Global Gaming Expo Brings New Gaming Products to Las Vegas Gathering
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The 23rd Global Gaming Expo(G2E) attracted more than 25,000 attendees topping 2022’s attendance of nearly 25.000. The annual event, presented by The American Gaming Association, was held in TheVenetian Expo. The American Gaming Association is the premier national trade group for the gaming industry. The G2E fosters a business climate where the legalized gambling industry convenes to present innovations and market their goods.
The gaming industry is booming. Total revenue for 2023 is projected at $40 billion dollars with an expected compounded annual growth rate of 13.4%. The mood on the expo floor was positive. Slot machine manufacturers dominated the floor space, but there is a lot more to a casino than slot machines. Companies marketing table games, data processing software, and sports betting platforms were present.
The slot machine manufactures are all striving to provide a better gaming experience for the casino customer. If the player is kept comfortable and engaged in the game, they will play longer and probably earn more money for the casino. We visited the booths of several slot machine manufacturers and the booths of support service companies.
Aristocrat Gaming is an Australian based company. They are introducing a variety of slots featuring theNational Football League – NFL. They have a licensing agreement with the NFL. The premium game in the series is entitled the Super Bowl jackpot machine.
During a special tour of their area, Ryan Scott, vice president of gaming operations filled us in on this machine which we are confident will be a hit. The player gets to pick the team that will appear on the game. The game features actual football game videos including two minute drills as well as field goal kicking contests. All this happens as the customer puts more money into the machine. Aristocrat plans to get these machines into the Las Vegas casinos in time for Super Bowl week.
The NFL series is expected to represent about 4% of their portfolio. Their Buffalo Stampede slots are still very popular. They recently signed a deal with Amaya corp to develop a series of on-line gaming machines.
International Gaming Technology -IGT – is best known for its Wheel of Fortune machine. But, this year it featured its new Whitney Houston themed slot machine. With a 55 inch screen. The machine depicts various views of Whitney singing. Hit a jackpot and you will be entertained with songs including “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” or “How Will I Know”.
Konami Gamingis based in Japan. It offers many Asian themed slots such as Fortune Mint and Mystical Pearl. Their new machines are called Unwooly Riches and Leprechaun with charms.
Pavillion Payments, a software company formally known as Global Payments Gaming, is introducing the VIP Nomad. It enables a slot machine host to quickly pay a winning customer. thus enhancing the casino experience.
Fortunately, I have hit a payout which necessitated my signing paperwork and experienced the delay while the winning was being processed. The slot attendant had to verify the winnings and then take my ID information back to the casino cage where it is reviewed. I had to wait 15 plus minutes for the return of the slot host. Greg Boardman, Pavilion’s Chief Product Officer told us that The Nomad enables the host to collect all necessary data on the spot and deliver a payout voucher as well as a 1099 tax form to the player.
Novomatic is located in Austria. They are marketing five new machines this year. Their premium machine is called the Ultra Boost. It features a comfortable remote chair that is equipped with buttons to play the slots. What a great way to keep the customer engaged
Attendees at the G2E include manufacturers of casino and gaming related equipment and services, sellers, and buyers. It’s a combination of corporate executives in suits and representatives from casinos there to select new gaming related equipment, supplies, and attractions.
The G2E returns to Las Vegas from October 7 – 10, 2024. We can only imagine what new games and gimmicks will be presented next year.
Photos by Dianne Davis Article by Burt Davis and Dianne Davis
