“Our priority is to make Bally the number one gaming technology supplier in Latin America”

You were recently promoted to Director of Games Sales for South America, What are your new responsibilities and objectives?
I’m responsible for Bally Technologies’ business development and expanding our games presence in South America. We have an extremely solid sales and customer-service team to support the needs of the various countries that constitute this region. I oversee our Gaming Operations business all throughout Latin America as well, concentrating on game performance and reporting for our participation titles. I will continue to lead the regional sales force and support marketing initiatives throughout the continent. 

FADJA is Bally’s next big event in the region; can you give us a preview?
Yes, definitely. This will be our fourth time exhibiting at FADJA. We will showcase our latest array of innovative games with more than 30 new titles on display, in which the mega-brands Grease and Michael Jackson King of Pop will definitely stand out. Both brands have a tremendous global appeal.

In is important to remark that Michael Jackson King of Pop incorporates to the world of slots one of the most popular and influential artists of all time in an exciting, music-filled game on Bally’s new Pro Series V22/32 cabinet with the new custom, professional Pro Series surround-sound chair.
Offering everything from mystery wilds bonuses and free games bonus events and featuring hit songs Bad, Beat It, Billie Jean, Dirty Diana, and Smooth Criminal, this game is highlighted by a U-Spin Platinum Record Bonus and video clips showcasing the performer.

Besides, GREASE, inspired by the 1978 American musical film about two love-struck teens in a 1950s high school, is Bally’s first double-play game, featuring two, 25-line games – enabling the player to play two games at once. The game captures every detail of this iconic film to deliver an unforgettable gaming experience.  Players will visualize various scenes from the film during game play, along with music clips and bonus events based on the film and its cast members.

Grease and Michael were showcased for the very first time in Latin America at the SAGSE show in 2011. What was the response you received from operators?
Customers were very interested in these new products. There is much anticipation building up for these games and we are confident that their brand recognition, combined with compelling play mechanics and entertaining game play, will make them exceptionally popular with players in the region. We already have a contract to deliver a significant quantity of Grease games to one of the largest operators in Argentina. We expect to have the first installs before the middle of the year.

Which are the main objectives for Bally in South America?
Our priority is to make Bally Technologies the number one supplier of gaming technology in Latin America. We have a very strong product mix and a great, dedicated group of professionals. We want our customers to know that Bally has a lot to offer with an ever-expanding library of compelling game content for our Pro Series cabinets.  We will also launch our new Bally Interactive division, where we are providing mobile, online, and social gaming solutions to complement our traditional games and systems business lines.  Bally Interactive will enable operators to augment their land-based casinos with mobile and online play-for-fun and wager-based games.

How is the positioning of Bally’s products in Latin America?
We have our market penetration in places where we didn’t have a presence before, and we continue to gain ground in the more mature markets.  Some of our recent installed core video games such as Mustang, Emerald Falls, Playboy Hot Zone, Golden Reef and Wild Huskies are performing exceptionally well.  Our participation games such as Cash Spin, Vegas Hits, and Cash Wizard are among the leaders in coin-in and performance with the great majority of our customers.

What response have you received from the market on the Pro Series cabinets, especially the V22/22? What are some of the contributions these cabinets bring to enhance the game experience? What are some of the benefits for the operators?
We have installed more than 600 Pro Series cabinets throughout Latinamerica since these were first introduced to the market in December 2010. These cabinets and the release of our ALPHA 2 gaming platform have really been a breakthrough for Bally in terms of compelling game content and performance. Through our trailblazing iDeck touch-screen button deck, we are able to offer impactful play mechanics such as U-Shoot, U-Win, and U-Play which take player interaction to a whole new level.

It is important to remark that U-Shoot gives players the experience of skill-based gaming as they utilize the iDeck an arcade-like device in a virtual shooting gallery bonus game.  The players touch the iDeck to create weapons for “shooting” at targets on the main game screens.  This play mechanic is found in our award-winning Fish’n for Loot game.

U-Win consists of three interactive bonuses that are played exclusively on the iDeck. These bonuses are: Rub the Lamp, Pick a Chest, and the U-Spin Multiplier Bonus Wheel. These exciting bonuses give players a second chance to win and enable them to interact with the game in new ways.

And U-Play is featured on their new All That Jazz game, and enables players to use the iDeck’s multi-touch features to play virtual piano keys on the iDeck. It’s all very exciting for casino operators and adds great interaction to the entertainment experience.

Bally’s Pro Series cabinets provide many benefits to operators. They support downloadable content, are equipped for server-based gaming environments, and were built for maximum player comfort and easy serviceability. The vertical door opening enables operators to service the game quickly and without disturbing players on adjacent machines.  Also, thanks to the iDeck, operators will never have to change a button deck again. When new game content is downloaded or installed, the iDeck automatically updates the button configuration, lines, and credits to match the new game.

In 2012, the company celebrates its 80th anniversary. Will you celebrate it with your South American customers?
We had a chance to share with our customers during a formal dinner at G2E in Las Vegas. Also, Bally was given the opportunity to ring The Closing Bell at the New York Stock Exchange represented by our CEO Richard Haddrill and CFO Neil Davidson, in honor of the 80-year anniversary. Eight decades of innovation is a big milestone for Bally Technologies.