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WMS Gaming to Develop Men in Black Branded Gaming Devices

WAUKEGAN, Illinois -- (Press Release) -- WMS Gaming Inc., a subsidiary of WMS Industries Inc. (NYSE:WMS - News), announced today that it has entered into a licensing agreement with Sony Pictures Consumer Products Inc. (SPCP), as agent for Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc., for the exclusive North American rights to develop, manufacture and market slot machines based on Columbia Pictures' blockbuster film franchise property Men in Black. WMS anticipates receiving regulatory approvals for the first Men in Black branded participation game, in the March 2004 quarter. Men in Black adds to the strong library of popular entertainment brands that WMS Gaming has licensed over the past several years.

The Men in Black video slot machine, which will be previewed at the third annual Global Gaming Expo (G2E) (Las Vegas Convention Center: WMS Booth #1260) in Las Vegas, September 16-18, has been developed on the Company's new CPU-NXT operating system for placement in WMS' award-winning Bluebird(TM) gaming cabinet. Rip Torn, who starred in both Men in Black feature films as Agent Zed, the leader of the Men in Black, will be on hand at G2E to help premiere the new game in the Company's booth on Tuesday September 16th from 2:00-4:00 P.M.

Men in Black, released domestically in 1997, and Men in Black II(TM), released domestically in Summer 2002, make up one of the biggest movie franchises of all time, with a cumulative gross of over $ 1 billion in worldwide box office receipts. In the home entertainment arena, the titles continue to be the best-selling property in the Columbia TriStar library.

"We are very pleased to add this popular entertainment brand to our growing list of participation game titles," said Brian R. Gamache, President and CEO of WMS Industries. "The Men in Black concept with its unusual mix of sci-fi and comedy represents the perfect blend that we look to license for our creative team of game developers. Additionally, our new CPU-NXT operating system has allowed our team to create a very unique game that capitalizes on all of the qualities that have made Men in Black one of the world's most loved entertainment properties. We expect the enormous appeal of this entertainment franchise, combined with WMS' proven success in developing popular participation game franchises, will further expand the base of players who love our slot machines and translate into another hit property for WMS, Sony

Pictures Consumer Products and our casino partners." WMS Gaming is headquartered in Waukegan, IL with regional offices in all major domestic gaming jurisdictions, as well as Barcelona, Spain, Johannesburg, South Africa and Sydney, Australia.

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