AGE SHOW PURCHASES – WHERE TO SPEND YOUR GAMING BUDGET

There has been an interesting shift in the types of machines that have been purchased in most clubs over the last 10 years. From a market largely of standalone and a few premium links years ago there has been a significant shift toward standalone progressive machines (SAPs), driven largely by a perceived customer preference.

But how accurate is that assumption in your club? Many clubs may have analysed the profits driven by standalone, SAP, and Link games but a quick look at the market data suggests that many haven’t quite got the balance right yet and it may be worth checking before you attend the AGE Show with your gaming budget to spend.

What’s Making Money

• The graph below shows that across NSW, clubs have approx. 58% of their gaming floor now in SAP machines and these are generating roughly 58% of the gaming revenue, which is great, but premium link machines currently only take up 13.6% of the NSW Club gaming floors on average but producing almost 17% of the gaming revenue.

• This suggests there is an opportunity to trade out non-performing standalone games for a premium link and these days a link will run effectively on 4-5 machines. The old days of 10 or more machines on a link are gone, with these numbers reserved for the best performing links in the market and even then generally split across the indoor and outdoor areas.

• The “NSW Clubs by Machine Type – City and Country” graph below reinforces that trend.  In clubs that have less than 50 machines SAPs remain the best choice based on average daily revenue per machine. But in clubs with more than 50 machines in every size category and in both city and country clubs premium links make more revenue per machine per day than other products when analysed as a group.

 

So what’s available in links at the moment and what are the potential buys at AGE?

Available now:

• Aristocrat’s Lightning Link is working very well in all clubs and now some hotels. You just have to be careful you don’t overdo it but there is the opportunity to buy a few and convert a few. It has been working in both smoking and non-smoking areas.

• New to the market but already ranking near the top of the Stat rankings is IGTs Cash Climb. With 3 games available already and 10 jackpot levels this one is sure to interest most player markets in your club.

• Scientific Games ‘Lock It Link’ has been a strong performer since its release a few months ago but there are two new games coming soon so this is still a good option for clubs looking for some variety.

• AGTs ‘Thunder Wilds’ with the three new games ‘Thunder Diamonds’, ‘Thunder Dragons’ and ‘Thunder Eye’ is also just hitting the market in a few clubs. With 3 bonus levels, 3 SAP levels and a top jackpot across the machines it should be a stand out on any gaming floor.

Coming soon:

• IGT is releasing “Megabucks Gold” for the statewide link on the new Crystal machine that can now be added to the original link. It’s a multi-denomination and multigame pack with some great familiar, and some fresh games, such as ‘Money Beans Extra Chance’, ‘Wild Plains’ and ‘Serpents Stone’. It will also feature a new version of ‘King of the Castle (a common favourite of the big players) in ‘Devil Magic’ that can be played at 20c, 50c and $1 and should get the big players chasing the $250,000 plus jackpot.

• Maxgaming/Aristocrat’s ‘Good Fortune’ Statewide 100K link will have two dual 1c game packs with ‘Lucky Festival’ and ‘5 Dragons’ and then ‘Pure Diamonds’ and ‘Eastern Ocean’ and are all based on proven performing games.