Get Ready for Take-off with IGT

The Australasian Hospitality & Gaming Expo (AHG) is set to return to the Brisbane Exhibition and Convention Centre on March 22 & 23, 2023.

In its ninth year, AHG plays host to around 200 exhibitors showcasing the latest in all things hospitality and gaming including industry suppliers and supporters, IGT.

IGT is ready for take-off at this year’s Expo, with a portfolio of new games - including a new take on IGT player-favourite JetSetter® - teamed with the latest updates in the systems and services solution space. All of which are designed to heighten player entertainment, customer loyalty and revenues.

Akey highlight will be JetSetter Gold™. Taking this popular IGT game theme to new heights, JetSetter Gold offers a unique playing experience while still embracing the JetSetter that players know and love. With new augmented interactive animated features, a frequent feature hit rate and exciting prize opportunities in the base game, JetSetter Gold will ‘fly’ players to four famous destinations around the world –Sydney, Paris, New York and Tokyo.

Accompanying this new series, will be a suite of new IGT standalone and link games including:

• Light It Up™ – recently released as a Link and SAP with three game titles – the fourth game, Wings Over Paradise with its brand new free games feature, will be unveiled at the show. Combining Hold ‘n’ Spin with traditional symbol reveal and line wins, Light It Up offers a mix of volatility levels, game features and striking art themes designed to deliver wide player appeal.

• Lucky Gong™ Link – this latest link family for IGT’s CrystalCurve-i® cabinet, offers two Asian themed game titles – Crimson Flower and Mystical Emperor - and the same supersized hold and spin feature as IGT’s popular GO! for Grand™ series, where four playable windows are unlocked for more chances to win. These familiar mechanics have been enhanced further with the addition of new features and an extra SAP jackpot level.

• Outgrow – a proven performer in both Link and SAP versions, Outgrow now features four games with the latest addition to this series, Arctic Moon, to be showcased at AHG. With individual re-spin features for each game, a unique second chance feature and an exciting growing, locking and sticky WILD mechanic, Outgrow offers variety and entertainment.

IGT’s Systems team will present the latest innovations for ADVANTAGE CLUB® – including market-leading player interface, Service Window, along with the most recent tool and app additions – designed to provide a frictionless customer experience and grow loyalty, efficiency and performance across a venue’s gaming floor.

The team will also provide the most current updates on key developments in the digital wallet / cashless solutions space – topical for not only NSW venues but all venue operators in relation to further reaching potential requirements for the future.

IGT’s head of marketing for APAC, Lisa Colella, commented: “We’re looking forward to welcoming customers to AHG 2023 to showcase our latest solutions for games, systems and services. designed to provide our customers with the new innovations, variety, support and flexibility needed for today’s business environment and growth. Please drop by and enjoy some IGT hospitality while experiencing what’s new from IGT.”

After its successful launch in 2022, the RSL & Services Clubs Association is excited to offer our Mentoring Program again in 2023. If you have been thinking about how to boost your leadership skills, increase your confidence, progress your career, expand your network or perhaps you are tackling a new project or issue and need the perspective of an experienced, objective professional – this program is for you.

Consider also that you may have an emerging team member who could benefit from the additional support and upskilling that the program provides. Benefits to your organisation are also far reaching including increased employee engagement, skills building and increased loyalty and retention as staff feel invested in. This is particularly important in the period of change we are experiencing and the recent decline in mentorship and other engagement opportunities we have seen during COVID.

The program is run over twelve weeks and charges mentees a nominal fee of $195 for members of the RSL&SCA or $295 for non-members. During the course of the program you receive fortnightly meetings with your mentor to set goals, exchange ideas, discuss challenges and hear new perspectives from an experienced industry professional. You will also receive a mentoring booklet to assist you to get the most out of the program.

The mentor-mentee relationship is symbiotic and provides benefits to the mentor as well as the mentee. Mentors volunteer their time and report that giving back to the industry is highly rewarding and it also gives them fresh perspectives from their mentees. If you’d like to mentor – whether you are a middle manager, senior leader or Board member – we’d love to hear from you. Share your industry and life experiences while supporting growth within the industry by shaping our leaders.

Applying to be a Mentor or Mentee is easy! You just need to complete a survey so that we can create a complete profile of you which will enable us to best match you based on each participants skills, experience and goals. Each program cycle commences with a launch webinar for all participants to give an overview of the program, answer questions, set expectations and allow the cohort to meet each other.

Just announced for 2023! The Association has recently been successful in receiving a grant from Women in Gaming and Hospitality Australasia (WGHA) to provide the program FREE OF CHARGE in 2023 to women employed in the industry. WGHA have provided these funds in recognition that the mentorship program will provide participants with professional development, the opportunity to build greater networks, increased engagement and a greater voice in the industry. This will in turn elevate women in the industry and affect real change.

Hear what past mentees have to say about the program

“When the chance to apply for the RSL’s mentoring program arose, I saw it as a priceless opportunity to connect directly with a well-respected leader in the industry who was willing to share their valuable time. We quickly agreed that no subject was off limits and that all topics could be discussed confidentially.

With other networking in the industry, either at events or through email it can be difficult to go deep on certain topics one on one and really hear firsthand experiences from other managers. The RSL & Services Clubs Association’s Mentoring Program was valuable in finding the most suitable mentor with experience in the fields I was looking to develop which are relevant to projects upcoming at my club. I cannot recommend the experience enough and thank the mentors for their time and sharing their broad knowledge of the industry to myself and the other mentees. I hope that in years to come I can offer the same opportunity to the next generation of managers in our industry.”

Paul Millar, CEO, Club Rivers

As you step down from the Board, can you tell us the importance of the role of the Association to you given your service in Clubs and in Defence?

I feel that being both a Board Director of RSL&SCA and a member of Defence has given me the understanding of both organisations and where they may merge. For example, assisting with employment after leaving Defence, or helping with some of the Ex Service Organisations who directly assist both current serving and ex serving veterans. It is also the understanding that being a veteran has a deeper meaning in their “Unique Nature of Military Service”. The Australian Veteran’s Recognition Bill, also know as the Veterans’ Covenant Legislation passed through the Senate in October 2019 - why is this important? While there are common aspects of service of the ADF and emergency first responders, their are fundamental demands placed on military personnel that make ADF service unique.

It is also seeing how events such as Kokoda Youth Program not only links the younger generation to war history, it demonstrates how young leaders can use what they learnt in that very tough mental and physical experience in their own lives, their school and their community.

The Association has ‘walked the talk’ in relation to diversity and inclusion, having two women on the Board who both have worn the uniform has demonstrated to Service Clubs that they could or should look at doing a similar thing. Dean, Garrie and now Margot push boundaries in the diversity and inclusion space. While Clubs NSW cater for the broader Club areas, RSL&SCA understand the specific needs of the veteran and their family’s space.

What has been your proudest moment working with Clubs? I have a few of these....

It was certainly while on Penrith RSL Club Board I became the Deputy Chair and we had four women and four men on the Board. We were one of the very few Clubs who had a 50/50 split of genders.