Underlying this message was the fact that the industry has consolidated more than ever before and is largely dominated now by two players: Novomatic and the Gauselmann Group. Both of these suppliers have now adopted a rental model for their machines, keeping customers happy with games updates for multi-game models.

"We are cautiously optimistic for 2009," said Gauselmann Group's Paul Gauselmann. "This is mainly because of the attractive offer of new Amusement Machines with Prize (AWPs) called multigamers that are able to firmly stand their ground against competing leisure time activities."

With the two companies supplying the lion's share of the German market with AWP machines, and also controlling a large segment of the distribution network, it is more difficult than ever for outside - and particularly foreign - companies to get a look in.

However, there were some companies at the IMA who are managing to make their mark in the German market. One of these is Webak - based in Austria - which was the first non-domestic company to get a game approved by the German Gaming Board - or PTB. The company showed a number of new games, including El Magnifico - an Aztec themed game. In addition, the company introduced a new cabinet called the Dual Line.

Another company making an impression in Germany is Apex Games Technology. The company's Christian Weissengruber believes that there are big opportunities to be had in Germany. "It is such a big market - I feel that the current situation where Novomatic and the Gauselmann Group offers rentals actually gives us a good chance to carve our own niche," he said. "Many operators want to buy not rent machines and I confidently predict that once our games have been approved by the PTB we will sell in big numbers. I am already talking to some big operators and plan to sell between five and ten thousand machines into Germany."

When the Apex games are fully homologated and approved by the PTB, they will be Version 4.0 AWPs. Many of the games currently in the market are in fact Version 3.3. The Version 4.0 was dreamt up by the German Finance Ministry as an adjustment to the technical specifications to the games. The industry has been left to adopt these changes under their own steam, but a deadline of 2010 has been mooted. If 3.3 machines are not phased out of the market, the threat from the Ministry is the proposal to completely overhaul the current gaming law, something that nobody do business in Germany is keen to contemplate.

Understandably Version 4.0 machines are slightly less attractive to operators that their earlier counterparts. And manufacturers with these older machines on their hands are keen to sell them off before they change over to 4.0. So, operators at the show were being encouraged to invest in existing 3.3 machines while stocks last and good business was being done. And what's even better, is that come 2010, a healthy replacement market will be ready for a changeover.

In 2008 a total of approximately 100,000 AWP machines were sold in Germany. Machines that complied with the old gaming regulations such as approximately 87,000 fun games or jackpot units have almost completely disappeared from the market. The number of jobs in the amusement machine industry alone increased by more than 10 per cent. The number of AWPs in the German market increased in 2008 to reach 225,000 units.

In 2008, a total of 108,240 music, sports, and amusement machines were sold in Germany; this was a drop of 7.1 per cent than in the previous year. This number also includes coin-operated internet terminals that one finds both in arcades and in hospitality businesses. There were not many amusements to be found at this year's IMA show. As in previous years, the only video and sports games were to be found on the Gauselmann and Bally Wulff stands with big names such as Sega and Stern and TAB represented. In addition Cosmic Video Amusements was also present on the Gauselmann stand with the Heads Up Poker Challenge, which is now distributed in 12 European countries. TAB showed its Fun 4 Four games table that allows up to four players to play together simultaneously.

Funworld occupied a large space and showed all its latest innovations, including a new cabinet, betting terminals and the innovative System 2009. The company showed its innovative Poker Twin-Star game terminal for the first time. It has a completely new product design, extreme speed and a unique online concept, enabling the game to be played for the first time on a touchscreen terminal linked worldwide.

"Poker Twin-Star is not just another offline poker table but a trend-setting online poker terminal on which players from the international community compete live in exciting encounters in Texas Holdem' No Limits. The sophisticated online technology of Poker Twin-Star makes it possible for poker fans to share their passion at the terminal with players around the globe and enjoy a unique game experience. This puts us far ahead of the international competition, whereby we once more intensely prove our linking competence impressively," said Josef Öhlinger, CEO of funworld ag.

In total IMA 2009 welcomed 200 exhibitors from 16 countries and expected around 9,000 industry professionals. However, it has to be said that visitor numbers in the first two days were low and exhibitors are still unhappy that IMA insists on a four-day show, when there appears to be little need for the extra day. There were further complaints at the news that next year's IMA show will once again revert to its later date, giving very little time before the ATEI/IGE exhibition in London. One exhibitor complained, "We have only one stand and next year it will be impossible to take it to London as we will not have time to take it down and set it up again."

Despite this, nobody can complain about the organisation of the IMA show in general. The halls are modern and clean with good facilities. In addition, the Düsseldorf venue is easy to reach from other international airports and within easy striking distance of a number of good, reasonably priced hotels and restaurants. But don't expect an international show - overseas visitors appeared to be down on previous years and representatives from overseas suppliers were thin on the ground. IMA has almost completed its transformation from European meeting point to utterly domestic show dominated and influenced by a few very important men.

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