IGT sues over new game

Friday, May 11, 2001 | 11:10 a.m.

Shuffle Master Inc. announced Thursday it has been sued by business partner International Game Technology over a new slot machine.

Shuffle Master has launched a field trial of six "Double Platinum" three-reel slot machines at the Excalibur hotel-casino on the Strip. The new machines are a retrofit of IGT three-reel slot machines.

This introduction prompted a patent infringement lawsuit by IGT in a federal District Court in Minnesota. In its lawsuit, IGT claims the algorithm used to determine the outcomes of the Double Platinum game violates IGT's Telnaes patent. Telnaes allows a three-reel game to have millions of possible outcomes, as opposed to the 8,000 physical outcomes that would normally be possible on a 20-stop, three-reel machine. IGT indicated it will seek a court order to stop the Excalibur field trial.

Shuffle Master denied that its game violates the Telnaes patent, and said it plans to defend itself in court.

"In the meantime, we continue to have an amicable relationship with IGT and we will work cooperatively with them to maximize the success of the Three Stooges, Let's Make a Deal and the Honeymooners (slot machines produced by a joint venture between the companies)," said Joseph Lahti, chairman and chief executive of Shuffle Master.