Inside Asian Gaming

INSIDE ASIAN GAMING | March 2012 46 International Briefs Briefs Bally and Aristocrat team up to strengthen B2B online solutions Two of the leading suppliers of slot games and casino- management systems in the United States, Bally Technologies and Aristocrat Technologies Inc., announced a strategic alliance aimed at the emergence of legalised internet gaming in the US. Bally and Aristocrat plan to offer the same third-party poker networks as part of their business-to-business (B2B) internet- gaming solutions for US operators. Working together, the companies will be better able to more quickly and effectively offer attractive and credible online poker games that will provide stronger player experiences and functionality and greater poker liquidity for both Bally and Aristocrat’s casino-operator customers. Both companies are offering iGaming platforms with an integration to their back-end core system solutions, while providing operators with the flexibility to choose best-in-class applications from multiple suppliers around the world; Bally through its recently announced acquisition of Chiligaming’s iGaming platform, and Aristocrat through its exclusive collaboration with GameAccount Network. Under the strategic alliance, Bally and Aristocrat will secure arrangements with leading poker providers, who will then be integrated into Bally’s and Aristocrat’s iGaming platforms. Advanced discussions with several poker providers are currently underway. In addition, in anticipation of further legalisation of internet gaming in the US market, the companies plan to share their distinctive slot content for online deployment in the US. These titles will initially be made available for free play and eventually wagering when legalised. Richard Haddrill, Chief Executive Officer of Bally Technologies, said customers are looking to provide online poker for their players when the market opens and are looking to their trusted suppliers to help them do so. “By teaming up, Bally and Aristocrat can source and integrate with the strongest online poker product, specifically tailored for this market, which can help our customers maintain their leadership position in both land-based and online gaming,”Mr Haddrill said. Jamie Odell, Chief Executive Officer of Aristocrat Technologies, said that while Aristocrat and Bally will compete to provide their customers with the best gaming systems and outstanding content, the mutual backing and support for online poker games will provide greater confidence for operator customers. “Access to the proven slot content from both Bally and Aristocrat will allow gaming operators to create a compelling experience as legalised online gaming emerges in the United Richard Haddrill States,”Mr Odell said. Bally Technologies and Aristocrat Technologies have already applied to the Nevada Gaming Control Board for the required extension to their existing Nevada licences to act as interactive gaming suppliers. Nevada Probes Junket Operators According to a Dow Jones Newswires report, Nevada state regulators are stepping up scrutiny of the relationships between Nevada-licensed casinos and the groups that bring gamblers from China to their casinos in Macau amid claims by a union and others that regulators aren’t doing enough to supervise casino operators that reap the bulk of their earnings in Macau. Mark Lipparelli, chairman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board, said in an interview that outside junket operators, which receive commissions from casinos for their work, are “becoming an area of increased attention for us.” The International Union of Operating Engineers union, which has around 1,000 members in Nevada, called on the state’s regulators to investigate one of Macau’s biggest junket operators, Neptune Group Ltd. It alleged the company has a “deep and continuing relationship” with an organised crime leader, citing documents they said are culled from corporate registries, court records, newspaper reports and a US Senate hearing. Neptune didn’t respond to requests for comment. The union, which is negotiating a new contract with MGM Resorts, has been posting and analysing publicly available documents about junket operators on a website called CasinoLeaks-Macau. It is unclear what effect any US regulatory action would have on companies keen to capitalise on Asia’s gambling growth. New Jersey regulators several years ago demanded MGM Resorts cut ties with its Macau partner, which they alleged had links to organised crime. The company and its partner denied any links, but withdrew from New Jersey. Nevada gaming revenues top US$1 billion in January For the first time in more than three years, Nevada casinos have collected more than US$1 billion in gaming revenues in a single month, reports the Las Vegas Review-Journal . The lucrative Chinese New Year celebration fell in January this year as opposed to February last year, and sawNevada casinos collect more than US$1.038 billion from gamblers during the month. That was an 18.4% increase over January 2011 and the state’s first billion- dollar month since September 2008, some 40 months ago. On the Strip, casinos saw gaming revenues increase more than 29%, collecting more than $623.5 million from customers. The Strip’s numbers were helped by $365.2 million collected from table games, the single highest revenue month in the state’s history for wagering from baccarat, blackjack, craps, roulette and other games. The figures, released by the Gaming Control Board, also showed marked improvement in areas outside the Strip. For the first time