Reports ITALY
With the huge licensing fees on the concessionaires’ shoulders some suppliers are of course ‘buying’ their way into the market with not only their software knowledge but funds. The Italian players need the “international” market to have access to the platforms, which are a key requirement for the server based systems.
Others who have the product knowledge but no capital are hooking up with Italian cabinet manufacturers who are of course eager not to miss out on the VLT opportunity. It’s all a case at the moment of who’s in bed with who.
There are currently some 16 system providers who are submitting their products for approval in the Comma 6b category. It is thought most concessionaires will have two or three providers with many cross-overs and as yet not all parties have arranged deals or signed contracts.
The main VLT suppliers in Italy however will probably include Barcrest/Cyberview, IGT CDS, Ace Interactive, Octavian, Bally, Spielo, WMS, Novomatic, Merkur, Inspired Technology, Unidesa, Apex and Adria Gaming (Novomatic).
However there are also many other suppliers looking at the Italian market and there are also several manufacturers who are providing cabinets for either their own systems and also for third parties. These include Tecnoplay, Sogema, Zest, Magic Dreams, Go Play Group, Astro Corp, IGT, Bally, WMS, Novomatic, Spielo, Marim, Win-Tek and Nazionale Electronica.
Some concessionaires have already openly announced some of their partnerships like Cogetech linking up with Ace Interactive; Atlantis Group and IGT CDS System, Novomatic and WMS; Gamenet with Spielo and Novomatic and Gmatica with Adria Gaming.
VLTs can now be sited in the same gaming hall rooms as Comma 6a although the single sites (bars, cafes etc) are, at the moment, restricted to AWP operations only.
The law on the 6b is still awaiting EU approval although samples of VLTs have been presented and the concessionaries have had to commit themselves to their quota. Testing of the VLT products began in October which is divided into two parts, primarily initial product testing and then experimentation and test run.
As the first half the licence fee has already been paid by the concessionaires obviously the pressure is now on to get
the products out into the market for a return on their investment.
It is expected however that February will be the earliest time for the release of the first VLTs in the market.
Everything runs via SOGEI which is owned by the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance and provides ICT solutions and services to the Italian tax administration.
It has worked with the State Monopolies Authority’s gaming sector since 1998 and implemented the IT systems to carry out
VLTs can nowbe sited in the same gaming hall rooms as Comma
6a although the single sites (bars, cafes etc) are, at themoment, restricted to AWP operations only.
the control and management of gaming. SOGEI also designed the ICT solutions for the concessionaries aimed at managing the funds directed from their activities.
SOGEI has now engaged GLI as its exclusive partner to help them run the testing of the new Comma 6b machines. GLI is one of four other testing institutes which offer services for the Comma 6a sector.
Meanwhile rumours that the market will open in April to another 10 concessionaires is still circulating the industry.
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