With the rapid expansion of its business interests in Central and South America, Novomatic Americas Sales has been created by the Austria-based giant and Jens Halle, managing director of Novomatic’s international subsidiary Austrian Gaming Industries, has relocated to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
A number of subsidiary companies had already been opened across Mexico, Argentina, Peru and Colombia and Florida is now seen by AGI as a regional hub to co-ordinate the network of businesses.
Halle commented: “What has been decided is that I will effectively reverse the direction of my travel schedules over the past few years. Since Novomatic opened up the Monticello Grand Casino and Entertainment World in San Francisco de Mostazal, close to Santiago in Chile, with Sun International and other partners, it has been necessary for me to virtually commute to Chile on a regular basis.
“Additionally, of course, we have our network of South American subsidiaries with which I need to keep in regular contact and help to support. Doing that from an Austrian starting point makes such travel a long and often exhausting process, but as many gaming industry companies have found, Florida is the natural gateway to Latin America.”
Florida has another benefit. It enables the company to work on its growing business in North America too. The Novomatic brand is now well recognised throughout the US and a Florida base will enhance that potential. Said Halle: “It is clear that the US market is a ‘must’ for the Novomatic brand. Despite the expansion of the industry in Asia, the US remains the epicentre of international gaming and as a gaming industry leader, Novomatic must be there. To effectively penetrate the huge number, range and diversity of US markets, an incoming manufacturer must be able to offer the quality of sales, support and service that operators have a right to expect.”
Halle emphasised that Novomatic would continue to work closely with Reel Games, which is based in Fort Lauderdale. “We are fortunate to have built an excellent relationship with Reel Games, initially to access the cruise ship industry and the Caribbean islands. But from the start of this year we have expanded that relationship to bring Reel Games closer to Novomatic. Now you will see a number of developments in the US which will be initiated by Reel Games in conjunction with Novomatic.”
The two companies have already appeared together at three trade shows this year, NIGA in California, Southern Gaming Summit in Mississippi and OIGA in Oklahoma City. The partnership will for the third consecutive year appear together at G2E in Las Vegas.
