Inside Asian Gaming

INSIDE ASIAN GAMING | June 2008 56 G ermany’s Atronic Group, a supplier of slot games and gaming management systems, has been purchasedbyUS-basedGTECHCorporation. The move is viewed as a timely strategic alliance as gaming equipment suppliers move from being regional players to truly global ones. Gerhard Burda, Senior Vice President GTECHGaming Solutions & CEO Atronic, explains the thinking behind the move. IAG: Why did GTECH decide to acquire Atronic? Mr Burda:Over the past 15 years, Atronic has successfully positioned itself as a leading global provider of casino games and services. Today, Atronic games entertain and excite players in 91 countries worldwide. With the backing of its former parent company, the Gauselmann Group, Atronic was able to reach out to theworld’s fastest-growinggaming markets, providing an impressive portfolio of exciting games, platforms andcabinetstyles.Theever-increasing race for more game titles, advanced technologies and the shift from a platform-centric to a content-centric business environment, required further growth beyond the support of the Gauselmann Group, especially since Atronic´s main competitors have been publicly-traded companies with access to the international capital markets. A reviewof potential strategic partners began in 2003, and soon GTECH Corporation was identified as the perfect fit. GTECH is a leading gaming technology and services company, providing innovative technology, creative content, and superior service delivery. Together with its wholly owned subsidiary, Spielo, GTECH perfectly complements Atronic’s product and services offerings. Why was the deal done now? A purchase agreement between Gauselmann Group and GTECH Corporation was signed in November 2004, but we needed approval from the various North American jurisdictions, including the important market of Nevada, and those approval processes concluded in May 2008. What positive impact will the deal have on the delivery of Atronic’s goods and services? Size Matters Bigger is often better in an increasingly globalised gaming equipment market Atronic