You may or may not know this, but the DVLA is selling your personal details to companies and other organisations without your permission.
All they need is to be registered with the DVLA - input your vehicle registration. Hey presto your name and address are given to the company.
Recently the Daily Mail and other newspapers have written about such companies and how it is believed that the DVLA is in breach of the Data Protection Act.
Some of the companies registered with the DVLA are run by convicted criminals.
The DVLA charges £2.50 per request.
No other Government Department or Agency has the right to sell information about you.
The Data Protection Agency is not happy, MPs are not happy but the DVLA is selling your details with the full backing of the Treasury and the Government.
There is a legal e-petition available for you to sign if you want to make your feelings known to the government. The petition dead line is 17th April 2007.
Full petition description for your information In some Tesco supermarket car-parks, all cars are photographed as they enterand again when they leave. The date & time at which each photograph is taken is recorded, and if the car has exceeded the free parking allowance, Tesco's computer sends a file of registration numbers to the DVLA.
The DVLA computer adds the name & address related to each registration, and sends the file back. Tesco then post a bill to the person who has over-stayed. I understand that the DVLA needs to know who owns a car, but this information is private, and should not be used for commercial purposes.
The petition description relates to Tesco, but big companies such asMcDonalds are using private car park enforcement companies who have registered with the DVLA to get your personal details.
There is a link below if you wish to sign the petition.
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Tescoparking/
Please feel free to pass this on to your friends and colleagues.
Reg Walker
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Sunday, April 08, 2007
UK casino plans scuppered further, Earls Court sale may be imminent, Games Warehouse Update + More News!
UK casino plans scuppered further
UK: The UK Government's plans to develop a regional casino have been further hit by existing operators who have lodged a legal complaint based on what they see as unfair treatment.
The British Casino Association was granted permission by the High Court to challenge regulations that treat the 140 existing casinos "significantly less favourably" than the 17 proposed new casinos to be licensed under the Gambling Act 2005.
The move comes less than a week after the House of Lords threw out the proposals for the introduction of the new casinos, although the one regional casino was the contentious issue in that case.
The BCA wants all casinos to be treated equally, especially in relation to the jackpots that slot machines can offer and the chance to host bingo and betting.
BCA chair Penny Cobham said: "We are extremely pleased that the judge has agreed with us that there is a case to answer and it is interesting that the government did not oppose our application.
"We have consistently argued that existing casinos would be unfairly treated under the terms of the Act through its inherent inequality and incoherence.
"The additional entitlements given to the 17 new casinos will seriously threaten many long-established businesses and jobs. All we are trying to do is ensure that our businesses and our customers are treated fairly."
The High Court hearing will be held before May 25 to allow time for legislative changes before the introduction of the new Gambling Act on September 1.
Earls Court sale may be imminent
UK: St James Capital is currently in talks with Chelsfield Partners, the UK property company, over the potential sale of the home of ATEI and ICE exhibitions, Earls Court, as well as the company's Olympia exhibition centre.
Chelsfield Partners is one of a number of interested parties that are believed to have approached the private property fund.
A spokesman for St James Capital said: "We're talking to a number of different parties, all of who share our vision for the business, but there are three potential options.
"One is a sale, another is a joint venture with a strategic partner and the third is a refinancing."
Property entrepreneurs Anthony Lyons, David Coffer and Simon Conway, who run St James Capital, bought the Earls Court and Olympia venues for £245m in 2004. The sites have been up for sale for around 18 months.
SA lottery ban sends costs spiralling
SOUTH AFRICA: The temporary suspension of the South African national lottery has resulted in rising costs that could run into hundreds of millions of rands, with as much as ZAR340m likely to be forfeited in earnings.
According to Trade and Industry Minister, Mandisi Mpahlwa, the lottery has been suspended following a court order setting aside the awarding of the new licence to Gidani, which now runs the risk of losing millions if a new decision does not favour it.
Mpahlwa dismissed the likelihood that the department would be liable for compensation from losing bidders and said: "The issue of compensation does not really arise. A decision was made that was set aside by a court. A new decision will have to be arrived at so there is no real basis to ask for compensation."
Mpahlwa is now pursuing legal avenues to operate the lottery in the interim without a licensed operator.
Silver service at Talarius
UK: The champagne corks have certainly been popping at Talarius recently, with five members of staff celebrating over 25 years’ continual service with the market leading AGC operator.
The quintet - comprising venue managers Carol Belcher, Tracie Beards, Lillian Townsend and Rita Maskell, together with supervisor Janet Webster - has recorded in excess of 125 years with the company.
Talarius CEO, Nick Harding commented: “For the majority of businesses I would say that it’s unusual to have a member of staff staying with a company for 25 years, so to have five stalwarts pass the landmark in a matter of months is nothing short of remarkable.
“You cannot overestimate the contribution they make to the company and their role in making our venues such an important part of their respective local communities.”
Each of the quintet received champagne, certificates, vouchers and gift baskets from CEO Nick Harding in two separate presentations staged in Milton Keynes and Woolwich.
Innovative Technology announces job losses
UK: Innovative Technology has announced that 59 permanent members of staff are to be made redundant.
Kevin Ashurst, managing director, said that 70 permanent jobs will remain in the UK including final assembly, product design, engineering, logistics and sales and marketing.
"For many years the company has been a world leader in the design and manufacture of best-value currency handling equipment. Over the last few years this position has been eroded" said Ashurst.
"This is owing to Innovative Technology's competitors manufacturing their products in low-cost countries and the changing business environment in the UK."
Israeli Tourism Minister backs casinos
ISRAEL: Newly appointed Israeli Tourism Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch has said that he is in favour of opening legal casinos in the countries and will actively promote the idea.
The retired police general said that legal casinos "could boost tourism, provide employment and help the local economy."
"If we take everything into account we can find the way to run a casino without bringing about negative affects," he said.
"We all know how many Israelis went to gamble in the casinos in Jericho and the off-shore casinos in Eilat. For years, scores of Israelis have been going abroad to gamble. We are better off keeping all that gambling money at home, in Israel."
Aharonovitch has also suggested that Israeli authorities should simplify the difficult process for Russian tourists to receive a visa to visit Israel.
"Israel has only 80,000 Russian tourists a year, while our neighbouring countries have millions," he said.
Games Warehouse rolls out software upgrade
UK: Games Warehouse of the UK has released its latest Paragon software upgrade, GamePack Smart 3.0.
Operators of the UK’s 8,000 plus Paragon terminals will receive upgrade disks for all their licensed terminals before the end of April. In addition to three new Paragon games, Cash Machine, Message in a Bottle and the improved Golden Boot II, the new software includes a Megatouch World icon, delivering the very best games from the proven Merit stable.
This feature is unique to Paragon and is seen as a huge competitive advantage for Paragon in terms of player appeal and familiarity. Sales and marketing director Tony Eyre said: “Since the launch of the Merit range in the UK, more than 12,000 units have been sold into the market.
“This is a huge level of penetration, greater than any other multigame terminal, so the level of awareness and acceptance among players must also be huge. Paragon will remain the only other coin-op platform to carry the Merit content going forward, so this is a major USP for the fastest growing product in the market.”
In addition, operators will for the first time be able to operate tournaments using their newly-enabled Paragon terminals. Merit’s Champ Edition software is built into GamePack Smart, allowing Paragon to operate in-house tournaments and participate in MegaTournament events.
G2E Asia sold out
MACAU: The organisers of G2E Asia, due to take place in Macau from June 13-14, have announced a sold-out show floor and an 80 per cent increase in exhibitor participation for the inaugural event over last year’s Asian Gaming Expo, which the G2E brand acquired in June 2006.
G2E Asia will showcase some of the world’s leading gaming manufacturers such as Aristocrat Technologies, Bally Technologies, Konami Australia, IGT Asia, Stargames and others. The show will be held at Macau Tower Convention and Entertainment Centre.
Excel develops waterproof pool table
UK: In light of the UK Government's decision to ban smoking in all public places from July this year, UK-based Excel Leisure has developed Rustic, an outdoor, waterproof pool table launched at the ATEI exhibition held in London in January.
Constructed from actual decking and finished with external quality plywood and internal weatherproofed slate supports, rubber coated corners to seal the joints, powder coated feet and weatherproofed cloth, the table is now in full production and doing well.
Excel Leisure said: "We have monitored the situation in Ireland over the last two years and have seen a growth in canopy covered outdoor areas to accommodate smokers. These outdoor areas have overhead heating for all year round use and we believe this situation will be mirrored in the UK after July.
When it came to the design of the table, we decided that because decking is already widely used outdoors, then its proven strength and weatherproof characteristics would stand it in good stead for a pool table. With rubber coated corners and Simonis 760 rainproof and non-fade protective cloth the table is complete."
Betonsports founder arrested
US: The founder of London-based gaming website Betonsports has been arrested and sent to the US to answer criminal charges, US officials have said.
Gary Stephen Kaplan was arrested in the Dominican Republic last week. In June last year, Kaplan was one of 11 people indicted on charges of racketeering, fraud, tax evasion and conspiracy.
Betonsports closed down its US operations in August 2006. The US had been the group's biggest market, delivering around 95 per cent of its profits.
Following his arrest at a hotel in Santo Domingo, Kaplan was sent by Dominican authorities to Puerto Rico for an initial appearance before a US magistrate.
Hai Wei turns to the west
CHINA: Hai Wei International Technology, a pioneer and leading manufacturer of amusement machines in China, is looking to expand into western markets.
The company is mainly engaged in researching, developing, producing and selling hi-tech electronic entertainment products. “We develop unique machines and PC boards,” a company spokesperson told InterGame. “People foremost, innovating with more care is the philosophy that we believe in.
“With a thorough understanding of market trends and fashions, we make remarkable machines to meet up the demands of various markets around the world. Our technology, originality, special effects and human resources make us the top gaming supplier in China.”
Hai Wei’s latest product, International Roulette, has received a lot of praise from around the world.
The company, which was founded in 1995, will be exhibiting at G2E Asia in Macau in June. There it will show its latest hi-tech products. “We look forward to seeing old and new friends on our stand at the Macau show,” said the spokesperson.
Andalucia show a resounding success
SPAIN: The Andalucia show took place in Malaga last week, now firmly established as Spain's 'second' show after the September FER in Madrid.
The show had around 150 exhibitors, nearly all of them Spanish, with plenty of British, Dutch, Austrian and German influence, putting out Spanish-regulation AWPs via distributors. That meant that that many of the industry's heavy hitters were in town, chasing the lucrative Spanish street market which sees 60,000 AWPs sold annually.
The complexity of Spanish laws is the main problem, with each of the 17 provinces retaining the right to homologate each new machine that comes into the region. Even within that, there are different regulations between the street market and arcades.
The latest of these regulations sees arcades in Andalucia now gaining the right to have machines paying out a top prize of €1,000.
German AWP legislation causing more headaches
GERMANY: Fresh detail on some of the specifications for AWPs in Germany is causing controversy between the manufacturers and the testing authority, the government-run PTB, which issued them on February 1.
The manufacturers’ association, the VDAI, some of the individual machine makers and the other organisations representing the industry challenged new requirements at a meeting with the authorities on March 1.
The ruling had been that all of the AWPs currently going through the testing procedure at PTB, plus any which were to be submitted, must have adjustments made so that the game system under which it operates displays to the player which category the machine falls into.
Cashpoint awarded Italian licences
ITALY: Sports betting company Cashpoint of Austria has been granted 84 licences to operate sports betting shops in the northern part of Italy.
The company’s new business manager, Udo Nickel, told InterGame that the licences were geographically ‘north of a line through Rome.’
Cashpoint will operate the shops in partnership with Italian company Sogema and has opened its own office in Milan under the management of Hannes Meyer to take control of the Italian business.
Madrid set to legalise video AWPs
SPAIN: Madrid, one of the last large-population jurisdictions in Spain yet to legalise video AWPs, will come into line with most of the country’s other provinces in November, it is confidently expected.
Before then, Castilla-La Mancha should come on line in May and Murcia, which has until now only permitted video AWPs in arcades, should fully open ‘before December.’ Other provinces are falling into place continuously.
Galicia will come in October and the Basque Country (currently only in arcades) will allow video AWPs in pubs this year too.
RS rolls out new basketball game
JAPAN: RS Co Ltd, previously River Service, of Japan has introduced Dream Shooter 2, a basketball game.
The company had previously developed a version of the game, but held back production until it was perfected. Now that it is, RS has one of the most competitive new sports games on the Japanese market.
It was released for the first time at the AOU show, in Tokyo in March, after extensive site testing in the Kumamoto area that showed income at a consistently high level.
Macquarie, PBL to buy Canadian casino operator
AUSTRALIA/CANADA: Australia's Macquarie Bank has teamed up with Publishing and Broadcasting Ltd to buy one of the largest casino operators in western Canada.
PBL, controlled by Australia's richest man, James Packer, and investment bank Macquarie said they had agreed to buy Canada's Gateway Casinos Income Fund for US$1.2bn.
The pair have formed a joint venture, New World Gaming, to buy the casino operator and its related private companies.
The deal forms Macquarie's second gaming investment following a successful joint bid for British amusement arcade firm Talarius with Australian gaming firm Tattersall's in November.
Commission lifts barriers on sports betting
EUROPE: The European Commission has taken action to remove obstacles to the free provision of sports betting services in Denmark, Finland and Hungary.
These countries have formally been requested to modify their legislation, and it they fail to do so within the next two months the EC could refer the case to the European Court of Justice.
eBet, eCash form technical solutions JV
AUSTRALIA: eBet and eCash Holdings have established a 50-50 joint venture company to provide a technical solution to an estimated 40,000 plus slots in New South Wales, Australia.
The companies will, subject to regulatory approval, supply ticket in, ticket out facilities for older slot machines not compatible with the standard technology. Following trials in Sydney, there appears to be widespread support from clubs and pubs for the introduction of TITO.
The opportunity for eBet and eCash arises from technical issues in the way TITO is implemented at the exclusion of older slot machines. Using an eBet gaming system and an eCash bill validator, the alternative solution will provide TITO functionality and be welcomed by operators of the 42,000 gaming machines connected to eBet systems in NSW.
With full smoking bans coming into effect on July 1, the total impact on gaming revenues is yet to be felt in NSW. Combined with recent capital expenditure programmes that clubs and pubs have undertaken in preparation for the bans, the ability to replace older-style slot machines may be out of reach of some venues in the short to medium term.
IMA expands show dates for 2008
GERMANY: The big German trade show, IMA, will switch to four-day opening in 2008.
The show, held in the Dusseldorf Messe in mid-January, was enormously successful this year, and the organiser, Reed Exhibitions in Germany, has been under some pressure to expand the dates by a day.
Source: IGI
UK: The UK Government's plans to develop a regional casino have been further hit by existing operators who have lodged a legal complaint based on what they see as unfair treatment.
The British Casino Association was granted permission by the High Court to challenge regulations that treat the 140 existing casinos "significantly less favourably" than the 17 proposed new casinos to be licensed under the Gambling Act 2005.
The move comes less than a week after the House of Lords threw out the proposals for the introduction of the new casinos, although the one regional casino was the contentious issue in that case.
The BCA wants all casinos to be treated equally, especially in relation to the jackpots that slot machines can offer and the chance to host bingo and betting.
BCA chair Penny Cobham said: "We are extremely pleased that the judge has agreed with us that there is a case to answer and it is interesting that the government did not oppose our application.
"We have consistently argued that existing casinos would be unfairly treated under the terms of the Act through its inherent inequality and incoherence.
"The additional entitlements given to the 17 new casinos will seriously threaten many long-established businesses and jobs. All we are trying to do is ensure that our businesses and our customers are treated fairly."
The High Court hearing will be held before May 25 to allow time for legislative changes before the introduction of the new Gambling Act on September 1.
Earls Court sale may be imminent
UK: St James Capital is currently in talks with Chelsfield Partners, the UK property company, over the potential sale of the home of ATEI and ICE exhibitions, Earls Court, as well as the company's Olympia exhibition centre.
Chelsfield Partners is one of a number of interested parties that are believed to have approached the private property fund.
A spokesman for St James Capital said: "We're talking to a number of different parties, all of who share our vision for the business, but there are three potential options.
"One is a sale, another is a joint venture with a strategic partner and the third is a refinancing."
Property entrepreneurs Anthony Lyons, David Coffer and Simon Conway, who run St James Capital, bought the Earls Court and Olympia venues for £245m in 2004. The sites have been up for sale for around 18 months.
SA lottery ban sends costs spiralling
SOUTH AFRICA: The temporary suspension of the South African national lottery has resulted in rising costs that could run into hundreds of millions of rands, with as much as ZAR340m likely to be forfeited in earnings.
According to Trade and Industry Minister, Mandisi Mpahlwa, the lottery has been suspended following a court order setting aside the awarding of the new licence to Gidani, which now runs the risk of losing millions if a new decision does not favour it.
Mpahlwa dismissed the likelihood that the department would be liable for compensation from losing bidders and said: "The issue of compensation does not really arise. A decision was made that was set aside by a court. A new decision will have to be arrived at so there is no real basis to ask for compensation."
Mpahlwa is now pursuing legal avenues to operate the lottery in the interim without a licensed operator.
Silver service at Talarius
UK: The champagne corks have certainly been popping at Talarius recently, with five members of staff celebrating over 25 years’ continual service with the market leading AGC operator.
The quintet - comprising venue managers Carol Belcher, Tracie Beards, Lillian Townsend and Rita Maskell, together with supervisor Janet Webster - has recorded in excess of 125 years with the company.
Talarius CEO, Nick Harding commented: “For the majority of businesses I would say that it’s unusual to have a member of staff staying with a company for 25 years, so to have five stalwarts pass the landmark in a matter of months is nothing short of remarkable.
“You cannot overestimate the contribution they make to the company and their role in making our venues such an important part of their respective local communities.”
Each of the quintet received champagne, certificates, vouchers and gift baskets from CEO Nick Harding in two separate presentations staged in Milton Keynes and Woolwich.
Innovative Technology announces job losses
UK: Innovative Technology has announced that 59 permanent members of staff are to be made redundant.
Kevin Ashurst, managing director, said that 70 permanent jobs will remain in the UK including final assembly, product design, engineering, logistics and sales and marketing.
"For many years the company has been a world leader in the design and manufacture of best-value currency handling equipment. Over the last few years this position has been eroded" said Ashurst.
"This is owing to Innovative Technology's competitors manufacturing their products in low-cost countries and the changing business environment in the UK."
Israeli Tourism Minister backs casinos
ISRAEL: Newly appointed Israeli Tourism Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch has said that he is in favour of opening legal casinos in the countries and will actively promote the idea.
The retired police general said that legal casinos "could boost tourism, provide employment and help the local economy."
"If we take everything into account we can find the way to run a casino without bringing about negative affects," he said.
"We all know how many Israelis went to gamble in the casinos in Jericho and the off-shore casinos in Eilat. For years, scores of Israelis have been going abroad to gamble. We are better off keeping all that gambling money at home, in Israel."
Aharonovitch has also suggested that Israeli authorities should simplify the difficult process for Russian tourists to receive a visa to visit Israel.
"Israel has only 80,000 Russian tourists a year, while our neighbouring countries have millions," he said.
Games Warehouse rolls out software upgrade
UK: Games Warehouse of the UK has released its latest Paragon software upgrade, GamePack Smart 3.0.
Operators of the UK’s 8,000 plus Paragon terminals will receive upgrade disks for all their licensed terminals before the end of April. In addition to three new Paragon games, Cash Machine, Message in a Bottle and the improved Golden Boot II, the new software includes a Megatouch World icon, delivering the very best games from the proven Merit stable.
This feature is unique to Paragon and is seen as a huge competitive advantage for Paragon in terms of player appeal and familiarity. Sales and marketing director Tony Eyre said: “Since the launch of the Merit range in the UK, more than 12,000 units have been sold into the market.
“This is a huge level of penetration, greater than any other multigame terminal, so the level of awareness and acceptance among players must also be huge. Paragon will remain the only other coin-op platform to carry the Merit content going forward, so this is a major USP for the fastest growing product in the market.”
In addition, operators will for the first time be able to operate tournaments using their newly-enabled Paragon terminals. Merit’s Champ Edition software is built into GamePack Smart, allowing Paragon to operate in-house tournaments and participate in MegaTournament events.
G2E Asia sold out
MACAU: The organisers of G2E Asia, due to take place in Macau from June 13-14, have announced a sold-out show floor and an 80 per cent increase in exhibitor participation for the inaugural event over last year’s Asian Gaming Expo, which the G2E brand acquired in June 2006.
G2E Asia will showcase some of the world’s leading gaming manufacturers such as Aristocrat Technologies, Bally Technologies, Konami Australia, IGT Asia, Stargames and others. The show will be held at Macau Tower Convention and Entertainment Centre.
Excel develops waterproof pool table
UK: In light of the UK Government's decision to ban smoking in all public places from July this year, UK-based Excel Leisure has developed Rustic, an outdoor, waterproof pool table launched at the ATEI exhibition held in London in January.
Constructed from actual decking and finished with external quality plywood and internal weatherproofed slate supports, rubber coated corners to seal the joints, powder coated feet and weatherproofed cloth, the table is now in full production and doing well.
Excel Leisure said: "We have monitored the situation in Ireland over the last two years and have seen a growth in canopy covered outdoor areas to accommodate smokers. These outdoor areas have overhead heating for all year round use and we believe this situation will be mirrored in the UK after July.
When it came to the design of the table, we decided that because decking is already widely used outdoors, then its proven strength and weatherproof characteristics would stand it in good stead for a pool table. With rubber coated corners and Simonis 760 rainproof and non-fade protective cloth the table is complete."
Betonsports founder arrested
US: The founder of London-based gaming website Betonsports has been arrested and sent to the US to answer criminal charges, US officials have said.
Gary Stephen Kaplan was arrested in the Dominican Republic last week. In June last year, Kaplan was one of 11 people indicted on charges of racketeering, fraud, tax evasion and conspiracy.
Betonsports closed down its US operations in August 2006. The US had been the group's biggest market, delivering around 95 per cent of its profits.
Following his arrest at a hotel in Santo Domingo, Kaplan was sent by Dominican authorities to Puerto Rico for an initial appearance before a US magistrate.
Hai Wei turns to the west
CHINA: Hai Wei International Technology, a pioneer and leading manufacturer of amusement machines in China, is looking to expand into western markets.
The company is mainly engaged in researching, developing, producing and selling hi-tech electronic entertainment products. “We develop unique machines and PC boards,” a company spokesperson told InterGame. “People foremost, innovating with more care is the philosophy that we believe in.
“With a thorough understanding of market trends and fashions, we make remarkable machines to meet up the demands of various markets around the world. Our technology, originality, special effects and human resources make us the top gaming supplier in China.”
Hai Wei’s latest product, International Roulette, has received a lot of praise from around the world.
The company, which was founded in 1995, will be exhibiting at G2E Asia in Macau in June. There it will show its latest hi-tech products. “We look forward to seeing old and new friends on our stand at the Macau show,” said the spokesperson.
Andalucia show a resounding success
SPAIN: The Andalucia show took place in Malaga last week, now firmly established as Spain's 'second' show after the September FER in Madrid.
The show had around 150 exhibitors, nearly all of them Spanish, with plenty of British, Dutch, Austrian and German influence, putting out Spanish-regulation AWPs via distributors. That meant that that many of the industry's heavy hitters were in town, chasing the lucrative Spanish street market which sees 60,000 AWPs sold annually.
The complexity of Spanish laws is the main problem, with each of the 17 provinces retaining the right to homologate each new machine that comes into the region. Even within that, there are different regulations between the street market and arcades.
The latest of these regulations sees arcades in Andalucia now gaining the right to have machines paying out a top prize of €1,000.
German AWP legislation causing more headaches
GERMANY: Fresh detail on some of the specifications for AWPs in Germany is causing controversy between the manufacturers and the testing authority, the government-run PTB, which issued them on February 1.
The manufacturers’ association, the VDAI, some of the individual machine makers and the other organisations representing the industry challenged new requirements at a meeting with the authorities on March 1.
The ruling had been that all of the AWPs currently going through the testing procedure at PTB, plus any which were to be submitted, must have adjustments made so that the game system under which it operates displays to the player which category the machine falls into.
Cashpoint awarded Italian licences
ITALY: Sports betting company Cashpoint of Austria has been granted 84 licences to operate sports betting shops in the northern part of Italy.
The company’s new business manager, Udo Nickel, told InterGame that the licences were geographically ‘north of a line through Rome.’
Cashpoint will operate the shops in partnership with Italian company Sogema and has opened its own office in Milan under the management of Hannes Meyer to take control of the Italian business.
Madrid set to legalise video AWPs
SPAIN: Madrid, one of the last large-population jurisdictions in Spain yet to legalise video AWPs, will come into line with most of the country’s other provinces in November, it is confidently expected.
Before then, Castilla-La Mancha should come on line in May and Murcia, which has until now only permitted video AWPs in arcades, should fully open ‘before December.’ Other provinces are falling into place continuously.
Galicia will come in October and the Basque Country (currently only in arcades) will allow video AWPs in pubs this year too.
RS rolls out new basketball game
JAPAN: RS Co Ltd, previously River Service, of Japan has introduced Dream Shooter 2, a basketball game.
The company had previously developed a version of the game, but held back production until it was perfected. Now that it is, RS has one of the most competitive new sports games on the Japanese market.
It was released for the first time at the AOU show, in Tokyo in March, after extensive site testing in the Kumamoto area that showed income at a consistently high level.
Macquarie, PBL to buy Canadian casino operator
AUSTRALIA/CANADA: Australia's Macquarie Bank has teamed up with Publishing and Broadcasting Ltd to buy one of the largest casino operators in western Canada.
PBL, controlled by Australia's richest man, James Packer, and investment bank Macquarie said they had agreed to buy Canada's Gateway Casinos Income Fund for US$1.2bn.
The pair have formed a joint venture, New World Gaming, to buy the casino operator and its related private companies.
The deal forms Macquarie's second gaming investment following a successful joint bid for British amusement arcade firm Talarius with Australian gaming firm Tattersall's in November.
Commission lifts barriers on sports betting
EUROPE: The European Commission has taken action to remove obstacles to the free provision of sports betting services in Denmark, Finland and Hungary.
These countries have formally been requested to modify their legislation, and it they fail to do so within the next two months the EC could refer the case to the European Court of Justice.
eBet, eCash form technical solutions JV
AUSTRALIA: eBet and eCash Holdings have established a 50-50 joint venture company to provide a technical solution to an estimated 40,000 plus slots in New South Wales, Australia.
The companies will, subject to regulatory approval, supply ticket in, ticket out facilities for older slot machines not compatible with the standard technology. Following trials in Sydney, there appears to be widespread support from clubs and pubs for the introduction of TITO.
The opportunity for eBet and eCash arises from technical issues in the way TITO is implemented at the exclusion of older slot machines. Using an eBet gaming system and an eCash bill validator, the alternative solution will provide TITO functionality and be welcomed by operators of the 42,000 gaming machines connected to eBet systems in NSW.
With full smoking bans coming into effect on July 1, the total impact on gaming revenues is yet to be felt in NSW. Combined with recent capital expenditure programmes that clubs and pubs have undertaken in preparation for the bans, the ability to replace older-style slot machines may be out of reach of some venues in the short to medium term.
IMA expands show dates for 2008
GERMANY: The big German trade show, IMA, will switch to four-day opening in 2008.
The show, held in the Dusseldorf Messe in mid-January, was enormously successful this year, and the organiser, Reed Exhibitions in Germany, has been under some pressure to expand the dates by a day.
Source: IGI
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