Confidence & Expansion - Keynotes At I.C.E.

Published: Thursday, January 25, 2007 Online-Casinos.com

CONFIDENCE AND EXPANSION THE KEYNOTES AT I.C.E.

Some notable absences, but an upbeat exhibition

The interactive section of the International Casino Exhibition drawing to a close in London today clearly showed the resilience and flexibility of a multi-billion dollar industry that has survived and prospered despite several attempts to cripple or kill it off by vested interests around the world. The recent attempts by American law enforcers to hamstring financial transactions to offshore online casinos notwithstanding, there was an air of confidence and optimism among exhibitors, backed by ambitious practical plans to take up the American slack by expanding into European and Asian markets.

Everywhere the same spirit was in evidence, and the coming months will see real evidence of this as numerous new technological innovations, new games and marketing roll-outs take place.

But before detailing the individual exhibitors, it is appropriate to first report on two important industry events that took place in the I.C.E. timeframe: the unveiling of interesting results from the largest ever global survey of online gamblers, and a round table discussion on responsible gaming which could lead to significant and far-reaching changes for the better in the industry.

Online-Casinos/InfoPowa has already reported in depth on the main points of the eCOGRA Global Survey on Online Gambling which were released at a well attended press conference at I.C.E. at the beginning of the week. Involving almost 11 000 players in 96 countries across the world and embracing all the main markets, the independent survey was conducted by the research academics at the Nottingham Trent University and as we went to press the results were achieving widespread mainstream media coverage.

Presenting the results of the 6 month research initiative commissioned and funded by the player protection and standards body eCommerce and Online Gambling Regulation and Assurance, Nottingham University psychology specialist Jonathan Parke said that a wide range of respondents in substantial numbers had been accessed through a combination of publicity and open advertising and the outstanding cooperation of leading industry information portals and online gambling sites. Meticulous attention to professional methodology had been practiced, the researcher revealed.

"This was an exceptionally exciting professional research initiative, and the innovative and willing collaboration of all sections of the industry has made a major contribution to its reach and validity," he said before detailing the findings and making the report available.

Industry executives and their staffs are studying the survey closely because new information that will influence strategic and tactical planning emerged in this largest ever online survey sample that focused primarily on what the player thinks and prefers. Full details of the report can be viewed at www.ecogra.org.

The more private Round Table discussion was hosted by Microgaming CEO Roger Raatgever and attended by executives from leading corporate, problem gambling and player protection organisations. The discussion focused on Responsible Gaming, and the exchanges illustrated the very real commitment that top online gambling executives have to expanding the international scope of responsible gambling measures for both moral and professional reasons.

Because a full report on the Round Table and its conclusions and subsequent actions going forward is to be released shortly, InfoPowa can only report that the discussions were both sympathetic and productive, offering the possibility of major educational and common codes of practice initiatives that could have a significant beneficial impact on how the industry deals with this sensitive area and how it is perceived in the future.

Back at Earl's Court, the show was going full blast, with the noise, glitz and bright lights of the land gambling side as always dwarfing a nevertheless very creditable turnout in the interactive or Internet gaming section branded ICEi. Disappointing absences of previously high profile exhibitors were RealTime Gaming and (again) Cryptologic, the former having pulled out at the last minute for reasons that have yet to be explained.

Our first stop was at the mobile gambling technology specialists Spin3, a company that is associated with major provider Microgaming for games, and one that has been making the news in a market segment that Juniper Research has recently predicted has a potential of $16 billion in revenues. William Boemsma, the European manager for the company demonstrated the newly launched GameWire MultiLink system - an integration package for the wireless casino system, GameWire.

GameWire MultiLink will allow any enterprise in the eGambling arena to quickly and seamlessly link its existing operation into the GameWire platform and launch a mobile casino offering.

eGambling operators will benefit from GameWire MultiLink's snap-on integration to their existing operations, allowing them to provide their customers with Spin3's mobile casino games, while not disclosing or transferring sensitive information such as player data and payment transactions. eGambling operators not previously associated with the Microgaming network, can now use the GameWire mobile casino system to extend the reach of their services and increase revenues.

Spin3 will have new games on the launchpad soon, too - Mahjong could be one of them - and the company is working on new language options to empower those operators with Asian plans. Work is ongoing on wider payment options, and interesting developments are underway with as yet undisclosed Asian partners. Helping Spin3 deliver quality product are mobile 'phone technology improvements which make handsets better supportive of advanced gaming technologies.

The Boss Media stand had an audience participation gimmick that was attracting as many spectators as the Playboy Bunnies in the main hall land gambling section - an ingenious game from a private supplier branded Mindball. Two contestants face-off against one another wearing brainwave measuring headsets, the idea being to move a ball into your opponent's territory.

The staff were too busy dealing with potential clients to play around, however and accounts manager Tove Aldefors briefed us on what's happening at the veteran Swedish turnkey provider, famed for its outstanding graphics.

Launching at I.C.E. is the company's Flash poker, which adds a no-download dimension to the more traditional download suite from this supplier. There are likely to be more games on this instant play platform going forward, we were told. Players can also look forward in the second quarter to a slew of new games with fast, smooth multiplayer action, reward features and great graphics covering a variety of themes.

Watch out for Formula X (a race car themed slot) Fortunes of Egypt with the ancient Egyptian theme much loved by developers, Fireburner which has a devilish cartoon look to it, Lost City a jungle themed slot and a new video poker branded Showdown Poker which looks as if it has a tempting pay table. There's a wheel-spinner slot due, too labeled Money Wheel.

The releases follow three new games launched at the end of December - a slot, a table game and a new Caribbean Stud Poker.

Boss has been busy working on the casino backend system as well, and the new version will have a clever feature that enables marketers to use the extensive data-mining and analysis capabilities of the software to identify and make special offers to specific types or categories of regular player. For example, when a player who is in one of the target categories logs on, he or she will immediately be presented with a special promo of free games or spins.

Another interesting facility is called Players Online, which enables players who log in to take an overview of all the multiplayer action ongoing on the premises and decide which, if any player, game or table he or she would like to join.

Boss's IVT technology work continues and the business is growing, we were told.

Readers may remember a show report last year on the GexTech interactive football games, where players can choose their own famous stadia, football club strips and player avatars and compete in a Fantasy League. The pan 'n zoom effects and graphics on this dynamic game are eye-catching to say the least, especially on today's large flatscreen LCD monitors, which the company used to good effect at the show. Managing director David Deprez said that demand is growing for this customisable version of the beautiful game, and GexTech is busy meeting demand from a wider geographical market than Europe by developing stadia and strips from other countries where football is a passion for large numbers of people. Unfortunately, the erratic legal situation pertaining in the United States has discouraged GexTech from entering that market with a truly outstanding product.

The turnkey provider Playtech had a strong presence at I.C.E. and we were shown around by bingo marketing manager Ziv Chen. Typical of the attitude we encountered everywhere, Chen was optimistic about the future of the industry and the ability to rebuild elsewhere the lost American market which his company has abandoned, at least for the present. Playtech are working hard on perfecting their "holistic" strategy whereby all of the different sectors that the company serves, from mobile and virtual horseracing to bingo and even land-based kiosk networks are tightly integrated into one, single management interface system with a single account capability for the convenience of players.