I was sitting at a slot machine at the Venetian Convention and Expo Center’s Global Gaming Expo (G2E). A young woman came up and noted that “ah yes, a woman is playing the machine.” I didn’t get what she was saying at first, but she explained that most of the visitors to G2E were men. I understood, being an “occasional” visitor to casinos with slot machines, it appears to me, that it is the ladies who typically are the slot machine players. In fact, a study completed in 2012 by researchers at Oregon State University found that the most typical slot players were women between the ages of 55 and 60. Other interesting observations can be read here. Clearly, this show was for buyers, not players.

So I was in a world of men when I attended G2E. I was also in a world of very colorful slot machines. The entire perimeter of the second-floor convention hall was surrounded by slot machines. Inside the ring of machines were booths touting roulette, blackjack, legal advice, chip makers, technology, promotional items, and even Omaha Steaks.

Among the 25,000 visitors to the show was one young man I met from Macao. He needed to meet with some suppliers to his MGM casino in Macao. He noted, incidentally, that Asian gamblers are much more serious than American gamblers. “Many Americans are just in for a good time and entertainment when gambling.”

G2E is presented by the American Gaming Association (AGA) and organized by Reed Exhibitions. The current G2E debuted in Las Vegas inn 2001 and is recognized as North America’s largest exhibition for the gaming entertainment industry. Some 350 exhibitors were at this show. Attendees came from 100 countries and regions and included consultants, finance professionals, game developers/manufacturers, gaming professionals, marketing professionals, regulators and sports betting professionals. The show has become a global hub for showcasing cutting-edge technologies, from virtual reality experiences to the latest in casino game design.

In addition to the expo displays, attendees could participate in more than 70 educational sessions with titles such as “Digital Currencies: The Future of Gaming,” “Five Reasons why Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Matters,” “The Impact of Macroeconomic Trends on Global Gaming,” and “Gaming’s Business Outlook: How Does the Industry Keep up the Momentum of the Past Two Years.”

Note: The news of the world these days is grim and frightening, but here in Las Vegas, last week the subject, as usual, was gambling.

I prepared for my visit to G2E by taking an old memory card I found in my drawer and inserting it into my camera (it was a card with more capacity than the previous card). When I got to the Venetian and attempted to use the camera, I got a message that the card was “locked”. Tried several times; same message. So I hauled out my phone and began to take pictures. A few of my G2E photos are attached: