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British Telecom Unveils Biometric Smart Card

9/17/2003

September 17th 2003, Las Vegas, USA: British Telecommunications plc (BT) is at the Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas this week to launch BT's innovative casino Biometric Smart Card technology, developed at their world famous Adastral Research and Development Laboratories in the UK.

Represented by BT eLocations, BT's inward investment unit at Booth 3401, the company will be showcasing the latest technology and location support solutions for gaming companies looking to benefit from the proposed deregulation of the UK gaming industry. Global Gaming Expo (G2E) is the pre-eminent show for the world-wide gaming industry with up to 13,500 delegates expected to attend.

Many predict that the opening up of the UK industry – the result of new legislation expected to come before Parliament in 2004 - will enable companies to open Las Vegas-style casinos and online gaming operations.

Biometric Smart Card – Ahead of the Game

The secure Smart Membership Cards use biometric testing to authenticate each customer by their fingerprints, as they enter the casino.

The technology allows customers to buy gaming credit, issue and redeem gaming chips without the need for cash to change hands on the gaming floor. The associated back office technology tracks chips to prevent theft or fraud, monitors the location of customers and provides invaluable marketing information about customers' playing levels and preferences.

One Partner – One Solution

As well as the new Smart Card technology, BT eLocations is offering a suite of propositions and solutions ideally suited to gaming companies looking to benefit from the UK legislation changes. These include:

ICT Technology Solutions, such as:
Electronic Customer Relationship Management (eCRM) solutions to allow gaming companies to have maximum knowledge of their customer bases and multi-channel access to them;
Internet Protocol Security, a total global security solution for both the land-based and online gaming industries, with round-the-clock vulnerability alerts and intrusion detection giving secure data exchange between all their sites around the world;
Mobility Solutions, including a wide range of wireless services allowing customers to have remote access to casinos and online gaming through high-speed mobile data connectivity; and
Online Payment Services, providing secure links with all the major international credit and UK debit cards to give customers the optimum choice. Every payment processed is checked for validity and availability of funds and is the perfect solution for the online gaming industry to ensure the safety and speed of transactions that the customer demands whilst reducing the opportunities for fraud within the industry.

Location Services to Support Expanding or Relocating Companies, including:
ventureSmart, an innovative, risk-sharing approach to companies looking to invest in the UK, but put off by the capital investment, risk and complexity of setting up operations;
LocationSearch, which helps companies navigate the location maze by matching business needs to specific locations, thereby saving valuable management time;
A series of over 50 business parks throughout the UK, pre-equipped by BT with the latest business continuity fiber-optic communications technology; and
Offshore Web Hosting and Outsourcing services in partnership with Manx Telecom and the Isle of Man.
Olga Scott, Vice President of Direct Investment at BT eLocations, comments:

"Today, gambling and gaming in the UK is a growth industry with almost three-quarters of the UK adult population participating. The proposed UK legislation changes will take this a step further, fully establishing it as a mainstream leisure activity and attracting greater investment from both abroad and within the UK."

She continues: "With the very latest in technology solutions and unrivalled experience in supporting both international and domestic investment, BT eLocations is ideally placed to offer a compelling proposition and complete package to such companies. We look forward to being at the forefront of bringing new ideas such as the Smart Card to what is a fast moving and exciting sector."

The UK Department of Culture is planning to bring before Parliament legislation which will see a complete overhaul of the UK gaming industry.

The bill will enable companies to open Las Vegas-style casinos throughout the country, and to install large numbers of slot and electronic gaming machines. It will also abolish the law where people, who want to gamble in casinos, have to become members 24 hours before they want to play, and will enable online gaming operators to set up online gambling sites in the UK, provided that they are licensed.

Already MGM Mirage, the world's biggest casino company, has announced that it is entering the UK market next year and forecasters estimate that the UK will have a £1.4 billion share of the online gambling market by the end of 2004.

BT eLocations

BT eLocations assists in finding the right location and providing the right technology solutions for overseas companies, who are looking to set up a new operation in the UK.

As part of one of the world's largest telecommunications companies, BT eLocations will be able to offer gaming companies the latest ICT communications solutions, including Biometric Smart Card solutions, eCRM, IP security, mobility and online payment solutions.

To smooth the way into the UK, ventureSmart is an innovative approach to gaming companies looking to invest in a new business in the UK, but put off by the capital investment, risk and complexity of setting up operations. Through ventureSmart, BT will take responsibility for as much or as little of the investing company's expansion activities into the UK as they require.

Benefits to the investing company include a lower capital investment; reduced risk; lower overheads; flexibility; access to financial grants & tax breaks; increased speed to market; fast track set-up; a test environment for products and services; cutting edge technology; and a clear & cost-effective exit strategy.

BT's LocationSearch service helps companies navigate the location maze by matching business needs to specific locations. LocationSearch ensures fast set-up times, saving valuable management time and costs; provides unbiased and detailed information, based on local expertise, on the location which best fits a company's business requirements; and allows access to BT's portfolio of over 50 premier, business continuity locations across the UK.

Organized by the American Gaming Association and Reed Exhibitions, Global Gaming Expo (G2E) is the pre-eminent show for the world-wide gaming-entertainment industry and takes place in Las Vegas, Nevada between September 16th and 18th 2003. Up to 13,500 delegates and 650 exhibiting companies are expected to attend. The BT eLocations experts can be found at booth 3401 for the duration of the show.

About BT

British Telecommunications plc is one of the world's largest telecommunications companies. BT eLocations (www.bt.com/btelocations), BT's inward investment unit, assists in finding the right location and providing the right technology solution for companies who are looking to set up a new operation in the UK.

For Further Information

Paul Fisher

pfisher@timcullen.com

Tel: +44 1285 713 776

Contact Information:
- BT eLocations
- Jenny Marks
- 01977 59 1892