GGRAsia – Aristocrat to launch EGM-based responsible gaming features

Aristocrat to launch EGM-based responsible gaming features

Feb 26, 2021 Newsdesk Latest News, Top of the deck, Trends & Tech

Casino slot machine maker and digital games provider Aristocrat Leisure Ltd says it plans to launch in the first quarter this year a new product with responsible gaming features, which has already been approved in separate states in Australia.

“We continue to bring forward options that have the potential to help empower players and support our responsible game play commitments,” said Aristocrat’s chief executive and managing director, Trevor Croker, at the company’s 2021 annual general meeting.

A second generation of electronic gaming machines (EGMs) with responsible gaming features – that the company calls “Flexiplay” – was trialled in 2019, and has now been approved by regulators in Queensland and New South Wales.

“Flexiplay allows players to voluntarily set time limits and quarantine winnings from being played down, via the timer and piggy bank functions,” stated Mr Croker.

He added: “We are preparing to place the first of these games in market in the first quarter of this year … We look forward to learning more from the release of Flexiplay, and to applying the lessons to further product-based responsible gaming innovations in future.”

Aristocrat said its normalised profit for the 12-month period ended September 30 declined by 46.7 percent. The firm reported a normalised full-year profit after tax of AUD476.6 million (US$347.1 million). Aristocrat’s reported profit was however up by 97.2 percent, to almost AUD1.38 billion, impacted by the recognition of a AUD1.1 billion deferred tax asset.

Group operating revenue in the 12 months to September 30 decreased 5.9 percent year-on-year to AUD4.14 billion.

“While our financial results for fiscal 2020 were clearly impacted by the pandemic, they also highlighted our strengths, and the effectiveness of our business’ response,” said Mr Croker. “As always, we focused on what we could control, to extend our strategic advantages and position the business for future growth.”