GameTech calls halt to dividend

GameTech International Inc.

of Reno will pay a quarterly dividend next month, but then will discontinue its payouts indefinitely.

The company will pay a dividend of 3 cents a share on Jan.

11 to shareholders of record Dec.

27.

The directors of the publicly held maker of electronic bingo equipment voted last week to suspend the dividend.

John Furman, chairman and chief executive officer, said the GameTech board wants to conserve cash to finance internal growth as well as what he called "strategic relationships." "We believe our shareholders will be better served in the long run as the result of this decision," Furman said in a prepared statement.