The German AWP market has now evened out after the change of law, which came into effect in January 2006. Gradually the market has switched over to new stakes and prizes and operating conditions.
Initially the front-line AWPs in the country’s 5,000 arcades were gradually replaced, many of them with video-based multi-games. In the past year the suppliers and operators have turned their attention to the ‘street market’, machines in bars and cafes. Now that sector is largely replenished, the country’s 230,000 machines are up-to-date and it has become a healthy 60,000 annual replacement market.
Reports from Germany suggest that the only hold-ups have come with the regular adjustments to the regulations in terms of technical requirements. Most of the machines have been operating on what is known as the TR3.0 regulation, but the more recent update to TR4.1 has caused some disturbance because operators are reluctant to invest in re-equipping to this new level in face of rumours of major changes to the law.
It is expected that if this happens it will become apparent at the end of this year or the beginning of 2011.
