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EUROPEAN NEWS - SPAIN www.euroslot-online.com
Responsible gaming R. Franco & Sleic - a joint venture
E
xactly a year ago the Catalan Parliament’s General Department
for Gaming and the private gaming companies in Catalonia R
ecreativos Franco arranged a meeting in Seville last month for the joint
presentation with SLEIC of the new company, Top Poker Connection, which has
agreed to set up a Working Group to produce a code of practice and been formed as the result of the agreement reached between them both. This new
to develop the concept of “Responsible Gaming” as a joint venture. company will be responsible for marketing the new electronic poker tables. The meeting
One year later, all the casinos and 32 of the 50 bingo halls in was attended by most of the operating companies in the sector and by many members
Catalonia have signed up to this Code. Those taking part in the act of the public, numbering nearly two hundred, all eager to learn about the products from
were Joan Boada, Secretary of the Department of the Interior and the two companies. Top Poker Club, is a poker table that could be seen at the recent fair
representing the bingo halls, Javier González and Manuel Jiménez of in London and that is already all the rage in the arcades and casinos where it has been
the Binelde Group, Enric Milan of the Rank Catalunya Group, Emilio installed. There can be no doubt that  this model represents modernity and the
José Rodríguez of the Rodríguez Villar Group, Josep Vila of the application of technology. A most attractive multi-player machine, with an excellent yield,
Cirsa Group, Santiago Rosell of the Conei Group, and Jaume Ferré of that combines the fun of Texas Hold´em with the productivity of an arcade machine. The
the Peralada Casinos Group of Catalonia. The ‘Responsible Gaming’ presentation was the responsibility of Toni Bosch, the General Manager of SLEIC, who
programme acts on three main fronts. Firstly, prevention. This being extremely familiar with the product could provide appropriate explanations.
concept integrates all the actions of awareness, information and Attending the meeting were Joaquín Franco, the President of Recreativos Franco, José
good professional practice and in this way recognises the possible Martínez, the Commercial Director, Marc Vicario and Manuel Gómez, Sales
effects that can be produced by following unsuitable practices. Representatives. Also present were Santos Aranda from Sleic and Teresa Martiáñez from
Secondly, action intended to avoid, decrease and restrain the the Marketing Department of Top Connection. Later a game of poker took place among
possible harmful effects of gaming. And lastly, information, with the those attending which aroused the interest of the operators, when seeing the attraction
creation of materials, their dissemination and the continual updating of the game and the possibilities of marketing this type of machine. Poker is seen as a
of the information, plus agreements with universities and fashion, as well as a game of success, which is going to bring far younger new players
organisations conducting research projects into gaming. into the market who are eager to participate in the game.
CODERE, Black & White
T
he CODERE Group, the leading Spanish multinational in the
private gaming sector, has announced its consolidated results
for 2008 which show the Group’s continuing growth in its main
markets in Latin America (Mexico and Argentina), despite the
complex global economic environment. Revenues in 2008 reached
1,054.3 million euros, 19.8% higher than in 2007. The Gross
Operating Profit (EBITDA) was 234.7 million euros in 2008, which
represents an increase of 17.2% over the previous year. Despite the
positive performance of the main markets, CODERE has reported a
net loss of 10.6 million euros for 2008, as a result of the
deterioration in the trading position of Bingos Italy, the 9.5 million
loss in the discontinued operations in Italy (direct management and
sports betting), the effects of the appreciation of the euro against
the local currencies and the launch of the sports betting operations
in Spain. As regards the latter, William Hill and Codere are
continuing their discussions aimed at modifying the strategy of the
Sportium and basketball
joint company, (which the two companies set up in order to invest
in the launch of sports betting in Spain), to reflect the fact that due
to the financial crisis the players are spending less money. The
discussions could result in William Hill pulling out of its Spanish
I
n order to mark the final phase of Basketball’s King’s Cup in February, Sportium venture, although the two companies are giving assurances that
introduced an entertaining initiative to promote its betting shops in Madrid. Through this possibility is not on the table right now. What it does seem to
this initiative, thousands of the inhabitants of Madrid could enjoy basketball in the street confirm though is the difficulty the CODERE company is
thanks to the event organized by Sportium, which had set up a pitch in the street with experiencing in maintaining its value on the Stock Exchange. At the
baskets, balls, music and cheerleaders in order to test the abilities of anyone who wished end of October, the Martínez Sampedro family (which controls 71%
to participate in the free throw and triple shot championships. This event caused a great of the Codere capital through the instrumental company Masampe
sense of expectation in the media and was very well received by everyone who went Holding) was itself forced to place its shareholding for sale in order
there. The result of this initiative was an increase in the bets placed on basketball in each to pay the 187 million euros it owes its former shareholders, the
of Sportium’s 48 betting shops in the Autonomous Community of Madrid. The winners Franco brothers. However, the entry of a new principal shareholder
of the different games that were organized daily, were presented with valuable prizes in seems difficult, since the new investor would have to assume
the Sportium Centre. Furthermore during the course of the event there was a very special responsibility for the Masampe Holding debt. Currently, the shares
visitor, the legendary former Spanish basketball player Epi, who tested his skill alongside of the group are quoted at 6.92 euros, a far cry from (68% lower)
the Marketing Director, Ferran Valls, the Product Managers, Yesika Gorina and Renzo the 22 euros quoted for them when the company began trading on
Quiñones, and Sportium’s Executive Director, Alberto Eljarrat. the Madrid Stock Exchange in October 2007.
20
APRIL 2009
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