“In 2012 and forward, Aristocrat will generate growth from a more competitive core business”

What else do you hope to accomplish in 2011?
2011 was an incredible year for Aristocrat, and as we end 2011, we realize that the key to moving forward is leveraging our high performing, iconic premium brands to more players in more channels. For example, let’s look at what we did with our popular ‘5 Dragons’ game in 2011:

•It is available as a game on some of our best performing EGM and slot machines;
•It is able to be played on our systems based VLT machines in Europe and in two Asian casinos;
•It is downloadable and configurable;
•It has been made available for play on mobile phone devices, available outside of Australia on the iTunes App store;
•And it is playable through our online gaming and systems business such as in the ‘virtual casinos’ overseas, exemplified by two of the exciting new contracts we announced earlier this month at Maryland Live! and Island Resort & Casino. These deals signfy Aristocrat’s first agreement for our online play-for-fun solution, nLive, which creates a virtual casino where players will play online for free.

In the final days of 2011, we will continue to lay the groundwork that will deliver like opportunities in 2012.

How was the general gaming industry in a year with an economic crisis that affected many markets?
2011 had its challenges, naturally. However, we did have several key successes around the world including:

•In March, we secured an exclusive arrangement with UK based GameAccount Network to use its highly robust and compliant internet gaming platform to host and serve our games, as well as established relationships with trusted, blue chip online operators.

•We’ve also begun moving some of our best games onto licensed internet gaming sites in Europe, as part of our commitment to better leverage our IP assets, to make our best games work for us in multiple ways across multiple channels.

•Roll-outs across other regulated markets are also in the pipeline.

What are the company's plans for 2012? What novelties are you preparing?
Our traditional core business of EGM’s and slots will remain our dominant source of earnings, and we will continue to earn our well-deserved reputation on the floors of gaming venues around the world. In 2012 and forward, we will generate growth from a more competitive core business, adapting to future technologies and creating new businesses to leverage technology and IP assets.

We will stay true to what makes our land-based business successful while adapting to suit the needs of modern players and modern customers.  At the same time, we will continue building a more competitive core business by building momentum from improved product, enforcing our IP aggressively and re-aligning our cost base and operating model. We will begin adapting our core business to the future – a modern approach to global gaming – one that comes through building value-added systems applications and focusing on downloadable games and server based gaming. In other words, we will create new businesses by leveraging different markets – like new lotteries platforms in Europe - alongside a deployment of new content in regulated online markets and the continued success of our online free-to-play platform for US casinos.

How will be the 2012 for the gaming industry in general? Will it be similar to 2011? Do you think that we will see a growth in the activity?
It’s a challenging time, but also an exciting time for business – poised as we are on the cusp of a fundamental technology-led reshaping of the gaming industry. And for the industry itself, it is a time of uncertainty and potential as Asia emerges as the new growth engine of a genuinely global industry. Our strong core business will stay focused on providing reliable and trusted key customer and player experiences. Some of the value streams that will define our future are known – others we simply can’t predict. One thing we can be sure of, Aristocrat will always be the company that makes great gaming experiences, just like we have done for more than 55 years.