Casino Enterprise Management

IGT’s Global Technology & Interoperability Center Receives A2LA Accreditation

International Game Technology announced that the company’s Global Technology & Interoperability Center (GTIC) has achieved reaccreditation for ISO/IEC 17025: 2005 through the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA). The A2LA is a non-profit, non-governmental, public service, membership society that specializes in laboratory accreditation and training. The GTIC’s reaccreditation through A2LA enables the center to certify IGT products according to the Gaming Standards Association (GSA) protocol standards. Products that meet the GSA’s Protocol Certification Program requirements are certified for consistency in Game to System (G2S), System to System (S2S) and Transport protocol implementation, which is critical to success in a system-linked environment. For more information, visit www.igt.com.

Bally to Acquire Sightline Payments, Partner with DRGT Europe

Bally Technologies Inc. announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Las Vegas-based Sightline Payments, a provider of innovative payment solutions. Bally’s Chief Executive Officer Richard Haddrill said, “Sightline Payments is our latest strategic investment and continues to show our commitment to a comprehensive system product offering.” Payment processing will be a new product line for Bally, adding a comprehensive line-up of Sightline Payment products.

Bally also announced DRGT Europe as its distributor for slot machines and related equipment in Belgium. In October, DRGT moved to a new, 9,000-square-foot facility in Knokke-Heist, Flanders, Belgium, where all maintenance and support of Bally products will be handled. For more information, visit www.ballytech.com.

Konami Debuts KCMS, Partners with Sirk Productions

Konami Gaming Inc. announced that SugarHouse Casino is the first in the world to experience the latest version of its Konami Casino Management System (KCMS). SugarHouse, which opened on Sept. 23, 2010, as Philadelphia’s first and only casino, has now been upgraded to KCMS v3.20. KCMS is an industry-leading casino management system with installations spanning America, Canada and Australia, as well as other international regions. Konami also announced that its KCMS has been installed at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana, which celebrated its grand opening in January.

Also, Konami enlisted the work of Sirk Productions to complete a promotional film for Konami’s new dynamic KP3 system, the next generation 3-D graphic platform for slots. Sirk filmed at Konami headquarters in Las Vegas, combining live action elements with 3-D motion graphics. For more information, visit www.gaming.konami.com.

Aristocrat Completes Online Content Distribution Deal with GameAccount Network

Aristocrat Leisure Limited has completed an online content distribution agreement with GameAccount Network—licensed by the UK Gambling Commission to develop gaming software and by the Alderney Gambling Control Commission to operate and supply gambling software. Under the deal, GameAccount Network will help to bring an array of Aristocrat’s vast library of gaming content to regulated online markets. The immediate focus will be European online gaming markets, most notably the United Kingdom, Italian and Spanish sectors, with roll-out across other regulated markets also in the pipeline. For more information, visit www.aristocrat.com.au.

Gary Platt Manufacturing Distributes X-Tended Play Seats

Gary Platt Manufacturing shipped its second order of more than 900 Gazelle Royale X-Tended Play seats to Valley View Casino in Valley Center, Calif. The seats are upholstered in Cashmere Olive and have a dark chocolate molding. CIE in Mexico received 176 Sierra Style X-Tended Play seats. The chairs are upholstered in Hue Grape. This order will add to their previous orders totaling more than 11,000 Gary Platt seats. For more information, visit www.garyplatt.com.

GSA Welcomes Board Members and Officers, Announces G2S Message Protocol v1.1

The Gaming Standards Association is pleased to announce the newly elected board members to the GSA Board of Directors for 2011 and 2012, each elected to a one-year term. Re-appointed to the GSA Board of Directors were Tom Beauchamp, Penn National Gaming; Scott Norman, British Columbia Lottery Corp. (BCLC); and Melissa Price, Caesars Entertainment. Jeanne-Marie Wilkins, Isle of Capri, was awarded new membership to the board of directors. GSA is also pleased to announce that the following officers of the board of directors have each been re-elected for a one-year term; Chairman: Lyle Bell, Seminole Tribe of Florida; Vice Chairman:  Adrian Marcu, International Game Technology (IGT); Treasurer: Scott Norman, British Columbia Lottery Corp. (BCLC); Secretary: Rob Siemasko, WMS Gaming.

GSA also announced that its globally accepted Game to System (G2S) protocol v1.0.3 has been re-released in a simpler packaging and will be referred to as G2S v1.1.  “The G2S specification that the global gaming community has come to rely on has not been changed—only the packaging. We believe that this change will provide the clarity that the industry needs to move forward,” said Peter DeRaedt, president of GSA. For more information, visit www.gamingstandards.com.

 In credible  Technologies Granted License in Wisconsin 

Incredible Technologies announced that the company has been granted a license by the Wisconsin office of Indian Gaming and Regulatory Compliance to distribute electronic gaming devices to tribal gaming operations in the state. The license is the latest issued to IT among other states and tribal jurisdictions in the company’s effort to expand its award-winning Magic Touch® Class III casino games. The company also announced that Gaming Laboratories International (GLI) has approved seven new video slot games in its Magic Touch Innovation Collection. The approval will allow IT to move forward with installations in targeted markets including Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Florida and various tribal locations throughout Michigan and California. For more information, visit www.itsgames.com.

New Jersey Gov. Vetoes Internet Gambling Bill

Gov. Chris Christie asked the people of New Jersey to vote on the modernization of New Jersey’s gaming laws this November. Christie reiterated his commitment to New Jersey gaming, but was concerned that the bill did not comprehensively prohibit i-gaming from being offered in bars and Internet cafés, explaining, “While I support the intentions of the legislature to make New Jersey a more competitive gaming jurisdiction, I am concerned that nothing in the legislation would prohibit commercial establishments outside of Atlantic City, such as nightclubs, cafés and bars, from offering Internet gambling.“ Christie’s rejection of the proposed law in favor of referendum means that the bill will now be redrafted and submitted in the state Assembly and Senate specifically for inclusion for referendum in November. For more information, visit www.njigamingnews.net.

MCA Processing Receives Certification from Arizona Department of Gaming

MCA Processing LLC, announced that they have received notice of certification from the Arizona Department of Gaming. This licensing is the culmination of a 15-month inquiry in which MCA Processing worked with Arizona regulators to thoroughly address numerous inaccuracies that had created misconceptions regarding their business operations. MCA Processing was not only found suitable to conduct business in the gaming industry, but was cleared of any wrongdoing. In fact, all previous allegations were rescinded by the Department of Gaming and no fines or penalties were imposed against MCA Processing. For more information, visit www.mcaprocessing.com.

BMM Compliance Recognized by Singapore Casino Regulatory Authority 

BMM Compliance is pleased to announce that the Singapore Casino Regulatory Authority (CRA) has recognized BMM’s Singapore Testing Laboratory to provide independent gaming equipment and system’s testing services for the Singapore jurisdiction. This is the fourth of BMM’s Global Testing Laboratories to be recognized to undertake independent testing for the gaming industry in Singapore. “This recognition is testament to BMM’s commitment to support the gaming industry in Singapore, said Martin Storm, president and CEO of BMM Compliance. “Gaming machine manufacturers in Asia targeting the Singapore market now have a local option to undertake the compliance evaluation and testing of their products. Additionally, Singapore’s integrated resorts have local access to a pool of skilled gaming resources to help support their operations and compliance requirements.” For more information, visit www.bmm.com.

Galaxy Gaming and TableMAX Gaming Join Forces, Elect New Board Member

Galaxy Gaming Inc. announced it has entered into a definitive agreement with TableMAX Gaming, a  provider of electronic table games and platforms headquartered in Las Vegas. Under the agreement,  the company now has exclusive worldwide rights to the TableMAX electronic gaming platform, or e-Tables, and numerous game titles for the e-Table platform including Caribbean Stud®, Caribbean Draw®, Progressive Blackjack®, Texas Hold’em Bonus™ and Blackjack Bullets™.  The TableMAX e-Table system is a fully automated electronic table game platform designed to play card games without the  requirement for a live dealer.

The company also announced that it has added Richard Baldwin to its board of directors, effective April 1. Formerly, Baldwin held executive positions with several gaming companies including Anchor Gaming, IGT, Tropicana Entertainment and as a corporate finance consultant for Herbst Gaming. For more information, visit www.galaxygaming.com or www.tablemax.com.

SkyWire Media Appoints New CFO

SkyWire Media Inc.  has appointed Curt Mayer as executive vice president and chief financial officer (CFO) in a continued effort to assist in managing SkyWire Media’s rapid revenue growth and acquisitions. The appointment of Mayer finalizes the new management team put in place by SkyWire Media’s chief executive officer. In his position, Mayer will be responsible for the strategic management of accounting, finance, treasury, acquisitions and investor relations. Prior to joining SkyWire, Mayer served as the corporate vice president of finance for Station Casinos Inc. since 2007. “We are pleased to add Curt to our executive team,“ said Shawn Harris, president and CEO of SkyWire Media. “We will benefit from his extensive finance experience working with public companies and from the fresh perspective he will bring to our operation.” For more information, visit www.skywiremedia.com.

The Cosmopolitan Opens Cantor Gaming Race and Sports Book

The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas and Cantor Gaming debuted The Cosmopolitan Race & Sports by Cantor. The new sports book, located on the second floor, situated adjacent to Marquee Nightclub, welcomes patrons with two outside betting windows. Inside, guests are greeted into the intimate space by metallic red, gray and dark wood interiors. Wagering is available at fixed betting, or individual “trading” stations within the book, as well as on Cantor’s proprietary mobile tablets, which can be used at both the race and sports book and Book & Stage on the casino floor. Cantor Gaming now operates four race and sports books in Nevada. For more information, visit www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com or www.cantorgaming.com.

Aspers in Europe First with TCSJOHNHUXLEY’s Double Action™ Roulette

Aspers at The Gate is continuing its tradition of pioneering groundbreaking casino games with the European debut of Double Action™ Roulette. Developed by world-renowned casino games manufacturer TCSJOHNHUXLEY, Double Action Roulette features two contra-rotating number rings on a single wheel, delivering two winning numbers from a single spin. The table consists of two identical betting areas, one for each set of numbers, as well as the Double Action area, which allows players to place side bets on double numbers occurring, offering odds of up to 1,200 to 1. Double Action Roulette is now installed on the gaming floor in Aspers, where it has proven a big hit with players. For more information, visit www.tcsjohnhuxley.com.

GTECH Expands Leadership Team

GTECH Corp. announced senior management promotions and jurisdictional realignments in order to enhance the company’s Customer First strategy and focus on growth initiatives. Alan Eland has been promoted to senior vice president and chief operating officer of GTECH North America and Declan Harkin has been promoted to senior vice president and chief operating officer of GTECH International. GTECH also expanded its senior management team to focus more attention on key markets. Federico Tasso is now senior vice president of market development. As vice president of Latin America and the Caribbean, Erik Dyson will continue to be responsible for operating and developing GTECH’s business in the region. Christopher Caldwell has been appointed vice president of business development. For more information, visit www.gtech.com.

Lewin Leads NEWave as New CEO, CTO

Bart A. Lewin is widely recognized as a global expert in information technology for the gaming, hospitality and retail industries. Now Lewin brings his expertise to gaming technology frontrunner NEWave and is leading the company as its new CEO and CTO. In his position, Lewin will pilot the company in a new direction of expanded solutions, technologies and services. “The future is very bright and exciting for NEWave, and I advise the gaming, hospitality and retail industries to watch us very closely,” Lewin said. “In the next few months, we will be making several announcements that will prove just how serious we are about taking NEWave to a new and incredible level.“ For more information, visit www.newwaveautomation.com.

Gila River Casinos Names Olujic GM of Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino

Gila River Casinos, operators of Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino, Lone Butte Casino and Vee Quiva Casino, have appointed Michael Olujic general manager of Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino. Olujic will oversee facilities, marketing initiatives, guest services, hotel and gaming at Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino. Previously, Olujic served as general manager for the North Star Mohican Casino Resort. “Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino has established a reputation as a market leader in gaming and entertainment,“ Olujic said. “I look forward to working with my new team to enhance this reputation and continue to develop opportunities for the Gila River Indian Community and the surrounding area.” For more information, visit www.wingilariver.com.

ATRONIC Welcomes New Operations Manager,  Renews Contract with Atomic

ATRONIC International recently announced the appointment of Agustin Nieto as its new operations manager for Mexico. Based in Mexico City, Nieto will coordinate all ATRONIC activities in the Mexican market. He will ensure a smooth execution of direct sales contracts generated by ATRONIC’s sales team and the participation contracts that are closed by ATRONIC’s partner in Mexico, Nalibic.

Also, ATRONIC has extended its contract with Atomic Gaming for another five years. Atomic will continue to distribute gaming machines, signage and other related game media in Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands below the Tropic of Cancer. ATRONIC first appointed Atomic as its distributor in the region in 2008. With Atomic, ATRONIC has a partner with a vested interest in the local market and the ability to meet the high standards that worldwide customers expect from ATRONIC and its products. For more information, visit www.atronic.com.

Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa Receives “4 Green Keys” Rating

Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa has been honored with a “4 Green Keys” rating through the Green Key Eco-Rating Program, a graduated rating system designed to recognize hotels, motels and resorts that are committed to improving their environmental and fiscal performance. In receiving a “4 Green Keys” rating, Morongo is recognized as “a hotel that has shown national industry leadership and commitment to protecting the environment through wide ranging policies and practices. Mature programs that involve management, employees, guests and the public have shown substantial and measurable results.” The Green Key self-assessment consists of questions in nine areas of sustainable hotel operations such as energy and water conservation. For more information, visit www.greenkeyglobal.com.

Peabody Hotels Selects Cendyn to Manage Online Presence and Mobile Strategy

Cendyn was selected by Peabody Hotels to manage the online presence for its three branded properties in Orlando, Memphis and Little Rock. Cendyn will also manage the company’s Peabody Meetings site that provides group event planners with information to make educated conference decisions more quickly. Additionally, Peabody tapped Cendyn to develop and launch mobile websites for all properties and their meetings site. Cendyn assumed management responsibility for Peabody’s websites, and will develop and launch the mobile-ready micro sites during the first quarter of 2011. The 1,641-room Peabody Orlando holds a Four Diamond ranking from AAA and is the largest non-gaming hotel in the country to have a Forbes Four-Star rating. For more information, visit www.cendyn.com.

Flintco Places First Nationally in Safety Excellence

Flintco LLC was named as having the top building contractor safety program in the North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) 236, 2 million-plus man-hour category at the Associated Builders & Contractors’ (ABC) Excellence in Construction Awards Gala held at the Waldorf-Astoria in Orlando, Fla. The ABC National Safety Excellence Awards recognize companies whose safety performance and programs are judged to be exemplary and who exhibit a continued commitment to jobsite safety by the ABC National Environment, Health & Safety Committee. “It is our responsibility to ensure the safety of our workers and any subcontractors working on our job sites,” Flintco Safety Director Rocky Rowlett said. “Flintco provides its employees and subcontractors with the resources needed to meet stringent safety requirements, including training and guidance.” For more information, visit www.flintco.com.

Omni Hotels & Resorts Achieves Record RevPAR with Help from Rainmaker Group

Faced with the expanding number of online travel providers and channels in the marketplace, hoteliers must develop and implement increasingly sophisticated revenue management strategies to manage rates and availability. Omni Hotels & Resorts has created and implemented unique approaches and processes that are highly responsive to this rapidly changing online environment, and, most importantly, it is seeing conclusive, positive results. Omni relied on the revolution™ revenue management system from The Rainmaker Group to implement its strategy and achieved a record RevPAR index, its highest in 10 years. For more information, visit www.omnihotels.com or www.letitrain.com.

Casino City Releases 2011 Indian Gaming Industry Report

Casino City Press announced the release of the 2011 edition of Casino City’s Indian Gaming Industry Report, in which nationwide gaming revenue was down for the first time in its recorded history. Some key findings included: Gaming revenue at Indian gaming facilities nationwide was approximately $26.4 billion in 2009; Indian gaming revenue fell 1 percent in 2009, the first year of decline in its recorded history; The overall slowdown of Indian gaming on a nationwide basis is only due in part to the economy. Other factors have contributed to Indian gaming’s slowdown; While Indian gaming declined on a nationwide basis, the performance of Indian gaming varied widely across states, tribes, and gaming facilities; The top two states, California and Oklahoma, generated 38 percent of total gaming revenue at Indian gaming facilities. For more information, visit www.casinocitypress.com.

INTRALOT Introduces Sports Betting in Peru

INTRALOT de Peru enriched its existing gaming portfolio, introducing sports betting in Peru. Players will now have more opportunities to win more prizes playing INTRALOT’s Te Apuesto, the new sports betting game that will attract all football lovers in the country. With Te Apuesto, players have the opportunity to bet on different matches every day and win fascinating prizes. The new game will be offered in selected points of sale of INTRALOT de Peru extensive retail network, covering the whole Peruvian territory. Vangelis Apostolakopoulos, general manager of INTRALOT de Peru, added, “Fixed-odds betting games have become a success worldwide because of the enormous attention they have received from the public.”  For more information, visit www.intralot.com.

Penn National Names VP and GM of Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway

Penn National Gaming Inc. announced that Robert D. Sheldon has been named vice president and general manager of Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kan., subject to regulatory approval. Sheldon has served as general manager of Hollywood Casino Aurora in Aurora, Ill., since joining Penn National in August 2010. Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway is set to open in the first half of 2012. Located adjacent to Turn 2 at the Kansas Speedway, the $411 million initial phase of the Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway will feature an 82,000 square foot casino with 2,000 slot machines and 52 table games, a 1,253 space parking structure as well as a sports-themed bar, dining and entertainment options. For more information, visit www.pngaming.com.

Global Payments Announces Agreements with 10 U.S. Casinos

Global Payments Inc. announced agreements to provide 10 casinos with its VIP LightSpeed® suite of cash access products. The casinos have signed contracts to utilize various LightSpeed products including VIP Preferred® check-cashing services, PlayerCash @dvantage® credit and debit card cash advance services and ATM Cash @dvantage® electronic check transactions at the ATM. “Our innovative products continue to provide performance and service levels that ensure optimal speed of transaction, ease of use and convenience, while significantly building satisfaction and customer loyalty across the United States,” said Dean DeCristoforo, senior VP, gaming and check services for Global Payments Inc. For more information, visit www.globalpaymentsinc.com.