Leading electronic table games supplier Spintec says it is closely monitoring the status of a recent Macau court ruling that could open the stadium gaming market up to international operators – describing the outcome as a “massive opportunity”.
As reported by Inside Asian Gaming, Macau’s Judicial Court of First Instance recently dismissed long-standing claims by local supplier LT Game against subsidiaries of Light & Wonder over two disputed ETG patents, ruling that the patents in question are invalid. LT Game is appealing the decision.
Although Spintec remains a major player in the non-stadium ETG space in Macau, the company’s Global Sales Director, Goran Sovilj, told IAG that further opportunities exist.
“In Macau, we remain dominant in automated roulette, holding more than 80% market share,” he said.
“There is a massive opportunity in Macau as well. On stadium gaming, there are some discussions about whether the patent on stadium gaming is still valid or not. So, we are closely monitoring this and we hope to be able to benefit from that in the future.”
According to Sovilj, Asia as a whole remains central to Spintec’s global expansion strategy, explaining that operators in the region are increasingly turning to ETGs to maximize their casino offering.
“In many markets, staffing remains an issue,” he said. “It’s expensive and operators are trying to find ways to optimize a part of their live gaming. I wouldn’t say their whole live gaming, because ETGs still serve a specific target group of players, but it definitely has a lot of benefits, because optimizing your live games offers you the possibility to offer so much more. You’re offering a multi-game, you’re offering extra side bets, progressives – a completely different experience and I would say a more full experience.”
Spintec, which exhibited at G2E this week alongside German giant Merkur as part of a previously announced strategic partnership, showcased a wide portfolio of products in Las Vegas, including its automated roulette and popular standalone virtual machines.
However, catching the eye was its proprietary Galactic Spin automated roulette game feature on the Charisma cabinet. The product, which includes Mega, Major and Minor jackpots, bet multipliers that are configurable up to 2,400 times the bet, and the opportunity for players to win free spins, has enjoyed strong performance in Europe and the US, Sovilj said, and will soon launch into Asia – starting with Macau.
“It’s currently awaiting approval by the DICJ,” he said. “On Macau, I think that traditionally we have been very strong. Our machines have traditionally performed really well. And I think that we are continuing to build on the strong reputation that we already have.
“Macau and Asia as a whole are extremely important in our global strategy.”
