Inside Asian Gaming

INSIDE ASIAN GAMING | March 2010 18 Winner: 5 Dragons Aristocrat’s 5 Dragons first burst onto the casino scene in 2004, but has consistently proved to be a winner with players and operators, especially in Asia. Aristocrat hasn’t rested on its laurels either—5 Dragons has been constantly updated to add fresh value for players and is now packaged in Aristocrat’s Mark VI cabinet. The 5-reel video slot game machine themed on Chinese history was consistently rated highly by the judges under every criteria heading, making it a clear winner against very worthy opponents from other suppliers. The judges commented in particular on the winning combination of 5 Dragons’revenue performance and Aristocrat’s flexibility on cost. Honourable Mention: IGT – Treasures of Troy Operators and players like the value created by IGT’s Treasures of Troy. The title of the game hints at the riches hidden below the surface, just like in the real ancient city. Treasures of Troy looks at first inspection similar to a 5-reel game, but closer examination shows there are five columns of four rows, making it a 20-reel, 40-line game. In addition to being a 40-line game, Treasures of Troy also has an option to buy into a MultiWay® feature, which gives players an additional 1,024 ways to win when they double their wager. Best Linked Progressive Game Just as the divisions between standalone and linked games may blur over time as the floor becomes a network rather than discrete zones of product, so the divisions between volatile and progressive games may also become less distinct as the industry develops. There’s already evidence in the Macau market that many of the most popular linked progressive games— while retaining Supplier Awards the attractive accumulated jackpots that appeal to mass market players—also have significant volatility in their bonusing and in their award of smaller jackpots. Winner: Aristocrat – Fa Fa Fa Fa Fa Fa is an Asian-themed Hyperlink, launched into the region’s markets on Aristocrat’s Viridian cabinet in the autumn of 2008. It includes three of Aristocrat’s strongest performing games in Asian markets—Choy Sun Doa, 50 Dragons and 5 Dragons. In March last year, Wynn Macau and MGM Grand Macau reported that Fa Fa Fa’s performance was already exceeding that of Aristocrat’s classic hit Cash Express among mass-market players. Honourable Mention: Bally – Blazing 7s Hot Shot Asian players love the value for money provided by the spectacular free games in Blazing 7s Hot Shot. Those free games are truly random, being triggered at low bet multiples as well as high and max bet levels. The original Blazing 7s concept goes back more than three decades to the 1970s. But the idea has been brought bang up to date for the digital age. Modern versions including the seven-reel Blazing 7s on Bally’s CineVision wide- screen video format, and the five-reel blazers on Blazing 7s Hot Shot progressives. Best Multi-Player Game Operators in key Asian markets such as Macau, Korea and now Singapore are juggling with the issue of how to maintain profitability in table gaming when faced with high local labour costs relative to the neighbouring markets from where they draw their custom. It seems unlikely (for the time being) that automated or semi- automated multi-player games can be used to build profitability in the high volume but generally low margin Asian VIP baccarat market, given that segment’s general dependence on middle men to bring in players. Multi-players are, however, a key component in the mass segment. There are a number of reasons for this. First, they can be used to draw in new customers—especially less seasoned baccarat, sic bo or roulette players who wish to learn the games. Second, they can offer players bet combinations not available or hard to calculate in traditional table gaming, such as ante bets on sic bo or side bets on baccarat. Third, they can provide instant calculations on results and commissions that prevent revenue leakage for the operator. Fourth, and by no means unluckily, they can improve operator margins either by removing the need for a well paid dealer, or by offering a hybrid system that can Nominees: Manufacturer Title Aristocrat 5 Dragons (MK6) Bally Quick Hit Platinum IGT Treasures of Troy IGT Wolf Run WMS Great Wall of China Nominees: Manufacturer Title Aristocrat 5 Dragons Aristocrat Fa Fa Fa Aristocrat Cash Express (MK6) Bally Blazing 7s Hot Shot IGT Wheel of Fortune 5 Dragons Blazing 7s Hot Shot Fa Fa Fa Treasures of Troy