Gaming and Casino Industrial News 17.3.2009 all over the world

17.03.2009, Gtech Rocks Licensing Agreement with Aerosmith - Youbet Launches Conditional Wagering - Lotto Could Help Fund Glasgow 2014 Games - Lottomatica Shows Strength in Fourth Quarter - WPT Brings Tour to Italy - Casino Closures Not a Problem, Moscow Deputy Mayor Says

Gtech Rocks Licensing Agreement with Aerosmith
Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler and his rock band’s brand power now will be used not to fill amphitheaters but to sell lottery games.

Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler and his rock band’s brand power now will be used not to fill amphitheaters but to sell lottery games.

Gtech Corporation has signed a multi-year licensing agreement to use the legendary band’s image. The Rhode Island-based company said it will employ the brand to innovate lottery games across all channels as well as use exclusive Aerosmith merchandise and V.I.P. concert tickets as prizes.

“Knowing that Aerosmith's music has a huge multi-generational demographic fan base, we are confident that the brand, the music, and the value-added merchandise and experiential prizes will provide our customers an opportunity to drive revenue with innovative and fun lottery games,” said Ross Dalton, Gtech's senior vice president of Printed Products and Licensed Content, in a company statement.

“With the band set to release a new album and go back on tour, this year represents a unique opportunity for our lottery customers worldwide to take advantage of this mega brand,” Mr. Dalton added.

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Youbet Launches Conditional Wagering
California-based Youbet.com Inc. releases a new feature that gives customers the ability to set multiple parameters in terms of odds, payoff or timing of a bet.

California-based Youbet.com Inc. has unveiled a new feature for Youbet Express that allows customers to set multiple parameters in terms of odds, payoff or timing of a bet.

Announced on Monday, the new conditional wagering system lets customers set minimum acceptable odds on “Win” wagers with a sole betting interest, and minimum probable payoffs on straight “Daily Double”, “Exacta” and “Quinella” wagers.

“Conditional wagering is exactly the kind of innovative feature that our customers have come to expect from Youbet,” said David Goldberg, the company’s chief operating officer, in a company statement.

According to Youbet, customers also decide at what time before post the bet should be entered.

“With conditional wagering, customers will no longer have to monitor the toteboard to wager at multiple tracks,” added Mr. Goldberg. “They can now place their bets in advance, obtain fair odds and avoid wagering on overbet horses.”

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Lotto Could Help Fund Glasgow 2014 Games
The National Lottery has been asked to raise money for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, The Herald reports.

The National Lottery has been asked to raise money for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, The Herald reports.

“Dedicated lottery games have already secured serious sums of funding for the London Olympics,” Shona Robison, the country’s minister for public health and sport, told The Herald. “I want to ensure Scotland gets its fair share.”

According to the newspaper, the Scottish government wants to use scratchcards to raise money, which mirrors a similar fund-raising scheme the National Lottery set up for the London Olympic Games using lottery tickets, scratchcards and online games.

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Lottomatica Shows Strength in Fourth Quarter
Lottomatica S.p.A.’s 50 percent year-over-year revenue spike in its fourth quarter provided a boost to its full year results.

Lottomatica S.p.A.’s 50 percent year-over-year revenue spike in its fourth quarter provided a boost to its full year results.

The Italian lottery and betting company posted full-year revenues of 2.06 billion euros - - up more than 24 percent. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization for the year increased by 8 percent to 756 million euros, which was impacted by the company’s growth in the Italian market.

In the fourth quarter, revenues were up 50 percent and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization increased by 15 percent when compared to the same period in 2007.

Driven by product sales in the United Kingdom and Finland, Gtech, a subsidiary of Lottomatica, grew its fourth quarter revenues by 78 percent. The company reported revenues of 385.8 million euros for 2008.

“Our performance in the fourth quarter of 2008 gives us confidence in the resiliency of our businesses, particularly during these uncertain economic times,” said Stefano Bortoli, the company’s chief financial officer, in the earnings statement. “These results, and our overall annual growth, reflect our intensified focus on financial discipline, cost control and cash management.”

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WPT Brings Tour to Italy
Venice will host Italy’s first World Poker Tour, as WPT Enterprises Inc. teams up with Bwin Interactive Entertainment A.G. bringing the tour to the region.

Venice will host Italy’s first World Poker Tour, as WPT Enterprises Inc. teams up with Bwin Interactive Entertainment A.G. bringing the tour to the region.

From May 6 to May 10, Casino di Venezia will be teeming with competitiveness as the tour crowns its first Venice champion, who will gain a WPT Venice bracelet as well as a spot in the 2010 World Poker Tour Championship.

According to WPT Enterprises, all the action will be filmed and broadcasted at a later date on Bwin’s Web-TV.

“We’re thrilled to launch our first ever brick-and-mortar WPT tournament offering in Italy,” said Steve Lipscomb, WPT founder, in a company statement. “Bwin is a strong partner with the right market position in the region.”

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Casino Closures Not a Problem, Moscow Deputy Mayor Says
Sergei Baidakov, Moscow’s deputy mayor, believes the closure of local casinos will have little effect on the local economy, reports RIA Novosti.

Sergei Baidakov, Moscow’s deputy mayor, believes the closure of local casinos will have little effect on the local economy, reports RIA Novosti.

“The closure of casinos and amusement arcades will not be an insurmountable problem for the city's economy,” Mr. Baidakov told the Russian press agency. “The budget may lose around 5.5 billion rubles, which is 0.55 percent of its revenue.”

In 2007, a bill passed in Russia’s parliament to shut down casinos in major cities across the country by the summer. The plan for industry members was to close Moscow and St. Petersburg casinos by July and create four gambling areas, including plans to construct a whole Vegas-like city near the Azov Sea.

Mr. Baidakov also told RIA Novosti that the number of casinos in the city already has shrank from 2,800 in 2007 to just 32.

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--- Ende Artikel / Pressemitteilung Gaming and Casino Industrial News 17.3.2009 all over the world ---


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