Major operator of adult gaming centres Praesepe is about to take delivery of its first consignment of Bar-X machines using all-new components and incorporating a TITO protocol, to begin the task of replacing its ageing Bar-X holding.
The 150-plus locations in the 10,000-machine operation has a 10 per cent Electrocoin establishment, some of them original Bar-X models dating as far back as 20 years ago.
"They are enormously popular,” said Praesepe CEO Nick Harding. “I have talked to players who insist that the Bar-X machines are what keeps them coming into the location.”
Praesepe is gradually changing its entire estate over to ticket-in-ticket-out operation, a process which will take at least another two years. All new machines will use the Gambling Business Group standard protocol to ensure a common platform for tickets. The new Electrocoin machines will be rolled out alongside the older models to gradually replace them.
“They are without doubt the kings of the adult gaming centre,” said Harding, in praise of the Bar-X genre of games, which include models such as Big 7s. “Our average customer is 44 and female. They are not necessarily B3 (higher jackpot machines) players, they prefer Category C (AWPs) and we can have three generations of players, mother, daughter, grandmother, and they all like Cat Cs in general and Bar-X in particular. They are not receptive to change, but they are receptive to tickets.”
This is part of a longer interview with Nick Harding which will be published in InterGame’s October issue.
