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| Vol. 35 No. 7 -- Monday May 22, 2006 |
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GTECH, Expands License with Pragma Systems for Process Management Solution RESTON, Va., USA (May 16, 2006) -- Pragma Systems Corporation, the market leader in software for process improvement and compliance, has expanded its license with GTECH Corporation to a company-wide level. pragma Systems' product, processMax, will aid GTECH in continuing to build upon the success it has already achieved in implementing the Software Engineering Institute's Capability Maturity Model Integration® (CMMI®).
GTECH has increased its number of licenses with processMax for five consecutive years. The natural progression led to a company-wide licensing agreement. The intranet-based tool will aid the rollout of new initiatives within GTECH including the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL), as well as increase current compliance and CMMI certification opportunities. "processMax provides the management processes that corporations need to ensure high quality software," said Rebecca Bowerman, President and CEO of pragma Systems. "GTECH expanding to an enterprise-level license allows them to easily implement these processes in all of their locations and projects." With the expansion of any business, process management becomes more and more difficult, especially with companies that work with all levels of government (state, federal, or international). GTECH found that processMax offered a viable solution for this challenge. "Managing a global business, while maintaining the constant uniformity that the government demands, can be extremely challenging," said Paul Morgan, Director of GTECH's Technology Process Group. "Expanding our utilization of processMax to a company-wide contract ensures consistency of operations for our multiple locations."
About pragma
Systems About GTECH SOURCE: pragma Systems Corporation. CONTACT: Donn Milton, 703-796-0010 x11, Email: dmilton@pragmasystems.com. VEIKKAUS, Finland (May 19, 2006) -- Veikkaus' business operations developed favourably during the first quarter of the year. In the period between January and March, our turnover increased to EUR 342.6 million (1.0%). The increase was slowed down considerably by the fact that there was one draw less in both Lotto and Joker than during the first quarter of the year 2005. During the period, Veikkaus attained a financial result of EUR 101.1 million. The comparable result of the business operations was EUR 0.1 million, i.e. 0.1% less than in the year before.
The games to speed up the growth of the turnover the most were games with high event frequency, such as Fixed Odds Betting and Keno. These games have centrally influenced the change in the structure of the company's turnover, since the sales are increasing especially in games offering higher prize payout percentages to players. In the period between January and March, Veikkaus' sales increased in all product groups, disregarding the lotto games. The lotto games generated a turnover of EUR 123.7 million (-4.2%), the sports games EUR 104.4 million (+4.1%), the instant games EUR 32.1 million (+2.6%), and the other draw games EUR 82.5 million (+5.3%). The prize payout to players amounted to a total of EUR 180.5 million (+1.0%). The retail commissions were EUR 20.0 million. Profit expectation 1.5% higher than in the previous year The profit expectation of Veikkaus funds, recorded in the State Budget of 2006, is EUR 387.2 million, i.e. 1.5% more than our contribution to the State in 2005. In all, the total contribution will amount to EUR 401.2 million with the funds from the contingency fund to be paid to the Ministry of Education on top of the profit. In the first quarter of the year, Veikkaus was able to keep the pace of the financial plans, and the objective is thus attainable in the light of the development of the first quarter. At the beginning of 2006 Veikkaus changed over from the Finnish Audit Standards (FAS) to the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). For further information, please contact CFO Mira Mäkipää, tel. 020 750 7285. SOURCE: Veikkaus' eNews distributed by Veikkaus Communications. The First Peoples' Festival; A new Rendez-vous Loto-Québec! MONTRÉAL, Quebec, Canada (May 10, 2006) - Loto-Québec is proud to be associated, for the first time, with the First Peoples' Festival, set to take place from May 25 to June 8 and from June 21 to 25.
Organized by Land InSights, the festival will give visitors the opportunity to learn about the cultures of Canada's First Nations. During this 16th edition, the festival will feature a varied program, including expositions, films and literary works. Loto-Québec's contribution will be in presenting a portion of the outdoor segment of the event. From Wednesday, May 21, to Sunday, June 25, Emilie-Gamelin Park will become a crossroads between the public and indigenous communities. On June 24 and 25, the Loto-Québec stage will host Boréades de la dance, a series of dances performed by ten to twelve traditional dance troupes. This year, the First Peoples' Festival will highlight the St. Lawrence Iroquois, the oldest Amerindian nation of the Island of Montréal; festival-goers are invited to come discover their history and way of life. Under its Rendez-vous banner, Loto-Québec supports and promotes public events and festivals throughout the year, for the benefit of all Quebecers. SOURCE: Loto Quebec media release. Pollard Banknote
Brings Lotteries a Winner with New Rocky™ License WINNIPEG, Manitoba, Canada (May 16, 2006) – Lotteries worldwide can now add the never-quit spirit of Hollywood’s greatest on-screen underdog to their instant product lineups. A new three-year agreement between Pollard Banknote Limited Partnership (“Pollard Banknote”) and MGM Consumer Products allows the firm to develop instant games based on the Rocky franchise. “The character of Rocky Balboa embodies time-honored values: courage, determination, and triumph in the face of adversity,” said Sina Aiello, Director, Licensed Products, Pollard Banknote. “His story is the rags-to-riches American Dream, and when he wins, it inspires everyone who wants to win. This message provides a built-in emotional appeal that will ring true for instant game players.” The story of a small-time boxer who gets his chance to fight for the heavyweight championship, Rocky was the 1976 Academy Award® winner for Best Picture, and is on the American Film Institute’s list of the 100 Greatest Movies. An uplifting, chart-topping theme song, now-classic scenes and catchphrases, and the flair of Rocky Balboa’s rivals have all contributed to the pop-culture currency of the movie and its sequels. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the first installment in this iconic movie franchise. And with the upcoming theatrical release of Rocky Balboa (Rocky VI), the energy and attention already surrounding this franchise are sure to escalate. “With a new Rocky movie and MGM’s 30th anniversary merchandising campaign, lotteries have the ideal opportunity to capitalize on the franchise’s heightened presence in the marketplace, and to let their players experience the action of this blockbuster,” said Aiello. “The awareness and popularity of Rocky spans generations. The franchise has a strong following with males aged 18-49, demographic segments coveted for instant ticket sales.” In addition to being able to use the approved likenesses of Rocky Balboa and other franchise characters for action-packed ticket designs, lotteries will be able to tap into the franchise’s merchandising muscle through movie-themed and boxing-themed prize packages. “The Rocky franchise has the attributes and merchandising program to resonate with a broad base of consumers, and attract players at retail,” said Aiello. “And no one has to step into the ring to come out a winner.” Pollard Banknote offers a turnkey solution for licensed games, including ticket design and manufacturing, prize structure consultation, merchandise selection and fulfillment, publicity and promotional opportunities, and second chance draw process management (including all customer service, Internet marketing, and post-game analysis).
About Pollard
Banknote About Pollard Banknote Income
Fund About Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios
Inc. For more information CONTACT: Gordon Pollard (gpollard@pbl.ca) or John Pollard (jpollard@pbl.ca) Co-Chief Executive Officers, Phone: (204) 474-2323 SOURCE: Pollard Banknote (www.pollardbanknote.com) media release. Lotteries Commission Appoints New Chief Executive NEW ZEALAND (May 17, 2006) -- The New Zealand Lotteries Commission has appointed Auckland businessman Todd McLeay as its new Chief Executive, Chairman John Goulter announced today. Mr McLeay has most recently been Group General Manager of Marketing for New Zealand Post, a role he held from September 2003 to April 2006.
Before that, he spent six years in various senior marketing roles at Vodafone NZ Limited, culminating in his role as General Manager Business Marketing from May 2000 to September 2003. Mr. Goulter says NZ Lotteries is delighted to appoint somebody with Mr McLeay's strong marketing and management background as Chief Executive. "I am very pleased to announce Todd's appointment as Chief Executive. NZ Lotteries has achieved a great turnaround in performance over the past three years and Todd has the necessary skills and experience to lead the organisation through the next phase of its development," he said. Mr McLeay was educated at Otago University and has a Bachelor of Commerce Degree and a post graduate diploma in finance. SOURCE: Press Release New Zealand Lotteries Commission. Camelot Beats London 2012 Target WATFORD, United Kingdom (May 15, 2006) -- New figures released today by the National Lottery operator show that at the end of the last financial year (2005/06) returns to the Olympic Lottery Distribution Fund from sales of dedicated games in support of London 2012 had reached £16.3 million – 16.4 per cent, or £2.3 million, ahead of the £14 million target set by Camelot for the year.
The National Lottery® will contribute up to £1.5 billion towards funding the infrastructure of the London 2012 Games. Of this, £750 million will come from a series of designated lottery games1 to fund this support of the infrastructure of the London Games. The most recently launched of these dedicated games is the National Lottery Scratchcard and Instant Win Game2, Dash For Cash, offering a £10,000 top prize and overall odds of winning a prize of better than 1 in 5. Dash For Cash scratchcards were distributed to retailers at the end of April, with a total prize fund of £11 million available to win at launch. The first of the dedicated games in support of London 2012 – the scratchcard Go For Gold – was launched in July 2005, immediately after the 2012 Bid decision was announced, and was the fastest-selling £1 scratchcard launched by The National Lottery since November 2002. The game proved so popular that a second edition was issued in September 2005. Another dedicated scratchcard, the winter-sports themed Win Gold, was released at the beginning of 2006 to coincide with the Olympic Winter Games in Turin. Since then Dash For Cash has so far outstripped all other Olympic Themed Games in its first few weeks of sales, showing continued enjoyment of the new scratchcards on offer and support from the public for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Camelot is already preparing to launch more games dedicated to London 2012 during 2006.
Dianne Thompson, Chief Executive of Camelot, commented: “We are thrilled that sales of dedicated games in support of London 2012 have got off to such a strong start. The fact that sales have exceeded our first year target demonstrates the tremendous enthusiasm with which National Lottery players have embraced the opportunity to help raise the funding required to stage the London Games. “We look forward to building on this achievement and bringing to market an exciting and diverse portfolio of dedicated games in support of the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. By playing these games, our players not only have the chance to strike gold themselves, but they also have a fantastic opportunity to get behind London 2012 and be a part of something really special.” The National Lottery has already invested more than £3 billion into sport at every level in the UK since launching in 1994 – from schools, community clubs and local facilities, right through to elite performance athletes. SOURCE: Camelot Press Office, Telephone: 020 7632 5711, Facsimile: 020 7240 7314. For further information, please contact Ben Rosier, Head of Media Relations: 020 7632 5743 or Miranda Pugh, Robert Byrne, Alexia Latham, Media Relations Managers Camelot Press Office: 020 7632 5711. Gaming is Part of Sports Entertainment Article by: Ilkka Juva, Communications Director, Veikkaus Oy VEIKKAUS, Finland (May 19, 2006) -- This year, the Finnish sports spectators are truly pampered with good sports entertainment. In February, we had the chance to follow the Winter Olympics in Turin, and in June and July, the Football World Cup in Germany will be offering us extra excitement on top of the regular domestic and international sports events.
For many players, sports are a betting object. Yet, even more sports spectators could find good additional entertainment to spice up sports events by playing Veikkaus games. Whether a consumer foregrounds sports or gaming impacts directly on his/her way of playing. A responsible gaming company restricts gaming in many ways. In fact, the restrictions provide the basis for the exclusive right system. However, we should regard the restrictions as being targeted at unhealthy gaming and limiting it as efficiently as possible. Big sports events are important for Veikkaus. They bring sports close to the general public, making more people take an interest in them. Especially events in which Finns enjoy success clearly benefit from this. The mere media presence is important for the events and their popularity. Big sports events of course also speed up the sales of betting games. However, for us in Veikkaus, it is more important to offer games by which sports buffs can gain extra excitement whilst viewing sports. This is what provides a sound basis for responsible gaming. SOURCE: Veikkaus' eNews distributed by Veikkaus Communications. CONTACT: Ilkka Juva, Communications Director, Veikkaus Oy. World Cup at Singapore Pools; Bet Anytime, Anywhere but Always Play with Care SINGAPORE (May 11, 2006) -- In the World Cup season when illegal betting is expected to be rampant, Singapore Pools has come up with a pre-paid football betting card in a fresh bid to woo illegal bettors into its legal fold. To court such bettors further, Pools will also offer two schemes with novelty prizes for football bettors – one for phone betting customers and the other for counter sales. Football Betting Pre-Paid Card: Bet Anytime, Anywhere Singapore Pools’ “Football Betting Pre-Paid Card” provides a convenient phone service for football betting during the World Cup period between 8 June to 10 July 2006.
Card holders can place bets on all World Cup and S.League football matches by phone. The minimum bet per call is $25. Said a Singapore Pools spokesperson, “The option to bet by phone during the World Cup season is crucial as many of the matches played in Germany will be broadcast late at night. As our sales counters will be closed, bettors will resort to illegal private operators if Singapore Pools does not offer a convenient phone service. With the pre-paid card, bettors can place their bets by phone, anytime, up to the 80th minute of live telecast matches.” Pre-paid cards can be purchased on the spot from all Singapore Pools branches from Sunday, 14 May 2006 upon completion of a simple application form. As the use of card is restricted only to the World Cup season, pre-paid cardholders are not required to maintain an earmarked amount in an account with a participating bank or meet a minimum income requirement, unlike PoolzConnect customers. Nonetheless, card holders will enjoy the full suite of PoolzConnect services during the validity period of their card. This includes access to the members’ website to help them track their transactions, chances to participate in bet types under the extended betting service up to the 80th minute of selected live telecast matches and, an electronic lucky draw. Anyone above 21 years of age is eligible to buy a pre-paid card. Pre-paid cards are available in values of $250, $500 and $1,000. A bettor can only hold one pre-paid card account enabling him to track his transactions on the members’ website. The card can be topped up at Singapore Pools branches during the World Cup period. Bettors can withdraw their winnings anytime during the season. They can also cash in their cards anytime they decide to stop betting. All withdrawals and cash-ins will be made out to the legal owner of the card based on NRIC numbers. At card expiry date on 10 July 2006, all accounts will be closed and the balances returned to the legal owners. Lucky Draw for Phone Bettors: $200,000 in Prizes to be Won Customers who bet by phone using PoolzConnect or the Football Betting Pre-paid Cards can take part in an electronic lucky draw to be conducted on 10 July 2006. Every $30 spent entitles a customer to one chance. There are $200,000 worth of cash prizes to be won and the top prize is $18,000.
“Instant Strike” Game
Card: Over $2 Million In Prizes Available New STRIKE! Bet Types “Always Play with
Care”
As for pre-paid cards, corporate social responsibility measures have been integrated into the service as the card comes in value denominations, thereby helping bettors to set a limit on their betting. A bettor can only hold one pre-paid card and he can better track his spending by monitoring his transactions on the members' website. Operating Hours We would like to take this opportunity to thank customers for choosing to bet with Singapore Pools as well as to encourage them to bet responsibly during this exciting football period. SOURCE: Press Release by Singapore Pools (Private) Limited. Caixa Economica Federal in Brazil Approves 90-Day Contract Extension with GTECH WEST GREENWICH, Rhode Island, USA (May 15, 2006) -- GTECH Holdings Corporation (NYSE: GTK) today announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, GTECH Brazil Ltda., was notified by Caixa Economica Federal, the administrator of the National Lottery in Brazil, that it has approved a 90-day contract extension.
Under the terms of the contract extension, which commenced upon termination of the Caixa contract on May 14, 2006, GTECH will continue to operate the existing lottery and financial transaction processing systems for Caixa. The contract extension retains all of GTECH’s service offerings, and the fixed and variable fee structure, currently in place. About GTECH SOURCE: GTECH Holdings Corporation.
MONTREAL, Quebec, Canada (May 18, 2006) -- Oberthur gaming Technologies Corp. (OGT) and Scientific Games International (SGI) are pleased to announce today that they have reached a settlement ending both the civil action now pending before the Court of the United States Northern district of Georgia and the Appeal before the European Patent Office relating in particular to the U.S. Patent Nos 5,704,647, U.S. Patent 5,803,504 and European Patent Nos. 0830187, WO 96/29209 and WO 96/40395. Pursuant to the settlement, SGI will make a one-time cash payment of US $ 1.75 million to OGT for a worldwide non exclusive patent license agreement with OGT to practice the technology claimed in OGT’s patents related to its FouReal® technology.
About Oberthur Gaming
Technologies (www.oberthurgt.com) About Scientific Games
International (www.scientificgames.com) SOURCE: Robert Guertin, Director, Legal Affairs, Oberthur Gaming Technologies, (+1-514) 254-3600, ext. 142. Email: lyse.trudel@mtl.oberthurgt.com. For Further
Information Please Contact:
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