I guess all Bally had left was machines, which they struggled to compete with IGT on.
My understanding is that in addition to obviously giving them table game business, it gets them into many geographical markets that SM controlled and IGT had little market.

I just ran into this. These guys (EndX) had the first player tracking (coils, rather than RFID) inside chips. Progressive used to demo it. Had no idea they were British, always assumed they were from the far east as the staff at the expos were always asian.
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/business/business-news/endx-is-on-a-roll-in-vegas-1091840