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| Vol. 33 No. 10-- Monday December 5, 2005 |
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WEST GREENWICH, Rhode Island, USA (December 1, 2005) -- GTECH Holdings Corporation (NYSE: GTK) was recently named Corporation of the Year by the Florida Department of Management Services, Office of Supplier Diversity, for its subcontracting of registered minority- and women-owned businesses in support of the Florida Lottery’s operations. GTECH received the award at the Florida Matchmaker 2005 Conference and Trade Fair held in Orlando last month. Matchmaker is an economic development forum for small minority businesses, Florida government purchasing representatives, and private industry to share ideas and develop new business partnerships. “GTECH is honored to receive the Corporation of the Year award because it recognizes our commitment to diversity, and to the minority business community in the State of Florida,” said W. Bruce Turner, GTECH President and CEO. “In addition to purchasing millions of dollars in goods and services from minority firms, we are also providing a wide range of support services to the Florida Lottery and facilitating strategic partnerships with our suppliers.”
“GTECH’s Florida office works with dozens of minority- and women-owned businesses around the state to provide various products and services to help support our operations with the Florida Lottery,” said Bryan Colbert, GTECH Account Development Manager. “This award is a tribute to our employees in Florida who work hard to achieve our supplier diversity goals and our supplier partners who share our commitment to inclusion, quality, and innovation.” Through its minority vendor subcontracts, GTECH is able to meet its supplier diversity commitments to the Florida Lottery and the State of Florida. The products and services provided under GTECH’s minority- and women-owned business program include terminal installation, printing, promotional products, travel, office supplies, and temporary personnel. “Governor Bush has challenged state agency managers and purchasing agents to look for new and innovative ways to expand diversity in state contracting and to increase opportunities for all Florida businesses. The State of Florida relies heavily on the private sector to help set higher standards to increase supplier diversity,” said Windell Paige, Director of the Office of Supplier Diversity for the State of Florida. “We are proud and encouraged to have a responsible corporate partner such as GTECH demonstrating its commitment to diversity and serving as an example for others to follow.” About GTECH (http://www.gtech.com) GTECH is a leading gaming technology and services company. With more than $1.25 billion in annual revenues and 5,300 people in over 50 countries, GTECH provides integrated technology, creative content, and business services to effectively manage and grow today’s evolving gaming markets. In targeted emerging economies, GTECH also leverages its operational presence and infrastructure to supply commercial transaction processing services. For more information about the Company, please visit GTECH’s website at http://www.gtech.com. SOURCE: GTECH Holdings Corporation media
release. INTRALOT Substantially Increases Stake in Turkish Betting Market ATHENS, Greece (November 29, 2005) -- INTRALOT has proceeded to an agreement to acquire a 20% stake in the Turkish Sports Betting operator INTELTEK. With the completion of this agreement, INTRALOT will increase its stake in the company from 25% to 45%. INTELTEK has the exclusive contract to manage sports Betting in the country for eight (8) years on behalf of Sportoto, the Turkish Organization for sports betting. In 2005, which is actually the first year of full operation of Betting in Turkey, the game's turnover is expected to surpass $850 million. Since August 2005, the game is offered through a network of 4,000 points of sale, which will expand further within 2006. The expansion of the sales network, the increasing publicity of games through the media, and players' continuously increasing interest in the game are expected to enhance the penetration of Betting in the next years. INTRALOT's CEO, Constantinos Antonopoulos, stated: "The increase of our participation in INTELTEK strengthens the presence of the INTRALOT Group in the promising Turkish gaming market and is expected to offer the Group increased participation in future earnings from the management of sports betting games in the country. INTRALOT's investment in INTELTEK will be the largest investment a Greek company has ever undertaken in the neighboring country."
The amount to be paid is € 67 million, while the agreement is subject to approvals from the Turkish authorities. About INTRALOT (www.intralot.com). INTRALOT, a public company listed on the ASE, is a leading supplier of integrated gaming and transaction processing systems, innovative game content and value added services to state-licensed gaming organizations worldwide. It’s broad portfolio of products & services, its know-how of Lottery, Betting & Video Lottery operations, its experience in sports games and its leading-edge technology, give INTRALOT a competitive advantage, which contributes directly to customers’ efficiency, profitability and growth. With 33 subsidiaries, 8 business offices and more than 1,900 people in 32 countries and revenues of €500 million for 2005(E), INTRALOT’s footprint straddles five continents. SOURCE: INTRALOT media release.
Right off the Vegas Strip, The Palms has taken Vegas by storm since it opened in 2001 and gained world-wide notoriety when it became home to MTV's "Real World" a couple of years ago. Since then, it has been the "IN" place for celebrities and jetsetters and has become known as the place to "see and be seen."
"Nothing says Vegas like The Palms!" said Steve Saferin, MDI President. "Lotteries tell us all the time that they want to attract a younger, hipper adult audience. That's exactly the group of players that want to win a trip to The Palms and we are excited to be able to continue to offer these prizes." Through MDI's exclusive agreement with this property, lotteries can offer players a four-day, three-night true "High Roller Experience" with personal VIP attention, plush accommodations in one of the resort’s lavish suites, limo rides, food credits, front-of-line passes for the resort's dazzling nightclubs, gambling credits and more. In addition, the hit reality show Celebrity Poker Showdown, another MDI property, is filmed at The Palms enabling MDI to offer lotteries games with prizes that include VIP/backstage passes to the show’s taping and a seat in the audience.
Since it's opening, The Palms has won 17 "Best of Vegas" awards including Best Paying Slots, Best Place to Play Slots, Best Nightclubs and Best Restaurants. In May, the resort embarked on a $600 million expansion including a 2,200 seat showroom, a 50-story condo hotel and spa, a recording studio and a new swimming pool. About Scientific Games Scientific Games Corporation (www.scientificgames.com) is the leading integrated supplier of instant tickets, systems and services to lotteries, and the leading supplier of wagering systems and services to pari-mutuel operators. It is also a licensed pari-mutuel gaming operator in Connecticut and the Netherlands, and is a leading supplier of prepaid phone cards to telephone companies. MDI Entertainment, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Scientific Games Corporation, is the worldwide leader in licensed lottery games and promotions. SOURCE: MDI Entertainment media
release. Svenska Spel to Take Over Bingo Halls Article from Sweden By: Göran Wessberg STOCKHOLM, Sweden (November 24, 2005) -- Last week 18 of the 100 bingo halls in Sweden signed a contract with Svenska Spel which will take over the administration of the gaming activities at their places. More bingo halls may follow in these footsteps. Bingo has been very popular in Sweden for the last 40 years with a turnover of 200 million euro annually but has seen a decline in sales recently. Local Swedish sports benefit from the revenue of the bingo halls. They have been worried that they will receive less money for their activities and are therefore backing this takeover.
Svenska Spel has had a close cooperation with the Swedish Bingo Alliance - Swebico - for the last five years since Parliament decided the lottery could install 500 video lottery terminals (VLTs) on top of the 7 000 that already existed if they were located to the bingo halls - a maximum of 5 in each. The profit from these machines named Miss Vegas has been channeled to Swedish sport. Svenska Spel will invest 20 million US dollar to modernize and refurbish the 18 bingo halls with a modern design and offer the visitors new games. Beside the traditional bingo varieties you will also be able to participate in the very popular interactive bingo that Svenska Spel has on its website. Jesper Kärrbrink, CEO Svenska Spel comments: "I am looking forward to working closer together with the bingo halls and the Swedish Bingo Movement. Thus we will be able to assist in financing and supporting local sports clubs. At the same time we can make use of our work with Corporate Social Responsibility and increase the responsible gaming awareness in this environment. This I think is very important and very inspiring." Svenska Spel already operates draw games, scratch tickets, sports betting, interactive gaming, VLTs and casinos. SOURCE: Göran Wessberg, Consultant. Are You A Collector of Lottery Tickets and Related Memorabilia? MISSOURI, USA (November 14, 2005) -- Do you collect Lottery tickets and related memorabilia? If so, you might want to join the Global Lottery Collector’s Society!
The Global Lottery Collector’s Society (GLCS) is an international club of approximately 400 Lotologists - people who collect and trade lottery tickets and memorabilia. The group was formed in 1989, when two men, one from New Jersey and one from Pennsylvania, contacted each other through a classified ad and began exchanging lottery paraphernalia. Thinking there might be others with the same interest, they posted additional classified ads, and the collector’s society was born, initiating 20 members within the first year. The society now includes a Web site at www.lotterycollectors.com. At this site, collectors can join the group and receive a monthly newsletter and a catalog of tickets, in addition to other benefits. Approximately 20 GLCS members met at the 17th annual convention last July in St. Louis to share information and trade lottery collectibles. Quotes from collectors: "It’s a mixed bag," said Stephen Tuday of Georgia. "For every member there is a different technique: some people are very much arm chair collectors; they may only collect from their home state. They may be like me and try to get everything. They might be die-hard gamblers, who just save their tickets on the side. It runs the gamut." SOURCE: Missouri Lottery media release.Virginia Lottery Kicks Off “Schools Win Tour” RICHMOND, Virginia, USA (November 29, 2005) -- To increase awareness of where all profits from the Virginia Lottery go, Lottery officials are launching a new effort to get the message out to Virginians – the “Schools-Win-Tour.
”The tour consists of a speakers program in
which Lottery officials visit civic organizations, school groups and chambers
of commerce to speak about how Lottery profits are distributed to
Virginia’s public schools. In fiscal year 2005, the Virginia Lottery turned over more
than $423 million in profits for public education (K-12) in the Commonwealth of
Virginia. Those funds were distributed by the Virginia Department of Education
to every school district in the form of either direct or basic aid. Australian Gaming Company Enters US Lottery Market MELBOURNE, Victoria, Australia (November 25, 2005) -- Tabcorp International has entered the United States of America lottery market with its Racetrax™ game to be deployed across venues in the State of Maryland next year.
The animated game will join the Monitor Games portfolio of the Maryland Lottery, which recently signed a five-year contract worth $81 million with Scientific Games. Racetrax™, developed and operated by Tabcorp International, is an animated game, which allows people to bet on car, thoroughbred, greyhound or harness races. Racetrax™ will make its U.S. debut in Maryland in July 2006 and will allow players to bet on animated thoroughbred races. Racetrax™ will be sold via Scientific Games’ lottery terminals and shown on television monitors along with the current keno game. The animations will be distributed via satellite television to all eligible retail locations. It is expected that Racetrax™ will be seen in about 2000 venues, including bars, clubs, liquor and convenience stores. Racetrax™ was successfully field tested earlier this year in Maryland, gaining an enthusiastic reception from players in all venues. The game has already been a hit in Denmark, the United Kingdom, Croatia and Canada and is also available through Tabcorp wagering venues in Victoria, Australia. “We are pleased to be entering the American gaming market with Racetrax™,” said Paul Gulbenkian, Executive General Manager of Tabcorp International. “Racetrax™ is not only innovative, but technologically advanced. Through our partnership with Scientific Games we look forward to delivering high quality virtual racing games to the Maryland Lottery and an entertaining experience to their customers. “This deal continues the advancement of Tabcorp International’s plan to be a global leader in the provision and operation of gambling products and services.”
Lorne Weil, Chairman and CEO of Scientific Games, said: “It is always a plus when we can add extra entertainment value to our wide array of gaming products. “The fact that Racetrax™ is part of the Maryland Lottery, makes this news even better, since Maryland is a known leader in the industry and a long-time partner of Scientific Games.” The Maryland Lottery produced record sales of US$1.486 billion in fiscal 2005, of which almost a third, over US$477 million, went into the State’s general fund to support such services and programs as education, public health, human resources, public safety and more, to the benefit of the people of the State. About Scientific Games Scientific Games Corporation is the leading integrated supplier of instant tickets, systems and services to lotteries, and the leading supplier of wagering systems and services to pari-mutuel operators. It is also a licensed pari-mutuel gaming operator in Connecticut and the Netherlands and is a leading supplier of prepaid phone cards to telephone companies. Scientific Games’ customers are in the United States and more than 60 other countries.
About Tabcorp International (www.tabcorp.com.au) Tabcorp International is the international business development division of Tabcorp, Australia’s premier entertainment, gambling and leisure group. Tabcorp International is identifying, developing and implementing new business opportunities in both mature and emerging markets around the world. Its mission is to harness Tabcorp’s exportable capability in wagering, casinos, gaming and media and develop these capabilities as products and services that it can offer in these markets. One of Tabcorp International’s showcase deals is the provision of systems and support services to the national lottery market in the People’s Republic of China. SOURCE: Tabcorp International. Michigan Lottery Players Invited to Club Keno Kicker Events LANSING, Michigan, USA (November 28, 2005) -- Club Keno fans are invited to help celebrate Club Keno Kicker, the Michigan Lottery’s newest prize winning opportunity. The celebration will take place at three different event locations across the state. The event will feature the Michigan Lottery’s prize wheel where players will have an opportunity to spin and win exciting Lottery prizes! To earn a spin just purchase a $10 Club Keno ticket or a $5 Club Keno ticket with the Kicker option.
Here’s how Kicker works: Immediately before each Club Keno drawing, a wheel spin on the Club Keno monitor will select a Kicker number of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 10. Players can select the Kicker box on their play slip and pay $1 for each dollar originally wagered. Wins on regular Club Keno drawings will be multiplied by the Kicker number, allowing players the chance to win up to 10 times their original prize amount. Kicker began on November 20 in all 2,000 locations offering Club Keno and initial sales for the first week have been very successful. “Kicker has been a great prize option for Club Keno, the Michigan Lottery’s fastest growing game. It’s great to see our players enjoying another Michigan Lottery game,” said Michigan Lottery Commissioner Gary Peters. Club Keno offers 37 different ways to play and win and with Kicker, up to a $20 million top prize. Players can wager $1, $2, $3, $4, $5, $10 or $20 per drawing and tickets can be purchased for up to 20 drawings at a time. Players win Club Keno by matching some or all of the numbers they have selected to the numbers drawn. The more numbers matched, the more the player wins. Michigan is the sixth state to offer a Kicker option to its live Keno drawings. SOURCE: Michigan Lottery media
release. New Zealand’s Big Wednesday Jackpots – $3 million Plus Luxury Prizes on Offer Next Wednesday NEW ZEALAND (November 30, 2005) -The new lottery game, Big Wednesday, has jackpotted, with $3 million cash and other luxury prizes on offer next week, NZ Lotteries Chief Executive Trevor Hall said tonight. “Because Big Wednesday Division One has jackpotted, a common occurrence with games of this type, we will be able to offer players an even bigger overall prize next week.
At the next draw, on 7 December, Big Wednesday players will
be in to win: “We’ve got a great surprise for players this week. All the same ‘goodies’ that were on offer last week are still there, but added to that is more cash, half a million more . Our very first First Division Big Wednesday winner will never have to look at a price tag again. They’ll be able to travel the globe using their luxury travel prize. They’ll also have $3 million in the bank and a Porsche and Range Rover in the garage, not to mention a luxury launch in the boat harbour and a holiday home to enjoy. “Now that’s an ultimate lifestyle, and we can’t wait to have our first big winner,” says Mr Hall. Although the big prize was not won tonight, there were a total of 50,636 winners from the draw. A ticket sold at Fendalton Village Supervalue Plus, won Big Wednesday’s serial number draw, open to all tickets bought for tonight’s draw. The ticket holder has won a prize of $25,000. The winning serial number is 093-51449868-13XX “Anyone who bought their ticket from this store should check it immediately," Mr Hall says. SOURCE New Zealand Lotteries media
release.
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ALPHARETTA,
Georgia, USA (December 1, 2005) -- 
Dissected and Re-assembled’ is an important new analysis of the
realities of gaming. Written in an accessible style by two of the pioneers of
the modern lottery sector, Jean-Marc Lafaille and Guy Simonis, it provides
regulators, political leaders and gaming organisations with the background they
need to make responsible decisions.
Interplay Multimedia Pty. Ltd. disclaims all liability for information provided within Lottery Insider -- Data supplied by named sources. |