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GTECH to Acquire Creative Games International
Acquisition of Instant
Lottery Ticket Printer to Further Advance GTECH’s Growth Strategy and
Strengthen Market Position in the Lottery Industry
WEST GREENWICH, Rhode Island, USA
(October 12, 2006) -- GTECH Printing
Corporation, a wholly-owned
subsidiary of Lottomatica S.p.A.,
announced that it has entered into an asset purchase agreement to acquire
substantially all of the assets of Creative Games International,
Inc. (CGI), a leading provider of instant lottery tickets for
the global lottery industry and a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Canadian Bank Note Company Ltd. The
acquisition, which is contingent upon certain pre-closing conditions, is
expected to be completed in mid- to late-November 2006.
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“The acquisition of CGI
represents the first step in a multi-step instant ticket/content strategy,
affording GTECH the ability to directly leverage the full capabilities and
expertise of CGI to drive our entry into the instant ticket printing
arena,” said W. Bruce Turner, GTECH President & CEO and
Lottomatica S.p.A. CEO. “CGI brings to GTECH an immediate distribution
channel for GTECH’s current and future game and branded content, in
addition to having a well-deserved reputation for high-quality printing and
services. Combining GTECH’s worldwide instant-ticket related products and
services with CGI’s game design expertise and printing platform creates a
complete, end-to- end offering in the instant ticket segment of the lottery
business.”
“This acquisition by GTECH
provides CGI with the capital, resources, and access to new markets necessary
to bring us to the next level of competitiveness,” said Michael
Kozdras, CGI President. “We are entering into this transaction in view
of the mutual benefits to CGI and GTECH to combine our knowledge and resources
to drive even higher growth.”
The instant ticket business is the
fastest-growing segment of the lottery industry today. In 2005, instant ticket
sales in the United States accounted for more than 55 percent of total U.S.
lottery sales, or approximately $27 billion. Worldwide, instant ticket sales
are projected to grow to $70 billion by 2010, up from $41 billion today. This
represents a tangible opportunity over the long term for GTECH and CGI as
international jurisdictions become more accepting of the instant ticket
product.
“Working together, we can
continue to expand our products and services into new territories, particularly
in the developing European and Asian markets, and leverage our extensive
lottery customer relationships, government relations experience, global
presence, and same store sales focus,” said Ross Dalton, GTECH Senior
Vice President of Printed Products and Licensed Content Markets. “Given
the maturity of online lotteries in many European countries, where instant
tickets account for only 10 percent of total lottery sales, we believe, as our
long-term instant ticket strategy is realized, we will be in a position to
compete more effectively in these particular markets as instant ticket
opportunities become available. Likewise, we see potential future opportunities
for expansion in Asia, where instant tickets presently account for less than
five percent of total lottery sales.”
“On the domestic front, we
are excited about collaborating with our key Cooperative Services customers to
offer licensed and other creative new content,” continued Mr. Dalton.
“We are also well-positioned to compete more directly in the entire
instant ticket value chain including instant ticket warehousing, distribution,
ITVMs, marketing support, and sales.”
CGI has established itself as a
highly-regarded instant ticket printer with contracts throughout North America
and the Caribbean. Headquartered in Plant City, Florida, CGI currently employs
approximately 55 people and has a total production capacity of more than three
billion instant tickets annually.
GTECH intends to maintain and invest
in CGI’s operations in Florida. An integration plan has been developed in
order to assure customers of uninterrupted services.
About
GTECH
GTECH is a leading gaming technology and services company,
providing innovative technology, creative content, and superior service
delivery. Lottomatica is one of the world’s largest commercial
lottery operators and a market leader in the Italian gaming industry. GTECH and
Lottomatica together create a fully integrated lottery operator and gaming
technology solutions provider—a combined company with worldwide scale,
considerable financial strength, and industry-leading customer solutions.
Lottomatica is majority owned by the De Agostini Group, a century-old
publishing, media, and financial services company. Lottomatica is publicly
traded on the Italian Stock Exchange (LTO), and in FY 2005, had more than euro
1.6 billion in revenues and 6,300 employees in over 50 countries when combined
with GTECH.
SOURCE: GTECH Printing
Corporation.
CONTACT: Robert K. Vincent, Public Affairs, GTECH Corporation,
Phone: 401-392-7452
Camelot Ads Are a Trade Winner
Retail Press Campaign Receives
Prestigious Industry Award
WATFORD, United Kingdom (October 12,
2006) -- Camelot, The
National Lottery operator, has won a
silver GRAMIA (Grocery Advertising Marketing Industry Award) for its innovative
"Are you making the most of us?" retail trade press campaign.
This is the latest in a series of
awards that Camelot has won for its advertising campaigns, and is a testament
to the development of the company’s proactive communications with the key
retail community.
The award was presented at the
twelfth annual ceremony, hosted at the Chiswell Street Brewery.
The print campaign was created by
Mercieca Communications and focused on Camelot’s ‘value of
lottery’ messages which are built around the additional benefits that
selling National Lottery games can bring to retailers.
The two winning entries were:
- The ‘A Lottery Shopper
Does a Lot More Shopping’ ad, highlighting the other items lottery
shoppers tend to buy along with their lottery tickets – such as newspapers
and confectionary; and
- The ‘Don’t Hide
it’ ad, which focused on the importance of ensuring visibility of the
lottery in-store by positioning point-of-sale and marketing materials in prime
locations – helping to drive impulse sales, such as scratchcards.
They make up part of the sequence of
four adverts, the last of which will be released on 27th October.
Camelot reached a final shortlist of
four for the award, from 120 entries in the Trade Press category.
Camelot Director of Sales Steve
Lucas said: “This is fantastic news, and a real tribute to the tireless
efforts and hard work of Camelot’s Customer Communications Team in driving
home the ‘value of the lottery’ message to the retail audience. It is
important that retailers understand the additional benefits that The National
Lottery brings to their business. It’s not just the commission on ticket
sales and prize pay outs but also the additional footfall and spend, which can
really add to a retailer’s bottom line.
“And as well as
raising awareness of the National Lottery generally, media support through
attention-grabbing press and advertising campaigns is a valuable tool in
helping retailers boost their ticket sales. It gives them the key and up to
date information to effectively sell the latest games.
“Our retail partners
have been pivotal to the success of The National Lottery which, since launch,
has raised over £19 billion for the Good Causes. We will continue to work
closely with them to build on this achievement, and find ways to help them
boost their sales – and returns to Good Causes – in a socially
responsible way.”
The GRAMIAs were launched in 1994 to
recognise exceptional performance in the extremely competitive FMCG market by
rewarding both client and agency for creative excellence and achievements. The
Creative Award entries were judged by a carefully selected panel of
representatives from across FMCG marketing industry, and assessed against the
following criteria:
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- The campaign should be
aesthetically creative.
- The campaign’s objectives
and strategic outline.
- A demonstration of the
campaign’s market impact and success.
- How the execution fits in with
the overall brand strategy
The judging panel then selected four
campaigns from each category, each of which won a Silver GRAMIA. These
four were then judged against each other, with the overall winner of the
category receiving the Golden GRAMIA.
The judges said they were
particularly impressed with the high quality of the entries which reflected the
need to deliver impressive, bold and innovative ways to communicate with an
increasingly demanding consumer.
For further information, please
contact Alexia Latham, Media Relations Manager: 020 7632 5747.
SOURCE: Camelot Press
Office.
Jade Warrior Strikes Scratch Card Market
VEIKKAUS, Finland (October 9, 2006)
-- Veikkaus will once again connect to the
world of culture by launching a new instant game, Jade Warrior Instant, in
October. The Jade Warrior Instant is based on the Labyrinth Instant, which will
be disguised in the theme of the Finnish-Chinese film for the autumn and the
early winter. The Jade Warrior Instant costs EUR 3, and the top prizes are EUR
30,000.
Cooperation in favour of the
Finnish film industry
Veikkaus is one of the most
important partners in cooperation to support the Jade Warrior film, and an
important supporter of the Finnish cinematic culture. This year, the Finnish
Ministry of Education contributes over EUR 22 million to Finnish cinematic
arts. Over 80 percent of this amount comes from Veikkaus funds.
The Jade Warrior cooperation gives
us the chance to reach new target groups, such as fans of China and the cinema.
The film was inspired by Kalevala, the Finnish national epic. It is an epic
love story about the battle between good and evil, a mixture of fantasy and
kung-fu combining Finnish and Chinese mythology. It is set in two different
times and places -present-day Finland and ancient China.
With Mini Ässä
Instant, excitement costs just one euro
Besides Jade Warrior Instant,
Veikkaus will be introducing another new Instant in October. Veikkaus' oldest
and possibly best known instant game, Ässä Instant, will have a new
game by its side: Mini Ässä Instant. Mini Ässä Instant, the
size of a credit card, includes just one game: Noughts and Crosses, which the
players of Ässä Instant are already familiar with. Mini
Ässä Instant costs a euro, but the top prizes amount to EUR 10,000.
There are 10 top prizes available. Mini Ässä Instant does not entitle
the players to take part in the additional draws related to the original
Ässä Instant.
SOURCE: Veikkaus' eNews distributed
by Veikkaus Communications.
Kinamik’s Random Number Generator Achieves TST
Certification
Kinamik’s innovative RNG is certified to the
most stringent industry standards and regulations
BARCELONA, Spain (October 12, 2006)
-- Kinamik Data Integrity S.L (Kinamik)
today announced that its kRandomizer solution, a product aimed at providing
secure and traceable random numbers, has received TST certification. In
achieving this certification, kRandomizer fulfils the most stringent standard
tests for a commercial Random Number Generator (RNG) and complies with the
requirements of highly regulated jurisdictions. kRandomizer can be
implemented in all types of gaming platforms, ranging from lotteries to on-line
games, including electronic games such as bingo and networked slot machines.
Kinamik’s unique protocol to
generate random numbers makes use of cryptographic functions that, while making
the numbers fully unpredictable, allows them to be audited at a later stage.
This is possible because the generation process leaves a tamper-evident
cryptographic audit trail.
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When compared to market standard
RNGs, the way the cryptographic protocols work in kRandomizer represents a
change of paradigm because the fairness of the number generation can be
demonstrated with complete guarantees that the results have not been
manipulated. This is a powerful feature for operators, regulators, players and
software manufacturers, because they can prove at any time how the results of
the RNG have been created.
Additionally, kRandomizer has other
features such as the use of a tamper-proof hardware and the possibility of
generating the random number collaboratively. Collaborative generation allows
the use jointly of an existing RNG and the kRandomizer. This opens an
interesting range of possibilities to current gaming operations.
Christophe Primault, Managing
Director of Kinamik, welcomed today’s announcement. He explained,
‘kRandomizer is an independent source of random number generation that
satisfies the most stringent requirements of software testing laboratories,
gaming operators, players and regulators.
The design flexibility of the
solution facilitates its integration with most existing electronic gaming
platforms, regardless of the interface used. Lotteries, casino games,
bingo games, poker networks and other electronic gaming platforms that depend
on random number generation can be powered by kRandomizer and benefit from its
unique characteristics’
Kinamik’s kRandomizer will be
presented during the EiG international gaming conference in Barcelona, October
11-13th, at booth 312. More information on this event is available at
www.eigexpo.com/2006/
About Kinamik
Kinamik is an independent
international company based in Barcelona. It is backed by Riva y Garcia
Private Equity (www.rivaygarcia.com) and delivers innovative security solutions
to industries requiring irrefutable proof of data authenticity, integrity and
confidentiality for audit and regulatory purposes. Our mission is to raise the
level of internal and external data trust and peace of mind to all stakeholders
in data- sensitive industries.
About TST
Technical Systems Testing (TST) is
an internationally recognized Accredited Testing Facility (ATF) offering a full
range of testing and consulting services to the terrestrial (traditional /
land-based) and interactive (Internet and remote based) gaming, wagering,
lottery, e-commerce and information technology (IT) industries. Established in
1993, TST is one of the world's most experienced gaming laboratories. TST works
closely with industry operators, suppliers, manufacturers and regulators to
ensure that gambling products meet best practice industry standards and comply
with some of the world's most stringent and comprehensive legislative and
regulatory requirements. TST has its main offices in Vancouver (Canada) and
additional offices in Australia and UK.
For further information about this
press release contact Wynne Evans on +44 7946 418133 or
jwynne_evans@tiscali.co.uk
For further information regarding
Kinamik
CONTACT: Christophe Primault on +34 931 835 814 or Email:
cprimault@kinamik.com
Managing Risk In A Lottery Organization
November 17 - 20,
2006
WLA seminar supported by
APLA and hosted by Singapore Pools
Bintan Island,
Indonesia
Security and business continuity are
high priority for lottery operators. Our stakeholders expect us to guarantee
that the integrity of our operations is beyond reproach. They need to know that
safeguards are in place to protect our players, our retailers and ourselves
from all kinds of intrusion into our systems. Financial risk management is also
a growing need for WLA member organizations.
Immediately after the WLA 2006
Convention and Trade Show in Singapore, this three-day intensive course will be
held on the nearby island of Bintan. It will be an ideal opportunity to learn
about the latest security measures for lottery organizations, and ways to
increase awareness of security and risk management issues in the world around
us.
To round off the seminar, the 2006
version of the WLA Security Control Standards© and the related
certification process will be presented and discussed.
Program
Expert speakers and panelists from
inside and outside the lottery sector will give presentations and testimonials.
There will be plenty of time for discussion in plenary sessions and in smaller
groups.
The seminar will be divided into
five half-day sessions on topics such as physical and Internet security,
business continuity, disaster recovery and crisis management, financial risks,
and the new WLA Security Control Standards©.
Topics on the agenda will
include:
- Risk assessment
- Security developments and trends
for new media
- Trends in computer fraud
- Physical security for staff,
retailers and winners
- Personal certification for
security professionals
- Multi-jurisdictional games and
security issues
- Business continuity and disaster
recovery planning
- Crisis management
- Money laundering
- Financial risks of illegal
betting and lottery fraud
- The gaming boom in Asia and its
consequences for security
- Recent examples on fraud and
scams in the lottery sector
- Scams, disaster and public
relations
- The new WLA Security Control
Standards© and the certification process.
When
The seminar will start with a
welcome dinner on Friday, November 17 and will end with a concluding lunch on
Monday, November 20. Extended stays at the hotel can be booked through us.
Where
The seminar will take place on the
Indonesian island of Bintan, just a 45 minute boat ride away from Singapore, at
the idyllic Nirwana Resort Hotel. Please note that early registration is
important for requesting entry visas to Indonesia through Singapore. Please
consult the WLA business office for more details.
Who should
attend
Top and middle management in charge
of security, disaster recovery planning, audit, physical and Internet security,
finance, human resources and strategic planning. Board members and regulators
are also encouraged to take part.
Language
All presentations and discussions
will be in English.
Cost
The seminar fee is CHF 2,000 for
members and CHF 2,300 for associate members. The fee includes three nights'
accommodation, all meals and the transfer from the WLA 2006 conference hotel in
Singapore or from Changi Airport and back.
Non-members on request.
Registration
deadline
Registration closes November 3,
2006. Cancellations after that date will be charged. Registrations are
transferable within your organization at no cost.
Note: The WLA
organizes seminars as a service for its members and associate members. Although
non-members may be admitted under certain circumstances, members are always
given preference. Non-members interested in attending the seminar are kindly
asked to contact the WLA business office in Basel for details of
availability.
Click
Here for online Registration.
SCEL Voted One of 2006 Best Places to Work in
SC
COLUMBIA, South Carolina, USA
(October 12, 2006) -- The South Carolina
Education Lottery (SCEL) was recently named as one of the Best Places to
Work in South Carolina. The award was given by the Society for Human Resource
Management (SHRM) - South Carolina State Council in partnership with Setcom
Media , SC Jobnetwork.com, the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, and Best
Companies Group.
“This reinforces my belief
that SCEL has a world-class workforce,” said
Ernie Passailaigue, SCEL
Executive Director. “The goal of all our employees is to provide the
highest level of service to our stakeholders, while operating in a culture
where work is fun.”
This survey and award program was
designed to identify, recognize and honor the best places of employment in
South Carolina, benefiting the state's economy, its workforce and businesses.
To be considered for participation,
companies had to fulfill the following eligibility requirements:
- Be a for-profit or not-for-profit
business;
- Be a publicly or privately held
business;
- Have a facility in South
Carolina; and
- Have at least 25 employees in
South Carolina.
For more information on the Best
Places to Work in South Carolina program, visit
www.BestPlacestoWorkSC.com
SOURCE: South Carolina Education
Lottery
OGT and PIXMAN™: A New, Dynamic And Efficient Way To Reach
Lottery Consumers
MONTREAL, Quebec, Canada (October
11, 2006) -- Pixman Corporation (“Pixman™”) and
Oberthur Gaming Technologies
(“OGT”) are pleased to announce the signature of a worldwide
cooperation agreement. Through this partnership, OGT will be the exclusive
provider to the lottery industry of Pixman™’s unique mobile and
wearable digital advertising technology, including the technical platform for
advertising.
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Pixman™ is a leading-edge
supplier of nomadic media and promotional systems that uses network-based,
wireless (Wi-Fi or PC Air Card), gaming platforms and DVD players to get
customers to interact directly with brands and promotions. By using costumed
characters ergonomically equipped with highly visible digital video displays
and ultra-light digital projectors, Pixman™ is deployed throughout the
world to entertain and inform passers-by in all types of public venues. With
partners on all continents and in most major cities in the world, Pixman™
is in a unique position to offer the first international nomadic media service,
enabling advertisers and ad agencies to reach their audiences in a new, dynamic
and efficient manner.
As reaching consumers has become
harder and more expensive, Lotteries will find in Pixman™ a
non-traditional and original, thus more attractive, and non expensive approach
to get in touch with current and potential players, as well as the emerging
market (18-35) in high traffic areas.
“Over the past few years, we
have focused our marketing efforts to better understand the new generation of
18-35 and their expectations, in order to adapt our products and business
philosophy to new trends,” said André Nadeau, Senior
Vice-President, Marketing and Strategic Development of OGT. “Our new
alliance with Pixman™ is part of our corporate strategies aiming at
continuously developing and offering innovative solutions to pioneering the
future of lotteries. We want to create a buzz with the young consumer
generation, and there’s no doubt that Pixman™ will help us.”
“We are very pleased about
having this opportunity to play an essential role in Lotteries’
communication and promotional events,” added Guy Labelle, President
and General of Pixman Corporation. “I am confident that lottery
organizations will take advantage of the combination of Pixman’s
advertising expertise and technologies, and OGT’s strong position and
solid reputation in the lottery industry.”
About Oberthur Gaming
Technologies (www.oberthurgt.com)
With more than 35 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. Comprehensive services
include strategic game planning and innovative conceptual design with
OGT’s Dream Team™, Cyber Games™ (interactive) as well as
state-of-the-art Global Operations and Lottery Distribution System (GOLDS). OGT
currently supplies a full range of high quality products and services to 100
clients in some 50 countries. The company has production units or sales offices
in Montreal, Canada; San Antonio, Texas; Atlanta, Georgia; Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania in the U.S.; Paris, France; and Sydney, Australia.
About Pixman
Corporation
Pixman Corporation is a
Montreal-based company active in the emerging fields of nomadic media and
experiential marketing services. The foundation of the company's business is
the Pixman™ multi-media back-pack which integrates an ultra-luminous
screen perched above the head of a person wearing the system. This unique
system offers an exciting new and innovative way to advertise and promote a
company’s products and services. With this system, messages can be highly
targeted. The Pixman™ multi-media system is especially effective for
reaching mass audiences in one of the fastest growing areas of marketing –
event marketing. Market indicators show that the more direct methods of
promoting brands to consumers are progressively gaining market share compared
to traditional mass-market media channels. In North America, Pixman Corporation
operates a “turn-key” nomadic media service business which includes
event planning, Pixman™ units deployment, creative content development and
event reporting. Outside North America, the company has extended the footprint
of the Pixman™ nomadic media concept internationally through license
agreements with strategic partners. Currently, the Pixman™ network
includes 15 partners on 6 continents equipped with Pixman™ units and
licensed to conduct turnkey nomadic media events. Visit
www.pixman.com.
SOURCE: Lyse Trudel, Communications
Officer, OGT. Phone: (+1-514) 254-3600, ext. 101, Email:
lyse.trudel@mtl.oberthurgt.com
For information: André
Nadeau, Senior Vice-President, Marketing and Strategic Development, OGT.
Phone:(+1-514) 254-3600, ext. 315 or Guy Labelle, President and General
Manager, PIXMAN Corporation, (+1-514) 845-0208, ext. 226.
Cyberview Teams with International Operator, Codere to Convert Legacy
Gaming Machines in Colombia
Project to Transform
Stand-Alone Machines into Server-Based Downloadable Games, Remote Monitoring,
Control and First Wide-Area Jackpot
LONDON & LAS VEGAS (October
2006) -- Cyberview Technology, a leading provider of downloadable server-based
systems to the gaming industry, announced today that a pilot project is
underway with Codere Colombia S.A. that, for the first-time-ever, will convert
existing stand-alone gaming machines to enable latest server-based functions.
Codere Colombia S.A. is a subsidiary of the leading international gaming
operator Codere, headquartered in Madrid, Spain and currently operates
approximately twelve thousand stand-alone slot machines across hundred of
venues in Colombia.
Under the six-month project which
began in September, Codere is using proprietary upgrade kits from Cyberview to
transform its older machines at Codere's state of the art assembly facility in
Bogota. These kits provide for the total renovation of existing mechanical reel
cabinets into modern touch-screen video terminals with server-based,
downloadable gaming capability. This conversion will provide Codere with
centralised management and distribution of new gaming content along with the
ability to offer the first-ever nationwide multi-level progressive jackpot in
the country.
Upon successful completion of the
pilot, the companies intend to establish a longer term strategic relationship
that could result in additional conversions and also extend into other Codere
international operations.
Fernando Ors, Chief Development
Officer of Codere commented:
"This agreement highlights
Codere's commitment to innovation. Our focus on the operation area allows us to
select the best technology developments in the game market. Working with
Cyberview Technology is one of our keys to our future, presenting us with a
competitive advantage and optimizing the quality of our service."
Sylvie Linard, Executive VP and
Chief Operating Officer of the Cyberview Technology group of companies,
commented:
"We are honoured and excited to
have entered into a strategic project with a major international gaming
operator such as Codere, who are without doubt one of the leading gaming
companies in South America. This project is very significant to both companies
and we are looking forward to a long and fruitful business relationship."
The newly converted terminals are
slated to be installed in various locations across Colombia and connected to a
dedicated Cyberview central server. This will allow new gaming content to be
downloaded and made available to local operators and players in a fast and
cost-efficient manner. New remote access to real-time management and operation
reports is also expected to improve the overall security and efficiency of
their operations. In addition, Codere will be able to offer a nationwide
mystery progressive jackpot in the country.
Additional advanced technology
available to Codere under this project includes the newly issued Cyberview Game
Development Toolkit (GDK) which presents an entirely new concept in game
development. This toolkit will enable Codere to develop and implement games
themselves for integration and operation on the server-based system. With GDK,
Codere will be able to obtain game content from any source they choose cost
effectively, enabling a greater number of game choices to offer their players.
For further information, visit the
company's website at www.cybview.com.
SOURCE: Cyberview
Technology.
CONTACT: Sylvie Linard, COO, Tel: +44 20 7761 3000 or
Hogarth Partnership for Cyberview Technology Fiona Noblet, Tel: +44 20 7357
9477.
Betware Representatives Will be at the WLA Convention in
Singapore
REYKJAVÍK, Iceland (October
17, 2006) -- Mr. Wojtek Bachorski, Betware’s Sales Manager, Mr. Thor Thors,
Project Manager and Mr. Stefan Hrafnkelsson, Betware’s CEO and Managing
Director will be attending this year’s WLA convention and trade show, in Singapore.
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Contributor |
The trade show, which runs from 12th
– 17th November will bring a host of members in the lottery industry
together to share their expertise and gain knowledge on important issues in the
gaming market. Mr. Bachorski will be addressing the convention on
Betware’s gaming solution, products and the relationship between the
company and its clients.
The WLA forum provides a great
opportunity for Betware to not only share information on its gaming software
and solution, but also take part in the exchange of proficiency in gaming
which stems from over ten years of industry experience.
Betware will be at booth
S1.
About Betware (www.betware.com)
Betware is a software and
services company that specializes in providing technical solutions to gaming
companies operating in fully regulated jurisdictions. Betware has a wide
product line, covering most traditional lottery games, sports games, instants,
horse racing, live betting, bingo and casino games. These are offered on
different channels such as the Internet, mobile and on-line retailer systems.
Betware’s flexible application program interface (API) allows independent
third party gaming developers and operators to create their own games on top of
Betware’s core services.
Information at Betware: Prerna
Desai, Media Manager, Betware, Phone: +354 5804721
Pollard Banknote and Texas Lottery Launch Rocky™
Game
WINNIPEG, Canada (October 18, 2006)
-- Lottery players in the Lone Star State can now draw some extra inspiration
from Hollywood’s greatest on-screen fighter.
The
Texas Lottery has launched the first-ever instant game based on the
Rocky™ movie franchise, which is available for use in the lottery industry
only through Pollard Banknote Limited
Partnership (“Pollard Banknote”) and its licensing
agreement with MGM Consumer Products.
“The Rocky franchise
has all the attributes, backed by a strong merchandising program, to resonate
with a broad base of consumers and attract players at retail,” said
Sina Aiello, Director, Licensed Products, Pollard Banknote.
“This year marks the
30th anniversary of the first installment in this iconic movie franchise. And
with the theatrical release of Rocky Balboa (Rocky VI) slated for December,
there couldn’t be a better time for a lottery to capitalize on the
awareness and popularity of a franchise that has such a strong following with
males aged 18-49—demographic segments that are highly desirable for
instant ticket sales.”
The story of a small-time boxer who
gets his chance to fight for the heavyweight championship, Rocky was the 1976
Academy Award® winner for Best Picture and is on the American Film
Institute’s list of the 100 Greatest Movies. An uplifting, chart-topping
theme song, now-classic scenes and catchphrases, and the flair of Rocky
Balboa’s rivals have all contributed to the pop-culture currency of the
movie and its sequels.
In Texas, three distinct and vivid
artwork variations of the Lottery’s $2 game capture all the courage,
determination, and triumph of a beloved character (Rocky Balboa) and a saga
that stands as a shining example of the rags-to-riches American Dream for
generations of moviegoers.
Texas players don’t need to
lace up the gloves and step into the ring themselves to come out a winner,
thanks to a classic “key number match” game that features a
$25,000 top prize, 12 opportunities to win on each ticket, and overall winning
odds of 1 in 4.18.
The game also includes 1,500
instantly winnable prize packs, each including the following official
Rocky™ merchandise that will ring true for any player who loves the
imagery and themes of the movies:
- DVD collection (Rocky I through
Rocky V)
- Vintage t-shirt
- Hooded sweatshirt
- Neon bar clock
- Beach towel
- Limited-edition black and gold
“Italian Stallion” robe
- Sports duffel bag with a
detachable, padded shoulder strap
- Ten-karat gold boxing glove
pendant, replicating the necklace Rocky Balboa wears in several installments of
the movie series
“A franchise with as much
knockout power in pop culture as Rocky™ invokes a strong emotional
response all on its own,” said Aiello. “Add in a prize
structure that includes both cash and the tangible value of the merchandise
packs, and a Rocky™ instant game delivers a potent one-two combination for
any lottery to reach a lot of consumers and generate additional
sales.”
Pollard Banknote offers a turnkey
solution for licensed games, including ticket design and manufacturing, prize
structure consultation, merchandise selection and fulfillment, publicity and
promotional opportunities, and second-chance draw process management (including
all customer service, Internet marketing, and post-game analysis).
About Pollard
Banknote (www.pollardbanknote.com)
Pollard Banknote is one of the
world’s leading full-service lottery vendors and is a major supplier to
North America’s charitable gaming industry. The firm manufactures instant
tickets and provides related programming, design, and marketing support. As
well, Pollard Banknote manufactures ticket vending machines, pull tab tickets
and bingo paper, and supplies lottery management services (including
warehousing and distribution). Established in 1907, the firm is owned by the
Pollard family and the Pollard Banknote Income Fund and currently serves more
than 45 lotteries worldwide, including some of the largest and most respected
lotteries in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and Central and South
America.
About Pollard Banknote
Income Fund
Pollard Banknote Income Fund (TSX:
PBL.UN) is an unincorporated, open-end trust which owns 26.7% of Pollard
Holdings Limited Partnership, which in turn owns Pollard Banknote Limited
Partnership.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Gordon
Pollard (gpollard@pbl.ca) or John Pollard (jpollard@pbl.ca), Co-Chief Executive
Officers, Phone: (204) 474-2323
NZ
Lotteries Marks Stellar Year
NEW ZEALAND (20 October 2006) - NZ communities are on
a winning streak with a record-breaking year for NZ
Lotteries. Its Annual Report shows an increase of $15.1 million transferred
to the Lottery Grants Board - a record total of $138.5 million, NZ Lotteries
Chief Executive Todd McLeay, said today.
Releasing NZ Lotteries Annual Report for the 2005/2006
year, Mr McLeay said New Zealanders were enthusiastically supporting NZ
Lotteries with sales of $719.2 million, the highest since NZ Lotteries started
in 1987. Mr McLeay said that NZ Lotteries' strong business performance could be
attributed to a number of strategy-driven changes.
"The introduction of our midweek jackpotting game Big
Wednesday resulted not only in a game immediately loved by many Kiwis, but it
has given us a midweek retail presence that has played a key role in lifting
sales. "Two Lotto Powerball jackpot runs resulting in the two largest prizes
ever won ($18 million and $15.2 million) on an NZ Lotteries game, also played a
major role in increasing sales," says Mr McLeay. "Opening 150 new retail
outlets increased the national network to 878 outlets providing greater choice
and convenience to our customers and helping to lift sales performance," he
said. "At the same time, a nationwide refurbishment programme of lottery
outlets has continued, and by year end two-thirds of the network featured the
new, more consumer friendly retail branding and format," he said.
The Annual Report shows significant investment in a
major technological upgrade to NZ Lotteries' gaming system, terminals and
networks. Over the year, NZ Lotteries created eleven new millionaires amongst
the 134 players who won Lotto First Division and six people became Lotto
Powerball multi-millionaires. Additionally three people became
multi-millionaires after winning Big Wednesday First Division and a further two
lucky players became instant millionaires when they spun and won $1 million on
Lotto's Winning Wheel.
The largest prize of the year was the record breaking
$18 million Lotto Powerball prize won by an Auckland family and sold by a
ticket bought at Kaeo Four Square in Northland in May.
SOURCE NZ Lotteries
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