Global Gaming Expo: A Wow!

by Diane Taylor

Sunday, November 21, 2010

The local Las Vegas press had a field day last week, attending 130 seminars, visiting hundred of booths and talking with gaming executives. The industry’s premier tradeshow, Global Gaming Expo (G2E), was in town. Just about everything happening at the event was news in Las Vegas. G2E was celebrating its 10th anniversary, American Gaming Association President & CEO Frank Fahrenkopf said 2010 has been “a year of continued struggle”. But in Asia, gambling revenues are up 60 percent over last year!

Out on the tradeshow floor, despite the lackluster news domestically, the bright lights were gleaming. Attendance at 27,000 was up over last year and more than 520 exhibitors filled most of two exhibit halls. A brief video gives the flavor.

For this reporter who has been known to frequent a casino or two, the fun of G2E is looking to see what “may” be next. The byword seemed to be machine designs featuring livelier videos, more opportunities to gamble, more “virtual” chips and virtual dealers, and ever more colorful themed machines.

A local company, Galaxy Gaming, exhibited a new “Triple Attack Blackjack” game allowing three bets as cards are dealt and three additional proposition bets with jackpot possibilities. Chips and the play table are also able to silently produce data telling how much was bet, when, how many hands the dealer was able to deal in a shift and how many proposition bets were credited to each dealer.

Note the purse quietly hanging under player’s platform on the Incredible Technologies machine.Photo by Diane Taylor

More revenue, yes, and also a bit of big brother watching dealers ever more closely…that is, if live dealers are still being hired. “Virtual” blackjack machines were on display at several booths as well. You say you ran out of money placing all those bets? If one kiosk maker has its way, it can combine ticket redemption, ATM services AND credit card cash advance and debit card cash advance services in one machine. Whoopee! Three ways to withdraw. (The number for gamblers anonymous is……)

What are those purses doing hanging beneath the Incredible Technology machines? Wait a minute, something new! A place to hang a purse while playing a machine. If a player tends to put a large purse on the ground while playing, thereby taking a chance it will tip over, lose a cell-phone or wallet or at the least get dirty on the floor, this purse hanger idea is a Godsend. Incredible Technology, I was told, is co-owned by a woman, Elaine Hodgson. Nuff said.

VGT displayed machines that had 11 different games on one machine. The reason: “Illinois” which passed a bill allowing up to five slot machines in bars and restaurants, though local jurisdictions could specify fewer. If a bar were to install five machines each with 11 different games, well….that’s a lot of games.

I’ve seen fellas at baseball games bet on individual players at bat. “A dollar he gets a hit” and the like. Well, a British company, BuzzSports, has developed machines that allow such bets on individual balls and strikes, individual soccer or football plays, etc. So far, such machines have only been installed in Europe, but if the machine-maker has its dreams come true, Las Vegas sports books will someday have the machines as well.

Air would blow smoke up and away from dealers and player through an Airistar Technologies vent close to the dealer. Photo by Diane Taylor

What about those folks who object to smoky casinos? Airistar Technologies has developed an air-handling system that is inserted into tables and quietly lifts air (and smoke) up and away from dealers and players. So far, Las Vegas has been “interested”, but no buyers, said representative Roy Kibbe. However, the company has had success with a number of Indian casinos, one of which installed 125 units and loves ‘em all.

Want to clean your casino or hotel, but don’t want to deal with hiring and firing a housekeeping staff? Doug Hickfang at the JaniKing booth noted their company is the third largest company in the world in terms of franchises sold. “Our franchises clean 12 NFL stadiums and 350 hotels domestically. We’re here to recruit new customers,” he said.

I ran into four models at the show, locals who love G2E because of the work. The pretty ladies were Juliana Erdesz, Trisha Thompson, Cari Byers and Chrissy Holbrook.

A company with the tradename, Interblock, had a large display of all-electronic machines — no dealers, just individual seats for players with betting-table screens in front of them and a central area when the action is electronic. The machines also have ticket-in, ticket-out devices. A new craps player need not be intimidated by a table of screaming players and a complex game. The player can sit quietly, play the smallest stakes, and learn. Tomaz Bukovnik noted that G2E was a sort of coming out party for his company in the U.S., and he has moved to Las Vegas to represent the company. Where did he move from? Company headquarters in Slovenia . He has great hopes for business here. Machines are not cheap, one of the craps tables would cost between $200,00 and $300,000, but no dealers would be required and all payoffs would be accurate. Interblock, built by Elektrocek D.D., has demonstration machines currently at three Las Vegas casinos.

Juliana Erdesz and Trisha Thompson. Photo by Diane Taylor

On a personal note, the “Buffalo” machine is one of my new favorite slot machines. A representative of game-maker Aristocrat agreed that Buffalo is one of their most popular machines. To capitalize on that popularity, “Devil of the Deep” is being introduced with the same playing platform. The folks at IGT featured a “Hangover” machine and a “Dirty Dancing” machine, among others. Something tells me the folks at IGT will be phoning in lots of votes for Jennifer Gray at this week’s Dancing with the Stars finale — Jennifer’s photo is on the front of the machine.

G2E has been holding its tradeshow at the Las Vegas Convention Center for all of its 10 years, but will be moving to the Sands Expo next year to accommodate a desired change of schedule to October rather than November.

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