LAS VEGAS, Sept. 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- SHFL
entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ Global Select Market: SHFL) ("SHFL" or
the "Company") will showcase a wide variety of its award-winning
games and products, along with innovative new offerings, at the
2013 Global Gaming Expo ("G2E") at the Sands Expo & Convention
Center in Las Vegas, NV
September 24-26, 2013. Product
demonstrations will be available at booth #1241.
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"Once again, we are confident that SHFL's impressive product
lineup will send a clear message that we are leaders in this space
and that our expertise in gaming innovations is unmatched," said
Gavin Isaacs, Chief Executive
Officer of SHFL. "In addition to highlighting products designed to
greatly enhance operator efficiency, we are showcasing a vast
library of high-quality games with significant player appeal and
proven brands with staying power. We are confident that SHFL's
commitment to continuously improving the gaming experience for
operators and players will really shine through at this year's
show."
SHFL's exhibit will feature products from all five of its
product categories – proprietary table games, utility products,
slot machines, e-Tables, and iGaming.
A Vast Assortment of Appealing New Proprietary Table
Games
SHFL will debut its most robust lineup of proprietary table games
at G2E this year, showcasing 10 dynamic new titles. Double
Draw Poker, a poker variant, is a must-see at the show. The
player starts by making equal ante and bonus bets before receiving
their cards. The player may then either fold or make a "draw" bet
equal to the ante amount; if the latter, the player may discard up
to 3 cards and will receive an equal amount of replacement cards in
return. At this point, the player may fold or make a second "draw"
bet for an amount equal to the ante and choose to discard 0 or 1
card, and receive the same in return. A two pair or better will pay
even money on the ante and "draw" bets; the bonus bet pays
according to a pay table.
Also debuting at this year's show is Commission Free
Dragon Bonus Baccarat, which is played identically to
the standard game of baccarat, with two exceptions: 1) the banker
bets push if the banker hand wins with a three-card total of seven,
and 2) winning banker bets are not charged commission. This game
features two side bets: Dragon Bonus, which pays when
the hand is a natural winner or when a non-natural hand wins by at
least four points; and Fortune 7, which pays if the
banker wins with a three-card total of seven.
SHFL will also unveil its first-ever side bet for roulette at
G2E. The Back 2 Back bonus bet lets players win up to
1,000 to 1 on a single spin of the wheel. Players make an
optional wager that the previous number will repeat; if it does,
the player wins a random prize of 10x, 50x or even 1,000x their
bet.
Debuting at last year's G2E, Free Bet
Blackjack begins like a regular game of
blackjack, but offers players the ability to double down and split
for free. Players may split any pairs, except 10-value cards with
free re-splitting. Free double bets may be placed on any hard 9,
10, or 11 and are allowed even after splitting. This game will be
featured with a Push 22 side
bet, which wins if the dealer busts with a point total of 22.
Working in conjunction with SHFL's Nexus Command
progressive hardware, SHFL's
network-based Game Manager
2 progressive management software for table
games will make a return to G2E this year. This software enables
multi-level jackpots and fully configurable multiple reserve pools,
allowing players to compete for multiple real-time incrementing
meters with just one wager.
Another innovative element in the Company's progressive table
game technology is the new Infinilink progressive
system, which offers a new way to link a progressive jackpot among
many different games. Games featuring the Infinilink
progressive play the same as they always have, except, when the
progressive wager is made, it qualifies for normal and
Infinilink payouts, and a portion of that wager is
credited to the Infinilink meter. The hands and
rounds selected for Infinilink payouts are completely
random. If a player makes a progressive wager during one of these
randomly selected rounds and hits the randomly selected hand, they
win both the regular and Infinilink payouts.
New Utility Products Designed to Optimize
Productivity
In SHFL's Utility segment, an exciting new card shuffler concept
utilizing state-of-the-art technology will be unveiled at the show.
Under wraps until G2E, the goal of this new innovation is to
provide casino operators with greater flexibility on underutilized
tables. More details will be available when this product is
revealed at the show.
Debuting at the International Casino Exhibition in London earlier this year, SHFL will showcase
one of its newest utility innovations to the U.S. market. The new
Chip Star roulette
chip-sorting machine features state-of-the-art technology to
deliver an exceptionally smooth, efficient, and accurate chip
sorting process.
The cutting-edge DeckMate 2poker room shuffler
will also be a highlighted Utility product at G2E, offering a
myriad of exciting features, including a shuffle time of 22
seconds, an innovative new shuffling method, an on-board timer, and
a remote touchscreen display.
Other Utility offerings include the
MD3 baccarat and blackjack shuffler; the
one2six single- and multi-deck continuous
shuffler; the i-Deal shuffler for
single-deck specialty games; the i-Shoe
Auto optical card-reading shoe for baccarat and blackjack;
the 24" double-sided LCD i-Score baccarat viewer; the
i-Verify for "house way" table games;
and the Deck Checker card verification system.
Impressive Range of Slot Machine Titles and Exciting
Branded Features
SHFL will feature over 20 slot titles at G2E this year, further
showcasing its diverse portfolio of exciting titles, compelling
bonus features, and multiple denominations. SHFL's rich
portfolio of regionalized slot content underscores the Company's
success in growing its international footprint.
The Company's smash hit, the Duo Fu Duo Cai
progressive jackpot link, will return to this year's show with
proven performers 88 Fortunes and 5
Treasures. These titles will feature SHFL's
exclusive All Up design, which offers players higher
rewards for higher bets using gold symbols.
First unveiled in Australia in
March of this year, Block Pays games offer fans of
stacked symbol games an exciting new way to win prizes of up to 250
times their bet. 'Blocks' are created in patterns anywhere on the
reels, which means no more wasted stacks for players. The
Block Pays line will be featured on
Hero and Mixteca in their first U.S.
appearance.
Five-of-a-kind can turn into a blazing wheel of prizes and
jackpots in SHFL's new Blaze Pays feature, which will
be available on Chili Fever at the show.
Reelways is a slot feature SHFL introduced last
year, where all symbols pay as scatters left to right, letting
players experience more wins more often. The new
GRAWR! and Gold Boom are Super
Reelways games, which build upon this feature, offering an
extra row of symbols that lead to more winning combinations, more
jackpots, and more free games.
Stunning e-Table Graphics with Intuitive Touchscreen
Interfaces
The Company's newest e-Table innovation, TableMaster
FUSION, will make its U.S. tradeshow debut at G2E this
year. Featuring a high-definition 72" LCD display with attractive
virtual dealers, 22" widescreen player terminals with touchscreen
betting, enhanced graphics, and multiple blackjack side bets,
TableMaster FUSION is a significant overhaul to its
long-standing, successful predecessor.
SHFL will also display SHFL FUSION Hybrid(formerly
Rapid), which features a live dealer and
user-friendly, 22" widescreen electronic betting terminals. For a
dynamic gaming experience, players may switch between and
concurrently play baccarat, roulette, and sic bo from the same
terminal with the touch of a button.
SHFL FUSION Auto (formerly Vegas Star
Live) provides all the efficiencies of a fully electronic
table with the added benefit of a live electronic wheel and ball.
The compact design can accommodate multiple player terminals with
flexible and configurable bet limits. The Company will show a
9-seat round configuration with its new tri-pod roulette reader
board.
Rounding out SHFL FUSION offerings is
SHFL FUSION Virtual (formerly Vegas
Star), a fully electronic offering that allows players to
switch between roulette, sic bo, baccarat, and craps from the same
terminal.
i-Table Blackjackand i-Table
specialty table game variants will be featured at the show,
equipped with a convenient bill validator, a printer for all
cash-outs, and multiple language options. Additionally, both
i-Table games can interface with an operator's Slot
Accounting System ("SAS") to provide pertinent financial
information and produce tickets. i-Table Roulette
will feature the Company's new roulette reader board and will be
used to demonstrate SHFL FUSION
Live technology. This technology links i-Table
Roulette to SHFL FUSION Hybrid terminals, which
allows players on SHFL FUSION Hybrid terminals to
make a bet on an i-Table Roulette game result.
The "Only Way to Play" the World's Leading Specialty Table
Games Online
The iGaming section of SHFL's booth will feature its renowned suite
of specialty table games available for online play, which includes
player favorites like Three Card Poker,
Ultimate Texas Hold'em, Casino War, Fortune Pai
Gow Poker, Mississippi Stud, and Let It Ride,
to name a few, in addition to blackjack with Bet the Set
"21", Royal Match
21, and King's Bounty
Blackjack side bets. Using thin-client, elastic cloud
technology, SHFL's state-of-the-art online platform and iGaming
products are designed to fit seamlessly into a variety of online
operations, including real-money, free-to-play, mobile, and social
gaming.
SHFL will also offer a sneak peek to new online content slated
for release in 2014. The Company's first online slot offering will
include some of its existing land-based slot titles, like
Oink! and Cats, Hats, & Bats, while
progressive online versions of Three Card Poker and
Ultimate Texas Hold'em will also be available for
demonstration.
Last, but not least, the Company plans to show its first
free-to-play social gaming site designed for Facebook, which it
anticipates will make a splash at G2E. Players will be able to play
their favorite SHFL games on Facebook with no download or
registration requirements. Combining social gaming elements and
characteristics with the Company's popular table games will provide
players with a fun and exciting online gaming experience.
About SHFL entertainment, Inc.
SHFL entertainment, Inc. is a leading global gaming supplier
committed to making gaming more fun for players and more profitable
for operators through product innovation, and superior quality and
service. The Company operates in legalized gaming markets across
the globe and provides state-of-the-art, value-add products in five
distinct categories: Utility products, which include automatic card
shufflers and roulette chip sorters; Proprietary Table Games, which
includes live games, side bets and progressives; Electronic Table
Systems, which include various e-Table game configurations;
Electronic Gaming Machines, which include video slot machines; and
iGaming, which features online versions of SHFL's table games,
social gaming, and mobile applications. The Company is included in
the S&P SmallCap 600 Index. Information about the Company and
its products can be found on the Internet at www.SHFL.com, or on
Facebook and Twitter.
On July 15, 2013, SHFL entered
into a definitive agreement and plan of merger with Bally
Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: BYI), pursuant to which Bally
Technologies, Inc. ("Bally") has agreed to acquire the Company at a
per share price of $23.25 in cash for total consideration
of approximately $1.3 billion subject to the satisfaction of
the conditions set forth therein (the "merger").
Forward Looking Statements
This release contains forward-looking statements within the "safe
harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995. All statements included in this release other than
statements that are purely historical are forward-looking
statements. Forward-looking statements in this press release
include, without limitation: the Company's anticipation that all of
its products and game titles will be accepted in all of its
markets, will be commercially successful and will be received and
in-demand by casinos and their customers; the Company's expectation
that its existing products and game titles will continue to be
successful and products and titles that are built around such
products and game titles will have similar success; the Company's
strategy and ability to continue to focus on the US market; the
Company's ability to continue to innovate and to exploit its
technology, brands, and intellectual property across all of its
product lines, and; SHFL's expectation that its products will
perform as they are designed to do and to and will meet its
profitability, performance and innovation expectations. The
Company's beliefs, expectations, forecasts, objectives,
anticipations, intentions and strategies regarding the future,
including without limitation those concerning expected operating
results, revenues and earnings are not guarantees of future
performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could
cause actual results to differ materially from results contemplated
by the forward-looking statements, including but not limited to:
(1) unexpected changes in the market and economic conditions and
reduced demand for or increased competition with SHFL's products;
(2) the Company's inability to accurately gauge the commercial
appeal of its products or its unanticipated inability to accomplish
its innovation objectives; (3) increased infringement on SHFL's
intellectual property or proprietary brands or claims of SHFL's
infringement of other's intellectual property that would limit
SHFL's ability to market or sell its products in a region or
jurisdiction; (4) unanticipated changes in the laws, rules or
regulations governing gaming and the regulation of gaming in all
markets; (5) the risk that the conditions to the closing of the
merger are not satisfied (including a failure of the shareholders
of SHFL to approve, on a timely basis or otherwise, the merger and
the risk that regulatory approvals required for the merger are not
obtained, on a timely basis or otherwise, or are obtained subject
to conditions that are not anticipated); (6) litigation relating to
the merger; (7) uncertainties as to the timing of the consummation
of the merger and the ability of each of SHFL and Bally to
consummate the merger; (8) risks that the proposed transaction
disrupts the current plans and operations of SHFL; (9) the ability
of SHFL to retain and hire key personnel; (10) competitive
responses to the proposed merger; (11) unexpected costs, charges or
expenses resulting from the merger; (12) the failure by Bally to
obtain the necessary debt financing arrangements set forth in the
commitment letter received in connection with the merger; (13)
potential adverse reactions or changes to business relationships
resulting from the announcement or completion of the merger; and
(14) legislative, regulatory and economic developments. Additional
information on risk factors that could potentially affect the
Company's financial results may be found in documents filed by the
Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the
Company's current reports on Form 8-K, quarterly reports on Form
10-Q and its latest annual report on Form 10-K, and are based on
information available to the Company on the date hereof. The
Company does not intend, and assumes no obligation, to update any
forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place
undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as
of the date of this press release.
The following marks are owned by SHFL or one of its subsidiaries
in the United States and
elsewhere: Three Card Poker, Ultimate Texas Hold'em,
Casino War, Fortune Pai Gow Poker, Dragon Bonus, Fortune 7,
Mississippi Stud, Let It Ride, Bet the Set "21", Royal Match 21,
Push 22, Duo Fu Duo Cai, 88 Fortunes, 5 Treasures, All Up, Block
Pays, Blaze Pays, Reel Ways, Hero, Mixteca, GWAWR!, Gold Boom,
Oink!, Cats, Hats, & Bats, MD3, Chip Star, Deck Mate, Nexus Command, SHFL
Fusion, i-Table, i-Deal. © 2013 SHFL entertainment,
Inc. All rights reserved.
SOURCE SHFL entertainment