December 2008 news V6 4/12/08 10:23 Page 2
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Aristocrat’s new Smoking ban adds
EMEA Manager
Global slowdown hurting
to Atlantic’s woes
Rob McLoughlin is
major casino players
Aristocrat’s new Chief Executive Officer Sheldon
Executive General Adelson and his family have A
month after a smoking ban
came into force, gamblers
can now smoke again in
Manager for Europe, F
ollowing an auditor’s warning
that there was ‘substantial
doubt’ that the company could invested around $1billion dollars in Atlantic City’s 11 casinos.
Middle East and survive, in November the Las Vegas company since the end of Following a decline in casino slot
Africa (EMEA). He Sands corporation updated its September this year, and his revenues around 20 percent that
succeeds Nick Khin, who assumed development plans and raised personal fortune has plummeted by followed the October smoking ban,
the post of President and Chief capital of $2.1billion through the around $30 billion in twelve months the City Council suspended the ban,
Executive Officer of Aristocrat’s sale of stock and warrants. during which the company’s share which will be reviewed in a year.
American business in September. President and Chief Operating price fell by around 95 percent. Trump Entertainment, which
Mr McLoughlin most recently held Officer William Weidner announced Adelson still retains a majority share operates three casinos in Atlantic
the post of General Manager – that some of the company’s Las Vegas Sands. City, cited the smoking ban
Corporate Affairs, following several developments in alongside a slowdown in consumer
years as the Executive Chairman of Las Vegas and a71 Meanwhile spending and increased competition
the company’s Japanese Macau would be Trump and from slot halls in neighbouring
operations. After he joined Aristocrat put on hold. Harrah’s both states, where partial rather than
in 1993 as General Manager Following a series posted significant total smoking bans are in place, as
Marketing, McLoughlin played a of meetings with third-quarter contributing factors to its recent
major role in the company’s banks and the securing of new losses, and it became clear that poor results, which led the company
successful flotation on the Sydney funds, work on the Marina Bay that expansion funded by loans is no to announce it would not make a
Stock Exchange in 1996. He also Sands integrated resort, the first longer the route to growth for the $53.1 million interest payment
headed the Japan Project Team, and casino in Singapore, is to continue casino industry; the global slow scheduled for December 1st.
was responsible for gaining approval broadly on schedule. down that has seen casino revenues Mark Juliano, CEO of Trump
for Aristocrat to manufacture and Commenting on the situation, fall looks set to continue. Entertainment Resorts, argued at
sell Pachislot product in the Weidner said: “We feel very “While we're hopeful the federal the time the ban was proposed that
Japanese market. confident that this plan fully funds government's recent actions to it would accelerate the general
our development plans through the restore order to the financial decline in revenues, that jobs would
IGE registrations
opening of Singapore…[it] gets us markets may lead to an eventual be lost, and that operators would
through what we anticipate to be a economic recovery, there is no find it too expensive to build
hit record levels
very rough 18 months ahead of us certainty as to its timing," said ventilated smoking rooms. He said
until we see recovery, somewhere in Harrah’s Chief Executive, Gary that money would be wasted if such
E
leven weeks before the 2009 2010 or 2011.” Loveman in a statement. rooms were subsequently banned.
International Gaming Expo,
visitor pre-registrations are up
almost 35 percent year-on-year,
IGT: adds to standards, starts laying off staff
according to the event’s marketing
manager, Charlotte Skinner.
“The spike in our pre-registration
figures reflects IGE’s status as the T
he Gaming Standards McDermott said: “This is an exciting said: “We are excited to work with
Association’s G2S and S2S development for GSA and for both GSA’s committees in a collaborative
committees have approved the G2S and S2S protocols.” effort. This demonstrates IGT’s
most complete gaming exhibition on manufacturer extensions for GSA’s “Not only does it prove that GSA ongoing commitment to GSA
the calendar,” Game to System (G2S) protocol and has provided a workable solution for protocols and the processes in
she said. its System to System (S2S) manufacturers, it also proves that place that can be used to help
The 2009 protocols that were received from the GSA protocols are living, manufacturers bring new meaningful
International platinum member company IGT. breathing standards, adaptable to products to market.”
Gaming Expo takes place between These extensions are the first to be extensions that make the standards a71 Meanwhile, to trim costs, IGT has
27-29 January. Registration for free donated for inclusion in a GSA even better.” begun a programme of up to 500
entry can be made online at protocol by any manufacturer. Adrian Marcu, GSA board staff layoffs that could see almost
www.ige-exhibition.com. GSA Technical Director Marc member and IGT VP of Architecture 10 percent of its workforce cut.
4 DECEMBER 2008
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