Price: £2.50

August 8 – August 14, 2014 • No. 2380 • www.coinslot.co.uk

COMMENT

Industry news 4Seaside amusements 10Service Report 12Latest Machine Charts 18B2B Listings 19Classified ads and opps 22Comment & Analysis 26Newsweek 28

COINSLOT

While the onlinegambling industrymay be Bitcoin’s sav-iour, there is also thechance for onlinegambling to forceBitcoin into a niche,keeping it out of themainstream.

The 10 areas to benefit from

JCM Innovation Corp, a sub-sidiary of JCM American Corp,

has entered into an agreementto buy US-based FutureLogic Incfrom American Capital Ltd. Theacquisition adds to JCM’s line ofperipheral component prod-ucts, including bill validators,printers and digital media. Theterms of the deal have not beendisclosed.

JCM American designs andmanufactures currency validat-ing equipment and cash regis-ters, also serving the gamingindustry. FutureLogic providesprinter solutions for a widerange of applications, including

casino and gaming vouchers.FutureLogic printers and

couponing solutions “providetechnology platforms forgrowth initiatives and recurringrevenue,” said JCM in a state-ment. “The products willstrengthen and diversify JCM’speripheral portfolio to the mar-ketplaces and industries itserves globally, such as banking,gaming, kiosk, retail and trans-portation,” it added.

In addition to the FutureLogicline of products, JCM will con-tinue to market, sell, service andsupport the Nanoptix line ofprinters.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATIONJubilee Pool Lido, Penzance(pictured) - £1,950,000

Funds will repair andrelaunch the Grade II Listed‘Jubilee Pool’ to create an allyear round attraction.Restoration will make it acatalyst for the widerregeneration of the local area.Jobs: 38Victorian Arches, Portsmouth -£1,755,000

The Arches, in central OldPortsmouth, have been usedinformally by artists since the1960s. The project will refurbishthe Arches as part of an“ARTches” project to provideaffordable workspace andexhibition space. It will form a“creative hub” with leisure andcatering attractions within ahistoric setting and give aboost to nearby shops andservices. Jobscreated/safeguarded: 105Waldringfield Flood Defence,Suffolk - £633,000

Funds will help pay for theconstruction of a system of flooddefences for homes andbusinesses in the flood area onthe River Deben Estuary. Jobs: 51Maltings Building - Wells-next-the-Sea, near Cromer -

£610,000Wells Maltings Trust aims to

transform a dilapidated 19thcentury Maltings building intoan integrated arts, heritageand learning space withauditorium, café and touristinformation point. It willprovide space for learning aswell as an all year roundtourist destination. Jobs: 95South West Coastal Path -Cornwall, Devon, Dorset andSomerset - £1,114,000

This project will repair,improve and promote the SouthWest Coastal Path. Funds willhelp with 32 urgent repairworks to the path, informationboards and signage andmarketing. Jobs: 782RSPB Nature Reserve,Bempton Cliffs, Yorkshire -£452,000

Funding will enhance thefacilities at the reserve, improvethe visitor experience andcreate year-round revenues tofurther develop wildlifeconservation work with a viewto attract a further 10,000visitors per year. Jobs: 14,volunteer places: 30Yorkshire WildlifeTrust, SpurnPoint - £498,000

The project includes therestoration of the iconic

JCM Innovation acquBUY-OUT

2380-p02-inside flap_Coinslot NEW 05/08/2014 14:52 Page 1

INDUSTRY

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August 8 - August 14, 2014 • No. 2380 • www.coinslot.co.uk27

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Matthew’s Lighthouse into aheritage/visitor centre andnearby gun emplacement onthe Point, the creation of avisitor centre with café, and thedevelopment of sustainabletransport links to replaceaccess lost in the 2013 storms.It will address seasonality inlocal tourism sector. Jobs: 77Historic Fruit Market - Kingstonupon Hull - £800,000

This project will continueregeneration of the historic‘Fruit Market’ area of Hull andimprovements to pathways,street furniture and other publicrealm works. Jobs: 100Park View 4 U, near Lytham StAnnes - £395,000

This will turn a derelict siteinto a new visitor attraction witha sand and water play area. Thearea will be landscaped in aseaside theme and will used todeliver education and activitiesabout the natural surroundingsof the coast, along with a café.Jobs: 11Youth Hostels - Brighton andRobin Hoods Bay - £401,000

Funding will help establish anew hostel in Brighton andredevelop an existing youthhostel on the North Yorkshirecoast. These will provide newand improved holidayaccommodation. This will boosttourism numbers and helpcreate a new café. Jobs: 76

“We are fortunate to be in thisposition to capitalise on oppor-tunities, such as the acquisitionof FutureLogic. By maintaining

our focus on ‘best-in-class’ com-ponents and continual dialogwith our key customers, JCMwill continue to deliver ‘value-added’ solutions that the market-place desires,” stated JCM Globalpresident Akiyoshi Isoi.

FutureLogic chief marketingofficer John Edmunds said: “Welook forward to the next phaseof development for FutureLogicas it brings innovative technol-ogy and world class customersto help fuel the growth of JCM.The combination of JCM andFutureLogic product portfolioswill provide a compelling offer-ing in a variety of markets.”

12

acquires FutureLogic

INVESTMENT

Ten seaside towns toreceive fundingNew government funding for various coastal projects is predicted to help createand safeguard nearly 1,400 jobs, assist with winter storm repairs and give theseaside coin-op sector another mini-boost.

his week, ten coastal townsreceived new funding forprojects that will help

create and safeguard nearly 1,400jobs and help with essential repairsin areas affected by the winterstorms.

A lido, Victorian arches and acoastal path are some of theschemes to benefit from moneythat will help with restoration.More than £8.5m is being distrib-uted to towns around England forschemes that will create touristattractions, regenerate historicsites and provide new flooddefences.

The money is being made avail-able from the government’sCoastal Communities Fund andwill attract a further £6.2m fromother private and public bodies.Prime Minister David Cameron andChancellor of the ExchequerGeorge Osborne also announcedan extra £3m for the fund toencourage growth and create jobsin coastal towns.

Seaside towns have untappedpotential to create vibranteconomies and are an importantpart of the government’s long-termeconomic plan to boost jobs andbusinesses around the country. Notonly that, they feature some of theUK’s finest coin-op offerings.

Coastal Communities MinisterPenny Mordaunt said: “Our CoastalCommunities Fund is bringingabout some really innovative proj-ects around the country andschemes that will make a big differ-ence to those towns affected by thewinter storms. Seaside towns are astrong part of this country’s her-itage and have huge potential tocreate new businesses that providejobs. They are an important part ofthe government’s long-term eco-nomic plan and we are determinedto help these communities reachtheir true potential.”

Chief Secretary to the Treasury,

Danny Alexander, said: “The CoastalCommunities Fund is alreadymaking a real difference to ourcoastal towns and helping commu-nities regenerate their local econ-omy. So far the scheme has alreadysupported over 7,500 jobs and1,400 training places up and downthe country. I am delighted toannounce an additional £8.5m forcoastal projects across the country,this will help communities build asustainable future for themselvesand also benefit visitors to these sea-side towns over the years to come.”

The Coastal Communities Fundwas launched in 2012 to invest inseaside towns and villages, helpingthem achieve their economicpotential, reduce unemploymentand create new opportunities foryoung people in their local area.

It is helping seaside towns makethe most of their potential by diver-sifying their economies and indus-tries so they become year-roundsuccess stories. The fund has to datealready spent £54m, supportingaround 7,500 jobs around the UK,more than 300 new business start-ups and 1,400 training places. Fur-thermore, news broke recentlythat Eastbourne would benefitfrom a £2m cash injection in thewake of last week’s pier arcade fire.

While cynics would happilysuggest that the initiative is purelyfloating voter bait in marginal con-stituencies, the fact of the matteris that a little investment can go along way, particularly when itcomes to additional footfall con-tributing to the survival of thecoastal coin-op scene.

T

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4 Coinslot August 8 - August 14, 2014

Industry TO COMMENT ON ANY ARTICLE

Email: al@sjc.co.uk8

rime Minister DavidCameron and Chancel-lor George Osborne

have pledged to donate up to£2m to help local businesses torecover from last week’s devas-tating pier fire in Eastbourne.

On July 31, up to 80 firefight-ers, along with RNLI crews,tackled the blaze on the Grade-II listed pier. No-one wasinjured and Sussex Police havesaid the fire is not believed tobe suspicious.

Cameron and Osborne arealso announcing an extra £3mfor the government’s CoastalCommunities Fund to encour-age growth and create jobs incoastal towns. The PM told theBBC: “The loss of one of East-bourne’s most prominent andwell-loved landmarks will havehit the town hard,” and he wasdetermined to “help local busi-nesses recover”.

August 1 saw uninsuredkiosk holders whose busi-

nesses may have been wreckedby the fire promised help. TheEastbourne Pier BenevolentFund has been set-up offeringfree market stall pitches, and itis hoped empty stores can alsobe used as ‘pop-up’ shops.

The fire has come at theheight of the town’s summertourist season, just before East-bourne’s biggest summertourist event, the annual Air-bourne air show, which attractstens of thousands of people.

Osborne said the fire hadbeen devastating news, but apackage of financial supportwould aim to minimise theeffect on business and tourism.“We will work with East-bourne as a matter of urgencyto ensure that the funding isprovided without delay sopeople can start enjoying thepier again,” he said.

Eastbourne’s Liberal Demo-crat MP Stephen Lloyd said hehoped the pier could reopen

again next year as two-thirds ofit had been saved by firefight-ers. East Sussex Fire andRescue said the cause was offi-cially ‘unexplained’ and theinvestigation would take ‘anumber of days’.

In the aftermath of the fire,however, it came to light thatthe Fire Service had recom-mended sprinklers for the pier.According to the British Auto-matic Fire Sprinkler Associa-tion, the Fire Service’s adviceto install sprinklers in East-bourne Pier twice in recentyears ‘was ignored by the pier’sowners.

Andy Reynolds, director ofprevention and protection atEast Sussex Fire and RescueService, said the owners of East-bourne Pier were told in 2006and 2009 to install sprinklers.

He claims, however, that theowners ignored the advice assprinklers were not enforce-able by law. Reynolds said: “On

at least two occasions we rec-ommended to the owners ofthe pier that they should installsprinklers. It’s not enforceableand for them probably not costeffective so they didn’t take upthe option. Without a doubtsprinklers would have helpedreduce the damage of the fire.When they’re fitted correctlyand operating they do a goodjob. They detect fires with heatsensitive bulbs that react to acertain temperature. As soon asit hits the right temperature, thesprinkler operates and is con-nected to an alarm.”

He added: “There still wouldhave been a fire, but the sprin-kler system holds it in check soit wouldn’t have grown.”

Reynolds revealed hewould be pushing for theinstallation of a sprinklersystem in the pier’s refurbish-ment following the news thetown would receive £2m fromthe government.

Controversy reigns in wakeof Eastbourne pier firePIERS

Eastbourne is set tobenefit from a £2mboost, following a firethat burned down theformer pier amusementarcade last week amidrumours of a failure toheed safety warnings.

Acar drove into Pier ViewAmusements arcade in

Beach Street, Deal, on August4, causing extensive damageto the premises.

The police were called tothe scene just before 1.30amto reports of the incident.Operator Rob Grinstead, saidhe was first informed by hisniece, who lives nearby.

Grinstead told local press:“My niece heard it - there wasa bang. When she saw the

damage she phoned me up.”CCTV was in operation, but

Grinstead said the lights of thevehicle were too bright - and

couldn’t make out the regis-tration. Around two hourswere spent making some vitalrepairs in order to keep the

arcade open. He continued:“We are still open. We haveboarded it up for now.”

Grinstead has appealed foranyone with information tocome forward in confidence.A Kent Police spokesmansaid: “The wall of an amuse-ment arcade sustaineddamage but the vehicle failedto stop following the inci-dent. Inquiries are ongoing atthis stage but anyone withinformation about the colli-sion should contact KentPolice on 101.”

RETRO VIDEO GAMES

Andy Brown, organiser of Play Blackpool,a convention which sees gamers and

nostalgia fans come together to the Nor-breck Castle for one weekend a year to playretro video games, believes that the latestraft of coin-op machines can help revivethe arcade scene.

Reflecting on his video gaming days, hetold local press: “It was something you hadto go out to do. I like the fact you had to goout with friends to play them. It was a wholesocial experience and now things havemoved away from that a little bit.”

The late 70s and early 80s saw a glut ofnow-legendary games such as Pac-Man,Donkey Kong, Paper Boy, Star Wars, Track &Field, Asteroids, Defender and SpaceInvaders.

Brown added: “It wasn’t just in the arcades,lots of cafes and places like that had them.When we got the school bus we’d go to thisplace called The Elbow Room. We used topile in there with our dinner money. Wenever used to eat and we’d save our moneyfor games like Pac Land instead. I remembergoing out and playing the first SpaceInvaders game, too.”

The console explosion, which meantgraphically-rich video games could beplayed at home, signalled the death-knell forarcades which predominantly featured coin-op video machines.

Brown added: “I guess there’s just theconvenience of having games at home.There was such a big culture shift fromgoing out and having this experience awayfrom your home. In the 80s it used to cost ahuge amount of money to make thesemachines but now everyone has the equiv-alent of a very powerful arcade game intheir own home.”

He believes, however, that coin-op videogaming is more than capable of making abig comeback. He said: “I’d love to see someof it brought back, but rather than justgames now you have companies. You havea whole sensual experience with bigmachines on hydraulic legs and air blastedat you - things you can’t do at home. Ifpeople do start to produce big machinesagain they have to make them on that kindof experience, almost like going on a ride atthe Pleasure Beach.”

Event organiserissues defiantvideo gamingmessage

Car smashes into amusement arcadeACCIDENT

P

2380-p04-05-industry_Coinslot NEW 05/08/2014 11:15 Page 1

INDUSTRY AMUSEMENTS LEISURE B2B COMMENT NEWSWEEK

REPORT Essential Guide examines the worldof after sales and service - the real ghostbusters of the UK coin-op industry. 12

The newly-formed GBGhas made an instantimpression on the coin-opsector by introducing apair of technical standardsdocuments. One is for gen-eral web services and theother extends the ccTalktechnical standards, whichenables compatibility withcurrent UK Machines.

The documents areavailable to any organisa-tion which has an interestin either operating such amachines ticketing solu-tion or providing compati-ble components, systems

and/or solutions.Most of theUK’s machinemanufactur-ers, ticketprinter sup-pliers, noteva l i d a t o rand periph-eral manu-

f a c t u r e r s ,s y s t e m s

providers and solutionssuppliers have beeninvolved in the process,including Bell Fruit Games,Barcrest/SG Gaming, Proj-ect Coin, Playsafe Embed,Future Logic, Eurocoin,GeWeTe, Innovative Tech-nologies, Astra Games,Merkur-Blueprint and withparticular help and supportfrom Rob Wheeler ofFutureLogic and Dave Bushfrom Aardvark.

According to Peter Han-nibal, such a collaborationof technical knowledgeand insight is unprece-dented in the UK machineindustry. He explained: “Formany years, UK machinesoperators have lookedupon other jurisdictionswho operate TiTO and sim-ilar systems with envy.Dreams of lower servicedemands, reducedmachine floats, zero refillsand income improvementsremained as just dreams.With the exception of thecasino sector, the two sig-nificant blocks that stoodin the way of the rest ofthe UK adopting amachines ticketing

system had been the pro-hibitive cost - includinglicensing and the heteroge-neous technology used bymanufacturers.”

He added: “The docu-ments are now in circula-tion and are intended to beused by the industry as a setof rules for cashless andticketing. Operators can atlast start looking at intro-ducing ticketing to theirbusinesses over thecoming months. With thefreedom to go to any sup-plier or provider of systems,components or turn-keysolutions, I am confidentthat we have enabled thisto be a competitive situa-tion for buyers.”

Hannibal concluded:“The individuals that havecontributed their time,efforts and resource tomake this Protocol possi-ble should be recognisedas ‘rainmakers’. In an indus-try that has taken on a divi-sive stance for so long it hasbeen a delight to deliverthis protocol and I gen-uinely hope that it is a signthat our industry is turninga political corner.”

New gambling bodyproduces cashlessand TiTO protocolTECHNOLOGY

The GamblingBusiness Group,led by CEO PeterHannibal, hasachieved a majorcoup. Just onemonth since it wasformally launched atthe beginning of July,the strategic gamingbody, through itsMachines Sub-Grouphas produced twokey documents thatform thetechnicalstandards fora longawaited UKmachinescashless andticketingprotocol.

TELEVISION

BBC One is set toexplore the world of

high street gambling in anew series entitled TheBookies. The channel hascommissioned a newthree-part documentarywhich will go behind thescenes at Coral, one of theUK’s biggest high streetand online bookmakers.

The programme intendsto ‘explore the workings ofthe increasingly popularpastime, which is enjoyedby eight million people inBritain each year’.

It will follow the lives of

punters who gamble thou-sands, to those who placesmaller bets on footballmatches and televisionseries, in a bid to learn whygambling is so popular in atime of economic recession.

Emma Willis, head ofdocumentaries for BBC1,

BBC2 and BBC4, com-mented: “Betting shopsare a key part of the highstreet and an unwaveringpart of modern British life.The Bookies will take acompelling look at how theindustry works, the every-day realities of life on the

betting floor and why we’rebetting more as a nation.”

Boundless, the produc-tion company behind thenew series, said that it is‘very excited about thismajor commission’.

Managing directorPatrick Holland concluded:“Betting is something thatmillions of British peopletake part in, yet we knowvery little about the worldand how it operates. Theseries will engage with theexcitement, the charactersand the issues from thismajor industry.”

Just no-one mentionF*BTs, okay?

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‘‘In a league of its own’’

Owners of shops, amuse-ments, hotels and restau-

rants were delighted by theboost in trade created by therecent Cleethorpes air show,several of whom spoke oftheir delight at the success ofthe event.

More than 200,000 peopleenjoyed the scorchingweather and action-packeddisplays over the last week-end of July - and plans arealready in place for nextyear’s event. Organisers saythey were ‘thrilled’ with theturnout and are now lookingforward to staging anothertwo-day air show in 2015.

Shops, amusementarcades and restaurants werereported to be ‘packed out’over the two-day event,which traders have said hasboosted the local economy.

Manuel Goncalves, jointowner of the Holmhirst Hoteland Restaurant, told localpress: “These events haveproved to be the best days forus. We’ve had a number ofpeople booking in with uswho have come from all over

the place, as far as 50 or 60miles out. We were fullybooked for both days thisweekend, so it’s been greatfor business. It’s also beengreat for the resort. There wasa relaxed atmosphere and notrouble, everyone got on andall the kids had a lot of fun. Ithink the town needs theseevents during the summer. Itbrings out the best in theresort - I just wish it wasalways like this.”

Katie Sheach, manager ofthe Cleethorpes Mermaidfish and chip shop on thepromenade, added: “Businesswas really good, we picked upa lot of customers - there werepeople queuing up outsidethe door both days. Theweather really helped, too, soI’d say this is the best week-end we’ve probably had yet.We were working from 10amto 9pm both days. It wasmanic.”

Visitors were treated toappearances from the RedArrows and a Tornado, as wellas a Battle Of Britain Memo-rial Flight, to name but a few.

Cleethorpes air show seesamusement arcades full

EVENTS

OPERATORS

Single site operator Scep-tre Leisure is creating a

new customer liaison teamto ensure high standards onsite and to increase cus-tomer support. The team,which will be based locallyin depots, will make regularsite visits aimed at max-imising customers’ income.

Sceptre has created anew team of 15 customerliaison managers. Their roleis to build relationships withcustomers on site and todrive standards as well asgaining feedback toenhance service quality.

Customer liaison man-agers will visit all cus-tomers giving themconstructive guidelines todevelop new revenuestreams and maximise theirexisting income. The CLMwill be an additional point ofcontact alongside the sitebusiness developmentmanager.

In addition to the newteam, Sceptre haslaunched a Customer Char-ter. This is a guarantee ofstandards promised toevery customer. The Cus-tomer Charter will be pre-sented to all sites in aunique income maximisa-tion pack along with otherhints and tips to driveincome.

Sceptre’s Ken Turnerconcluded: “Profitablemachines can mean the dif-ference between somepubs making a profit or aloss. The pack is designedto emphasise importanceof machines and to helpcustomers and players getthe most out of them. Weare investing in our employ-ees and see this as adevelopmentrole,transform-ing thebusiness atoperationallevel andenhancingthe overallcustomerexperience.”

Sceptreenhancescustomerexperience

Businesses in Blackpooland the wider Fylde

Coast are starting to feel theimpact of the UK’s slow-burn economic recovery.

Growth of 0.8 per centover the past three monthshas seen the national econ-omy reach a level greaterthan its pre-recession peak,with the service sectorleading the way at 2.8 percent above the January2008 mark.

A gradual increase in con-sumer confidence hasmeant that concern overcancelled bookings andreduced spend per head,factors that greatly

impacted the regionaleconomy, is slowly staringto fade.

StayBlackpool presidentClaire Smith told local press:“If you’d asked me this lastyear I would have said on nolevel were we feeling thatthings were improving.

“I kept hearing it said andwould think ‘well thatmight be happening downsouth but we are not feelingit at all. Last year was reallyas grim as it gets and was avery challenging season.

“But right from the offthis year, and particularlysince Easter, there hasbeen a totally different feel

to things.“I think we are seeing

signs of recovery, but onlyjust. We are definitelyheading out of it.”

Smith said the recoverywasn’t only due to govern-ment policies, but a vari-ety of other initiativestaken by stakeholders inthe resort as well.

She explained: “Black-pool has done a lot to helpitself through the toughtimes, and one of the rea-sons we are doing muchbetter is because of theaction we have takenduring the past couple ofyears.

“Blackpool has set itselfup as one of the best valuedestinations while peopleare still looking to budget.

“We were in the midst ofit three of four years agoand realised somethingreally big had to be done.

“Marketing Blackpoolcame up with some greatideas and now we have the

Resort Pass, Merlin BigTicket and the specialonline deals that the Pleas-ure Beach is offering.

“It looks as though manypeople who are sitting athome thinking they havegot a bit more money to dosomething at last, havechosen to come to Black-pool.”

Blackpool begins to feel benefit ofeconomic upturnRESORTS

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Scientific Games, headedup by billionaire Ronald

Perelman, will pay $83.30in cash per Bally commonshare, the companies saidin a statement on August 1,a premium of 38 per centover Bally’s closing priceon July 31.

The buy-out marks thesecond $1bn-plus acquisi-tion in less than a year forScientific Games, at a timethe gambling manufactur-ing sector faces weakerconsumer spending, casi-nos posting losses andonline competition from.

In the acquisition of LasVegas-based Bally, Scientific

Games takes an establishedand successful manufac-turer of slots and card shuf-fling machines, which wasmore than three timeslarger based on the mostup-to-date market capitali-sations.

The move will be noth-ing new to Gavin Isaacs,who took over at ScientificGames in June. He was for-merly CEO of SHFL Enter-tainment Inc, which wasbought by Bally last year for$1.3bn, and before thatworked as COO at Bally.

Scientific Games andBally anticipate $220m costsavings per annum and

$25m in annual capital-expenditure savings byconsolidating operationsand generating efficienciesin the areas of manufactur-ing, engineering, field andcustomer service andadministrative operations.

The deal, which includesnet debt of $1.8bn, imme-diately adds to ScientificGames’ earnings per share,according to the statementreleased by the firm lastweek. Measured by annualrevenue, the two firms areof similar size. The compa-nies said they generatedcombined sales of approxi-mately $3.0bn in the year

ended March 31. Scientific Games

jumped 28 per cent to$10.95 in early trading afterslumping 37 percent in thepast year. As of July 31, theNew York-based company,with a market capitalisa-tion of $720m, had the high-est price-to-earnings ratiocompiled by Bloomberg,and one of the lowest price-to-sale ratios.

Only a fortnight ago,GTech SpA agreed to buyInternational Game Tech-nology for $4.7bn in cashand stock, bringing theworld’s largest provider oflottery systems together

with the biggest slot-machine maker.

Analyst Steven Wieczyn-ski believes that now Sci-entific Games and Ballyhave joined forces thatthey will ‘effectively beable to compete withGTech/IGT in every aspect’and that ‘Scientific Gamesand Bally will have a NorthAmerican slot-machineshare in line to slightlyhigher,’ than Gtech/IGT. Healso stated that in owningSHFL, formerly known asShuffle Master, will givethem a ‘slight advantage’when dealing with casinooperators.

Scientific Games buysout Bally Technologies

Scientific Games Corp has agreed to acquire Bally TechnologiesInc for approximately $3.3bn (£1.96bn), excluding net debt, in amove which represents yet another hi-profile gaming sector buy-out.

BUY-OUT

CRANE MACHINES

Leading operator Playna-tion, which currently

operates over 20,000machines in over 1,500locations within holidayparks, bowling alleys, air-ports and motorway serv-ice stations hascollaborated with Segaand Ice to design Grab andWin, an innovative newcrane.

The new crane com-bines cutting-edge tech-nology with traditionalentertainment. Operatedwith an SD card, whichallows total control of thegame process by headoffice, it provides moreconsistent gameplay oncethe card has beeninserted. The mechanicmeans that settings canbe chosen (off site) basedon the size, the weight andthe sound associated witheach toy, for a moreengaging experience.

Mark Field, commercialdirector for Playnationsaid: “We decided that weneeded a crane to suit ourbusiness, which is slightlydifferent to most opera-tors - we have a lot ofunmanned locations andwe also try and standard-ize our offer across thewhole of our operation.Not only is this an innova-tion within the category,but it’s another step for usto ensure our customers,and their customers, havethe best experience possi-ble when using ourmachines.”

Playnationdrives itsown visionwith newcrane

n order to informplayers about howto enjoy gaming

safely and reinforce its com-mitment to corporatesocial responsibility, theAstra Gaming Group haslaunched the websitePlaynice.org.uk.

Visitors to the site canaccess six main sectionscomprising ResponsibleGaming, How GamingWorks, Check List, Self Help,Further Help and Adviceand the Astra GamingGroup Code. Each isdesigned and presented ina clear, easy to understandformat. To raise awarenessof the site, every newgaming machine producedby the Astra Gaming Groupwill have a sticker bearingthe web address. Addition-ally, Gamestec will distrib-ute Playnice point-of-sale

material to its customers.Of key importance is the

Check List section whichfeatures 11 simple ques-tions about the extent towhich players gamble and,inter alia, the factors thatinfluence their levels ofplay. In the event that aplayer answers positivelyto any of the questions, theyare encouraged to go to theSelf Help page or, if appro-priate, access the FurtherHelp and Advice section tofind out more about profes-sional intervention.

The central theme of thePlaynice site is all aboutencouraging players tomaintain a positive andproactive approach tokeeping gaming safe andenjoyable. The Self Helppage, for example, advisesplayers to talk to someonethey trust about their gam-

bling and to take regularbreaks. It advocates devel-oping good habits such asknowing and establishinglimits on time and moneyspent on gaming.

Zane Mersich, CEO ofthe Astra Gaming Group,insists that the Playnice ini-tiative plays a vital role inthe company’s drive to pro-mote solid corporate socialresponsibility (CSR) princi-ples throughout its work-force and the widerindustry. He commented:“As a major stakeholder inthe UK gaming space, theAstra Gaming Group is fullycommitted to meeting itsCSR obligations. It is of para-mount importance that ourcustomers are able to enjoy

our products and do sosafely and responsibly.”

He added: “Since theintroduction of the Gam-bling Act 2005, the industryhas seen a much greaterfocus on CSR. Conse-quently, policy makers areplacing increasing pres-sure on stakeholders toensure that they are doingeverything within theirpower to minimise thepotential for problem gam-bling. The launch of Playn-ice demonstrates awillingness to fulfil thatrequirement and sends apositive missive to legisla-tors that the industry isunwavering in its commit-ment to looking after thewell-being of players.”

Astra Gaminglaunches PlaynicewebsiteMULTI-MEDIA

The Astra GamingGroup hasannounced the launchof a new website,Playnice.org.uk,which aims topromote a safe andresponsible approachto enjoying gaming.The portal alsoexplains some of thefacts behind the waygaming works andacts as a signpost toprofessional help andadvice for individualswho are concernedthey may bedeveloping a problem.

I

2380-p08-industry_Coinslot NEW 05/08/2014 14:46 Page 1

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PIERS

Crown Leisure managingdirector Dean Harding

has recalled his horror atthe fire that completelydestroyed the amusementarcade building on East-bourne Pier last week.

East Sussex Fire andRescue Services believethe blaze started in a wallpanel of the arcade, whichis operated by Crown.

Although an outgoingtide and low water pres-sure hampered fire crews,two-thirds of the structurewas saved and no injurieswere recorded.

Harding told Coinslotabout the moment hereceived the news: “I had aphone call to say we had asmall fire on EastbournePier shortly before 3pm. Ithen went into a meeting,and afterwards I picked upan email that said it had gota lot worse and the firebrigade were on the scene.

“Piers are old struc-tures standing in themiddle of the sea withplenty of oddities andcomplications, so whenyou see what has hap-pened at other piers withfires, you fear the worse.You instantly worry aboutstaff and people on thepier, but I was told straightaway that it had beenevacuated very quicklybefore the fire got hold.

“There’s never going to

be a good time for this tohappen, but we were justhitting the peak of theseason. I would guess thatthe weather only added tothe situation. Watching thenews, it looked very hotand very dry, and therewas a light breeze fanningthe flames.”

Harding said around 200machines had been lost inthe arcade, but that thereal cost of the fire couldcome from damage to thepier itself.

He explained: “It’s notthe value of the machines -although that would havebeen considerable as wealways invest in new equip-ment every year - it’s thevalue of the structure bothabove and below the deck.Until we get a full under-standing of the situation itis very difficult to estimatewhat that will be.”

Even with the example ofthe Grand Pier in Weston-super-Mare, which wastotally destroyed by fire in2008 but has since beensuccessfully rebuilt by theMichael family, Hardingwas concerned for thefuture in Eastbourne.

He added: “Looking atthe Grand Pier today it is acredit to that family, butEastbourne is a very differ-ent pier. It was a very Victo-rian pier before the fire, anduntil we get some claritywe really won’t knowwhere to start.”

VAT cut for the UK’stourism economywould lead to a

£4bn tax windfall for theTreasury according to newresearch campaigners havehanded to the government.

The Nevin Report, com-missioned by the CutTourism VAT Campaign,said that a cut to five percent for accommodationand attractions would sig-nificantly boost the UK’stourism economy and costthe exchequer nothingafter five years.

This comes alongside aboost to gross domesticproduct each year that willpeak at £4bn per annum,as well as the creation ofover 120,000 jobs aroundthe UK.

Graham Wason, chair-man of the Cut Tourism VATCampaign, said: “This newresearch is the economicproof the Treasury hasasked for to prove whatevery other country inEurope knows – that cut-ting VAT on holidays is prof-

itable for governments. “Many of our coastal

towns are ignored but cut-ting VAT would help themthrive. More than 60 cross-party MPs have signed ourparliamentary motion andmore than 1,000 compa-nies and groups are backingthe campaign.

“David Cameron andGeorge Osborne shouldremember that next elec-tion will be won or lost inthe regions and in coastalconstituencies whichwould benefit from thehuge boost cutting tourismVAT would add to our econ-omy.”

The UK is currently oneof the most expensive desti-nations to holiday in theworld, ranked 138th out of140 for price competitive-ness by the Travel andTourism Index, and one ofjust four countries inEurope not to have areduced form of VAT for thetourism sector.

This is despite tourism isbeing of the UK’s largest sec-

tors - employing over 3.1mpeople and generating£127bn for GDP in 2013.

The report reveals thatsimilar cuts made in France,Germany and Ireland in thelast five years have beenhugely successful, and thata cut in the UK would boostinvestment, jobs and visitornumbers for the UK’stourism economy.

Dermot King, managingdirector of Butlins ownerBourne Leisure, said: “As thepound continues tostrengthen against the Euro,driven by a combination ofMark Carney indicatinghigher UK interest rates andthe European Central Bankconsidering a programmeof quantitative easing, thegap in price competitive-ness between the UK andher European partnerswidens. “Outside of theLondon bubble, UK tourismcontinues to try to competewith not just one butincreasingly two arms tiedbehind its back.”

The report said a cut

would help the wider econ-omy, stating that for each £1spent in the tourism indus-try, 70p extra is spent inother sectors, benefittingretailers, the constructionsector and a host of others– while reducing theshadow economy.

It also said cutting VATwould help stem the UK’stourism balance of pay-ment deficit (the amountspent by UK residents oninternational holidayscompared to the amountspent by tourists cominghere), which currentlystands at £14bn.

Nick Varney, chief exec-utive of Merlin Entertain-ments, said: “Doing a fewfancy posters saying ‘Her-itage is Great’ and puttingthem up at Shanghai Air-port is not going to turnaround 30 years of con-stant decline.

“If all UK holidaysbecame 15 per centcheaper, economics tellsyou what’s going tohappen.”

Harding recallshorror at EastbournePier blaze

Tourism VAT cut studypresented to Treasury

TOURISM

Cut Tourism VAThas presented thegovernment withwhat it believes is awatertight case for acut to five per centtax onaccommodation andattractions.

SIX PIERS, PART OF CUERDEN LEISURE

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Coinslot AUGUST 8 - AUGUST 14, 2014

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B2B

Essential Guide to... After S

Essential Guideto Bowlplexes Next Week

AUGUST 8 - AUGUST 14, 2014

18This week’s

machinecharts

19B2B listingsand industrymarketplace

22Classified

sales, job andbusiness

opps

20The count-

down toCoinslot’s

Surreal Soccer

Sector Overview

he industry has contracted over thelast decade or two, therefore asdemand for new products has

slowed and product margins have fallen,after-sales service - which ultimately safe-guards returns on investment - has becomeless of an afterthought and more an inte-gral part of any supplier or distributor’sarmoury.

As a natural by-product, spares and com-ponents providers have become moreorganised, professional and altogetherquicker to react to the market’s needs. Theprovision of after-sales service has nowbecome an integral consideration of anyfirm with something to sell, particularlyoutfits whose main business is in the pro-duction or distribution of the many andvaried types of coin-op products.

Indisputable evidence exists to showthat improving the quality of customerservice is a vital factor in achieving a com-petitive advantage. In other words, a goodproduct remains necessary in the firstinstance, but it is no longer sufficient on itsown to compete in today’s UK coin-op trad-ing environment.

Equally, shoddy after sales service canhave an adverse effect on a company’s rep-utation. If service requirements such asreplacement parts or technical updatesaren’t provided efficiently - and in doublequick time - the obvious conclusion is cus-tomer frustration and loss of further sales.

Making extra money from after-sales isdesirable, but in many cases providing anefficient and reliable after-sales service canbe used as a highly competitive tool for pro-moting the products in question and creat-ing a better image for the company thatmanufactured or distributed it. It has longbecome clear that after sales adds value tothe product that was originally bought.

A solid after-sales service allows opera-tors to gain maximum value from their pur-chase and, ideally, lets them ensure that it isavailable to their customers for many yearsof trouble-free use. Furthermore, it is nolonger enough to provide operators with

SWOT ANALYSIS

It’s what happens

The quality of serviceprovided beyond a product’sinitial deployment on the arcadeor FEC floor can be a vital factorunderpinning an operator’spurchasing decisions. In the ultra-competitive arena of amusementsand gaming, where products aremany, but profit margins are oftenslim, a swift, decisive andprofessional after-sales servicemakes all the difference.

KEYNOTE

oinslot: How important is goodaftersales when it comes to culti-vating positive word of mouth

about your company?Steven Wooley: At Embed the aftersalesservice and support is as important as thesale itself. As a company in this small indus-try, if you wish to build a long term rela-tionship with the customer the journeydoes not end with the sale - it is just thebeginning.

With today’s modern technology cus-tomers can easily provide valuable feed-back on your business methods and arewilling to share their experiences on socialmedia and word of mouth. Feedback is key,especially in an market like the amusementindustry where we all speak to each otherregularly to keep a positive impression andexperience for all our customers.

CS: As a company that offers a techno-logically advanced product, is it particu-larly important for you to haveknowledgeable customer service repre-sentatives on call?SW: When a customer calls to any of theEmbed offices, they want to have confi-dence that the person whom they are deal-ing with has the knowledge to answer anyquestion or concern that they may have. Ifa system is purchased from Embed, wedeliver what has been promised and, moreimportantly, meets the needs of their spe-cific business requirements.

Further, the customers prefer to speakwith a support member that not onlyunderstands the product, but their busi-ness. A full understanding on how thesystem works for their location and howthey can use the features to better increaseguest visits, increase guest spend and loy-alty is key to these customer service calls.

CS: How does Embed ensure a high levelof customer service while servicing aglobal customer base?SW: Each Embed office has its own man-agement team who are responsible fortheir key areas within the business. Themajority of staff at our Embed offices haveextensive industry experience and under-stand the challenges that our customersface when there is an issue with theirsystem or product. With this experience it

helps to empathise with the end user andresolve any issues promptly at the sametime make the process as easy as possible.

CS: How does your company deal withfaulty equipment in a way that maintains agood customer relationship?SW: All new Embed equipment suppliedcomes with a 12 month return-to-base war-ranty and, during this time, if the part is foundto be faulty then it is replaced free of chargeimmediately. If a customer wishes to returnsmall parts, we use an automated onlinereporting system that the customer cancomplete at their convenience. This allowsthe customer to provide some basic detailsand detail the fault with the part beforereturning it to their local Embed office.

We endeavour to send a replacementpart out the same day as long as the part isin stock. Embed sends electronic commu-nication directly to the customer to advisethem when the returned item has beenreceived and again when the replacementpart will be shipped, so that delivery can beanticipated.

Depending on the system error or faultreported, a review of the impact to the busi-ness will be completed and Embed will hap-pily send an engineer to site the same or nextday to resolve the issue. This is somethingthat, as a company having local representa-tion across the globe, sets Embed apart fromany of our competitors in the industry. Noother system provider can offer the level ofcustomer dedication offered by Embed.

Recently we received a call from a cus-tomer in the Netherlands that has multiplelocations, which experienced an issue afterits IT team completed some updates to thelocal networks. We had an engineer on loca-tion to resolve the issue in under 24 hourswith minimal to no interruption to theirbusiness. The customer was impressedwith the dedication, response time andlevel of professionalism.

Aftersales shouldnever be anafterthoughtEmbed sales executive Steven Wooley tells Coinslot why topquality aftersales is just as important as top quality products.

C

T

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13

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‘only’ the best-in-class machines, but also togive them the peace of mind that a thoroughafter-sales service provides. After-sales has

therefore evolved into an integral part ofany distributor’s armoury.

An operator’s satisfaction is therefore not

only measured by the ROI and overall per-formance of the machines purchased, butby the total value received and by the qual-ity of the interaction and relationship expe-rience throughout the products’ lifespan.

In an industry that has shrunk as much asUK coin-op, after-sales have become moreimportant than ever before. It is no coinci-dence that an unhappy customer, dissatis-

fied with the level, speed and efficiency of adistributor’s after-sales support will soonlook elsewhere when it comes to updatinghis arcade floor.

Customer loyalty, therefore, is ultimatelyensured by a consistent level of after-salesservice from the first moment somethinggoes awry - a fact that is not lost on the com-panies showcased this week.

ppens after the sale that counts

SWOT ANALYSIS AFTER-SALES

STRENGTHS

• Customer satisfaction breeds long-termdistributor/operator relationships

• Important additional revenue source• Operators can no longer afford to buy

from firms without a competent after-sales service

WEAKNESSES

• Too much emphasis and investment onafter-sales can eat into overall profits

• An element of machine downtime isinevitable

OPPORTUNITIES

• Operators will buy more often and/or ingreater quantities if they’ve benefitedfrom a good after-sales service

• Greater customer retention, thereforefreezing out competitors

• Advantage can be gained over competi-tion as many products are similar

THREATS

• Spares are harder to source for oldermachines or those manufactured abroad

• New legislation can render machines on-site obsolete or less profitable

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Essential Guide to ... After Sales & After SeMarket Perspectives

The provision of a sound, practical andeffective after-sales service nowadays

comes as part and parcel of the coin-opindustry. After all, this is a service-led busi-ness which demands that the products thatwe supply are able to work to their optimumlevels in often challenging conditions.Added to that, they’re operated at timeswhen servicing and back-up can be difficultto maintain.

Factor in the ongoing issue of machinesstaying out on site for much longer thesedays, and it’s clear to see that if you’re in thebusiness of supplying or operating, you’vegot to have plenty of strength in depth.

As you’ll see from reading many of thecontributions featured in this week’s Essen-tial Guide, one of the main positive qualitiesthat are mentioned is the speed with whichsuppliers are able to put a problem right.

Response time, it would seem, is the onebig area that separates out the good fromthe great. Getting a broken machine fixedand back up and running with the least pos-sible downtime and the minimum levels ofinconvenience is really the be all and end all.

One other crucial factor that regularlycrops up is the need for customers to be ableto speak with experts who can swiftly get tothe heart of a problem before it becomes amajor issue. This calls for comprehensiveproduct knowledge, scrupulous attention todetail and, perhaps most importantly, theability to pass on reassurance to the cus-tomer in a way that instils real confidence.

The bottom line might seem blindinglyobvious. The extra demands placed on olderequipment, however, and the increasingrequirement to squeeze the maximum profitout of machines is undoubtedly going tomean that the after-sales function is just asimportant as any other link in the coin-opsupply chain.

VIEWPOINT

Lessdowntime,more funProduct knowledge, attention todetail and a quick response timeare the three qualities which definetoday’s coin-op after-salesservices.

forewordalex lee

OPENING REMARKS

or operators up and down the country, nothing ismore frustrating than staring at a faulty machine,not knowing when it will be repaired or how long

it will take to fix. If they are to generate the cashbox tak-ings required to justify that initial outlay, these games needto be fully functional for as long as possible. This is whatmakes reliable aftersales such an important component ofany business.

Without that guarantee of swift and reliable service, asupplier may well find that their new customers don’treturn for a second purchase. For many, speed is the mostimportant factor. “When you want something, you’ve gotto have it done straight away,” said Jason Smith, director ofMirage Amusements in Hemsby, Norfolk. “Immediacy isreally important.” However, ensuring that the repairs meetexpectations is also vital. “If you’re not looked after when aproblem arises,” said Smith, “and they don’t get back to youstraight away, then obviously you don’t go back to them.”

Broken machines sitting dormant not only means thatan operator is losing out on potential revenue. More thanone machine with an ‘out for order’ sign stuck to the cabi-

net creates a very poor impression and players who see arow of faulty games are likely to blame the venue, whenthe real culprit may be slow aftersales. “It depends on thenumber of inactive machines,” suggests Smith. “If you’vegot some good machines down and you can’t get hold ofthe required parts it’ll make a substantial difference inyour take.”

Smith also believes that the level of knowledge exhib-ited by a supplier must be top notch. As the first port ofcall for any customer service enquiry, the last thing anoperator wants is to be redirected or made to wait. “A lot ofthe time, suppliers selling machines and they don’t reallyknow what they’re selling,” he said. “You ask them ques-tions and what you often get is - ‘ah, we’ll have to go backto the manufacturer on that.’ Being a salesman, you shouldknow those answers.”

It is clear that those suppliers that have found successin the gaming market are those who have placed an empha-sis on not only speed and efficiency in their aftersales care,but who also take the time to ensure that their staff are upto speed on all of the products that they sell.

Speed, efficiency and knowledge is the holy trifecta for customer service when it comes tokeeping operators happy and in business.

F

Aftersales a priorityfor operators

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CUSTOMER FOCUS

The customer comes first at InnovativeTechnology, with the company’s philoso-

phy tightly focussed on providing its patronswith the best possible service. “Our customeris always at the heart of everything we do,”explained customer support manager, AndyBassam. “Therefore, when it comes to ouraftercare service, this is something we takevery seriously. As market leaders in our fieldit is imperative that we continually provideour customers with the best customer serv-ice throughout the entire life cycle of theproduct and beyond.”

Even with customers situated all over theworld, Bassam said that Innovative Technol-ogy promises to, “think global and act local.We endeavour to provide a consistent highlevel of technical support to customers nomatter what industry they specialise in orwhere they are located worldwide. If a cus-

tomer contacts us, we strive to solve theirissue with a rapid response, be it initial imple-mentation, re-programming or problem solv-ing and all products are covered by acomprehensive warranty.”

Providing this level of service depends onwell trained staff who can support customerswith complex technological questions. “Eachand every one of our employees prides them-selves on being incredibly knowledgeable intheir field and continually improving theirdevelopment,” said Bassam. “We not onlystrive to provide the most technicallyadvanced products, but to deliver excellentservice to our customers worldwide. Due tothe advanced technology used within ourproducts, it is imperative that our customersupport team is made up of highly qualified,experienced and knowledgeable colleaguesand it is of the upmost importance to us that

we solve our customers issues as fast as pos-sible, no matter how big or small the issue.”

Ideally, of course, customers will neverneed to contact the support team at Innova-tive Technology, as they continue happilywith products performing as intended. “Acompany policy is to ensure all of our prod-ucts leave the UK head office in the best con-dition possible,” said Bassam, “having passednumerous quality checks. This ensures thateverything, down to the finest detail, is inoptimal working condition, minimising therisk of faulty equipment.”

The company also offers a comprehensivewarranty and maintains the parts and expert-ise on site to repair older models. “All of ourproducts carry a comprehensive warranty,so customers can feel confident. We offerlocal repairs and aim to return the productin full working condition as soon as possible.

Upon this date the customer will receive anadditional three months warranty for thatitem. To further assist customers we guaran-tee to support legacy products in terms ofrepairs and technical information for a fur-ther five years once manufacturing hasceased.”

Ultimately, all this time and effort spent onaftersales is good for business. “Excellent cus-tomer service is imperative throughout thecustomer’s journey with Innovative Technol-ogy,” said Bassam. “We believe that the qual-ity of service that we provide to all of ourcustomers generates greater positive wordof mouth than solely providing ‘good’ after-sales. We truly believe that the aftersales thatwe provide are not rivalled by any of our com-petitors, ensuring that our customers gener-ate positive word of mouth and aid in thedevelopment of our brand recognition.”

No stone unturned in search of aftersales perfection

Innovative Technology is serious about aftersales, placing huge emphasis on perfecting this vital partof its global business.

2380-p12-19-Essential_Coinslot NEW 05/08/2014 15:19 Page 4

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B2B

Essential Guide to ... After Sales & After SeMarket Analysis Products

SUZO-HAPPOPERATIONS

C“Suzo-Happ continues to grow its service and support business forUK operators,” said the company’s UK sales director, John Vallis.

“Suzo’s Fast Track Repair (FTR) service is now three and a half yearsyoung and we really cannot believe where the time has gone.”

The company has continued to evolve and develop its UK Repairservice over the past couple of years, from monitor repairs in 2011 rightthrough to today, where it now offers two weekly Van Run services. Oneon the M4 Corridor from London to Swansea and another across theMidlands.

In an attempt to build on its service even further, Suzo-Happ spoke toa large number of single site and arcade operators to find out what itcould do to help support these customers.

It is clear that there is a large demand for customers not only to haveaccess to over 20,000 spares and accessories, but to also be able to getitems repaired by the same company. This saves them time, money andremoves the need to hold large stocks of parts on site.

“We only ever repair the items a customer sends in,” said Vallis. “Thisway you know the history of the part which has been repaired and don’thave to worry about where it came from originally. After all, you wouldn’texpect to go into a tyre shop with a puncture and they just swap a wheelout from another car!”

In addition to its Van Run service, Suzo-Happ offer free collection andreturn shipping by UPS couriers for goods to be repaired and hasincreased the amounts and types of products it can repair to includeCoin Acceptors, Note Acceptors, Power Supplies and Video GameBoards to name but a few. The company also provides telephone andon-site support for the change machines and coin/note counting equip-ment it manufactures and distributes, if required.

The company’s customer service and workshop departments providehelp and support to customers, giving them a single point of contact forall aspects of repairs, deliveries and product support, further enhancingthe customer experience.

“Fast Track Repair really compliments our core business of manufac-turing and distributing spares, accessories and custom solutions for theamusement, gaming and vending markets,” said Vallis, “which reallyenables us to provide as much of a one-stop-shop service as possible.We offer a high quality, cost effective repair service to all of our cus-tomers regardless of size or location.”

The fast track tospares, repairsand serviceSuzo-Happ continues to bolster its aftersalescapabilities, adding new and more varied services inresponse to customer feeedback.

ichelle Michael, director at AGMHoldings - which operates theGrand Pier in Weston Super Mare,

emphatically emphasises the need forswift post-sales servicing and mainte-nance of non-functioning gaming units.

“From a customer perspective, there isnothing worse than seeing machinesswitched off,” said Michael, who was par-ticularly sensitive to potential loss of rev-enue. “From the business angle, thesemachines are taking up valuable f loorspace and are earning you nothing.”

Weston’s Grand Pier arcade boasts overfive-hundred machines, meaning thatMichael is no stranger to the need forpunctual service. In her experience, themajority of suppliers are getting it right.“Most established companies are verygood with their aftersales care,” she said.

However, Michael notes a trend emergingof newer machines increasingly requiringoff-site service. “I’ve found that over theyears, companies hold less advancedreplacement parts,” she said, “and the solu-tion proposed is to send the entire faultyunit to them for repair”. This, of course,carries it’s own pitfalls. “It can take over aweek to get a machine like that back intoservice,” she said, “I feel that isn’t reallyacceptable”.

How can aftersales providers up theirgame? Internet-based around the clocktech-support, says Michael. “We’d like tosee forums on the major suppliers web-sites, with fixes for common problemsand machine error codes.” The logicbehind this is clear: “Most machines godown over the weekend when phonehelplines are closed.”

Off-site repairsa challenge toqualityaftersalesprovidersWhilst the quality of aftersales care remains high, components in newmachinery are often being replaced off-site, according to onearcade director.

M

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17

Invites You To Lady’s Mile Holiday Park

September 17TH and 18TH 2014From 11:00am - 4:00pm

Join us at this exclusive event to experience the revenue generating possibilities and flexibility of the EMBED Cashless System for yourself! Registered attendees will receive a Lady’s Mile FUN CARD with credit that can be used in the arcade, bar, fish and chips shop or even the laundry!

Come see why Embed is the leading choice for the world’s top holiday parks and family entertainment centres! NAMCO will also be on site presenting their range of game machines, prizes and more! Registration and accomodation available online at www.ladysmile.co.uk.

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INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY

Innovative Technology’s note validatorshave once again received European Cen-

tral Bank (ECB) approval for their abilityto recognise genuine and counterfeitEuro banknotes. The NV9 USB, NV10 USBand NV200 banknote validators were alltested at the De Nederlandsche Bank,Amsterdam last month and scored 100percent for their ability to accept genuineEuro banknotes and reject counterfeitEuro banknotes. The test results are pub-lished by the ECB to assist banknote userswhen selecting appropriate counterfeitdetection equipment.

Andy Bassam, customer support man-ager said: “The ECB test results independ-ently acknowledge the reliability of ournote validator range. We are constantly

developing our global currency datasetfiles, adding new issue notes and knownfrauds, to ensure we maintain our leadingacceptance rates across the completeInnovative Technology product range.”

Bassam went on to say: “Last month wereleased Euro dataset files containing thenew E10 note, which will enter circula-tion in September. By releasing these cur-rency files four months before the newE10 enters circulation we aim to ease theburden for operators and manufactures,providing sufficient time to update val-idators out in the field. Currency datasetsare available free from our website andour global technical support team is avail-able to assist customers across Europe.”

Elsewhere, the company welcomed

two new members ofstaff to its expandingteam in Barcelona: RaulClemente, mechanicalengineer, and EduardoRodriguez, electronics engi-neer. The two new additions signal theformation of a new Spanish develop-ment team that will initially design prod-ucts solely for the Spanish and SouthernEuropean markets.

Eduardo joined the ITL team in April,having previously worked as an electri-cal engineer for a large manufacturer inSpain. Despite his recent employment,Eduardo’s primary background lies intelecommunications, where he hasspent the vast majority of his profes-

sional career.Raul has com-

pleted a master’s degree in industrial engi-neering and has since worked in projectengineering for several years prior to join-ing the ITL team in May.

Development manager John Robinsoncommented: “Both Raul and Eduardobring extensive knowledge with them intheir respective expertise. We have beenlooking to expand our development teamin Europe and these appointments allowour team the capacity to investigate theSouthern European market further”.

With new Euro notes on the horizon, Innovative Technology is ready to roll out upgrades to itscustomers four months ahead of time.

Future-proofing the Innovative way

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B2B

Essential Guide to ...After Sales & After Service

Products Analysis

CATEGORYB3 (£2/£500 Max.)

CATEGORYD (10p/£5 Max.)

CATEGORYB4 (£2/£4000 Max)

AGCsThis LastWeek Week Name / Manufacturer

1 1 Slotto 500 Astra2 2 King of Slots Blueprint3 3 Triple 8 Barcrest4 4 Mega Bars Big Hit Project Coin5 5 Magic Lotto Ultra Novomatic6 6 Rainbow Riches Community Cash Barcrest7 7 Lady Luck Reflex8 8 TS22 Project9 9 Triple 7 Barcrest10 10 Rumple Wild Spins Astra

Based on data supplied by a representative number of UK sitesSupplied by RLMS Sales

Members clubsThis LastWeek Week Name / Manufacturer

1 1 Alice Queen of Hearts Reflex2 2 Jackpot 100 Barcrest3 3 DOND Live BFG4 4 Street Casino 2014 Storm5 5 Flamin’ 400 Reflex

Based on data from representative sites. Supplied by sector professional

FEC - familyThis LastWeek Week Name / Manufacturer

1 1 Bullion Bars (3 Player) Astra2 2 Party Time Classic (3 Player) Astra3 3 Party Games (4 Player) Astra4 10 DOND (4 Player) Bellfruit5 5 Adders And Ladders(4 Player) Vivid6 6 Rainbow Riches (3 Player) Empire7 7 Goldrush Stampede (4 Player) Barcrest8 8 Party Time Arena (4 Player) Astra9 9 Party Time (3 Player) Astra10 4 Golden Games (3 Player) Mazooma

Based on data from four sites Amusement Equipment Co Ltd

FEC - adultThis LastWeek Week Name / Manufacturer

1 1 Magic Games U/R Novomatic2 2 Rainbow Riches Party Barcrest3 5 Free Play 70 Project4 4 Pure Gold Project5 - Find The Lady 70 Project6 6 Party Time Arena (4 Player) Astra7 9 Win Wall Celebrity Astra8 8 Bar X Diamonds 7 Electrocoin9 9 Win Wall Celebrity Astra10 10 Party Time Player Astra

Taken from a representative number of sites around the UKSupplied by Amusement Equipment Co Ltd

CATEGORYC (£1/£100 Max.)

AGCsThis LastWeek Week Name / Manufacturer

1 1 Encore T7 (GP3) SG Gaming2 - Encore T7 (GP2) SG Gaming3 2 Magic Games 100 Ultra Novomatic4 - Triple 7 (GP1) SG Gaming5 8 Bullion Bars Streak Astra6 5 Triple 7 (GP3) SG Gaming7 - Hot Spots Deluxe Astra8 - Encore T7 (GP1) SG Gaming9 3 Magic Games 3 (s/d) Novomatic10 - World of Poker Project

Based on data from a minimum of 10 locations. Supplied by Praesepe

Single siteThis LastWeek Week Name / Manufacturer

1 2 DOND Winfall BFG2 1 Fiddle a Fortune REF3 4 DOND Lucky Streak BFG4 6 DOND Powerplay BFG5 3 Best of British REF6 5 Worminator QPS7 7 DOND Time to Play BFG8 8 DOND The Big One BFG9 9 DOND Crazy Chair Gold BFG10 - DOND Pure Gold BFG

Taken from a representative number of sites around the UKSupplied by national operator

EMBED

mbed is a worldwide supplierof revenue management sys-tems for the amusement, enter-

tainment and leisure industries. As aleader in the market, the companydelivers a suite of applicationsdesigned to manage all areas of anyentertainment facility. Embedfocusses on enhancing site revenuesthrough the use of cashless paymentsystems, value-added packages, andguest loyalty programs.

At the heart of its system lies thecashless payment features which aremore commonly known in the indus-try as a ‘card system.’ The Embedsystem can replace traditional meth-ods of transaction, like tokens andcoins, with a simple card. Guests use aplastic card, similar to a credit card, tomake all of their transactions, whichleads to a much more simplified andmore enjoyable experience. Ownersbenefit from the endless marketingand pricing opportunities thatbecome available, while at the same

time containing operating costs andimproving cash control.

Guests can purchase cards fromeither a staffed point of sale station ora self-service kiosk. “These cards arecustomised for your location andbecome a souvenir as well as a con-stant reminder of the good times hadat your venue,” said sales executiveSteven Wooley.

The cards can be loaded with anyamount of money, encouraging gueststo ‘load and go’, stocking up on cashahead of time. This means that they canenjoy all points of fun offered at thelocation without having to return foranother top-up.

To play, the guest swipes their cardthrough the reader attached to eachgame. The appropriate value isdeducted, allowing the game to start.Upon swiping, the remaining card bal-ance is displayed for added conven-ience. Guests can reload their playcard with additional credit at any salesterminal or kiosk at any time.

Top up thefuture ofpaymentEmbed’s improvement to the customer experience is built ona card-based system that reduces costs for the operator andtime away from the machines for players.

E

2380-p12-19-Essential_Coinslot NEW 05/08/2014 16:16 Page 7

Coinslot AUGUST 8 - AUGUST 14, 2014

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UK Box Office ChartThis LastWeek Week Name

1 1 Dawn of the Planet of the Apes2 - Hercules3 - The Purge: Anarchy4 2 How to Train Your Dragon 25 3 Transformers: Age of Extinction6 - Earth to Echo7 8 Boyhood8 - Kick9 6 Mrs Brown's Boys D'Movie10 - The House of Magic

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UK Jukebox ChartHighest Earning Tracks on Sound Leisure jukeboxesThis LastWeek Week

1 3 Budapest George Ezra2 1 Waves (Robin Schulz Remix) Mr Probz3 2 Ghost Ella Henderson4 4 Hideaway Kiesza5 - Rude Magic!6 5 Sing Ed Sheeran7 8 It's My Birthday Will.I.Am feat. Cody Wise8 6 Stay With Me Sam Smith9 7 Summer Calvin Harris10 9 Happy Pharrell Williams

Based on data supplied by Soundnet

http://www.soundnet.net/

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AlbumsThis Last

Week Week

1 1 X Ed Sheeran2 2 Blue Smoke - The Best Of Dolly Parton3 - Eric Clapton & Friends - The Breeze Eric Clapton4 3 In The Lonely Hour Sam Smith5 4 Wanted on Voyage George Ezra6 5 Ghost Stories Coldplay7 - Hypnotic Eye Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers 8 - Welcome To The Jungle Neon Jungle9 - Nothing But The Beat David Guetta10 7 Caustic Love Paolo Nuitini

DownloadsThis Last

Week Week

1 2 Rude Magic 2 1 Crazy Stupid Love Cheryl Cole ft Tinie Tempah3 - Faded Zhu 4 4 Ghost Elle Henderson 5 6 Budapest George Ezra 6 - Kisses For Breakfast Melissa Steel ft Popcaan 7 - Hopeful Bars & Melody 8 3 Boom Clap Charli XCX 9 7 Problem Ariana Grande ft Iggy Azalea10 - One Day(Vandaag) Bakermat

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360Cash is an independent maintenance service provider on a wide range of cash handling equipment. We have fully trained engineers located throughout the UK who can provide service on a call-out basis. Alternatively our central repairs centre can offer a ‘back to bench’ repair service on a range of manufacturer’s cash handling equipment.

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2380-p12-19-Essential_Coinslot NEW 05/08/2014 16:19 Page 8

POOL

Coinslot AUGUST 8 - AUGUST 14, 2014

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B2B

Classic coin-op videomachines housed inCambridge’s UK Com-puter Museum are tobe restored by eager en-thusiasts, following a callfor volunteers. Titles suchas Space Invaders, As-teroids and Tempest areto undergo repairs workover the coming months.

Rescuing space invaders

Listings

oinslot: How important is it tokeep pool tables properly serv-iced and maintained?

Jason Jarrett: All pool tables supplied byAMS are regularly visited by one of ourspecialised pool valet team, where the topframe is lifted, the bed-cloth and cushionsare brushed and cleaned, the baulk-line isre-marked, the ball drawer is checked,coin mech cleaned, cues tipped and thelevel of the table is checked. This keepsthe pool table in top condition, which isparamount for any customer who hasteams who play in local leagues. Any otherfaults are attended to by our service tech-nicians seven days a week. However, pool

tables are probably one of the most reli-able products, due to their simplicity.

CS: What kind of events can operatorsorganise to create interest in their poolproducts?JJ: Throughout the year AMS encouragescustomers to hold ‘free pool nights’ toencourage extra footfall on quieterevenings. In addition, ‘speed pool’ tourna-ments or games of ‘killer’ on a Sunday after-noon can all be organised to encourageregulars to spend more time in the venueand of course spend more money at the bar.All of these options are simple to set up andshow the diversity of such a stable part of

Playing poolthe right wayJason Jarrett of Automatic Machine Services (AMS) explainshow pool can successfully competes for the British public’s highlysought after leisure spend.

GAMEDEVOPMENT

GAMES AHOY FORBLUEPRINT

Abrand new title from BlueprintGaming is now available through

exclusive distributor PW Sales. Let’s GetKraken is the latest release from the suc-cessful game design studio, featuring apiratical motif which is sure to appeal to awide variety of potential players. As they

work towards the jackpot, players mustbattle against the terrifying sea creature onbehalf of their swashbuckling allies.

As with all Blueprint products, the gamewill be available both online and offline.This means that players looking to carry on

C

We first pu

2380-p20-21-Listings_Coinslot NEW 05/08/2014 17:18 Page 1

21

B2B

MARKETPLACE

Next week’s feature is

Bowling Alley & Cineplexes

To advertise, please call Kathryn

on 01204 396397

B2B Spares

www.cromptons-spares.co.uk

For Spares, Refurbishments,Repairs and Special Offers

call Matt or Terri on 01843 593335

For FREE technical support callSteve or Hugh on: 01843 593353Email: spares@cromptons.com

Fax: 01843 588043

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FOR ALL YOURLAI GAME SPARES

CALL NOW 01843 866464 Harry Levy Amusement Contractor Ltd

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gaming | betting | gambling

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Distributor of snooker and pool accessories and manufacturers of genuine Superleague tables and spares.

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Coinslot AUGUST 8 - AUGUST 14, 2014

the coin-op industry.

CS: What are the key factors that havehelped pool to remain popular in the faceof more modern forms of entertainment?JJ: Pool is a traditional, timeless pub game thatis popular with a wide range of ages and bothsexes. Although the tables can take up a largefloor-space, the return in entertainmentvalue and income can normally justify its exis-tence, which, as mentioned previously, willadd the other areas of the business for thevenue. While the digital revolution gathersmore and more pace, I doubt there will beanything to replicate or replace a good oldgame of pool down the pub!

the fun can do so from the comfort of theirown home, while those looking for the thrillof playing their favourite game in the fleshcan head down to their local venue for analtogether different experience.

TABLETPLUSTAB A PLUS FOROPERATORS

Wexel Gaming’s advanced tabletsystem continues to save operators

valuable floor space, while providing themwith exciting linked bingo and gamingmachine content. The PlusTab isdesigned to fit in between existingmachines or to be used as a handhelddevice. This enables players to walkaround the venue to play bingo, Cat C orCat D games to their heart’s content. Themachine takes advantage of the powerfulBLIS system, which packs a huge amountof game content onto a single device.Those operators looking to operate cost-effectively will find plenty of Cat D titlesavailable, allowing the to pay the lower fivepercent rate of Machine Games Duty.

CATEGORY B3SLOTTO 500 ON THEBOOKS FOR RLMS

RLMS Sales is preparing tofield orders for Astra’s

wildly popular Slotto £500.The experienced suppliers areoffering the machine for just£3,995. Stock with 22 differ-ent games, Astra’s latest cre-ation is designed to appeal toa wide range of players.

This B3 product is one2014’s leading machines andhas quickly become RLMS’sbest selling model of the lastthree years. The games arehoused in the FV762 cabinet,which features an illuminated top box andbelly glass to help it stand out amongstthe crowd. The machine comes fitted asstandard with a NV11 note recycler fromInnovative Technology, giving themachine the ability to hold up to 30 boatsin a single float.

JOHN MCLOUGHLIN, SALES AND MARKETING DIRECTOR, BELL FRUITGAMES, ON THE ONGOING SUCCESS OF IT'S LATEST DEAL OR NO DEALWINFALL CAT C MACHINE.

first put the game out on a testtowards the end of2013. Since then, it’sperformance hasbeen consistentlysuperb.

2380-p20-21-Listings_Coinslot NEW 05/08/2014 17:19 Page 2

22

B2B

B2B

Coinslot AUGUST 8 - AUGUST 14, 2014

Classifi edTo advertise: Contact Kathryn Norris on 01204 396 397

Crown Direct 22Data Leisure 23JNC Sales 23

For Sale

To Advertise

contact Kathryn Norris

on 01204 396 397

LAST

ONE

£150

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TWIN

0117 938 2552

£145

0TI

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UNDE

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LARGE STOCK OF PINBALL PARTS ALWAYS AVAILABLE

TEL 01772 816677EMAIL

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gaming...and so much more!

New & Used Machine Prices

All prices subject to VAT and Carriage

SWEET FALLS COIN/TKT £18,495MERRY GO ROUND COIN/TKT £16,995BIG PRIZE WINNER £4,995R/R SHOOT TO WIN 2PLY £3,995SALSA £2,495

Pushers

WIZARD OF OZ 2 PLY £13,495TICKET MONSTER £8,995HARPOON LAGOON £7,995CONNECT 4 MINI £6,995GOAL LINE RUSH £6,495SINK IT SINGLE £6,195DEAL OR NO DEAL £3,495DOODLE JUMP £2,995

Redemption

Video

PARTY TIME CLASSIC 3 PLY £8,495BULLION BARS CLASSIC £8,495CRAIC IN FUN 3 PLY £5,995BANK RAID 3 PLY £4,750RAINBOW KING 3 PLY £3,995DEAL OR NO DEAL 3 PLY £3,495

10P £5 MULTI-PLAYERS

T8 £7,995PERFORMER 22 £7,995KING OF SLOTS VISION £6,995REVOLVER £5,995MEGA 7 / D&J / MEGA BARS £4,495SLOTTO 500 £3,995CASINO KING SLANT £2,995HOT HOT 500 £2,495MEGA GAMES SLANT £1,995LADY LUCK £1,295JACKPOT KING £995RAINBOW KING £995GAMBLE KING £995

Cat B3 £2 Stake

THIS WEEKS STAR BUY

TRANSFORMERS THEATRE £11,995SUPER ALPINE RACER TWIN £11,995DEAD STORM PIRATES £7,995SUPER ALPINE RACER SGL £6,495RAZING STORM £3,995TERMINATOR SALVATION £3,495

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TEL: 01706 847531email: sales@whittakers.co.uk web: www.whittakers.co.uk

A G ST SPEC AL OFFERSP TO £1500 ALLOWANCE ON O R OL 6 OR 8 PLA ER P SHER

QU

ALI

TY

USE

D E

QU

IPM

ENT

FR

OM

WH

ITTA

KER

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QU

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ITTA

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S

Authorised and Regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. SRA No 44948. Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Services Authority

23

B2B

Coinslot AUGUST 8 - AUGUST 14, 2014

£695

HOOPFEVER

(ICE) (TICKET)

£1,695

DANCESTAGE

EUROMIX 2

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EUROMIX 1

£1,595DDR

FUSION

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SUPERNOVA£995WONDERWHEEL

(BAYTEK ROLLDOWN)

£2,495

GALILEO MARK1 TICKET EATER

(ELMAC)

£1,995

WHEELA WIN

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GUITARHERO

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£995

SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS

(CHICAGO GAMING)

£495

SPIDERSTOMPIN

(ISLAND DESIGN)

£495

CASHCASINO

(ELAUT)

£795CYCLONE

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JNC SALES UNIT 1, CCT BUILDINGS, GREENSPLOTT ROAD,

CHITTENING TRADING ESTATE, AVONMOUTH, BRISTOL. BS11 0YB

TEL: 0117 9382552AFTERSALES TEL: 0117 9382225

PRICES VALID FOR 1 WEEK ONLYBARGAINBASEMENT

// 1

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MANY MORE MACHINES AVAILABLE FOR SPEEDY DELIVERYALL MACHINES COME WITH 28 DAY WARRANTY AND FULL AFTERSALES SUPPORT IF REQUIRED

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ALL MACHINES AREFULLY WORK SHOPPED

DELIVERIES TO ANYWHERE IN THE UK & IRELANDContact Karl or Steve on Tel: 01706 883838. Fax: 01706 883839. E-mail: karl@dataleisuresales.co.uk

Unit 12 Data House, Trent Industrial Estate, Duchess Street, Shaw, Oldham, OL2 7UTDATA LEISURE SALES LTD. D L S

Data Leisure Sales

WIZARD OF ODDS

REFLEX GAMING £100WIZARD OF ODDS ...................................... £2,225HOT SHOT ................................................. £2,225FIDDLE A FORTUNE ................................... £2,225EASTERN PROMISE .................................... £2,225LETS GET JACKPOTTED ............................. £1,595LL TRAIL OF RICHES .................................. £1,395SNOW WHITE & 7 TENNERS ...................... £1,295JACKPOT ISLAND ....................................... £1,150DOUBLE AGENT ......................................... £1,095PAYMAKER ................................................ £1,050ALICE IN WONDERLAND ................................ £895

BELLFRUIT GAMESROB THE LOT............................................. £1,695PURE GOLD ............................................... £1,595MILLIONAIRES ROW ................................... £1,350BULLSEYE ON THE OCHE ........................... £1,150JAILBREAK ................................................. £1,100BANK JOB GOING FOR GOLD ..................... £1,100DOND GO ALL THE WAY ............................ £1,050MONOPOLY TAKEOVER .............................. £1,050COPS STREETWISE ....................................... £995FAMILY GUY DRUNKEN CLAM ....................... £995BANK ON IT .................................................. £895SHOOT THE LOOT ......................................... £895RIGHT DEAL RIGHT TIME ............................... £795RED HOT DOND ............................................ £795PERFECT DEAL ............................................. £795MAKE OR BREAK .......................................... £795QUIDS IN AMERICA ....................................... £795

£70 MACHINESDIAMOND GEEZER ........................................ £295DOND LETS PLAY ......................................... £245DOND MEGA ................................................. £245DOND GAME ON ........................................... £245DOND GOLD ................................................. £245STAR WARS DEATH STAR ............................. £195DUBLIN YOUR MONEY ................................... £195ON THE FIDDLE............................................. £195TAKE IT OR LEAVE ........................................ £150CRAZY TRAILS ............................................. £150PACMAN POWER UP ..................................... £145

CLUB B4DOND LIVE ......................................................POALETS GET JACKPOTTED ............................. £1,895ALICE QUEEN OF HEARTS .......................... £1,595

£5 MACHINESDOND GOLD ................................................. £275DOND MEGA ................................................. £275

POOL7X4 TOURNAMENT ....................................... £7956X3 TOURNAMENT ....................................... £795

POOL (USED)7X4 TOURNAMENT ...................................... £3457X4 PRINCE .................................................. £3457X4 MAYFAIR ................................................ £2657X4 REGENCY ............................................... £2657X4 BEACH ................................................... £265

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New format for 2014/15 seasonMore Winners, more prizes, more chance to win!

26 Coinslot August 8 - August 14, 2014

Comment

In the latest industry-has been sold to Bowarcade in Londonde

“

media watchalex lee

Opposition announces new sp

commentalex lee

o another pier, or atleast pier-basedarcade, bites the

dust in spectacular fashion.I’m sad for all concerned,not least Dean Harding,Crown’s MD, who I respectand have a lot of time for.Still, hopefully the £2m onoffer from the governmentwill go some way towardsrestoring it to its formerglory. The proposed cashinjection for Eastbourne inthe wake of the devastatingfire was revealed just asnews broke that a further 10seaside coin-op strong-holds are to receive fundingfor various sustainablerestorative projects.

As far as I’m concernedthis can only be a good thingfor the nearby arcade oper-ators. Clearly, it would havebeen nice if the governmenthad bunged the cash smackbang in the direction of thearcades, but we have to berealistic about such things.At least if towns possess thefinancial resources toactively strive for greaterfootfall, the knock-on effectof more people comingthrough the arcades’ doorsshould see some sort of pos-itive impact on cashboxlevels.

All of which brings menicely to my annual appealfor seaside support comingfrom within. I mentioned awhile ago that ‘we’ (as in usUK residents) can all do ourbit in stimulating growth in

the coin-op sector simplyby supporting Britishcoastal resorts by actuallyvisiting them and spendinga bit of money there nowand then.

While our non-industryfriends and family must beimplored to do the same, wecan set a good example bylittering our Facebookpages and Twitter feedswith pictures and storiesabout what brilliant timeswe’ve had down the pub, atthe bingo, in the arcade, thebowling alley or wherever.Let’s face it, other forms ofentertainment are only‘better’ insamuch as theypromote and advertisethemselves more proac-tively than we do. Yes, itcosts a load of cash to assem-ble a huge media campaignthese days, but we all knowthat nothing beats good old‘word of mouth’ for effec-tive promotion.

In recent years I’ve spentboth time and money at thefollowing coin-op strong-holds - Blackpool, Brighton,Rhyl, Whitby, Weymouth, StAnne’s, Scarborough, South-port, South Shields (and,dare I say it, Sunderland).I’ve also been quick to bangon to anyone who’ll listenabout how great they are,with their long-establishedarcades and FECs being anintegral part of their charmand character. Can every-one else reading this claimto have done the same?

Banging thedrum forseaside fun

The Labour Party is proposinga new tax on sports betting,

which sent shares in William Hilland Ladbrokes into freefall lastweek, according to the Finan-cial Times.

Under the new plans, out-lined in a document issued byHarriet Harman, shadow culturesecretary, and shadow sportsminister Clive Efford, the extrafunds would go to support prob-lem gamblers and ‘grassroots’sports.

At present only gambling onhorseracing is subject to a levywith the money, £82m in 2014,returned to the racing industry.

Efford said: “We believe it isright that businesses that makemoney from sport should con-tribute to sport. We are consult-ing on whether we shouldintroduce a levy on betting,including online betting, to fundgambling awareness and sup-port for problem gambling butalso to improve communitysports facilities and clubs.

“It’s my preference that theincome from the levy went into a

general pool to help grassrootssport and from which therespective sports would drawtheir future elite sportsmen andwomen. Football gamblingonline and in betting shops isnow far larger than horseracinggambling and yet it does nothingto help the sport itself. I thinkthey have a moral obligation tohelp the industry from whichthey make billions, and theresults could be dramatic.”

The betting industry wasunderstandably unimpressed bythe proposals, claiming that italready pays tax on its profits.However, sport governingbodies argue that their tourna-ments are intellectual propertiesand that bookmakers shouldpay for the right to take bets onsuch events.

Sports other than horse andgreyhound racing are esti-mated to contribute about 40per cent of the bookmakers’gross win in stores and about70 per cent online. A wideningof the levy could thereforeaffect about a fifth of their rev-

enues, said analysts.Labour’s proposals suggest

that gambling restrictions willbe a key platform in next year’sgeneral election, particularly asThe Responsible GamblingTrust’s industry study is due forpublication around party confer-ence season in September.William Hill fell 4.3 per cent to339p. Ladbrokes was 4.9 percent lower at 132.3p.

Elsewhere, Brunswick Corpis selling its retail bowling busi-ness to Bowlmor AMF for$270m, and plans to divest itsbowling products business,according to The VendingTimes. The sale to Bowlmor isexpected to close before theend of October. Bowlmor AMFapproached the company withan unsolicited bid at an “attrac-tive price,” according toBrunswick chief executiveDustan E. McCoy, who said thesale is in the best interest of thecompany’s shareholders. Thedecision to sell comes at a timewhen the bowling industry itselfis undergoing a dramatic transi-

S

“I do like to be besidethe seaside. Do you?”

2380-p26-27-Comment_Coinslot NEW 05/08/2014 14:22 Page 1

27Coinslot August 8 - August 14, 2014

atest industry-related news, Labour has proposed a new tax on sports betting, Brunswicken sold to Bowlmor and progress has been made on a planned new amusemente in Londonderry.

As the crypto-currencyBitcoin continues to weathercontroversy, entrepreneurs arehoping that the use ofBitcoins will gain a foothold inthe online gambling industry,according to businesscommentator Bryan Levy. “politicsbryan levy

quote unquote

”ew sports betting tax

TO COMMENT ON ANY ARTICLE

Email: al@sjc.co.uk8

tion from a once predominantlyleague sport to a casual activityin which bowlers are seekingan entertainment experience.

“For Brunswick to drivegrowth in this business,” saidMcCoy, “it would take continualdevelopment of new entertain-ment concepts and significantadditional investment to imple-ment these new concepts atnew properties or to convertexisting centres.” Brunswickbelieves that investing in itsMarine and Fitness businesses,which together represented 92per cent of the company’s netrevenues in 2013, offers greateropportunities for returns.

Brunswick owned Valley-Dynamo LP, the leading coin-optable game maker, between2003 and 2009, selling it toDallas-based Champion Shuf-fleboard Ltd for an undisclosedsum. With the addition ofBrunswick’s locations, NewYork City-based Bowlmor AMFwill increase its centre count to343 in North America.

“Bowlmor AMF’s primary

strategic objective is to investin and grow its retail bowlingbusiness, which includesproven entertainment conceptsin certain of its centres,” saidMcCoy. With its bowling cen-tres operation sold, Brunswickis hoping to find a buyer for itsbowling products business. Itwould like the eventual pur-chaser to retain manufacturingoperations and the productsdivision’s workforce.

In the meantime, McCoyassured, it is business as usualdivision-wide. Brunswickbecame an equipment supplierto the bowling industry in 1890,but did not run bowling centresuntil the 1960s - the beginningof the bowling bust. Too manycentres had been built, andmany had trouble payingBrunswick for pinsetters andlanes it had installed. Whenbowling facilities went out ofbusiness, Brunswick found iteasier and cheaper to take overthe operations than to removethe setters.

It became the second-

largest bowling centre opera-tor, running centres under thename Brunswick or keeping theoriginal brands intact. Thenewer Brunswick Zones fea-ture amusement (including bil-liards) and redemption centres,among other attractions.

And finally, SB Develop-ments has applied for permis-sion to convert part of a bingohall in Londonderry city centreto an extended amusementarcade, according to the Lon-donderry Sentinel. The applica-tion relates to premises at 1 and2 Bank Place.

Planners and councillors arebeing asked to approve theapplication for a “part changeof use from bingo hall to exten-sion to amusement arcade.”

“Tenpin bowling locations are a primary setting for coin machine operations, somajor movements in that sector are of considerable interest to the amusementindustry. That Brunswick is getting out of tenpin bowling asks many questionsof a sector that has struggled in recent years.”

DAVID SNOOK, INTERGAME

On the heels of a scandal that con-tinues to shake the struggling dig-

ital currency, one importante-commerce company has bannedBitcoin, and a US court has stoppedthe sale of a major Bitcoin trading site.Though shaken, enthusiasts andbusiness people still hope that Bit-coin can find a home in onlinegaming.

After the February implosion ofBitcoin trading site Mt. Gox, thecrypto-currency seemed on the edgeof failure. Bitcoin was created in2009, and by December of 2013, eachwas worth a record $1,151. In Feb-ruary, Mt. Gox, a website created tosell “Magic: The Gathering” cards thathad become one of the largest Bit-coin traders, reported that the trad-ing of Bitcoins had been hacked, andshut down all trading. After that, thevalue of Bitcoins was more thanhalved. On February 25, the day thatMt. Gox announced they would haltall transactions, Bitcoins were wortharound $534. Their lowest valuesince the collapse of Mt.Gox wasaround $360 in April. Today, Bitcoinsare worth around $598. Now, an auc-tion of Mt.Gox-related site Bit-coins.com that was scheduled forlast week has been postponed.

Bitcoins.com, a website owned byMt. Gox’s former CEO Mark Karpe-les, was scheduled to have its domainname auctioned off by Heritage Auc-tions. The court order halting the salecomes from a lawsuit in which Mt.Gox is involved against former part-ner company, CoinLab.

CoinLab asserts that Mt. Gox stillowes money to the company, and byselling this domain name and otherassets, Mt. Gox will avoid giving Coin-Lab the money that is owed. MarshaPechman, a US federal judge, agrees,and granted an order delaying theauction for 14 days.

Along with the hit that Bitcoin’s

popularity took in the wake of theMt. Gox scandal, it has recently beenbanned by influential internet pay-ment service Neteller. Located on theIsle of Man, Neteller is one of the lead-ers in digital currency transactions,specifically when it comes to theonline gambling industry. The Isle ofMan itself has become a centre forBitcoin commerce, and while othercompanies have made no moves toban Bitcoin, and in fact are embrac-ing it, the island is making moves toregulate the digital currency so theisland can capitalise on it.

Though Neteller has moved toban Bitcoin, other companies havetaken to the digital currency. In theUS, the World Poker Network hasjoined with Betcoin Poker to createa Bitcoin-dedicated poker room forplayers. Players deposit Bitcoins intothe site’s system, converting theminto US dollars immediately andhaving no trouble withdrawingfunds when ready. This could eitherbecome a huge problem or a niceboon for the Bitcoin industry. As Bit-coin users lose places to make theirdigital transactions, they could turnto these poker sites as a method ofjust changing their Bitcoins to dol-lars and cashing out of the system.Conversely, this could also bringpeople into Bitcoins, providing anentry point through the poker sites.Of course, there is a chance that Bit-coin could prove too popular, andpaint itself into the corner of beingonly for gambling, failing to reach themainstream at all.

As commerce turns increasinglyonline, the troubled digital currencyBitcoin rests its hopes on onlinegambling. While the online gam-bling industry may be Bitcoin’s sav-iour, there is also the chance foronline gambling to force Bitcoininto a niche, keeping it out of themainstream.

Bitcoin continues topolarise opinion“According to an industry survey, only 30 per cent of mobile

gambling revenue is new/additional revenue for operators.”

TED MENMUIR, SBC NEWS

“A hacker in Australia has reportedly reconfigured an ATM toplay the first-person shooter videogame Doom. A YouTubeuser who goes by the name Aussie50 said he installed the 1993game’s software on an ATM and configured the buttons towork as controls. The newly configured system, whichincludes sound, seems to provide a fully functional videogame.”

HANK SCHLESINGER, VENDING TIMES

“Ladbrokes has employed a leading design agency in a bid tocreate a betting experience for the digital age. Ladbrokes iskeen to differentiate its stores from the myriad on the highstreet with a number of innovations including digital signage,free in-store wi-fi, mobile device chargers and the creation of a‘social hub’ in the centre of the shop where punters can watchlive sports. There are even plans afoot to waft in the smell ofturf to create an authentic atmosphere.”

STEPH NORBURY, COIN-OP COMMUNITY

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28 Coinslot August 8 - August 14, 2014

VEGAS DRAW

aming giant Novo-matic has confirmedits attendance at the

upcoming G2E in Las Vegas,with the company looking todemonstrate the results ofits increased focus on bothNorth and South America.This is the first full businessyear since Novomaticannounced the creation of aUS-based team, with thestaff in Florida and Illinoisforming the core of the com-pany’s local operators.The 2014 edition of G2E LasVegas will take place from 30September to 2 October,with Novomatic preparing todisplay a variety of new prod-ucts, including the NovoLinet Interactive presenta-tions and CoolfireT II range.

SPECIAL BEGE TICKETSON SALE NOW

embers of the gam-ing and amusementindustries are being

encouraged to book theirSpecial Visitor Packages forthe Balkan Entertainmentand Gaming Expo (BEGE). A

special rate is available forthese tickets, which alsoinclude entry to the EasternEuropean Gaming Summit.The summit takes place fromthe 20-21 October, 2014 andwill provide attendees theopportunity to meet busi-ness leaders from East andSouth Eastern Europe.

Meanwhile, BEGE’s seventhannual event begins on 21October, 2014 and con-cludes a day later. Bothevents are scheduled to takeplace in Bulgaria’s Inter ExpoCenter, where one luckyattendee will win a free spaholiday at the Park HotelOlymp in Velingrad.

Calendar

TO COMMENT ON ANY ARTICLE

Email: jw@sjc.co.uk8

AUGUST 201412-14Australasian GamingExpo Sydney Exhibition Centre, Syd-ney, Australia www.austgaming-expo.com

SEPTEMBER 20142-4Entertainment Arena Expo,Romexpo Fair Ground, Bucharest,Romania www.earena.ro2-4Playfair at SALTEX 2014 RoyalWindsor Racecourse, Windsor, UKwww.playfairuk.com23-25Euro Attractions Show,RAI Exhibition Centre, Amsterdam,Netherlands www.iaapa.org/eas24 Bingo Association Golf Dayand associated dinnerRedditch, Worcestershirewww.bingo-association.co.uk30-2 LIW 2014 NEC, Birmingham,UK www.liw.co.ukOCTOBER7-9Brand Licensing EuropeOlympia, London, UK www.brandli-censing.eu15-16The Autumn Coin OpShow Chelsea Football Club, London,UK www.coin-opshow.co.uk15-16Kiosk London Expo & Dig-ital Signage London Expo BarbicanCentre, London, UK www.kiosklon-don.co.uk / www.digitalsignagelon-don.co.uk15-17ENADA Rome Rome ExpoCentre, Rome, Italy www.enada.it16-17Surexpo Expo XXI Centre,Warsaw, Poland www.wigor-targi.com

EDITORIALEditor: Alex LeeEmail: al@sjc.co.uk Tel: 07772 280 299Assistant Editor:James Walker Email: jw@sjc.co.ukTel: 07816678021Managing Editor:Ken Scott Email: ks@sjc.co.ukTel: 01273 699 900ADVERTISING SALESKathryn NorrisEmail: knorris@gbmedia.euTel: 01204 396 397Fax: 01204 392 748SUBSCRIPTIONSSarah HaworthTel: 01204 396 397DIGITAL VERSIONMarc LawtonEmail: mlawton@gbmedia.euTel: 01204 396 397PRODUCTIONDesigner: Gina LloydEmail: gl@sjc.co.ukAd Production &Pre-Press:Dave RoderickEmail: gdk@sjc.co.ukPUBLISHERDirector: John SullivanGB Media Corporation Ltd,Bolton Technology Exchange,33 Queensbrook,Bolton, BL1 4AY Tel: 01204 396 397Fax: 01204 392 748

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Notes for contributors: Coinslotwelcomes the submission of articles forconsideration by the editor with a view topublication. Submission of an article wil lbe held to imply that the article containsoriginal unpublished work which GB MediaCorporation Ltd may lawfully publish. Allsubmissions are made at the owner’s risk.© GB Media Corporation Ltd, 2013All rights strictly reserved. No part of thispublication may be reproduced, stored ina retrieval system, or transmitted in anyform or by any means without the priorwritten permission given, full acknowl-edgement of author, publisher and sourcemust be given.

Keeping customers happy

G eaching businesseshow to please cus-tomers at every

step is the aim forEurope’s Customer Festi-val which is preparing forits 2014 edition. The multi-sector marketplace expois descending on Lon-don’s Business DesignCentre next month. Theevent has been runningfor 13 years, with a focuson all aspects of the cus-tomer journey with a

new-found focus onleisure, tourism and enter-tainment.

Over 1,000 customer-focussed executives froma variety of different sec-tors will be on hand toshare their expertise, withover 40 workshops,roundtables and intimatefireside chats planned forthe two day event.

Europe’s Customer fes-tival is scheduled to takeplace between 9-10 Sep-

tember, 2014. The showpromises to allow for 15hours of networking time,with the coin-op industryable to benefit frominsights into good cus-tomer practices, leisurestrategies and new pay-ment technology. Amongthe many confirmedattendees for the show arerepresentatives from pubretailer Greene King andonline betting company,Betsson.

T

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Newsweek

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