EUROPEAN UPDATE News


customers, unfamiliar with the arcade set-up, who want direction as to what games suit their needs from the moment they enter the location.


As new players venture into venues for the first time, Europe now has a growing street market in Italy. Comma 6a players have differentiated themselves from these expensive machines, preferring to play the latest generation 6a games housed in casino quality cabinets, with games as entertaining and exciting as their VLT counterparts, but without the large stakes. "We advise all the operators that we work with in Italy to offer a mix of machine types," explained Mr. Stradtmann. "We advise arcade operators to offer a mix of Comma 6a and VLT, choosing game packages that suit the type of environment and its players. However, picking the right games for the VLT package has been difficult. AAMS and SOGEI have only allowed five games to be homologated for each platform to date, which has been a disaster. We are continually adding new games to the queue, but as yet little is happening."


The lack of a cross-ticketing solution in the VLT sector is also a familiar bug-bear with suppliers right now, though AAMS and the concessionaires are said to be close to implementing a multi-platform set-up that would allow tickets to be read from one platform to the next, allowing two or three different cashier systems in venue. However, there's currently nothing in the collaudo process to allow this, which means that once the technical hurdle has been cleared, there will be an administrative one that will need to be resolved too. Merkur Gaming is ready with a number of different cabinets for the market, though these have also joined their place in the homologation queue. "The situation is frustrating for suppliers," stated Mr. Stradtmann, "but it is extremely difficult for the concessionaires, some of whom have invested huge sums with as yet no return. Having paid in advance 15,000 euros for each machine licence, there are investments of over 180m euros in the VLT sector that are still awaiting their machines."


Merkur Gaming is impressed, however, with its partner in the VLT sector in Italy, Inspired Gaming Group. Having formed the joint venture, Merkur Inspired, last year, the two companies have combined their respective skill sets to speed entry to market and provide the widest portfolio of games and cabinets on the market to date. "Inspired is a very professional company with excellent knowledge of system technology," stated Mr. Stradtmann of his technology partner in Italy. "We are bringing into that mix a very wide knowledge of machine manufacturing and great game delivery, from an existing portfolio of proven street and casino games." Merkur has established a major infrastructure in Italy, close to Milan, that currently incorporates Merkur Interactive, Merkur Gaming, GeWeTe and Merkur Inspired. This shared service centre for the companies offers a win-win scenario for each of the divisions. "We have a very pro-active game development team creating great games," underlined Mr. Stradtmann. "However, that's only part of the package. Operators and players trust the Gauselmann brand. We offer a full care set-up with low maintenance and a complete service package. People put a lot of value behind this approach."


G3 I MAY 2011 I PAGE 23


“We are bringing into that mix a very wide


knowledge of machine manufacturing and


great game delivery, from an existing


portfolio of proven street and casino


games. We have a very pro-active game development team


creating great games. However, that's only


part of the package. Operators and players trust the


Gauselmann brand. We offer a full care set-up with low


maintenance and a complete service


package. People put a lot of value behind this approach."


Jens Stradtmann, Merkur Gaming.


Merkur has


established a major infrastructure in


Italy, close to Milan, that currently


incorporates Merkur Interactive, Merkur Gaming, GeWeTe and


Merkur Inspired. This shared service centre for the


companies offers a


win-win scenario for each of the divisions.


“We advise arcade operators to offer a


mix of Comma 6a and VLT, choosing game packages that suit the type of


environment and its players. However, picking the right


games for the VLT package has been


difficult. AAMS and SOGEI have only


allowed five games to be homologated for each platform to


date, which has been a disaster. We are


continually adding new games to the


queue, but as yet little is happening."


Jens Stradtmann, Merkur Gaming.


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