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JPM set to take ATEI by storm

UK: JPM International is planning a line-up of more than 40 different products for ATEI 2007 in London, including the brand new Prestige cabinet which houses dual-screen video and a new machine for the UK club market.

Designed specifically for UK clubs, Around the World is built on a world travel theme. It includes a pre-gamble base game and a hi/lo stake feature game that can be accessed through a variety of trails including Economy, Business Class and First Class. This reinforces JPM’s commitment to launching new Linear club product into the UK market.

The new Prestige cabinet houses the innovative Cyclone Games compendium of arcade games for the central and eastern European sector as well as a casino compendium.

Although initially aimed at central and eastern Europe, the flexibility and universal appeal of the Prestige cabinet has inspired a number of concepts, which are to be developed for markets across the globe.

Industry to fight new US currency initiative

US: The coin machine industry in the US is fighting plans to introduce new currency which is designed to help blind and visually impaired people.

The move is being spearheaded by the huge American vending industry, but the coin-operated amusement business and - to a lesser extent because it is becoming more ticket oriented - the casino industry, are also affected.

A court ruling at the end of November, which resulted from a lawsuit brought against the US Treasury by the American Council for the Blind in Washington, has brought the matter to a head.

The charity demanded that currency should be redesigned to help blind and visually impaired people distinguish denominations. If the ruling was passed into law, it would cost the vending and amusement industry hundreds of dollars per machine to amend mechanisms.

There are seven million food and beverage machines in the US, and 1.5 million of them accept $1 and $5 bills - which are the same size and colour.

The judge in the court case gave the US Government 30 days to present possible solutions and 10 days to appeal

Excel introduces American pool tables

UK: Excel Leisure has introduced a range of American size pool tables after numerous requests from operators.

Rather than moving away from the UK pool table market of pubs and clubs, which simply do not have the room for an 8ft American pool table, Excel said it sees this latest venture as an add on to its range of tables currently available.

Twins Corp to close down

JAPAN: One of the best-known sales companies for refurbished video games coming out of Japan into the international market is to close down.

Tokyo-based The Twins Corporation will close at the end of December as its founder Mike Kiuchi is going into retirement. He joined Nihon System 17 years ago, but nine years ago started The Twins Corporation.

Germany imposes gambling monopoly

GERMANY: Sports betting machines in Germany got a reprieve - but only a temporary one - when the German states postponed a plan to impose a state monopoly on gambling, banning private lottery agents and sports betting companies.

The postponement is only until next year, when ministers will ratify proposals to extend the states' monopoly for four years. The new law will take effect in January 2008.

In March of this year the Federal Constitutional Court decided that the states can only insist on a monopoly if they amend their marketing techniques for their lotteries to conform with gambling addiction avoidance.

The states have already taken action against some sports betting companies, notably based in Austria.

Source: IGI Worldwide