery, please visit the official Texas Lottery Commission Web site at http://www.txlottery.org. SOURCE: Texas Lottery Commission Press Release. MINNESOTA, USA (February 25, 2005) -- The Lottery's "Big Second Chance" promotion was a big one! Between January 17 and February 23, 2005, the Lottery received an estimated 269,000 entries for four drawings from which four lucky Minnesotans won a total of $100,000.
The huge number of entries received was a record for any Minnesota State Lottery mail-in promotion. Players entered the Big Second Chance promotion by mailing a minimum of $5 in non-winning Scratch tickets to the Minnesota State Lottery. To be included in the weekly drawings, players were required to enter $5 of non-winning tickets each week. For more information about the Big Second Chance promotion and for additional Lottery information, including winning numbers, visit the Lottery's Web site at www.mnlottery.com. SOURCE: Minnesota Lottery edited media release. EssNet Receives IBM Solution Provider Excellence Award STOCKHOLM, Sweden (March 1, 2005) -- EssNet today announced that the company has received the ‘Solution Provider Excellence Award.' The award was presented during the seventh, annual worldwide IBM Retail Store Solution Education Conference in Long Beach, California, in the beginning of February. The following motivation was presented by IBM: "During 2004, EssNet has had great success with IBM Retail Store solutions in the lottery segment. Several EssNet customers have upgraded their point of sale solution to IBM SurePOS 700 terminals."
Commenting on the award, Mr Claes Rudling, EssNet Senior Vice President, Sales, Marketing and Projects, said: "The relationship between EssNet and IBM is very valuable to us and we are honoured to receive this award." In 2002, EssNet entered into an agreement with IBM, the world’s largest supplier of retail point of sale (POS) equipment. Standard IBM retail peripherals and modules can be added to EssNet’s lottery system via standard and open interfaces to enhance both player and retailer options and services. It means, for example, that EssNet’s terminal software has been certified on a variety of IBM terminals. Lotteries with a vast number of retailers can thus tailor cost-effective solutions for particular segments while allowing these retailers to sell the full suite of the Lottery’s product line.
About EssNet (www.essnet.se) EssNet is one of the leading suppliers in the lottery
industry. Based in Stockholm, the company provides a full suite of lottery and
gaming products - from new games, a variety of terminals and integrated
solutions for Internet and mobile telephones, to the installation of turnkey
systems. SOURCE: EssNet Media release. Arizona Lottery Airs Never-Before-Seen Television Advertisement Featuring Ray Charles PHOENIX, Arizona (February 2005) -- The Arizona Lottery is paying tribute to legendary musician Ray Charles by airing for the first time in Arizona television advertisements recorded by the artist. The campaign, Celebrating the Work of Mr. Ray Charles, aired for the first time in Phoenix during the Sunday, Feb. 27, Barbara Walters pre-Oscar show and the post news coverage. The original music on the advertisements titled, "It’s America ’s Game," showcases Charles’ eclectic talent recorded in a variety of musical styles. "It’s America’s Game" was written, arranged and conducted by Victor Vanacore, a 2005 Grammy™ recipient for his work on Ray Charles’ "Genius Loves Company" duet album.
The advertisement debuted on Oscar night where Ray, the film, was nominated for seven Academy Awards and earned Jamie Foxx an Oscar for Best Actor. The Lottery will air two versions of the advertisement through March. Ray Charles fans can view both versions by clickling on one of the links below this article. All Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) member states received permission to run the ads from Ray Charles' manager, Joe Adams. He granted member states, including Arizona , usage rights at no charge for talent to encourage a state-by-state tribute to Ray Charles. Permission for usage came shortly after the 2005 Grammys where the duet album, " Genius Loves Company," the final recording from the music legend, earned seven Grammy Awards. To date, it has received Gold, Silver and Platinum certifications across North America , Europe and beyond. "Genius Loves Company" is considered one of the best-selling recordings of Ray Charles' six-decade career. SOURCE: Arizona Lottery media release. La Française des Jeux Wins Award for its New Merchandising Equipment FRANCE (March 2005) -- On January 27, 2005 La Française des Jeux received the Golden Award for its "Espace Joueurs" (Player’s Area, merchandising equipment) in the category "Culture, leisure & electronic" during the Gala Reception of the POPAI Europe Awards 2004. La Française des Jeux has worked in cooperation with the manufacturer "Marie Laure PLV."
The Point-Of-Purchase Advertising International (POPAI) is an international non-profit making trade organization dedicated to servicing the interests of brand marketers, retailers and supplier/producers involved in ‘point-of-purchase’ advertising. Incorporated in the USA in 1936, POPAI now is a global network that has more than 1,500 members worldwide with chapters in North America, South & Central America, Europe, Japan, Brazil, and Australia & New Zealand. The POPAI Europe Awards 2004 is a European contest that recognizes the best designs of the year in the following areas:
The judging panel consisting of over 150 European professionals – major advertisers and retailers – awarded La Française des Jeux’ latest merchandising equipment covering 13 judging criteria (aesthetics, design, innovation, technical design, quality/price ratio, etc.). This new equipment designed in collaboration with the retailers has already proved a tremendous success: more than 3,300 orders have been registered since the beginning of its marketing, in June 2004. SOURCE: La Française des Jeux. Oberthur Gaming Technologies Awarded Two-year Contract by La Libanaise des Jeux MONTREAL, Quebec, Canada (March 1, 2005) -- Oberthur Gaming Technologies ("OGT") is pleased to announce it has been awarded a two-year contract for the manufacturing of lottery tickets for La Libanaise des Jeux (Lebanon). OGT will also provide the Lottery with marketing support related to its instant tickets. "La Libanaise des Jeux has been working with OGT for one year, and the company has clearly demonstrated its manufacturing and creative capabilities," said Georges El Gharib, General Director of La Libanaise des Jeux. "With this contract, we wish to make official our partnership with OGT and our desire of a long-term relationship with a vendor whose products’ quality and integrity are unrivaled." "At OGT, we are honored with this new contract and with the confidence La Libanaise des Jeux has placed in our organization," added Patrick Larocque, Vice-President, Sales and Marketing of OGT-Europe. "We are committed to continue providing the Lottery with original products of the highest quality, and we will ensure to give complete satisfaction to La Libanaise des Jeux."
About Oberthur Gaming Technologies (www.oberthurgt.com) With more than 30 years of lottery-specific expertise and
over a century's experience in the security printing industry, Oberthur Gaming
Technologies is the world’s leader in the printing of innovative instant
lottery tickets. SOURCE: Lyse Trudel, Communications Officer, Oberthur Gaming
Technologies, (+1-514) 254-3600, ext. 101, Email:
lyse.trudel@mtl.oberthurgt.com. HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania (march 3, 2005) -- Pennsylvania Secretary of Revenue Gregory C. Fajt today announced that he has selected GTECH Corporation to supply a central control computer system that will monitor slots gaming in Pennsylvania. GTECH, based in West Greenwich, R.I., was chosen following an open and competitive procurement process. Fajt said the company was recommended by a committee of Revenue Department employees that has been analyzing vendor proposals since August 2004. The committee determined that GTECH’s proposal offered the best combination of experience in the gaming industry, technical expertise and cost.
"GTECH is a global leader in gaming technology," Fajt said. "The company’s experience operating central control computer systems in other jurisdictions, along with its technical expertise, will give Pennsylvania the state-of-the-art tools it will need to monitor and control slots gaming." Fajt said the Department will immediately begin negotiations with GTECH on a five-year contract. Fajt said GTECH will be paid a percentage of slots gaming gross terminal revenues to supply and operate the central control computer. Although the cost of the contract is still subject to negotiation, he said the Department estimates that annual costs will not exceed $6.3 million once all 14 slots venues are fully operational. The Department will pay some equipment costs up front, but Fajt said most of the payments to GTECH will not occur until slots gaming facilities begin operations. The central control computer system provided by GTECH will be capable of supporting up to 61,000 slot machines throughout the state. It will allow state regulators to monitor individual slot machines, in real time, to ensure the integrity of slots gaming and to ensure that state taxes on gaming are collected. The central control system will also:
Under Act 71, the Pennsylvania Race Horse Development and Gaming Act, the Department of Revenue was exempted from following normal state procurement rules to obtain the central control computer system. Fajt said the Department developed a streamlined procurement process to ensure that a wide range of potential vendors could be considered. He said Requests for Information posted on the Department’s Web site in August attracted 10 potential vendors. One of the potential vendors was eliminated almost immediately, but nine others answered a series of detailed questions as the Department committee conducted its review. GTECH is a leading global information technology company with more than $1 billion in revenues and employs more than 5,400 people in over 50 countries. It operates central control computer systems in a number of jurisdictions, including Oregon, Rhode Island, Sweden and Switzerland. SOURCE: Pennsylvania Department of Revenue media release.
Lotteries Good
News for Mobile Revenues The report says that lotteries will be the largest money-spinners, with gross revenues of nearly US $7.9 billion worldwide by 2009, followed by sports betting (US $6.9 billion) and casino-style gaming (US $4.5 billion).
"Governments are generally less censorious about lotteries than other forms of gambling, with the result that mobile lotteries are likely to become established fairly quickly in a greater number of markets," said the author of the report, Windsor Holden. "Given the ubiquity of the lottery culture, it will only require a very small percentage of players to buy their tickets via the mobile handset for the resulting global revenues to run into billions of dollars."
"These forecasts are based on the premise that a number of countries -- most notably the U.S. and China -- will remain strongly opposed to the introduction of most mobile gambling services in the short- and medium-term. Should this situation change, then quite clearly the figures would be revised upwards to reflect this." Other findings from the report include:
White papers and further details of the study, "Mobile
Gambling: Casinos, Lotteries & Betting (second edition)," can be found at:
http://www.juniperresearch.com/reports/22_mgambling2/main.htm
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