Following the long running saga of the El Comandante racetrack in Puerto Rico, involving the courts, bankruptcy and related scandals, the Camarero Group is finally in control. The company is now operating the newly named Hipodromo Camarero and 650 Off Track Betting shops, and yesterday the signing of an agreement with Scientific Games was announced. The American company, a global marketing and technology leader in the lottery, pari-mutuel, and telecommunications industries, will provide tote, data communications, and simulcast satellite uplink equipment and services in a contract expected to produce annual revenue of US$2 million.

"The Camarero Group is committed to restoring Puerto Rico racing to its former levels of attendance and handle -- and then surpassing them -- and we look forward to helping them achieve those goals," said Lorne Weil, Chairman and CEO of Scientific Games. The contract is for an 11-year period. "Scientific Games has the best suite of racing technology, and was the clear choice to be our partner in growing the racing industry in Puerto Rico. We will also look for new ways to grow our existing business in Puerto Rico as well as developing our international simulcasting opportunities," added Ervin Rodriguez, President of the Camarero Group.

In what could be described as an exceptionally good day at the races, news also came of an eight year US$7.1 million contract with the New Mexico Gaming Control Board. Following a successful pilot phase, the Board has now agreed to use the AEGIS Video System to monitor and control the state’s gaming machines at five racinos and more than sixty non-profit veteran and fraternal organisations. Scientific Games will install the system, which will support two communication protocols, and provide ongoing maintenance.

India Hatch, interim director with the gaming board, commented, "Upgrading to AEGIS Video allows the state of New Mexico the ability to jurisdictionally control the security and integrity of the machines and the facilities, while allowing new SAS-based gaming machines to come to the market and add significant growth to revenue." In 2005 a net win of US$186.6 million from around 3,000 gaming machines added US$34.9 million to racing purses. (E-01.17.07)

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