Aristocrat group profit up 17 percent for year

Aristocrat said in an earlier commentary on the earnings that in the casino slots segment – known as Class III machines – revenues in the Asia Pacific were down 7.1 percent due to “lower buying activity in Macau during the second half, influenced by anticipated regulatory change”.

Matthew Ryan and Richard Szabo, analysts at JP Morgan Securities Australia, said in a research note on the results: “Management cited market weakness in Macau, where the replacement cycle slowed ahead of a regulatory change which imposes new standards on slot machines including continuing play and note insertion (machines need to be compliant by the end of April 2014)…”

But Aristocrat added in its own commentary: “Despite lower buying activity in Macau, the group continued to hold share in this key market and across the Asia Pacific region. Excluding new openings, revenues outside of Macau and Singapore grew over 20 percent as the group continued to broaden its presence in the region.”

The firm also reported a “circa 50 percent share of the floor” in the gaming machine segment at Solaire Resort & Casino, a new venue from Bloomberry Resorts, and which opened in March at Manila Bay in the Philippines.

Aristocrat recently launched in Manila a linked jackpot slot product themed around Philippines boxer Manny Pacquiao. It has some of Aristocrat’s most popular games – 5 Dragons Legends, 5 Koi Legends, 50 Dragons Deluxe and Fortune King Deluxe – supporting the main theme and is performing “really well” says the gaming supplier.