Could Russia be ‘the next big thing’ for the coin-op amusement industry? InterGame decided to find out…

The amusement market in Russia has really started to come into its own of late, particularly since the demise of the gaming industry. While there have always been amusement machines operated in Russia, it could be considered an emerging market in the sense that operators are moving away from used equipment and are looking to offer their customers a more high-end entertainment experience, which is being reflected in the style and quality of the locations springing up across the major cities.

For QubicaAMF, which has an office in Russia, the closure of the gaming industry has had many positive effects on the amusement market, with the bowling supplier’s Nataliya Nikitina saying: “Those players involved in the gaming industry that didn’t want to leave have restructured their premises, bought amusement machines and incorporated bar and restaurant areas, providing new opportunities for business. As well as this, a large amount of consumers are now looking to entertainment centres to provide them with something to do in their spare time. They can play machines that offer just as much excitement as slot machines but without the high risk associated with gambling. The demise of the gambling industry in Russia has definitely encouraged the growth of entertainment centres and increased competition at the same time; the number of visitors to the centres has also grown significantly.

“As competition continues to increase owners are having to fight for visitors and are beginning to think more and more about how they can attract the most people possible,” said Nikitina. “Investors and developers are no longer interested in traditional solutions – they require new concepts and creative design ideas.”

The development of large FECs has mainly been seen across the major cities in Russia including Moscow, St Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Krasnodar, Samara and Yekaterinburg. In the past year alone, 70 new amusement centres have opened with the vast majority taking on the FEC set-up. Fast becoming the main destination point for families to spend their leisure time, they incorporate all kinds of amusement equipment from cinemas to bowling to ice-skating and rock climbing walls, as well as the traditional coin-op amusement equipment. As well as these numerous new developments, more than 50 older locations have also been modernised to bring them in line with the current entertainment offering expected by customers.

This market report can be read in full in the June 2012 issue of InterGame magazine