AB UK articles from February 2005

AB UK archives from February 2005

From the editor.
February 1, 2005... THIS year's ATEI comes at a pivotal time in our industry, not least because of the pending Gambling Act. Much has been written about the changing legislation and I shan't go into it further here, other than to say it was encouraging to see so...

Orion Gaming and Deith Group have agreed to work together in the UK and Ireland and will be exhibiting at the ICE and ATEI show.(UK News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... ORION Gaming and Deith Group have agreed to work together in the UK and Ireland and will be exhibiting at the ICE and ATEI show. Matthew Deith commented: "We are delighted to represent Orion in the UK and Ireland, they have considerable...

The Isle of Man government has formally cleared the way for online gambling companies set up on the island to deal with punters in the US.(UK News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... THE Isle of Man Government has formally cleared the way for online gambling companies set up on the island to deal with punters in the US. It had never officially banned the practice, but a perceived ban had discouraged major online gambling...

Gamestec has appointed Alex Hook as head of product development.(UK News)(Gamestec Leisure Ltd.)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... GAMESTEC has appointed Alex Hook as head of product development. He heads up the product development team consisting of product managers and administrative support. The team is responsible for liaising with suppliers and researching new...

New home for Commission will be close to the capital.(UK News)(Gambling industry)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... An announcement on he venue for the headquarters of the new Gambling Commission was imminent as ab: UK went to press. The Gaming Board for Great Britain, the members of which are expected to form the core of the new Commission, examined a...

DT Productions is top for pop pickers.(UK News)(Amusement Trade Exhibition International)(Top of the Pops )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... DT Productions has signed a landmark deal with the BBC to use the Top of the Pops (TOTP) TV show brand in all its jukebox packages. The legendary popular music show will be used in three different TOTP jukebox themes. The first TOTP...

Amex 05 will see second annual Mary Openshaw award.(UK News)(Irish Amusement Trade Exhibition & Seminars)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... AMEX 2005, The 26th Irish Amusement Trade Exhibition & Seminars will be held on Tuesday 1 and Wednesday 2 March 2005 at the Lynch Green Isle Hotel, Dublin. New opening hours will be from 11am to 6pm both days. The Mary Openshaw...

Keep lobbying say MPs as changes more than likely in final Bill stages.(UK News)(British Amusement Catering Trade Association )
February 1, 2005... MINISTERS assured BACTA members there was still value in lobbying for changes to the Gaming Act as representatives from the UK trade association visited the Houses of Parliament. Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport John...

Barcrest to unveil new brands at ATEI alongside a rock and roll king.(UK News)(Amusement Trade Exhibition International)
February 1, 2005... THE Barcrest Group will be showcasing an array of games from its six brands, Barcrest Games, Vivid Gaming, Red Gaming, Maygay, Impulse Gaming and Extreme Gaming at the forthcoming ATEI. It is the first time all six brands have been...

The success of FOBTs has helped to spare bookmaker William Hill.(UK News)(Fixed Odds Betting Terminal)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... THE success of FOBTs has helped to spare bookmaker William Hill from a slump in sporting revenues. The company, which runs 1,600 betting shops, said its second-half performance had been hit by unfavourable soccer and horse racing...

Danoptra buys remaining shares in Bell-Fruit group.(UK News)
February 1, 2005... DANOPTRA Holdings Ltd., the parent company of Gamestec, has bought the outstanding shares of Bell-Fruit Games, Mazooma Games and QPS. In a deal announced at the beginning of the year, Danoptra announced that it had acquired from Germany's...

Gross profits tax keeps bookies in UK.(UK News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... THE gross profits tax on betting has helped encourage bookmakers to retain their core operations in the UK but Customs & Excise needs to tackle the challenges posed by electronic gambling such as betting exchanges, the National Audit Office...

Blackpool's show venue spends millions on facelift.(UK News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... AMUSE UK, the Blackpool-based show on March 16-17, 2005 is set to see some exciting changes to the show floor this year, due to the complete refurbishment of the exhibition's venue, the Norbreck Castle Hotel. A new floorplan has been...

Synot has built a massive new warehouse and administrative centre.(International News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... SYNOT has built a massive new warehouse and administrative centre in Uherske Hradiste in the Czech Republic. The project signifies a total investment of 4m [euro] and consists of 10,000sq.m. of production space and 2,000sq.m. of...

Weche is rumoured to be opening up a new factory in Taiwan.(International News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... WECHE is rumoured to be opening up a new factory in Taiwan. An official statement has yet to be released, but Vice President of marketing Tomas Tol will be informing ab:UK as soon as the cabinet-making company is "fully operational in the new...

Former Federal Finance Minister Dr. Theo Waigel is the new Chairman of the board of directors at NSM-Lowen Entertainment.(International News)
February 1, 2005... FORMER Federal Finance Minister Dr. Theo Waigel is the new Chairman of the board of directors at NSM-Lowen Entertainment. The information was released this week by Austrian Gaming Industries (AGI), subsidiary company of the Austrian Novomatic...

The Dutch-based NMi, one of the world's leading machine testing organisations, has moved its main offices from Delft to Dordrecht in the Netherlands.(International News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... THE Dutch-based NMi, one of the world's leading machine testing organisations, has moved its main offices from Delft to Dordrecht in the Netherlands, The organisation has centralised its machine testing interests in order to have better...

Rowe loses Johnson after five years as figurehead.(International News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... THE man who spearheaded Rowe International's transition from a debt-laden jukebox and vending factory to a newly capitalised, debt-free broadband music and juke box provider, will leave the company later this month. J. Douglas Johnson...

Belgium offers multiplayer heaven.(International News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... SOME clarifications and concessions on multi-player games in arcades in Belgium have re-affirmed the country's position as the best European street market for the games. Belgian arcades may now operate with six-player units, instead of...

Too much bureaucracy damaging Lithuanian AWP rise.(International News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... THE growth of the limited payout AWP machine in street locations in Lithuania is being hampered by too much 'red tape', report operators. The country only recently decided to permit gaming machines, to bring it into line with Baltic...

Italian street operators hit by smoking ban in revolt.(International News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... ITALIAN operators are being hit with a smoking ban which was introduced countrywide last month. The ban applies to bars, restaurants and other public places such as bowling alleys. It carries with it large fines, not only for those caught...

Mexim looks at distribution channels.(International News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... THE Gauselmann Group's Mexim GmbH is on the look-out for distributors worldwide is. The distribution arm of the giant company grew out of the ashes of the old Nova, which was one of Europe's principal games importing companies at one time....

Video violence laws emerge in Illinois, but not coin-op?(International News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... ILLINOIS Governor Rod Blagojevich says he will put forward a Bill to state lawmakers that would make it illegal to sell or rent a violent video game to a minor, anyone under the age of 18. The Bill does not address pay-for-play arcade...

The EELEX trade show in Moscow this year will be held on approximately the same dates as last year (December 14-16), the organiser, Unicum, has confirmed.(International News)
February 1, 2005... THE EELEX trade show in Moscow this year will be held on approximately the same dates as last year (December 14-16), the organiser, Unicum, has confirmed. The show will remain in the Expocentr in Moscow, but not in the same pavilion. The show...

Several Japanese amusement machine companies are studying the possibility of moving into the casino business.(International News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... SEVERAL Japanese amusement machine companies are studying the possibility of moving into the casino business, as the market there becomes more convinced that legalising casinos will happen.

Japanese games maker Taito is coming to the ATEI with its strongest line-up of new games in several years.(International News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... JAPANESE games maker Taito is coming to the ATEI with its strongest line-up of new games in several years. Kenji Horii, general manager of the amusement machine overseas division, told ab:UK that the company had decided to expand back into...

Belgravia Leisure, the slots arm of TCS John Huxley, had a stand in its own right for the first time.(Casino News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... BELGRAVIA Leisure, the slots arm of TCS John Huxley, had a stand in its own right for the first time at EELEX 2004 in Moscow. Managing Director Pard Bursnell said: "It has gone very well; this has been an excellent show for us." A good...

Revolution Casino Systems, the company that rose from the ashes of VIP Gaming Solutions, exhibited its chip sorting machine.(Casino News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... REVOLUTION Casino Systems, the company that rose from the ashes of VIP Gaming Solutions, exhibited its chip sorting machine at EELEX in Moscow. The competitively priced chipper is already installed in Caribbean cruise ships and in...

Cardiff council chiefs take 6,000 [pounds sterling] foreign casino tour.(Casino News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... A GROUP of Cardiff council chiefs are to visit casinos and leisure complexes in Australia and America as part of a 6,000 [pounds sterling] fact-finding tour. A casino is being planned as part of Cardiff Bay's Sports Village development....

LCI sets up Rendezvous in Machester.(Casino New)(LONDON Clubs International)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... LONDON Clubs International has been given the go-ahead for a 10m [pounds sterling] casino in Manchester. The complex, called the Rendezvous, will be situated in the Great Northern Warehouse and is due to open late this year. The...

Grosvenor Casinos has the quays to unlock Portsmouth.(Casino News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... A CASINO billed as the biggest on the south coast has opened its doors at Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth. The new Grosvenor Casino replaces the company's venue in South Parade, Southsea, which has closed after three decades. Nine...

Casino caps spell the end for Gala/Harrahs venture.(Casino News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... GALA Group and Harrah's Entertainment have ended their $1bn (530m [pounds sterling]) joint venture to develop resort casinos in the UK, following the move by the government to restrict the total number of super casinos allowed in the UK to...

Locals not amused at casino plans.(Casino News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... CITY planning officials are backing proposals for a new casino in a Newcastle shopping centre despite protests, claiming that moral objections to gambling are not grounds for refusing casino applications. Gateshead-based leisure group the...

Ameristar plans 240m [pounds sterling] super casino in Southampton.(Casino News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... LAS Vegas-based casino operator Ameristar has announced plans to build a 240m [pounds sterling] regional casino at the West Quay in Southampton. The company is hoping to obtain one of the eight licences to build and operate a super...

A punter who won 3m [pounds sterling] at Birmingham's Star City casino helped cause the share price of Stanley Leisure.(Casino News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... A PUNTER who won 3m [pounds sterling] at Birmingham's Star City casino helped cause the share price of Stanley Leisure to plummet. Businessman Paul Newey's giant win saw Stanley's share price fall by 12 per cent and contributed to the...

Control board specialist Heber used Moscow's EELEX to preview a new dual video system, Axis.(Casino News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... CONTROL board specialist Heber used Moscow's EELEX to preview a new dual video system, Axis, which gets its official launch at ICE in London. "We expect Axis to do well in Russia because it has smart card capabilities and is very...

Bunny Money.(Products)
February 1, 2005... Mazooma Games MAZOOMA'S ATEI portfolio will include the first outing for its Big Top Casino cabinet, with two new games on board. Bunny Money is a brand new game where reel wins represent a number of "shots" in the Bunny Money Shoot,...

Everyone's a Winner.(Products)(Felix Group )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Felix Group EVERYONE'S A Winner, a new sales promotion machine from UK-based Felix Group, will be on display at the ATEI 2005. The new terminal will appear on the Crown stand, which will be distributing this new product throughout...

Online system.(Products)(Sound Leisure Ltd. )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Sound Leisure SOUND Leisure is pushing forward the boundaries of digital music delivery still further at ATEI 2005 with a number of systems and innovations that will allow operators to maximise the potential of their digital juke boxes....

EA Sports PGA Tour Golf CE.(Products)(Video games industry launches its golf game at the Amusement Trade Exhibition International )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Global VR AT ATEI Global VR will be showing the newest edition of its golf game, EA Sports PGA Tour Golf Challenge Edition alongside old favourites Need For Speed Underground and Invasion Earth on the Vortek V3 platform. The US firm will...

Hit 'n' Win.(Products)(video games)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Elaut THE Hit 'n' Win redemption machine is one of two redemption games which will be unveiled by Elaut at the ATEI show in London. It comes in two different versions--an automatic two-player and a manually operated three-player. The...

WCCF.(Products)(video games industry)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Sega THIS long-awaited game will be shown for the first time in the UK at ATEI. Already very popular in Italy, where it had its European launch, the game will be available for the rest of Europe in May. The concept is a mix of Panini...

Big Tipper.(Products)(gambling machines)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Harry Levy BIG Tipper is a four-player machine which not only has the looks to attract players but also offers a truly exciting game. Each of the four playing positions has three coin slots and when a coin is inserted, it tumbles...

Eyes Down.(Products)(video games industry)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Mazooma Games AT ATEI Mazooma will offer a new three-player game with TFT technology to the arcade/bingo AWP markets. Eyes Down is a patented screen to screen game where multiples of bingo cards each offering a jackpot can be won in the...

Megazone.(Products)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Barcrest Games MEGAZONE, the latest AWP to be launched by Barcrest Games, is specially designed for pubs, LBOs and arcade sectors. Boasting futuristic graphics along with fun themed features and an impressive audio, Megazone is a...

Cycraft-ID3.(Products)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Sega THE inverted motion based simulator with two successful titles under its belt returns this year with another title--Initial D3. The driving game saw its debut into the European market in twin format in the summer of 2004, following...

In the Groove.(Products)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Deith Group DEITH Group in conjunction with US manufacturer Roxor brought out a conversion kit for dancing games called In The Groove. The new and improved features include 70 new songs, over 550 new step patterns, unlockable songs...

Virtua Striker 4.(Products)(video games)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Sega FOLLOWING on from previous editions of this title, Virtua Striker 4 promises to hold a great array of extras for the casual and core player base. Incorporating Sega's Player Smart Card technology, the depths and diversity of the...

Section chief: we at ab:UK know how hard it is to make sure you get to, and get around, all the trade shows. But never fear, Sales Pitch brings the industry's top salesmen to your desk and gives you a choice of the hottest products every month. This month ... Single player Section 16/21 machines.(Sales Pitch)
February 1, 2005... Game: Elvis Roulette From: Barcrest Games Pitcher: Barry Knowles LADIES and gentlemen, Elvis is in the building! Barcrest Games has developed a range of Section 16/21 based on the songs and image of the world's most famous...

Sale of the century: ab:UK columnist David Snook is well known for his outspoken views on many industry issues. It may come as a surprise therefore that BACTA's decision to sell off the ATE Group has his full support ...(Snookered)(British Amusement and Catering Trades Association )(Amusement Trade Exhibition International )(Column)
February 1, 2005... I am going to have to sack some of my spies. I didn't know about the plan to sell off ATEI and other commercial assets of BACTA until the day after the decision was taken. Apparently it was all done in the most clandestine way. I don't...

ATEI exhibitor list.
February 1, 2005... ATEI EXHIBITOR LIST COMPANY STAND NO. ab:UK AIG Ace Ltd 1930 ACL Cam Com...

Semicom Visual and its partner Protech Systems has unveiled its new industrial PC System.(Spares)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Semicom Visual and its partner Protech Systems has unveiled I its new industrial PC System. The LIF-308A is available as a fully configured system designed with a three to five-year lifespan supply. Supporting ATX motherboard speeds up to...

Brent Electronic has bolstered its team in the lead-up to ATEI, with the appointment of Steve Short to the position of field sales executive.(Spares)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Brent electronic has bolsterres its team in the lead-up to ATEI, with the appointment of Steve Short to the position of field sales executive. 37-year-old Short, who has spent his entire working life in the industry, joins from Cosmic Video....

WH Munzprufer Berlin GmbH is adding an additional member to its EMP 800 Series electronic coin selectors.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... WH Munzprufer Berlin GmbH is adding an additional member to its EMP 800 Series electronic coin selectors. The EMP 8x0.07 v5 is a price calculator with function, The price of play as well as the time setting is controlled by DIP-switches The...

'Supersize me' says 3m with large format touch system.(Spares)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... 3M Touch Systems will show its innovative Dispersive Signal Technology for the first time in the UK at the ICE show. The technology is available on touch screens up to 40ins. in size, catering for the demand for large format displays and...

MEI to draw on Czechs for expansion.(Spares)(Mars Electronics International)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... MEI has secured a major new supply contract for its MEI Cashflow SC83 note acceptor. It will be fitted in the majority of terminals being installed by Cyberview Technology in the Czech Republic for lottery operator SAZKA. Cyberview has...

TRM joins rank of casino suppliers with three-year deal.(Spares)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... REFLECTING its increased presence in the gaming industry, TRM (ATM) Ltd. has entered into a three- year contract with leisure giant Rank Group Gaming Division, operator of Mecca Bingo, Grosvenor Casinos and Hard Rock Casinos. TRM cash...

Astra projection.(gambling industry)
February 1, 2005... As the UK industry is caught in a mire of uncertainty as the new Gaming Act is passed around Parliament, Austrian firm Novomatic has taken an increased stake in the market with the purchase of Welsh firm Astra Games. With former Maygay boss...

The word on the street: government and the media have all had a say on the UK Gambling Bill, but what does the public think? Simon Binns hits the streets of Manchester to find out.
February 1, 2005... WHETHER the UK Government had expected it or not, the sheer force of the media reaction to the Gambling it slightly. National news were venomous in their criticism of the Bill, various community groups attacked it and while the DCMS...

Come to revolution: Revolution Entertainment Systems is the company that has taken the place of the former Maygay machines in the Leisure Link stable. Its plan is to revitalise the UK market with video-based, broadband downloading product. Rowan McIntyre met up with joint-CEOs Luke Alvarez and Norman Crowley to discuss their plans for industry disruption and domination ...(Interview)
February 1, 2005... THERE'S has been much said over the last few years, much of it in this magazine, about the need to move the AWP industry forward. The Holy Grails of the successful video AWP and the answer to the ever-contracting player base have been much...

Show diary.(Calendar)
February 1, 2005... 2005 January 25-27: ATEI/ICE 2005, Earls Court, London, UK. Contact: ATE Ltd., 211 Kings Cross Road, London WC1X 9DN, UK. Tel: +44 207 713 0302 Fax: +44 207 713 6630 e-mail: info@ateonline.co.uk website:...