Machines & gaming: the Max factor

Felix Corporation has begun to roll out the first wave of its Max Box kiosks into pubs across the North West and Midlands.

The multi-function kiosk includes an ATM, instant digital photo processing, mobile phone top-up and mobile content downloads, a digital jukebox and Felix's Everyone's A Winner game that guarantees a prize worth at least double the cost of taking part.

Andy Egan, founder and chief executive of Felix, predicts that kiosks like Max Box will form part of a new generation of machines that will replace traditional quiz and fruit machines in UK pubs.

"I can see fruit machines struggling to survive because people will want to play online poker on their laptop over a wi-fi connection," he argues. "And why have a separate jukebox when it can be part of a multi-function cabinet?"

One of the latest pubs to install Max Box is the Mancunian, in Hyde, Greater Manchester. Licensee Pauline Williams is using it to not only earn more revenue but to offer customers an incentive to visit and stay.

"Lots of customers suggested we get an ATM," says Pauline. "But I thought if I'm going to get a kiosk then why not have one that offers lots of other services that my regulars want.

"They are forever getting new ringtones, and having the Max Box on the premises means they can buy them here on the spot. Then there's the digital jukebox, the instant photo-printing for digital and phone-cameras plus lots more.

"Already I've seen takings go up as customers are getting cash from the machine and spending it over the bar rather than setting off down the road to find a cashpoint and not returning."

Now Felix is developing a mini Max Box for venues that do not need an ATM or want a more compact design because of space limitations or for aesthetic reasons.