Ryszard Presch, member of the Board at NOVOMATIC AG Group analyzed the performance of the firm during the recent past year 2022, in economic terms: “2022 was certainly not an easy year. The effects of the geopolitical tensions, global supply bottlenecks and high inflation rates in all markets in which the Group is active presented challenges. 

On that economic challenge subject, Mr. Presch pointed out: “We were able to successfully meet them thanks to strategic measures implemented at an early stage.  

In particular, the high quality of the products and their good performance set the course for NOVOMATIC AG to achieve noticeable growth in all areas. 

This applies to both the Gaming Technology and Gaming Operations segments, with the result that we were already able to record a significant increase in consolidated revenue in the first half of 2022. 

We owe this in particular to the extraordinary commitment of our staff and teams worldwide”, emphasized Presch.  

Related to the goals during 2022, Ryszard stressed on the following: “The acquisition of a majority shareholding in the HBG Group in Italy was certainly also an important step in our international growth strategy, making NOVOMATIC one of the largest concessionaires in this important gaming market. 

With this as one of the largest transactions in the company's history, NOVOMATIC has become one of the most important operators of VLTs and AWPs in Italy in the operational area, and the online gaming and sports betting segments are also gaining as a result of the acquisition”, remarked to end Ryszard Presch.  

In addition to the new products released in 2022, Johannes Gratzl,also member of the Board at NOVOMATIC AG Group, added: “We were also in a position to launch a number of product innovations in the market in 2022. 

Intensive R&D work, in-depth consideration of market requirements, and careful discussions with customers and distributors have resulted in a stronger product portfolio than ever and a steady pipeline of new cabinets and content to be released.” 

He then detailed the following games: “One of the product highlights in 2022 was certainly the launch of the DIAMOND X™ 2.32 cabinet in Q2 and the follow-up release of the DIAMOND X™ 1.55J cabinet version in autumn. And our content portfolio also presented a steady flow of exciting new games, mixes and progressives, as well as special package deals specifically designed to support our customers with powerful performance drivers and new impetus on their floors.”

According to Gratzl, the company was present in several exhibitions and fairs during last year: “In Las Vegas, we were able to present these and other innovations at G2E not only to the U.S. market, but also to visitors from other international markets from South and Latin America to Asia. In-person events always provide a valuable opportunity to exchange ideas with customers, business partners and industry peers. 

We also celebrated several successful events in Europe, for example at the Entertainment Arena Expo in Bucharest or the LÖWEN ENTERTAIMENT Roadshow in Germany”. 

When SoloAzar asked about the expectations about the 2023, Johannes Gratzl answered in a very positive way: “We expect a continuing growth trend for 2023. Investment in research and development will remain high, and we will continue to evaluate potential in the coming year in order to secure and further expand our position as market leader in the European core markets, such as Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK, the Netherlands, and numerous SEE countries.” And highlighted that: “Online and further gaining market share in the growth markets of the USA, Australia, Latin America and Africa will be the strategic focus in 2023. 

Related to what the 2022 left and what the 2023 brings, Johannes summed up: “We were able to make good use of 2022 to take further sustainable steps in the ESG area, as confirmed by the top rankings in international ESG ratings such as those from Sustainalytics. 

G4 certifications in the area of player and youth protection, such as in Italy and Spain, also demonstrate our strong commitment to Responsible Entertainment throughout the Group.” 

On the other hand, Ryszard Presch commented on the ICE event in London in February and gave a preview of what and how the firm is going to exhibit: “After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, we will be back in 2023 with an exciting firework of product news for the various industry segments and markets. 

Show visitors will discover a completely new NOVOMATIC stand and industry-leading solutions for every market and operator requirement. 

I don’t want to give away too much – but it’s certainly well worth visiting the NOVOMATIC stand at ICE”, confirmed Mr. Presch. 

Finally, Ryszard talked about the future projects for the current year in the economic area highlighting the solar energy to come: “we have planned continued major investments in the area of green energy with the large-scale installation of photovoltaic systems at our Austrian headquarters site and in central core markets. In the future, a significant share of the electricity we need will be generated from solar energy, which will not only allow us to invest in a greener future, but also make us more independent”.