Back to GetFilings.com




UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 20549

 


 

Form 10-K

 


 

(Mark One)

x ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

For the fiscal year ended: September 30, 2003

 

¨ TRANSITION REPORT UNDER SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

For the transition period from              to             

 

Commission file number 0-28318

 


 

Multimedia Games, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 


 

Texas   74-2611034

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

206 Wild Basin Road, Building B, Fourth Floor

Austin, Texas

  78746
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (512) 334-7500

 

Registrant’s website: www.multimediagames.com

 


 

Securities Registered Pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act:

 

None

 

Securities Registered Pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act:

 

Common Stock, $0.01 par value

 

Preferred Share Purchase Rights

 

 


 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.    Yes  x    No  ¨

 

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K  ¨

 

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).     Yes  x    No  ¨

 

The aggregate market value of voting stock held by non-affiliates of the Registrant as of December 18, 2003 was approximately $465 million, based upon the last sales price reported for such date on the Nasdaq National Market System. For purposes of this disclosure, shares of common stock held by officers and directors of the Registrant have been excluded because such persons may be deemed to be affiliates. This determination is not necessarily conclusive.

 

As of December 18, 2003, the Registrant had 13,424,616 outstanding shares of common stock.

 


 


DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

 

Portions of the Proxy Statement for the Registrant’s 2004 Annual Meeting of Shareholders are incorporated by reference into Items 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 of Part III of this Form 10-K.

 

Document    Form 10-K Reference
Portions of the Definitive Proxy Statement for the Registrant’s 2004 Annual Meeting of Shareholders   

Items 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 of Part III

 

This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements reflecting our current forecast of certain aspects of our future. It is based on current information that we have assessed but which by its nature is dynamic and subject to rapid, and even abrupt changes. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding future operating results, liquidity, capital expenditures, product development and enhancements, numbers of personnel, customer and strategic relationships with third parties, our strategy, legal and regulatory uncertainties, including outcomes of pending or new litigation by the Department of Justice, the effects of such outcomes upon our business, changes in existing laws and regulations or in the interpretation of such laws and regulations, the effects of competition in the Class II market by games that we believe are non-Class II games, and the effect of uneven enforcement policies by the National Indian Gaming Commission in challenging such non-Class II games. The forward-looking statements are generally accompanied by words such as “plan,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “believe,” “should,” “would,” “could,” “anticipate,” or other words that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes. Our actual results could differ materially from those stated or implied by our forward-looking statements, due to risks and uncertainties associated with our business. These risks are described throughout this Annual Report on Form 10-K, which you should read carefully. We particularly refer you to the section under the heading “Risk Factors” for an extended discussion of certain of the risks confronting our business. The forward-looking statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K should be considered in the context of these risk factors.

 

PART I

 

ITEM 1. Business

 

General

 

We are the leading supplier of Class II interactive electronic gaming systems, game content and player stations to the rapidly growing Native American gaming market. We design and develop hardware, software networks and content that provide our customers with a comprehensive gaming system. Historically, we have focused our efforts on Class II gaming systems and Class III video lottery systems used primarily by Native American tribes. We have also contracted to supply the central operating system for the state of New York’s video lottery system which will be played at eight race tracks throughout the state.

 

The Native American gaming market is a highly fragmented segment of the overall gaming industry in the United States. Though not all of the over 550 federally recognized Native American tribes offer gaming, there are over 300 Class II and Class III gaming facilities throughout the United States, with the majority of tribes operating only one facility.

 

Native American gaming is governed by the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988, or IGRA, which also established the National Indian Gaming Commission, or NIGC, with certain regulatory powers over Native American gaming. IGRA classifies games that may be played on Native American lands into three categories, each of which is subject to different regulations as follows:

 

Class I Gaming. Class I gaming includes traditional Native American social and ceremonial games. Class I gaming is regulated exclusively at the Native American tribe level.

 

Class II Gaming. Class II gaming includes bingo and, if played at the same location where bingo is offered, pull-tabs and other games similar to bingo. Class II gaming is regulated by the individual Native American tribes, with NIGC having oversight of the tribal regulatory process. States that allow bingo and games similar to bingo to be conducted by any other entity or for any other purposes, such as bingo at charities or schools, may not regulate Class II gaming, and therefore receive no tax revenues from income the tribes derive from Class II gaming.

 

Class III Gaming. Class III gaming includes all other forms of gaming that are not included in either Class I or Class II, including slot machines and most table games. Class III gaming is governed by compacts that must be negotiated between individual states and individual Native American tribes. The compacts typically include provisions entitling the state to receive taxes at an agreed-upon rate from the income a tribe derives from Class III gaming activities.

 

-2-


We believe that all of our Class II games, electronic player stations, and gaming systems are designed and operated to meet the requirements of Class II gaming as defined by IGRA, and that all of our Class III games, Video Lottery Terminals, or VLTs, and gaming systems meet the requirements of the appropriate Native American-state compacts. For a more in-depth discussion of these regulations, see the section under the heading “Governmental Regulation.”

 

We deliver our Class II games to our Native American customers nationwide through a broadband telecommunications network, which links player stations located both within and among Class II gaming facilities, enabling players to compete against one another in the same game to win pooled prizes. We design and develop hardware, software, networks and content that provide our Native American customers with comprehensive gaming systems. To date, we have primarily focused our development and marketing efforts on Class II gaming systems for use by Native American tribes throughout the U.S., and Class III video lottery systems for use by Native American tribes under compact with the state of Washington.

 

We currently offer our Class II customers two gaming systems, our Legacy system and our New Generation system. In our Class II gaming markets, we typically provide player stations to our customers on a participation basis, and receive revenue based on a percentage of the hold per day generated by each player station. As of September 30, 2003, we had 10,259 Class II player stations installed in 87 Native American gaming facilities in 12 states, an increase of approximately 34% from the 7,636 player stations installed as of September 30, 2002.

 

We offer intra-hall linked Class III video lottery systems and terminals, or VLTs, to Native American customers in Washington State. The majority of our Class III VLTs are sold for an up-front purchase price, and we also receive back-office fees based on a percentage of the hold per day generated by each terminal. In addition, we offer Class III VLTs under both rental and lease-purchase programs. As of September 30, 2003, we had 2,851 linked Class III VLTs installed, an increase of approximately 33% from the 2,139 Class III VLTs installed as of September 30, 2002. As of September 30, 2003, our Class III VLTs are located in 11 gaming facilities in Washington State.

 

The following table sets forth our end-of-period installed player station base by quarter and by product line for each of the four most recent fiscal quarters:

 

Quarter

Ended


  

Reel Time

Bingo


   MegaNanza

    Legacy

  

Total

Class II Units


  

Total

Class III Units


9/30/2003

   8,473    288 *   1,498    10,259    2,851

6/30/2003

   6,686    883     1,675    9,244    2,455

3/31/2003

   5,478    1,294     1,856    8,628    2,117

12/31/2002

   1,840    4,161     2,216    8,217    2,109

* On October 28, 2003, we filed an 8-K indicating that play on the remaining MegaNanza units was discontinued. All of those units were converted to Reel Time Bingo units.

 

Through the Investor Relations link on our website, www.multimediagames.com, we make available free of charge, as soon as reasonably practicable after such information has been filed with the SEC, our annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports furnished pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act.

 

Multimedia Games, Inc. was incorporated in Texas on August 30, 1991. Unless the context otherwise requires, the terms “Company,” “MGAM,” “we,” “us,” and “our” include Multimedia Games, Inc., and its subsidiaries – MegaBingo, Inc., MGAM Systems, Inc, and Multimedia Services, LLC. Our executive offices are located at 206 Wild Basin Rd. Bldg. B, Fourth Floor, Austin, Texas, 78746, and our telephone number is (512) 334-7500.

 

-3-


Our Strategy

 

Our strategy is to leverage our position as a supplier of Class II online systems and linked, interactive electronic games and player stations and to place additional units in the rapidly growing Native American gaming market and thereby increase our revenues and expand our business in the Class II and Class III markets. In addition, we plan to use our expertise and technology to develop new products and expand into new markets for interactive gaming. Our strategies include the following:

 

Expand our Class II installed base with new and existing Native American customers, and enhance our customer relationships and market position through joint development efforts. We seek to continue our growth in our customer base and to place units with new customers to expand our installed base of linked Class II player stations through joint development agreements. Pursuant to these agreements, we advance funds for the construction of new tribal gaming facilities or for the expansion of existing facilities. These agreements provide for repayment of some or all of the amounts advanced. In return, we receive a percentage of the floor space and a fixed percentage of the hold per day from the player stations at the gaming facility. To date, we have completed one facility under one such development agreement, and have signed agreements for seven additional facilities in Oklahoma for an aggregate outstanding commitment to advance approximately $37.3 million.

 

Exploit potential expansion of new video lottery jurisdictions. We currently provide video lottery technologies to Native American tribes in the state of Washington. There are also ongoing legislative initiatives in a number of other states that, if successful, would permit the play of video lottery games in those states. New York adopted legislation authorizing the placement of VLTs at New York State racetracks. In May 2002, the New York Lottery notified us that we had been selected as the winning vendor to provide the central operating system for its video lottery system. We believe we were selected over our competition primarily on the basis of our proposal’s technological superiority, as well as price and other factors. As a result, we anticipate that we will be able to achieve future growth in the video lottery market by leveraging our experience in the states of Washington and New York, our leadership in technologically advanced game and system design, and our ability to rapidly adapt our game and system technology to satisfy emerging regulatory requirements.

 

Expand into the charity bingo market. There are ongoing legislative initiatives in a number of jurisdictions that, if successful, we believe would allow the use of our technology in charity bingo establishments in those jurisdictions. In November 2003, voters in Macon County, Alabama approved a constitutional amendment authorizing the operation of bingo games by non-profit organizations for charitable, educational and other lawful purposes. As a result, we installed our first charity-related player stations in Alabama in December 2003. If similar initiatives are successful in other markets, we believe we will be able to leverage our existing Class II systems, infrastructure and regulatory expertise to expand into these markets as well.

 

Develop new products and markets for interactive gaming. We have significant strength and leadership in developing interactive games that are linked both within and among gaming facilities. We seek to leverage our expertise in order to develop new products and systems and expand into new markets, including new distribution channels for legalized interactive games. Changes in state or federal law will be required to legalize these markets. States that conduct state-sponsored paper-based lotteries could benefit from using electronic systems that we believe would broaden participation, reduce costs, provide better and more useful information to lottery system managers, and improve the integrity and security of the overall system. States that already have relaxed the regulation of games that are based predominately upon skill, rather than chance (for example, poker and fantasy sports), may more readily allow these competitions among players at locations remote from one another using linked, online systems. We believe our experience in providing entertaining gaming to end users within the limits placed upon us by applicable laws and regulations, and the power of our linked network and online systems can be applied to develop, distribute and market new gaming products in new channels of distribution.

 

Our Competitive Strengths

 

We intend to execute our strategy by leveraging our competitive strengths, which include:

 

Superior technology, products, systems and services. Our technology-driven approach to our business has yielded what we believe are the most flexible and innovative gaming systems in the Native American gaming industry. Our gaming systems enable us to regularly launch new games that we believe appeal to the entertainment and gaming preferences of our end users. Our standard product offerings also include richly featured back-office systems, cashless payment systems and player tracking systems.

 

The technological flexibility of our gaming systems allows us to place player stations in multiple geographic locations, add new locations to the network without disrupting play on the network, and to provide a satisfying entertainment and gaming experience to the end user.

 

-4-


We continually upgrade our existing hardware, communication network, and systems and application software to incorporate state-of-the-art technology. We systematically upgrade the components contained in the player stations located at our customers’ facilities so that the player stations can use our most up-to-date technology, and so we can enhance the gaming and entertainment experience of our end users by offering games that play at high speed and use the new technology to offer advanced graphics and sounds throughout our network.

 

Extensive and flexible content library. We currently offer our own proprietary game themes in our Class II and Class III libraries and game themes developed through third-party license agreements. These games are offered in a variety of pay tables and currency denominations. Through these agreements, we have access to a significant number of additional game themes with proven acceptance in a variety of gaming jurisdictions, and which we may use in both our Class II and Class III markets.

 

Our license agreements with WMS Gaming Inc., or WMS, Bally Gaming Inc., or Bally, and Mikohn Gaming Corporation, or Mikohn, allow us to use some of their most popular game themes, which have player-tested acceptance in other gaming markets. Our flexible gaming systems and extensive game libraries, and our team of technology specialists enable us to adapt these game themes to the Class II and Class III gaming markets, and to quickly respond to changing end-user preferences and to changes in the requirements of applicable regulatory agencies.

 

Ongoing revenue from existing installed base. We derive most of our revenues from participation arrangements with our customers, through which we receive a percentage of the hold per day generated by each of our player stations. Therefore, our interests are closely aligned with the interests of our customers, as a substantial portion of our revenues is dependent on the revenues they generate.

 

Our Products and Services

 

Class II Games and Systems. We provide the Class II Native American gaming market with linked, interactive electronic games and related online systems and player stations. These games, systems and player stations include:

 

  Flexible gaming systems that enable us to regularly launch new game engines;

 

  Flexible gaming systems that enable us to operate games efficiently;

 

  Flexible game engines that enable us to display the same underlying bingo game utilizes various game themes;

 

  High-speed, interactive Class II bingo games and game themes we designed and developed that provide our end users with an entertaining gaming experience;

 

  Player stations linked via a nationwide, broadband telecommunications network, thereby enabling us to rapidly build quorums and broaden participation in games run throughout the country and monitor the performance of our network in real time; and

 

  Information services that allow our customers to monitor their gaming activities and to improve service to end users.

 

To take advantage of advances in technology that increase the capability of our systems, improve the end-user experience, broaden participation in the games and thereby increase revenues, we regularly introduce new high-speed, interactive Class II bingo games. Our historical growth in revenue is the result of the increase in our installed base of player stations and the technological advances we have developed and implemented. These advances have enabled us to dramatically increase the frequency and the number of games played on our system over any given period of time.

 

From 1989 through April, 2003, MegaBingo, Inc., our subsidiary produced MegaBingo, a live bingo game that was broadcast via satellite into participating halls and utilize a live ball draw. MegaBingo was televised a couple of times per week at multiple bingo halls throughout the U.S. The game enabled players to simultaneously view the live ball draw on television monitors located in the hall, and compete with players in other halls in the same live game to win a large jackpot prize.

 

In May 1996, we introduced our Legacy gaming system and its related family of game engines with the launch of MegaMania, the first online, interactive bingo game played on player stations linked with one another via nationwide, broadband telecommunications network. When first introduced, a game of MegaMania took approximately two minutes to play. We used rotating shifts of teams of employees, working twenty-four hours per day, seven days a week, to manually draw bingo ball numbers from a bingo ball blower. The drawn numbers were then keyed into the network to appear simultaneously on multiple player station monitors linked to

 

-5-


the network and logged onto that game. Today, a game of MegaMania takes about one minute to play. In place of a bingo ball blower, we now use an electronic ball draw that randomly determines bingo numbers, which are instantly communicated over the network to player stations. This new method has significantly increased the speed and reliability of the game, improved security and significantly reduced overhead.

 

In January 2001, we introduced our New Generation gaming system and its related family of game engines with the launch of MegaNanza, a “bonanza-style” bingo game where the bingo numbers are drawn before the bingo cards are purchased. We believe the faster pace facilitated by our New Generation gaming system enhances the entertainment and gaming experience of our end users, resulting in an overall increase in the number of end users playing our games, and in a higher spending rate per end user.

 

In June 2002, we introduced Reel Time Bingo, a high-speed, “standard-sequence” bingo game, in which the cards are purchased before the balls are drawn, played on our New Generation platform. As of October 27, 2003, we had converted all of our MegaNanza games to some version of Reel Time Bingo, both in response to the settlement agreement reached between us and the NIGC, and to take advantage of improved technologies.

 

In November 2003, we introduced and began deploying our Gen4 gaming system, which will enable us to produce games with bonus rounds and wide-area progressives, provide more end-user enjoyment, and also provide better networking capabilities among gaming systems.

 

We currently offer a variety of Class II player station models within each of our gaming platforms. Each player station has a screen that always displays the bingo cards being played and the bingo numbers drawn. Depending upon the end user’s entertainment preference, an additional display can be selected that minimizes the size of the bingo card display and shows other graphics that can take many forms, including graphics that simulate spinning reels similar to video slot machines. Some of our player stations also use displays adapted from game themes we license from WMS, Bally and Mikohn. The screen also serves as a touch pad that allows end users to make game decisions, such as choosing to play or drop bingo cards, and declaring a winning bingo. Player stations vary according to height, width and depth (to accommodate, in part, the differing space needs of our bingo hall customers), screen size and other features affecting appearance and the visual appeal to end users.

 

Our Class II games are linked via nationwide, broadband telecommunications network, which provides several important benefits to us, our customers and our end users:

 

  A large number of potential players are available to rapidly build quorums for individual games.

 

  For certain game designs, larger numbers of end users can compete in a single game, which increases the size of the prize “pool.”

 

  Class II gaming requires there to be more than one end user participating in a game. Our network enables end users to link with each other more quickly, thereby increasing the number of games played during a given period.

 

  We are able to introduce technological enhancements via our network without the need for location-by-location down time, thereby avoiding lost revenues for our customers.

 

  We are able to monitor network performance in real time, which allows us to quickly identify and respond to network problems and avoid significant down time.

 

  With our ability to launch new games broadly over a large number of player stations, the chance that any new game will become popular with end users is increased, since the frequency of prizes and its related effect upon the popularity of a game depend in part on the total number of end users participating in the same game.

 

In addition, our back-office system provides information services to our customers, who are able to monitor all aspects of their gaming activities by player station, by game and by gaming facility. Our back-office system includes a database server that archives details of distribution and sales, as well as end-user information used by the gaming facilities for marketing and player tracking, and a management terminal that can monitor game system operation and generate system reports. Our player tracking system allows us to track the playing preferences of those individual end users who have elected to participate in our player tracking program, thereby gaining potentially valuable design insight into game features that appeal to end users. It also serves as a marketing tool for our customers, who are made aware, in real time, of end users playing in their facility.

 

We continuously monitor our network from a central location in our Austin, Texas headquarters, which enables us to identify network distribution problems as well as to gather valuable insights into the playing habits and preferences of end users that are then utilized in our game design efforts.

 

-6-


Class III Games and Systems. We sell or lease linked Class III video lottery terminals, or VLTs, to Native American customers in the state of Washington, and receive back-office fees based on a share of the hold per day generated by the player stations. Class III video lottery gaming in the state of Washington is allowed pursuant to a compact between the state and certain Native American tribes in that state. The compacts contain the specifications for permissible video lottery systems in the state, including:

 

  Only those VLTs within the same gaming facility may be linked with one another; and

 

  The system must be “cashless”; and

 

  All system components and software and the implementation of each game must be approved by an independent gaming laboratory as well as by the gaming laboratory operated by Washington State.

 

An end user who wishes to play our Class III VLTs in the state of Washington must open an account with the cashier in the facility and receive a card encoded with an account number and a personal identification number. The end user can then use the card to buy an electronic ticket at a VLT, add money to the account at a point of sale terminal, or cash out the account.

 

Electronic replicas of scratch tickets are shown on the VLTs, with the results of the wager displayed in a variety of graphical game formats that entertain the end user with motion and sound before revealing the value of the scratch ticket. We have license agreements with WMS and Bally that allow us to use several of their popular game themes in the state of Washington. Our Class III VLTs are available in a variety of freestanding and bar-top styles having a look and feel that is consistent with traditional video slot machines.

 

Our Class III systems in Washington State comprise all the software and hardware necessary for operation, and are designed to be readily adaptable to the video lottery requirements of jurisdictions outside that state. Our hardware includes multiple servers that generate sets of electronic lottery tickets, and distribute them on demand to end users sitting at terminals networked throughout a casino. As with our Class II gaming systems, our Class III back-office system allows us to maintain details of ticket manufacture, distribution and sales, and end-user information, and monitor game system operation and generate system reports.

 

Video Lottery Central Systems. New York recently adopted legislation authorizing the placement of video lottery terminals, or VLTs, at certain New York State racetracks. On April 10, 2003, we received final approval of our video lottery central system contract from the offices of the New York State Comptroller and Attorney General. We believe we were selected over our competition primarily on the basis of the technological superiority of our proposal, as well as price and other factors. Our central system encompasses all software, hardware and networks required to provide outcomes and accounting for video lottery gaming. This central system will be the platform managing VLTs provided by vendors including Bally, International Game Technology, Sierra Design Group, and Spielo Gaming International. We believe that we will be able to achieve future growth in the video lottery market by leveraging our experience in the states of Washington and New York, our leadership in technologically advanced game and system design, and our ability to rapidly adapt game and system technology to satisfy emerging regulatory requirements.

 

Gaming Contracts

 

Virtually all of our Class II and Class III gaming revenues are derived through contracts with our Native American customers. Our contracts typically run over multiple years, and can be terminated earlier under certain specified conditions. The contracts specify the quantity and type of player stations to be installed and the terms of the rental or participation arrangement. There is also a limited waiver of sovereign immunity by each tribe that typically provides for the arbitration of any dispute under the contract, and the right to enforce any decision of the arbitrator by application to a federal or state court having jurisdiction. Under these contracts, we are also granted the right to enter the land of the Native American tribe for the purpose of removing our property under certain circumstances. See “Risk Factors – We do not rely upon the term of our customer contracts to retain the business of our customers,” and “ – Enforcement of remedies or contracts against Native American tribes could be difficult.”

 

As we seek to continue the growth in our customer base and to expand our installed base of linked Class II player stations, a key element of our strategy has become entering into joint development agreements with various Native American tribes to help fund new tribal gaming facilities. Pursuant to these agreements, we advance funds to the tribes for the construction of new tribal gaming facilities or for the expansion of existing facilities. These agreements provide for repayment by the customer of some or all of the amounts advanced. In return, we receive a percentage of the floor space and a fixed percentage of the hold per day for a number of years from the player stations at the gaming facility.

 

-7-


Marketing, Advertising and Promotion

 

We try to arrange national and local news coverage, and provide press releases to local newspapers regarding recent jackpot wins. We also arrange advertising for the introduction of new games into existing network halls and for new halls added to the network. In addition, we use a variety of focused advertising and promotion methods, including direct mailings in localities near network halls, discount coupons for new players, advertising in specialized bingo newsletters, the Players Passport club, and other promotions unique to each hall. Our games typically are prominently featured in participating halls’ program materials, such as calendars and flyers, and on outdoor billboards near certain participating halls.

 

While we consult with our customers on advertising and promotion, we pay most of the costs. We have agreed with substantially all of our customers to set aside approximately 0.5% of the gross daily revenue of our Legacy and 0.5% of the daily hold of our New Generation games, in part to pay these costs and the costs of incrementally new advertising and promotion.

 

Intellectual Property

 

We rely to a limited extent upon patent, copyright, trademark and trade secret laws, license agreements and employee nondisclosure agreements to protect our proprietary rights and technology. Since these laws and contractual provisions provide only limited protection, we rely more upon proprietary know-how and continuing technological innovation to develop and maintain our competitive position. Insofar as we rely on trade secrets, unpatented know-how, and innovation, there is no assurance that others will not independently develop similar technology or that secrecy will not be breached.

 

Patents, Trademarks and Tradenames. We have patents issued and patents pending in the U.S. We also have patents pending overseas corresponding to some of our U.S. patents and pending U.S. patent applications. Our trademarks and tradenames include: Players Passport®, Reel Time Bingo, MegaNanza® MegaBingo®, and MegaMania®. All references herein to those trademarks and tradenames are deemed to include the applicable tradename or trademark designation. See “Risk Factors – We may not be successful in protecting our intellectual property rights, or avoiding claims that we are infringing upon the intellectual property rights of others.”

 

Licenses

 

We are licensed by the state of Washington to conduct Class III gaming in that state, and we are licensed by the states of Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi, and the District of Columbia as a manufacturer of charitable gaming equipment. For Class II gaming, we are licensed by all of the relevant Native American gaming commissions that grant licenses pursuant to their gaming ordinances. We have sought and obtained determinations that our New Generation games are Class II gaming from each tribe’s gaming commission prior to the installation of the games in their facilities.

 

Competition

 

In the Class II market, our existing installed base of linked player stations accounts for a significant portion of the installed base of all linked player stations in that market. Linked player stations in turn account for the great majority of all player stations in the Class II market. With our three largest customers, our linked player stations constitute a significant portion of all player stations of any kind in their facilities. We currently compete in Native American Class II gaming markets with companies that are generally smaller than we are. In this market, we also compete with vendors of paper bingo and card minders.

 

We compete with other Class II vendors for customers, primarily on the basis of the amount of profit our gaming products generate for our customers in relation to other vendors’ gaming products. We believe that the most important factor influencing our customers’ product selection is the appeal of those products to end users. This appeal has a direct effect on the volume of play by end users, and drives the amount of revenue generated for and by our customers. Our ability to remain competitive depends primarily on our ability to continuously develop new game themes and systems that appeal to end users, and to introduce those game themes and systems in a timely manner. See “Risk Factors – Our future performance will depend on our ability to develop and introduce new games and enhancements to existing games that are widely accepted and played.” We may not be able to continue to develop and introduce appealing new game themes and systems that meet the emerging requirements of Class II gaming in a timely manner, or at all. In addition, others may independently develop games similar to our Class II games, and competitors may introduce non-Class II games that unfairly compete in the Class II market due to uneven regulatory enforcement policies.

 

-8-


We believe continued developments in the Class II market that alleviate or clarify the legal and regulatory uncertainties of that market will result in increased competition in the interactive electronic Class II gaming market, including the entrance of new competitors with significant gaming experience and financial resources. We believe the increased competition will intensify pressure on our pricing model. In the future, gaming providers will compete on the basis of price as well as the entertainment value and technological superiority of their products. While we will continue to compete by regularly introducing new and faster games, with technological enhancements that we believe will appeal to end users, we believe that the net revenue retained by our customers from their installed base of player stations will become a more significant factor, one that may require us to change the terms of our participation arrangements with customers to remain competitive.

 

Employees

 

At September 30, 2003, we had 336 full-time and part-time employees, including 72 engaged in field operations, 116 in system and game development, 7 in network operations, 67 in the design, quality control, and assembly of player stations, 29 in sales and marketing activities, 8 dedicated to the New York lottery project, 19 in accounting functions, and 18 in other general administrative and executive functions. We do not have a collective bargaining agreement with any of our employees. We believe our relationship with our current employees is good.

 

Governmental Regulation

 

General. We are subject to federal, state and Native American laws and regulations that affect both our general commercial relationships with our Native American tribal customers as well as the products and services provided to them. The following is only a summary of the more material aspects of these laws and regulations, and is not a complete recitation of all applicable law.

 

Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. Virtually all of our business relates to gaming activities on Native American lands. The operation of gaming on Native American lands is subject to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988, or IGRA, which created the National Indian Gaming Commission, or NIGC, to promulgate regulations to enforce certain aspects of IGRA.

 

IGRA classifies games that may be played on Native American land into three categories: Class I gaming includes traditional Native American social and ceremonial games and is regulated only by the tribes. Class II gaming includes bingo and, if played at the same location where bingo is played, pull-tabs, lotto, punch boards, tip jars, instant bingo, certain card games played under limited circumstances, and other games similar to bingo. And Class III gaming consists of all forms of gaming that are not Class I or Class II, such as video lottery games, slot machines, most table games and keno.

 

IGRA allows Native American tribes to legally engage in Class II gaming on Native American lands in any state where the state permits such gaming by any person for any purpose. For example, if a state permits churches to hold charity bingo nights, then IGRA would allow Native American tribes to engage in bingo on Native American lands located in that state as a Class II gaming activity, free of any interference, regulation or taxation by that state.

 

IGRA also regulates the terms of gaming management contracts with Native Americans, which must be approved by the NIGC before taking effect. The NIGC has determined that the agreements pursuant to which we provide our Class II games, equipment and services are “service agreements” and not “management contracts,” thereby allowing us to obtain terms that might otherwise not be permitted. Under existing regulations, management contracts can have a maximum term of seven years, and limit the amount payable to the manager to 30% of the net revenue from the related gaming activity. On occasion, however, as a condition of its approval of a management contract, the NIGC has required that both a shorter term and a reduced percentage of the net revenue be accepted by a manager. Our contracts could be subject to further review at any time. Any further review of these agreements by the NIGC, or alternative interpretations of applicable laws and regulations could require substantial modifications to those agreements or result in their redesignation as “management contracts,” which could materially and adversely affect the terms on which we conduct business. See “Risk Factors – Changes in regulation or regulatory interpretations could require us to modify the terms of our contracts with customers.”

 

Johnson Act. The Johnson Act broadly defines an illegal gambling device as any “machine or mechanical device” designed and manufactured “primarily” for use in connection with gambling and that, when operated, delivers money or other property to a player “as the result of the application of an element of chance.” Courts that have

 

-9-


considered the scope of the Johnson Act in relation to IGRA have generally determined that the Johnson Act does not prohibit the use of electronic and technological aids to bingo that operate to broaden the participation of players to play against one another rather than against a machine.

 

Class II gaming is defined by IGRA as including “the game of chance commonly known as bingo (whether or not electronic, computer or other technological aids are used in connection therewith).” However, IGRA’s definition of Class II gaming expressly excludes “electronic or electromechanical facsimiles of any game of chance or slot machines of any kind.” Prior to June 17, 2002, regulations adopted by the NIGC defined “electronic or electromechanical facsimiles of any game of chance or slot machines of any kind” as being equivalent to “gambling devices,” as defined and prohibited by the Johnson Act.

 

On June 17, 2002, the NIGC published new regulations, effective July 16, 2002, defining the terms “electronic, computer or other technological aids” that can legally be used in Class II gaming, and “electronic or electromechanical facsimiles of a game of chance” that may not be legally used in Class II gaming. The NIGC essentially did away with using the Johnson Act definition of “gambling device” as the method of determining what constituted an illegal “electronic or electromechanical facsimile of a game of chance,” and relied instead upon existing court cases which have held that legal technological aids permitted by IGRA are aids that broaden the participation levels of players in the same game, facilitate communication between and among gaming facilities, and allow players to play a game with or against other players rather than with or against a machine. Under these court decisions, any devices that accomplish these objectives are not “gambling devices” prohibited by the Johnson Act.

 

These new NIGC regulations are not binding upon the DOJ, which is the federal agency charged with enforcing the Johnson Act. The DOJ has asserted in the past and, as described below, continues to assert their position, that any electronic or mechanical device used in gaming, such as the electronic player stations used to play our Class II games, are illegal “gambling devices,” and thus in violation of the Johnson Act.

 

In a recent decision of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit (Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma, et al. vs. National Indian Gaming Commission, et al., decided April 17, 2003), a federal circuit court considered the applicability of the Johnson Act to Class II gaming. The opinion of the court was in line with several previous court opinions (including the Ninth and Tenth Circuit opinions on our MegaMania games) that found that the Johnson Act did not prohibit the use of technological aids to Class II gaming on Native American land. The court also noted that their opinion was in line with the new NIGC regulations. In another recent decision from the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit (United States of America vs. Santee Sioux Tribe of Nebraska, decided March 20, 2003), a circuit court found for the first time that the Johnson Act does apply to Class II technological aids, although the court also found that the pull tab player stations at issue in that case were not Johnson Act devices. That court also went on to cite the fact that the NIGC has adopted new regulations and that those regulations would permit Class II technological aids under IGRA.

 

On November 21, 2003, the DOJ filed a Petition for a Writ of Certiorari in the Supreme Court seeking review of the two U.S. Circuit Court cases that examined whether the Johnson Act prohibits Native American tribes from offering certain types of electronic gaming devices. Specifically, the DOJ seeks review of United States of America v. Santee Sioux Tribe of Nebraska, a federally recognized Indian Tribe, on Petition for a Writ of Certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, and John D. Ashcroft, Attorney General, et al., v. Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma, et al. on Petition for a Writ of Certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. In the petitions, the DOJ asserts that the Johnson Act prohibits Native American tribes from operating certain electronic gambling devices without a compact with the appropriate state.

 

We are not a party to these actions, and we will likely have only limited information about the proceedings at the Supreme Court prior to their completion. We cannot predict whether the Supreme Court will grant certiorari in these cases or, if certiorari is granted, how the Supreme Court will rule. Accordingly, we do not intend to speculate about the potential outcomes in these matters.

 

Although the machines we offer are not the subject of either lawsuit, the DOJ’s arguments and reasoning would appear to encompass the machines we offer for the Class II market. As a result, if the U.S. Supreme Court were to grant certiorari and adopt the arguments advanced by the DOJ, the play of most of our current products without a compact would likely be prohibited by the Johnson Act. This result would almost certainly have a significant, material adverse impact on our business and operating results. Alternatively, a decision by the Supreme Court that rejected the DOJ’s arguments and instead affirmed the right of the tribes to offer games and player stations such as those manufactured and sold by us as legal “electronic aids” to bingo for the Class II market could remove significant legal uncertainty in our principal market. A favorable result could form the basis for expansion of market opportunities, and further innovation in the Class II market. However, it could also result in increased competition from vendors in the Class III market who we believe have avoided entry into the Class II market due to the legal uncertainties described above.

 

-10-


The DOJ petitions currently before the Supreme Court may affect our business prior to their resolution. In particular, it is possible that the continued uncertainty in the Class II gaming market may deter or delay the entrance of new competitors into our markets. Conversely, our tribal customers may face increased pressure to seek a compact with the states in which they operate. In the event one or more of our tribal customers entered into a state compact enabling the tribe to offer Class III games, demand for our Class II games could decline dramatically. However, it is difficult to predict whether these or other effects will actually occur or, should they occur, what impact they will have on our business. We intend to continue to disclose any material effects we experience as a result of the actions of the DOJ or other regulatory developments.

 

Tribal-State Compacts. Video lottery terminals operated in conjunction with local central determinant systems are offered by us in Washington State pursuant to a compact between the state and certain Native American tribes in that state. These compacts are recognized by IGRA to permit Class III gaming, which would otherwise be illegal.

 

Native American Regulation of Gaming. IGRA requires that Native American tribes adopt and submit for NIGC approval gaming ordinances that regulate the conduct of gaming by the tribe. While these ordinances vary from tribe to tribe, they commonly provide for the following:

 

  Native American ownership of the gaming operation;

 

  Establishment of an independent tribal gaming commission;

 

  Use of gaming net revenues for Native American government, economic development, health, education, housing or related purposes;

 

  Independent audits, including specific audits of all contracts for amounts greater than $25,000;

 

  Native American background investigations and licenses;

 

  Adequate safeguards for the environment and the public health and safety; and

 

  Dispute resolution procedures.

 

Other. Existing federal and state regulations may also impose civil and criminal sanctions for various activities prohibited in connection with gaming operations, including false statements on applications and failure or refusal to obtain necessary licenses described in the regulations.

 

RISK FACTORS

 

The following risk factors should be carefully considered in connection with the other information and financial statements contained in this Annual Report, including “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.” If any of these risks actually occur, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be seriously and materially harmed, and the trading price of our common stock could decline.

 

We face legal and regulatory uncertainties that threaten our ability to conduct our business and to effectively compete in the Class II market, increase our cost of doing business and divert substantial management time away from our operations.

 

Historically, we have derived most of our revenue from Class II gaming activities conducted on Native American lands. These activities are subject to federal regulation under the Johnson Act, IGRA, the rules and regulations adopted by both the NIGC and the separate gaming commissions established by each Native American tribe to regulate gaming. These gaming activities are also subject to regulation by state and local authorities, to the extent such gaming activities constitute, or are perceived to constitute, Class III gaming. Class III is illegal in most states and may only be conducted by a tribe pursuant to a compact between a tribe and the state in which the tribe is located.

 

The Johnson Act broadly defines “gambling devices” to include any “machine or mechanical device” designed and manufactured “primarily” for use in connection with gambling, and that, when operated, delivers money or other property to a player “as the result of the application of an element of chance.” A government agency or court that literally applied this definition and did not give effect to subsequent congressional legislation, or certain regulatory interpretations or judicial decisions could determine that the manufacture and use of our electronic player stations, and perhaps, other key components of our Class II gaming systems that rely to some extent upon electronic equipment to run a game, are illegal. Our tribal customers could be subject to significant fines and penalties if it is ultimately determined they are offering an illegal game, and an adverse regulatory or judicial determination regarding the legal status of our products could have material adverse consequences for our business, operating results and prospects.

 

-11-


The market for electronic Class II player stations and systems, from which we derive the substantial majority of our revenue, is subject to continuing ambiguity due to the difficulty of reconciling the Johnson Act’s broad definition of “gambling devices” with the provisions of IGRA that expressly make legal the play of bingo and the use by tribes of “electronic, computer, or other technological aids” in the play of bingo. Issues surrounding the classification of our games as Class II games that may generally be offered by our tribal customers without a state compact, or Class III games that can only be offered by the tribes pursuant to such a compact, have in the past affected, and continue to affect, our business. Government enforcement or regulatory action or judicial decisions, or the prospects or rumors thereof, have in the past and will continue to effect our business, operating results and prospects. The trading price of our common stock has in the past and may in the future be subject to significant fluctuations based upon market perceptions of the legal status of our products.

 

We also face risks from a lack of regulatory or judicial enforcement action. In particular, our competitors may offer games that do not comply with published regulatory restrictions on Class II games, and thereby offer faster play than, or features not available in, our products. To the extent the tribes are permitted to offer these games rather than ours, our market share, revenue and operating results may suffer.

 

In addition to federal regulation, all Native American tribes are required by IGRA to adopt ordinances to regulate gaming as a condition of their right to conduct gaming on Native American lands. These ordinances often include the establishment of tribal gaming commissions that make their own judgment about whether an activity is Class II or Class III gaming. It is our policy not to introduce a new game in a customer’s gaming facility unless the tribe’s gaming commission has made its own independent determination that the game is Class II gaming. Adverse regulatory decisions by tribal gaming commissions could adversely affect our business.

 

It is possible that new laws and regulations relating to our business may be enacted, and that existing laws and regulations could be amended or reinterpreted in a manner adverse to our business. Any regulatory change could materially and adversely affect the installation and use of existing and additional player stations, games and systems, and our ability to generate revenues from some or all of our Class II games.

 

In addition to the risks described above, regulatory uncertainty increases our cost of doing business. We dedicate significant time and incur significant expense on new game development without any assurance that the NIGC, the DOJ or other federal, state and local agencies or Native American gaming commissions will agree that our games meet applicable regulatory requirements. We also devote significant time and expense to dealing with federal, state and Native American agencies having jurisdiction over Native American gaming, and in complying with the various regulatory regimes that govern our business. In addition, we are constantly monitoring new and proposed laws and regulations, or changes to such laws and regulations, and in assessing the possible impact upon us, our customers and our markets.

 

The U.S. Department of Justice has recently sought review by the U.S. Supreme Court of two U.S. circuit court cases involving issues that fundamentally involve the legality of the substantial majority of our products.

 

On November 21, 2003, the DOJ filed a Petition for a Writ of Certiorari in the United States Supreme Court seeking review of two U.S. Circuit Court cases that examined whether the Johnson Act prohibits Native American tribes from offering certain types of electronic gaming devices. In the petitions, the DOJ asserts that the Johnson Act prohibits Native American tribes from operating certain electronic gambling devices without a compact with the appropriate state.

 

We are not a party to these actions, and we will likely have only limited information about the proceedings at the Supreme Court prior to their completion. We cannot predict whether the Supreme Court will grant certiorari in these cases or, if certiorari is granted, how the Supreme Court will rule.

 

Although our machines are not the subject of either lawsuit, the DOJ’s arguments and reasoning would appear to encompass the machines we offer for the Class II market. As a result, if the U.S. Supreme Court were to grant certiorari and adopt the arguments advanced by the DOJ, the play of most of the our current products without a compact would likely be prohibited by the Johnson Act. This result would almost certainly have a significant, material adverse impact on our business and operating results. Alternatively, a decision by the Supreme Court that rejected the DOJ’s arguments and instead affirmed the right of the tribes to offer games and player stations such as those manufactured and sold by us as legal “electronic aids” to bingo for the Class II market could remove

 

-12-


significant legal uncertainty in our principal market. A favorable result could form the basis for expansion of Class II market opportunities and further innovation in the Class II market. However, it could also result in increased competition from vendors in the Class III market who we believe have avoided entry into the Class II market due to the legal uncertainties described above.

 

The DOJ proceedings currently before the Supreme Court may affect our business prior to their resolution. In particular, it is possible that the continued uncertainty in the Class II gaming market may deter or delay the entrance of new competitors into our markets. Conversely, our tribal customers may face increased pressure to seek a compact with the states in which they operate. In the event one or more of our tribal customers entered into a state compact enabling the tribe to offer Class III games, demand for our Class II games could decline precipitously. Finally, speculation as to the outcome of these matters may lead to increased volatility or a general decline in the price of our common stock. See “Risk Factors – If states enter into compacts with our existing Class II customers to allow Class III gaming, our results of operations could be materially harmed.”

 

Our future performance will depend on our ability to develop and introduce new games and enhancements to existing games that are widely accepted and played.

 

Our revenue growth has been driven primarily by technological innovations to our gaming systems, and the increased size and use of our installed base of player stations. Our New Generation gaming system has allowed us to produce games that not only play faster than our Legacy games, but also provide enhanced entertainment to end users through improved graphics and sounds. This, in turn, has enabled us to generate increased revenues for us and for our customers. In January 2001, we introduced MegaNanza, our first game based on the New Generation system. In June 2002, we introduced Reel Time Bingo, a high-speed, standard-sequence bingo game, as a substitute for MegaNanza. As of October 27, 2003, we had converted all of our MegaNanza games to some version of Reel Time Bingo, both in response to the settlement agreement reached between us and the NIGC, and to take advantage of improved technologies. In November 2003, we introduced and began deploying our Gen4 gaming system, which will enable us to produce games with bonus rounds and wide area progressives, provide more end-user enjoyment and also provide better networking capabilities among gaming systems.

 

Our future performance will depend primarily on our ability to successfully and cost-effectively develop and introduce new and enhanced games that will be widely accepted both by our tribal customers and their end users. We believe our business requires us to continually offer games and technology that offer faster and more entertaining play than those offered by our competitors. However, consumer preferences can be difficult to predict, and we may offer new games or technologies that do not achieve market acceptance. In addition, we may experience delays in game development in the future, or we may not be successful in developing, introducing and marketing new games or game enhancements on a timely and cost effective basis. Furthermore, our new games may be subject to challenge by the NIGC, the DOJ, or some other regulatory or law enforcement agency based on IGRA, the Johnson Act or some other regulatory mandate.

 

If we are unable, for technological, marketing or other reasons, to develop and introduce new games or enhancements of existing products in a timely manner in response to changing regulatory, legal or market conditions or customer requirements, or if new products or new versions of existing products do not achieve market acceptance, or if uneven NIGC enforcement policies cause us to continue facing competition from bonanza-bingo style games or other non-Class II games offered by some competitors in the Class II market, our business could be materially and adversely affected.

 

We are dependent upon a few customers who are based in Oklahoma.

 

For the year ended September 30, 2003, two tribes in Oklahoma accounted for approximately 25% and 18% of our net gaming revenues. Approximately 79% of our net revenues from the same fiscal year were from Native American tribes located in Oklahoma. The significant concentration of our customers in Oklahoma means that local economic changes may adversely affect our customers, and therefore our business, disproportionately to changes in national economic conditions, including more sudden adverse economic declines or slower economic recovery from prior declines. The loss of any of our Oklahoma tribes as customers would have a material and adverse effect upon our financial condition and results of operations.

 

If states enter into compacts with our existing Class II customers to allow Class III gaming, our results of operations could be materially harmed.

 

The substantial majority of our revenue is generated from the placement of Class II gaming systems and player stations with tribal customers who are not parties to any state compact that would permit them to offer Class III games. We do not currently generate a material amount of revenue from our Class III operations. If any of our

 

-13-


Class II tribal customers were to enter compacts with the states in which they operate allowing them to offer Class III games, we believe the number of game machine placements by us in those customers’ facilities would decline significantly and our operating results would be materially adversely affected. These adverse affects would be particularly acute in a state such as Oklahoma, where we have a concentration of customers, and where there have been numerous recent attempts to establish compacts.

 

We believe the establishment of a state compact depends on a number of political, social and economic factors which are inherently difficult to ascertain. Accordingly, although we attempt to monitor closely state legislative developments that could affect our business, we may not be able to timely predict when, or if a compact could be entered into by one or more of our tribal customers. Moreover, our business requires that we provide support for the economic interests of our tribal customers and we may therefore be restricted from taking political action or positions in opposition to the adoption of a compact.

 

We are seeking to expand our business by loaning money to new and existing customers to develop gaming facilities, and we are jointly developing or expanding gaming and related facilities with some of these customers. We have limited experience with these activities and may not realize a satisfactory return, if any, on our investment, and we could lose some or all of our investment.

 

To date we have entered into eight development agreements to jointly develop and provide financing to construct tribal gaming facilities, one of which was completed in July 2003. Under our development agreements, we secure a long-term revenue share percentage and a guaranteed percentage of the tribal gaming facilities’ available floor space in exchange for development and construction funding. In connection with these advances, we could face liquidity pressure or a complete loss of our investment if a tribe does not timely pay any amounts owed to us from such funding. In addition, future NIGC decisions could affect our ability to place our games with tribes, including the Lytton Rancheria tribe described below.

 

In October 2003, we provided a bridge loan to the Lytton Rancheria of California, or Lytton Rancheria, a federally recognized Native American tribe, which the tribe used to facilitate the transfer of land in San Pablo, California to the United States in trust for Lytton Rancheria. The bridge loan plus interest at prime plus 2% will be repaid in accordance with the loan terms based upon certain triggering events, the tribe’s ability to secure alternative funding or upon maturity in December 2004. Our loan to the Lytton Rancheria tribe is different from our development agreements in that there is no assurance that the Lytton Rancheria tribe will either develop a tribal gaming facility or enter into an equipment leasing agreement with us if they do pursue gaming opportunities on the acquired land. The loan is secured by certain of the tribe’s personal property, as well as the net cash flow from the existing card room that is currently in operation at the acquired site.

 

We may continue to seek to enter into strategic relationships and provide financing and development services for new or expanded gaming and related facilities for our customers. However, we may not realize the anticipated benefits of any strategic relationship or financing. In connection with one or more of those transactions, we may issue additional equity securities which would dilute existing stockholders; extend secured and unsecured credit which may not be repaid; incur debt on terms unfavorable to us or that we are unable to repay; and incur contingent liabilities.

 

We have limited experience in these types of activities. Our development effort or financing activities may result in unforeseen operating difficulties, financial risks or required expenditures that could adversely affect our liquidity. It may also divert the time and attention of our management that would otherwise be available for ongoing development of our business. As a result of providing financing or development services to our customers, we may not realize a satisfactory return, if any, on our investment, and we could lose some or all of our investment.

 

We believe diversification from Native American gaming activities is critical to our growth strategy. Our expansion into non-Native American gaming activities will present new challenges and risks that could adversely affect our business or results of operations.

 

Our growth strategy includes selling our games and technology into segments of the gaming industry other than Native American gaming, principally the charity bingo market and new jurisdictions authorizing VLTs. In April 2003, we finalized and executed a contract with the New York Lottery to provide the central system for video lottery games to be operated at New York State “racinos.”

 

These and other non-Native American gaming opportunities are not currently subject to a nationwide regulatory system such as the one created by IGRA to regulate Native American gaming, so regulation is on a state-by-state basis. In addition, federal laws relating to gaming, such as the Johnson Act, which regulates slot machines and similar gambling devices, would also apply to new video lottery jurisdictions, absent authorized state law

 

-14-


exemptions. If we were to expand into these new markets, we would expect to encounter legal and regulatory uncertainties similar to those we face in our Native American gaming business. Successful growth in accordance with this strategy may require us to make certain changes to our games to ensure that they comply with applicable regulatory regimes, and may require us to obtain additional licenses. Importantly, in certain jurisdictions and for certain venues, our ability to enter these markets will depend on effecting changes to existing laws and regulatory regimes. The ability to effect these changes is subject to a great degree of uncertainty and may never be achieved. We may not be successful in entering into other segments of the gaming industry.

 

Generally, our selling of games and technology into new market segments involves a number of uncertainties, including:

 

  Whether our resources and expertise will enable us to effectively operate and grow in such new markets;

 

  Whether our internal processes and controls continue to function effectively within these new segments;

 

  Whether we have enough experience to accurately predict revenues and expenses in these new segments; and

 

  Whether the diversion of management attention and resources from our traditional business caused by entering such segments will have harmful effects on our traditional business.

 

If we are unable to effectively develop and operate within these segments, then entering into these new segments could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and financial condition. Moreover, if we are unsuccessful in our attempt to diversify to new lines of business, or if a specific project such as the New York Lottery racino project generates significantly less revenue than anticipated, our ability to grow and diversify our revenue streams may be impaired.

 

We compete for customers and end users with other vendors of Class II and Class III games. We also compete for end users with other forms of entertainment.

 

We compete with other Class II vendors for customers, primarily on the basis of the amount of profit our gaming products generate for our customers in relation to other vendors’ gaming products. We believe that the most important factor influencing our customers’ product selection is the appeal of those products to end users. This appeal has a direct effect on the volume of play by end users, and drives the amount of revenues generated for and by our customers. Our ability to remain competitive depends primarily on our ability to continuously develop new game themes and systems that appeal to end users, and to introduce those game themes and systems in a timely manner (see “Risk Factors – Our future performance will depend on our ability to develop and introduce new games and enhancements to existing games that are widely accepted and played”). We may not be able to continue to develop and introduce appealing new game themes and systems that meet the emerging requirements of Class II gaming in a timely manner, or at all. In addition, others may independently develop games similar to our Class II games, and competitors may introduce non-Class II games that unfairly compete in the Class II market due to uneven regulatory enforcement policies.

 

We believe continued developments in the Class II market that alleviate or clarify the legal and regulatory uncertainties of that market will result in increased competition in the interactive electronic Class II gaming market, including the entrance of new competitors with significant gaming experience and financial resources. Specifically, three of the largest manufacturers of gaming equipment have expressed an interest in the Class II market. We believe the increased competition will intensify pressure on our pricing model. In the future, gaming providers will compete on the basis of price as well as the entertainment value and technological superiority of their products. While we will continue to compete by regularly introducing new and faster games, with technological enhancements that we believe will appeal to end users, we believe that the net revenue retained by our customers from their installed base of player stations will become a more significant factor, one that may require us to change the terms of our participation arrangements with customers to remain competitive. Consequently, we believe that a simple business model based upon a relationship between the average hold per player station per day and the installed base of player stations will become less relevant in predicting our performance, as the totality and the mix of our participation arrangements with customers become less standardized and more complex.

 

Given the limitations placed on Class II gaming, we may not be able to successfully compete in gaming jurisdictions and facilities where slot machines, table games and other forms of Class III gaming are permitted. Furthermore, increases in the popularity of, and competition from, an expansion of Class III gaming or Internet and other account wagering gaming services, which allow end users to wager on a wide variety of sporting events and to play traditional casino games from home, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and operating results.

 

-15-


Our business requires us to obtain and maintain various licenses, permits and approvals from state governments and other entities that regulate our business.

 

We have obtained all state licenses, lottery board licenses, Native American gaming commission licenses, findings of suitability, registrations, permits and approvals necessary for the operation of our gaming activities. These include a license from the state of Washington to sell Class III video lottery systems, licenses from the lottery boards of the states of Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi, and the District of Columbia, and licenses from all applicable Native American gaming commissions. We may require new licenses, permits and approvals in the future, and such licenses, permits or approvals may not be granted to us. The suspension, revocation, non-renewal or limitation of any of our licenses would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

We may not be successful in protecting our intellectual property rights, or avoiding claims that we are infringing upon the intellectual property rights of others.

 

We rely upon patent, copyright, trademark and trade secret laws, license agreements and employee nondisclosure agreements to protect our proprietary rights and technology, but these laws and contractual provisions provide only limited protection. We rely to a greater extent upon proprietary know-how and continuing technological innovation to maintain our competitive position. Insofar as we rely