New game launch lining up
By Paul Tash
Montana Tavern Times
Everything is “lining up” for the Jan. 1 launch of the biggest change in for Montana's gaming businesses in over 25 years.
Though nobody is guaranteeing anything, there's no denying the excitement that video line games have created. That excitement is pinned on the potential the games have to help revive the struggling gaming businesses hit hard in the last few years by both a difficult economy and the statewide smoking ban.
“Video line games are the first new game type introduced since video gaming machines were allowed in Montana (in 1985),” said Neil Peterson, executive director of the Gaming Industry Association of Montana. “Video line games will allow our customers to experience a new and exciting game and build upon the already entertaining video poker and keno games currently offered.”
Peterson added that Montanans will now be able to experience “what is offered in almost any other state that allows gambling.”
And he added that the industry is hopeful the introduction of video line games “will recoup some of the revenue lost” to the smoking ban and downturn in the economy.
“A strong and healthy hospitality industry,” he said, “is good for Montana's economy by providing good jobs and a steady stream of tax revenue to the state and local economies.”
Montana Tavern Association counsel Mark Staples said video line games will “hopefully turn out as intended – to revive, at least partially, gaming from its current challenges.”
“The majority of MTA members who voted to pursue it are very excited to have the first real new video feature in a long time,” he said. “And they're hopeful it will excite their players as well.”
The Montana Legislature passed the measure to add video line games to existing video gaming machines in the 2011 session. SB 361 passed the Senate in February on a 38-11 vote and passed the House in March, 73-23. No opponents of the bill spoke in hearings before either the House or Senate committees.
The law contains the same betting parameters that exist for poker and keno – maximum payouts will be $800 and maximum bets will be $2. The line games must be present in the same machines as poker and keno. Locations are not required to offer video line games.
The new law allows the line-game software updates to be installed before Jan. 1, and then turned on after midnight on New Year's Eve. The process to turn the games on will vary depending on the machine – many will simply involve entering a security code or Personal Identification Number.
Game manufacturers and state regulators have been working together since the line-game legislation's passage to first develop rules to manage the games, then to develop an efficient process for game submission for testing and ultimate approval, given the fast-approaching Jan. 1 launch date.
Those goals appear to be accomplished, as line games from several manufacturers have been submitted to the Gambling Control Division lab for testing. Two manufacturers, U1 and Grand Vision Gaming, have had line games approved, allowing them to begin installing the games in existing machines. In addition, as of the Montana Tavern Times' Nov. 28 press time, games by Spielo (Arcom platform), Summit, Epic Software, and MTD Gaming have been submitted and are working their way toward approval.
“We're projecting to have all games submitted (so far) to be approved and out the door by the end of the year,” Ben Kamerzel, supervisor of the GCD lab, told the Gaming Advisory Council at its Nov. 29 meeting.
In addition to those line games already approved or in the testing phase, others are expected to be submitted in December, including ones by Fleetwood Gaming, and more by Spielo for its new Sensys platform. In addition, IGT is expected to submit games early next year. And other manufacturers not presently in Montana are rumored to be interested in developing line games for the Montana market.
So the rollout of video line games will be a process that will continue for several months.
The industry is in the initial phase of the rollout that involves mostly software upgrades to existing machines to meet the Jan. 1 launch date. One exception is MTD, a new manufacturer that doesn't have machines in Montana currently and so will be rolling out new machines with new poker, keno and line games.
Industry representatives estimate that up to 3,000 machines across Montana could have line games on them and available for play on Jan. 1.
The second phase of the line-game rollout early next year will involve more hardware development that will include more new machines with new suites of games.
Each manufacturer has its own unique personality, and the new games reflect that.
Following is information from game manufacturers on their line games and their take on the games' impact on the industry. (Though attempts were made to contact all manufacturers who've submitted or are expected to submit in December, some manufactures did not have time to respond before the Times' story deadline. Their comments will be incorporated into future articles.)
Epic Software
Epic has three line games submitted and awaiting approval, said Brian Duval and Henry Frew.
Long Spin Goodbye is a Bogart-themed game; Savannah Safari is an animal-themed game, while Flying Colors is a World War II-themed game featuring such symbols as nose-cone art and pin-up girls.
The games were “very well received” at a recent open house hosted by Century Amusement, Duval said.
Noting that line games will be new to the Montana video gaming scene, Duval said his company worked to make the games “as clear as possible to the player,” so they know “what they're betting on and how they can win.”
Epic, which introduced its first machine into the market place in July, has had a wild ride this year.
“We started with developing brand new poker and keno games early this year,” Frew said, “and then went right into line games for our new machine. It was a whole new ball game.”
“It's been an exciting six months,” he said, adding that the intense game development “says quite a bit about our team.”
Grand Vision Gaming
As of press time, GVG had five line games approved on its slant-top UltraVision machine, a 1-line game called One Liner, a 5-line game called Simple 7s, an 8-line game called Ultra 8s, a 20-line game called Plenty of Penguins, and a 40-line game called Plenty of Cash.
Grand Vision's Tim Carson said his company worked to develop a game suite offering a variety of complexity, from the simple 1-line game to the more player-intensive 20- and 40-line games. Carson said GVG is nearing submission of two more games that will be included in this software set at no extra charge. In addition, he said operators will receive the brand new Quick Cash keno game as part of the software installation.
“We took a more traditional approach” with graphics, he said, using such recognizable symbols as bars and cherries in some games.
One of the new line games is themed after the company's popular Plenty of Penguins keno game, he said.
Regarding the possible impact of video line games on the state gaming industry, Carson said,
“It's huge.”
“The industry has the opportunity to recapitalize and reinvest in itself in order to have a brighter future,” he said. “There've been so many technological changes (since the start video gaming in Montana). This new content will take advantage of that to re-excite the players.
“It's going to be very significant.”
The industry, he said, will be able to review what's playing and what isn't after the first quarter of 2012 and provide still more new-game content for players that reflect those playing patterns.
“The picture will continue to evolve quickly,” he said.
Carson said an education process has taken place for operators regarding line games over the last several months, and now manufacturers and operators are looking to market the games to the players.
For example, his company is using the Billings Gazette for daily “countdown ads” as a way of teasing the Jan. 1 launch.
“It's a build-up,” he said. “People are seeing this thing coming.”
Fleetwood Gaming
Though Fleetwood, a long-time supplier of poker and keno games to the Montana market, had not submitted its games to the GCD lab as of press time, Art LaGaly said his company expected to do so within days.
Fleetwood's submission schedule, he said, will continue throughout December.
“We're anticipating release of our first game for each platform at the first of the year followed by a release in late January and then again in mid February.”
He said Fleetwood's initial line-game offering will consist of a suite of three games for both the Casino King and Brilliant Bet machine. Some of the games will have a familiar theme.
The three line games being offered for Casino King are called Monster Mania, La Cucaracha, and Full Moon Money. The three line games being offered for Brilliant Bet are called Hot Sevens, Charmed, and Piggy Pays.
“By incorporating a variety of new and familiar themes into our line games,” LaGaly said, “we believe it will best serve the players by providing a smooth transition to this new gaming product in Montana.”
“Our library of line games will continue to build throughout 2012 as we feel players' interests will demand continuous 'top level' themes and entertainment value.”
Regarding the impact on the industry, LaGaly said, line games “will provide the next level of gaming for players and allow operators some long-awaited relief to their profitability.”
Spielo
Spielo has submitted four line games for its Arcom platform featuring the PowerStation 5 and PowerStation Plus machines, Blaine Bowman said. The games will be named Cherry Rain, Gypsy Moon, Cranks Bash and Swinging Bells.
The company is expected to submit five line games for its new Sensys platform (PowerStation Ultra) the first week of December, he said. Those games will be called Deadwood, Tropical Paradise, Big City 5's, Trouble in the Henhouse and The Wild Life.
Other new games will be submitted for approval in February, he added, with a projected roll-out in late March or April.
“Overall, we have high hopes for performance of the new line games,” Bowman said. “Data from other markets that have implemented line games is overwhelmingly positive.”
For the PowerStation 5/Plus machines, he said, “Spielo is providing four battle-tested line games that have been successful for us in other jurisdictions with street-level gaming (bars and taverns).”
“We believe that the line game updates for the PowerStation product will keep those machines viable for years to come with the lowest cost of entry of any machine in the market today.”
In addition, he said, Spielo is “betting heavily” on the line games for new PowerStation Ultra, with its large screens, sound and graphics capabilities, “will be very successful in the state.”
“We are excited for the opportunity to bring an exciting new product to the market and to bring it in a big way,” he said. “It will be an exhilarating time.”
Summit Gaming
Summit's Kevin Peterson said his company has submitted five games for its Royal Touch Evolution machine, called 8-Line, Capin' Jackpot, Planet 7, Reel Boss and Wild Paylines.
He said the game suite is similar to the one currently offered in South Dakota, where line games had just been rolled out in October.
“Our games are really performing well over there,” he said.
“It's a good indication on what's going to happen in Montana,” he said, because Montana has similar player demographics and gaming parameters.
One of the early results in South Dakota, Peterson added, is a higher average wager.
“People are playing the heck out of them,” he said. “I think everybody will be thrilled.”