p24-27 IGT interview.qxd 3/28/07 9:38 am Page 36
INTERVIEW
that meets with the regulators and attends regulatory
CI: Are there any plans for IGT to spread into any conferences. We go to those regulators and say listen,
more diverse technology or are you going to stick you know, gaming here is not so different to gaming
with what youre known for, i.e. slots and systems? elsewhere in the world.
JB: IGT’s been very focused on our core product
range. We are in the systems business and we plough CI: What is going on for IGT in Russia?
a lot of time and development into that. And, we JB: We’re busy restructuring. Russia never used to
produce slot machines and we’re proud of our fall under me but it is going to now. One of the main
product. We’re pleased with our product range. We reasons is just the way the business has slowed down
have the largest variety of cabinets also out in the
market place and we pride ourselves on our game
content. So that is very important; those are the three
“The four zones are out
pillars of IGT, in a way.
there and there’s business to
As far as diversity of product ranges goes, we are
continually looking for ways to diversify without
be done.”
jeopardizing our core business. For example, IGT has
a table games system as a result of an alliance with dramatically. IGT’s got a history in Russia. We have
PGCI and Shuffle Master on Table iD. These are some valued customers there, so we will maintain a
products that add value to our existing product strong presence. We want to maintain the contact
range. If our customers need it, we’ve got it. and the relationships weve built there.
Another good example of our diversification would Who knows how the legislation’s going to change,
be the multi-player station or M-P Series product. whether it will stay like that or change. The four
The result of which has been an exciting addition to zones are out there and there’s business to be done.
our product range. It may not be so big and great as everyone had hoped
We are always focused on our core product lines, but it’s there.
but where we feel something will add value or
complement our product range, we’ll obviously look CI: Surely there is an issue of trust there. If you’re
into it for the benefit of the customer. a potential investor in the new gaming centres, which
are supposed to be isolated, they need an entire
CI: So what do you see as being growth areas in infrastructure – roads, rail, possibly each an airport,
Europe for IGT? water, electricity and much, much more. That's a
JB: It’s a combination of not just new countries colossal level of investment to put into a country
coming into the EU from Eastern Europe, but also which has just changed its gaming laws seemingly on
the legislation. There are a lot of these countries that a whim.
do not quite have legislation in place. They have JB: Yes, but that isn’t a unique situation in the
some form of legislation, very restrictive, not geared world. I can only refer back to South Africa in a way,
for making it easy for a technology company like IGT where a lot of that happened one way or another.
to come into the market and serve a customer base. Casinos were invited to invest and apply for licenses
You have a group like Olympic going into a new but with empowerment companies, with investment
territory and they want the latest and the greatest to the community and implementing infrastructure
products available because they have it everywhere e.g. roads, schools etc. So, there is a model there, but
else, but the legislation prohibits us from placing that on a different scale, of course.
technology in the market. So, we have our own
compliance department – product and regulatory – CI: What makes IGT special as a company?
26 APRIL 2007
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50