“We are very positive for 2013”

How did you see SAGSE show this year?
Talking at the end of the second day of the show, we can say that it has been an excellent event for us. All our representatives from Argentina, Chile, Peru, Mexico, Colombia and Paraguay have been extremely busy receiving many customers in our stand.

The quality of the visitors was also very good. We had the chance to make many new contacts, and also it was a good opportunity to meet with our current clients. In terms of quantity, for us the first day was very crowded with a second day slower.

We really hope that, for next year, the situation of Argentine gambling market improves. Novomatic still can develop business in Argentina because it has branches here that export and import products, what helps us to have a very well position here. Even though we think that everything could be much easier, we are very positives for 2013.

What are the main features of the products that you have presented for the Latin American market?
AGI’s exciting NOVOSTAR SL2 slant top, the Super-V+ Gaminator® and the Novo Super-Vision are already well known and popular stars of South American gaming floors and were a major feature at this year’s SAGSE show in Buenos Aires. Furthermore, the new Super-V+ Gaminator® III cabinet was on display in a marvellous jackpot installation featuring the brand new Magic Joker Jackpot. This jackpot innovation is a thrilling card-animated multi-level progressive mystery jackpot that will certainly thrill operators and their guests alike.

Also the server based ready NOVOLINE INTERACTIVE games and systems were presented here in Buenos Aires. The games range covers a great variety of thrilling themes, with 5-50 lines and innovative mathematical concepts for gaming excitement in every casino – at the same time providing future proof flexibility for the operator: The system is server-based ready, and as such gives the ideal basis for a later connection to a server based gaming environment. At SAGSE NOVOLINE INTERACTIVE were shown with a broad array of new games such as Bugs Buck$, Disco Party or Sean Hunters as well as with a new game concept including an innovative skill feature: Sizzling Cut.

A further highlight on show in Buenos Aires was the amazing Pinball Roulette. This single player Roulette game is activated by the player using a traditional pinball launching device to deploy the ball onto the Roulette wheel. The guest has the perception that, by varying the speed with which he launches the ball, he can help determine the outcome of the game. Yet the Pinball Roulette plays exactly to the defined rules of Roulette and is 100% random. Only the innovative launching mechanism conveys the perception that the guest is both player and croupier at the same time.

Additionally, Octavian presented the casino management system ACP (Accounting Control Progressives System). The ACP system can be ideally adapted to the requirements of both the operator and pertaining regulations. The system’s ‘add-on’ functions include profit calculation, floor monitor, TITO, Cashless and Player Loyalty as well as many more and has proved an extremely attractive ‘package solution’ for discerning operators.

Have you exhibited any products of your latest acquisition, Unidesa?
The very recent acquisition of certain, casino based assets of Unidesa from its parent company Cirsa requires a period of integration to bring the talents of the company into the Novomatic family. That process is still ongoing but is certain to add extra value to Novomatic’s product offering across all of Latin America. In the short term, however, the shipping deadlines for bringing products to SAGSE have meant that it was not possible to have Unidesa represented with us here in Buenos Aires. We are of course fully aware of the reputation of Unidesa products in this market and so our customers can be sure that we will be presenting these new attractions very soon in the future.

What countries are the best for the performance of your products within this region?
It is always hard to define ‘best’ across a region as huge as Latin America, since each individual country has its own market requirements. Having said that, we can absolutely highlight Argentina, Colombia, Mexico and Panama as locations in which Novomatic is making – and will continue to make – a big impact. All of these countries have their own challenges in terms of their local regulations and market requirements but we have, together with our subsidiary companies, been able to find effective solutions to these challenges and so increase our business in each one.

You mention Argentina. What is your opinion about the current import barriers and exchange restrictions in Argentina? How do you think this situation will evolve?
This is not an easy situation for many companies in lots of different businesses, not just the gaming industry. However, AGI Argentina however has been able, together with our local colleagues from Octavian de Argentina, to find effective ways to manage our product importations; thus putting us in a good position on the market.

How has Peru responded to Octavian's Accounting Control Progressives System - ACP?
As you know, the recent legal amendments in Peru meant that, from 2011, all casino and slots operators were required to connect their machines within the individual operation as well as interconnect their operations within one central online monitoring system. Now, under the latest version of the law, N°29829, that came into effect on January 7th, 2012, this central server was linked to the government-controlled servers at the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism and simultaneously at the Peruvian tax authority’s headquarters. The law allowed for a transition period of six months that enabled the Peruvian operators to implement an appropriate online system by July 8th, 2012.
So there has been a lot of work in a short period of time for Octavian de Argentina but it is good to be able to report that all of that work has brought benefits not just for the lawmakers but also for the gaming operators. The installation process has been seamless and operators have been able, by using ACP, to achieve increases of machine performance of 10-15%.

In the meantime Octavian maintains an excellent co-operation with MINCETUR, having already provided special training for the testing officers and regulatory staff. The gaming authorities proved highly content with the ACP system features that ideally provide for the required control mechanisms. Thus Octavian is confident that the ACP system will further establish its position as the leading online casino management system in operation in Peru.

What are your expectations for next year?
The prospects for 2013 are very good with more new market specific and internationally proven products being made available for the whole region. Particularly, the NOVO LINE product series will have a great impact on the market and will next year deploy its full potential with new functionalities for the operators and new thrilling games for their guests. Also, the company structures in the region are continuing to grow and are being further developed to offer the best sales and after sales services in the whole of South and Central America.