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24.01.2006 The path to the interactive gaming section at the giant International Casino Exhibition in London, England lies through the heart of the land casino industry's showcase for the latest products and games - a colourful feast of new games and technology with stunning graphics. Not just casino games, either - Sega and other big players on the world entertainment stage are there with large high definition flat TV screens to capture every ear-blasting sound and gory action in a range of driving violence and shoot 'em ups of various types. It seemed that hundreds of *shooters* were all blasting away with sub-machine guns, knocking down everything from soldiers to risen from the dead, staggering zombies!
Not far away teams of perspiring but fit youngsters were demonstrating new footpad games in a choreographed but strangely robotic demonstration of human and machine coordination - the idea being to *dance* steps screened on a TV panel in intricate patterns, with the winners being those with least mis-steps. It was amazing how fast those kids can move!
But we were not there for the scantily clad hostesses or the general entertainment, so we headed for ICEi and the best that the online gaming industry has to offer for 2006.
One disappointing absence is the veteran turnkey provider Cryptologic, normally an impressive presenter.
This absence is especially noticeable among the other top names, and we started with Sweden's Net Entertainment on a big, clean exhibition stand with attentive staff.
Sebastian Johansson showed off some of the impressive no download games that Net Entertainment has recently launched including Casino Hold Em, an auto play slot called Gold Rush, 5 hand Multiplayer Blackjack and 10 hand Jacks or Better VP.
The company is working on a new Bingo product together with a Pirate themed slot with 2 bonus rounds with a launch expected before the end of February. Mobile gaming is still on the agenda with a three game offering, but player take up has been disappointing (a view we heard hweard expressed on several occasions) despite the intense publicity this gaming genre has enjoyed recently.
Boss Media manager Magnus Falk was next, and pretty pleased with the rapid growth in his company's online poker offering. Last November Omaha and Omaha Hi Lo were introduced to the six language, multi currency poker network operated by this veteran online company from Sweden which is now reporting 30 000 global poker players per 24 hours, with up to 7 000 online simultaneously over peak periods.
The development of a special poker product for the giant Svenska Spel deal is on track, a new bingo product is going well and operator interest in the high quality Boss poker package is high. Despite rumour to the contrary, Boss remains committed to the online casino sector and in the coming months plans new games and improved gaming features such as bonus rounds and free spins.
Back end functionality is to be improved, especially in regard to player communication and promotions handling.
"Online casino gambling software is still very much a core business with us, and over the next year we expect to launch up to 20 new games," Falk told us.
The company continues to develop mobile gaming in partnership with a UK company, and has 3 licensees one of which is William Hill. The Boss suite for this application is 10 games, but the market has not matured and growth has been slower than expected.
Ongame's Henning Olsen told us that the company's acquisition by Bet and Win has had little impact on a strong production program. A new version of the company's outstanding poker software is planned for the near future. The 14 site network continues to grow rapidly and now claims 7 million players, 20 000 of whom play simultaneously in certain timeframes.
Ongame has 2 games available for mobile gambling, but again has found take-up to be less than exciting. On the casino front, players can look forward to a series of new games in a program of continuous improvement. "We're always planning new and exciting ways to play," said Olsen.
Over at Chartwell Technology, Director of Sales Mike Marandino was demonstrating the new 32 Card Poker, and said that players can expect some good new products by April - probably no-download poker and a network-style Bingo game to meet increased demand for this genre. A new *soft game* branded Spoof is planned, together with a highly entertaining 20 line slot.
The takeover of the MicroPower poker software company last year has gone smoothly, with good products flowing and the launch of a network branded Poker Nexus which is growing steadily. Look out for multiple games-on-screen which many poker players have demanded.
Chartwell Technology has come in from some flak from the player community recently regarding its *hands off* approach to player-licensee disputes, and this is being addressed by the company through its major sixteen site "middle man" group Elite Club Management currently operating a wide range of services from Curacao but about to move to a new complex in Singapore.
Elite Club is now tasked with dealing with player complaints at its 16 licensees, and Marandino anticipates that through Elite's immediate involvement and close communication with Chartwell disputes will be dealt with fast and fairly.
"No player will be disadvantaged in the unlikely event of any licensee going under," he said.
Chartwell's new game releases output is to be stepped up to as high as 24 games a year in both download and no-download format, and the company is happy with its penetration into the important European market segment.
Using the International Casino Exhibition to good effect, Orbis-Openbet launched a new turnkey online casino product featuring a number of innovative features, the results of a recent merger with NT Media.
NT Media's founder and now creative director at Orbis, Nik Robinson said that 18 months work lay behind the new product, which offers 27 no-download games of impressive quality.
Robinson said that he planned to augment the casino product with two additional and unique games every month going forward, and that a no-download poker product suitable for multiplayer network play was envisaged this year.
"The big advantage of this product is its flexibility. Openbet Casino can be integrated into any sportsbook, mobile or poker site, including its single account and multiplayer - multilingual capability," he said. "We expect great things from it and from the online poker product we are developing."
Openbet Casino comes in English, Middle Eastern and Chinese language variations at present, and has a fully comprehensive back-end functionality. The games include all the casino faves, together with progressives and player on dealer poker variations.
Orbis' pioneering OpenBet software platform has been chosen by several big names in interactive gaming, including Ladbrokes, Sky Bet, Blue Square, Victor Chandler, Macau-SLOT, Samvo Entertainment and Paddy Power.
Canadian Bingo specialist Parlay Entertainment is planning 2 to 3 new games a quarter for its bingo and casino clients, said Peter Trinz, commenting that the bingo player base was growing quickly in key markets. Parlay currently powers some 35 sites and new offerings will include slots.
The company is pleased with the recent partnership with Microsoft that launched UK bingo facilities for MSN Bingo using the Bingos.co.uk platform.
With 80 download and 40 plus no-download games in the inventory, Playtech is very active in development, sales director Iris Toledano told us. The new mobile suite of 5 games will be ready before midyear, and the company will be launching at least 1 new game a month in download and then no-download format.
The 25 game New Generation suite with autoplay has been very well received and is generating solid operator interest. On the poker front, major infrastructural improvements to the iPoker network architecture took place a few months back, giving the network a capacity of up to 50 000 players simultaneously.
Playtech is responding to Asian player demand with live dealer games streamed from studio facilities in Manila.
Answering questions regarding the inauspicious start of the Playtech player disputes channel, Toledano said that increased focus had been given to this facility and that licensees were now required to respond to her mediation queries within 48 hours. "My objective is to be in a position to resolve player enquiries within 72 hours, or at the very least give the player an update in that timeframe if further enquiry is necessary." she said, claiming that complaints had decreased.
Steve Moseley, client services manager for the Atlanta-based Real Time Gaming turnkey provider has had a busy year with little respite ahead. "I seem to be almost living aboard aircraft flying all over the world," he told us. With some major new clients like Leisure and Gaming's VIP group coming on board it's not hard to understand why. 30 clients and 80 sites are keeping RTG busy, and the company is hiring new game developers to keep pace with demand for more games to be added to the inventory of over 100.
Look out for 6 new slots (including some big Aussie style formats) a stunning Caribbean Hold Em poker game, Bonus Bingo and more (up to 10 games) by April and a slew of new Flash offerings.
Patents have been applied for on a concept to offer casino games to poker players, and 2 or 3 mobile sites are running in partnership with Phantom Fiber although this sector has yet to meet expectations.
The large and well presented Microgaming stand was InfoPowa's final stop on Day One, where Marketing Managers John Wheatley and John Docherty gave a summary of new developments.
The company will continue to release four (or more) new games every month as this has been well received by the player community (and seemingly followed by other providers!)
A new product tentatively branded Casino In Poker is nearing completion in answer to demand from energetic poker players who apparently like to have selected casino games choices accessible from their screens.
Prima continues to power ahead as a major global poker network and has some ambitious tournament and promotional plans in the year ahead following the amicable conclusion of the 2 year Hendon Mob partnership. Monte Carlo Millions will continue.
In the Interactive Gaming section at ICE, 186 exhibitors from 33 countries underline the truly global nature of Internet gaming. International companies outnumber British companies by two to one, with 32 new exhibitors from 18 countries on show this year.
The full ICE roster boasts 311 exhibitors from 30 countries, and with 157 exhibitors drawn from outside the UK this is the first time that international representation has surpassed that of domestic exhibitors. A record 69 companies are making their first appearance.
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