Astra and Sky Vegas announce partnership

(PRESS RELEASE) -- Astra have announced an agreement to provide Sky Vegas, part of BSkyB's Betting and Gaming arm, with premium online gaming content for deployment on both the Sky Vegas online website and Sky TV interactive service. The content will be supplied through NRGS, Novomatic's remote game server system. The deal signals the first commercial outing for the NRGS, whose comprehensive content provision solution empowers operators with the ability to introduce Novomatic's and Astra's globally successful games to their platform.

The marrying of Novomatic's and Astra's illustrious game portfolio to Sky Vegas, one of the most trusted brands in the rapidly growing online gaming market, allows a widespread high visibility online release of the games. Astra's Managing Director Zane Mersich is delighted with the benefits of the alliance:

"With the pedigree of game themes available in both Novomatic's and Astra's outstanding library it was critical that we formed a partnership with a provider that promoted the qualities and standards essential in delivering the games in a form that meets with the high expectations players have of Novomatic products. Sky Vegas was the only choice for the inaugural commercial deployment of NRGS."

NRGS is a simple turnkey solution that delivers instant and seamless integration on a robust and stable medium that permits a smooth, uninterrupted gaming experience. Initial games include some of the most celebrated themes, notably Reel King TM; Golden Sevens TM; Bullion Bars TM; plus other game titles from the Astra/Novomatic portfolio.

Further highly renowned games are planned for future release, meaning a continuous stream of top end game themes will constantly refresh and invigorate the Sky Vegas NRGS offering:

Richard Flint, Managing Director at Sky Betting and Gaming, commented:

"Our focus is on offering our customers the very best games in existence anywhere in the world. To achieve this we have to work with the experts, and Novomatic/Astra undoubtedly fall into that category. We have been extremely impressed with the quality of the games and the people that we have met, and look forward to a long and successful partnership."

The NRGS games will go live on Sky Vegas in quarter one of 2009, a date eagerly awaited by the NRGS team. "There has been a huge amount of investment in bringing the NRGS solution to life, both from a creative perspective and in terms of development," stated Zane Mersich. "The end result is a comprehensive solution that we believe will grow to become one of the best on the market; offers some of the most successful contemporary game brands available through any gaming medium, both online and land based; and will lead the way in online gaming provision."