The gaming market thrill ride of the past two years has put the business acumen of Euro Games Technology to the test.

The 2009 closing of EGT’s primary markets of Russia and Ukraine could have been crippling to the Bulgaria-based manufacturer of slots and electronic table games. But the company’s earlier efforts to establish its brand outside of the Eastern Europe region, combined with an emphasis on providing value for money, have proved so far to be the right moves at the right time.

EGT celebrated the opening of its newest external location in Buenos Aires, Argentina, during the SAGSE 2010 exhibition there in October. EGT Argentina S.A. will become the official distributor of EGT products for the Argentine market. The new subsidiary begins life with an already-established distribution network, supported by Estex Corporation, with whom EGT has maintained a long-term relationship. Estex also will remain the exclusive representative of EGT products for the territories of Peru, Venezuela, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Panama and the Dominican Republic.

The establishment of the Buenos Aires entity completes the puzzle for the region, according to Nadia Filipova, public relations and marketing manager for EGT.

“We believe our presence on the South American continent is very well-covered, and for the moment we don’t see the need of opening any new workplace,” says Filipova.

Latin America has developed into an important region for EGT, but Asia is also a focus of attention. Collaboration with Macau-based Winning Asia Technology Ltd. provides EGT with official representation in China, Singapore, Korea, the Philippines and elsewhere in Southeast Asia and the Far East. It is the only region where the company is active but has no headquarters of its own. Instead, EGT relies on the local, trusted partner to handle distribution of its products.

The lure of the potentially massive United States market is still strong, and in 2009 it was reported that the company was hopeful of launching products there in the near future. That has not yet come to pass, but plans are continuing.

“We have already started on this project in great depth and we strongly believe this coming year EGT will have a successful penetration into the enormous U.S. gaming market,” says Filipova.

Meanwhile, back in the home region, Filipova says the gaming market in Bulgaria and Romania is improving. That could mean new opportunities on the horizon. The various nations of the Balkan region have begun to regulate their gaming markets, which has resulted in increased competition among operators. The strongest companies have survived, and now there are more players and more play inside the casinos and gaming halls that are still in operation. This too could spell good news for EGT, for whom the Balkan lands are an important market.

New Games
In the past year, EGT has restructured its multi-game software and released more than 40 new video slot games. A new range of multi-line games debuted at the London show in January. “Magellan,” a 50-line game, and “Oil Company II,” a 40-line game, both feature well-developed game plots, exclusive graphic elements and mathematic concepts specifically designed to appeal to slot fans.

Other popular game titles include “Wild Savanna,” “2 Dragons,” “The Great Egypt” and “Lucky Buzz”—all titles from EGT’s very successful wide-screen Vega Vision+ series. The games run on the Exciter platform, a compact gaming platform developed in-house by EGT engineers.

At G2E, visitors to the EGT booth will encounter new games for both the Vega Vision and Vega Vision+ series. Significant releases for Vega Vision include “Burning Hot,” “100 Cats” and “Queen of Rio,” while Vega Vision+ fans will discover “Mayan Spirit,” “Great Adventure,” “Blue Heart” and “50 Horses.”

With 50 lines and a four-by-five reel configuration, 50 Horses features a maximum 200-credit stake per line. The top award with a one-credit bet per line is 1,000 credits. For a one-credit bet per line with all 50 lines selected, the top award is 50,000 times. Volatility is low and a bonus feature awards free spins.

Options include a double-up feature and autoplay, and the game supports several jackpot formats, including a stand-alone progressive, SAS-progressive and EGT’s own Vega and Classic Blend jackpot systems.

For Bulgaria and Romania, EGT has developed the “Classic Vega Multi” series. This latest product is a hybrid of EGT’s first and most widespread cabinet, the Classic Blend, and the multi-game compilations from the popular Vega Vision series. The impetus for the new product was a demand for EGT software in a lower-priced cabinet.

At the London show in January, EGT plans to introduce a new cabinet, game theme and platform with a multi-level progressive jackpot system.

With new products backed by strong worldwide support, Filipova says with confidence, “We are very optimistic about our future and we look forward to a strong start for 2011.”

By Rich Geller

Rich Geller is European editor of Global Gaming Business magazine.

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