Casino life Issue 118 Volume 14

Volume 14 Issue 118

COMPREHENSIVE GAMING SOLUTIONS FOR EVERY CASINO FLOOR

VI S I T U S AT G 2E A S I A | TH E VE N E TI A N M ACAU | BOOTH # 75 1

Visit us at Booth 1425 The Venetian Macao May 15-17, 2018

Editorial: Editor in Chief: Glyn Thomas Mob: +44 (0) 7727 969299 glyn@ace123.com Features Editor:

Damien Connelly

dconnelly@ace123.com Associate Editor Asia: Bill Healey bill@ace123.com

Associate Editor North America David Mckee

dmckee@ace123.com Special Assignment Correspondent: Sophie Behan

sophielbehan@gmail.com International Casino & Gaming Correspondent: JJ Woods

jjsilks@eircom.net Technology Correspondent: Rebecca Green

rebecca@ace123.com

Production:

Editor’s page Welcome to Casino Life...

..and it’s a busy time all round. Peter White is currently in Montengro as a guest of the European Casino Association for their successful dealer championships – so you can expect a full report in our next issue. Meanwhile I’m getting ready for Macau and G2E Asia, where I’ll be teaming up with Bill Healey our Associate Editor for the region.

Meetings are set up and we are good to go.

Back to this issue and we start with our Guest Comment by Tracy Damestani, Chief Executive of the National Casino Forum who focuses on the Playing Safe initiative.

Peter and I catch up with Simon Thomas, Owner of The Hippodrome Casino next where the positive effects (yes there are some) of BREXIT are assessed – with the doors continuing to be opened wide for foreign visitors. Best Steak restaurant for the 5th year running eh?

And so we seamlessly segway into Victor Royer who visits the fabulous GIADA Restaurant in Las Vegas. Tough assignment.

Meanwhile I had the opportunity also to talk to Lawrence Levy, VP Global Sales, NOVOMATIC about how his first 15months at the helm have been so far.

Jurgen De Munck, CEO, DR Gaming Technology™, talks to Peter White about the companys continuing expansion whilst Nadège Teyssedre Regional Sales Manager for EMEA and Asia, Zitro Games explains their policy of going direct to the Asian market ICE Africa is the latest show on the horizon and JJ Woods finds out more from Kate Chambers, Managing Director, Clarion Gaming. We close our features with Mark Wayman who advises us to “Never Ask An Glyn Thomas Executive Recruiter This Question” - and Rebecca Green supplies our G2E Asia preview. Editor in Chief Heading for Macau and G2E Asia? So are we... so drop me a line and maybe we can catch up: glyn@ace123.com

Designer: Stewart Hyde design@ace123.com

www.totaldesignworks.com

bringing ICE into

Subscriptions: Helen Holmes subs@ace123.com

Web & IT: Sudip Banjeree sb@ace123.com

Publisher: Peter White

Tel: +44 (0) 1892 740869

Mob: +44 (0) 7973 273714 pwhite@ace123.com

Birchwood Hotel & OR Tambo Conference Centre Johannesburg, 24-25 October 2018

iceafrica.za.com

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Contents 3

Editors page

5 Guest Comment Tracy Damestani Chief Executive of the National Casino Forum 6 Action Packed Simon Thomas, Owner of The Hippodrome Casino talks to Glyn Thomas & Peter White 17 GIADA at the Cromwell Resort Casino Victor Royer visits the fabulous GIADA Restaurant Las Vegas 22 Casino Business Glyn Thomas chats to Lawrence Levy, VP Global Sales, NOVOMATIC 26 ‘Technology Solutions’ Jurgen De Munck, CEO, DR Gaming Technology™, talks to Peter White 30 Going Direct to Asian Market Nadège Teyssedre Regional Sales Manager for EMEA and Asia, Zitro Games 31 Industry Welcomes ICE Africa Kate Chambers, Managing Director, Clarion Gaming chats to JJ Woods 35 Never Ask An Executive Recruiter This Question

By: Mark Wayman 36 G2E Asia Preview 2018

By: Rebecca Green Editorial Policy: The views and opinions expressed in Casino Life remain principally the views of contributors and do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or publishers.

The publishers wish to avoid inaccuracies and, whilst every precaution has been taken to ensure that information contained in this publication is accurate, no liability is accepted by the editor or publishers for errors or omissions, however caused.

Unless otherwise stated, articles appearing in this publication remain the copyright of the publishers and may not be reproduced in any form without the publisher’s written consent.

Printed in the UK by MPC Ltd.

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Playing Safe is spearheading our commitment to responsible gambling

By Tracy Damestani Playing Safe is a critical part of the casino industry’s commitment to responsible gambling and its annual report, launched at a House of Commons reception in April, showed just how far the concept has developed since its inception five years ago.

The Playing Safe executive, led by Dr Guy Bohane and Professor Yvonne Guerrier, has conducted several important projects over the last 12 months, ranging from research into messaging aimed at younger gamblers and an evaluation of the industry’s first Responsible Gambling Week, together with its on-going inspections of casino operators and a comprehensive analysis of the SENSE self-exclusion scheme on which more than 10,000 customers have now enrolled.

However, what is also clear is that the focus of Playing Safe has moved beyond compliance and it is actively working with operators to bring a consistent industry-wide approach to responsible gambling, drawing on the knowledge within the sector and embedding sound principles at every level of every business. The Playing Safe team is engaging not only with compliance directors and senior management, but also with operational staff, including Personal Management Licence (PML) holders, to ensure that good practice filters down to all levels of staff.

Its priority now will be to engage directly with customers.

The Playing Safe reception was attended by Lord Ashton, a minister at the DCMS, who made it clear that the government is committed to supporting a safe, sustainable and thriving casino industry.

Equally, he emphasised that his department wants to see hard evidence that gaming technology is being used to protect customers.

The Focal Research Project, which Playing Safe is helping to facilitate with five operators, will assess

Tracy Damestani

the feasibility of using loyalty data and behavioural analytics to identify and reduce gambling related risk and harm. Live trials are under way and we look forward to reporting the initial results.

This project, along with many others that the Playing Safe team are planning for the coming year – including a new set of guidelines for best practice in customer interactions – provides further evidence that operators are taken an industry-leading approach to responsible gambling.

I am very proud that The National Casino Forum is the first – and still the only – trade association in the gambling industry whose members guarantee that 0.1% of their annual Gross Gaming Yield (GGY) will go directly to the charity GambleAware. Our commitment to responsible gambling remains at the heart of our business and I’m delighted that Richard Wade, a hugely experienced industry leader, is joining the Playing Safe team.

Tracy Damestani is chief executive of the National Casino Forum

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Action Packed Simon Thomas, Owner of The Hippodrome Casino talks to Glyn Thomas and Peter White

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n the 118 years since it opened, the London Hippodrome has been through almost as many identities as owners. Originally built to house circuses and -- through some miraculous feats of engineering -- aquatic spectaculars, the Hippodrome witnessed the British premiere of “Swan Lake” and the stage debut of a 14-yearold Julie Andrews. It is best remembered for its nightclub years, which began in 1958 and would go on to feature a Murderer’s Row of the likes of Judy Garland, Shirley Bassey and Dusty Springfield.

The Hippodrome was acquired in 2009 by the father-and-son team of Jimmy Thomas and Simon Thomas, , who began converting it into a casino.

London Mayor Boris Johnson cut the ribbon on the revitalized Hippodrome in July 2012, calling it “yet another ringing endorsement of London as a great place to invest.” It was in the context of this burgeoning business climate that Simon Thomas sat down with Casino Life to discuss the Hippodrome’s past, present and future.

Since our last interview we have had Brexit, which everyone is sick of hearing about. However London is now competing like it has never done before on the world stage. Therefore shouldn’t it provide the same or very similar levels of gaming entertainment that can be found in the likes of Las Vegas?

You make a good point. The direct and most telling impact of Brexit so far is a widely-publicised currency devaluation. London has gone from being the world’s third-most expensive city to the 19th.

Indigenous U.K. visitor numbers have remained steady but there’s been a very healthy increase in foreign tourism. However, we’re still under the cosh from people complaining about the lack of slots.

Those from abroad expect us to provide many more than our current level of 20, where we’re capped.

The case for more has, of course, been exhaustively made, but the issue around FOBTs has created a logjam of regulatory paralysis. We are hopeful an announcement on them will be made soon.

Whilst casinos like the Hippodrome have shown the potential for a modern gaming and entertainment complex, it won’t be until casinos are allowed more slot machines, as is normal in casinos worldwide anyway, that others will be able to and will need to invest in more entertainment offerings and allow us to compete properly on a world stage.

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Is there a seasonal bounce in business levels at the Hippodrome? If so, how do you cope with the running costs to cope with the varying levels of demand and so maintain peak productivity in operational profitability?

Business and staffing levels remain satisfyingly steady across the entire year. Any weakness in local visits during holiday periods is more than compensated for by a healthy tourist influx in the same period. If anything, our key challenge is to manage the busiest periods in such a way new visitors feel compelled to return for a repeat visit. For example, in the run up to Christmas there’s an enormous demand for corporate events and private parties, which brings in a vast range of people visiting here for the first time. On top of a first-class experience, we weave in a simple bounce-back mechanic that makes a January trip to the Hippodrome even more enticing and the extra numbers make that traditionally slow month so much busier.

Light and sound are very important aspects of any leisure-entertainment venue. However, with such an impressive building this must have been a major challenge from an exterior and interior standpoint.

Light and sound are among our most effective tools to manage the energy of the building. You’ve got to remember this is an enormous place but there are popular areas here at the Hippodrome that are natural destinations, for example our Grand Casino bar on the ground floor, next to the tables, and our first-floor Heliot Bar overlooking the main gaming area. We need to encourage movement to other areas – both social and gaming – and I think we’ve mastered the trick by managing mood and vibe at the flick of a switch.

It helps that we have possibly the West End’s most sophisticated digital core within a beautiful and historic venue, with state-of-the-art lighting and sound platforms, and hundreds of screens that we use for both information and entertainment. There’s a 24-hour cycle programmed in, but all managers have access to a central control they can change in real time to change the atmosphere in different areas, to help pull large numbers of people through the building and into new locations they might possibly never see, but also to reduce the energy if an area is getting too busy.

It’s also vital to be able to do this also because of the range of events that happen here. When you have 600 NFL fans here cheering their teams, it can sometimes get pretty loud!

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Leicester Square has and continues to have major work from a development standpoint, vehicularaccess and other infrastructural issue. Do you, as a major business in that location, have a say so in this, insuring that character and special unique qualities are maintained?

Well before I opened the doors I knew I wanted to demonstrate my full commitment to the area. You can’t take over a building like the Hippodrome and ignore the responsibilities that come with it. Leicester Square and the West End are one of the world’s most important and best-known destinations. It’s a byword for entertainment. Showing we’re a responsible neighbour that will work hard to encourage visitors is all part of being the custodian of such an amazing building. We work closely with a range of local businesses, governing bodies, marketing companies, landowners, and of course the local council, to help manage the environment. We do our bit to represent London on a national stage and to make the city proud.

When I think back to the 90s and what Leicester Square was like – it wasn’t a great place, it was a tad seedy – and compare it to how it is now; two of the largest casinos in the country; two newly refurbished cinemas and a third, the iconic Odeon, currently being renovated; two great hotels, plus three new hotels with a fourth opening next year; all this on top of a recent £17m refurbishment of the Square itself... and the arrival of the U.K. headquarters of the NFL,

and the famous M&M and Lego stores. It’s been transformed. Over £600 million has been invested in Leicester Square in the last few years and you can see it. It’s vital to keep the momentum going to maintain the ‘brand’ of Leicester Square and its revitalised reputation.

There’s an average 250,000 people who walk past our front door every day – sometimes up to 300,000. And that’s thanks in part to the hard work and investment of businesses here, and the fact that Leicester Square is now somewhere people want to go.

For the player who comes from another country, in London for a business trip and or pleasure, what would they find at the Hippodrome Casino that would provide them with a novel or unique experience?

You’ve hit the nail on the head with the word ‘experience.’ There’s such an enormous choice these days that people are not just looking for a bar or a restaurant or a night out, but something extra... the full experience. Something they can Tweet and Instagram, and deliver a tale to their friends. And for those who live here in London or are visiting, a trip to the Hippodrome is just that: three distinctive casino floors, each with a different theme and vibe; a cabaret theatre that hosted pop star Prince’s final UK gig, and has seen more music stars than Broadway and the West End combined; a steak restaurant that

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just clocked up its fifth ‘Best Steak House in London’ trophy; six bars and a two-tier smoking terrace. It is rare that people do not walk into the Hippodrome and go ‘Wow.’ And they probably say it a few times during their visit. I’m allergic to the word ‘literally,’ but there’s literally no place like it.

Las Vegas and other major gaming destinations gain a lot of free publicity from word of mouth and their social-media followings promote the fun they had in that destination. Yet in the U.K. many who visit are often confronted with queues of people waiting to play on the slot machines – how does that help with the Government’s message that the U.K. is open for business.

You’re right. As I’ve already said, the limitations on the numbers of slot machines are a major tourist turn-off.

But we’re pragmatic and we will present our case persistently, intelligently and creatively, until they see sense.

The national lottery is one major, progressive random-number generator. Isn’t it about time the government looked at the competitive disadvantage that land-based slot machines have in comparison to the online versions and those in mainland Europe and other gaming jurisdictions worldwide?

Put simply, the Government’s Green Paper covering online has stated that if something is illegal offline it should be illegal online as well. This being the case, we expect a reduction in the differences between online and offline. But in actual fact, the British casino industry is not looking for Megabucks-type machines, preferring to focus on having a sensible increase in the number of slot machines. In reality, most players like playing for a winnable jackpot rather than a pie-in-thesky amount because the big wins are less frequent.

Progressive slots provide, in many players’ opinion, far more fun than balls in a box bouncing about and a chance of a million-to-one on winning?

As Jane Austen says: “One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other.” In my view, the key to a healthy UK gambling industry is a decent range of products with the appropriate regulation and availability. Simple. In an ideal world we would have: A) A smaller number of decent-sized casinos with hard gambling and high numbers of highly-trained staff, and the required levels of control and regulation.

B) A high street with more easily available arcades, bingo halls and betting shops with softer gambling –

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certainly no FOBTs – in less-supervised and lesscontrolled, accessible venues.

C) And at the softest, lowest-regulation end, seaside arcades for the family, or once-a-week lottery products, to give a player choice and a lot of fun.

How does social media play into the Hippodrome’s marketing mix?

The difference in how businesses use social media nowadays, compared to when the Hippodrome opened more than five years ago, is profound.

Techniques to attract, surprise, educate, invite, persuade, shock, and alert existing and potential customers are seemingly more straightforward – the simple tap of a button or key – while actually being wonderfully nuanced and incredibly complex.

We know just how important it is to engage the social-media audience and we continue to build our presence there. We treat the business like a regional news patch, focusing on visitors and staff alike to tell the story of what’s happening here, and the people behind the business. It’s key that readers read about more than the latest promotion or offer.

Does the casino’s entertainment offering impact visits to the casino?

One of my favourite descriptions of the Hippodrome came from a visitor reviewing us on Trip Advisor.

The Hippodrome, they said, has “the energy of Las Vegas, the class of Monaco and the eccentricity of the British.” I couldn’t have written it better myself.

You’ve got to never forget The Hippodrome is a former theatre. An entertainment icon. Opening night in 1900 saw Charlie Chaplin in the cast. The U.K.’s first performance of jazz happened here. Houdini escaped here. Julie Andrews performed in her first show here.

Renee Zellweger is currently making a film about Judy Garland’s last performances in London – they happened here, on the stage at the Hippodrome during its Talk of the Town Days.

Entertainment is fundamental to our business. And it doesn’t start or finish on the stage of the cabaret theatre. It’s from the customer’s first step through the door where there’s a history wall of the venue, including Chaplin’s cane. We celebrate the building’s entertainment history, but have also added many new elements to amuse and delight visitors; the simple addition of 12 ‘selfie spots’ ensures we’re Tweeted about more than any other entertainment business in London. And all of this leads to more visits, more talkability and more activity. But I’ll always say it’s the

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smiles on the face of our staff – each and every one an entertainer in their own right – that makes this business what it is.

Do you spend time looking at what other casinos are implementing or innovating in neighbouring countries, as well as further afield (such as in Las Vegas and Singapore)? Or do you prefer to draw more from the internal ideas of the company, and its past and present, and add to that your own experience in hospitality and entertainment?

Of course, all the above and more! We’d be mad not to look at what others are doing in the casino field worldwide, but we climb a slightly higher mountain to get a view of a wider range of businesses across the leisure market including theatre, restaurant, hotel, nightclub and retail. We have lots of our own ideas, but we’re never too proud to pick up ideas from other people; the trick is to deliver it in our inimitable Hippodrome style.

Technology plays such an important part in our lives, and it has certainly affected our leisure time. How has it affected the offering within your casino?

British casinos are not allowed virtual products – digital wheels or cards – which tends to limit us in the gaming in some ways. But even there we are enjoying using technology to develop progressives on games like blackjack and three card poker, and different ways of advertising the games. The building has a complex digital core, enabling us to track and monitor activity throughout, and communication gets better and better. I love technology but it has to have a purpose. We are disciplined to use the technology that makes our business better and more profitable, but not waste time on the seductive technologies that look fantastic, like 3-D, virtual reality, curved screens, where it’s difficult to find true commercial benefits.

Great food and entertainment are vital in providing a memorable night out. What, in your opinion, are the key values and qualities that the Hippodrome provides that have made it London’s leading entertainment venue?

It’s all about people, place and product. It’s the breadth and synergy of what we can offer. The total package. So you can eat at a multi-award winning steak house, or drink in any one of six bars, see a world class show and choose a casino environment that best suits your personality – we’ve three to choose from. It’s that element of choice – the best at

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every level – that makes us a compelling destination, all within a walled garden of casino-level protection and regulation.

How does the Hippodrome cater for the Asian community, both domestic and international?

London is marketing itself very aggressively at the Asian audiences, and the high number of visitors from this region show it’s paying dividends. We’re building key relationships with organisations that bring the Chinese to London – tour operators, business forums, local Chinese influencers – while ensuring we have the staff, the know-how and attractions that will ensure their visit is a memorable one, and doing the same with Japanese, South Korean and other key markets.

Everything we create for the English-speaking audience is mirrored for the Asian one. Signage, our Web site, the information in booklets and screens, is all available in the Chinese language. Recruitment of bilingual staff is key, and we’re having enormous success in this area too, as a simple greeting and tour of the property in Mandarin or Cantonese can make a massive difference.

We now have a presence on WeChat, which has 700 million Chinese users, a dedicated Chinese menu, and our relationships with the London Chinese community have never been stronger, including our hosting of the Chinese Community Centre on our second floor. We will also be sponsoring, throughout this year and next, London’s first dedicated Chinese Arts Festival, which will bring into the business a new Asian audience, some of whom will never have been in a U.K. casino.

What are the facilities provided for hosting corporate and society occasion events along with weddings?

Comprehensive! This is another element of our business that sets us completely apart from any other casino in the country. Our ability to host events for 600 down to private dinners for four, presents us with a huge opportunity to attract people into a casino environment who would ordinarily never consider it. The modular design of the non-gaming areas allows us to offer the widest possible range of space and facilities for practically any event. This includes using any of the six bars, amsmoking terrace, cocktail lounge, two private dining rooms, a 100-seat restaurant and cabaret/events theatre that can seat 220. Pick your space and style of party, and we can make it happen.

We host NFL parties, and film and theatre premieres for 600, while attracting many of London’s

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retail, corporate and banking audiences for launches, company presentations and private parties.

There’s a very definite ‘edge’ to holding your event in a casino, which works in our favour, especially when so many return in the near future under their own steam.

What innovations do you feel you have accomplished?

We are always innovating and some are tiny but important (if you think small things don’t matter, try sleeping in a room with a mosquito), and others more macro.

A few big ones: We have shown the value of casinos to the UK by developing a world-class asset loved by local people and tourists alike, employing more than 700 people, attracting upwards of 35,000 customers a week and providing material social and amenity benefits to the area, all the while paying more than £32 million in tax a year to the

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exchequer.

We’ve shown the benefit of why you should never stop innovating.

We constantly reimagine our spaces and uses of those spaces, making improvements that – you never know – will themselves will be improved upon in a few months’ or years’ time. Those who know me understand I’m not the kind of man to sit still.

And there’s been a whole path of personal development for me along the way. I’ve had my own series of innovations as employee number one; the role of property developer to get the permissions and the place built; as a politician to work with those who run and rule London, and the local area; as ringmaster to encourage, cajole, and glue together the vast array of disciplines here and get everyone working together.

Now, I’m having more fun than I could ever imagine. But I can still see the massive opportunities that lie in the future of the Hippodrome.

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NOVOMATIC GAMING INDUSTRIES GMBH International Sales: Lawrence Levy +43 2252 606 870 756, sales@novomatic.com www.novomatic.com

The Cromwell in Las Vegas

Fine Dining at The Cromwell in Las Vegas

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By: Victor H Royer

asino Life magazine recently had the great pleasure of sampling many exciting and delectable delights at GIADA restaurant in Las Vegas, located directly above the golden four corners of Las Vegas, at Flamingo Road and The Strip, atop the famous boutique casino resort, The Cromwell. Our Crew, affectionately known as the “three musketeers of Casino Life and Screentrade magazines” – Peter, Philip, and yours truly – had the opportunity to visit this wonderful boutique resort, located next to the Flamingo Las Vegas, and directly opposite Caesars Palace. Also on this famed corner are Bally’s Las Vegas and Bellagio, and a bit further on The Cosmopolitan, and The Mirage to the north.

This is by far the most well-known corner of Las

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Vegas – kind of like Piccadilly Circus in London, or perhaps Times Square in New York. I know it well, having spent 35 years in Las Vegas, and many of them right there, at this corner. Of course at that time The Cromwell was known as the Barbary Coast, and Bellagio was still the Dunes. Ahh, but these are trips down memory lane...

Today, The Cromwell is part of the Caesars Entertainment portfolio of resorts, and has earned the distinguished Forbes Recommended Award from 2016 to 2018, signifying that it is among the best hotels in the world. The Cromwell, the first standalone boutique hotel on the Las Vegas Strip, offers 188 rooms, including 19 suites, and a personalized virtual concierge service known as Ivy. Additionally, the boutique hotel features a

The Cromwell Casino Resort in Las Vegas – featuring fine dining at GIADA

40,000-square-foot casino with a brand-new sportsbook; Bound, the elevated hotel lobby bar; Interlude, a casino lounge featuring live entertainment; and the award-winning GIADA restaurant, the first-ever restaurant by celebrity chef and television personality Giada De Laurentiis.

Also available is a 24-hour fast-casual eatwell; plus Drai’s Beachclub – Nightclub, a 65,000 square-foot rooftop pool and nightclub with day and nightlife experiences boasting open-air, panoramic views from 11 stories above the iconic Las Vegas skyline; and Drai’s After Hours, located at its original home beneath the boutique hotel. The 40,000-square-foot casino features 66 table games, 434 slot machines, and a reserved gaming salon.

GIADA is the creation of Emmy Award-winning celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis, daughter of famed “James Bond” movie Producer Dino De Laurentiis. Chef Giada De Laurentiis shares her delicious Italian cuisine at the GIADA fine-dining restaurant inside The Cromwell, where guests are welcomed with warm colors, comfortable furniture and natural lighting thanks to the restaurant’s huge retractable windows. Guests can eat in the dining room, or the lounge, boasting breathtaking views of the Bellagio fountains, and of Caesars Palace.

The Main Casino at The Cromwell, Las Vegas

The fabulous Main Bar at GIADA

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The Main Dining room at GIADA

The Main Dining room at GIADA

Chef Giada De Laurentiis

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The menu at GIADA consists of Italian cuisine, with refreshing Californian influences, and a wine selection that has earned “Wine Spectator’s” 2017 Best of Award of Excellence. Menu items also include lemon spaghetti, chicken cacciatore, marsala herb chicken meatballs, rosemary focaccia and lemon flatbread and vegetable Bolognese rigatoni.

GIADA adds a lighter touch to her dishes, all while staying true to classic Italian recipes.

There are also family-style options, along with vegan and gluten-free choices. Desserts, like the lemon ricotta cookies and sorbets, serve as the perfect ending.

Guests can watch chefs prepare fresh pasta, bread and desserts from the open kitchen. The delightful scents of freshly baked meals are sure to entice the senses. GIADA also features an antipasto station, a first for Italian eateries on the Strip.

Located on The Cromwell’s second story level, GIADA seats 260 guests and offer private dining room options for large parties.

Our Crew sampled several dishes, including the Seafood Tower, the excellent Shrimp, Crab, Lobster and Scallop platter as appetizers, the smooth and sumptuous Filet Mignon as Main Course, and a treat for the senses in the form of a 24 oz bone-in Rib Eye

Chicken and Waffles

Salmon Benedict

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Asian #1

Action Game On Earth

tgginteractive.com

Rigatoni Vegetable Bolognese

Tuscan Rib Eye Steak

Bucatini

steak. Condiments included sautéed broccoli cooked to perfection, very delicious small potatoes in skin – boiled soft but not mushy – which were a truly wonderful experience for the palate! – with various assortments of breads, dips, butter, salt and ground pepper all served by a professional and dedicated staff who looked after us in the truest tradition of great service in one of Las Vegas’s finest restaurants.

Having also enjoyed great wine from the prestigious wine cellar at GIADA, our crew relaxed after the meal, and watched the dancing fountains at the Bellagio, just across the street, and in full view of the open-to-the-air retractable windows of GIADA. Warm desert air wafted inside as we sat and watched the dancing fountains resplendent in the glistening lights of the Las Vegas Strip, and neon. We gazed at Caesars Palace, also across the street, and watched their fountains, and the glow of the Las Vegas lights emanating from everywhere.

At the end of our meal, we enjoyed cappuccino coffee made as well as any such can be made. All in all, this was yet another culinary delight among the fabulous food, wine, and service at GIADA, inside The Cromwell, in Las Vegas.

Lemon Spaghetti

Sunrise Polenta Waffle

The famous Brownie Cart of desert delights at GIADA

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Casino Business

Glyn Thomas interview with Lawrence Levy, VP Global Sales, NOVOMATIC

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L

awrence Levy knows the casino business from the bottom to the top. His distinguished career started as a croupier with London Clubs before taking to sea for a six-year voyage as casino manager for the Cunard cruise fleet, and then to Cannes, at the prestigious Carlton Casino Club. After serving contracts in Iguazu, Argentina and Mauritius, Levy joined the Hyatt Regency corporation, which saw him posted to Baku and Thessaloniki. Next was back to Argentina as director of Casino Buenos Aires, then more colorful adventures with Queenco, which dispatched him to casinos in Morocco and Uganda. From Africa it was on to Casinos Poland (gaming advisor to the board) and Thunderbird Casinos (operations director). Levy finally settled in one place for a while when he joined NOVOMATIC, which made him general manager of its Peruvian operations. From there it was not so much onward as definitely upward, as Levy became senior vice president for NOVOMATIC’s Central and South American portfolio.

Then, in 2017, NOVOMATIC leadership made the operations veteran vice president of global sales. An operator overseeing sales? How would that work?

Very well, apparently.

Now living in his 18th country, Levy is based at the company’s global headquarters in Austria.

Casino Life caught up with Levy in the midst of his travels (even in a senior office position he keeps on the move) to ask him how his first 15 months at the helm of sales have gone.

It’s been just over a year since you took on the role of vice president of global sales. How has it been?

I can sum it up in three words: exciting, challenging, rewarding.

games for the US casino market, which is a singlegame market. We now understand a lot of that kind of product in terms of game and cabinet design, as well as mathematics, which is also very applicable in other markets such as Southeast Asia. So this is where we see the major future growth.

Globally, do you see greater turnover in sales worldwide in that year?

That’s difficult for me to put a claim on right now. When I came in, it was really to understand the structure, to see if there were any potential changes that could improve sales worldwide. What NOVOMATIC does in Europe, it has been doing for a long time, and it has been doing so very well. While we continue to evolve in our key European markets, I also see growth opportunities outside of Europe, especially in the US, as well as in Latin America, Asia and Africa. We have already been working on

Could you elaborate on the popularity of the V.I.P. Lounge™ cabinet?

It’s been extremely popular everywhere we’ve placed it. Judging by a lot of the operators that I’ve spoken to on my travels over the last 12 months, it’s without a doubt been one of the top-performing cabinets for NOVOMATIC. The new, curved-screen version has been eagerly anticipated, and I predict this will be hugely successful as well. It’s the comfort that it gives the players, it’s the high-definition of the monitors and then, of course, it’s the game content. All in all, the V.I.P. Lounge™ has been one

Is NOVOMATIC R&D all centered at your headquarters in Austria now or does it encompass Ainsworth and other offices around the world?

NOVOMATIC has 29 technology centers in 16 countries, mostly in Europe but we also have a dedicated studio in the US, in our Chicago office.

And yes, we are working together with the technology centers of Ainsworth in Australia and Las Vegas, looking for possible future integration of ideas, concepts and mathematics.

What are some of the unique distinguishing features of NOVOMATIC’s impressive new cabinets PANTHERA™ 2.27 and PANTHERA™ Curve 1.43?

These two new cabinets have been developed for international casino markets and were presented for the first time at ICE this year. The PANTHERA™ 2.27 features a straightforward design, LED illumination and an elegant appearance, with two 27” monitors, a new and improved TouchDeck™ player interface and the option of an additional 24” topper for marketing or jackpot displays. The PANTHERA™ Curve 1.43 is a stylish cabinet that features a fully immersive design with a single 43” curve screen in 4K, as well as the new TouchDeck™ and optional topper. Both cabinets offer a variety of marketleading content, and the PANTHERA™ Curve 1.43 is our feature cabinet for the Enchanted Fortunes™ Linked Jackpot solution.

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of our best-sellers for the last 18 months.

What has been the reaction of visitors to your booth at exhibitions with regards to the new licensed slot “From Dusk Till Dawn™”?

Extremely enthusiastic. I was fortunate enough to participate in two focus groups in the US – players and operators – where we showed this game. In both groups, the participants said it’s amazing what NOVOMATIC has done. We’ve taken a theme and run with it, and created something really exciting.

This is the first time we’ve ventured into a themed, licensed game for international markets and feedback so far is that we should carry on doing it.

From Dusk Till Dawn™ is a compelling theme, and features an outstanding line up of actors. While keeping the essence of a NOVOMATIC game intact, it has a lot of bonus features, incredible visuals, incredible sounds – so it’s been very, very positive.

Can you provide our readers an insight into the myACP casino management system as well as why it’s so popular among casino owners worldwide?

The Octavian myACP casino management system is a modular and scalable solution that monitors all casino floor activity, covering tables, the cage, registration, player tracking and more, providing extensive marketing capabilities and intelligent reporting. It’s a very well-designed and robust system that also works with local and wide area progressives as well as mystery jackpots. It comes out of our technology center in St. Petersburg, and we also have R&D system support from our offices in Argentina. It’s very successful – myACP is now connected to 20,500 machines worldwide and we expect to hit the 30,000-machine mark in the next 18 months.

Central and South America are important markets for NOVOMATIC, particularly with countries like

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Peru which is a region you are already familiar with from your previous employment, which must be an advantage for you with this region.

Yes, very much. I was senior vice president for Central and South America for NOVOMATIC for about eight years, based in Peru, so I looked after all the countries from Mexico and below, which included sales, operations, development projects – it was a little bit of everything, depending on the opportunities. In general, Central and South America is a very important market for NOVOMATIC. We’re now looking with our R&D teams and our Latin American managing directors at putting together some specific Latin American initiatives that will be tailored exactly for those markets.

What processes are implemented to ensure that high level of quality control and rigid testing is maintained?

I’ve been extremely fortunate to see all of the stages that the R&D teams go through, and the structure behind it. There’s a very rigorous testing procedure that comes after that, both software and hardware. We work very closely with gaming labs such as GLI, BMM, SIQ. It’s a critical part of any slot manufacturer’s life – and we take it very seriously. Our after-sales services ask for as much feedback as we can get to make sure we’re working with the best configurations for their particular markets.

It’s a never-ending process.

What do you see as the future growth drivers for your organization?

Concerning global sales, and outside of our continued developments for the European markets, we are concentrating on product areas such as progressive content, linked content and electronic

table games. With ETGs, our solutions feature live wheels, automatic wheels, virtual content, and we are moving a lot of new development into these areas including a selection of side bets. There are big opportunities for these products in the US, in Asia as well. Also in the area of video bingo – we purchased the majority share in Otium two years ago. We now have GLI certification for our video bingo products and the cabinets are TITO-ready, which opens development opportunities for us in Southeast Asia, as well as Europe and South America. In general, the additional markets outside our home European base are great development opportunities that have our attention.

What exhibitions are you planning to exhibit at for the remainder of this year where readers can visit NOVOMATIC and Ainsworth booths and see the latest game cabinets and associated products?

We’ve just completed the NIGA tribal gaming show in Las Vegas, where we showcased a wide range of products, including the new PANTHERA™ 2.27, PANTHERA™ Curve 1.43 and V.I.P. Lounge™ Curve 1.43 cabinets described above. We also

presented From Dusk Till Dawn™ and unveiled our next licensed theme for international markets – MacGyver™, based on the iconic TV show. We’ll be taking these cabinets, connected to our new linked progressive Enchanted Fortunes™ Linked Jackpot, to G2E Asia next month on a combined NOVOMATIC and Ainsworth stand. We also share a space at Juegos Miami at the end of May. For the rest of the year, we will have standout displays at all major exhibitions including the Peru Gaming Show, SAGSE Buenos Aires and, of course, G2E in Las Vegas.

Finally, Lawrence, have you anything you’d like to add?

In general, it was an interesting and forwardthinking move for NOVOMATIC to put somebody with an operational background in charge of global sales – and I think it’s been a good move. When I’m travelling, the conversations I have with operators, slot managers and casino directors are probably on a different level than somebody that’s just got a sales background. That seems to create a specific connection of trust. To me, that’s very positive and I’m very happy to be a part of it.

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Jurgen De Munck, CEO, DR Gaming Technology™

Technology Solutions Jurgen De Munck, CEO, DR Gaming Technology™ talks to Peter White How important is DR Gaming Technology™s attendance at G2E Asia 2018, and for how many years have you now been attending the event?

Our attendance at G2E Asia is driven by the fact that as a global supplier, we believe that it, combined with G2E Las Vegas, and ICE Totally Gaming London provides us with the best possible spread of global customers, across equally well spread times of the year.

2018 will see us exhibiting at G2E Asia for only the second time, following our initial attendance in 2017.

What key products and/or solutions will DR Gaming Technology™ be showcasing at G2E Asia 2018, and why?

The key product focus for DR Gaming Technology™ (DRGT™) at G2E Asia 2018 is the ongoing expansion of our highly successful range of local progressive, wide-area and mystery jackpot offerings, which remain (at present) arguably the widest in the world, along with our on-going pursuit to offer operators, and more importantly their players. true cashless, and ultimately cardless solutions via our drSceeenUltra player tracking display; which at 8.8” is the largest in gaming today.

We will also have our successful BlackJack11s and Baccarat11s Tables side bet and jackpot games on display, as well as our drSelfRegistration kiosk which affords operators and players a far quicker and less labour intensive way to register for any form of

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raffle, draw or game show type promotion or event.

The reason for selecting these products follows the significant interest in them, and our company, at G2E Las Vegas in 2017, and even more so at ICE Totally Gaming in 2018. We, as a result, are hoping to garner similar levels of interest at G2E Asia.

What is the Company’s key focus for the Asia-Pacific region in 2018, are you expanding in a particular product segment?

As noted above, we had significant interest in our range of jackpot and systems products, as well as our drSelfRegistration at ICE Totally Gaming in London in February this year, as well as at G2E Las Vegas in October last year and we see G2E Asia as the obvious entry point to gauge whether similar interest prevails in the Asia-Pacific Region. As a result, defining any key product segment for the Asia-Pacific market at present is quite tough. We trust, however, that the momentum gained at the two most recent shows attended in the US and UK will continue into Asia, and that our interactions with operators at G2E Asia will assist us further in honing our key product focus for the region.

What kind of business successes has DR Gaming

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Technology™ achieved in the Asia-Pacific region in the past 12 months, and during that time have you entered any new markets or made any major deployments in the region, or elsewhere?

Whilst we have enjoyed significant growth over the last 5 years, doubling our install base on devices from around 20,000 in 2013 to just over 45,000 at the end of 2017, the bulk of that growth has taken place in Europe, Africa and Latin America. To that end we increased our presence in Latin America towards the end of 2017, by adding a new office in Mexico and Colombia to our existing sales office in Peru, as well as offices in Uruguay and Paraguay earlier this year. There is no reason, based on our success in that region that a similar opportunity does not exist in the Asia-Pacific region – hence our attendance at G2E Asia last year and again in 2018.

Our view remains that the Asia-Pacific region is full of opportunity, and as such G2E Asia provides the platform we need to gauge that first hand.

To date we have installed our product in venues in Laos, Vietnam, and The Philippines, amongst others.

Are there any key/distinctive features to the Macau market in particular on the product front, and addition thereto, where do you think the market is

About DR Gaming Technology™

headed in terms of any local or global trends?

We remain of the view that true cashless gaming and jackpots are what will drive player demand in the foreseeable future, not only in Macau or the AsiaPacific region, but globally.

Many operators are relying on jackpots to not only rejuvenate their gaming floors, but to drive added player interest in their entertainment offering too, in fact some operators have as much as 70% (seventy) of their gaming floors operating with a jackpot in some form or another. With our ability to capture wins straight to social media via our drScreen Ultra, these big and more frequent wins will be ‘shared’ and ‘liked’ by many ‘friends’ and ‘followers’ in so doing creating added awareness of operators’ establishments and their gaming and other entertainment offerings. As a result, we remain fully committed to our investment in the development of jackpots that will excite players, and provide operators with jackpot products that enhance their players’ experience.

Similarly, players, and consumers in general, have become more and more demanding of tailored communication and offers. Faster mobile processing power, access to ‘the internet’, more stable and secure systems and the ongoing integration of as many services as possible is what will ultimately drive us all to a cashless environment. An environment where all accounts, bills and anything else that needs to be paid by, or paid to, a consumer/ player can be undertaken in and out of a single e-wallet that we all trust and feel comfortable using.

Established in 2003 by CEO Jurgen De Munck and CTO Michiel van Dam, DR Gaming Technology™ (DRGT™) is now the world’s fastest growing independent gaming systems supplier.

It’s state-of-the-art systems are developed using the latest technology, resulting in the unique ability to operate without a server, in so doing greatly simplifying system installation and implementation, and ensuring customers total management control over their entire operation/s.

At present the Company’s modular, flexible and cost-effective system solution operates across over 50 different countries, and on in excess of 45,000 gaming devices, boasting some of the most powerful functionality in the world.

Subsequent to acquiring Systems in Progress (SiP) in 2012, DRGT™ moved to its current headquarters in Aalst, Belgium in 2015. In addition to its head office in Belgium, DRGT™ also has offices in Austria, Malta, Peru, Mexico, Colombia, Uruguay, Paraguay, and South Africa. www.drgt.com LinkedIn: DR Gaming Technology™ At present our RFID ‘Tap and Play’ cashless card solution and sector leading 8.8” drScreen Ultra player interface are leading our market penetration in specifically the cashless sector.

Ongoing market forces, and a dedicated strategic focus on the player, have driven (and continue to drive) our research and development. The flexibility we are able to offer operators has ensured we remain at the forefront of design, and has been the backbone of our growth and the ever-increasing market support of our product. Our driving force remains the player, and it has always been with this ‘hat’ on that we develop, design and produce solutions. If what we produce does not ultimately make the player experience better, then it is of no use.

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Nadège Teyssedre, Regional Sales Manager for EMEA and Asia

Direct to Market

Z

ZITRO Will Serve the Asian Markets Directly

itro will serve the Asian markets directly.

In recent years, the commercial activity of Zitro in Asia was mainly focused on the market of Bingo Video venues in the Philippines. Today, with the rapid growth of the Bryke video slots product range, the company’s aspirations in the Asian market are much bigger. With Bryke, Zitro now has gaming machines also for casinos in the region. To more effectively deploy its new and powerful product range, Zitro increases its investment in the Asian market, directly assuming the commercialization and technical service of its products in all jurisdictions of the Asian Continent.

Sebastian Salat, CEO of Zitro, said that “at Zitro we feel prepared to compete in Asia with our gaming machines, and within the momentum our company is living, we want to give direct service to our customers. This way, we can be closer to them and better understand their needs, with the

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goal to spread the word of the spectacular value proposition that Zitro has prepared for operators in the region. Our Regional Sales Manager for EMEA and Asia, Nadège Teyssedre, will be present at the next G2E Macau event.”

Nadège Teyssedre, Regional Sales Manager for EMEA and Asia, has said that “in addition of offering Video Bingo operators a renewed library of games for their venues, Zitro is now ready to supply proven profitable video slots to the Asian casinos.

Our team based in Manila, has been endowed with human and technical resources to guarantee an impeccable technical service, and G2E Macau is an excellent opportunity to personally inform our customers of Zitro’s firm commitment with the Asias market.”

For more commercial information about Zitro in Asia, please contact us at Sales.Asia@zitrogames.com

Kate Chambers, Managing Director, Clarion Gaming

Industry Welcomes ICE Africa

Kate Chambers, Managing Director, Clarion Gaming chats to JJ Woods How did ICE Africa actually come about?

The story begins in London in February 2017 when we were asked by a group of our stakeholders to explore the possibilities of developing an event for Africa to take place in October! To launch an event, secure a venue get the buy in of key stakeholders and put in place all of the functions you need to run an event in less than nine months is a massive undertaking which most event organisers would have politely declined. But that’s not how we approach opportunities at Clarion Gaming, so I took a deep breath and the first Gaming Africa was conceived. Nine months later we were reflecting on the success of a high profile two-day learning and networking event, which attracted industry thought leaders and regulators from 52 countries, including 16 African nations. The event received plaudits from all sectors of the industry including regulators,

operators, suppliers and manufacturers. The opportunities in Africa are like the continent itself – immense. Africa represents some 52 nations with 1.6billion people, 68% of whom are under the age of 27. This is such an exciting market that we decided to take what many people believe to be a bold step and rebrand the 2018 event as ICE Africa. This is an historic development - the first time the ICE brand has been exported outside of the UK. The marketing campaign has started and registration is live at www. iceafrica.za.com.

In what ways will ICE Africa differ from ICE London?

Whilst the scale of ICE Africa will be nothing like the experience of attending ICE London, similarities will be based around the standards of organisation, of content and of professionalism that we are bringing to this new event brand. Whilst there is huge growth

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in Africa, it takes many decades of careful nurturing to develop an event anywhere close to the scale of ICE London which in 2018 occupied 43,500 sqm of net space. ICE Africa will be an event where the industry can meet, network, see the very latest gaming innovations, share best practice and progress in a strategic and sustainable manner.

What’s the response been like from the industry?

When we launched at ICE London the reception was attended by over 300 gaming industry professionals and the mood was extremely positive. We had ringing endorsements from people such as Tristan Kaatze, Director of Casinos Sun International and John Kamara, Director of Global Gaming Africa.

Tristan commented that the development potential in Africa is massive and that the launch reception showed how much networking potential operators and international companies see in the market.

John echoed those views, adding that having the ICE brand in Africa would help showcase the new opportunities in the market from rising GPS to direct international investment and rising disposable income. I’m delighted to say that six months ahead of the opening ceremony, the high level of interest remains with key supporters, speakers, sponsors and media ready to engage with what is gaming’s newest event brand. The ICE Africa team is in place and

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working with our stakeholders in order to deliver on our pledge to create a world class business event for the continent.

A large number of Clarion events have a strong training element to them – will that be the case with ICE Africa?

We know from the many conversations that we’ve had with the market in Africa and, indeed, throughout the world, how important training is in terms of raising standards and creating a professional and sustainable industry. To satisfy this need, we will be bringing the highly acclaimed ‘Totally Gaming Academy’ masterclasses to ICE Africa, offering full training steams for online, land based, sports betting and affiliate sectors. When the industry comes together at an event such as ICE Africa it represents a fantastic opportunity not only to see product and network but also to learn and for companies to invest in their people.

Training is a vital method of equipping individuals to deliver the best possible customer experience and in the Totally Gaming Academy we have what is widely regarded as the best training and personal development resource in the industry. I’m delighted to confirm that after widespread consultation with our stakeholders that we will be including training that’s specifically aimed at regulators, as well as a

programme that will provide operators with a better understanding of regulation.

How do you anticipate operators making best use of the opportunities offered by ICE Africa?

Response from both the operating and supply sides of the industry in Africa have been equally positive.

While there are a large number of challenges that are common to businesses operating across every gaming jurisdiction there are also some issues that are unique to local or regional markets. As such,we have been told there is great value and potential for an event that is regionalised and in sync with market dynamics. From a cost perspective it will enable operators to expose a much larger number of staff to the networking, training and information exchange opportunities that ICE Africa will deliver.

ICE Africa is the latest in a series of events launched

by Clarion Gaming: how does it complement the rest of the portfolio?

Our strategy is to provide international suppliers with a schedule of business events and opportunities that meet the specific needs of the market. They range from the highly targeted WrB style events which may have two or three hundred delegates, right through to ICE London, the world’s biggest gathering of the international gaming industry which in February of this year attracted a record and independently audited 33,536 visitors from 153 sovereign states and jurisdictions. In between these two extremes we have a variety of event brands all of which have

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been created in partnership with the local industry.

While the events vary in size, duration and remit they all carry the Clarion Gaming Ampersand which serves as a kite mark for quality, attention to detail and professionalism. Our pledge to the international industry is to organise and deliver a joined-up programme of high quality business events based throughout the world and ICE Africa is the most recent piece in the Clarion Gaming jigsaw.

Clarion’s gaming brands are delivered globally and attract more than 50,000 customers annually in locations spanning every continent, with flagship brand ICE London recognised as the world’s largest gaming technology exhibition. Clarion also organise the world renowned iGaming events, iGB Live!, GiGse, Juegos Miami and Affilate Conferences in London and Berlin, as well as the established World Regulatory Briefings and Gaming Congresses in Brazil and Japan. Delivering multi-level training for gaming professionals since 2007, the Totally Gaming Academy has firmly positioned itself as the leader in gaming training across online and land based platforms and now offers training in casino management, online gaming, sports betting and anti-money laundering. TotallyGaming.com is the online community for the industry and iGaming Business is the leading print publication in the sector.

For more information on ICE Africa and to register, visit the website at: www.iceafrica.za.com

Never Ask An Executive Recruiter This Question:

By Mark Wayman

What else you got?

So an Executive Recruiter approached you with a GREAT new career opportunity. You interview for the role, and although you did well, the company felt another candidate was “more closely aligned with our business requirements.” Translation: They liked someone else more. Happens…all the time.

There may be a hundred reasons why you didn’t get the job offer, and most of them have nothing to do with you. The hiring manager picked his buddy.

Why? Relationships trump talent, and he knows, likes and trusts his buddy. Is it fair? Nope! But it is how the world works. Possibly the company’s expectation is too high. Another common situation. The company wants a $225,000 executives for $160,000. Sorry, not in this economy. A third reason is COMPANIES MAKE BAD HIRING DECISIONS. This year has been shocking on that front. Some of the executive hiring decisions boggle my mind. They are probably OK in the short term, but what happens when the economy falls apart? All those lousy hiring decisions will stick out like a sore thumb, and the companies will quickly be in financial distress.

And the biggest reason of all? Everything happens for a reason. We don’t always understand the master plan, however we usually get a glimpse at some point down the road. Be careful what you wish for!

Just worked a Director, Human Resources role and my candidate did not even get an interview. The compensation on the role is well below market rate, and the company took two weeks to get back to me.

Wow, real professional. You won’t be hiring any star athletes with that process.

Recently had two candidate situations. Secured them both interviews. One candidate was 85% of what the hiring company needed. They interviewed

him and passed. They are STILL looking. The other candidate was the best person for the job and should have received a job offer. He did not. Trust me, I was disappointed, but at the end of the day, the decision was up to the CEO at the hiring company. Gave him the benefit of my knowledge and experience, but it’s 100% his call.

Both candidates asked me , “What else you got?”

If you remember nothing else from this article, remember these two things. First, the Recruiter’s job is to secure the interview. YOUR job is close the deal. If you get the interview but not the job offer, the Recruiter did their job. Refer to the above – there may be a hundred reasons you were not selected. Don’t take it out on the Recruiter!

Second, Executive Recruiters get people for jobs, NOT jobs for people. There is not a long line of $300,000 career opportunities. The Recruiter has to focus on their open roles or they don’t get paid. They are not Career Coaches; they don’t have 10 jobs for you. Thank the Recruiter for their time and move on.

Never ask “What else you got?”

Mark Wayman is the Founder and CEO of The Foundation, LLC, an executive placement firm focused on gaming/casinos and high tech. He has placed 600 executives over the last ten years, with compensation packages from $100,000 to $2,000,000. Last year he placed eight executives over a million dollars. His articles appear on The Huffington Post, and he is a regular on the Internet radio show Casino Talk. Mark is an active supporter of Make-A-Wish, Opportunity Village, Olive Crest and a dozen other local and national charities. He can be reached at mwayman2@cox.net, or for more information, go to www.godfatherlv.com

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Preview of G2E Asia 2018

Cammegh • NOVOMATIC • SUZOHAPP DR Gaming Technology • TRANSACT • INTERBLOCK

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SPOTLIGHT

Cammegh expands its regional footprint at G2E Asia 2018

C

ammegh, manufacturer of the world’s finest roulette wheels, will be showcasing its range of exquisitely engineered gaming products at the G2E Asia gaming exhibition in Macau from May 15-17, 2018, including the stunning Mercury 360 Halo with eye-catching in-rim LED lighting and the ever popular Mercury 360 with unique Chinese designs and the matchless Slingshot 2. “G2E Asia

has become a cornerstone show for Cammegh,” explains Andrew Cammegh. “We have significantly increased our market share in Australia in the last 12 months and we are excited to greet our established customers from the region, including Singapore, Philippines, Cambodia and Vietnam.”

Cammegh recently won the order to supply the Corona Casino in Phu Quoc, Vietnam, which the company is delighted to announce is its single

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largest installation for a new-build casino.

Cammegh is to supply 13 Mercury 360 roulette wheels, two Slingshot 2 TT wheels, a Mercury 360 Mini wheel and two beautiful Crystal wheels for the casino, which is due to open in June this year. Each of the wheels is complemented with Cammegh’s innovative and striking Billboard displays, which also adorn the additional 87 table games at the property, bringing the total installation to 100 Billboards.

“Our recent order in Vietnam and the timing of the G2E Asia show couldn’t be more perfect,” states Mr. Cammegh. “The exhibition is an excellent opportunity to establish new contacts and over the last five years has become an increasingly

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important part of our global events programme.

The team looks forward to welcoming visitors to the booth and to showcasing our products; including demonstrations of the flagship roulette side bet, Spread-Bet Roulette, and the brand new SpreadBet Baccarat. We will reveal customdesigned wheels and graphics for Asia and highlight our established products and side-bets that have achieved such great success in the region. Finally, the Multiboard will also be on show, allowing players to see multiple results on a single screen.

We look forward to showcasing this fabulous range of products in Macau and welcome all visitors to stop by the booth.”

SPOTLIGHT

NOVOMATIC and Ainsworth to display new scope of products at G2E Asia

F

or the second time at G2E Asia, NOVOMATIC and Ainsworth Game Technology will present a joint stand this year, featuring a range of new products for the Asia-Pacific markets. Half the Stand #501 will be dedicated to each company and showcase a wide scope of products such as new cabinets, linked and stand-alone progressives, licensed games and dedicated content.

Centre stage for NOVOMATIC will be two brand new cabinets – PANTHERA™ Curve 1.43 and V.I.P. Lounge™ Curve 1.43 – that made their first-ever appearance at ICE this year and will be unveiled in Asia for the first time. Both cabinets bring a robust and stylish gaming experience to the casino floor with a 43” curve screen that delivers a variety of single- and multi-game content in exceptional 4K quality. The new 15.6” TouchDeck™ player interface gives players unique control, and the V.I.P. Lounge™ Curve 1.43 offers a luxury experience with the highly comfortable V.I.P. Scorpion Chair.

The new cabinets will showcase fresh content including titles from the Fortunes series such as Vampire Fortunes™, Pyramid Fortunes™ and Book of Ra™ Mystic Fortunes. A total of six new games will be presented on six PANTHERA™ Curve 1.43 cabinets and connect to the Enchanted Fortunes Linked Jackpot™ – the new linked progressive that also makes its Asian debut. Other new content features high-impact game mixes NOVO LINE™ Interactive Edition X and NOVO LINE™ Concurve Edition 4.

More firsts for the region include the licensed title From Dusk Till Dawn™ on the NOVOSTAR® V.I.P. 3.50 and V.I.P. Lounge™ 2.32, plus single-game titles

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Viking & Dragon™, Great American Wilds™ and Fire, Earth and Water™ that present the breadth of NOVOMATIC cabinets. As the company’s ETG footprint expands in Asia, so does the portfolio, and visitors to G2E Asia will experience a NOVO LINE Novo Unity™ II installation as well as LOTUS ROULETTE™ Pro. Completing the NOVOMATIC showcase will be Otium OT300 video bingo cabinets with new games and jackpots.

New games including Asian-specific themes, as well as jackpots, will be displayed by Ainsworth on innovative cabinets such as the A640® and EVO® that complement the product offer for the region.

Featuring a 40” display and game-driven lighting effects, the A640® brings a sophisticated gaming experience to the casino floor. EVO® is the latest cabinet from Ainsworth and features a range of new and proven content across two 24” screens with pinstripe-edge lighting and a first-rate design.

Titles such as Lucky 8 Treasure™, Fire Power™, Golden Link™, Golden Cash™, Oriental Express™ and Quad Shot™ – all available on the EVO® – will further demonstrate Ainsworth’s commitment to a long-term pipeline of successful content. Also on show will be new games Super Charged 7’s™, Triple Challenge™, Rumble Rumble Bison™ and the licensed title PAC-MAN Wild Edition™ on the A640® cabinet.

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CONNECTING PEOPLE AND INNOVATIONS IN THE ASIAN ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY

連接亞洲

娛樂業界與創新科技 Market Trends. Quality Products. Networking. 市场趋势、优质产品、建立联系 VISITOR PREREGISTRATION IS

G2E Asia: Informs smart business decisions. 亞洲國際娛樂展：助您作出明智的商业决策

NOW OPEN 觀眾預登記

現已開始

MAY 15 - 17, 2018 | 2018年5月15-17日 THE VENETIAN MACAO | 澳门威尼斯人 A G2E EVENT

www.g2easia.com

PRESENTED BY

ORGANIZED BY

S

SPOTLIGHT

SUZOHAPP to present advanced cash handling technology at G2E Asia

S

UZOHAPP is ready for the upcoming G2E Asia that will take place between the 15th and 17th of May at the Venetian Macao. SUZOHAPP will be presenting the highlights from its portfolio of worldclass products at booth #1219, including individual components for gaming machine manufacturers as well as complete solutions.

Cash handling equipment is a strategic offering for SUZOHAPP and a broad range of components will be showcased at G2E Asia. Visitors will get the latest information on the Comestero coin validators that offer excellent coin discrimination and marketleading anti-fraud technology. SUZOHAPP is also the expert for coin pay-out devices and visitors will appreciate the advantages of a variety of hoppers. Special focus will be given to the new Intelligent Coin System (ICS) that is a real step ahead in multi-denomination coin pay-out technology.

A rich assortment of cash handling solutions will also be displayed and the innovative CashComplete™ SDS-35 will be taking center stage at the SUZOHAPP stand. This is a brand new Smart Deposit System which represents a cost-effective method of securing notes and reducing labor time associated with counting notes. At the SUZOHAPP booth, significant focus will also be placed on the SCAN COIN back-office solutions, including the SC-8220, SC-8100, VC-100D note

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counters and the SC-360 coin counter.

At this year’s G2E Asia, SUZOHAPP is proud to introduce its new global partner Nanoptix to the Asian market. The vast range of Nanoptix printer solutions will be presented, including the Paycheck NextGen, Paycheck Slim, Paycheck Terminal, Spill Proof with cutter, HSVL Advance and High Speed Coupon Printer.

SUZOHAPP is the right partner for all casino applications and visitors will have the opportunity to see the top-selling SH1950 video topper, the VisionPro 19” non touch display, the 27” dual-sided display with LED lighting, the Loyalty Kiosk and the

Display Pro. One of the biggest highlights will be the DPS (Dynamic Panel Systems) which is the latest innovation in pushbuttons - all the adaptability of touch screens with the tactile satisfaction of mechanical pushbuttons.

“This year’s G2E Asia promises to be very special for SUZOHAPP,” stated Mr. Peter Noye, Vice President Commercial & Strategy at SUZOHAPP APA. “We are excited to exhibit again! We continue to invest in providing new technology to meet any customer expectation. Our goal is to support OEMs and help operators in their day-to-day business.

Please join our experts at booth #1219 to see a live demonstration of our latest innovations!”

May 30 - June 1, 2018

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SPOTLIGHT

World leading progressive and mystery jackpots and an all new self-registration solution puts the player first

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R Gaming Technology™ (DRGT™), the world’s fastest growing independent gaming systems and jackpot supplier returns to Macao for G2E Asia 2018, inspired by the ever-increasing interest, and positive responses, to its state-of-the-art userfriendly technology experienced at ICE London in February and G2E Las Vegas in October last year.

Having only made one prior visit to G2E Asia, a year ago, the Company has made some inroads in the Asia-Pacific region, namely Vietnam, Laos and The Philippines, but believes that with the

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exposure offered by the Macao-based expo, further relationships will be made, networks established and ultimately a new customer-base generated.

Notwithstanding it’s market leading 8.8” drScreen Ultra player display interface, and it’s full drScreen touchscreen technology, DRGT™ is keen to focus its initial efforts in the Asia-Pacific region on it’s world-leading jackpot technology, and it’s recently launched drSelfRegistration raffle and loyalty card issue and redemption solution.

The Company’s jackpot solutions offer arguably the world’s largest selection of ‘off the shelf’

configurations, with a further option to design bespoke offerings for operators, or have operators design and implement their own parameters based on their specific players’ needs. Whether players are after standalone, linked progressive or wide-area progressive jackpots, DRGT™ has an ever- increasing bouquet of tried and tested solutions. In fact, the company’s largest wide-area progressive jackpot customer has just over 5,000 EGMs linked across approximately 100 different locations.

Then, in keeping with the Company’s development mantra to always design solutions for operators that put their player first, their newly launched (at ICE 2018) drSelfRegistration raffle ticket and loyalty card solution, provides a quick, simple and easy way to register players, and then provide them with a simple and easy way to redeem raffle or draw tickets at the push of a single button.

We all know that life in general is just getting faster and faster; we order food, clothes and pretty much anything else now online, and have it delivered to our front door. We hardly ever use cash now either, and when travelling our boarding passes, or bus tickets are all virtual and ‘sit’ on our smart phones. With that in mind, DRGT™ continues to push the technology envelope, as is evidenced in their drScreen Ultra ‘tap and play’ RFID player card and interface solution, and their recently launched drSelfRegistration solution. drSelf Registration significantly reduces player, and staff time spent at initial member registration, and then allows players to view and print any raffle or draw tickets they may have qualified for as and when they wish, at the touch of a button. The player then simply places his pre-populated tickets in the draw tombola without having to retain any form of proof of entry himself, as all ticket details are already captured against his single membership number.

Any new players/members simply proceed to a casino reception/membership desk, scan their passport or any other identity document or card eg.

Driver’s Licence, and drSelfRegistration populates all necessary fields with the requisite information. The player then enters his address details, which will be pre-emptive, based on the product’s integration with Google® Maps, and a contact number, and the process is complete. The operator’s staff member then simply verifies the details by physically

DRGT™ Lead Design Engineer Nathaniel Portelli

checking the player against the information captured on drSelfRegistration and prints the player card. The entire process should not take much more than 2 minutes, and us undertaken almost 100% by the player himself.

DRGT™ Lead Design Engineer Nathaniel Portelli noted that, ‘The solution is currently working a treat in Belgium and The Czech Republic where at present only one staff member is overseeing four drSelfRegistration terminals.’ Add to that the benefit that each time a player arrives at your casino, he will be notified of any draw or raffle tickets available to him and given the option to print them then and there, or delay the print to another visit, and you have a simple and easy to operate solution that decreases operators costs, and significantly enhances the player experience.

DRGT™ will be proudly demonstrating drSelfRegistration at booth 825 at G2E Asia from 15 – 17 May 2018.

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SPOTLIGHT

TRANSACT goes from strong to stronger in the Asian market

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ollowing a fantastic year of growth and major wins, not only in Macau, but across Asia, TRANSACT is looking to G2E Asia to continue the momentum through 2018 and beyond.

TRANSACT has a strong history in Macau. The Epic 950 was specified in Wynn Macau, the first all TITO casino on the peninsula and has continued to grow their leading reputation and position in the market since. The Company now holds a commanding market share being specified by 5 of the 6 concessionaires in Macau’s thriving gaming market.

Earlier this year, MGM Cotai opened equipped with TRANSACT Epic 950 across the entire casino floor, a deal which also saw the MGM Macau remove and replace all the incumbent printers and replace them with Epic 950. This was a huge win for the company and comes on the back of 5 of the last 6 new openings on Cotai installed with TRANSACT across the floor. TRANSACT’s Vice President of Sales for Asia-Pacific, Rash Suliman, commented, ”We are extremely pleased to add MGM Macau and MGM Cotai to our list of satisfied customers in Macau.

The Epic 950 has proven itself time and time again in the Asian market and continues to win with its robustness and reliability for our customers.”

While the MGM competitive knockout and new opening award was the biggest win for TRANSACT Asia in the last 12 months, it was by no means the only one with the majority of the largest new projects across the Region specifying TRANSACT as its Casino printer partner of choice.

Nagaworld in Cambodia has turned to the TRANSACT Epic 950 for the opening of the

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Nagaworld 2 Casino, moving away from its previous supplier in the existing casino. After intensive testing and comparisons, the Epic 950 emerged as the winner at Nagaworld 2 and TRANSACT continues to grow their presence in the region.

TRANSACT also notched up important new opening wins at Imperial Pacific Resort Hotel in Saipan and Corona Casino at Phu Quoc in Vietnam.

The Corona property will open later this year with Epic 950 printers across their expansive floor.

Specifying the Epic 950 is the first step toward being ready to implement TRANSACT’s promotional and bonusing couponing system, Epicentral, which

allows operators to target and provide printed bonuses in real-time to players while they play on the casino floor. Epicentral remains the industry’s only enterprise-level promotion and bonusing software solution.

Epicentral promotion and bonusing software suite, allows casino operators to target and deliver printed promotions/bonuses to customers in realtime directly at the slot machine and electronic table game. Capable of working with all existing slot management systems and games, regardless of manufacturer, Epicentral provides casino slot and marketing teams with the unparalleled ability to create a floor-wide bonusing environment that has been proven to drive increased time on device and, ultimately, increased revenue for the casino operator.

Not content to rest on its existing success, TRANSACT has been busy strengthening its local presence, appointing 2 new partners to better service and support its customers across the region, signing agreements with Asia Pioneer Entertainment (APE) in Macau and The Bright Group (TBG) in Australia.

“We think it vital to give our customers the best possible experience” says Tracey Chernay, Senior Vice President for Casino, Gaming and Lottery “offering in-market, local support and working with people who know the markets on a broad and deep basis gives our customers the best possible experience, quickest service and shortest lead times. Both TBG and APE are well respected and are proving to be fantastic partners in their respective markets” Chernay added.

At G2E Asia, TRANSACT will be showing the Epic 950, the current industry-standard for TITO printing. TRANSACT’s Epic 950 continues to deliver proven performance in over 750,000 slot machines worldwide. The Epic 950 features TicketBurst™ technology to eliminate player/ticket interference and Quick Release technology to easily swap out printers. All of the Epic 950 product in the market worldwide is fully upgradeable and compatible with

Epicentral to provide for the real-time delivery of eye-catching personalized promotions and bonus offers direct to the players at the slots.

Alongside the Epic 950, TRANSACT will showcase the recently introduced next-generation Epic Edge.

Built on the proven long-term performance of the industry-leading Epic 950, the Epic Edge is designed to be a drop-in replacement for the Epic 950, allowing operators to run both printers side-by-side.

The Epic Edge next-generation casino ticket printer offers operators a new print resolution (300 dpi) that delivers a 50% improvement over all current printers and razor-sharp barcodes, allowing it to improve ticket acceptance and reduce attendant calls. It also includes an adjustable ticket bucket that accommodates standard tickets and smaller, papersaving tickets.

Attendees at the show will have a chance to see first-hand the unmatched reliability of the Epic 950 and the Epic Edge, which is packed with technology to simplify casino operations and improve slot floor performance.

Filling out TRANSACT’S presence on the show floor, the Epic Edge TT and Epic 950 TT are purposebuilt printers taking the power of the advanced Epic Edge and proven Epic 950 outside the slot machine to give casino the option of printing TITO at table games, players’ club desks or cash desks. The TT product line packages the printer with an internally mounted power supply in a stylish compact design that is easy to deploy. In addition, thanks to their dual port capability, the Epic Edge TT and Epic 950 TT allow operators to expand the bonusing environment created by Epicentral, to non-gaming device applications.

In addition to the TITO printers, TRANSACT will also demonstrate their full range of Epic roll-feed printers for the VLT, Gaming, Sports Betting and Lottery markets showing the Epic 430, Epic 880, and Epic 3000.

Please stop by stand 719 at G2E Asia and talk to the team and see why you should choose TRANSACT for all your gaming printer needs.

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SPOTLIGHT

Interblock to display its passion for gaming at G2E Asia 2018

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uxury gaming manufacturer and electronic table game (ETG) market leader Interblock® are looking forward to G2E Asia with a strong lineup of products. At the show, Interblock will exhibit its Stadium, StarBar, MiniStar, eTable, Big Six and Roulette Diamond Station product lines at the Venetian Macau, May 15 – 17 on stand #513.

Asia is one of Interblock’s fastest-growing markets, and continues to lead the ETG segment in record numbers with large-scale product placements.

Michael Hu, VP of Asia at Interblock, said, “We are delighted to showcase some of our latest innovations that have been placed across the region, while displaying the methodological

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enhancements made to our products based on our customers feedback.”

Interblock recently announced a deal with Vegas Plaza Grand Plaza Hanoi that brought Interblock’s footprint to more than sixty seats on their casino floor. The company is the category market leader in Vietnam with more than 90% market share and over 2500 units installed. Interblock also announced the placement of two twenty-five seat Diamond Stadiums within Thunderbird Resorts & Casinos properties in Rizal and Poro Point in La Union, the Philippines.

Interblock’s Stadiums can be configured with automated, video, dealer assist generators and/or live table platforms based on footprint availability.

This flexible platform provides operators with the most efficient use of floor space when multiple games are activate. It offers the most versatile Stadium game portfolio to generate play 24/7 while reducing operating expenses. At the show, the Stadium will be configured automated and video versions of Roulette, Multi-hand Blackjack, Baccarat and Sic Bo. Additionally, Interblock’s eTable will be configured for Baccarat – including side bets – with five seats and allows operators to simply press a button to

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change the game to play with or without a live dealer. If the operator chooses to have a dealer, the dealer presses a button to initiate and confirm the game. This option gives operators the flexibility to generate revenue with or without a dealer. The eTable can also support Blackjack.

The Roulette Diamond Station, gives operators the opportunity to offer Roulette to venues that cannot place ETGs or live table games, due to space or jurisdictional requirements. The Roulette Diamond Station’s small footprint allows the product to fit perfectly into venues with space limitations. Game cycles can be as fast as a standard spin cycle on a slot machine.

MiniStar Roulette will feature a new ball-chasing light and sound package designed to elevate the player experience. LED lights on the wheel and amplifying sound effects will chase the ball until it drops into a pocket.

Finally, the multi-game StarBar bar top allows players to interact with up to four games simultaneously including Craps, Multi-hand Blackjack, Roulette, Video Poker and more. At the show, the StarBar will demonstrate its ability to connect to external generators on Interblock’s booth.

CONNECTING INDUSTRY LEADERS AT THE HEART OF GAMING IT ALL STARTS HERE Set yourself up for success at Global Gaming Expo (G2E) – the largest gathering of global, commercial, and tribal gaming professionals in the world. Take advantage of new educational content that is fast-paced and actionable and experience first-hand the new products and innovative technologies showcased on the expo floor. G2E has everything you need for your casino floor and across your entire operation – from traditional casino fare to non-gaming amenities and digital products - G2E is where your business growth is accelerated.

2018

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