GOODS & SERVICES
Interblock has purchased the ETG portfolio of Aruze , including Roll to Win Craps
ARUZE GAMING TO CLOSE , INTERBLOCK , PLAY SYNERGY BUYING ARUZE OPS
Aruze Gaming America , the Las Vegas-based slot supplier and subsidiary of Japan ’ s Universal Entertainment , filed a notice with the state of Nevada that it would close its Las Vegas headquarters effective August 18 and lay off 100 employees .
The closure follows the manufacturer ’ s filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in January , which it described as only a financial restructuring following a garnishment judgment against Kazuo Okada , founder of Universal and Aruze Gaming ’ s sole shareholder .
The garnishment judgment is for $ 27.4 million owed to Bartlit Beck LLP , a law firm with offices in Denver and Chicago that represented Okada personally in the multi-year lawsuit against former Wynn Resorts Chairman Steve Wynn , which ended dueling lawsuits between Wynn and Universal that ultimately ended with a $ 2.6 billion settlement to be paid by Universal .
The January judgment authorized Bartlit Beck to collect $ 50 million in fees from Universal ’ s loans owed to Okada .
Okada also faces a warrant for his arrest in the Philippines over his takeover of the casino resort bearing his name earlier this year .
Leading ETG supplier Interblock will buy Aruze ’ s line of electronic table games , including the popular craps products like Roll to Win Craps , a hybrid crap game played on a craps-style table but only requiring one dealer ; Shoot to Win Craps , a popular automated craps game with a central chamber that rolls dice on a shot of air ; and as hybrid roulette and blackjack games .
John Connelly , global CEO of Interblock , said the company will work with Aruze clients to “ ensure a smooth transition and the continuation of excellent customer service .”
“ Aruze Gaming provides us with a new level of diversity we feel will accelerate our vision to make Interblock synonymous with table game
technology ,” Connelly said in a release . “ As we continue to differentiate ourselves in the gaming industry , this acquisition empowers us to offer a broader range of high-quality , innovative gaming solutions to our valued partners in both a traditional and online offering .”
Empire Technological Group , DBA Play Synergy , announced the pending acquisition of Aruze Gaming America ’ s slot operations , including landbased assets , a slot route and online gaming . The transaction is subject to court and regulatory approvals .
Play Synergy will take over Aruze ’ s online and land-based slot operations in the U . S ., including sales , support and service . The company indicated that current customers should not be affected , and the transition will be as smooth as possible .
The acquisition will add Aruze ’ s slot games to the portfolio of Play Synergy . Play Synergy has an existing relationship with Aruze which began in 2022 . Under the terms of their strategic partnership , Aruze has installed some of its retail games on Play Synergy cabinets . That has allowed both companies to expand faster .
Play Synergy did not disclose the financial specifics of the deal . However , it says it ’ s confident that the deal will close within 30 days , pending regulatory and court approvals .
Kelcey Allison , Play Synergy ’ s senior vice president of sales and marketing , formerly spent seven years as CEO of Aruze Gaming , leaving in 2016 .
Play Synergy ’ s acquisitions will include the games in Aruze ’ s new arcade-style Activ-Play lineup — gambling versions of some of the most popular carnival and amusement games in history . One that has been packing customers into installations in Downtown Las Vegas is Go Go Claw , a casino version of the familiar crane / claw machines found in arcades and bowling alleys .
LIGHT & WONDER UNVEILS LIVE GAME SHOW
Light & Wonder , Inc . and Authentic Gaming have launched their first live game show of the
year with the release of 7 ’ s on Fire LIVE , which offers a unique player experience within the live casino vertical .
This milestone marks the first Authentic Gaming game show to utilize Light & Wonder IP for the European market , with elements of the popular 7 ’ s on Fire franchise incorporated into the game play .
The U . K . release of 7 ’ s on Fire LIVE will be exclusive to Light & Wonder ’ s long-term partner Sky Betting and Gaming across their Sky Vegas and Sky Bingo brands for two weeks , with a wider operator network rollout to follow .
Providing a multitude of ways to win , 7 ’ s on Fire LIVE allows players to bet on both fruit symbols and numbers . This game show is shaped by evolving player preferences and market trends . It is packed full of fast-paced action and excitement at every step , offering players a potential max payout of over 10,000 times their initial bet .
Players of 7 ’ s on Fire LIVE can bet on symbols and multiply their bets up to 500X based on symbol frequency , according to the pay table . Players can also bet on numbers and multiply their bet by the symbol multiplier value , which can be up to 777X , when the ball lands on a lucky number . If the winning number matches the winning symbol , the player will triple symbol winnings . The experience is further enhanced when the bonus rounds appear , multiplying all wins by up to seven .
Authentic Gaming ’ s latest live casino product signals its ambitions to develop fresh concepts for the industry . It has plans to utilize additional IPs owned by Light & Wonder for future game show releases , including the legendary Rainbow Riches franchise .
ACRES UNVEILS 10-SECOND ENROLLMENT
Acres Manufacturing , a leading casino loyalty and technology developer , introduced a key new feature of its Foundation HQ casino management system that allows players to digitally enroll in casino loyalty programs in approximately 10 seconds while at the slot machine .
A recent Acres study highlighted that the current player enrollment process utilizing legacy , decades-old CMS technology costs casino operators approximately $ 5 billion annually , or roughly 7 percent of casino slot win , thanks to unnecessary costs and lost revenue . The legacy technology also impairs casino operators ’ ability to optimize engagement with current loyalty program members and attract new players .
Foundation HQ ’ s ability to detect and rate all uncarded play is a central component of the solution ’ s ability to quickly enroll new members . During an uncarded play session , Foundation HQ displays a Play Code on the 7-inch TSD display installed on the game . Each Play Code is unique to a
54 Global Gaming Business SEPTEMBER 2023