Inside Asian Gaming

November 2014 inside asian gaming 45 The Las Vegas-based slots and systems giant, which bought SHFL for $1.3 billion in 2013 and was itself acquired by Scientific Games earlier this year for $5.1 billion, reported a 22% increase in adjusted earnings per share to $1.17, also a record (75 cents, diluted, for GAAP purposes), on pre-tax earnings that grew 34% to a first-quarter record of $116 million. Bally still trades independently on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol BYI. The company sold 4,744 EGMs during the quarter at an average price per unit of $17.767, a 9% increase year on year. Forty-four percent of those sales occurred outside the US, more than double the share achieved in the same period in 2013. Revenues from operations, mainly licensed games and wide- area progressive systems, was up $4 million year on year to $106 million. Systems sales dipped $2 million to $74 million. entity is known, is partnering with STJ Golden Island Investments, which is affiliated with HW, on a $300 million resort whose plans also call for a golf course, villas and other leisure attractions. Alter City, which is incorporated in the Northern Marianas, has asked the government there for a lease on 152 hectares that had been earmarked at one time for a similarly sized gaming resort proposed by another developer but never built. The Tinian government supports the application, the Saipan Tribune says, and has petitioned the commonwealth’s legislature for a quick approval of the lease. For SKYCITY, New Year Starts Strong Auckland and Australia helped SKYCITY Entertainment overcome softness elsewhere in its home market of New Zealand and drove revenue growth of 6% for the first three months of the 2015 financial year. Revenue hit NZ$250.3 million for the quarter ended 30th September, mainly on the strength of the company’s SKYCITY Auckland flagship, where revenues increased 12% year on year to $143.1 million on robust performance from the international (+41%) and non-gaming segments (+17.6%) of the business. The take from the resort’s 1,600 machine games and 100 live tables was up 5.4%. In all, international business for the five-casino group was up 55% year on year. Chief Executive Nigel Morrison said, “We continue to see strong growth from Chinese players, our core target market for the VIP side of our business, which is not only great news for SKYCITY, but also for local businesses and tourism operators, contributing to local economic growth.” Casinos in Hamilton and Queenstown didn’t fare so well, down a combined 7.3% to $15.7 million, but the Australian casinos in Adelaide and Darwin were up a combined 3.5% to A$83 million. Adelaide is in the midst of a A$300 million expansion and more than NZ$500 million is being reinvested in the complex in Auckland to add more gaming and a third hotel with 300 five-star rooms as part of an agreement with New Zealand’s largest city to fund construction of a new convention center. SKYCITY is traded on the New Zealand and Australian stock exchanges under the ticker SKC. Bally Hits Quarterly Revenue Record SHFL entertainment helped Bally Technologies achieve a 19% increase in new unit sales for the quarter ended 30th September. Total revenues were up 29% to a record US$321 million, with SHFL’s utility products and proprietary table games contributing $61 million. “With SHFL in the mix, we grew our international new-unit sales by 168%, further driving our global presence,” said Chief Executive Richard Haddrill. INTERNATIONAL BRIEFS SKYCITY Auckland Atari Sets November Debut for Web Casino Video game pioneer Atari will launch a free-to-play social casino this month with a view to moving into real-money remote gambling. Atari Jackpots, as it’s called, will go live on Facebook and as a stand-alone Web site and will be available in both desktop and iOS- Android mobile versions with a mix of casino games and updated versions of the company’s iconic catalogue, including Pong and Asteroids. The casino is designed in partnership with FlowPlay, the Seattle, Wash., developer of popular browser-based multi-platform offerings VegasWorld and ourWorld, the latter claiming more than 30 million players. Atari emerged from a bankruptcy reorganization last year under new CEO Fred Chesnais with a strategy that aims to resurrect the legendary brand’s fortunes by focusing on the mobile and online markets. Gambling figures prominently in the plan and is expected to involve tie-ups with established players in the space geared to leveraging Atari’s still considerable name value.