AB UK articles from May 2004

AB UK archives from May 2004

From the editor.(Brief Article)(Editorial)
May 1, 2004... WELL, the Joint Committee has finally delivered its report and, as is explained elsewhere in this magazine, it is much as expected. The coin-op fraternity should be happy. Not only do we now know that "grandfather rights" have got nothing...

Release of scrutiny committee report leads to few surprises.(UK News)(Joint Committee Report)
May 1, 2004... THE Joint Committee's report on the Draft Gambling Bill was published last month and contained few surprises and generally good news for the coin-op sector, but was unlikely to please all those concerned in the casino market. Primary among...

Virgin territory for Eurotechno speaker as line-up finalised.(UK News)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... THE new managing director of Virgin Games Oscar Nieboer will make his first international address at this year's Eurotechno. The role and importance of brand and content, how markets democratise as they deregulate and multichannel marketing...

After 40 years in the business, Terry McIlvenny has been honoured by Rank with a special Lifetime Achievement Award.(UK News)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... * AFTER 40 years in the business, Terry McIlvenny has been honoured by Rank with a special Lifetime Achievement Award. McIlvenny collected his award when the Rank Gaming Division held its annual Awards Night, where the Casino Manager of the...

After 28 years in the coin machine industry, Albert Truelove has retired.(UK News)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... * AFTER 28 years in the coin machine industry, Albert Truelove has retired. The juke box specialist was at the Blackpool show to say farewell to friends and colleagues before returning to Filey to enjoy more leisure time at home and in his...

Crown Direct was the first distributor to commit to the initial production run of the new Linear cabinet from JPM, housing the game Fantaztec.(UK News)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... * CROWN Direct was the first distributor to commit to the initial production run of the new Linear cabinet from JPM, housing the game Fantaztec. This alliance is producing good cashbox results for the Crown Direct customers who took them. Sales...

Darts can still hit bulls-eye in UK, says Buckley.(UK News)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... COIN-OP electronic darts can work in the UK, insists a Briton who is one of Europe's great exponents of the sector, Adrian Buckley of Spanish-based Diana Marketing. The company was the first European importer of soft tipped darts from US...

Happy birthday to you, says US.(Birthday University joined hands with SPI Europe to boost revenues from birthday parties)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... A SUCCESSFUL course educating FEC operators in maximising revenues from birthday parties is coming to the UK. After four years touring the US, Frank Price's Birthday University shows that birthday programming is becoming one of the leading...

Electrocoin has announced the official launch of Golden Tee Fore 2005 following the game's debut at the ATEI.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... * ELECTROCOIN has announced the official launch of Golden Tee Fore 2005 following the game's debut at the ATEI. In addition, the level of tournament activity and live events to support the product continues to increase. Following the successful...

Sound Leisure has expanded its sales department with the appointment of Gary Orrell, formerly of Feonic Plc and NXT, the flat-panel loudspeaker specialist.(UK News)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... * SOUND Leisure has expanded its sales department with the appointment of Gary Orrell, formerly of Feonic Plc and NXT, the flat-panel loudspeaker specialist. Mr. Orrell has sold to Sound Leisure for a number of years before taking on his new...

Nottingham-based SWP specialist Games Warehouse is currently working on a video AWP.(UK News)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... * NOTTINGHAM-based SWP specialist Games Warehouse is currently working on a video AWP. The game is due to go out on test over the summer months and will be unveiled to the industry at the Preview in October.

Quentin Stott and Simon Dawson have registered their new company as Reflex Gaming Ltd.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... * QUENTIN Stott and Simon Dawson have registered their new company as Reflex Gaming Ltd. The pair can be contacted as follows: Quentin Stott (office) 01522 810874 (mobile) 07971 883363; Simon Dawson (office) 01636 674 426 (mobile) 07971 883337....

Note acceptors bring in extra revenue, says Hoyle.(Russell Hoyle the chief executive officer of Leisure Link)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... LEISURE Link CEO Russell Hoyle has claimed that the firm has noticed a marked increase in revenue from AWPs that have been fitted with note acceptors in the wake of new payment regulations. Speaking in an exclusive interview with ab:UK,...

Electrocoin's Jonathan Lauder presented Mac Kravis with his award admitting him to the coin-op Hall of Fame at the Blackpool Show last month.(UK News)(Illustration)
May 1, 2004... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: ELECTROCOIN'S Jonathan Lauder presented Mac Kravis with his award admitting him to the coin-op Hall of Fame at the Blackpool Show last month. Three generations of the Kravis family were present to see Mac...

Snooker clubs give room for US pool to expand.(SAM Leisure's market penetration)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... POOL in the UK is a replacement market for the English game, but still expanding for the large-ball American pool version, said SAM Leisure's Liam Barrett at the Blackpool show. The company is now supplying both types of table in coin-op...

Swedish monopoly holder Svenska Spel has awarded a contract for almost 7,000 VLTs and instant ticket validation terminals to French company Sagem.(Societe d'Applications Generales d'Electricite et de Mecanique)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... * SWEDISH monopoly holder Svenska Spel has awarded a contract for almost 7,000 VLTs and instant ticket validation terminals to French company Sagem. It won the contract for 6,600 VLTs following an international call for tender launched in the...

Back out of a "domestic break" is Elisabeth Puhringer, Seigfried Dattl's sister at TAB Austria.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... * BACK out of a "domestic break" is Elisabeth Puhringer, Seigfried Dattl's sister at TAB Austria. Elisabeth, who has had two years out of the company while she looked after the needs of a young family, has returned to full-time responsibilities...

The European market in football tables is now estimated to be an annual 70,000 units.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... * THE European market in football tables is now estimated to be an annual 70,000 units. The largest market is thought to be Italy with 30,000.

US and European trade bodies sign show deal.(European Association for The Amusement Supplier Industry joined hands with International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions for Euro Amusement Show 2005)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... THE International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) and the European Association for The Amusement Supplier Industry (EAASI) have agreed to joint ownership of the Euro Amusement Show, a European amusement trade show, the...

AGI's African office 'precarious'.(financial condition is the cause for concern at Admiral Leisure World the subsidiary of Austrian Gaming Industries)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... THE operating expenses of the southern African arm of Austrian Gaming Industries, Admiral Leisure World, substantially exceeded its gross revenue in the 16 months to December and in the preceding 12 months to December 2002. It is being...

Redemption next to get burnt in Sunshine State.(International News)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... LAWMAKERS in the US state of Florida have proposed two measures that would limit the operation of redemption games, in the case of one bill rather severely. The first bill proposed in the state senate on March 1 would limit prize...

Moscow moves to stop gaming growth.(International News)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... MOSCOW's fast expanding and lucrative gaming market may be about to have its growth checked and even have its size cut. According to a report in the Moscow Times, the Moscow city government has fiercely criticised the newly created Federal...

Sales see Six Flags at half mast.(International News)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... SIX Flags, the world's largest regional parks operator, is putting some off its underperforming assets up for sale. It has reached an agreement in principle for the $145m sale of its Worlds of Adventure park in Cleveland, Ohio, to rival...

Belgians bowl into France as World gets bigger.(International News)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... A BELGIAN consortium is planning to open it's second French ten pin bowling centre with coin-operated games, in Metz. Bowling World, a chain in Belgium owned by Victor Bosquin, who also owns major distributor Seeben, is linking up with...

Udo Nickel surprised many in the international coin machine industry when he announced on February 29 that he had resigned as sales director at Lowen Automaten of Germany.(International News)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... * UDO Nickel surprised many in the international coin machine industry when he announced on February 29 that he had resigned as sales director at Lowen Automaten of Germany. Nickel, who joined Austria's Novomatic two years ago, had transferred...

One of Italy's leading distribution companies, Cristaltec, based in Rome, took a new range of cabinets to the Enada trade show in Rimini.(International News)(Cristaltec.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... * ONE of Italy's leading distribution companies, Cristaltec, based in Rome, took a new range of cabinets to the Enada trade show in Rimini. The company, which distributes R. Franco machines in Italy, launched the Smarty Jnr. in 17ins. CGA and...

Europe's leading gaming conference, Eurotechno.(International News)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... * EUROPE'S leading gaming conference, Eurotechno, will be held this year at the hotel Le Meridien in Brussels on May 6, at a time when Euromat celebrates its 25th anniversary.

When launching the Mercury roulette wheel, Cammegh decided to make the serial communications protocol emitted.(Casino News)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... * WHEN launching the Mercury roulette wheel, Cammegh decided to make the serial communications protocol emitted from it an open protocol. This makes it freely available to independent online betting terminal and management system...

Four armed robbers recently escaped with takings from the Grosvenor Casino in Manchester.(Casino News)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... * FOUR armed robbers recently escaped with takings from the Grosvenor Casino in Manchester. The raid by the masked men was caught on the security cameras and footage has been released to the police. The manageress was punched in the face during...

Kerzner licence leads to Northampton's third.(Casino News)(Kerzner International)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... A THIRD casino will be built in Northampton after Kerzner International, which owns hotels in the Caribbean, Mauritius, Dubai and the Maldives, was granted a licence under new gaming laws in the UK. Sol Kerzner, creator of the Sun City...

Two innovations from VIP.(Casino News)(VIP Gaming Solutions introduces multiple result touchscreen )
May 1, 2004... VIP Gaming Solutions has introduced a multiple result touchscreen terminal that offers a high level of game flexibility. The product is a result of detailed discussions with operators, which showed that players wanted to be able to bet on...

More support for Aristocrat in Europe.(Casino News)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... RUISLIP-based Aristocrat Europe has increased the size of its technical department and taken on additional customer support staff. The company's European sales manager, Ian Kovacs, said: "This is yet another positive step forward for...

MGM Mirage in bid battle over Wembley.(Casino News)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... MGM Mirage! is facing a battle in its bid for UK gaming group Wembley PLC. The organisation had tendered an offer of 750 pence per share, with shareholders also entitled to any residue of a $16.3m fund set aside to meet any liability under...

New Novo provides options.(Casino News)(TCS John Huxley.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... TCS John Huxley is to introduce Novo Unity, the new gaming platform for Novo TouchBet systems. This revolutionary platform will bring a new dimension to casinos that offer Novo TouchBet Roulette. Manufactured by Novomatic, the platform...

Ex-Sun man is Rank's new slots director.(Casino News)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... RANK Group's Gaming Division today announced that it has appointed a new director of slots to spearhead the expected introduction of new casino-style slot machines in the UK. Mario Vilela will join Rank next month from leading South African...

Commerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance.(Casino News)(appoints Tex Rees as fair gaming advocate)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... * THE board of directors of player protection body e-Commerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance (eCOGRA) has appointed Tex Rees as fair gaming advocate, operating from the London office of the organisation. She will be responsible...

Bally Gaming and Systems UK.(Casino News)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... * BALLY Gaming and Systems UK has added to its senior management team to step up its UK presence. Alan James joins as director of business development for the systems division, developing opportunities throughout the gaming and amusement...

Starpoint offers a ride on its new big wheel.(Spares)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... STARPOINT has developed a large 400mm. diameter reel capable of carrying reel bands of up to 200mm, wide. The new reel mechanism can either be used on its own as a feature reel or three Mega Reels can be mounted alongside one another to...

Trident launches kiosk printer.(Spares)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... TRIDENT Infotec has announced a new range of printer modules with features tailored specifically for the kiosk market. The Custom Engineering range of specialised kiosk printers incorporates features such as adjustable paper roll support to...

Transact launches new Ithaca.(Spares)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... TRANSACT Technologies Inc., producer of transaction based printers, has released its new Ithaca brand Model 850-V thermal gaming printer. The Model 850-V printer is built upon the same technology and firmware as the company's Ithaca Model...

Heber Ltd.(Spares)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... * HERBER Ltd. is pleased to announce that John Malin has joined their sales and marketing team as international sales manager. Malin brings with him over 18 years' experience in the gaming and amusement market and has held similar positions...

Interactive Systems Worldwide announced during March that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Global Interactive Gaming.(distribution agreements)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... * INTERACTIVE Systems Worldwide announced during March that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Global Interactive Gaming, has signed an agreement with Cyberview Technology to market and distribute the company's own SportXction system to bookmakers in...

Leisure Media hits note to help machine techs.(Spares)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... LEISURE Media is aiming to increase its technology solutions business during 2004. The company has created two divisions offering web and software solutions to both operators and B2B customers. The web design process will allow...

Brent lands Starpoint and Stag.(BRENT Electronic)(Stag Instruments)(distribution agreements)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... BRENT Electronic has added three new distribution contracts to its portfolio. The company has become a distributor for Starpoint as well as securing exclusive pan-European distribution rights for the Stag Instruments range of programming...

Semicom pushes its LCD TFT screen size to 40".(Spares)
May 1, 2004... SEMICOM has announced the release of its new 40ins. TFT wide screen LCD monitor. This new high performance monitor provides quality images from analogue RGB/DVl Composite and S-VHS inputs, the monitor is designed for industrial use with up...

Forge Europa has expanded its QuadriLED series of lighting products to include a 7.6mm. square flat-top LED design.(Spares)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... * FORGE Europa has expanded its QuadriLED series of lighting products to include a 7.6mm. square fiat-top LED design. The new package, available in a range of colours including white, has low thermal resistance and allows devices to be run at...

Money Controls and parent company Coinco have entered the Spanish vending market with two new products.(Spares)(MC7200 bill acceptor and Global Changer coin acceptor)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... * MONEY Controls and parent company Coinco have entered the Spanish vending market with two new products. Money Control's MC7200 bill acceptor and Coinco's Global Changer coin acceptor were formally launched at the Madrid Vending Exhibition, in...

Bill McGee's last week with money processing specialist Scan Coin, before retiring from the company, brought him full circle in a career that spanned more than 27 years.(Spares)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... * BILL McGee's last week with money processing specialist Scan Coin, before retiring from the company, brought him full circle in a career that spanned more than 27 years. Colleagues, who had booked him into Hendon Hall Hotel for the company's...

The Bank Roll, Barcrest Games.(New Products)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... THE Bank Roll from Barcrest Games is the Company's new lo-tech game which features a spectacular coin-drop effect behind the top glass. As the player's wins accumulate, coins come into view and form part of the game's attractive design,...

Cross Fire, Team Play Inc.(New Products)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... CROSSFIRE is a new fast-moving paintball skirmish simulator from Team Play Inc. The video gun-game allows one or two players to choose from over 40 characters as they shoot their way through six multi-level stages on the search for better guns,...

Jumping Jack Cash, Mazooma.(New Products)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... MAZOOMA reports a record order book for its latest front line AWP Jumping Jack Cash. Advance orders received ahead of its scheduled launch at the end of April forced Mazooma to bring this date forward to the first week in April. Jumping Jack...

Adders and Ladders Arena, vivid gaming.(New Products)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... THIS new multi-player game is a party style lo-tech AWP game, based on the fun Snakes and Ladders theme which is familiar to everyone. Three symbols on the win line gets the player onto the larger than life Snakes and Ladders style board game....

Brad's Pick-Up Truck, RG Mitchell Ltd.(New Products)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... THIS two-seater ride features cheeky bear Brad, an interactive game and rocking motion. The ride was launched at the Las Vegas ASI 2004, with the European launch of Brad taking place shortly alter at Amuse UK in Blackpool. Brad's Pick-Up Truck...

Target Terror, Raw Thrills/Betson.(New Products)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... RAW Thrills/Betson have released Target Terror, a high-action gun game that uses motion capture to lead the player through nine daring missions. Complete these, and you will face the final challenge-a hijack. Missions get more difficult and the...

Northern Lights, Coastal Amusements.(New Products)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... ONE of the few companies still making the ever popular water gun games, Coastal Amusement's latest offering is Northern Lights. The simple gameplay requires the players to aim the water jet at the appropriate targets, keep the trigger pressed...

Sky Masters, Bay-Tek.(New Products)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... SKY Master is BayTek's shooting game in the Meltec range. The player fires the big canons to try and thread the balls through the rotating propeller. Although games in this genre are always popular with kids, Sky Masters has a have added...

Terminal war: love them or hate them, FOBTs just can't seem to avoid the spotlight at the moment. David Snook shifts targets this month and tries to get his head around the deals and loopholes surrounding these controversial machines.(Snookered)
May 1, 2004... SO what am I going to get into trouble for this month? Let's really compound my persona non grata and go for FOBTs. Not the watered down versions mind, the "heavy" ones in bookies. Anyway, I am still trying to get to the root of the watered...

Rebuilding blocks: 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 ... rebuild AWPs.(Sales Pitch)
May 1, 2004... Game: Red Hot Roll From: Barcrest Games Pitcher: Barry Knowles RED Hot Roll is part of Barcrest Games' new Legends range alongside Nudge Nudge Wink Wink and Super Streak. These popular concepts have been wowing players for a...

Bally chances: as the new Gaming Act draws near, US companies are closing in on the UK market. Is it any surprise that one of the biggest names in the US has teamed up with one of the UK's leading firms. Phil Clegg looks at the emergence of the new Bally Gaming and Systems UK.(Casino Feature)
May 1, 2004... ONE of the oldest names in gaming, Bally, is setting its sights firmly on the UK with the formation of Bally Gaming and Systems UK. It is three years since Paul Roden went to Las Vegas on behalf of UK distributor Crown Gaming to sign up a...

Decision time: the report of the Joint Committee on the Draft Gambling Bill was released last month, but what does it mean for the industry? Simon Binns takes a closer look ...(Casino Feature)
May 1, 2004... THE gaming industry largely welcomed what many feared would be a highly prohibitive Joint Committee scrutiny report on the UK's Draft Gambling Bill. Published just before the Easter bank holiday, the report actually turned out to be rather...

On the cards? As note payment becomes a reality in the UK AWP market, is it time to start thinking about removing coins from the mix altogether? Stephanie Norbury looks at the current options in cashless payment systems ...(New Technology)(Amusement with Payout)
May 1, 2004... THE term "coin op", which many in the industry use to describe the type of machines we work with, is in danger of being past its sell-by date. Apart from the fact that it has a slightly 1950s feel to it (the only other businesses still using...

Changing rooms? The Amuse UK show offers a great chance to see product that was missed at ATEI and catch up with colleagues in the UK industry. In that respect, it always does a first-rate job, so why on earth does it have to take place in such a second-rate venue, asks Rowan McIntyre?(Show Report)(Amusement Trades Exhibition International)
May 1, 2004... LAST year, the Blackpool show report started with a call for the immediate demolition of the Norbreck Castle, the "hotel" in which the event is held. Unfortunately, the calls were not answered and, despite an on-going, 7m [pounds sterling]...

Man of Leisure: Russell Hoyle joined the industry in 1998 as the CEO of Leisure Link. He has seen the company through expansion, the purchase of manufacturer Maygay and the creation of Inspired Broadcast Networks and VIP Gaming Solutions. Rowan McIntyre met up with him in London ...(Interview)(Cover Story)
May 1, 2004... There have been a number of changes in the Leisure Link setup over the last few months. Firstly the changes at Maygay--what led to these? The was no particular trigger, other than the fact that we thought it was the right time to put in...

Grand designs: what exactly is the role of the AWP game designer? There is a whole range of products including bingo or arcade lo-tech machines, the highly fashionable multiplayer units and export games, the bespoke furniture that crosses international borders. But as PCP's Andy Dinning points out, the end user must never be far from the designer's mind.(Amusement with Payout )
May 1, 2004... GAME designers create new concepts and designs, be they turntables to carry reels around a playing-field or a simple feature game to capture the imagination of the player. They even produce playing stations with unnatural spacing to maximise...

Globetrotter.
May 1, 2004... COULD it be that mobile phone gaming is putting the coin-op industry in jeopardy? Well it could certainly distract John Crompton (left) and Matthew Deith. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] IT looks like the conversation might have been getting...

Show diary.(Calendar)
May 1, 2004... 2004 May 6: EUROTECHNO 2004, Le Meridien, Brussels, Belgium. Contact: ATE Conferences, BACTA House, Regents Wharf, 6 All Saints Street, London N1 9RQ, UK. Tel: +44 207 713 0302 Fax: +44 207 713 6630 e-mail:...