IGT Extends Contract to Provide Instant Ticket Printing Services to the Arizona Lottery

LONDON, U.K. (February 14, 2018) -- IGT (NYSE:IGT) announced that it has signed a one year contract extension with the Arizona Lottery (“Arizona Lottery” or “Lottery”) to continue printing instant tickets. The original five-year print contract was executed in 2010 and included the option for five one-year extensions. This is IGT’s third extension, and runs through January 14, 2019.

IGT will continue providing service and support surrounding instant games, as well as long range planning for future growth. The Arizona Lottery and IGT have had a relationship since 1984. IGT also manages the Lottery’s warehouse and distribution, including vending machines.

The Lottery has launched multiple games featuring IGT innovations: Super Ticket 7’s in November 2016 and Precious Metals in September 2017, as well as two Crossword Connect games, in January and December 2017.

“IGT values our longstanding relationship with the Arizona Lottery and looks forward to continuing to delivery high quality instant games,” said Jay Gendron, IGT COO, Lottery.

“In 2017, the Arizona Lottery saw great success with the $5 Wheel of Fortune game, which sold extremely well and aided in generating funds for the Lottery’s good causes.”

About IGT

IGT (NYSE: IGT) is the global leader in gaming. We enable players to experience their favorite games across all channels and regulated segments, from Gaming Machines and Lotteries to Interactive and Social Gaming. Leveraging a wealth of premium content, substantial investment in innovation, in-depth customer intelligence, operational expertise and leading-edge technology, our gaming solutions anticipate the demands of consumers wherever they decide to play. We have a well-established local presence and relationships with governments and regulators in more than 100 countries around the world, and create value by adhering to the highest standards of service, integrity, and responsibility. IGT has over 12,000 employees. For more information, please visit: www.IGT.com.

CONTACT:

SOURCE: International Game Technology PLC (IGT).

INTRALOT Awarded Five-Year Contract Extension with Wyoming Lottery

ATHENS, Greece (February 14, 2018) -- INTRALOT S.A. announces the renewal of the current contract of INTRALOT Inc., a subsidiary of the INTRALOT Group in the United States, with the Wyoming Lottery for the five-year period from August 25, 2019, to August 25, 2024. This is the first of three five-year extension options in line with the initial contract terms.

The Wyoming Lottery has been a valued partner of INTRALOT’s since the Lottery’s inception in 2014. When first launched, the Lottery offered two multistate games, Powerball and Mega Millions. The Lottery has since expanded their product portfolio to include an annuity game called Lucky For Life and an instate game called Cowboy Draw. With industry-proven retail solutions like the clerk-operated Photon and the player-facing Genion, the Lottery has been able to scale their business through these expansions, and achieve their goals to the full benefit of their beneficiaries and the State of Wyoming. INTRALOT was honored to work with the Wyoming Lottery Director and his knowledgeable team for their successful ground-up launch of the Lottery.

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Wyoming Lottery Director Jon Clontz said: “The Wyoming Lottery has had a terrific partnership with INTRALOT and this extension will allow the two entities to continue that partnership for the benefit of the cities, towns, municipalities and people of Wyoming whom we ultimately serve”.

The extended renewal provisions include player advertising displays for all Wyoming Lottery retailer locations, INTRALOT’s proprietary content management system and full operational support of the new content management system. High definition displays will keep Wyomingites informed and engaged with the valued Wyoming Lottery brand.

Mr. John Donahue, CEO of INTRALOT Inc., stated: “The Wyoming Lottery and INTRALOT have accomplished much together in the past three years that began with a successful state lottery launch, multiple successful game launches, and highly successful retail recruitment. This extension will be another step in continuing our mission in supporting the municipalities and people of Wyoming”.

About INTRALOT (www.intralot.com)

INTRALOT, a public listed company established in 1992, is a leading gaming solutions supplier and operator active in 52 regulated jurisdictions around the globe. With €1.32 billion turnover and a global workforce of approximately 5,300 employees (3,450 of which in subsidiaries and 1,850 in associates) in 2016, INTRALOT is an innovation – driven corporation focusing its product development on the customer experience. The company is uniquely positioned to offer to lottery and gaming organizations across geographies market-tested solutions and retail operational expertise. Through the use of a dynamic and omni-channel approach, INTRALOT offers an integrated portfolio of best-in-class gaming systems and product solutions & services addressing all gaming verticals (Lottery, Betting, Interactive, VLT). Players can enjoy a seamless and personalized experience through exciting games and premium content across multiple delivery channels, both retail and interactive. INTRALOT has been awarded with the prestigious WLA Responsible Gaming Framework Certification by the World Lottery Association (WLA) for its global lottery operations.

For more information CONTACT: Mr. Chris Sfatos, Group Director Corporate Affairs, Phone: +30-210 6156000, Fax: +30-210 6106800, Email: sfatos@intralot.com.

SOURCE: INTRALOT (www.intralot.com).

The Malta Gaming Authority Sets Up New Anti-Money Laundering Supervisory Unit

MALTA (February 13, 2018) -- Further to the transposition of the Fourth Anti-Money Laundering Directive into Maltese Law, the wide ranging consultations carried out between the FIAU and the MGA including the publication of the AML/CFT supervisory mechanisms carried out last year, the MGA would like to inform all its licensees and subject persons that a new Anti-Money Laundering Unit has now been set up within the Authority’s operational and regulatory structures.

This new unit, which is now fully operational, will be conducting AML/CFT supervisory assessments through on-site and off-site inspections and will report any findings to the Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit (FIAU). The team of AML officers within this unit have been given extensive training by local and international experts in AML/ CFT activities in order to make sure that the new team has the necessary capability, skill and capacity to conduct effective off-site and on-site assessments for all licensees both land based and remote. With the transposition of the 4th AML Directive into Maltese Law, some on-site examinations shall be carried out jointly with the FIAU.

Furthermore, the Authority has drawn up an AML/CFT supervisory plan for 2018 which includes a significant number of on-site visits to both land based and remote gaming operators. The MGA has also conducted an organisation wide AML/CFT training programme with the help of experts in the field in order to ensure that there is sufficient organisation-wide knowledge with respect to AML/CFT.

The Authority shall continue to enhance its collaboration with the FIAU to ensure an effective AML/CFT framework coupled with the required levels of co-ordination and scrutiny across public and private bodies.

SOURCE: Malta Gaming Authority.

Skilrock Showcases Reality Games and Digitization of Traditional Games at ICE 2018

GURGAON, India (February 12, 2018) – Skilrock team is back from London after a stupendous show involving new games and concepts running over its well established Weaver Unified Gaming Platform at ICE Totally Gaming show held at ExCel Exhibition Center, London from 6th to 8th February.

Mr. Sujit Lahiry, Executive Director, commented,

"This was our 7th consecutive year at ICE and we wanted the visitors to experience something real where the player plays a central part in the game itself, apart from our feature rich platform that supports all game formats and all channels. Thousands of visitors took part in the game of boxing and appreciated the tremendous excitement and gamification possibilities involving reality games.

We also showcased the unique concept where we can digitize an operator’s OWN LOCAL TRADITIONAL GAMES which are well supported by our unified gaming platform that covers the entire spectrum of Retail, iGaming and Self-Service with a wide range of contents, making it exciting for every player segment.”

About Skilrock Technologies:

Skilrock Technologies is a leading technology solution provider for the lottery, gaming and payment industry with its R&D centres located at global IT hubs. It is technology arm of Sugal & Damani Group, a 48+ year old business conglomerate with revenues of over US$2 billion and presence in 3 continents. The group operates the largest state government lotteries & also the second largest commercial services business in India.

The all-encompassing WEAVER Gaming Platform of Skilrock serves RETAIL, iGAMING & SELF SERVICE channels with seamless unified focus, supporting a wide variety of games like Lotto, Keno, Bingo, Instant, Sports, Poker, Rummy, Casino and Slots. More than 120,000 retail touch points and over 4 million iGaming players across 18 jurisdictions are being serviced using Weaver Platform.

For further information or assistance please contact: Sourabh Goyal, T: +44 (0) 20 3286 7878 | +91 8826 315550, email: sourabh.goyal@skilrock.com | website: www.skilrock.com.

SOURCE: Skilrock Technologies press release.

Loto-Québec Bring Back the 100 $ ultime Lottery

MONTRÉAL, Quebec, Canada (February 11, 2018) -- After its exciting debut last year with 99.6% of the 500,000 tickets sold, the 100 $ ultime lottery ticket is back! On sale for 8 weeks beginning tomorrow, 100 $ ultime offers a 1-in-25,000 chance of becoming a millionaire. The draw to select the 20 winning numbers will be conducted on April 5 at 7:30 p.m. on TVA.

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Quotes

• "As the 100 $ ultime ticket generated so much excitement among Quebecers last year, we adjusted the distribution process in order to maximize the chances that as many tickets as possible remain available for a longer period throughout all regions in Québec," said Richard Trudel, Director, Customer Service and Draws.
• "Last year, we received over 3,300 calls from customers asking about the 100 $ ultime ticket. That's huge! Many were looking to purchase tickets. We let them know which points of sale still had tickets available. This year, customer service personnel will have access to a regularly updated system in order to better direct customers to nearby retailers who have tickets for sale," Mr. Trudel added.

Highlights

• 100 $ ultime is the consumer's best chance of becoming a millionaire: odds of 1 in 25,000 compared to 1 in 14,000,000 with Lotto 6/49.
• Loto-Québec predicted that this lottery would encourage people to form groups to purchase tickets, and that is exactly what occurred. In fact, 13 of the 20 grand prizes awarded went to groups. It is worth noting that all 20 grand prizes offered were awarded.
• Similar to Célébration, the ticket offers instant scratch prizes in addition to numbers valid for the 20 draws.
• This is the second edition of 100 $ ultime. Over the years, Loto-Québec has marketed 6 special editions of products costing $100.
• Capsules of winners' stories hosted by Patrice Bélanger will be aired on TVA starting on March 12.

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100 $ ultime, in short

• Marketing date: February 12
• Draw date: April 5
• Broadcast of draws: Starting at 7:30 p.m. on TVA. Patrice Bélanger will emcee the draws during movie night commercial breaks.
• Grand prizes: 20 grand prizes worth $1 million, 1 of which is decomposable
• Ticket price: $100
• Odds of winning $1,000,000: 1 in 25,000
• Odds of winning a prize: 1 in 4
• Number of tickets available: 500,000

About Loto-Québec

Loto-Québec's mission is to responsibly and efficiently manage games of chance in a controlled and measured fashion, in the interest of all Quebecers. Entertainment is at the heart of its activities. In 2017, Loto-Québec paid out 107 prizes worth $1 million or more and created 132 millionaires. Gagnant à vie! and Grande Vie lotteries have provided 29 lucky winners with a lifetime annuity.

SOURCE: Loto-Québec.

GLI Asia is Celebrating Ten Years of Service to the Macau Gaming Market

MACAU, China (February 13, 2018) – As we enter the new year, GLI Asia is celebrating ten years of service to the Macau gaming market and to the operators, regulators, and suppliers of the surrounding regions in Asia-Pacific. The expert testing and consulting staff has been honored to diligently serve clients in land-based gaming, online gaming, and lottery sectors with unsurpassed skill and commitment, and like the year of the dog teaches us, GLI’s customer-focused approach is centered on the qualities of honesty, loyalty, and responsibility.

GLI Asia is Celebrating Ten Years of Service to the Macau Gaming Market GLI Asia officially opened for operation on 20 July 2007. Since that time, the lab has grown to more than 300 square meters (about 3,300 square feet) and is the most structured test lab in Asia.

“It has been an honor and a thrill to see our business grow with customer demand. It is especially humbling when our customers return to us again and again, asking us for additional service offerings, allowing us to grow along with them,” said Marina Wong, GLI Asia’s General Manager of Client Services.

Another exciting aspect of GLI Asia’s Macau presence is its positive impact on the local economy, with each of the lab’s employees being local Macau residents. In fact, four employees have been with the company nearly since the lab’s opening. Julian Lei and Nathan Chang have been with the lab since 2009, and Ben Leung has been with GLI Asia since 2010. Their long-term presence and insights are a boon to GLI’s clients and to the lab’s other employees.

“We are proud that so many of our employees have chosen to stay with GLI Asia for so long,” Wong said. “Their experience is incredibly valuable to our clients, and to the other staff members. When new employees join us, they are able to quickly learn from our long-term employees and expand their knowledge base.”

Because of their expertise, GLI Asia staff have become in-demand speakers on lottery issues throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

Today the lab serves clients of all sizes in land-based gaming, online gaming, and in lotteries. Key services the lab provides include testing for hardware, software, platforms, systems, games, and RNGs.

GLI Asia also helped successfully develop China’s first gaming technical standard – “Technical Gaming Standards for Online Lottery Systems and Betting Terminals.” The lab has also executed numerous high-profile lottery projects in Beijing, China; South Korea; and Taiwan.

For Wong, the GLI Asia staff, and for GLI as a company, over the past ten years, the mission has remained the same: “We put the customer first,” Wong said. “We understand that when our customers succeed, we succeed. When regulators rest easier, when suppliers are able to speed up their time-to-market and reduce expenses, when operators’ casino floors are compliant and secure, and when the products are fair for everyone – that is when we know we have succeeded, together.”

So what does the future hold for GLI Asia? Wong said, “As we celebrate the year of the dog, we will continue to keep in mind our focus on honesty, loyalty, and responsibility. That is how we have earned both regulators’ and our clients’ trust, and we will continue to work hard every day to maintain that trust and to continue to be the most reliable lab in Macau, in Asia, and in the world.”

CONTACT:  Christie Eickelman, Vice President of Global Marketing, T: +1 (702) 914-2220 or E: c.eickelman@gaminglabs.com.

SOURCE: GLI press release.

The ARJEL: 2017 Review of the Authorized French Online Gaming Market

PARIS, France (February 8, 2018) -- The ARJEL has just made public the figures of the approved market online for the year 2017. The light last year is confirmed and for the first time since 2010, the three segments - sports betting, horse betting and poker - recorded a rise in activity with positive results on both the bets, the gross product of the games and the number of players accounts assets.

On the entire online market, there are 9.2 billion euros in bets and entry fees an increase of 9%, 962 million euros of gross product of the games is an increase of 18% and a 13% increase in active player accounts.

These results are encouraging: they testify to the dynamism of the approved operators and account of the determined action of the regulator: it is his responsibility to support this market and fight the illegal offer because it is the most protective for the player.

However, the disparities between the three markets remain very present.

• Sports bets confirm their pre-eminence with a record amount of bets - 2,510 millions of euros, 2 million active players accounts against 1.6 million in 2016. In 2018, the prospect of the football world cup in particular portends new margins of progress.
• Online horse betting activity starts again after four consecutive years of decline. AT the origin of this reversal of the trend, the effects of a renewal of the offer of gambling and the increase in the return rate punters eagerly awaited by the turfists. The growth of the number of active player accounts that followed - 523,000 against 484,000 in 2016, a increase of 7% - confirms the validity of these measures.
• As for poker, the turnaround was all the more expected as the numbers were down, cash game, since 2011. Even if it remains modest, the growth is back: € 3,601 million compared to € 3,556 million last year a 1% increase in cash games and a 9% increase in entry fees for tournaments. As with horse betting, the diversification of supply and the mobilization of new liquidity were decisive factors. The arrival of the European tables of poker should help consolidate and amplify this thrill.

As a result, a relative fragility remains, which will be lifted only through structural reforms and in particular, the change of tax base. The current regime taxes operators on while they return a significant share to players in the form of earnings. A plate on the PBJ1 would give a boost to this business sector by aligning it with its European partners. In 2017, the amount of compulsory deductions reached 439 million euros, ie 13% increase for public finances compared to 2016.

Finally, if the regulator welcomes the dynamism found of the approved online market, it is his responsibility to at the same time, ensure that the protection of players' health is not affected.

The product "gambling online" must remain recreational and the ARJEL monitors particularly the evolution of the expenses of the players: in 2017, the amount of the average expenditure on the three online gambling segments is € 343 per year compared to € 328 in 2016. An increase of small scale therefore, which should be followed carefully. An action plan on this point will be presented in the coming weeks.

SOURCE: ARJEL press release.

Gaming Standards Association (GSA) Creates Gaming Blockchain Committee

LAS VEGAS, NV (February 12, 2018) -- The Gaming Standards Association (GSA) and Gaming Standards Association Europe (GSA Europe) have created a new Technical Committee dedicated to blockchain use. GSA made the announcement from its stand at ICE Totally Gaming, where the organization celebrated its 20th anniversary.

Blockchain technology is poised to revolutionize data sharing, security and has the ability to provide regulatory authorities with previously unobtainable levels of transparency. GSA’s new Blockchain Technical Committee will collaboratively address the technology and advise on possible areas where standards could be developed.

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“GSA was created to help drive innovation in the gaming industry for the benefit of manufacturers, suppliers, operators and regulators,” said GSA President Peter DeRaedt. “By creating a new Blockchain Committee, we are once again proving how, by creating a standard way to use technology, GSA is achieving our mission.”

GSA Europe Managing Director Mark Pace said, “Many industries are evaluating how the blockchain technology can enhance data sharing security and increase operational transparency. GSA will launch this new committee and evaluate the creation of a gaming industry standard.  This is very timely and may have significant impact on how companies can achieve GDPR and AML requirements.”

GSA standards are created through a collaboration between volunteer representatives of its members.  Over the past 20 years more than 1,600 volunteers from more than 190 companies have contributed their expertise to create 15 GSA standards in nine committees. GSA’s award-winning standards are in use around the world, driving the industry to innovation and growth.

GSA was born out of a globally recognized need to streamline processes and create standards that would spur growth, innovation, and revenue. Gaming manufacturers, suppliers, operators, and regulators have benefitted from GSA’s mission to facilitate the identification, definition, development, promotion, and implementation of standards to enable interoperability, innovation, education, and communication for the benefit of the entire industry.

SOURCE: Gaming Standards Association (GSA) press release.

AGT Announce Long-Term Agreement with Churchill Downs to Supply 600 Machines for Its Newly Built Historical Machine Racing Facility

AGT will initially supply at least 600 machines to CDI to be installed at its newly built historical machine racing facility

SYDNEY, Australia (February 13, 2018) -- Ainsworth Game Technology Limited (AGT) today announced a long-term agreement with Churchill Downs Incorporated in the United States (NASDAQ: CHDN, or “CDI”).

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AGT will initially supply at least 600 machines to CDI to be installed at its newly built historical machine racing facility, Derby City Gaming in Louisville, opening fall of 2018. Development has been completed in conjunction with CDI utilising acquired technology though the previous purchase of Nova Technologies.

Churchill Downs is investing approximately US$60 million in construction and technology costs to build an 85,000-square foot historic racing facility at CDI’s former Trackside site. CDI, headquartered in Louisville, is an industry leading racing, gaming and online entertainment company anchored by its iconic flagship event - The Kentucky Derby. CDI is a leader in brick-and-mortar casino gaming with approximately 10,000 gaming positions in eight states and is the largest legal online account wagering platform for horseracing in the U.S., through ownership of TwinSpires.com.

Upon completion of regulatory approval, the new Trackside facility will feature AGT’s pari-mutuel historical racing games, which have been specifically engineered for CDI as part of the agreement. The games will be supplied on Ainsworth’s range of cabinets, including the A640, A600, A600 Slant Top, A560, A560SL Noir and Wide Boy.

Note the 600 machines were previously assumed in AGT’s 2H FY18 profit expectations as released on ASX on 28th November 2017. The company’s outlook comment provided at the time, “We expect to sell similar units in North America in 2HFY18 compared to the full year in FY17” is affirmed, subject to regulatory approval.

Mr Danny Gladstone, CEO said, “Ainsworth is very proud of this exciting relationship with the iconic Churchill Downs business. We are delighted to supply these historic racing machines and we look forward to continuing to work very closely with our new partner in the future.”

SOURCE: Ainsworth Game Technology Limited (AGT).

Sports Betting & Gaming India February 27 to 28, 2018

GOA, India

The Sports Betting & Gaming India Conference (SBGI) promises a busy conference schedule and outstanding panel of industry experts and speakers

Gambling in India is heavily restricted and the SGBI panel of experts and speakers will evaluate both the potential and the possible impact of legalized gambling in the country.

The Indian government’s willingness to consider and clarify gambling legislation provides the ideal background against which the conference speakers and delegates will discuss a wide range of topics and issues - ranging from anti money laundering strategies to the challenges and opportunities that come with eSport.

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Day one of the conference proceedings will see a keynote address delivered by Tim Shepherd, founder of Silver Heritage: Show me the money: How the global gaming industry is responding to the liberalisation of gambling regulations and how can you capitalise. From here, the dialogue will move to the latest developments in Indian regulation and the onset of GST in India. The question on everybody’s mind, whether GST will be a game changer in the sports betting and gaming industry in India, will be thoroughly dissected and interrogated.

Two panel discussions will further explore the current legal scenario of gambling in India, as well as the conventional status of lotteries and more innovative measures for it to grow.

The second day keynote address will be delivered by Christina Thakor – Rankin, Principal Consultant at 1710 Gaming.  Christina will discuss key growth markets and opportunities in India, including lottery, sports betting, land based, and online gaming, and how to foster further growth. Roland Landers, CEO of All India Gaming Federation will deliver additional remarks.

Security, payments, and data protection topics are also on the conference menu, as is practical solutions to retain player confidence, preventing data leakage, match-fixing, and the inevitability of sports betting.

The final panel discussion of the conference will focus on the growth potential (and restrictions) for casinos and the scope for new players entering the Indian market.

Our events are attended by hundreds of senior delegates from the private and public sector. For more information on Eventus International visit: www.eventus-international.com.

Veikkaus Report the First Year of the New Veikkaus Went According to Expectations

FINLAND (February 9, 2018) -- Veikkaus’ financial result for the year 2017 turned out as expected, amounting to EUR 1 021.3 million. During its first year of operations, Veikkaus invested especially in the smooth functioning of the gaming operations, integration of the game systems and ways of operating, as well as the development of responsible gaming tools. The new Veikkaus was born when the three former gaming operators Veikkaus, RAY, and Fintoto were integrated at the beginning of 2017.

• Turnover EUR 3 230.9 million
• Profit EUR 1 021.3 million
• A new veikkaus.fi online store was launched in 2017. All the games were united under one game account.
• Veikkaus has over 2 million Loyal Customers.
• Slot Machines and Instant Games, and Lucky Games are especially popular among our customers.
• Of the turnover, 58% come from the retail sales network, 42% from the digital channels.

The profit of the new Veikkaus exceeded the projected amount to be distributed to the beneficiaries, recorded in the State Budget 2017, which was EUR 1 003.5 million.

“The first year of the new Veikkaus was successful in spite of the challenges associated with the integration, and we were able to generate the projected profit to our beneficiaries,” says Veikkaus’ President and CEO Olli Sarekoski.

The share of identified gaming of all playing of Veikkaus games went up to 40.6% (+1.6 percentage points). Increasing identified gaming is one of Veikkaus’ core strategic objectives.

“Identified gaming helps us to offer our customers even more responsible tools for gaming management. Last year we renewed the Veikkaus Card, which now enables our customers to play identified even on slot machines, says Sarekoski. 

In 2017 we also adopted tools for the management of online gaming, which are unique in an international setting; and the Loyal Customer Programme, which has two million members, was supplemented with new features supporting responsible gaming. Further, Veikkaus made a decision to launch a strategic project, which aims at as extensive identification as possible on decentralised slot machines starting from 1 January 2023.

The Finnish gaming market totalled ca. EUR 1 978 million in terms of GGR in 2017. This meant a growth of one percent. Veikkaus’ share of the total market was ca. 90%. There is competition especially in the field of digital gaming, where even foreign operators are active.

Gaming moving increasingly over to digital channels

One of the year’s most significant achievements was the launch of the new online store veikkaus.fi, and the integration of the old operators’ game accounts. Veikkaus.fi online service had an average of 525 000 buying customers a week, and a total of 1.3 million customers during the year. Mobile gaming is increasing in popularity, and at the end of the year, 44% of the digital sales came from gaming on mobile appliances.

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Among the game groups, our customers favoured especially Slot Machines and Instant Games, and Skill Games. The games to increase their popularity most were fixed odds betting games, table games, and digital slot machine games. The launch of Kulta-Jaska 2 slot machine game was particularly successful, both on slot machines and at veikkaus.fi. The popularity of the new Lucky game, Kaikki tai ei mitään, also exceeded expectations. 

Financial profit to society

Veikkaus’ direct financial profit to society during the year under review can be calculated to amount to a total of EUR 1 273.8 million. The company returned EUR 537.8 million to the Ministry of Education and Culture, EUR 436.3 million to the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, and EUR 40.6 million to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. Further, the company paid EUR 212.8 million in lottery tax to the State, and the financial result was affected by the cost impacts of a total of EUR 46.3 million of VAT paid.

Veikkaus Annual report will be published in English at a later date on the website veikkaus.fi.

SOURCE: Veikkaus press release.

Government Appointees to Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries

WINNIPEG, MB (February 12, 2018) -- Minister Cliff Cullen announced the appointment of three new board members to Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries.

“I am pleased to announce the appointment of three distinguished Manitobans to the board of Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries, each of whom I am confident will continue the good work of the corporation,” Cullen said. “In addition, I am happy to announce two re-appointments to the board. I commend all members, both previous and current, for their due diligence.”

Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries is responsible for the sale of liquor and gambling and operates Liquor Marts, Club Regent Casino, McPhillips Station Casino, Video Lotto and PlayNow.com. With the federal government mandating the legalization of recreational cannabis effective July 1, Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries will see an expanded role managing the safe warehousing and distribution of cannabis throughout the province.

The corporation’s net revenue is returned to the province to support health care, education, economic development, public safety initiatives, and social and community services. The board directs the business affairs of the corporation and ensures it complies with the mandate set out by government including making bylaws, overseeing operations and monitoring financial results.

The newly appointed directors are Randall Swanson, Marshall Ring and Patricia Solman.

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Swanson, from Gimli, recently retired from his position as vice-president of Aboriginal services and forestry services for MNP. He has over 30 years of experience developing effective long-term relationships with Indigenous communities, providing expert support in areas related to financial management, governance and leadership.

Ring, of Winnipeg, is currently the CEO of the Manitoba Technology Accelerator. In addition to serving as a dedicated volunteer at Winnipeg schools, Ring is secretary to the board of directors for the APHA Rangers Hockey Association, and is co-founder and manager of the Manitoba Knights Angel Investor Group.

Solman, from East St. Paul, is the former senior vice-president for network and field services at BellMTS. In addition, she previously served as vice-president of operations for MTS Allstream from 2011 to 2015. She is a past director of Women in Communication and Technology, the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce and United Way Winnipeg, and was named the 2008 ‘Mentor of the Year’ by Canadian Women in Communications.

The re-appointed directors are Stuart Murray and Gary Coleman.

Murray, from Winnipeg, is president and CEO of the City of Human Rights Education Inc. (2015 to present). He held the position of president and CEO of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights from 2009 until 2014, leading the construction and completion of the project. Murray was also a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal.

Coleman, of Winnipeg, is the president and CEO of Big Freight Systems, a Canadian asset-based trucking and freight management company (1981 to present). He has served on various boards including the Economic Innovation and Technology Council of Manitoba, the Health Science Centre Foundation and the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce Transportation Council.

The remaining directors are Polly Craik (chair), Nick Logan (vice-chair), Tracey Maconachie, Mavis Taillieu and Gary Timlick.

The minister thanked all previous board members for their service to Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries and wished the new board well.

SOURCE: Government of Manitoba.