 |
|||
|
May 4, 2007 |
|||
| Numbers game | |||
|
New York-based companies Scientific
Games and Electronic Game Card Inc. have announced an exclusive
agreement between the two in which Scientific Games will have a
10-year license for the Electronic GameCard™ intellectual property
for the global lottery industry. That license, according to a recent
release, will be exclusive in North America and Italy for at least
the first three years.
The agreement streamlines the sales and manufacturing process and replaces a previous joint venture between the two companies that has been dissolved as part of the new contract. Electronic GameCards™ are pocket-sized extended play digital instant lottery tickets. Each GameCard, is about the size of a driver's license and no thicker than three credit cards, but is battery powered and loaded with tons of multiple plays. Electronic play replaces the traditional scratch play on the paper instant tickets. LCD screens on the front of the card display the symbols in a particular play and show whether it has won a prize. The GameCard then aggregates the player's winning points that equates to a cash prize claimed like any other lottery instant ticket. “We see great potential in the future of hand-held electronic lottery games and the Electronic GameCard™ is a desirable and customer proven product in this new and expanding lottery category,” said Lorne Weil, chairman and CEO of Scientific Games. “We consider ourselves a pioneer in the lottery industry, and plan on continuing to do so with successful products like the Electronic GameCard™.” Electronic Game Card Inc. has enjoyed recent success with deployment of its cards for the Iowa and Kansas lotteries. After five weeks of sale to players, the Kansas Lottery saw $1.1 million in sales, and re-ordered a full quantity of the $20, 80-play Electronic GameCards™. The company has also deployed the cards for use in tribal casinos for remote play of basic casino games. “This new arrangement offers a win-win opportunity for both our companies as we each will be able to maximize the profitability of future Electronic GameCard™ sales. Additionally, our company can now focus its resources on expanding the market for the GameCard™ into new areas, as Scientific Games devotes its attention to promoting the Electronic GameCard™ within its target Lottery markets,” said Roger Holdom, Electronic Game Card Inc. spokesperson. “As the technology leader in the lottery industry, Scientific Games is the best possible partner for us, establishing credibility for our GameCard™ with their reputation for excellence and creativity.” —Andy Holtmann |
|||