15,896 (+8.1%) TRADE MEMBERS AT ENADA ROME THE GAMING SECTOR CELEBRATES THE EXPO’S 40th YEAR WITH A BOOM IN VISITORS

Three days of business and reflections on the gaming and amusement world.

The appointment is now for the 25^th ENADA SPRING, in March 2013 at Rimini Fiera

Roma, 20^th October 2012 – A great 40^th anniversary celebration! ENADA International Amusement & Gaming Machine Show, promoted by the SAPAR Association, organized by Rimini Fiera with the patronage of  AAMS State Monopoly Administration, chalks up an excellent edition, with 15,896 visitors (8.1% more than 2011, when 14,702 attended).

ENADA, with the companies that are the key players in the gaming and amusement trade, occupied three halls at Fiera di Roma, with 200 companies exhibiting in 30,000 m². On show were the latest innovations from the major Italian and foreign companies in the product, technology and service sectors. 35% of the exhibitors were foreign.

The 40^th ENADA was inaugurated on Wednesday with the participation of Gianfranco Conte (Chairman of the 6^th  Commission - Finance of the Chamber of Deputies), Alberto Giorgetti (member of the 5^th Commission - Budget, Treasury and Programming of the Chamber of Deputies), Davide Diamare (Manager, Office 12 – Machines and conferences for amusement and entertainment - AAMS Italian State Monopoly Administration), Raffaele Curcio (Chairman of SAPAR, the association whose members are approximately 1,500 owners, manufacturers and retailers of amusement machines) and Lorenzo Cagnoni (Chairman of Rimini Fiera, the company that organizes the event). In their statements, the authorities emphasized the importance of the SAPAR expo, highlighting the exhibition’s leading role in representing a trade sector made up of 5,800 enterprises with a workforce of over 100,000.

COMMENTS AT ENADA 2012

SAPAR Chairman Raffaele Curcio says, “The fortieth edition of ENADA Rome was an opportunity for clarifying some essential points. The sector’s demonization does not help and we must not forget that this trade not only creates tax revenue, but also many jobs. The evolution of the gaming world has been so rapid that the social aspects have very often not been taken into consideration. So, during the three days of the exhibition we shared initiatives with all the trade members that are, above all, aimed at preventing compulsive gaming, such as the pilot project launched with Cesena’s SERT, and we hope to have more precise information on the phenomenon at the next edition of the exhibition.”

Rimini Fiera Chairman Lorenzo Cagnoni comments, “The progress of ENADA is increasingly solid and at its two annual appointments is perfectly able to represent the dynamism of a close-knit business category always aiming to innovate. After the fortieth edition of ENADA in Rome, we are preparing to celebrate 25 years of ENADA SPRING in Rimini next March. In particular, ENADA 2012 showed how united the sector is, with the significant participation of the political world and the State Monopoly Administration. I would like to add my acknowledgment to SAPAR which, as well as playing its role as a ‘business multipliers”, works tirelessly to relaunch a message of attention for those gaming excessively, going beyond the limits of correct amusement.”

THE ENADA CONFERENCES

At the inaugural conference an insight was given on the gaming sector, based on an analysis carried out by the Automat-SAPAR Study Centre. Updating the data gathered in July 2012, it was shown how, in spite of an increase of approximately 20% in bets (51.23 billion euros co compared to 42.76 in 2011), there was a minus figure of 10% in the Government’s tax revenue. A fact due to players’ demand moving towards new products (Video lotteries, cash poker cash and casino games) featuring a high payout and low tax rate. In any case, the New Slot machines are the top products (with 32% of the market share), but they lose 6.2% in takings, still remaining the major “contributor” (1.93 billion euros from January to July 2012, 41.1% of the tax revenue from games).

As well as the activity it carries out in this direction during the  year, once again this year SAPAR again took the opportunity of ENADA to focus discussions on the social impact of gaming. During a conference it was highlighted how correct information, knowledge and responsibility at all levels are the key factors for taking action in an effective manner to prevent and fight compulsive gaming The appeal launched at the symposium entitled The social impact of gaming: analysis and reflections is that everybody, individuals, trade members and institutions, must be made more responsible as far are their behaviour and choices are concerned, in order to prevent pathological forms of gaming. A responsibility that can only be increased by real knowledge of the problem.

ENADA also hosted an interesting conference on gaming and the social media organized by BizUp, during which it was stressed how involvement and winning client loyalty are the first duties of gaming trade members who want to ensure their brand a high profile in Social Media such as Facebook or Twitter. In the course of the conference Gaming trade members on the Social Networks: Current Status, Mistakes to Avoid and Best Practices, the impact social media have had on the gaming business in Italy was analyzed, taking into consideration the behaviour of players and the strategies of the sectors’ key operators.

Renewal of licences and Super Bingo on the other hand were the key issues covered at the Conference Bingo: what the future has in store, organized by the A.N.I.B. (Italian National Bingo Association). The conference was useful for stressing licensees’ need for certainties on long-term licenses, such as the request for an onerous alignment at least until 2016. Another proposal that emerged was for Super Bingo to have the possibility of high-level wins.

3^rd ROME PINBALL TOURNAMENT

The ENADA spotlight was also on the 3^rd Rome Pinball Tournament, the competitive pinball tournament valid for the World Pinball Player Rankings circuit, won by Rome’s Daniele Acciari. The Tecnoplay Team ace beat twenty competitors from all over Italy, winning an undisputable first place. His passion for this game which, as he says, is pure enjoyment, also resulted in him becoming 2012 World competitive pinball champion in Seattle, where he confirmed the world title he also won in 2011 in Minneapolis. For the first time a lady took part in the Rome tournament - 25-year old Laura Silvestri, from the province of Rome - winning a very positive fourth place.

The Rome Pinball Tournament was organized by the IFPA ITALIA amateur sports association and Tecnoplay with the support of Stern Pinball, Gioco News and Rimini Fiera.

The next expo appointment with the gaming trade is the 25^th ENADA SPRING,

at Rimini Fiera in March 2013