A Las Vegas slot machine maker is suing a local rival that it
claims stole its proprietary Linux and Java gaming machine platform
in breach of confidentiality agreements. The platform helps display
graphics and advertisements on slot machines.
Roland Thomas, CEO of Innovative Gaming Corporation of America
(IGCA), said of his company’s action against Shuffle Master,
“Through an innovative development effort,
our engineering and product development teams created a truly
component-based gaming machine platform that capitalises on a
standardised open source operating system. This approach to the
utilisation of components has required substantial creative
abilities, invested time and resources. We are compelled to
vigorously pursue any violation of the company's proprietary rights
to this system, to protect our assets and preserve our ability to
distribute the system and to offer royalty-based licenses to others
that choose to incorporate this revolutionary application in their
own products."
The platform helps display graphics and advertisements on slot
machines. IGCA claims that Shuffle Master signed confidentiality
agreements with it in 1998 when the two companies were considering
joint ventures.
Shuffle Master’s CEO, Joseph Lahti, called the complaint
“baseless and without merit,” adding, “frankly, we are surprised
and very perplexed by this litigation. We will vigorously defend
ourselves and expect to prevail.”
