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G2E is the event of events in the world of American gaming, and every autumn our collective focus is trained on the city of Las Vegas to see what this dynamic industry has been working on over the past year. Courtesy of organizers the America Gaming Association and Reed Exhibitions, industry players will descend on the Venetian from across the country and around the world to take part in what is the biggest event on the calendar. In this way, G2E plays an essential role. Companies get to show their wares to potential clients, they get to keep tabs on what the competition has been up to, and, all the while, deal making and information sharing reach a fever pitch.
And what a year 2022 has been! Since the last event, significant new markets have opened. New York and Ontario immediately come to mind. Quite remarkably, both became the largest market for online sports
betting in their respective countries. New companies have been founded, as well, while bigger companies have swallowed littler ones. These trends indicate an industry that is maturing. It's easy to forget that the profound changes wrought by PASPA occurred less than five years ago. The industry has had to improvise its way to the $200bn behemoth which now stands, and consolidation at the top is evidence of this. Finally, technology has continued adapting to the fast-moving rhythms of this protean world. In casino management, data analytics, online support, payments and elsewhere, the behind-the-scenes workings of this world have been steadily improving. G2E will show all of this to the world.
This event will set the pace and tone for the coming year. In this time of recordbreaking growth, things do not appear to be slowing down. New states are due to allow sports betting, and the iGaming market –
the offerings of which are being met with great anticipation this year – is poised to see expansion as states that have embraced sports betting embrace that too.
At Gaming America, we like to celebrate these changes by fitting them into the context of the whole. Thus, you have before you our annual G2E Preview. Here we give a taste of what one can expect while taking a look at some of the most exciting companies currently active: what have they been working on over the past year? What do they hope to gain by attending the trade show? And what do they hope to achieve in the next year?
So take a dive in. We hope you do enjoy the 2022 iteration of the G2E Preview.
Sincerely, Cameron Saunders
A letter from American Gaming Association President and CEO Bill Miller at the advent of the nation's biggest gaming trade show and conference.
The American Gaming Association (AGA) is eager to welcome the global gaming community as we gather in Las Vegas for G2E 2022. For more than 20 years, G2E has served as the premier industry event to conduct business, discover new innovations and ideas, and network with new colleagues and old friends.
This year’s show will be no different. I’m confident that with the lifting of international travel restrictions, a record year for gaming, and broad excitement around our industry, that G2E 2022 will return to the energy and size of years past.
We will host more than 250 diverse exhibitors at G2E 2022 – from the industry’s biggest suppliers to newer entrants with their own innovative products to show off. The G2E Innovation Lab will showcase startups and emerging technology companies as they take turns presenting their visions for the future of gaming.
On the conference side of the show, our education agenda will leave attendees with
takeaways that benefit their work well after the week is over. This year’s tracks will focus on future-looking themes like iGaming, digital payments and cryptocurrency, and the evolving casino floor, while also delving into traditional industry priorities like compliance, operations, finance and more. Of course, sports betting will also feature prominently, with many of the biggest players in the industry ready to share their perspectives on the present and future of the US and international markets.
All of this will take place while the US gaming industry is on pace for a second -straight record setting revenue year, with 2022 commercial gaming revenue outpacing 2021 through the first half of the year by about 18%. This is against the backdrop of significant economic headwinds that we continue to navigate. However, the excitement around G2E, combined with gaming’s sustained momentum well into the year, are proof positive
that the industry’s long-term prospects are as strong as ever regardless of current macroeconomic trends.
If last year’s G2E was a celebration of the industry’s resilience in the face of the pandemic, G2E 2022 will be a celebration of gaming entering a new era of growth and opportunity. Along with our expo partners at RX, we can’t wait to host you at G2E on October 10-13 in Las Vegas, the current and future entertainment capital of the world.
"THIS YEAR'S SHOW WILL BE NO DIFFERENT...G2E 2022 WILL RETURN TO THE ENERGY AND SIZE OF YEARS PAST"
Bill Miller President & CEO American Gaming Association
Each year, the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) brings together the brightest minds in gaming to discover the new developments and latest products that will drive our industry forward. With a little over a month until G2E 2022, the energy from our attendees and exhibitors is palpable here in Las Vegas and around the global
gaming community.
This year we are thrilled to bring back G2E in full force. After a virtual G2E 2020 and a hybrid G2E 2021, returning to a fully in-person show will give our attendees the experience they came to expect pre-pandemic. And with the US gaming market pacing toward another record-setting year, October’s expo will continue pushing us on a path to success.
More than 300 participating companies will be debuting their latest products to improve the gaming experience. The unmitigated growth of iGaming over the past two years will be on full display, including companies’ visions for Web3, the metaverse, virtual reality and more. Alongside iGaming, sports betting remains a focal point for the industry and will be well represented on the expo floor.
And of course,
gaming manufacturers – from the biggest players in the industry to new up-and-comers – will give us a glimpse into the future of the player experience.
Our still growing list of education sessions will also cover these topics, as well as more of the industry’s latest trends and news, bringing together gaming leaders to discuss regulation and risk, responsible gaming, cryptocurrency, finance and investment, and the Tribal gaming and global gaming sectors. As always, these interactive sessions will give attendees a front row seat to watch and participate as the next big ideas in gaming are forged.
Without a doubt, the future of gaming is bright, and G2E 2022 will be the perfect opportunity to highlight our current momentum while looking forward to all that is to come. Whether you attend G2E to see the latest in gaming technologies, connect with peers, or discover new product launches and initiatives, G2E 2022 offers something for everyone in the gaming world.
We can’t wait to see you there.
"WITHOUT A DOUBT, THE FUTURE OF GAMING IS BRIGHT, AND G2E 2022 WILL BE THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT OUR CURRENT MOMENTUM"Korbi Carrison Event Vice President G2E at RX USA
The Global Gaming Expo 2022, also known as G2E, returns this fall to showcase the lightning-fast pace of industry innovation.
Hosted by the American Gaming Association (AGA) and organized by Reed Exhibitions, the Global Gaming Expo 2022 (G2E) will exhibit developments both on the casino floor and in online gaming.
The Expo returned in person in 2021, following a one-year hiatus, and there was some hope for a ‘full house’ at the Sands Expo. However, the event was ultimately stifled by strict Covid-19 precautions, which put a dampener on the social element of the convention and prevented many companies from attending altogether.
Things are different now. No direction and distance markers, no temperature screenings and an easing of the number of sanitizing stations. Every handshake and physical interaction won’t be put under a microscope, and this increased freedom has whipped up enthusiasm over the event.
Registration opened in June, four months ahead of the event, in anticipation of high demand from industry players and experts. G2E Event Vice President Korbi Carrison wasn’t surprised to hear about this eagerness for places, saying: “The demand we’re seeing for G2E 2022 reflects not only the strength of gaming’s recovery but also the impressive growth of new gaming verticals and technology.”
A lot has happened in the last year and many of the attendees are arriving at G2E for the first time in its 21-year history. Newbies on the scene will bring a fresh dimension to the event, the "new gaming verticals and technology" that Carrison alluded to.
Play’n GO CCO Magnus Olsson will be attending for the first time. Despite his company’s long-standing success, he says it needed to wait and build its portfolio in order
to “make the right impression,” adding that: “We’re excited to introduce our games to a new audience, listen and learn from others and explore opportunities at the frontier of regulated US gaming.”
Another G2E first timer is Velvix CEO Stanley Ku, who agrees that G2E should be treated as an educational experience, commenting, “We greatly appreciate learning about new trends in the industry. These are important and help us make data-based decisions on the development of new products and services.”
Education is something that is both valued and emphasized by G2E organizers. Those who’ve attended G2E will know how the event plays a balancing act, toeing the line between a friendly celebration and a fast-track academic course. There are numerous educational sessions divided
into different spheres: one focusing on iGaming, another on digital payments, and so on; attendees can decide which to go to depending on their chief interests.
What’s more, the ‘Innovation Lab’ has become a staple of the convention, offering fifteen-minute TED-style talks and demo kiosks, and allowing G2E attendees to learn about cutting-edge gambling technologies and the impact they may have on the industry.
According to the G2E site, the Innovation Lab inspires companies young and old alike. The Lab has evolved over seven years, to inspire conversation and spark creative approaches to issues like artificial intelligence, cyber defense and more. It promises to showcase the most exciting developments in the gaming world.
Few well-established companies rest
on their laurels when it comes to G2E. For instance, Casino Trac (founded in 1995) knows that it needs to attend the convention to “gain exposure to other casinos that need our solutions but who may not be familiar with us,” in the words of company CEO Chad Hoehne.
The main event will kick off in the Upper Hall of the Venetian, which will be transformed into a gigantic tradeshow floor, flush with vendors from across the industry. Gaming machine operators, hospitality professionals, iGaming specialists and journalists will all freely mingle. This allows for what Hoehne describes as a “space where introductions and cooperation for mutual benefit arise.”
G2E 2022 promises a return to form for the world’s premier gambling trade convention. Advances in gaming, and
gaming technology in particular, were not halted by the pandemic and this year’s event will reflect this. As Carrison puts it: “Just like the gaming industry itself, G2E will continue to evolve and expand to meet the needs of its customers, reflect the changing global landscape, and provide a platform for the future of gaming.”
G2E is the perfect staging ground for the European supplier's American ambitions.
Once again, as ever with Greentube, we will be setting out to tell a story through our stand design. We will be showcasing our latest releases tailored to the US market and our innovative series and mechanics through a range of videos and game demos, and we are looking forward to taking visitors through a range of products that have proven appeal to players throughout North America.
can grow together. There is always plenty going on, both on the show floor and with associated networking events, and G2E also represents another great chance for us to learn about some key topics. For example, regulation is of great interest. With only a handful of states having regulated for
to put those lessons into practice in multiple states within real-money gaming. Looking even further ahead, we also foresee interesting opportunities arising within iLottery, something which has the potential to provide significant avenues for growth.
still in order to grow, and we also want to
As ever when we decide to enter new markets, we have conducted a lot of research based around the preferences of players across the various states and provinces in North America. The learnings that we gained thus far have had a very strong influence on the choice of themes and mechanics that we have rolled out into the various markets in the region. That is not to say that our focus is limited to themes and mechanics that are already resonating with players in North America, though. It is important not to stand still in order to grow, and we also want to bring new innovations that we believe have the potential to perform well.
It’s a show that is on a huge scale and one that represents a great opportunity for Greentube to engage with existing partners and new friends from across the world of online gaming, as we find out how we
online gaming, where and when will the next ones be up and running? It is vital we prepare for these markets, getting our portfolio and licenses ready in advance of a launch date. G2E promises to provide a really strong exchange of information between stakeholders from a variety of sectors within the industry.
we see great opportunities arising within the next 12 months. As a supplier we are completely focused on regulated markets, and this meant that, before the repeal of PASPA, we were not active within the US. However, we had supplied the market with social apps beforehand, which gave use some very useful and preferences. Our aim now is
Michael Bauer CFO/CGO Greentube GmbH
David Bretnitz, Kambi’s Senior Director of Sales, US, shares with Gaming America some of the secrets behind its fabulous growth.
What products will Kambi showcase at G2E?
The full breadth of Kambi’s sports betting solutions will be on display at G2E this year. Our technology has empowered day one launches for many of our partners in states including New York, Pennsylvania and Illinois, offering a market-leading sportsbook product through a combination of online and on-property expertise. Our land based offering, which incorporates a blend of over -the-counter, kiosk and mobile (through our Bring Your Own Device Technology) has been proven to drive greater returns across the whole property, boosting share of wallet for both gaming and hospitality.
prop bets within the same game or across different games, leagues and sports.
a Game Parlay on the Super Bowl and 31% of all pre-game bets were a Game Parlay.
Delegates will also be able to get hands-on experience of Kambi’s market-leading Game Parlay product that was built by our expert teams. Launched ahead of the 2021/22 NFL season and since expanded further across the likes of college football, NHL and MLB, the product is a game -changing development – enabling bettors to combine multiple main and player
To expand on Game Parlay’s capabilities, it’s worth emphasizing how significant the market’s reaction has been to the product.
Looking at the previous NFL season, Game Parlay accounted for approximately 25% of all pre-game bets during the regular season, rising to a third of pre-game bets in the postseason. Alongside this, 40% of regular season Game Parlay bets featured more than one game, rising to 45% during the playoffs.
During the Super Bowl, pre-game there were more Game Parlay bets placed than moneyline, spread and points combined. Meanwhile, 50% of pre-game bettors placed
More broadly, the importance of having a high-performance sportsbook product in meeting the needs of the modern sports bettor is becoming increasingly clear. It requires a supply chain capable of delivering on all levels, beginning with the integration of official data partners and proven algorithms that process the data, followed by excellence in trading and risk, which must all be supplied through a fast and intuitive front-end. Only when these elements are working in perfect harmony can an operator begin to deliver a best-in-class service.
One of the biggest and most significant trade shows in the industry calendar, G2E always represents a fantastic opportunity for the industry to meet, share ideas and develop greater understanding and expertise. We have been an exhibitor for many years, and it is a great way to meet with our industry partners and commercial prospects in fantastic surroundings.
We take into account the importance of not necessarily being first, but ensuring that our products are always at the very cutting edge. This was evident with the development of our Game Parlay product, which we took the time to build into the market-leading product it is today and allow for the most efficient and effective ongoing development and iteration.
"OUR TECHNOLOGY HAS EMPOWERED DAY ONE LAUNCHES FOR MANY OF OUR PARTNERS IN STATES INCLUDING NEW YORK, PENNSYLVANIA AND ILLINOIS"
What gap in the market do you see being filled by your offering?
What products are you showcasing at G2E this year?
We have a number of products we are showcasing. We are presenting Flexia’s Cashless Gaming Solution which maximizes flexibility and efficiency for both the customer and the operator – from player enrollment, compliance and onboarding to funding, loyalty, data and marketing. The Flexia app provides the fastest and most efficient way for a player to load funds to the Flexia account and easily transfer funds to their gaming account. Players can also view transactions, manage their profile and receive in-app promotions and communications. The Flexia Portal is used by operators and casino marketing teams for reporting and analysis of player spend data and to send customized promotions directly to customers through the app. The Portal manages casino cash resources and general account functions. The Flexia Platform is the multi-functional bridge between open-loop financial systems and the casino’s closed-loop gaming systems.
Flexia integrates with industry-leading processing and compliance partners to deliver the most robust and secure cashless solution to the gaming industry. Finally, the Flexia Prepaid Mastercard® is co-branded with the casino and issued as a virtual (inapp) and/or physical card, enabling players to use funds in their Flexia account outside of the casino. Operators can implement an 'airline type' loyalty rewards program for spend on the card.
G2E brings together tribal, commercial and online gaming operators, providing the perfect stage for us to showcase the newest features of our cashless solution and demonstrate the flexibility of how we deliver our products to the industry. Our recent integrations and strategic partnerships with leading gaming system providers has also created joint marketing efforts and demonstrations throughout the exhibit hall.
Even before the pandemic, the US was
heading toward a cashless economy. While gaming has lagged in this transformation, primarily due to the deployment of cashless implementations that were not consumerfriendly, G2E provides a forum for us to demonstrate how Flexia has solved pain points, and how it can provide a seamless cashless experience for the customer – similar to other industries where electronic transfers have become ubiquitous.
Fintech is one of the most rapidly developing technologies in the world. This results in the creation of innovative new products which are consistently brought to market. The core of the Flexia platform was designed and built by professionals skilled in engineering financial transaction platforms that process hundreds of millions of transactions per year. We continually evaluate and leverage new innovations and technologies across our product suite to ensure our customers – operators and players alike – enjoy a secure and seamless cashless experience.
Cleve Tzung, CEO of Passport Technology, tells us how the company is expediting the casino patron’s experience.
What products are you showcasing at G2E?
We are showcasing our full product suite, which includes new and existing products. We’ll have all our existing payment products delivered through our CashStream kiosks and our LiveCage and BankBuilder products. We’ll have our Lush loyalty kiosk, and we’ll be unveiling Mira, our new enrollment kiosk, which has a ground-breaking look and design. We’re also showing our Jackpot platform, which delivers Jackpot processing and pay-out through mobile units, and a brand-new Jackpot kiosk which is specially designed to deliver functionality with a minimal footprint. We’ve also designed some proprietary pricing features using our DataStream processing switch, which we’ll show to select customers.
We’re filling in gaps to help our customers save costs, enhance patron experience, and price services more efficiently. Our LiveCage offering, which has been in the market for a number of years, continues to fill a need for versatile, reliable, and easy-to-use cage automation, which saves costs and shortens lines at the cage. Our Lush branded loyalty
platform automates and turbocharges a casino’s customer retention and loyalty program by enhancing a patron’s ability to earn and spend their points. Our DataStream pricing features will allow pricing flexibility on payment features to maximize revenues on kiosk transactions.
It’s an opportunity for us to have a dialogue with a large number of customers and prospects at one time so that we can build relationships, make deals and collect useful input for future product ideas.
We’ll continue to focus on developing an ecosystem of products and services for the maximum benefit of our casino customers.
As long as we execute on that, we’re confident we’ll continue to
grow our customer base globally.
We have an in-house R&D team with both hardware and software expertise to match our product set. In many cases, we prefer to develop proprietary platforms, so we do the bulk of the development work. We’ll also partner with third parties when we recognize that other development teams have a core competency in a particular piece of development.
recognize that other development teams
26 | GAMINGAMERICA GAMING AMERICA | PASSPORT TECHNOLOGY Cleve Tzung CEO Passport Technology
Tom Rafferty, co-CEO of OPTX, gives us a rundown of the innovative products the company is looking forward to showcasing at the trade show.
members and managers to operate their slot floor through tasks which are automatically created by CMS floor events. Slot Dispatch is integrated into the entire suite of OPTX products, meaning users will have one application that manages operations across web and mobile.
The last few years have been challenging ones for the casino industry to meet faceto-face and, hopefully, this G2E will be a return to normal for all of us.
TOM RAFFERTY OPTX co-CEO
What products will OPTX showcase at G2E?
The OPTX team has been hard at work developing new cutting-edge AI which takes the guesswork out of reporting. Our AI models focus on experimenting with new ways to increase performance on the floor and in the database.
Perfecting AI models is a time-consuming and collaborative process. We do not just develop a model and 'set it and forget it.'
At OPTX, our models go through continuous improvement with a process of refinement through results, but also client feedback. We are a true partner with our clients.
We are proud to be unveiling our Slot Dispatch solution at G2E. Slot Dispatch will provide an integrated solution for automated and real-time dispatching of an event. OPTX Dispatch is a mobile application feature that is supported by various web application features, which are sold as a part of the OPTX suite of products, specifically for casino team
We will also showcase our Enterprise product, which was created to specifically address the needs of multi-property operators. OPTX Enterprise spans across all OPTX products, giving operators the ability to manage their property slots, marketing and player development operations and analytics in a single platform.
OPTX is made up of the best engineers, operators and data scientists in the industry. We have a team of approximately 55 people with extensive gaming experience. R&D is at the heart of our company. We invest heavily in making sure that the right technology is used in our platform to provide an incredible experience for our customers.
OPTX goes well beyond just a reporting or dashboard tool. We streamline all your data into real-time actionable insights for casino operators.
G2E allows for us to have meaningful one-on-one, in-depth meetings and demos with casino industry decision-makers.
OPTX provides a platform for the future of casino operations. Our focus is to continue to perfect and automate casino operations for all properties so that operators can spend more time perfecting their product offerings and the guest experience. We are constantly developing new modules to further our mission. At G2E we will be displaying our next modules, OPTX Dispatch and OPTX Enterprise.
"WE STREAMLINE ALL YOUR DATA INTO REAL-TIME ACTIONABLE INSIGHTS FOR CASINO OPERATORS."
What gap in the market do you see being filled by your offering?
CasinoTrac’s Director of Training and Marketing, Eric Cunningham, tells us what his company has been doing to stay ahead in the casino management system game.
What products will you be showcasing at G2E?
CasinoTrac will be showcasing our patented cashless solution, KioskTrac Mobile. We will also demo the latest updates for our fully integrated visual analytics platform, DataTrac.
What gap in the market would you say is being filled by your offerings?
KioskTrac Mobile offers casinos a true all-in-one digital players card. Casinos can offer targeted real-time promotions based on player location to drive business. With KioskTrac Mobile, players can use the mobile app for cashless wagers, purchases throughout the property, redeem rewards or discover all of the amenities the property offers.
How does a show like G2E expand your operations?
G2E brings the industry together, allowing customers to see the best offerings
to help their property stand apart from competitors.
Where does CasinoTrac go from here?
CasinoTrac is looking to the future of casino management systems. Casino needs have changed significantly in the past five years. We are working to
customers, watching industry trends, and building products designed to be easily implemented and scalable to any size property’s needs.
create the next evolution of omnichannel CMS and Host CRM.
"CASINOTRAC IS LOOKING TO THE FUTURE OF CASINO MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS. CASINO NEEDS HAVE CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS."
CHANGED
with Brian at the Gaming Arts’ Booth 1853 at G2E
Zitro Games promises a series of exciting surprises and products that will see the light of day for the first time at G2E. We will unveil a diverse portfolio of gaming products, highlighting each of the four cabinets in the GLARE product lineup, including Altius Glare, Illusion Glare, Allure Glare and Fusion Glare. Each cabinet has its own unique set of game themes, guaranteeing players an immersive experience, and also demonstrating Zitro’s ability to place a wide array of cabinet offerings across the casino floor.
R&D is what drives our business. We have a passionate team who work at developing products that customers find entertaining. Zitro’s aim is to offer a truly engaging experience with the most reliable service and technology that allows casinos to maximize their revenues, as well as attract players through proven-performance games.
Zitro is proud to be part of the world’s biggest gaming industry event during a
period of exciting growth in the Tribal gaming market, thanks to the efforts of our team, and the trust operators have placed in our products. G2E is the perfect occasion to highlight our latest offerings to customers from around the world. However, our recent expansion into the US market will provide many customers with the opportunity to see the products that will be available to them in the very near future.
Derik Mooberry CEO Zitro
We face 2023 with great optimism and enormous expectations. Our goal is clear: to expand our market share globally. In particular, we have aggressive targets for US expansion. Today we have products in three states, however, we are confident that Zitro will continue to expand its footprint over the next year. Our vision is to grow our slots presence through innovation, differentiation, and excellence to become a global industry leader.
"OUR VISION IS TO GROW OUR SLOTS PRESENCE THROUGH INNOVATION, DIFFERENTIATION, AND EXCELLENCE"
Derik Mooberry, CEO of Zitro USA, discusses how G2E can help propel his company to greater heights in 2023.
Motie Bring, Chief Commercial Officer at Nuvei, explains how the company is rewriting the rules on payments and iGaming.
We’re excited to share our vision for the future of payments in iGaming, and how customized payments technology solutions will drive revenue acceleration and growth. The North American iGaming industry is rapidly evolving and the opportunities for operators are huge, but the landscape is also becoming more competitive. So optimizing payments is critical for growing market share, both in terms of flow as well as acceptance levels.
One-size-fits-all payments solutions for digital businesses do not work, and nowhere is that more true than in heavily regulated industries such as iGaming. A payments platform that combines the most agile technology in the market with industryleading expertise and insights to tailor that solution to a business’ needs is critical for long-term success in North American iGaming. Nuvei has been bringing this philosophy to the global iGaming market for decades.
of instant payouts to the North American market. We know players value immediate access to their funds more highly than anything else when choosing between iGaming operators, and, traditionally, access to payouts has been a hurdle in the player experience in markets with limited access to faster payments. Players in the US have had to wait up to three days for a payout request to be settled, and this is having a dramatic impact on revenues because many players simply aren’t prepared to make a deposit if they have to wait that long.
What do you hope to get out of events such as G2E?
great opportunity to come together and debate how we move the industry forward.
come online with regulated sports betting in the next 12 months, and we will support our partners to launch and scale in every region they choose to be active. In Canada, we’re excited to see the growth of regulated iGaming in Ontario and are already supporting many of the market leaders with payments solutions, as well as being deep into discussions with some of our global partners about launching in the region. And we’re enabling many of the largest iGaming operators in LatAm to win new players and boost revenues as well and will continue to expand our presence in that region in the next 12 months.
leading expertise and insights to tailor acceptance rates, and the broadest range
First and foremost, iGaming is part of our DNA, and we are very proud of our history in the industry. We lean on our unparalleled industry experience and expertise, as well as huge volumes of payments data that is gathered and analyzed by our leading in-house teams, to enable our partners to offer a cashier that wins players through a seamless experience, enhanced card acceptance rates, and the broadest range of deposit and payout methods.
One example of this is the introduction
For us, that means connecting with our partners and the wider industry to share ideas, understand the current opportunities and obstacles the industry is facing more deeply, and find solutions. We’re members of the American Gaming Association that co-runs the event, and that is an important forum for many of these discussions. And of course, it is a great opportunity to build new partnerships and widen our network. is continuing to develop rapidly, and Nuvei will continue to be at the heart of accelerating its growth. We’re hoping to see more US states
Motie Bring CCO Nuvei
We are excited to demonstrate our innovative products. For starters, we are excited to show off our industrystandard e-check network, VIP Preferred®. VIP Preferred allows patrons to link their checking accounts directly to their wagering account. It connects patrons to more than 400 in-person and online gaming institutions.
We are also excited to exhibit our mobile-first solution, VIP Mobility™. VIP Mobility is the industry’s first mobile solution enabling true cashless gaming, enabling patrons to fund their favorite games through their mobile device. VIP Mobility utilizes the VIP Preferred e-check network to create a seamless payments experience. With VIP Mobility, patrons can fund their slot and table games, as well as bars, restaurants and other resort amenities.
VIP Financial Center™ is Global Payments’ comprehensive self-service solution, which allows patrons to access the services they need quickly and easily
without waiting in line at the cage. VIP Financial Center features a robust array of services including self-service TITO ticket redemption, bill breaking, VIP Preferred e-check, ATM and cash advance capabilities.
What R&D has gone into the development of your products?
important event for us. We are looking forward to showing off our products on the gaming industry’s largest stage.
At Global Payments, we are never satisfied with our current products or successes. We are constantly innovating and creating new ways to improve the customer experience. In the coming year, we will continue to adapt our solutions to better enhance the gaming experience.
We have spent years perfecting our
Global Payments is able to draw on expertise, research and development from other parts of its financial business to create best-in-class products and services. All our products go through a rigorous R&D process that ensures our solutions are top-of-the-line quality. We have spent years perfecting our products like VIP Preferred and VIP Mobility.
What do you hope to get out of events such as G2E? Industry events like G2E are an excellent opportunity for us to share our solutions. G2E, the nation’s largest gaming industry gathering, is a particularly
Christopher Justice President Global Payments Gaming Solutions
Sightline Payments Director of Marketing Dakota Pate discusses some of the company’s major products to be on show this year.
What are you looking forward to exhibiting at G2E this year?
We are excited to showcase advancements we have made in our cashless and mobile engagement solutions. Play+, our cashless solution, enables casinos to offer cashless wagering across the entire resort. It has adapted to existing infrastructure. We’re talking about a cashless solution seamlessly integrated to all forms of gaming and entertainment, that works with several point-of-sale systems, all leading casino management systems and casino cash-access services.
On the engagement front, Mobile+ powered by Joingo, is perfect for any casino or online gaming operator looking to reach their patrons where they spend the most time: on their mobile devices. Mobile+ makes it easy for casinos to create their own mobile app that’s designed to increase loyalty, reach and revenue. It’s a cloud-based platform with a host of personalization options, advanced analytics and no coding is required. Just like Play+, it can be integrated into any casino’s gaming,
entertainment and hospitality system, and it is the only app solution of its kind that is focused exclusively on the casino gaming industry.
Our focus is on what drives the most value for the gaming industry. We look at what technology will be relevant in a future environment and what technologies will strengthen the relationships between our gaming
partners and their customers. It’s also crucial we work with all our partners and patrons to find opportunities for improvement and innovation.
relationships with gaming operators so we can help them connect with their players in smarter and easier ways.
Where do you hope the company will be 12-18 months from now?
We look forward to continuing to bring change to the industry as we launch mobile engagement and cashless gaming in even more casinos, online gaming platforms and entertainment arenas.
industry partners to make gaming better for the future. Shows like G2E also allow us to build meaningful
"IT'S ALSO CRUCIAL WE WORK WITH ALL OUR PARTNERS AND PATRONS TO FIND OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT AND INNOVATION"Dakota Pate Director of Marketing Sightline Payments
Gaming America sits down with Interblock Gaming's Global CEO John Connelly to discuss modern electronic table game offerings.
What is Interblock Gaming excited to show off this year at G2E?
We will be introducing over 30 new products, features and functionality at this year’s show. Throughout the global pandemic, we remained focused and dedicated to our craft, developing advanced technologies, that we were unable to copiously demonstrate and release until now. Interblock currently revolves around three prosperous categories – stadium technology, standalone products, and universal cabinets. This year at G2E, Interblock will introduce upgrades to virtually all of its current products on casino floors to help increase both its handle and hold percentage while continuing to evolve the methods to reduce operating expenses for our casino partners.
What R&D goals went into the creation of these products?
Interblock invested into its products and employees and, as a result, we have more groundbreaking products and features than ever before. The number of various demographics associated with the electronic table game (ETG) market is far greater than we ever anticipated. Therefore, we are continuing to innovate new types of distribution methods to attract fresh players to the casino floors and entice existing players to stay longer. At this year’s G2E we will be introducing new technology designed to achieve these metrics and more. Our ultimate goal was, and will continue to be, to appeal to and meet the demands of all demographics to draw players to casinos.
What is the company hoping to get out of its attendance of G2E?
G2E provides us the remarkable opportunity to show the world where Interblock was and where Interblock is today, demonstrating the progress ETG technology has made. Our primary emphasis at this year’s G2E is to introduce new forms of ETG for all casino categories around the world, designed to create a more competitive environment for our casino partners. The emphasis will be on new forms of technology and innovation designed to attract new players and increase the mathematical efficiencies ETGs have historically offered.
As we look toward next year and beyond, we will continue to revolutionize the gaming industry, innovating with our team and identifying product categories and sections of the demographic that we can attract to the casino floor.
By protecting the DNA, culture, and invention that resides in, and has made Interblock so successful, we will continue our accelerated growth
and optimize the market demand. Through the implementation of best practices, from a financial and infrastructure perspective, we plan to take the company to the next level and look forward to building, alongside our loyal and future customers, the casino floor of the future.
John Connelly Global CEO Interblock
What are you looking forward to exhibiting at G2E this year?
This year’s showcase highlights AGS’ breadth and depth of product offerings and diversified portfolio across all three of our business divisions: slots, tables and interactive.
The new Spectra UR43™, the latest cabinet line release since 2016, provides operators with even more opportunities to diversify their floors and makes a bold statement with its game-controlled eclipse lighting. We are excited about our entrance into the high-denomination game segment
and will showcase our new 3-reel video games, such as Mega Diamond, which has shown promising early results and allows us to penetrate a new segment of the market. In addition, attendees will see our extensive game library, which we continue to broaden as we offer more form factors, more feature sets, and more bet varieties. This “leveling up” of our product catalog is a direct result of our steadfast investment in R&D over the last few years and our ability to attract and retain top talent.
Table product highlights include new features on AGS’ award-winning and industry-leading progressive product, Bonus Spin Xtreme™, in addition to its singledeck shuffler, Pax S®, which has created an invaluable option for operators with its launch this past year. We continue to be a top online content provider for real money games and are excited to highlight ourfirst real-money table games: Criss Cross Poker® and blackjack.
with the entire AGS Tables division to focus on quality, compelling design, and how new technology can be utilized. Overall, R&D exemplifies a strong team effort and results in products we’re proud to put our name on.
G2E is an excellent opportunity to nurture relationships with customers, vendors, investors and other stakeholders. With its well-curated educational sessions and panels, and high-profile keynote speakers, G2E is unrivaled in offering a span of topics and insights regarding the gaming industry of today and tomorrow. With the past two years impacted by Covid, we’re looking forward to greater attendance and more face-to-face connections this year.
Chief Marketing Officer
R&D is truly the lifeblood of AGS. AGS’ studio expansions and continuous effort in growing a team of top talent over the past few years have led to a significant increase in quality slot games and a steady growth of new hardware. In tables, a tremendous amount of time was spent ideating our portfolio of progressive table products and shufflers and finding innovative ways we can entertain players while providing extraordinary value to our casino customers. The development team works in lockstep
A significant focus this year, and continuing into next year, is diversifying, deepening and leveling up our product portfolio. We will continue to find ways to bring more value and variety to our customers and partners across the Class II, Class III, historical horse racing, LatAm, and online markets. AGS is in a unique position given our size – we get to play“offense” more than “defense.” We have considerable white space to grow our floor share and as we expand our portfolio, we get more opportunities to do that. In addition to always striving to be a “partner of choice” for our customers, we prioritize our unique culture and work equally hard to be an “employer of choice”, knowing that great products and great service come from having the best talent in the business.
What sort of R&D has gone into the development of your products?Julia Boguslawski AGS
AXES, the noted fintech company, is coming to G2E to show what it can offer a fast-changing industry. President and CEO Earle G. Hall gives us the rundown.
What are you looking forward to exhibiting at G2E?
We are excited to present three new products in our booth this year. First is our media platform of cashless screens – that are high resolution and interactive – and will be used for our entire cashless platform as well as our media platform. This is so exciting as we have connected this screen to broadcast cashless information (cash in, cash out, card balances, app balances), loyalty and engagement information (rewards, promos, and player’s club information and activity), as well as being directly linked with major ad platforms to generate revenue for our clients with high quality, interactive publicity.
Second, this year we will demonstrate a seamless open-to-closed loop transaction with our partners Flexia and Blueberry.
Whether it be to create a player’s account, link it with a bank account or credit card, transport funds to the machine and around the casino, we will show how cashless should be done with a player’s card or a player’s app, in real-time.
At last there is our loyalty and engagement program. AXES has had loyalty and engagement since 2011, and we now have extended our solution to all our cashless platforms. Our marketing campaign’s app is now linked to our KashME point of sale platform and our kiosk solution. In short, our cashless platform and loyalty and engagement platform tracks, rewards and recognizes players in real time. This ensures that players are VIP all the time. Other enhancements have been done as well, but we will keep those surprises for our client demos at G2E.
As a fast-paced start-up, we have been deeply R&D focused since our inception. More than half of the AXES team worldwide is in R&D. We have a 24 hour-a-day development cycle and our cloud platforms as well as our BlackBoxes are updated in real time all through the week. To accomplish that, we have five teams around the world specialized in their areas of expertise to grow in all areas of our vision and mission, including database management, cloud infrastructure, transaction management, products and development operations.
G2E offers us three things: meet and greet our clients and thank them for their business; meet and greet partners, friends of AXES and loyal followers to renew our friendships and find synergies for the coming year; do as many demos as we can to educate our industry on the future of our industry. This is the year for Tribal America. AXES will enter many Tribal markets in the USA this year, and G2E is the official kick-off for this initiative.
Earle G. Hall President & CEO AXES
What are you looking forward to exhibiting at G2E this year?
Everi’s core focus remains on player engagement and assisting our gaming customers to operate more efficiently.
So, at G2E 2022, Everi will showcase the full depth of its gaming products portfolio, financial technology solutions that bring commonality to operator workflows with a focus on patron self-service and the growth of Everi Digital’s iGaming footprint.
We are excited to display new titles and high-performing cabinets that enhance Everi’s robust pipeline of core and premium games, in addition to the industry-leading, fully-integrated financial
technology products and services that support gaming operators. Ultimately, we want to reinforce that Everi delivers 'Everithing' players and operators need to enhance their casino experience.
What sort of R&D has gone into the development of your products?
Ongoing investments in the development of differentiated cabinets and expansion of Everi’s games portfolio continues to drive increases in our installed base. Meanwhile, with additional investments in acquisitions and integrations, our fintech segment is achieving success in terms of installments of our digital
CashClub Wallet® technology, a record number of kiosk sales, and ongoing organic growth of our Loyalty and RegTech solutions. Lastly, Everi Digital growth reflects the continued investment in an expanded base of iGaming operator sites throughout North America featuring Everi’s games, along with a growing library of available iGaming slot content.
What do you hope to get out of an event such as G2E?
G2E represents the ideal opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to enhancing the player experience and helping our gaming partners increase the efficiency of their casino, loyalty and compliance operations. Since it is the industry’s premier event, it is important to take advantage of the platform to reinforce Everi’s position as an industry leader and a strategic partner of choice for our customers across North America.
Everi plans to continue to grow the business through prudent investments in product development, as well as with acquisitions of businesses and technologies that continue to expand the scale and scope of our product offerings, and drive our entry into new product categories and geographical markets. We are dedicated to expanding Everi’s games catalog, fintech portfolio and iGaming content, which will continue to drive up demand for Everi’s products and services.
Noah Acres of Acres Manufacturing explains how his company’s technology successfully extracts the most out of players for the casino’s benefit.
What are you looking forward to exhibiting at G2E this year?
Acres will be unveiling Cashless Casino, a revolutionary mobile cashless experience that enables points, free play and bonusing – all within the cashless app.
Along with the Cashless Casino App, Acres will showcase Precision Bonusing, an industry-unique solution that takes casino bonusing to the next level by allowing operators to quickly create custom bonuses and deploy them to any specific slot machine. With an incredibly flexible configuration option and tight integration to the Cashless Casino, Precision Bonusing dramatically enhances player engagement and grows gaming revenues by allowing casinos to create unique, targeted player offers at any time, regardless of the player’s physical location.
In addition, we will be demonstrating Optimal Poker Analyzer, a software application developed to allow casinos to maximize profit on any video poker game. The program applies advanced analytics using the Acres Foundation™ casino management system to evaluate every decision made in video poker, enabling casinos to strategically optimize marketing and operations. Assessing the actual card values as they’re dealt, Optimal Poker Analyzer instantly recognizes the optimal play strategy of each hand and grades the player’s actual in-hand decision as a deviation from the expected return of the optimal strategy.
What sort of R&D has gone into the development of your products?
Our R&D focuses primarily on the player experience and what’s working in the
mainstream world outside of casinos. Our hardware platform, called Foundation, reads real-time events from any slot machine and shares data with external systems. This creates a snappy user experience that attracts and engages players.
What do you hope to get out of an event such as G2E?
We hope to meet interesting people from around the industry, share our vision and listen to their ideas.
What is Acres looking to achieve in the next year?
We want to continue building on our success. Foundation’s first year of deployment ended with over 30,000 machines installed – probably the most of any first-year systems product ever. And we did more cashless installations than all other systems providers combined. In 2023, we’ll continue building Foundation into an industry standard platform.
What are you looking forward to exhibiting at G2E this year?
We’ll have approximately 30 new video slot titles in our booth, including our new Cash Arcade™ series led by Big Shake Neon™ and Big Shake Carnival™. These classic pinball -themed games feature an arcade-style coin pusher and a perceived skill bonus that challenges and excites players.
We’re also excited about showcasing our new Jackpot family, featuring the top-performing and Global Gaming Awards-shortlisted Tick Tock Jackpot™ game and two new games – Tick Tock Mucho Grande™ and Tick Tock Sky High™. These games feature the Countdown Pick Bonus, which adds rapid action as players scramble to beat the clock to pick the best symbols and create chain reactions that explode to reveal prizes. The popular hold and spin bonus, plus expanding reels, give players even more opportunities to win.
And finally, we’re unveiling our Spin Big™ series, featuring Spin Big Gears of Wealth™, Spin Big Galaxy™, and Spin Big Mardi Gras™. These games offer the player-favorite buy
-a-spin wheel bonus, free games with retriggers, and an exciting pick’em feature.
And that’s just a quick overview; we have a host of new content for all our slot cabinets.
spend time with so many of our customers and partners and showcase our newest products. The show really helps set the tone for the upcoming new year, and we greatly appreciate the opportunity for feedback and networking with our partners in Tribal gaming.
On the hardware side, we’ve recently added the IMPACT 49™ cabinet, which offers a 49-inch 4K floating portrait display, dynamic LED lighting, and a library designed for 4K immersive entertainment and merchandising. This really rounds out our IMPACT family. On the content side, we’ve focused on creating game families that can be banked together for optimal entertainment, and thanks to our re-architected slot platform, our newest content is feature-rich, robust, and artfully designed to attract and engage players.
What do you hope to get out of an event such as G2E?
G2E is one of the most important events for Eclipse Gaming. We get to
In 2023, we look forward to launching and seeing the success of the new games on display in our G2E booth. We also will focus on continuing to grow the number of tribes that we participate with and expand our markets.
Laura Olson-Reyes Senior Vice President of Marketing Eclipse Gaming Systems
What sort of R&D has gone into the development of your products?
"WE ALSO WILL FOCUS ON CONTINUING TO GROW THE NUMBER OF TRIBES THAT WE PARTICIPATE WITH AND EXPAND OUR MARKETS"
Rob Ziems , President of Aruze Gaming America, gives us the lowdown on what we can expect from the manufacturer at this year’s trade show.
What are you looking forward to exhibiting at G2E this year?
We are very excited about everything we’re bringing to the floor at this year’s G2E. Attendees can look forward to two things for certain: Aruze’s stunning Muso Triple-32 and super fun Go Go Claw game. The Muso T-32 is our amazing, new, triple-screen gaming cabinet. With each screen at a whopping 32-inches, graphics and jackpots pull players in like never before. It is truly a visual experience like no other. Go Go Claw is where Aruze’s unique approach to casino gaming shines brightest. It is a new spin on an arcade classic: players operate a claw that grabs for prizes. It has three fun titles available: Cash Grab, Gold Bars, and Dream Prize, giving players the opportunity to reach for cash and prizes in one of the most innovative games on the casino floor.
What sort of R&D has gone into the development of your products?
Our tagline says it all: innovation is our tradition. We found that players want far more than just slots and virtual poker when they go to the casino. That’s not to say that gamblers are tired of slots – we believe that the perfect casino floor is a blend. We developed Activ-Play™ technology for this reason. At Aruze, we use Activ-Play to put a fun and fresh twist on beloved casino and arcade classics alike, bringing an entirely new experience to the casino floor.
By going to G2E, we want to share what we think could be the future of casino gaming with the industry. We want to meet as many partners as possible and to share the fun with everyone. And, let’s be real, it’s exciting to be back in person, at an event in our favorite place in the world: Las Vegas.
We are excited to bring new Activ-Play style games to casinos and players around the world. We will continue to innovate, develop and produce new games and game styles for every type of player.
"WE WANT TO SHARE WHAT WE THINK COULD BE THE FUTURE OF CASINO GAMING WITH THE INDUSTRY"Rob Ziems President Aruze Gaming America
is focused on making the MoneyLine payments platform best in class.
The in-person interaction with all of the gaming industry leaders. We jump at the opportunity to have one-on-one time with our partners, prospects and clients. We also look forward to hearing from all of the speakers as well as sharing our own thoughts during speaking engagements, like our participation in the “Digital Payments
Tech: What’s Next?” panel this year. The industry is evolving quickly and there is a lot to learn from both operators and platform providers. We want to make sure we’re keeping a finger on the pulse of all things iGaming and online sports betting.
What are you looking forward to exhibiting at G2E this year?
We’re excited to show our clients and partners the product innovations added to the MoneyLine platform over the past year. We look forward to getting face-toface with our customers and demoing recent launches and platform updates – for instance, our Cardless Cash at ATM withdrawal feature, or the simplicity of PayPal and Venmo deposits. Our team has worked hard to stay at the forefront of what players want from the payment experience, and we want to showcase that effort.
PayNearMe is, first and foremost, a technology company. All of our development is done in-house, and our platform is developed to meet the high demands of gaming operators. This gives us flexibility to create a platform that is uniquely suited for operators. We are continuously adding new features and improvements to the platform based on feedback from our customers as well as market research. Last year alone, we had over 60 product releases, which shows that our in-house engineering team
We’re looking to help the industry grow by providing the most comprehensive payment platform for today’s operators. We’re going to help new operators go to market quicker, and help established operators attract and retain their players more effectively. We’re launching significant platform updates and new features which will provide the types of innovations that players want to see when it comes to payments. It will be an exciting year!
Gaming America sits down with Benjamin Truman, cofounder of Media Troopers, to discuss college football's unique betting appeal and and how it's gaining traction across the land.
What is the state of college football and betting?
College football and sports betting is obviously not as big as the NFL. It’s carried primarily by the Southern states and states in the Northeast. I think that over time it will grow to be bigger, but you’re going to need states like Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi to go mobile. The NCAA Southeastern Conference is the champ of college football.
While you do have certain states that prevent in-state betting on college teams – like you can’t bet on Arizona State in Arizona – it hasn’t really affected things too badly.
College football is still probably the third most popular area for sports betting after the NFL and basketball. In some ways it’s much bigger than the NBA.
Do you see the regulations in these Southern states changing soon?
There are a lot of questions about Arkansas, whether you can do mobile betting or not. Mississippi is in-person registration at the moment. Usually those things change, but they take a little while. Alabama, there’s not much news. Louisiana is obviously live. I think we all understand what’s going on in Florida. Texas, maybe a year or two. Oklahoma, nothing. You have Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina which will maybe go live
in the next year or two. And those are the states. There’s nothing, though, engraved in stone that these are going to go live anytime soon.
game days.
What sort of benefits can sports betting bring to these universities?
The biggest difference is the amount of games and opportunity. You have 126 NCAA Division 1 football teams and only 32 professional teams, so there’s a difference there. You also appeal to a bigger demographic in college football. Look at a state like Mississippi: it doesn’t have a pro team. These people watch college football. They live and die by the local team, whether it’s Mississippi State or Old Miss. You have other schools down there as well. So, in a lot of ways, there’s a bigger mass appeal because it really is every single state. A fun little fact that might help underscore my point: in West Virginia, which is where I went to college, when there is a home college football game, the hosting city becomes the largest city statewide for that one day. So Charleston, South Carolina is one of the biggest cities in the region and there are maybe half a million people there. Morgantown, where West Virginia University is, will host almost a million people on
If you look at the deal that was just done between NASCAR and the University of Alabama, that is illustrative of what they bring. They bring money. Now that athletes can get paid in college, that’s a big deal. They’re bringing money, and that’s what they need for their athletic programs. So, you saw the deal with NASCAR and the University of Alabama, you’ll see similar deals happen. I don’t think you’ll see advertisements inside college football stadiums, but you will see college football teams and athletic departments taking sponsorship money to, say, licence their database and maybe have some ads outside the stadium.
There are controversies, though, surrounding betting at the college level. Perhaps one being that a lot of college students are under the age of 21.
Well, in certain states the gambling age for sports is 18. It’s very interesting. Because it’s a states issue, you have some that are 18 and not 21. Federal is 21. Look, college students are going to bet whether they bet legally or offshore. Every town in America has
What would you say are the main differences between college betting and the NFL?
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a bookie, so the college students are going to bet. I think the bigger concern might be point shaving or if athletes have been influenced to throw a game. We saw it 15 years ago in college basketball, where guys were throwing the game. But that’s a bigger issue than whether college students are betting. College students are going to bet. It’s like saying, the legal drinking age is 21 but you’re not going to go to college and not drink. That’s not going to happen.
But isn’t there a rule where students can’t bet in state?
In certain states, they don’t allow you to bet on in-state teams, so in New Jersey, you can’t bet on anything Rutgers. The lines aren’t even available. That has to do with point shaving and the manipulation of games. That’s their main concern. I don’t think they care about the students and whether or not they bet. They’re more worried about the integrity of the game.
I know March Madness is huge on the betting calendar. Would you say that basketball has been quicker on the uptake?
Football is still king. March Madness is big, but it’s not college football or football. Football is still king and it’s going to be like that for the foreseeable future. Most
sports betting companies will tell you that their season begins September 1 and ends whatever the date is of the Super Bowl.
Do you anticipate massive growth with college football and the betting market?
Yes. I think over time, with more states opening up, college football will grow massively. Look at it like this: the largest alumni base for West Virginia University is Austin, Texas. The second largest is New York City. I grew up in Maryland. You look at
the University of Maryland and the largest alumni base is Maryland, but the second largest is New Jersey/New York City. So, as more states open, you’ll have alumni who still care and follow their schools and they are going to bet on their teams. That will continue. There’s more upside in college football than NFL because of that, because you have people spread all over. You can’t tell me that if Oklahoma opens up that the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State won’t dominate betting. Of course they will, if you’re allowed to. You bet on what you know.
So there’s more passion behind college betting than pro football betting.
Oh, yes. There’s more passion in college sports than in pro sports. Take the University of Alabama and Auburn University. Families don’t talk to each other. You hear notorious stories. I have a good friend who went to the University of Pittsburgh and I went to West Virginia University. The week of the first NFL game this year and we’re talking light-heartedly about it. We both have our NFL teams – he likes the Steelers and I like the Commanders – but we don’t really care. College, though? We’re talking smack to each other. People have passion for it.
Gaming America sits down with Bayes Esports Managing Director and COO Amir Mirzaee, who explains why the future looks bright for US esports betting, despite scandals and legislation roadblocks.
What does the roadmap for esports look like? Will it be similar to traditional sports legalization?
It’s complex, perhaps more so than traditional sports betting. That value chain in who is offering the bet can be quite long, so we provide match data, someone else turns it into odds, and the odds get turned into an offering. Everyone in that chain needs to get a license. We recently got our New Jersey license and our Colorado one is pending as well. So we’re working with two large prestigious law firms – one in the US
and one in Germany – to figure out what the requirements are, even though the legislature doesn’t know what they’re asking for.
Looking forward, I think we have a pretty clear path now. The US versus the European markets, in particular, was centered around brick-and-mortar and pre-match betting. Looking at Nevada and Atlantic City, you’re betting on pre-match odds – ‘who’s winning, who’s losing,’ but now that’s taken a turn toward more interactive live betting.
Live betting is available in around 31 states
and, as part of that journey, it turns into more of a data-driven live betting product and topic altogether. So it is moving from a static brick-and-mortar, pre-match scenario to more interactive live betting.
And following that, esports is slowly being legalized – nine states out of 31 offer it – so this is the progression that we’re seeing. Some of the issues are shared with traditional sports. It’s a very fragmented legalization process. A lot of these folks have to rethink how they do things because Nevada is very casino-centric, but very
much not online. That used to be the status quo. Now you have a lot of other states looking to bet, but you have to get licensed state-by-state and that’s worse. 50 licenses: you have to go through that.
And so following on from that, why do you believe that the US states have been reluctant to accept esports betting?
These guys are just taking time. Obviously, it’s not just a US-centric issue. Betting in general and the legalization of it is more or less advanced depending on what region on the planet you’re in. In the US, it will take a moment to understand what it is that esports is doing well. We spoke in front of the Nevada Gaming Control Board, which did a good job inviting a lot of industry players to present how this industry works, how the ecosystem works, what the players do in their day-to-day, and how it’s connected.
We discussed how integrity is handled and how betting integrity, in particular, is being addressed; they’re taking a moment to understand what to do right now.
Even the legislators in somewhere like Washington State are not clear on what they want to ask for, because they’re not yet 100% clear on how a data point turns into an odd and then how they want to enforce it. It used to all be easier when you had a brick-and-
mortar and you would just go there, there was a match going on, and you got your slip.
Do you believe that esports betting has been set back by controversies such as the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive skins gambling scandal and other scandals of that nature?
With the skin scandal, I think at the end of the day it is good for the industry as a whole. These kinds of things have to happen for everybody to understand, particularly game publishers, that their participation in the ecosystem is mandatory.
I think the biggest mistake that game publishers can make is to turn a blind eye and say ‘betting is not happening in my sport,’ which is just untrue. Betting is happening whether they want it or not.
Ecosystems will gather around it. It’s a double-edged sword. The bigger the ecosystem, the bigger the fanbase and the more betting that’s going on. That’s part of sports as a whole. Some people have a preference – they say these guys are going to win and others say the other guy is going to win, and then you have a bet.
So in this context, I think the mistake that Valve had back in the day was to not engage and ignore the issue. I think somebody like Riot, for example, has proven that taking a very active stance and producing an official
offering serves as a better template in terms of how to deal with betting, how to deal with integrity, and how to address it proactively and more sustainably.
And I believe other game publishers will have to follow suit. There are a bunch of them that are afraid of what effect having that connection with their brand name will have, but it’s an evolution that has to happen. So if more scandals have to take place, alongside unofficial data offerings, we think it’s great, because it’s both uncovering the unofficial data source and it’s uncovering the game publisher that is not forward-thinking enough to be in the betting game yet.
Now that you have tons of other ways that data is produced in terms of scraping, and in terms of false claims, you have to understand what a source for data is. How is that data being collected? How is it being distributed? How does that fit into an integrity concept? So it just takes a moment longer, but I think everybody is getting there. The US is ahead of the curve there in contrast to Germany, and Germany started live betting online already, 15-20 years ago. Still, esports is not considered a sport. It’s not approved as a sport officially which is an absolute shame. So the US, at least on that side, state-by-state, I respect that they are forward-thinking like this.
