GAMING NEWS: WEEK OF JACKPOTS LED BY $343K MEGABUCKS GOLD WIN PLUS NEW LGA BANDS FOR NSW
The IGT Megabucks Gold statewide link jackpot was won at Rooty Hill RSL in NSW last week. The lucky winner hit the jackpot of $343,893.49 on Monday evening, 14 November 2016.
The newly introduced Megabucks Gold statewide link jackpot hit the market just weeks ago and is now one of the best performing games* according to Maxgaming’s performance reports.
In the latest report (06/10/16 – 05/11/16), Megabucks Gold is performing at 1.79 x the denomination average* across multiple venues at over $4,360 average daily turnover*.
Importantly it’s delivering twice the performance of the previous Megabucks product, demonstrating the new product’s strong player appeal with multi-games and multi-denominations.
IGT unveiled the new Megabucks link – Megabucks Gold – at this year’s Australasian Gaming Expo in response to customer demand, with the new product offering four games with multiple denominations from 1c to $1.
The total amount that has been won on the Megabucks link is now over $12 million in first-level and second-level statewide linked jackpot prizes.
Originally launched with Maxgaming in October 2014, IGT’s Megabucks Gold statewide link has the industry’s largest jackpot amount – which starts off at $250k – with an expected jackpot prize average of approximately $292k. There are now over 100 clubs and 350 machines on the state-wide link across New South Wales.
Other big winners in the past week included Tamworth Service Club, where another IGT Megabucks link was won at $255,160.16 and Aristocrat’s Good Fortunes link at Shellharbour Workers went off at $101,514.24.
* Based on IGT analysis of Maxgaming Reports – Best new games, clubs, in last four weeks (report dates: 06/10/16 – 05/11/16) Megabucks Gold: 1.79 x 1c denom T/O ratio and top game in 1c denom – also has an ADT of $4,361.87 making it top 3 in terms of ADT in 1c – 26 EGMs installed in clubs.
NEW LGA BANDS RELEASED BY LIQUOR & GAMING NSW
Liquor and Gaming NSW has recently published the revised risk Bands applicable to transfers of poker machine entitlements. As before, these Bands are described as Band 1 (low risk), Band 2 (medium risk), and Band 3 (high risk).
Russell Corporate Advisory has undertaken an urgent analysis of the changes that apply to Clubs, which is dependent upon their Local Government Area. A Club that has moved from Band 1 to Band 2 or 3, will have greater restrictions placed upon it if it wishes to increase its poker machine entitlement threshold; and the value of the entitlements would be expected to increase. If it has moved to a lower band, there will be less restrictions and the value of entitlements would be expected to decrease.
Below we have listed the notable changes apparent in the new Bands. Note that:
• the newly formed Bayside Council (amalgamation of Botany Bay and Rockdale) has not yet been classified
- the newly formed Cumberland Council and revised Parramatta Council both include parts of the previous Auburn, Holroyd, and Parramatta Council areas. If the club was previously located in the Auburn or Holroyd council areas, it would remain a Band 3 if it now falls within the new Cumberland Council area, or it would reduce to a Band 1 (double move) if it now falls within the new Parramatta Council boundaries. If the club was previously located in the previously defined Parramatta Council area, it would increase from Band 2 to Band 3 if it now falls within the new Cumberland Council area, or it would reduce from Band 2 to Band 1 if it now falls within the new Parramatta Council boundaries.
| Band Pre 03.11.2016 | Band Post 03.11.2016 | New Council Name (if applicable) | |
| Band Increase | |||
| Conargo | 1 | 2 | part of Edward River Council |
| Gloucester (double move) | 1 | 3 | part of Mid-Coast Council |
| Gosford | 2 | 3 | part of Central Coast Council |
| Greater Taree | 2 | 3 | part of Mid-Coast Council |
| Griffith | 2 | 3 | |
| Hawkesbury | 1 | 2 | |
| Lake Macquarie | 1 | 2 | |
| Leichhardt | 1 | 2 | part of Inner West Council |
| Marrickville | 1 | 2 | part of Inner West Council |
| Penrith | 2 | 3 | |
| Ryde | 1 | 2 | |
| Shellharbour | 1 | 2 | |
| Tumbarumba | 1 | 2 | part of Snowy Valleys Council |
| Urana (double move) | 1 | 3 | part of Federation Council |
| Wollongong | 2 | 3 | |
| Band Decrease | |||
| Ashfield | 3 | 2 | part of Inner West Council |
| Deniliquin | 3 | 2 | part of Edward River Council |
| Gundagai | 2 | 1 | part of Cootamundra – Gundagai Regional Council |
| Murrumbidgee (double move) | 3 | 1 | |
| Narrandera | 3 | 2 | |
| Queanbeyan | 2 | 1 | part of Queanbeyan – Palerang Regional Council |
| Tenterfield | 2 | 1 |
Article courtesy of Greg Russell, Russell Corporate Advisory.
Should you require any assistance in understanding the impact of these changes upon your club, please contact Russell Corporate Advisory on (02) 9957 6700
