In its financial update for 2017, Germany’s Gauselmann Group has reported overall sales ahead by 15.8 per cent at EUR 2.9bn and outlined the company’s growing activities in the Americas and international markets.
Summarising its overseas business, Armin and Paul Gauselmann, vice chairman and chairman of the management board respectively, jointly stated: “Another success factor is the increasing internationalization of the group. On the one hand, this makes us less dependent on individual markets and market developments, but on the other hand is also very challenging in terms of organisation.”
They added: “New target markets are gradually being opened up in all areas and existing business activities are being intensified. It is very gratifying to note that sales in international business are for the first time higher than national sales in 2017.”
Turning to the Americas, the report advised: “North, Central and South America remain important target markets for Gauselmann. In terms of organisation and infrastructure, the company is represented in this region by the independent sales company Merkur Gaming Americas. This is responsible for business activities on the entire American continent as well as for the cruise lines division. With its subsidiaries in Peru, Mexico, Argentina and Colombia, the company is ideally positioned and represented on this continent.”
The company noted that market share was further expanded with numerous new product installations in Mexico, Peru, Chile, Colombia, Argentina, Uruguay and the Caribbean. “The Avantgarde, the Merkurstar and the Avantgarde Trio in particular, which went into South American distribution in 2017, have proven to be strong performers throughout the region. The Evostar will be rolled out in the 2018 financial year and will further contribute to the diversification of the product portfolio.”
Focusing on LatAm, the report revealed: “Already in the first year after its foundation, Merkur Gaming Argentina expanded rapidly and was able to build up a strong team of gaming professionals in sales, technical service, marketing, finance and administration. From its sales office in Buenos Aires, Merkur Gaming Argentina extended its activities in the past financial year to include Uruguay and Paraguay, and realised promising test installations in its domestic market with the Merkurstar and single games, which will go on sale in 2018. At the end of the financial year, around 100 test machines were installed in the Argentine casino market.”
On North American developments, the firm reported: “The US development studio Sunshine Games, based in Las Vegas and part of the Gauselmann Group, has contributed to this success by focusing primarily on the development of time-on-device games with an enhanced entertainment factor for the American markets. In 2018, the games from the Sunshine think tank will also be tested for the first time in North America.”
