Slot maker responds to manufacturer lawsuit

Thursday, Feb. 27, 2003 | 11:07 a.m.

WMS Industries Inc. said Wednesday it intends to "vigorously defend" itself against a lawsuit filed against the company by Shuffle Master Inc.

The suit, filed this week in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in Chicago, claims that WMS' slot unit, WMS Gaming Inc., infringed on a patent for Shuffle Master slot machine bonusing software system.

In a suit filed in September in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas, WMS is seeking an injunction against Shuffle Master to restrain infringement of two WMS patents governing bonus games.

Shuffle Master also recently sued Bally Gaming for similarly infringing on a patent for a bonusing system.

Las Vegas-based Shuffle Master makes card shufflers, table games, slot machine software and other related casino equipment.

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