IGT Board urges shareholders to vote for its Director Nominees

“We are pleased that Glass Lewis endorses, in effect, the reelection of seven of IGT's incumbent directors and recommends that shareholders reject two of the nominees proposed by the Ader / Mathewson Group, including Charles Mathewson.  We believe the Glass Lewis analysis was flawed, however, in that it did not adequately consider the significant progress that the IGT Board and management team have achieved in improving the company's operational and financial performance over the last several years”, the firm stated.

The firm added that, since 2009, IGT has been successfully implementing a comprehensive strategy that has strengthened the company's core business, enhanced its content strategy, expanded its international presence, improved its internal infrastructure and cost structure, and returned significant capital to shareholders.  The success of this strategy to date is clearly demonstrated by, among other things, the fact that IGT delivered outstanding 2013 fiscal first quarter results, during which the Company shipped more units than in any first quarter in four years, and increased total revenues by 19% to us$ 530 million.

Furthermore, IGT is on track to achieve its fourth consecutive year of double-digit growth in adjusted earnings per share from continuing operations. In addition, since 2009, IGT has invested nearly us$ 800 million in R&D, and has strategically deployed us$ 750 million to enhance its core electronic gaming business, while returning more than us$ 860 million to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases over that same period of time.

The IGT Board urges shareholders to protect their investment by voting the WHITE proxy card today and discarding any materials they receive from the Ader / Mathewson Group.

IGT shareholders are reminded that their vote is important, no matter how many shares they own.  Whether or not they attend the Annual Meeting, IGT shareholders are encouraged to vote the WHITE proxy FOR all eight of IGT's director nominees – Paget L. Alves, Janice Chaffin, Greg Creed, Patti S. Hart, Robert J. Miller, David E. Roberson, Vincent L. Sadusky and Philip G. Satre.  “Vote the WHITE proxy by Internet, telephone or by signing and dating the WHITE proxy card itself and returning it as soon as possible,” the firm concluded.