LAS VEGAS, Sept. 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --SHFL entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ Global Select Market: SHFL) ("SHFL" or the "Company") will showcase a wide variety of its award-winning games and products, along with innovative new offerings, at the 2013 Global Gaming Expo ("G2E") at the Sands Expo & Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV September 24-26, 2013. Product demonstrations will be available at booth #1241.
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"Once again, we are confident that SHFL's impressive product lineup will send a clear message that we are leaders in this space and that our expertise in gaming innovations is unmatched," said Gavin Isaacs, Chief Executive Officer of SHFL. "In addition to highlighting products designed to greatly enhance operator efficiency, we are showcasing a vast library of high-quality games with significant player appeal and proven brands with staying power. We are confident that SHFL's commitment to continuously improving the gaming experience for operators and players will really shine through at this year's show."
SHFL's exhibit will feature products from all five of its product categories - proprietary table games, utility products, slot machines, e-Tables, and iGaming.
A Vast Assortment of Appealing New Proprietary Table Games
SHFL will debut its most robust lineup of proprietary table games at G2E this year, showcasing 10 dynamic new titles. Double Draw Poker, a poker variant, is a must-see at the show. The player starts by making equal ante and bonus bets before receiving their cards. The player may then either fold or make a "draw" bet equal to the ante amount; if the latter, the player may discard up to 3 cards and will receive an equal amount of replacement cards in return. At this point, the player may fold or make a second "draw" bet for an amount equal to the ante and choose to discard 0 or 1 card, and receive the same in return. A two pair or better will pay even money on the ante and "draw" bets; the bonus bet pays according to a pay table.
Also debuting at this year's show is Commission Free Dragon Bonus Baccarat, which is played identically to the standard game of baccarat, with two exceptions: 1) the banker bets push if the banker hand wins with a three-card total of seven, and 2) winning banker bets are not charged commission. This game features two side bets: Dragon Bonus, which pays when the hand is a natural winner or when a non-natural hand wins by at least four points; and Fortune 7, which pays if the banker wins with a three-card total of seven.
SHFL will also unveil its first-ever side bet for roulette at G2E. The Back 2 Back bonus bet lets players win up to 1,000 to 1 on a single spin of the wheel. Players make an optional wager that the previous number will repeat; if it does, the player wins a random prize of 10x, 50x or even 1,000x their bet.
Debuting at last year's G2E, Free Bet Blackjackbegins like a regular game of blackjack, but offers players the ability to double down and split for free. Players may split any pairs, except 10-value cards with free re-splitting. Free double bets may be placed on any hard 9, 10, or 11 and are allowed even after splitting. This game will be featured with aPush 22side bet, which wins if the dealer busts with a point total of 22.
Working in conjunction with SHFL's Nexus Command progressive hardware,SHFL's network-basedGame Manager 2progressive management software for table games will make a return to G2E this year. This software enables multi-level jackpots and fully configurable multiple reserve pools, allowing players to compete for multiple real-time incrementing meters with just one wager.
Another innovative element in the Company's progressive table game technology is the new Infinilink progressive system, which offers a new way to link a progressive jackpot among many different games. Games featuring the Infinilink progressive play the same as they always have, except, when the progressive wager is made, it qualifies for normal and Infinilink payouts, and a portion of that wager is credited to the Infinilink meter. The hands and rounds selected for Infinilink payouts are completely random. If a player makes a progressive wager during one of these randomly selected rounds and hits the randomly selected hand, they win both the regular and Infinilink payouts.
New Utility Products Designed to Optimize Productivity
In SHFL's Utility segment, an exciting new card shuffler concept utilizing state-of-the-art technology will be unveiled at the show. Under wraps until G2E, the goal of this new innovation is to provide casino operators with greater flexibility on underutilized tables. More details will be available when this product is revealed at the show.
Debuting at the International Casino Exhibition in London earlier this year, SHFL will showcase one of its newest utility innovations to the U.S. market. The new Chip Star roulette chip-sorting machine features state-of-the-art technology to deliver an exceptionally smooth, efficient, and accurate chip sorting process.
The cutting-edge DeckMate 2 poker room shuffler will also be a highlighted Utility product at G2E, offering a myriad of exciting features, including a shuffle time of 22 seconds, an innovative new shuffling method, an on-board timer, and a remote touchscreen display.
Other Utility offerings include the MD3baccarat and blackjack shuffler; the one2six single- and multi-deck continuous shuffler; the i-Deal shuffler for single-deck specialty games; the i-Shoe Auto optical card-reading shoe for baccarat and blackjack; the 24" double-sided LCD i-Score baccarat viewer; the i-Verify for "house way" table games; and the Deck Checker card verification system.
Impressive Range of Slot Machine Titles and Exciting Branded Features
SHFL will feature over 20 slot titles at G2E this year, further showcasing its diverse portfolio of exciting titles, compelling bonus features, and multiple denominations. SHFL's rich portfolio of regionalized slot content underscores the Company's success in growing its international footprint.
The Company's smash hit, the Duo Fu Duo Cai progressive jackpot link, will return to this year's show with proven performers 88 Fortunes and 5 Treasures.These titles will feature SHFL's exclusive All Up design, which offers players higher rewards for higher bets using gold symbols.
First unveiled in Australia in March of this year, Block Pays games offer fans of stacked symbol games an exciting new way to win prizes of up to 250 times their bet. 'Blocks' are created in patterns anywhere on the reels, which means no more wasted stacks for players. The Block Pays line will be featured on Hero and Mixteca in their first U.S. appearance.
Five-of-a-kind can turn into a blazing wheel of prizes and jackpots in SHFL's new Blaze Pays feature, which will be available on Chili Fever at the show.
Reelways is a slot feature SHFL introduced last year, where all symbols pay as scatters left to right, letting players experience more wins more often. The new GRAWR! and Gold Boom are Super Reelways games, which build upon this feature, offering an extra row of symbols that lead to more winning combinations, more jackpots, and more free games.
Stunning e-Table Graphics with Intuitive Touchscreen Interfaces
The Company's newest e-Table innovation, TableMaster FUSION, will make its U.S. tradeshow debut at G2E this year. Featuring a high-definition 72" LCD display with attractive virtual dealers, 22" widescreen player terminals with touchscreen betting, enhanced graphics, and multiple blackjack side bets, TableMaster FUSION is a significant overhaul to its long-standing, successful predecessor.
SHFL will also display SHFL FUSION Hybrid (formerly Rapid), which features a live dealer and user-friendly, 22" widescreen electronic betting terminals. For a dynamic gaming experience, players may switch between and concurrently play baccarat, roulette, and sic bo from the same terminal with the touch of a button.
SHFL FUSION Auto (formerly Vegas Star Live) provides all the efficiencies of a fully electronic table with the added benefit of a live electronic wheel and ball. The compact design can accommodate multiple player terminals with flexible and configurable bet limits.The Company will show a 9-seat round configuration with its new tri-pod roulette reader board.
Rounding out SHFL FUSION offerings is SHFL FUSION Virtual (formerly Vegas Star), a fully electronic offering that allows players to switch between roulette, sic bo, baccarat, and craps from the same terminal.
i-Table Blackjack and i-Table specialty table game variants will be featured at the show, equipped with a convenient bill validator, a printer for all cash-outs, and multiple language options. Additionally, both i-Table games can interface with an operator's Slot Accounting System ("SAS") to provide pertinent financial information and produce tickets. i-Table Roulette will feature the Company's new roulette reader board and will be used to demonstrate SHFL FUSION Live technology. This technology links i-Table Roulette to SHFL FUSION Hybrid terminals, which allows players on SHFL FUSION Hybrid terminals to make a bet on an i-Table Roulette game result.
The "Only Way to Play" the World's Leading Specialty Table Games Online
The iGaming section of SHFL's booth will feature its renowned suite of specialty table games available for online play, which includes player favorites like Three Card Poker, Ultimate Texas Hold'em, Casino War, Fortune Pai Gow Poker, Mississippi Stud, and Let It Ride, to name a few, in addition to blackjack with Bet the Set "21",Royal Match 21,andKing's Bounty Blackjack side bets. Using thin-client, elastic cloud technology, SHFL's state-of-the-art online platform and iGaming products are designed to fit seamlessly into a variety of online operations, including real-money, free-to-play, mobile, and social gaming.
SHFL will also offer a sneak peek to new online content slated for release in 2014. The Company's first online slot offering will include some of its existing land-based slot titles, like Oink! and Cats, Hats, & Bats, while progressive online versions of Three Card Poker and Ultimate Texas Hold'em will also be available for demonstration.
Last, but not least, the Company plans to show its first free-to-play social gaming site designed for Facebook, which it anticipates will make a splash at G2E. Players will be able to play their favorite SHFL games on Facebook with no download or registration requirements. Combining social gaming elements and characteristics with the Company's popular table games will provide players with a fun and exciting online gaming experience.
About SHFL entertainment, Inc.
SHFL entertainment, Inc. is a leading global gaming supplier committed to making gaming more fun for players and more profitable for operators through product innovation, and superior quality and service. The Company operates in legalized gaming markets across the globe and provides state-of-the-art, value-add products in five distinct categories: Utility products, which include automatic card shufflers and roulette chip sorters; Proprietary Table Games, which includes live games, side bets and progressives; Electronic Table Systems, which include various e-Table game configurations; Electronic Gaming Machines, which include video slot machines; and iGaming, which features online versions of SHFL's table games, social gaming, and mobile applications. The Company is included in the S&P SmallCap 600 Index. Information about the Company and its products can be found on the Internet at www.SHFL.com, or on Facebook and Twitter.
On July 15, 2013, SHFL entered into a definitive agreement and plan of merger with Bally Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: BYI), pursuant to which Bally Technologies, Inc. ("Bally") has agreed to acquire the Company at a per share price of$23.25in cash for total consideration of approximately$1.3 billion subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth therein (the "merger").
Forward Looking Statements
This release contains forward-looking statements within the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements included in this release other than statements that are purely historical are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, without limitation: the Company's anticipation that all of its products and game titles will be accepted in all of its markets, will be commercially successful and will be received and in-demand by casinos and their customers; the Company's expectation that its existing products and game titles will continue to be successful and products and titles that are built around such products and game titles will have similar success; the Company's strategy and ability to continue to focus on the US market; the Company's ability to continue to innovate and to exploit its technology, brands, and intellectual property across all of its product lines, and; SHFL's expectation that its products will perform as they are designed to do and to and will meet its profitability, performance and innovation expectations. The Company's beliefs, expectations, forecasts, objectives, anticipations, intentions and strategies regarding the future, including without limitation those concerning expected operating results, revenues and earnings are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from results contemplated by the forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: (1) unexpected changes in the market and economic conditions and reduced demand for or increased competition with SHFL's products; (2) the Company's inability to accurately gauge the commercial appeal of its products or its unanticipated inability to accomplish its innovation objectives; (3) increased infringement on SHFL's intellectual property or proprietary brands or claims of SHFL's infringement of other's intellectual property that would limit SHFL's ability to market or sell its products in a region or jurisdiction; (4) unanticipated changes in the laws, rules or regulations governing gaming and the regulation of gaming in all markets; (5) the risk that the conditions to the closing of the merger are not satisfied (including a failure of the shareholders of SHFL to approve, on a timely basis or otherwise, the merger and the risk that regulatory approvals required for the merger are not obtained, on a timely basis or otherwise, or are obtained subject to conditions that are not anticipated); (6) litigation relating to the merger; (7) uncertainties as to the timing of the consummation of the merger and the ability of each of SHFL andBally to consummate the merger; (8) risks that the proposed transaction disrupts the current plans and operations of SHFL; (9) the ability of SHFL to retain and hire key personnel; (10) competitive responses to the proposed merger; (11) unexpected costs, charges or expenses resulting from the merger; (12) the failure by Bally to obtain the necessary debt financing arrangements set forth in the commitment letter received in connection with the merger; (13) potential adverse reactions or changes to business relationships resulting from the announcement or completion of the merger; and (14) legislative, regulatory and economic developments. Additional information on risk factors that could potentially affect the Company's financial results may be found in documents filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company's current reports on Form 8-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and its latest annual report on Form 10-K, and are based on information available to the Company on the date hereof. The Company does not intend, and assumes no obligation, to update any forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release.
The following marks are owned by SHFL or one of its subsidiaries in the United States and elsewhere: Three Card Poker, Ultimate Texas Hold'em, Casino War, Fortune Pai Gow Poker, Dragon Bonus, Fortune 7, Mississippi Stud, Let It Ride, Bet the Set "21", Royal Match 21, Push 22, Duo Fu Duo Cai, 88 Fortunes, 5 Treasures, All Up, Block Pays, Blaze Pays, Reel Ways, Hero, Mixteca, GWAWR!, Gold Boom, Oink!, Cats, Hats, & Bats, MD3, Chip Star, Deck Mate, Nexus Command, SHFL Fusion, i-Table, i-Deal. © 2013 SHFL entertainment, Inc. All rights reserved.
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