after a year in Henderson I moved from operations to the supplier side, joining Sigma for two years. Ultimately, Bally came calling in early 1999, which was part of publicly traded Alliance Gaming. Bally was Alliance’s slot division and United Coin was the route operator with two casinos in Vicksburg and Sparks, Reno.
I had attended the World Gaming Congress in my second year at Sigma, but when I started at Bally it was clear they had global market reach, even if Alliance, the corporate entity, was quite shaky at the time. Tings changed with the transition to Ticket-in, Ticket-out between 2003-05, as this period became a boom time for companies like IGT and Bally. It helped that WMS was experiencing a debilitating software issue that set them back a couple of years, because Bally, as a result, was catapulted forward.
What were the accomplishments at Bally you are most product of?
Alliance had been in so much trouble that at one point the NASDAQ threatened to de-list the stock as the price had fallen to less than US$2. Ultimately, in the 2003-05 run, Bally’s stock rose from two dollars to US$120, adjusted for splits.
What had been quite a bleak outlook in the early years of the 1990s, switched dramatically in the next five. Bob Miondunski was the CEO at the time and he’d been using his own money to prop up the stock as he believed in the turnaround of the business. It was this period that really saved the company and the Bally brand. It was also the time in which we hosted lavish parties and customer events at different trade shows around the world: Buenos Aires, London, Macau, etc.
Bob Miondunski retired in 2005 and Dick Haddrill took over and led the company, after which I stayed with Bally for a further two years, leaving in December 2007.
What was it about gaming that sunk its teeth into you?
Te biggest reason is the people. Gaming is a global industry, but it’s a fairly small industry too. Visiting trade shows binds us together. You’re sure to see colleagues, competitors and friends if you travel the trade show circuit. And it’s a far cry from the public perception. I’ve had lots of people accuse me of being in business with the mafia and the mob, nonsensical stuff like that, when the reality is that gaming is full of smart, reasonable and motivated people.
When did you first make contact with AGEM?
AGEM was formed in 2000, when IGT, Bally, WMS and Aristocrat joined forces to fight a looming tax issue in Nevada. Casino operators didn’t like the revenue share model put forward by the slot manufacturers, so they were threatening to impose a tax upon the slot companies. At the formation of AGEM, Bally’s Chief Counsel, Mark Lerner, was the company’s primary representative, while I was in the second spot. So I was involved with AGEM at its inception.
P28 WIRE / PULSE / INSIGHT / REPORTS
“In the 2003-05 run, Bally’s stock rose from two dollars to US$120, adjusted for splits. What had been quite a bleak outlook in the early years of the 1990s, switched
dramatically in the next five. Bob Miondunski was the CEO at the time and he’d been using his own money to prop up the stock as he believed in the turnaround of the business. It was this period
that really saved the company and the Bally brand.” Marcus Prater
When I left Bally in 2007, I lobbied hard for the Executive Director’s job, because I felt that the organisation had a lot more to offer. I started in the spring of 2008. Te previous Exec. Director, Jack Bulavsky, was a great guy, but he was a local Vegas PR man. I knew that if AGEM was going to grow we needed to build an international brand. When I started we had 32 member companies, clearly dominated by the big slot companies. During my tenure, we’ve hit a high of 190 members, and after the pandemic have 170 companies as members of AGEM.
What pivotal moments can you remember about the early days at AGEM?
I remember a particular meeting at the Hilton in Buenos Aires with Jens Halle, who was with Novomatic at the time. I was there to convince him to join AGEM and to say that Jens was extremely skeptical, was an understatement. He told me that “Americans think they know everything. It’s all about you guys!” However,
“ I knew that if AGEM was going to grow we needed to build an international brand. When I started we had 32 member companies, clearly dominated by the big slot
companies. During my tenure, we’ve hit a high of 190 members, and after the pandemic have 170
companies as members of AGEM.”
Marcus Prater
Casper, Wyoming Henderson, Nevada
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