GCA signs South African deal

AS VEGAS, Nevada -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- Global Cash Access, Inc. (GCA), the global gaming industry's leading provider of cash access services, has completed a sponsorship agreement with Absa Bank, Ltd., one of Africa's largest banks. It enables GCA to process MasterCard and Visa cash advances within casinos in South Africa, one of the world's largest and fastest-growing gaming markets.

"We're very happy to be able to begin serving South African casinos – and to do so by being sponsored by one of the continent's largest banks. This is the optimal way to enter a gaming market and to serve casinos and their patrons," said Scott Dowty, GCA's senior vice president in charge of international business.

GCA, a subsidiary of Global Cash Access Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: GCA), supplies approximately 1,000 casinos and other gaming properties worldwide with products and services that help patrons gain more convenient access to cash – and enable gaming operators to improve operations and better serve, understand, attract and retain customers.

Gaming revenues in South Africa increased nearly 17% in 2006, according to a report by PricewaterhouseCoopers, which estimates that the casino market there will reach $2.7 billion in gaming revenue by 2011.

Said Marius Liebenberg, product manager, Absa Bank Card Merchant Services, "Absa is excited about forming this strategic partnership with Global Cash Access. GCA has partnered with leading banks all over the world, and their proven technology in the gaming space will surely benefit South Africa's robust gaming industry."

"South Africa is emerging as one of the world's major gaming markets, and it's an important part of GCA's global growth strategy. We're delighted to now be able to begin introducing our services there," added Mr. Dowty.

GCA, which has secured the approval of the largest of South Africa's provincial gaming commissions, will offer casinos and their customers credit card cash advances at the cage and cash advance approvals via GCA's patron-activated QuikCash™ terminals and kiosks, which provide debit card and credit card cash advance transaction options. GCA will also offer QuikCash Plus Web™ ("QCP"), its proprietary Web-based system that helps casinos and staff streamline transactions and improve customer service, and the services of Central Credit, a wholly owned subsidiary of GCA that provides the leading proprietary database of gaming patron credit history and transaction data designed to help casinos improve their own credit-making decisions.