G3 Interview GAUSELMANN INDUSTRY SUMMIT
The product presentation revolved mainly around our new top innovation – the M-BOX – this year. Yet novel- ties from other segments like the Feature Games Library Chip, the GeWeTe Duplex-Safe and the Merkur Dispenser 100 Gold or the Merkur Magic Event Portfolio also captured the imagination of our guests. Furthermore, an innovation of particular importance for the German market is a simple yet highly developed solution to maintain youth protection in the bar/restau- rant segment by using a remote control. We were thus able to prove at the Industry Summit that we very much listen to our customers and the players to correspond- ingly develop and offer practically orientated products.
Why does the Summit take place in Frankfurt?
We have fond memories of Frankfurt as the city where the IMA used to take place. Other reasons naturally play a role – the combination of trade show, hotel and event room is unsurpassable. Furthermore, Frankfurt is well connected, so easy to reach and offers an outstanding infrastructure.
The mood at the event was very positive – both from Gauselmann employees as well as the visi- tors. Given the insecurities that the industry faces, how can this positive mood be explained?
We have enjoyed this positive mood at each Industry Summit to date. Our customers look forward to seeing innovations that affect their daily business and listen to interesting presentations that cover subjects of future sustainability in a realistic way, independent of any theoretical restrictions. The Industry Summit visitors stem from our top customers who can estimate the working framework in our industry both very well and realistically. Another reason for the positive mood is naturally the evening event that offers a great show,
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Can you explain how the industry works together to confront the political opposition?
The entire industry-political work is brought together under the umbrella organisation ‘Deutschen Automatenwirtschaft’ (DAW), that was founded by the main associations in 2013. It represents the interests of our market participants in a united voice. Thus, regular meetings take place where the industry comes together. We travel with the DAW in the German states to inform the local sections that represent the Association for AWP Operators (BA) and so represent the ideal, politi- cal, legal and economic interests of the industry.
The industry has had to adjust to setbacks in the past. How do the current challenges compare to those from the past?
The sheer amount of threats was never so great than today to our business. The Gaming Ordinance, the Interstate Gambling Treaty, Amusement Tax, State Arcade Laws – that is all so much at the moment. Yet we will face the corresponding challenges step by step.
“Complex regulations are yet nothing new. We know similar
working conditions already from Spain where we have been
active for many years where individual approvals for the AWPs are required.”
crowning the summit.
We are getting indeed positive feedback and news just like in Rhineland Palatinate where the wish for a player self-ban has been confronted with a time-controlled player ban or play pause.
We are still doing business in a satisfactory way – despite the many constraints and restrictions. For as long as people wish to gamble, they will gamble.
Each state interprets the rules in a different way – sometimes each local authority. How did such complex market conditions come about?
These complex market conditions are the result of our federal system. The states assumed the right for arcade law in 2006 within the Federal Reform. Whether this applies just to the AWPs or the locations is even today unclear. Such complex regulations are yet nothing new for the Gauselmann Group. We know similar working conditions already from Spain where we have been active for many years where individual approvals for the AWPs are required.
One can and has to live with this – yet what is currently happening in Germany does not fit whatsoever with the notion of an open European and global market.
The Industry Summit served to present your new M-BOX. The M-BOX is described as being a ‘quan- tum step ahead’. Please explain why.
The M-BOX cannot be explained – it has to be seen! We had been planning the M-BOX in our minds for four years. The result is a very elaborate concept – that will turn the gaming industry on its head and set new stan- dards. The two external monitors fit optically to the ‘Apple’ generation and is thus not foreign to anybody. The M-BOX has also undergone fundamental technical
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