LV firm developing Playboy slot machines

Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2001 | 9:26 a.m.

Alliance Gaming Corp. of Las Vegas announced Tuesday it has entered into a licensing agreement to create a line of Playboy-themed slot machines.

Under the agreement with Playboy Enterprises International Inc., Alliance's Bally Gaming and Systems will create a series of slot machines "featuring the trademarks, art and images of the Playboy brand." Marcus Prater, vice president of marketing for Alliance, said the company hopes to submit the first slot machines in the line for regulatory approval by spring 2002.

The slots will be placed on Alliance's "EVO" slot machine platform, which combines a traditional reel-spinning slot machine with the elements of a video slot machine.

"Certainly the images and the artwork, the sophistication and all the different things associated with Playboy offer a wide range of possibilities," Prater said. "Risque is part of why you're acquiring Playboy (the brand). Much in the same way that some of our casino operators offer adult entertainment, perhaps this is one way for a slot machine to do the same thing. That is not being ruled out at this point."

That might present some difficulties for Alliance in Nevada, one of the jurisdictions where the slot machine will be submitted for regulatory approval. Nevada gaming regulators have shown reluctance in the past to link sex and slot machines, even shooting down International Game Technology's "South Park" slot machine because they felt it was too risque.

"I think we have a good understanding of what's expected of us as game developers," Prater said. "We're keeping all aspects of that in mind as we develop the game out there. But we have an adult audience out there, and certainly the Playboy brand is targeting adults.

"We're going to develop a game that gets regulatory approval. At this point, that's a Playboy game with some risque elements to it."

It isn't Playboy's first venture into the gaming industry. Earlier this year, Playboy partnered with British sports book operator Ladbrokes to create a Playboy-themed Internet sports book. Bets cannot be placed on this site from the United States.

Alliance has no interest in taking the slots it will create for Playboy and importing them onto a Playboy Internet casino, Prater said.

"We're not interested in exploring the whole Internet angle until everything clears up (legally in the United States)," Prater said. "We would be a content provider for regulated ones in Nevada. But as far as (other jurisdictions), we're not interested at this time."

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