Aristocrat Gaming’s Dragon Link pokie series comprises a collection of highly popular Asian-themed games with top-rated bonus features and massive jackpots to dish out. Now, Peppermill Resort Spa Casino in Northern Nevada is the new home to two $1m Dragon Link high-limit pokies from the provider. The freshly installed games can be found in the casino’s high-limit area.

These machines differ from wide-area progressive machines in that their jackpots are paid instantly for the entire value and will reset to $1 million afterwards. These pokies are a high-roller’s dream with a $25 minimum and a $2500 maximum bet.

Peppermill General Manager Billy Paganetti commented,

“We are excited to introduce this high-end slot game to our guests. We pride ourselves on offering the best quality slot products, and we think that guests will be thrilled to play this popular machine with a progressive jackpot starting at $1m.”

Fiery Introduction

Aristocrat recently introduced its Dragon Link pokie product at a showcase event held at Manila’s Solaire Resort & Casino on 19 July 2022. This three-day event served to launch the pokies to operators across Asia and to highlight the company’s latest innovations.

At the time, Lloyd Robson, the General Manager APAC at Aristocrat, said,

“It was an absolute pleasure to host our customers at our special showcase. The feedback on Dragon Link, and on our upcoming portfolio, was excellent. Of course, customers were focused on Dragon Link as a cornerstone for their ongoing strategy to deliver sustainable revenue growth while managing capital and cash flows.”

In more recent news, Aristocrat has almost finalized an acquisition deal for UK-based iGaming supplier Roxor Gaming. Roxor’s platform is currently live in New Jersey, and the acquisition will allow both companies to increase their presence across North America and the UK. While regulatory approval and customary closing conditions are still outstanding, the deal is expected to be completed in early 2023.​

There is great news for Floridians who love Aristocrat Gaming’s Dragon Link and Lightning Link titles, as the provider has opened its first Lightning Link Lounge in the state, at Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee.

The lounge is dedicated exclusively to Dragon Link and Lightning Link pokies, offering 50 games for players to enjoy. This new facility marks a significant milestone in the long-running relationship between Seminole Gaming and Aristocrat Gaming which has proven to be a mutually beneficial one.

Tony Alves, the General Manager at Seminole Casino Hotel, commented on the opening of the lounge, saying,

“We are always exploring ways to enhance the player experience at Seminole Casino Hotel. This new Link Lounge concentrates 50 of the most popular games in the industry in one place, allowing players to more easily access these two top favourites.”

Tom O’Brien, Aristocrat Gaming’s President of Americas and EMEA, also spoke about the launch, saying,

“We’re thrilled to bring Florida’s first Lightning Link Lounge to Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee so that players across the state can enjoy the entertaining style of play and Aristocrat’s Hold & Spin™ mechanic that Dragon Link and Lightning Link offer,” said. “This lounge is a testament to our deep relationship with Seminole Gaming, and we look forward to continuing to bring the best games possible to their customers.”

Buffalo Invasion

Earlier in the year, Aristocrat debuted its new Buffalo Ascension pokie, in the Indiana region, with machines being installed in Ameristar East Chicago Hotel & Casino, Blue Chip Casino, Resort, & Spa in Michigan City, and Four Winds Casino South Bend.

Buffalo Ascension is the latest in a series of around a dozen iterations of one of Aristocrat’s most iconic titles. The game features cutting-edge audiovisual components and engaging gameplay with persistent reel growth for up to 5 488 ways to win.​

Aristocrat’s 2022 sustainability disclosures are the company’s summary of the progress it has made across all its sustainability priorities. The announcement also serves to showcase the company’s commitment to its ‘Good Business, Good Citizen’ values.

In the disclosures, responsible gameplay is highlighted as a top priority, and Aristocrat reveals that it is on track for its goal to decarbonise the entire business operation. The company also highlighted its intention to continue investing in people and putting resources behind social change in crucial areas it has identified.

Nuts and Bolts

The announcement contained detailed Information on Aristocrat’s Responsible Gameplay governance policies across its group, as well as detailing the launch of the Digital Wallet trial in Australia and RG messaging in Pixel United.

The document goes through the group’s responsible procurement efforts, particularly the fruits of its supplier sustainability assessment, supplier diversity progress, and avoiding modern slavery in its supply chain. Aristocrat’s plans to establish an emissions dataset for its baseline year are also discussed as a vital element of its plan to set a science-based emissions reduction target by late 2023.

With regards to its other social priorities, the company also lays out its principles regarding employee health, safety, and diversity, support for its people in Ukraine, and commitment to sign up for HESTA’s 40:40 vision, a gender equality initiative.

Aristocrat’s CEO, Trevor Croker, praised Aristocrat’s progress, stating,

“We’re committed to being realistic and transparent with our targets and remain focused on where we can have the most meaningful impact. Thank you to the many people and teams across our global business who have contributed to the preparation of these Sustainability Disclosures, whose ideas, passions and drive have led to the progress we’re proud to be sharing.”

“In 2023, Aristocrat will focus on continuing to lead our industry in responsible gameplay, accelerating our decarbonisation as a business through a robust emissions reduction target, and building our investment in our people and be an employer of choice,” he added.​

Major Australian gaming machines manufacturer and recent global iGaming competitor, Aristocrat Leisure Limited, recently announced the launch of Anaxi, its real-money gaming division.

This re-brand of its existing iGaming arm was detailed in a recent official press release. The Sydney-listed company explained that the initial division was created in February 2022, as a component of a larger initiative to increase its presence in the online gambling industry. The company added that the rebranding would further its “build and buy” growth approach.

This move follows Aristocrat’s recent acquisition of iGaming studio, Roxor Gaming, and a cross-patent licensing arrangement with International Game Technology (IGT). Mitchell Bowen, who has been selected to helm Anaxi as its CEO, commented on the new development, saying,

“We’re excited to announce Anaxi as the name of our emerging online real-money gaming business at Aristocrat Leisure Limited. We look forward to working with our partners as Anaxi reimagines the world’s greatest gaming content online and begins our journey towards becoming the most trusted name in online gaming globally.”

American Ambition

Aristocrat Leisure Limited further stated that Anaxi’s capabilities are currently on display at the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) in Las Vegas and that the iGaming subordinate will introduce its offering via a couple of major players in the US market before the year’s end.

Bowen’s statement continued,

“We are thrilled to be showcasing our new Anaxi brand at G2E in Las Vegas and invite our customers, partners and players to ‘experience Anaxi with us on the Aristocrat Gaming stand.”

Anaxi is Aristocrat’s third independent business unit, after the establishments of Aristocrat Gaming technologies and Pixel United, a mobile-focused publishing arm. The firm revealed that Anaxi will be “powered by the world’s greatest gaming content and the creativity of over 600 passionate people” as it aims to establish itself as “the most trusted name” in the global iGaming sphere.​

Sydney-based Aristocrat Leisure Limited is one of the world’s largest pokie machine manufacturers and by far the largest in Australia.

Now, the major player has moved to expand its reach with an agreement to acquire Roxor Gaming Software, a studio that specializes in iGaming entertainment.

In an official statement, the Aristocrat Leisure Limited group affirmed its intention to diversify its operations by growing its presence in the iGaming sector.

The acquisition of Roxor is not yet in effect though, as both companies await regulatory approvals to proceed. Aristocrat revealed that it expects this to happen by the first quarter of 2023.

Vital acquisition

Roxor Gaming emerged as an independent contender in the iGaming field in September 2019. The developer was previously a subcontractor of Gamesys for over two decades, before striking out on its own. The company operates mainly in the competitive UK and US markets and already boasts a portfolio of 150 games under RNG. The selection of gaming content includes an impressive range of pokies, table games, scratch cards, and video poker.

The pokies make up the largest portion of Roxor’s portfolio, with top-performing titles like Secrets of the Phoenix, Double Bubble and Tiki Island among others.

Arriving in style

Aristocrat will debut as a competitor in the global iGaming market at G2E Las Vegas 2022. The company will announce its arrival by launching eight popular titles, such as the Wild Wild series, Miss Kitty, Sun & Moon, and Timber Wolf, all digital versions of popular Aristocrat pokie machines.

The company also plans to showcase its Customer Experience Solutions (CXS), a complete solution that enables all operators to enhance their online and in-person entertainment offerings for guests.​

Global leader in gambling technology, Aristocrat Leisure, has finalized an agreement for its acquisition of UK-based iGaming developer, Roxor Gaming.

The financial details of the deal are still under wraps, however, Aristocrat did reveal that this development will step up its iGaming expansion strategy.

Roxor is a fairly young company which was established in 2019 by Noel Hayden, the former chairman and co-founder of Gamesys. Roxor was previously an in-house studio for Gamesys Group.

Since Roxor went independent, the studio has released content in New Jersey, with further expansion plans for the North American and UK markets.

Aristocrat’s online real-money gaming chief executive, Mitchell Bowen, commented on the deal, saying,

“Roxor is a great fit for Aristocrat and this acquisition is another step forward in Aristocrat’s strategy to scale in online RMG. “We look forward to growing together with the talented Roxor team.”

Noel Hayden added his thoughts, commenting,

“I am delighted to see this deal signed as I feel it brings together two great companies that complement each other perfectly. Roxor holds a very important place in my heart as the team and the games we have built have delivered so much to so many over the last 20 years. I couldn’t be more excited for Roxor Gaming and the road ahead.”

Expansive Moves

This latest deal is one in a series that has seen Aristocrat expand its presence in the global iGaming market. The company confirmed as much when announcing its first-half financial results in May when it laid out the acceleration of its “build-and-buy” strategy for online gambling.

Aristocrat had attempted to acquire iGaming monolith Playtech earlier in the year. However, Playtech’s shareholders sunk the deal, leaving Aristocrat to pursue further online opportunities, and to subsequently launch a new online real-money gaming (RMG) division.​

Among its myriad of pokie machine franchises, Aristocrat’s Choy game franchise stands out, thanks to its vibrant Asian imagery and top-rated bonus features and jackpots.

Now, their cheery protagonist, Choy, is off on a brand-new adventure in an exciting new experience, enriched with a Super Hold & Spin experience. Chase after gold money bags that activate up to four Hold & Spin games with a massive jackpot waiting in the wings. To add to the excitement, the Choose Your Volatility free spins to offer you even more winning options than ever before.

After you’ve tried out the new title, you might want to dive into the rest of Choy’s exploits. Try Dancing Foo, which comes with expanding wilds, Lunar festival that boasts multiple jackpot levels, or Tiger Reign, which features an exciting pick-me jackpot game. These are just a few titles available in the series, so make sure to look out for the others when visiting your favourite casino.

Bringing Back the Classics

Aristocrat also recently revealed that it would be reintroducing three is its most iconic classic games to the Australia / New Zealand Market.

The pokie manufacturer’s Cash Express Luxury Line was on display at the recent Australasian Gaming Expo in Sydney and heralded the return of the games Where’s the Gold, Queen of the Nile, and 50 Lions, which have been recreated with multi-denomination and popular Hold ‘n’ Spin feature enhancements.

John Stevanja, Aristocrat’s Director of Product Marketing & Strategy ANZ & APAC said,

“Luxury Line is a fantastic product from Mojo Studio in the US, bringing back an iconic game family like Cash Express with three titles under it that are well-known Aristocrat brand classics. These games have been redeveloped to include multi-denominations and a Hold ‘n’ Spin feature, so players can have a denomination that is comfortable for them while also getting the full excitement of a Hold and Spin jackpot feature.”

“While the Luxury line game family was originally released in the US, we have very high hopes that this ANZ version will be as successful, if not more successful, than the original version,” he added.​