For the buyers and visitors who have interests in both markets, it is like participating on foot on a long roller-coaster ride in some amusement park The Spanish professionals once again expressed their disapproval in this regard. Reason and emotion do not always go hand in hand and to my mind, ATEI / ICE, the best trade fair in the world, is in danger of succumbing before its “perfect, but somewhat rigid organization”. Joseph Barbal, Managing Director of the Spanish company SMI, specializing in the design of machines that include both the “redemption” and AWP types of machine, as well as being an assiduous visitor to this event for a number of years, told us “This year I can’t be in two places at once. What is certain is that most of my clients were on the ground floor and therefore I could not attend to those hoping to find me on the upper floor. A message to the latter, I will see them at the next fair, either in Italy or in Spain”. The same thing happened to Ramón Jovany of AMYC, the Spanish manufacturer of change machines who visited the fair. “The difference between the two floors is well-known. Once you have covered the first floor, then descended to the ground floor, you will not go back upstairs again. It has not been possible for me to see some of the clients whom I was hoping to meet but, in general, I am satisfied with results”. So, to be on the ground floor of Earls Court continues to be the main objective and, perhaps for this reason, some showed their disapproval, considering themselves banished to the first floor. What at first seems logical, that is to say, to differentiate the markets, locating the amusement exhibitors on the upper floor and the gaming and gambling companies on the ground floor continues without actually producing a clear result. Spanish companies such as IPS (Informatica Programes Serveis) and Azkoyen are a good example of the former. IPS, dedicated to control software, which last year was exhibiting on the first floor found itself this time on the ground floor. The same thing happened to Azkoyen, a company that designs and produces payment methods which, following the results of last year, chose to be united with Eurocoin and to share space in the ground floor. Jokin Ansa, Azkoyen´s Comunication Manager said “This year we have also been at the IMA fair but the one in London is really more international and we have received many visitors from different countries, above all Asian countries, who were interested in the SDP (Sensor Digital Processing) modular selector designed specifically to combat fraud”. Opinions were also varied among the group of companies that showed their products on the first floor. Exhibiting directly were ten companies among whom we should mention Discapa and Expemocar Laiv which showed their machines for distributing encapsulated products, and we should not forget Biel S.A., a company leader in the manufacture of popcorn machines with more than twenty years experience in the market. Its Managing Director, Carlos Galcerán said “It is a good fair and brings the possibility of new clients. In this respect we are satisfied”. Industria Falgas, which at the time of writing continues to be a point of reference for Kiddy Rides and is the most prestigious internationally, unlike previous years did not exhibit directly but did so through Crown Direct, its distributor in the U.K. Not very far away FAMAI offered quite a variety of value for money models worthy of mention, including its latest product, the “mini” a mythical car from sixty years ago. Urbano Lozano, Managing Director of FAMAI told us, “Our objective is to produce at least one new model every year and London presents the best opportunity to do this”. OM Vending, as is usual with this company, presented its new models of cranes on the Instance Automatics stand. Nor was Recreativos Presas absent this year either, a company that specializes in the design and production of a wide range of products that include everything from sports machines to online terminals. Two regular exhibitors each year completed the Spanish representation on the first floor, Digital Center and Billares Sam. The former presented a group of photo machines that are very well known on the international markets for their individuality. The second, Billiares Sam has for a long time been one of the European leaders in the manufacture of billiard tables and participates every year through its U.K subsidiary, Sam Leisure. This year what came as a surprise was the participation of Secartys, an association of electronics exporters specializing in facilitating the international expansion of its associates. Its representative, Georgina Naranjo told us: “Our services enable the associates to benefit from extra financing through official grants that the Government is offering for participation at international fairs”. At this year’s ATEI/ICE, in addition to IPS and Azkoyen which we have mentioned already, in the Casino area there was a significant number of exhibitors. Unidesa Gaming, Recreativos Franco, SLEIC, Industrias Lorenzo, Applus + LGAI, Global Zitro and STS Talleres Escoriaza The first, Unidesa, presented a whole new range of games for casinos such as, “Chaman”, “Bad Bad Kitty”, “Wonderful 50s,” to name but a few. Recreativos Franco had on display a spectacular multiplayer bingo machine called “Bingo Bombo” and an excellent electronic poker table called “Texas Hold´em” together with its usual line of “Metal Passion” cabinets. Also the SLEIC company, which was exhibiting for the first time in the space reserved for casinos, presented an electronic poker table as well as different models of machines among which should be highlighted its latest model “Felinos”. STS Talleres Escoriaza manufactures locks and other spare parts for the machines as does Industrias Lorenzo, which opened a branch in the U.S.A. last year Almost hidden by the gigantic stand of John Huxley, was the Applus + LGAI company with branches in three out of the five continents, a company specializing in the certification and homologation of gaming machines and systems. And finally, some might consider that Global Zitro is the latest star in the firmament that is electronic bingo, but that would be an error. Only the name is new. All its equipment is built upon its long experience which is reflected in its models and the professionalism of its business exhibitions. As can be appreciated, many Spanish companies were present in London. Many exhibited directly but others did so indirectly. Most of the manufacturers in the international markets collaborate with Spanish companies or distribute their products through them. By way of reference we should mention some of them: Gigames, that showed its whole range of products on the Games Media stand with which it has a distribution agreement for the UK market. Comatel that represents JPM in Spain, Carfama that distributes the machines from Photo Play, Cocamatic that collaborates with Odrex, Electrocoin and Stern Pinball, and MGA that distributes the products in Spain of companies like Shuffle Masters, Interblock, Harry Levy, Mazooma, Sega, Elaut, Merkur and Astra, among others. Special mention should be made of the Aristocrat company on whose stand could be seen a scale model of what in the coming years will become the largest gaming complex in Europe. Located in Los Monegros (Spain) and led by the ILD company, a consortium of investment companies, it will contain 32 themed casinos. The Spanish consulting firm Carreras & Riera was on hand to talk to those who were interested in this huge project which is known as “Gran Scala”. In summary, we can say that the Spanish participation, although still much the same as in other years, was irregularly distributed throughout the fair and with varying results. Like a submarine, its main virtue lies in what is not always evident. The difficulty of access to its market. When it comes to products, there were several companies attending this event with models which, although technically advanced, for political and/or market reasons have not yet found their future in Spain. A sounding balloon to evaluate the possibilities, since the reality lies somewhere between expectation and uncertainty.

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