The relationship building that has been carried out by Novomatic in Asia is now "coming good," according to communications director David Orrick.
Speaking at G2E Asia, he said: "An example of this was an operator from Vietnam who came over to the stand to say he had just placed an order with us direct, even though he has been working with our representative in the area. We are not taking giant steps but we are getting there."
He reported that Novomatic’s TouchBet Roulette has just been installed in the Star City casino in Sydney, Australia, which has just had a A$500m refurbishment. "We are delighted about that. It’s early days but it’s a good, positive step taken with our partner TCS John Huxley.
"Our progress in Asia has consisted of bits and pieces here and there, but if you add it all together it’s a lot. There has been concentration on specific markets, but Asia is a big place. If that means opportunities have to be sought out country by country, then so be it."
Joe Pisano of Jade Entertainment and Gaming Technologies represents Novomatic in the Philippines and Macau, with more markets to follow. He told InterGaming: "There’s a lot happening in Cambodia, Vietnam and even South Korea."
The ex-IGT man, who has been working with Novomatic in the region for a year now, added: "In Asia it’s all about personal contact. To be successful here you have to look for long-term growth. We want to build the brand rather than just go for big hits."
