Aristocrat Leisure, the Australian gaming software developer, has signed a major deal with a chain of US casinos. The gambling stalwart from Down Under has signed on the dotted line with Minnesota’s Shooting Star Casino Hotel and Entertainment to install its Oasis 360 management systems.
The gaming platform is set to roll out in a number of Star Casino properties in the United States, including the Shooting Star and Star Lake Casino, which is also based in Minnesota. Star Lake is slated to open in 2017.
For the Australian manufacturer, this contract is no small feat. It marks the biggest statement of intent since its presence increased in the US. Aristocrat Leisure has moved further into tribal casinos throughout the country since it made a take-over deal with a major software firm in the US two years ago.
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One casino management system that is already in use across America is the award-winning Oasis 360. It enables casino operators to integrate operations, marketing, accounting and promotions into one platform. Shooting Star provides customers with many classic Aristocrat pokies.
Aristocrat Increase Charge into US Markets
The Australian gaming giant has been increasing its push into American territory since 2014. It took over US software firm Video Gaming Technologies two years ago, bolstering its position in North America.
Aristocrat Leisure increased its foothold in the gaming market in the US with the $1.38 billion (AUD 1.8 billion). The takeover was predicted to grow the company’s footprint by 20,000 machines from a really small count of just 8,200 pokies and gaming machines.
However, the deal was just one of multiple high-profile moves in the gaming industry over the same period. Bally Technologies acquired SHFL Entertainment (formerly known as Shufflemaster) in 2013 in a deal that was worth a whopping $1.3 billion (AUD 1.78 billion). Williams Interactive (WMS), which also develops and operates poker machines, was grabbed by Scientific Games.
Aussie and Aristocrat in Court Battle
The deal with the US will be a distraction that comes at the perfect time for Aristocrat. Back in Australia, they are facing a legal challenge due to a claim from a player, saying that she became addicted to one of the games from Aristocrat.
Shonica Guy is taking both Aristocrat and Crown Casino of Melbourne to court over Dolphin Treasure, the “deceptive” poker machine. According to Ms. Guy, she played the game for 14 years and became addicted after she frequently missed out on the top prizes of the game. It is likely that the legal case will feature people who specialize in number generators that poker machines use to provide random results. The case also hinges on an “uneven” icon spread on the pokie reels that are within the game.
The action is backed by the Alliance for Gambling Reform, which intends to go file for federal action on the losses that Aussie gamblers accrue. Roughly half of all gambling losses in the country are due to poker machine losses, and campaigners against gambling want pokies to be fair.
If Aristocrat Leisure is unsuccessful in the legal challenge, their foothold in the US will be strong enough to handle the hit.
