Antitrust lawsuit filed over A.C. slot deals

Thursday, July 22, 1999 | 11:11 a.m.

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. -- Alliance Gaming Corp. of Las Vegas is suing slot machine manufacturing rival International Game Technology of Reno, alleging IGT has an illegal monopoly on progressive jackpot games in Atlantic City.

An Alliance subsidiary, Bally Gaming Inc., filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday in Camden, N.J., against IGT.

The Press of Atlantic City newspaper reported IGT controls the 21 progressive slot systems like Megabucks in Atlantic city.

Progressive systems, which cover about 2,800 slot machines, last year accounted for between 12 and 15 percent, or up to $423 million, of the city's slot revenue, the newspaper quoted Bally's suit as saying.

Bally's suit said it's trying to introduce its Thrillions progressive system in Atlantic City, but can't since IGT has contracts with casinos that penalize the casinos for using competing systems.

"IGT possesses a monopoly in the Atlantic City progressive slot system submarket and has deliberately acted to exclude competitors from the submarket," said the suit.

IGT has not responded to the allegations.

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