34th Enada Rome'Game Expo' Wrap Up
An excellent edition finished was celebrated Sunday at Rome expo centre of SAPAR's ENADA Amusement & Gaming Machine Show, organized by Rimini Fiera and held with the sponsorship of the Italian State Monopoly Administration.
During the four-day event, ENADA was visited by 9217 trade members (3.4% more than 2005), of whom 860 were from abroad (there were 812 at the previous edition). "A really satisfying result for Rimini Fiera," said general manager Piero Venturelli, "which, among other things, emphasized correctness of our organization strategies and promotional action."
Inaugurated on 12th October, the 34th ENADA attracted the attention of the entire gaming world, confirming its role (along with the spring edition in Rimini) as a good strategic appointment for the trade's companies. On opening day, speakers included the Rt. Hon. Francesco Tolotti, Vice chairman of the 6th Commission of the Chamber of Deputies, Gabriella Alemanno (AAMS Strategies Manager) and Antonio Tagliaferri (AAMS Games Manager), SAPAR chairman Paolo Dalla Pria, Rimini Fiera SpA chairman Lorenzo Cagnoni and Eduardo Antoja, chairman of Euromat, the European association of the sector's trade members.
Rt. Hon. Tolotti stated at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, "ENADA is a reference expo that has attracted all-round attention to the importance that this economic sector has for the State, from both an economic and a fiscal point of views. I am here at ENADA because it is in everybody's interest to set up sure profitable relationships. In this way, it is also possible to isolate the marginal percentage that makes its living illegally."
"We are giving our work alongside the SAPAR a convinced boost - added Lorenzo Cagnoni - with the intention of raising the international profile of the trade and therefore of ENADA's expo area. That is why we have set up relationships with all the trade's large shows at world level and key publishing groups. ENADA will increasingly become the 'game expo' and in its two editions - the autumn on in Rome and the spring one in Rimini - its commitment is to assist companies in the best possible manner in their business development projects."
Paolo Dalla Pria stated, "ENADA is our home - or rather, that of the trade members, and thanks to the cooperation with Rimini Fiera is constantly growing. ENADA wants to represent a sector that intends remaining in line with the gaming market regulations set by the Government. However, it is fundamental that, as far as the public is concerned, action is taken to streamline the bureaucracy for permits and type-testing."
On the expo front, ENADA occupied halls 22, 23 and 24 of Fiera di Roma, an overall area of 20,000 m2 showcasing 200 firms. Featuring high-profile international participation, including the outstanding Taiwan Pavilion, occupied by 13 Asian companies and Game Time International Magazine, which organizes one of Taiwan's major trade fairs. The show also featured companies from Poland, Spain, Belgium, Denmark, Portugal and India. ENADA also hosted CLARION ATE (organizers of the ATEI, ICE, ICEI in London from January 23rd to 25th 2007) and the IAAPA (organizers of the IAAPA Attractions Expo, which will be held in Atlanta in January).
On the institutional front, at the expo centre there were also the stands of the ASCOB (Bingo Licensee Associations), the S.I.CON. (Syndicate of Licensee Companies), ASSOTRATTENIMENTO, the Association that represents Italian game and gaming trade members, and FIDART IDF the Italian Darts Federation. There was a large highly qualified media turnout, with fifteen Italian and foreign trade periodicals.
ENADA Project Manager Gabriella Zoni commented "Participation was up to our expectations and feedback from exhibitors decidedly positive: the show once again confirmed its role as a place for business networking. We speak on behalf of our client companies when we say that uncertainties on regulations issues are clearly conditioning the trade's prospects. The hope is that the situation can be solved as soon as possible: this is a real necessity for the companies. I'd also like to anticipate that in 2007 we shall move to the capital's new expo centre, which will ensure that ENADA ROME takes further steps in its expansion plans. In the meantime, the next appointment is at ENADA SPRING, in March 2007 in Rimini, for which we have already received numerous bookings. I'd like to finish by reminding that we have presented a powerful plan supporting the show, with both a renewed image and a leading edge internationals relations plan. Results have already been achieved, and we saw others here in Rome. We now look forward to meeting everybody in Rimini".
During ENADA, the SAPAR organized several workshops on various hot issues. The meetings were repeated in rotation over the entire period, to allow trade members to organize their participation. These were the titles:
· The authorization system: application procedure for licences for public venues, amusement arcades, private clubs and new venues foreseen by Art.86 Par. 3, Consolidation Act of Public Security Laws.
· The sanction system, applicability of additional sanctions and procedure for presenting appeals.
· Fiscal and tax treatment of gaming machines.
· Corporate organization: the duties of heads of administration and the evolution towards the role of controller – access to public and bank funding (Basilea2) - regulations regarding security and privacy.
On Saturday, a conference was dedicated to "The role of Coin-up machines in sales point specialization and players' protection". The focus was on cooperation between manufacturers and owners in relation to Italy's evolving games and gaming system. A particular accent was placed on the role of owners, currently crushed between two giants such as the State Monopoly Administration and network Licensees. During the conference, SAPAR exponents claimed, "We want our role as key players on this market to be acknowledged, and to be able to discuss the numerous problems that limit enterprises development as equals. Instead, we find ourselves in the position of those who invest money in machines, bear installation costs, expose themselves to risks of theft but - above all - are left out of any strategic decision-taking, as well as being penalized by regulations that proceeds by fits and starts and with no certainties. For example, we'd like to say that we are not the ones who want to raise the cost of playing and cut playing time, whereas many people think this is the case. We want our identity to be recognized at all costs." On the technical and legislative front, the conference then faced and examined the machines covered by Paragraph 6a that will soon appear on the market, as well as stressing numerous incongruities and contradictions that were recently introduced in the sector by the recent Bersani decree.
During the inaugural day of ENADA Rome, the new image that will identify the show as of 2007 was presented. The phrase ‘the world's largest amusement arcade', featured in ENADA's advertising for some time, will be given new value and meaning in the visual communication that intends ensuring the 2007 edition's message even higher impact.
The headline "the largest amusement arcade in the world" is backed by visuals that feature an astronaut looking at the Earth, with an electronic game reflected in his helmet. The advertising is designed by San Marino's Unica Agency.
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