Wire EMEA
Hellinikon Project Becomes €1.5bn Reality
Expected to open in 2027, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Athens will be the first integrated resort of its kind in continental Europe.
Te casino will comprise 180 tables and 1,500 gaming machines. A tower will host 1,100 guest rooms and 15 dining options, as well as a 3,000-seat theatre.
GREECE OPERATOR NEWS
UK - JCM Global debuts UBA ULTRA at ICE JCM Global has solutions for all types of payment requirements on stand number N3-220 at ICE London, whether they be card, cash or cashless. ICE 2024 will be the first opportunity for customers to see the brand-new UBA ULTRA bill validator – the latest and most advanced member of the UBA family, one of the most popular models worldwide with a new, even more sophisticated note reader head. UBA ULTRA offers unparalleled security, providing a full image scan, 2D barcodes and a product lifecycle of five years or one million cycles.
The JCM cashless solution, which allows payment for low stakes gaming via a specially configured app, will be on display, alongside the very latest Pool Pay solution, which allows cashless and card payment for pool tables including a card directly on the table. Also on the stand will be the VEGA Pro which keeps the same compact footprint as the first- generation VEGA, while significantly improving on security and reliability. The VEGA PRO is designed for a more compact cabinet and despite the advanced technology, is still positioned as one of JCM’s entry- level models. Some of the brand-new features on the VEGA PRO includes the new sensor package and a note centering for a better performance also a barcode sensor for TITO support is applicable.
In addition, JCM will show the MRX offering flexibility and performance for banknote recycling, depositing and dispensing. JCM will also demonstrate Ticket2Go, a ticketing solution developed for AWP/low payout machines, providing a networked ticket in/ticket out solution.
UK - SUZOHAPP Marketplace to launch at ICE At this years’ ICE London, SUZOHAPP will launch SUZOHAPP Marketplace, a new global trade platform for casino operators and OEMs to buy and sell components across the market, all facilitated by the distribution management team of SUZOHAPP. The show will also launch a new distribution partnership between SUZOHAPP and LED Studio, a manufacturer of LED technology for digital signage and displays ready to launch in the gaming and sports betting markets with LED walls and LED signage posters.
SUZOHAPP is set to showcase its suite of terminals designed to provide an immersive and engaging sports betting experience. The SUZOHAPP sports betting ecosystem allows customers to create a self-service omnichannel experience every step of the way from getting the initial voucher, to placing bets, and continuing all the way to cashing out. Visitors can expect to see a diverse lineup of products, including full kiosk formats, tabletop options, over-the-counter models, and cash redemption terminals for payout, as well as iinnovative designs from its component portfolio.
P18 WIRE / PULSE / INSIGHT / REPORTS
Hard Rock International, Gek Terna Group and the Athens community have celebrated the groundbreaking of the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Athens in the heart of the Athens Rivera. Expected to open in 2027, the Hard Rock property will be the first integrated resort of its kind in continental Europe combining an upscale hotel, gaming floor, a meeting and convention space, an entertainment venue, food and beverage locations, Rock Spa and Pool Complex, and a retail promenade.
Te €1.5bn construction project is a state-of- the-art facility projected to generate 3,000 construction jobs and 3,000 permanent jobs that will not only stimulate the local economy of Athens, but will also have an immediate positive impact on Greece’s economy.
Te Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Athens will host a vibrant casino comprised of 180 tables and 1,500 gaming machines and a tower that consists of 1,100 guest rooms and 15 dining options. Additionally, the project includes a 3,000-seat Hard Rock Live theatre with standing room for 4,000 guests and the Rock Spa and Body Rock Fitness. Inspired by Athens’s rich legacy and culture, as well as the beautiful Mediterranean
UK BGC lobbies for frictionless financial checks
Standards body, the Betting and Gaming Council, has urged the British Government to honour its commitments on frictionless financial risk checks, following the announcement that a Parliamentary debate will be held on the issue.
Te Petitions Committee confirmed the debate will take place on February 26 after a petition on the measure, proposed in the Gambling Act White Paper, passed 100,000 signatures. Te BGC has consistently called for frictionless, enhanced spending checks online, targeted on those at risk or showing signs of harm, so swift interventions can take place.
But it is essential enhanced spending checks online do not interfere with the vast majority who bet safely and responsibly, so they can continue enjoying their hobby without unnecessary intrusion. Michael Dugher, Betting and Gaming Council CEO,
said: “Ministers promised Parliament that checks would be frictionless. Tey now need to honour that commitment and will the means.
“At the BGC we supported enhanced checks for online gambling, but have been clear throughout that checks should be carefully targeted on those showing signs of problem gambling, or those who are at risk of harm, so operators can use technology to take swift action. Tey must also remain frictionless for the vast majority, as punters have repeatedly made clear they will not submit to intrusive checks.
“Te overwhelming majority bet perfectly safely and responsibly, and it is crucial no check is introduced which risks driving these punters to the unsafe, unregulated black market online. Tese sites... make no contribution either to the Exchequer or sports like horse racing.”
landscape, the integrated resort will see Hard Rock expand its growing presence in Europe. Hard Rock and Gek Terna Group’s commitment to this project represents the shared vision with the Greek government and Lamda Development to transform the historical Hellinikon Airport into a world-class redevelopment that will further enhance the city and Greece’s tourism industry.
George Peristeris, Chairman and CEO of Gek Terna Group, stated: “We are delighted that in cooperation with a world leader in this sector, Hard Rock International, we are realising an investment much higher than its already significant nominal value, offering Greece a development project that will be a reference point for our country’s tourism product internationally, will offer employment to thousands of people and yield significant revenues to the national budget. A project with high domestic added value, as all our investments have always intended.
“Te Integrated Resort Complex in Hellinikon is no longer a promise, a vision, or a plan. It is a project that is already being built, proving in practice that we implement our commitments.”
Finland
From the beginning of this year, Finnish operator Veikkaus became the first gaming company in the world to require identification for all of its digital and physical channel games, including scratch cards such as its Ace and Casino lottery tickets, introduced as its latest product offering.
Identification is based on the Lotteries Act, which entered into force in 2021. Te purpose of identification is to prevent gambling harm, facilitate age limit control and build a safer gaming environment. Identification also makes it possible to effectively identify and intervene in risky gambling on the basis of data.
Te lottery win is only known when scratching and redemption requires the identification information of the lottery, which is entered into the sales terminal when the ticket is checked.
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