Participation Games to Premiere Exclusively at PPE Properties Throughout North America
 

Chicago
July 23rd , 2001

    WMS Gaming Inc., a subsidiary of WMS Industries Inc. (NYSE: WMS), announced today that it has entered into an agreement with Park PlaceEntertainment (NYSE: PPE), to premier its PAC-MAN® -themed participation video slot machines exclusively at Park Place Entertainment properties throughout North America. WMS anticipates submitting the first PAC-MAN-themed game to regulatory agencies for approval later this year. Following approvals by the regulatory authorities in each gaming jurisdiction, the PAC-MAN gaming device would be available exclusively at Park Place Entertainment properties for a limited period of time, starting with Bally's in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Following the exclusivity period, WMS Gaming will install additional units in other casinos in the region. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

    WMS Gaming previously announced its licensing agreement with Namco Ltd., whereby WMS secured the exclusive worldwide rights to develop, manufacture and market gaming machines based on the popular pop-culture icons from the 1980's, PAC-MAN and MS. PAC-MAN®.
    
    "This agreement represents an important arrangement for introducing this new brand in our pipeline of licensed participation slot machines," said Brian R. Gamache, CEO & President of WMS Industries, Inc. "The exclusive arrangement allows both companies to jointly enhance the success of the PAC-MAN themed product. By entering into this agreement for the national roll-out of the PAC-MAN branded slots, Park Place Entertainment has conveyed its confidence in WMS Gaming and our ability to create some of the top-earning products in
gaming entertainment. The PAC-MAN phenomenon took the world by storm in the 1980's and we, along with our Park Place Entertainment partners, anticipate the slot machine version will do the same in 2002."
    
    WMS Gaming is headquartered in Waukegan, IL (847/785-3000) with regional offices in all major domestic gaming jurisdictions, as well as Barcelona, Spain, Johannesburg, South Africa and Sydney, Australia.
     
    WMS Gaming Inc., a subsidiary of WMS Industries Inc., designs, manufactures and markets video and reel-spinning gaming devices and video lottery terminals.
    
    Park Place Entertainment is the world's largest gaming company and owns, manages or has an interest in 28 gaming properties operating under the Bally's, Caesars, Paris, Flamingo, Grand and Hilton brand names with a total of approximately 2 million square feet of gaming
space, over 28,000 hotel rooms and approximately 57,000 employees worldwide.

    PAC-MAN®and MS. PAC-MAN®are trademarks of Namco Limited. PAC-MAN(c)1980 Namco Limited. All rights reserved.

    This press release contains certain forward-looking statements
concerning future business conditions and the outlook for the Company
based on currently available information that involve risks and
uncertainties. The Company's actual results could differ materially
from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements as a result
of certain risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, the
financial strength of the gaming industry, the expansion of legalized
gaming into new markets, legislation and regulatory changes in
existing gaming markets, the development, introduction and success of
new games and new technologies and the ability to maintain the
scheduling of such introductions, the ability of the Company to
qualify for and maintain gaming licenses and approvals, and other
risks more full described under "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual
Report on Form 10-K and other periodic filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission.
 
 

CONTACT: 

WMS Gaming Inc., Waukegan
Molly D. Sandberg, Erin Mathes
847/785-3000 
msandberg@wmsgaming.com
 - or -
Jaffoni & Collins Incorporated, New York
Joseph Jaffoni, Richard Land 
212/835-8500 
wms@jcir.com