For immediate release

Vienna, 26.02.2004 --- Casinos Austria AG today announced that it has entered a partnership agreement with US-based Shuffle Master, Inc. concerning the sale of its wholly owned subsidiary Casinos Austria Research & Development (CARD).

The US-based producer and supplier of casino equipment, Shuffle Master, Inc., and Casinos Austria have signed a letter of intent providing for the sale of CARD within the next 90 days. Shuffle Master, Inc. has a strong presence in the North American, but also in the international marketplace.

CARD products have been successfully marketed and implemented all around the globe, and the company has been successfully developing and marketing innovative products for the gaming industry since 1987. At the International Casino Exhibition in London in January, the largest European exhibition for the casino and gaming industries, CARD presented the latest addition to its range of card shufflers, the one2six Pre-8, which shuffles up to eight decks simultaneously.

Until recently, CARD and Shuffle Master Inc. were involved in litigation concerning patent rights in the USA. Now, the two companies will work together to develop new markets. This new cooperation will significantly benefit the international position of CARD's technical products.

Commenting on the agreement, Dr. Mark Yoseloff, CEO of Shuffle Master, Inc., said: "I am pleased to be in negotiations with Casinos Austria AG. CARD's innovate products and know-how are an excellent complement to our current product range."

According to Dr. Leo Wallner, Chairman of Casinos Austria: "The sale of this subsidiary is a great success for the Casinos Austria Group and a recognition of CARD's outstanding products. CARD will not only remain fully intact under its new parent company, it will also benefit from the great development potential at Shuffle Master, Inc."

In recent years, Casinos Austria AG has been pursuing new ways of marketing its products, and in particular its technical innovations. This new agreement gives full recognition to this policy at an international level.

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For further information, please contact:

Casinos Austria AG
Bettina Strobich
Tel.: +43/1/534 40-323
E-Mail: bettina.strobich@casinos.at