Bally Technologies is “rolling out its NASCAR slot machines throughout the U.S. starting this week,” according to Howard Stutz of the LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL. The games were “unveiled last fall at the Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas and have been available only at casinos operated by Boyd Gaming Corp. through a brief exclusivity contract.” The slot machines have “authentic NASCAR videos and images and are adorned with photos of famous drivers and stock cars.” A surround-sound system “pipes in audio from famed NASCAR announcer Eli Gold into speakers embedded in the game’s chair.” The slot machines are the “first games ever licensed to a nationally recognized major sports league or attraction.” Boyd Gaming is the “longtime sponsor of the annual NASCAR Nationwide Series race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.” Kansas Speedway and Dover Int'l Raceway also have “casinos attached to their facilities.” The goal is creating the slot machine is to deliver “a more personalized way of reaching fans.” Bally Games Development Dir Bill Wadleigh “worked on creating some of the slot machine’s key attributes, such as the interactive Daytona Motor Speedway race and a customized feature in which the slot machine player can theme the game after a certain driver.” Wadleigh said that “bonus features were themed after NASCAR events, such as pit stops and burnouts.” NASCAR VP/Licensing & Consumer Products Blake Davidson said that NASCAR is “open to partnerships but also is protective of the brand.” But he added Bally “blew us away” with the authenticity of the slot machines. NASCAR drivers Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Clint Bowyer, Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick “appear on the slot machines” (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 6/26).
