Britain’s pubcos continue to invest in entertainment and self-service technology as the licensed trade strives to counter the effects of the economic downturn, which has seen thousands of pubs close.

Gamestec has signed a new two-year agreement with Punch Taverns, which has more than 5000 sites across the country, to supply its TabBoxx social lottery vending product and its iPub digital gaming platform.

The National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) recently hit its highest ranking in five months. The monthly RPI is a composite index of the U.S. restaurant industry, analysing its condition and outlook. Its 100.6 level in November – the second above-100 ranking in three months – was up 0.6 percent from October.

Quixant, the maker of computing platforms for slot machines, has moved its Taiwan operations to a new location more than three times the size of its previous facility.

Entering the bank darts competition was a life-changing decision; starting work for a company about to go bust wasn’t so smart. Paul Clay of Cummins-Allison recounts his highs and lows

How did you first get involved with the amusements industry?

Having been made redundant, I noticed a job vacancy in The Sunday Times for a retail and banking specialist sales role with a manufacturer and supplier of cash handling equipment, Cummins-Allison.

The American Amusement Machine Association (AAMA) is paying close attention to the Dollar Coin Alliance. The National Bulk Vendors Association and other important industries using coin payments have joined forces to stop Congress from discontinuing production of the high-denomination coins, and to promote an increase in their circulation.

As well as generating revenue, music can make or break a venue’s atmosphere.

So should you opt for a jukebox, or a streamed music service?

Jon Bruford investigates.

Music can be stirring, inspirational, create an emotional response from nothing – or it can drive a customer to the exit door without them necessarily realising on a conscious level why.

Real Puncher is back! EAG 2012 sees the official launch of Real Puncher 2. The famous interactive punching game returns with many added features as well as stage play, starting with Bank Robber, and continuing through Trailer, Dinosaur, Kraken and ultimately Meteor.

The game has a single-play option, as well as two-, three- or four-player Battle Mode. Operators have a ticket payout option and can adjust difficulty settings.

The Strip features four impressive screens simulating a giant strip. It employs touch technology and a high-definition camera for video and voice recordings, as well as having Internet capabilities to send the images to email accounts or social networks. “The size and design are great for any location,” said Tarres. “It can fit into any fashionable store, even a small jewellery shop or similar specialty store.”

Now that the jukebox is firmly rooted in the digital age and a single machine can have a library far in excess of 30,000 songs, it’s interesting to see the pattern of play over the course of a year – do the most-played songs on jukeboxes equal the singles and albums that top the charts, or do library tracks of much-loved classics with broader demographic appeal, for example The Beatles, win out?

Every month Euroslot updates you onthe latest news affecting gaming policy and regulation around the world.

DENMARK

The Danish government has issued a gambling licence to Gauselmann Group’s Cashpoint subsidiary, permitting it to offer sports wagering in betting shops, via betting terminals, and online, as well as Internet poker and other games.