Fahrenkopf to Step Down at AGA, Members Re-Elect Board Directors
Frank Fahrenkopf, president and CEO of the American Gaming Association (AGA), announced that he is stepping down from his AGA position, effective June 30, 2013. “I have enjoyed my time at the helm of this incredible organization and am proud to have represented an industry that provides tens of millions of men and women with the best entertainment value in the world,” Fahrenkopf said. “It has been a true honor to work with so many passionate and innovative leaders as we have moved the industry forward during the past 17 ½ years.”
The AGA board and Fahrenkopf have been involved in succession planning over the course of the past two years and reached an agreement in December 2011 on the date when he would step down. Fahrenkopf has been the first and only chief executive of the AGA since its inception in July 1995.
“I cannot begin to express the tremendous gratitude and respect our entire board holds for Frank,” said Richard Haddrill, chairman of Bally Technologies Inc. and chairman of the AGA. “He has been a steady, thoughtful leader through a period of great change for our industry and has steered us through some of its most difficult challenges. The fact that today our industry is recognized as a vital part of the global economy is in no small part due to his tireless efforts and leadership.”
The AGA has enjoyed tremendous success under Fahrenkopf’s leadership. Gaming industry leaders cited the positive findings and recommendations of the National Gambling Impact Study Commission, the establishment and good works of the National Center for Responsible Gaming, and the worldwide success of industry trade shows Global Gaming Expo and G2E Asia as watershed accomplishments.
An executive search firm has been retained to identify Fahrenkopf’s successor. Post-June 30, he will be retained as a consultant to the AGA to assist with the transition through at least the end of 2013.
At the December annual meeting of the AGA, the following four members of the AGA board of directors were re-elected to serve for three-year terms: Richard Haddrill, AGA chairman and chairman of Bally Technologies Inc.; Gary Loveman, chairman, president and CEO of Caesars Entertainment Corp.; Jamie Odell, CEO and managing director of Aristocrat Leisure Limited; and Timothy J. Wilmott, president and COO of Penn National Gaming Inc. Larry Ruvo, senior managing director of Southern Wine and Spirits of Nevada, also was re-elected to the board for an additional one-year term as an at-large director. For more information, visit www.americangaming.org.
Konami Secures License for Dungeons & Dragons® Branded Slot Machines
Konami Gaming Inc. is pleased to announce the completion of a licensing agreement with Hasbro Inc. and Hasbro International Inc., whereby Konami has the rights to design and manufacture slot machines using the popular Dungeons & Dragons brand. According to Ross O’Hanley, vice president of domestic game sales at Konami Gaming Inc.: “We are proud to partner with Hasbro, one of the world’s leading toy and game manufacturers, to bring the Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) brand to the gaming industry.” For more information, visit www.gaming.konami.com.
Bally Announces Agreement to Provide 650 VLTs to Saskatchewan
Bally announced an agreement to provide 650 video lottery terminals (VLTs) in Saskatchewan. This contract award follows a competitive procurement process. The Bally VLTs will be compliant with Gaming Standards Association (GSA) G2S protocols and provide state-of-the-art gaming features including the iDeck™ touchscreen programmable button deck. Earlier this year, the Atlantic Lottery Corp., which operates lottery games in New Brunswick, Newfoundland, and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, also selected Bally as a key supplier of VLTs. For more information, visit www.ballytech.com.
AGEM Announces Re-Election of Officers
The Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (AGEM) announced that its board of the directors has re-elected a slate of officers that includes Thomas A. Jingoli, chief compliance officer for Konami Gaming, as the organization’s president. Jingoli will serve a second two-year term. One-year terms were also approved for: Vice President Orrin Edidin (president, WMS Industries; president and CEO, Williams Interactive); Secretary Seamus McGill (chief operating officer, Aristocrat Americas); Treasurer Tom Nieman (vice president, marketing, JCM Global); Co-General Counsel Neil H. Friedman (senior counsel, International Game Technology); Co-General Counsel Mark Lerner (senior vice president and general counsel, Bally Technologies). For more information, visit www.agem.org.
IGT Extends Mobile Footprint with Expansion to Paddy Power Partnership
International Game Technology (IGT) announced it has agreed to a deal to provide mobile games to Paddy Power in a significant extension to the companies’ existing partnership. Paddy Power will become IGT’s first OpenBet customer to access a wide range of the most successful IGT mobile products via the IGT rgs® (remote gaming server) Casino. The games will be available at paddypower.com, as well as through the mobile site of Paddy Power’s recently launched new brand “Roller.” The top-performing IGT titles in the initial launch include Da Vinci Diamonds™, Cleopatra™, Cats™, Wolf Run™, Kitty Glitter™ and Elvis® A Little More Action. For more information, visit www.igt.com.
Lottomatica Group and IGT Extend Partnership to Italy
Lottomatica Group S.p.A. and International Game Technology (IGT) announced that the companies are expanding their relationship into the i-gaming market in Italy. Lottomatica and IGT previously announced a partnership whereby IGT now provides game content and gaming machines to the Italian VLT (Comma 6b) gaming markets. Lottomatica is offering IGT’s full suite of online slots and game content for the regulated slot market in Italy. Under this new agreement, IGT will become a supplier of i-gaming content, with a particular focus on the casino games, the scope of which has been broadened with the introduction of slot games to the i-gaming market in Italy. This agreement will also provide players the opportunity to play the same games offered online and on mobile on the more than 10,000 VLTs in VLT venues throughout Italy. For more information, visit www.igt.com.
Michael Daly Joins SHFL entertainment Inc.
SHFL entertainment Inc. is pleased to announce the hiring of Michael Daly as vice president of online gaming. Daly has almost 10 years of experience in the gaming industry. Most recently, he served as the senior director of the interactive division at Bally Technologies, where he oversaw the creation of their mobile, Internet and social division. “We’re excited to have Michael at SHFL. His knowledge of the online gaming space and proven ability to effectively execute is invaluable to the company,” said Lou Castle, chief strategy officer for SHFL. For more information, visit www.shfl.com.
Multimedia Games Appoints McTavish Senior VP, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer
Multimedia Games Holding Co. Inc. announced the appointment of Todd McTavish, as senior vice president, general counsel, chief compliance officer and corporate secretary. McTavish has extensive expertise in gaming industry and general corporate legal and regulatory compliance matters, having most recently served as general counsel at Video Gaming Technologies Inc. For more information, visit www.multimediagames.com.
NRT Technology Hires Fraker
NRT Technology Corp. has appointed Jay Fraker to vice president and general manager of NRT’s American headquarters in Las Vegas. Fraker has more than 20 years of gaming experience and will oversee the day-to-day operations of the Las Vegas office and execution of specially assigned projects with focus on NRT’s casino payment solutions, Centre Payment Systems. Fraker comes to NRT most recently from USA Payment Inc., where he served as president of the company. Prior to that, he was with Global Cash Access as senior vice president of operations and spent 10 years at Brinks Inc. as regional director. For more information, visit www.nrttech.com.
JCM Global Appoints Rozen
JCM Global has appointed Eduardo Rozen to direct JCM’s sales efforts throughout the Latin American region. As sales manager of Latin America, Rozen is responsible for the sales, distribution and execution of planned sales programs and general business initiatives across Latin America and the Caribbean. Rozen comes to JCM most recently from NCR Corp., where he served as channel sales manager—retail and airline solutions, Caribbean & Latin America. For more information, visit www.jcmglobal.com.
NEWave Signs Agreement with Cantor
NEWave has signed an agreement with Cantor Gaming to supply its award-winning Title 31 Manager software in all Cantor’s Race & Sports Book™ locations in Nevada. The agreement includes NEWave’s Title 31 Manager, TINCheck and OFAC software modules. NEWave Senior Vice President of Sales Clair Rogers said: “Having partnered with many leading gaming operators, we are excited to expand our footprint with Cantor Gaming. Like NEWave, Cantor Gaming is reputed for their technologically advanced race and sports wagering solutions. Working in partnership with Cantor Gaming is a perfect fit.” For more information, visit www.mynewave.com.
Novomatic Selects FutureLogic’s PromoNet® Couponing Solution
FutureLogic Inc. announced that Novomatic has selected FutureLogic’s PromoNet® promotional couponing system for gaming operations in Europe and Latin America. For its premier installation of FutureLogic’s PromoNet solution, Novomatic chose one of its most prestigious operations, the Casino Admiral Colosseum in the Czech Republic. The PromoNet system went live at the Colosseum just before the end of the year, marking the sixth PromoNet system installation in Europe in 2012. For more information, visit www.futurelogic-inc.com or www.novomatic.com.
TransAct Signs Contract at Resorts World New York, Distribution Agreement with Bet Rite
TransAct Technologies Inc. announced that it has signed a contract to install the EPICENTRAL® Print System at Resorts World Casino New York City. The EPICENTRAL Print System will initially be connected to 2,500 slot machines and is projected to go live in the second quarter of 2013. “We are excited to be working with Genting Group, one of the most dynamic casino resort operators in the world, as we install our EPICENTRAL Print System at their casino at Aqueduct in New York City,” said Bart C. Shuldman, chairman and chief executive officer of TransAct technologies.
TransAct also announced that they have entered into a distribution agreement with Canadian-based Bet Rite Gaming Service. Under the terms of the agreement, Bet Rite will distribute TransAct’s entire portfolio of innovative casino and gaming printers and software solutions throughout Canada. Bet Rite will add the TransAct Epic 950® to its top-of-the-line offering of casino and gaming products. Additionally, Bet Rite will partner with TransAct to offer the EPICENTRAL Print System to Canadian casinos. For more information, visit www.transact-tech.com or www.betrite.ca.
Gary Platt Ships to Choctaw Pocola Casino
In November, Gary Platt Manufacturing shipped more than 1,300 Gazelle Style Seat on a four-legged understructure to Choctaw Pocola Casino in Pocola, Okla. The Choctaw Pocola Casino has well over 1,300 slot machines in their casino, including high-stakes, penny slots and many progressives. Gitchi Gaming worked extensively with the casino on the remodeling of the casino. Gary Platt is looking forward to working with the Choctaws on their other facilities in Oklahoma, located in Durant, Broken Bow, Grant, Idabel, McAlester, Stringtown and Stigler. For more information, visit www.garyplatt.com.
Grand Casino Mille Lacs and Hinckley Now Offer DoubleDown Online Social Gaming
Last month, Grand Casino Mille Lacs and Grand Casino Hinckley became the first casinos in the state of Minnesota to launch IGT’s DoubleDown™ social gaming casino on its website. DoubleDown casino gives guests an opportunity to explore exciting casino-style entertainment, while staying connected to the Grand Casino brand. Guests will visit the casino’s website and log in through Facebook to play with “virtual gaming chips.” For more information, visit www.grandcasinomn.com.
SPIELO G2 Partners with Norsk Tipping
As part of the Lottomatica Group’s gaming division, SPIELO International, SPIELO G2 (formerly GTECH G2) has signed a partnership agreement with leading lottery Norsk Tipping to launch the lottery’s first range of i-gaming products exclusively for the Norwegian market. The partnership is for five years with the option for a one-year extension at the discretion of Norsk Tipping. Under the terms of the partnership, SPIELO G2 will deliver Norsk Tipping its award-winning range of services, including its bingo product. SPIELO G2 will also provide its online casino portfolio. For more information, visit www.spielog2.com.
SPIELO Launches New Game in Latin America, Enters Spanish Bar Market
SPIELO International is pleased to announce the Latin American launch of the new progressive Egyptian Gold™ 5-level linked game, the first using EPiSODiC GAMiNG™. The first Latin American casino to enjoy this entertaining product was Bingo Golden Jack in Quilmes, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Three Egyptian-themed support titles are available as single games (Cleora™, Nefturi™ and Ramosis™) or a multigame package.
SPIELO is entering the bar market in Spain through its recently signed contract with Costa Cálida, which gives Costa Cálida exclusive distribution rights for the type B market in Spain. A three-month field trial is already underway in the Murcia and Valencia regions, where SPIELO International’s delite™ cabinets, featuring the globally proven top performer, Sphinx™, have been installed in bars as well as in arcades. Approximately 1,000 delite cabinets will be installed across Spain during the first year, and increased numbers are expected. For more information, visit www.spielo.com.
Rainmaker’s GuestREV® Selected by Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Biloxi, Peppermill Resort Spa Casino
The Rainmaker Group announced that Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Biloxi will implement its GuestREV® profit optimization system as part of a 154-room hotel tower expansion project. The GuestREV implementation is anticipated to begin later this month. The 47 percent increase in inventory will include 140 standard guest rooms and 14 suites, and will take Hard Rock Biloxi’s total inventory to close to 500 rooms. The 12-story hotel tower addition is expected to be completed in late December 2013.
Rainmaker also announced that the Reno Nevada Peppermill Resort Spa Casino, a AAA Four-Diamond resort, will implement the company’s GuestREV solution in the first quarter of 2013. Since its debut in 2001, Rainmaker’s unique Total Guest Value approach to forecasting and pricing hotel rooms has helped boost gaming and non-gaming revenues from 5 to 15 percent at numerous casino-hotels. For more information, visit www.letitrain.com.
Bartech Partners with INNCOM
Bartech has announced a partnership with INNCOM and certified integration with the company’s INNcontrol™ 3 system. INNCOM develops, manufactures and markets advanced guestroom control systems for the global lodging industry. The Bartech INNCOM partnership will give hotels access to a rooms control system that controls in-room minibars, along with various other technologies, in order to maximize operations and minimize costs. For more information, visit www.bartech.com.
Penn National Gaming Names Scott Saunders GM of Argosy Casino Alton
Penn National Gaming Inc. announced that subject to customary regulatory approvals, Scott Saunders has been named general manager of Argosy Casino Alton in Alton, Ill. Saunders most recently served as assistant general manager of the company’s Hollywood Casino Columbus, which he joined in January 2012 and helped to oversee the final development of the property and its successful opening in October. For more information, visit www.pngaming.com.
BMM Peru Celebrates a Milestone Anniversary
BMM International (BMM) is pleased to announce that offices in Peru, South America are celebrating five years in operations. Drew Pawlak, SVP business development-Americas commented: “BMM made the decision to open in Peru as it was one of the only formally regulated markets in all of South America. Over the last few years we have seen so many changes in the region. In particular, we are very pleased to have supported this process of change for MINCETUR and Peruvian gaming stakeholders.” In addition to providing jobs to the local market, BMM has helped several regional manufacturers expand their markets internationally. For more information, visit www.bmm.com.
Saratoga Casino Selects BIS²’s Software
BIS² announced that Saratoga Casino and Raceway has chosen to install BIS²’s multi-award-winning gameViz™ software to take Saratoga Casino’s gaming analytical capabilities to the next level. BIS²’s gameViz industry solution is a data visualization BI software solution that allows casino operators to directly query their data without the requirement for ETL and view the results visually using innovative and powerful super graphics. “We have been on the search for analytical tools that are powerful and easy to use,” stated Shawn Harris, director of VGM operations for Saratoga Casino and Raceway. For more information, visit www.bis2.net.
Delaware Park Partners with Stics Inc. to Improve Customer Relationships
The Delaware Racing Association, owner of the Casino at Delaware Park, Delaware Park Racetrack and the Delaware Park Race and Sports book, has partnered with Stics Inc. Stics will help provide the organization with increased customer insight through the development and utilization of a variety of predictive models. The implementation of Stics services will help guide Delaware Park to respond to customer interactions and increase loyalty and customer service through its various marketing channels. Stics will work with Delaware Park in analyzing player data from its various tracking systems; combining the data for a more complete understanding of customer activity at Delaware Park’s multiple venues; and helping them to optimize incentives and reinvestment for greater loyalty and customer satisfaction. For more information, visit www.stics.com.
Genesis Interactive Technologies Chosen by Seminole Gaming
Genesis Interactive Technologies announced that it has delivered 34 gaming tables to the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino for its new Asian-themed gaming area named Jubao Palace and high-limit pit. Designed and built to integrate into the Asian theme of the Hard Rock’s new Jubao Palace as well as its new high-limit pit, the gaming tables all feature Genesis Interactive’s innovative quick-change tabletops. Available in a variety of gaming table styles, the quick-change tabletops allow casino personnel to quickly change out layouts without touching various items on the gaming table. Genesis Interactive also provided its BRAVO™ table game layouts. BRAVO layouts are made of a specially formulated blend of suede polyester material that provides superior durability. For more information, visit www.genesisgaming.com.
Pechanga Player Hits Lucky 21st Million-Dollar Gold Series® Win
Rocket Gaming Systems is pleased to announce that on Dec. 13, 2012, a lucky player was awarded a Gold Series top progressive prize of $1,034,063.31 while playing Rocket’s Gold Crown® stepper game. The win occurred at Pechanga Resort & Casino located in Temecula, Calif. This marks the 21st Gold Series top progressive prize since the game was introduced in 2009. This is the second Gold Series winner in the last 12 months at the casino, the first occurring last December. In all, the Gold Series has awarded almost $1 billion in prizes. For more information, visit www.rocketgaming.com.
Pinnacle Entertainment to Acquire Ameristar Casinos for $26.50 per Share in Cash
Pinnacle Entertainment Inc. and Ameristar Casinos Inc. announced that the companies have entered into a definitive agreement under which Pinnacle will acquire all of the outstanding common shares of Ameristar for $26.50 per share in cash, for a total enterprise value of $2.8 billion, including debt of $1.9 billion and cash on hand of $116 million as of Sept. 30, 2012. This consideration represents a premium of 45 percent over the average closing price of Ameristar common stock for the 90 days ended Dec. 20, 2012. Pinnacle will benefit from increased operational and geographic diversity by more than doubling in size. For more information, visit www.pnkinc.com.
Avigilon Hires Vice President of Engineering
Avigilon announced the appointment of Danny Kam to the role of vice president of engineering. In this position, he will ensure the execution of the product roadmap, and be responsible for the overall management and growth of the engineering organization. With more than 20 years of engineering and management experience, Kam will be responsible for overseeing and expanding the engineering teams. For more information, visit www.avigilon.com.
Massachusetts Gaming Commission Appoints Karen Wells
Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) announced veteran prosecutor and current undersecretary of law enforcement, Karen Milne Wells, as the new director of the Investigations and Enforcement Bureau (IEB). Wells brings nearly two decades of law enforcement experience, which includes investigating and prosecuting high-level criminal cases involving narcotics, corruption, organized crime and fraudulent schemes. For more information, visit www.mass.gov/gaming.
Deborah Moffatt Joins MotorCity Casino Hotel as VP of HR
Deborah Moffatt recently joined MotorCity Casino Hotel as the new vice president of human resources. In her new role, Moffatt will be responsible for all aspects of HR management including strategic planning and labor relations initiatives on behalf of the company. Prior to joining MotorCity Casino Hotel, Moffatt served as the vice president of human resources at several major hotel casinos in Detroit and Las Vegas, where she was responsible for developing business objectives and managing individual employee accountabilities. For more information, visit www.motorcitycasino.com.
Dan Lubin Joins Galaxy Gaming to Lead Table Game Development
Galaxy Gaming Inc. announced that Dan Lubin has been added to the company’s development team as its table games project manager. Lubin was previously employed by Station Casinos Inc. Since joining Station Casinos in 2006, Lubin held various positions in table game operations and has been an active inventor of proprietary table games. One of his games, marketed as “EZ Pai Gow Poker,” achieved commercial success for a competitor of Galaxy Gaming. Besides developing casino table games and having a thorough knowledge of table game operations, Lubin’s professional background includes computer science and programming technologies. For more information, visit www.galaxygaming.com.
Zitro Brings Machines to Andorra
Zitro continues with its international expansion and has started the year with two new openings. This time these have been bingos, which the company currently operates in the Principality of Andorra. Both establishments, Bingo Cristall (located in Escaldes-Engordany) and Bingo Stars (Andorra la Vella) now have Bluewave machines, which incorporate the company’s The Originals games category. On this occasion, the games chosen for both games rooms (the same number in both) are PowerManiaBonus, Fishmania and El Ultimo Bingo in Paris. Zitro has set a before and after in Andorra, as the first company within this sector to have obtained the necessary permits for installing this type of machines in the only two bingo establishments in the principality. This is yet another step in their far-reaching international expansion project. For more information, visit www.globalzitro.com.
Diamond Resorts International Announces Management Changes
Diamond Resorts International announced that David Palmer, formerly president and chief financial officer, has become president and chief executive officer of the company. Al Bentley, who had been serving as executive vice president, Europe, has assumed the position of executive vice president and chief financial officer. Founder and principal shareholder Stephen J. Cloobeck remains chairman of the company. These appointments were effective Jan. 1, 2013. For more information, visit www.diamondresorts.com.
UDG Announces Promotion of Four Team Members and the Addition of New Associates
The principals of Urban Design Group (UDG) are pleased to announce the promotion of four team members. Matt Mitchell, NCARB, LEED AP was promoted to the position of senior associate. New Associates of the firm are: J. Blake Simmons; Quincy Tiller, III; and R. Matt Wilson, LEED AP BD+C. For more information, visit www.urbandesigngroup.com.