ZANE MERSICH, NOVOMATIC UK We have a great end-to-end business in the UK.
And as an AGC operator, we have almost 250 locations in total, with over 14,000 machines and over 1,500 staff.
CI: Does being in so many markets not dilute
what we formerly thought of as ‘core’ NOVOMATIC product? ZM: When we started out in 2008 we had a very small share of the casino slots market here, at the time probably under 10%. We now have a much higher share, probably in excess of 50%. We have a significant quantity of B1 slot machines in the market and have also taken back the distribution of the NOVO LINE NOVO Unity II electronic live gaming product from the previous distributor; we have actually put many of those out since we took back distribution. In terms of casino market share, with ELGs and B1 slots, we have in excess of 50% market share and continue to innovate heavily in terms of games, cabinets and we like to think that we will be very well positioned should there be an uplift in slots allocation for UK casinos.
CI: What has been the driver behind the recent
growth in slots? ZM: We came into the market with the Coolfire II
powered GAMINATOR machine with a new suite of games – we put it out on test and it performed very well. It was a quantum leap in terms of product, and we had some loyal players. We built the player base over a few years, and then the Super-V GAMINATOR very quickly grew a solid player base. As a result, we sold many more machines, then launched the slightly larger versions of the cabinet and moved to the NOVO LINE platform. The old games stayed on board but were upgraded to HD, as well as some new games, plus we launched the downloadable network solution aServe that includes a superb reporting module with an entire estate performance shown in real-time. We now have over 1,000 machines networked to aServe in casinos, which is one-third of all B1 machines in the UK.
CI: Historically the UK is very open to adopting
new technology and it’s relatively easy to do a large-scale deployment in a small country, does that help you to innovate? ZM: The casino space has been a great success for us and we like the UK because customers here, the big casino groups and the smaller operators, are – despite being restricted by the number of slots they are allowed – really keen to find points of differentiation, to try new technology, to make the most of what they have and be innovative. It’s forward-thinking customers like Grosvenor and Aspers who encourage us to bring something new to the offer that we have; we do signage, can help with the look of the floors, create zones, different cabinets… Customers like that because rather than just buying a standalone piece of kit, going forward you have access to the evolving library of
CI: So the Ainsworth brand will continue to exist? ZM: Yes. In terms of expansion into AGCs, it gives
more product range, it gives our customers more variety.
The industry’s needs develop and evolve, and needs rarely simplify, they become more involved. People want fresh experiences, look at the multigame sector, look at aServe delivering a new game every month. aServe has found its way into the Netherlands now, we will see that product succeed wherever the market has a need for it. I don’t think you can ever have too much product. Everything we do is always well thought-out, it’s always focused in a specific area. It’s not a case of doing a load of product and hoping for the best, there is a tremendous amount of thought that goes into the design and development of everything that we do – especially when you are targeting a space you have not been in before. Even when you are defending your position as market leader, you still have to consistently innovate. It’s obvious really, you have to be the person bringing something new to the table, new concepts and designs and not just for the sake of it, but because that’s what delights the players who are ultimately our customers.
CI: Everything seems poised for a golden future
for NOVOMATIC UK then! ZM: We are very pleased with our UK business. It’s
a great business, and we have been able to apply the duality of manufacturing and operating, and done so successfully and a meaningful way in terms of scale. That bodes well for us in the future. Over the past few years we have built a solid UK base, and we can now focus on organic growth.
MAY 2017 61
develop and evolve, and needs rarely simplify, they become more involved.”
“The industry’s needs
NOVOMATIC games. It’s like future-proofing the piece of hardware, and with aServe, a new game is added every month so there is a steady stream. We can fix devices remotely with our network, and if we can’t, we can diagnose and assist a technician to fix it. It’s a collaborative effort and we have a wonderful team, from the technicians and software support right through to head office in Austria.
CI: NOVOMATIC’s acquisition of Ainsworth may also be a masterstroke… ZM: Astra Games is now the distribution arm for
Ainsworth gaming machines into Europe. Ainsworth will be a wonderful opportunity for NOVOMATIC as a group and both companies will benefit tremendously from that acquisition; right now, we are going through regulatory checks and balances, and we hope everything should be over the line by the end of the year when we will become majority shareholders. Ainsworth UK has been absorbed into Astra, along with the exclusive rights to distribute their products into Europe. Further down the track, we will be the majority shareholder so will be able to fully benefit from the synergies between both companies.
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