A new force in AWP machines is born

A new range of lottery machines will be making their presence felt in pubs in the coming months, following a deal between two leading technology providers.

AIM-listed Gamingking, which supplies around 5,000 gaming machines to 3,500 working men's and members' clubs, has undertaken a reverse takeover of privately-owned Orb Holdings, which owns Sceptre Leisure, the UK's second largest supplier of AWP machines to pubs.

The deal is subject to shareholder approval, which will be sought at an extraordinary general meeting on September 29, 2008.

Sceptre supplies 17,000 gaming machines to 6,500 pubs and Ken Turner, chief executive of Orb Holdings, said the deal would see a range of Lottery and bingo machines installed in the nation's boozers.

"We know the market is tough but AWP income still represents a quarter of a pub's income.

"Changes to the rules governing machines and bingo in pubs means we can put £5,000-jackpot machines into sites and licensees can get 20p out of every £1 spent, with 50p going to charities and good causes," he said.

The new company, to be called Sceptre Leisure, was looking to rollout up to 2,000 Lottery machines in the next 12 to 18 months, following trials in 150 sites.