Paul Gauselmann Dead at 91
European gaming supply icon Paul Gauselmann, founder the Gauselmann Group and Merkur Group, died last month at 91.
Born in Germany in 1934, Gauselmann opened his first gaming arcade in 1974. By the time of his death, Merkur Group had an employee base of over 15,000 people.
Gauselmann spent 67 years at the helm of Merkur, known as the Gauselmann Group until 2023. The Gauselmann Group owned the Atronic group of companies, eventually acquired by IGT.
The Merkur group of companies generates total annual revenue of approximately €2.1 billion ($2.45 billion). Last year, the company acquired Las Vegas-based slot supplier Gaming Arts, LLC.
Gauselmann also acted as an advocate for the German gaming machine industry as a whole. In 2003, he was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit, First Class, and in 2004 he was distinguished as an honorary citizen of the cities of Espelkamp and Lübeck.
