CASINO
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Victor H. Royer
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or better or worse, the 2024 election cycle is receding into distant memory in the United States. Perhaps the best thing about that is no longer having to be exposed to political ads. The second best aspect is that state governments can stop being afraid of gaming as a political issue and start dealing with it again as realists.
There is never as much money in the kitty as politicians think (or wish to spend) and sooner rather than later they have to face the hard reality of raising funds. And what’s the softest target of opportunity? Gaming. Either raising taxes on legalized gambling or legalizing it, if you don’t already have it – and then taxing it.
As many as 14 U.S. jurisdictions could be looking into gambling expansion this year, according to PlayUSA’s Matthew Kredell. The best odds are in New Hampshire and yet, even there, Kredell doesn’t rate them better than 50:50. The longest shot is North Carolina, where solons have legalization fatigue after long fights over casinos (the nays had it) and sports betting (yes). Kredell gives the Tarheel State a one percent chance of expanding gambling in 2025.
The likeliest form of enlargement in almost any state is through iGaming. Although the money there is huge, it has proven easy to resist. This is not least because so many lawmakers have quaffed the late Sheldon Adelson’s Kool-Aid that online gambling is somehow less respectable, less moral even than brick-and-mortar play. Yet the rhetorical rubber is about to meet the budgetary road in America and we’ll find out just how deep-seated the fear of iGaming really is.
In New Hampshire, iGaming got halfway to the finish line in the last session. But now Cordish Gaming wants to build the Granite State’s first big-budget casino ($160 million) and Cordish hates iGaming. So factor in the additional fear that Cordish will threaten to take its ball and go home.
At least in Illinois, lawmakers will have to have a serious conversation about iGaming. They went to the tax-hike well last year, mainly on DraftKings’ and FanDuel’s posteriors, and they can’t do it again. On the other hand, hyper-conservative Wyoming might be the first state west of the Mississippi River to go the iGaming route. Legislators are looking at a potential $40 windfall in a state that has very little other gambling of which to speak. Be hopeful.
Besides Maine (25 percent likelihood), where tribes have lobbied for online casinos, the chances dwindle. Even tax-famished New York State is a very long shot. Still other states would have to go through popular votes (almost certain wins) after the legislatures have their say.
So, the odds may be long but the prize is worth it. To coin an expression, Game on.
David McKee Editor
Growth and Development Opportunities for Gaming
Across Europe, the Middle East and Asia there are many existing opportunities for growth and development. A new casino opened recently and there was a notable refurbishment of a casino in Europe’s largest market.
Additionally, the partnership between the American Gaming Association and the European Casino Association could precede one of the longest-running ‘will they won't they’ sagas in our industry. Some European operators are available for acquisition. They would, I think, consider joint-venture relationships –including a silent-partner investor sort of relationship. It could be similar to one of the most successful, longterm, commercial partnerships between a European and North American operator.
High-quality operators from other regions could, if correctly done, successfully enter the European market. There’s one of the other long-running issues in our industry that keeps on raising its head: slot parlors in European markets, calling themselves casinos. They
operate to much lower standards than casinos and potentially enable bad actors to exist from the perspective of lower quality regulatory practices, especially anti money-laundering, know your customer and all-important responsible gaming.
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Damien Connelly
Editor EMEA
Damien Connelly, Editor
Weathering the Storm
A veteran casino operator reflects on the challenges facing the gaming industry.
By Michael Boettcher, President, Storm International
Navigating the ever-changing currents of the global gaming industry has always required a delicate balance between innovation and regulation. For over three decades, I’ve been at the helm of a business that has witnessed the rise and fall of countless trends, regulatory shifts and market demands. Storm International, with its flagship brand Casino Shangri La, has operated in this complex system, offering gaming experiences across multiple jurisdictions as best it can in the face of increasing tax, stifling regulations and general apathy towards the industry.
One of the greatest challenges for the gaming industry today is striking the right balance between necessary oversight and fostering an environment that allows businesses to grow sustainably. Rules are, of course, essential – they protect players, ensure responsible gaming and maintain the integrity of our industry.
We in the industry are well aware of how to run our businesses in the most efficient way possible and have no desire to lose our player base because of bad decision making, where we would be entitled to lose that business as a result. But excessive or poorly informed oversight by regulators and poorly advised government officials will drive legitimate operators out of business. This will give rise to illegal operators who will readily fill that gap, where the risks for players and governments alike multiply.
Instead of focusing on that small minority who are admittedly adversely affected by unhealthy gambling habits (caused by compulsive/addictive behavior which is a condition affecting about 10 percent of the population) in all its forms, why not take a different tack? Why not focus instead on supporting
Michael Boettcher, President, Storm International
a business that provides millions of jobs worldwide, billions in taxes and provides entertainment to the vast majority of people who enjoy gambling within their means to do so.
This is where collaboration becomes paramount. Policy decisions that affect our industry should not be made in isolation. Governments must engage with industry stakeholders to craft frameworks that ensure both accountability and sustainability. Business leaders bring insights grounded in realworld operations, which can help shape policies that protect public interests without stifling legitimate enterprise. As history has demonstrated time and again, competition and demand are the most organic regulators of any industry. They foster innovation, elevate standards and ensure that markets remain vibrant and fair.
Of course, this doesn’t diminish the importance of rules. Responsible gaming is important and we in the industry are well aware of that. At Storm International, we’ve invested heavily in systems and training to promote safe gaming environments, ensuring that our customers can enjoy themselves responsibly.
But responsible gaming goes hand in hand with a thriving, profitable business. Operators must be allowed to innovate and grow, not merely survive. After all, a sustainable gaming industry contributes significantly to economies through job creation, tourism, and taxation – provided the environment allows for success, something to which many people in government are blind. They are focusing more on making themselves feel important rather than supporting our industry, without which – in some cases – they wouldn't have a job.
As we prepare for ICE 2025 in Barcelona, I encourage us all – industry leaders, regulators and stakeholders alike – to engage in meaningful dialogue. Let us embrace innovative solutions and draw from the wealth of experience within our industry, shaping a future where gaming continues to entertain millions responsibly while contributing positively to local economies.
I know it’s a big ask but wouldn’t it be nice if the majority of the profit from the billions of risk-taking investment was returned to the investors, rather than to a government that neither invests nor contributes to our well being in any way? I won't hold my breath.
Think Nationally, Act Locally
A conversation with American Gaming Association
President Bill Miller. By David McKee
What do you do when you can’t get what you want from Washington, D.C.? If you’re American Gaming Association
President Bill Miller, you take your case to the states. That’s what happened when Miller found the Biden administration unable or unwilling to make a causus belli of illegal, offshore gambling sites. There were sympathetic ears among state-level attorneys general and Miller got what he wanted, although he’d be the first to say that there’s much more to be done. Miller’s seven-year (and counting) tenure at the AGA as CEO and prexy has been one of opportunity mixed with crisis. He came in with the chance to celebrate the downfall of the Bradley Act, opening up sports betting (and how!) for the U.S. gaming industry. Then he and the industry got socked, in 2020-1 with Covid-19, rendering Big Gaming – and tribal gaming, too – hors de combat for months on end. What followed was
a recovery that happened much faster, sooner and bigger than almost anyone expected … and which Wall Street seems not quite able to believe, even now.
That was one of the issues Miller addressed in a wide-ranging exchange with Casino Life. He spoke of both the outgoing Biden administration and the incoming Trump one, as well as recent political theatrics on Capitol Hill. He spoke frankly of problemgambling issues, and also of problematic media coverage. And he had a few forecasts for the new year. Our conversation has been lightly edited for clarity and length.
Looking back on 2024, what were the AGA’s greatest successes?
There were many. One of the things that’s exciting about being in this industry and having the privilege of running the AGA is you really get to see the challenges
when we’re moving things forward. Just from a pure economic perspective, through October – and we don’t have all the late numbers yet – revenues were up seven percent across the board from 2023. We are at 45 months in a row of sustained growth. What other industry in America can say that? I’d be hard-pressed to find one.
As we look back at where we’ve come from the depths of Covid, there were those who thought, “Sure, the gaming industry’s going to do quite well because of pent-up demand, government stimulus, etc., but it’s a sugar high.” What we’ve seen is that we’ve continued to be a mainstream entertainment option for Americans.
Wall Street, although they’ve finally gotten off this hobby horse, kept predicting a recession in gaming that has yet to materialize.
That’s right. I’m not so Pollyanna-ish as not to think that our industry will have challenges. Macroeconomic issues and global issues can affect us. We saw that in a very pronounced way during Covid. But our industry has seen itself to be far more resilient than those people on Wall Street thought we were.
What were 2024’s biggest disappointments?
[Chuckles] Like any industry, you have really exciting things and you’ve still got challenges. I can’t point to a specific disappointment. The illegal gambling market’s not going away and not easily. When we’ve thought about “How are we going to approach 2024,” we say, “All right, in the sports betting space we’ve seen pretty significant growth, but in the states where there’s no legal sports betting there is a robust illegal market.” Bovada, MyBookie.com, etc. continue to flourish. We’ve said one of our key challenges – but also opportunities – is to make it hard for these guys to operate.
That includes the sports betting online space but also, importantly, includes those gray-market skill game machines in places like Pennsylvania, Virginia, Missouri or Florida. Those machines don’t have the protections of the legal, regulated market. They prey on people with problem-gambling issues, people that are underage, with zero tax revenue, with zero oversight. They, by and large, have had a look-theother-way attitude by some people that were tasked with law enforcement. In the beginning of 2024, this was a major, major problem and we’ve made a lot of headway with it.
Bovada pulling out of 13 states because of the actions of attorneys general who sent cease-anddesist letters. That strengthens not only market operators but also protects the consumers. We’ve made a lot of headway in that area, as well as in the skill-game machines. The state of Virginia recently authorized both brick-and-mortar casinos in the commonwealth as well as sports betting. Then we were faced with the possibility of the authorization of these lookalike skill-game machines, at a much lower tax rate. That would have significantly affected negatively those legal operators that have invested hundreds of millions of dollars. That was a massive challenge and we ended up winning, fighting these guys back. We got a veto from Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
As we turn the page to 2025, the people that want to run illegal gaming operations are going to do it
United States Capitol building, Washington D.C.
because it’s a lot easier than paying the taxes that we pay and getting licensed. They are not going away. They were a challenge in 2024 and they will continue to be in 2025. We still have a long way to go.
Is that the level at which the Bovadas of the world are going to have to be solved? What conversations have you had at the federal level?
To be candid, we didn’t a get a great deal of receptivity at the highest level of the Department of Justice. But with the FBI we have many, many conversations. We shouldn’t be shown favoritism. But if there are illegal competitors that are hurting consumers and quite possibly financing other illegal activities – drug trafficking, etc. – then the federal government should play a role.
The support at the federal level was not as good as I thought it should be. It’s in part why we went to the states. The states may have limited effect but let’s see what we could get done. We put together regulator roundtables at Global Gaming Expo and these other gatherings, with state attorneys general, and have had
conversations with legislators at National Council of Legislators from Gaming States. They understand and appreciate that the legal, regulated industry supports a lot of government funding, and it is in their interest to do what they can to reduce the effects of the illegal market.
The success came from the states, not from the federal government, but I haven’t given up on that and our team hasn’t given up on that. We’ve yet to see what an incoming attorney general, Pam Bondi, and an incoming, filled-in administration look like and prioritize. I’m an optimist by nature and I believe we can make a pretty compelling case that these offshore businesses that prey upon individuals are bad for the government and should be prioritized. The prioritization issue was the one where I was disappointed.
But I’m also a guy who worked nine years in the government, too. You try and get the government to take on a new issue, they say, “Man, I’ve got terrorism on my plate at the FBI and the DOJ. So while we’re sympathetic there may be other areas where we’re better-suited to help you than us.”
Bill Miller, President and CEO of American Gaming Association
Did you watch the recent Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on sports betting? If so, what did you think of it?
I did. I was disappointed that we didn’t have representation from the actual industry. But I do think Dave Rebuck did a great job in pushing back on this notion that state legislators are ill-equipped to handle sports betting. Obviously, 5,000 regulators are getting up every day, making sure that they understand what the industry means to their state but also holds them to account. There are a lot of people like Dave Rebuck that take their job very seriously. They want to see a successful commercial gaming industry but they also want to see an industry that plays by the rules.
Do you expect more such political theatre in the new Congress?
All Congresses have political theatre. I don’t believe that we will be a priority. The hearing obviously got sidetracked on a number of non-gaming, non-sports betting issues. [Laughs] Some of those issues will certainly be revisited. These really challenging issues that Gov. Charlie Baker has, running the NCAA, are only going to get harder: the potential unionization of athletes. What does NIL look like? How does the transfer portal work? What is a part-time job? Then to the degree there’s an interaction with sports betting, we might be dragged into there to some respect.
We are very intentional about this: We look an identify those members who, when they run for Congress, we always want to understand them. Oftentimes those are people who were in the state legislature before they went to the federal level or Congress. We are understanding what their perspective was when they were a state legislator and whether there was a casino nearby, whether they were supportive or opposed or somewhere in the middle, making sure that they understand the economic impact we create in these communities.
We now have over a thousand casinos across America and that’s a really important foundational piece of intelligence that we get. We go make sure those legislators understand the value that we’re creating in their states. That goes a long way to lessen the likelihood that you’re going to be the subject of some political theatre.
What do you make of a recent plethora of antigambling coverage in the legacy media?
media, particularly the legacy media, has a poor understanding of our industry. They fall on some old, stereotypical dynamics that are factually questionable. There’s a lack of appreciation in many cases between what is happening in the illegal gambling market –Shohei Ohtani – and what’s happening in the legal gambling market – Jontay Porter. The legal market is working, in that it’s creating deterrents for people that are part of the sport from engaging in betting that might endanger or affect the integrity of the games, versus the illegal market, which was the Shohei Ohtani story. The media just throw them all in one big bucket and say, “Wow, gambling’s out of control.” Quite frankly, it’s lazy reporting.
We spend a lot of time pushing back when mainstream media is using Bovada odds for things that are not legal bets in the U.S. Then they’re saying, “There are these issues all over the country that are very problematic and they’re happening on college campuses.” We say, How old are people on college campuses? Most people are 18 through 23, when in almost all of the states the legal gambling age is 21. Then you have to say a responsible reporter should
The
Joe Biden, the 46th President of the United States
“
It’s important to remind people that responsibility is in our DNA. We are one of the most highly regulated industries in the country. Part of that is that we act in accordance with the license that we hold."
better understand how much of that gambling is actually legal and what’s illegal. One of the challenges has been the poorly reported-on realities of building a legal sports betting industry from scratch in seven years.
It comes with the territory. We’re not crying it our soup. It’s just a function of the realities and the laborious nature of educating non-gaming reporters in the structure of how the gaming industry works on a state-by-state basis, rather than at the federal level –like if we were selling Procter & Gamble products. That requires a level of education that sometimes we’re not able to catch in every one of these stories.
Between some recent scandals like the Ohtani investigation and sundry money-laundering probes, could we see a push for federal regulation of the industry?
The current structure works quite well. I’m not a constitutional scholar but I do believe that the Supreme Court recognized that the federalism dynamic of our country, and that the states have traditionally run and regulated the gambling industry. Federal incursion into that is not going to be welcomed by state governments or legislators or treasurers – of a Democrat or Republican stripe. We are further away from federal legislation now than we were last year, when we were very far away. In the House and two Senate, I think you’ve got only two cosponsors of bills to do that type of thing.
What is the AGA’s official stance on tribal OSB, particularly with Deb Haaland leaving the Interior Department and Doug Burgum soon in?
The courts have made a decision about this and it will
Charlie Baker, President, National Collegiate Athletic Association
Glenn Youngkin, Governor of Virginia
“
New York City is probably closer than any. The potential of figuring out what those three downstate comes closer into the windshield because Gov. Kathy Hochul’s trying to put together a budget in Albany and saying, “This could really help.”
have ramifications for Florida, and may have for other states and tribal nations. We’re very proud to have 11 tribal nations as members of the AGA. I get their counsel all the time and we have an incredibly good working relationship with Chairman Ernie Stevens of the Indian Gaming Association. In talking with these guys, they don’t believe there will be a significant change in posture towards tribal nations with Doug Burgum being the Secretary of the Interior versus Deb Haaland.
You mentioned tribal membership in the AGA. Would you like to up that?
We are always in conversations with different tribes, always looking for people that are interested in the AGA specifically. Geographical diversity is always very important. Our conversation has always been, “What does it look like at the congressional level? At the state level?” Certainly, having a significant commercial footprint across the country with many different delegations is important. But it’s equally important to have tribal representation as many places as you can. Now, some states don’t have tribal nations that have been recognized and many do not have tribal nations that have been also recognized for casinos. It’s a little bit of a challenge but we’re always looking to build relationships with the tribal nations.
Regarding responsible gambling, the AGA seems to be in a no-win situation: It is accused of not doing anything or, if does make efforts, that it’s not doing enough. What’s your take?
[Sighs] It’s important to remind people that
Merrick Garland, United States Attorney General
Ernie Stevens, Jr., Chairman, Indian Gaming Association
responsibility is in our DNA. We are one of the most highly regulated industries in the country. Part of that is that we act in accordance with the license that we hold. We can be held to account and our industry IS held to account when it acts inappropriately. Then the other side of it is that the industry is, by and large, the largest funder of responsible-gaming and problemgambling resources in the country. Importantly there have never been more resources available for problem gambling than there are today.
We, as a legal, regulated industry, cannot be successful unless we act in a responsible manner. When I think about whether we are, I don’t think about some reporter who has an axe to grind with the industry. I think about mainstream America. Today, nine out of 10 Americans think that gambling is a mainstream entertainment option and that’s a pretty high water mark for the industry, one that I do not believe we would attain if the general public believed we were predatory.
What would be the impact on consumer spending – and thus on gaming – of proposed new tariffs, middle-class tax hikes and reductions in Social Security?
The gaming industry is pretty resilient. This is a function of the decades of investment in the communities. People want to have fun. They want to take a break from their everyday life and go play slots
or table games. Their economic standing is probably one of the most important elements of whether or not our industry will remain successful. So you could probably get 10 different economists to get 10 different opinions about what tariffs might mean to people’s discretionary income.
There’s a lot of talk about middle-class taxes being increased. As someone who worked on the 2017 tax bill, I don’t see that as a real likelihood. Reducing benefits in Social Security tends to be very political in terms of the rhetoric that’s used around it. Who knows what all the details are going to be around that? But
Pam Bondi, Attorney General-designate
Manhattan skyline
it is pretty clear that the government doesn’t have the money to pay Social Security and Medicare for any significant length of time. If you were going to make the system more solvent, you have to create something to increase that solvency. I don’t know what every single one of those levers is going to be but I don’t believe it’s going to heavily impact the gaming industry in the short term.
As far as a possible tax reduction, the one on tipped income, what is the likelihood of its passage? That’s a made-in-Las Vegas issue. Yup. The president-elect campaigned on it. The tips piece, it’s going to have to be scored but then I do believe the president-elect was pretty serious when he campaigned on it. This tax bill has a lot of really big, expiring provisions that will need to be renewed. That offers the opportunity to actually put something in there, like no taxes on tips.
What would the effect of mass deportations and workplace raids be on the industry’s workforce and morale?
Our industry and any industry in the travel-and-leisure sector depends on a significant workforce, and many of those workers come from different places. Our hope is to shape policy that creates as little disruption as possible for an industry that provides a lot of jobs
in America, and particularly in states like Nevada. It’s not just politics. It’s trying to do this recognizing the rule of law, recognizing that people should come to America the correct way and that’s fine. Full stop.
The second part is how do you deal with this from an employment perspective, an economic perspective and a humane perspective? All those things will all take time. None of them will be easy and none of them will be quick.
Where are gaming’s best prospects for expansion this year?
New York City is probably closer than any. The potential of figuring out what those three downstate comes closer into the windshield because Gov. Kathy Hochul’s trying to put together a budget in Albany and saying, “This could really help.” How does California figure out the Gordian knot of sports betting with tribes? Difficult – but doable in a year where it goes before the voters, which is not going to be for another year or two. Then Texas. Again, the Legislature meets this year but if they don’t get it done it’s like Nevada: They’re out for next year. So then it’s really three years.
What is your biggest hope for the new year?
I wish that we have a healthy new year. My first year was all about the aftermath of the sports betting Supreme Court ruling. The next year was all about Covid and shutting down the country and certainly the industry. My hope is we have a successful, safe year, that our industry continues to grow, that it grows in a healthy way. I hope we continue to find more legislators that recognize and support what we do. I really think that, as an industry, in the communities in which we operate we breathe life into cities and towns that got left behind by other industries.
Oftentimes that is not appreciated in a way that it its in those places that had a lot of underserved populations. It is now reflected in how the general public feels about our industry. But we still have these reporters and others that kind of agitate that this is an industry that is not working to the benefit of these communities.
If I had one wish it would be to have a betterinformed media that actually understands what we actually bring into the communities in which we operate.
Thank you very much.
Jontay Porter, American basketball player
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Spirit of Seventy Six
Station Casinos is rolling out a series of neighborhood sports pubs. By Ryan Slattery
WWith the opening of its first Seventy Six Tavern in early October, Las Vegas gambling giant Station Casinos took the first small step in a very big project. Namely, to compete in the extremely lucrative tavern business.
Having already conquered the local casino market with neighborhood properties like Red Rock Resort, Green Valley Ranch and the year-old Durango Casino & Resort, sporting Strip-style amenities, the company is diving into a smaller pool. It has plans to launch dozens of sports bars and gambling taverns across the Las Vegas Valley in the next couple of years.
Locally, it’s seen as the opening salvo from Station Casinos to directly compete with the region’s largest tavern operator Golden Gaming (owner of 71 taverns
– mostly under its PT’s brand). It’s also entering into contention with the dozens of Dotty’s dotting the valley and the many other independent tavern operators in Las Vegas.
It’s also likely to launch a family feud of sorts, as Golden Gaming CEO Blake Sartini is the brother-in-law of Station’s CEO Frank Fertitta III and Vice Chairman Lorenzo Fertitta. Sartini and his wife Delise even named one of their sons Lorenzo, presumably after her brother. Now, tensions could heat up as the two companies begin battling over the local, small-scale gaming market.
Station executives have downplayed any intentional effort to go after Golden Gaming’s stranglehold on the business, saying they simply “want to strategically reach more locals,” according to Bobbie Rihel, the
“
I think we’re absolutely similar in that the taverns have 15 machines and there are other similarities, but we’re not necessarily building right across from [a PT’s],” she says of competing with Golden Gaming.
“Station
has been in town since 1976 and it just it
seemed like a natural thing to grow more around the valley. We want people to come in, and we want to get to know them and be the local spot in the neighborhoods.”
company’s vice president of small properties. That is without erecting another pricey resort-casino with all the bells and whistles that come with it.
“I think we’re absolutely similar in that the taverns have 15 machines and there are other similarities, but we’re not necessarily building right across from [a PT’s],” she says of competing with Golden Gaming. “Station has been in town since 1976 and it just it seemed like a natural thing to grow more around the valley. We want people to come in, and we want to get to know them and be the local spot in the neighborhoods.”
In Nevada, tavern licenses are given to companies for designated bars and restaurants, ones that are restricted to only allow a maximum of 15 gaming devices – machines featuring keno, slots and video poker. Live table games are not allowed.
Comparing these bars to the first Seventy Six Tavern in North Las Vegas (named after the year Station Casinos was founded, 1976), it’s clear the Seventy Six brand is positioning to be a more-upscale version of the city’s current sports bars. It aims to make inroads into attracting local video poker and keno players to a new playground with more menu options.
Scott Kreeger, president of Station Casinos, calls Seventy Six “the next generation of neighborhood taverns,” saying the bars will be high-end, sportsviewing hangouts with an elevated restaurant menu. Station tabbed Chef Danny Wilkins to create the unique menu.
Here at the first Seventy Six Tavern on Lamb Boulevard at Centennial Parkway in North Las Vegas, pub favorites like wings, chicken quesadillas and Philly cheesesteaks live alongside more creative offerings such as ahi tuna nachos, fried chicken street tacos and grilled salmon served with jasmine rice. Even the burgers and pizzas (called flatbreads) get special treatment from Wilkins. The Cowboy is his take on the Juicy Lucy – a short-rib patty stuffed with cheddar cheese and lathered in a house-made BBQ aioli. Then there’s the PB&J Smash Burger, two burger patties with American cheese, smeared with creamy peanut butter and a hot pepper raspberry jam.
“Whether you just want something simple or crave something more elevated, we have it for you. It just depends on what you’re looking for,” says Rihel. “We took months and months and months, and had a lot of oversight to develop this menu. I think we hit the mark.”
Scott Kreeger, president of Station Casinos, calls Seventy Six “the next generation of neighborhood taverns,” saying the bars will be high-end, sports-viewing hangouts with an elevated restaurant menu. Station tabbed Chef Danny Wilkins to create the unique menu. “
To sweeten the pot and draw in customers, Seventy Six has eight hours of happy-hour food and drink pricing each day, from 3-7 p.m. and from 3-7 a.m. The menu includes items like loaded tots, pretzel bites and a ham-and-cheese panini that purposely aren’t on the regular menu.
On the gambling side, the tavern has 15 bar-top gaming systems with the latest poker, blackjack, slot and keno games, powered by Konami Gaming’s Synkros casino-management system. Seventy Six also has its own players club separate from its Station Boarding Pass program. Called the VIP Club, it offers hourly in-game bonuses, with monthly promotions tied to the card when a player is logged in. New members will receive a one-time, $20 match play for signing up.
With the first Seventy Six Tavern up and running, Station is planning for rapid expansion of the brand in 2025. A second location is expected to open in early 2025 across the street from Boyd Gaming’s Aliante Casino + Hotel + Spa, with construction of five more ground-up builds starting soon. The expectation is to open towards the end of 2025, Rihel says. All of the locations will be roughly 6,000 square feet in size.
“We plan to place them strategically throughout the valley to be able to get more of the Station hospitality we’re known for out to the valley,” says Rihel. “The next location will be in Aliante, in an area where there’s not a big Station property.” (Ironically, Aliante Casino began life as a Station project, passing through various hands before falling into Boyd’s.) “Our goal is to reach the local neighborhoods and bring an atmosphere that when you walk in it has a warm feeling,” Rihel says, “like it’s your home away from home.” seventysixtaverns.com
A Spin of the Wheel
Reflecting upon the illustrious history of roulette. By Edwin Ford
Roulette is the most popular game of chance, one that has become synonymous with casinos worldwide.
It boasts a fascinating history that intertwines mathematical curiosity, cultural evolution and strategic innovation. From its origins dating back to the 17th-century in France to modern casino floors, the story of roulette reflects the changes in gambling culture — and the perpetual drive to balance odds between players and the house.
The Birth of Roulette
The game of roulette traces its origins to the 17th century, with its invention often attributed to the French mathematician and physicist Blaise Pascal. Renowned for his contributions to the probability theory, Pascal was reportedly experimenting with a perpetual-motion machine when he inadvertently laid the groundwork for the roulette wheel. However, the
origins of the game may also have connections to earlier games, such as Roly Poly and Even Odd, which were popular in England during the 17th century. These games involved spinning wheels and betting on outcomes, serving as precursors to the modern roulette we know today.
Another intriguing theory suggests that roulette may have been invented by monks seeking an entertaining pastime. These early iterations of the game featured a wheel with numbers that, when added together, intriguingly totaled 666, a feature that has led to the nickname "The Devil's Wheel."
In the early 18th century, gambling houses in France began adopting a game resembling modern roulette. The wheel featured numbers from one to 36 and included a single zero, which was marked in green. The addition of the single zero was a critical element introduced to give the house an edge over players, ensuring profitability for operators.
Introduction of the double zero
By the mid-19th century, roulette had spread beyond France and gained popularity in other parts of Europe and the United States. While single-zero roulette wheel dominated European casinos, the doublezero version was first introduced in Germany, where casino operators sought to increase their profits. This innovation eventually made its way to the U.S., where it became a defining feature of American-style roulette.
The double zero was primarily introduced to increase profits, reflecting the competitive nature of the burgeoning gambling industry in the U.S. The addition altered the probabilities, giving American-style roulette a house edge of 5.26 percent, compared to the 2.7 percent house edge of European-style roulette.
The evolution of chips and betting
Modern casinos use standardized stacks of 20 chips for roulette, a practice that began to simplify game play and ensure fairness. This system allows for easy tracking of bets and payouts, maintaining clarity on the gaming floor.
Additionally, French innovations in roulette introduced sophisticated betting options like the “call bets.” These bets include “tiers du cylindre” (thirds of the wheel), “voisins du zero” (neighbors of zero), and “les orphelins” (the orphans), which are based on specific sections of the wheel. The concept of “neighbor bets” was also developed, allowing players to wager on a number and its adjacent numbers on the wheel. Interestingly, the three main call bets – “tiers du cylindre,” “voisins du zero” and “les orphelins” – add up to exactly 20 chips when placed, the same as a standard stack. This design allows players to cover every number on the wheel, whether by coincidence or meticulous planning, adding an element of balance and completeness to the betting strategy.
Bonus games and modern innovations
In recent years, casinos have introduced bonus games to enhance the appeal of roulette and attract a broader audience. These features include …
Lightning Roulette: A variation where random numbers on the wheel are assigned multipliers ranging from 50x to 500x, offering players the chance to win significantly larger payouts on straight-up bets.
Double Ball Roulette: Using two balls instead of one, this version increases the excitement by allowing two winning numbers per spin.
Roulette with Side Bets: Some games incorporate additional betting options, such as progressive jackpots or bets on specific combinations, to add layers of strategy and potential rewards. These innovations aim to modernize the classic game while retaining its core mechanics, ensuring its continued relevance in an evolving gaming landscape.
Electronic roulette terminals
In response to technological advancements and shifting player preferences, many casinos now offer electronic roulette terminals. These terminals allow players to experience roulette in a digital format while maintaining the essence of the traditional game. Players can place bets using touchscreens. The results are determined either by a live wheel that is electronically connected to the terminals or through a random number generator.
Electronic roulette terminals are popular for several reasons:
Increased Accessibility: They accommodate multiple players simultaneously, even in smaller spaces.
Lower Minimum Bets: Casinos often set lower stakes for electronic versions, attracting casual players.
Privacy: Players can enjoy the game at their own pace without the pressure of a live table environment.
Enhanced Features: Some terminals offer additional statistics and betting options, appealing to those who enjoy analyzing patterns and trends.
These terminals have become a staple in many modern casinos, blending tradition with convenience.
Evolution and modern forms
Over time, roulette evolved into two distinct versions: European roulette, with its single zero, and American roulette, with the double zero. These variations cater to different player preferences and strategic approaches. European roulette remains the more popular choice worldwide, primarily due to its lower house edge. This significant difference in odds makes European roulette more favorable for players, particularly in markets outside the U.S., where casinos aim to attract more participants with better chances of winning. Conversely, modern American roulette has occasionally experimented with triple-zero wheels, albeit sparingly, as players often prefer more favorable odds.
Edwin is a highly motivated, flexible and results-driven senior executive with extensive experience in strategy, sales, business development and commercial operations, developed through over a four-decade career in the gaming industry. Training, working and supervising in casino operations to an executive level , spanning over 15 years, he also operated and was a shareholder of several software-development and supply houses, leading development and deployment of new technologies across international markets.
He displays a skill set transferable to almost any business sector, experienced in consulting with the ability to drive any organisation to realize its goals.
In recent years he has handled licensing applications for several companies with a 100 percent success rate. After 46 years in the industry his passion for the sector is still strong.
Roulette in popular culture and strategy
The allure of roulette extends beyond its mathematical elegance. The game has been immortalized in literature, films, and popular culture as a symbol of sophistication and risk. Many player strategies have emerged over the years, such as the Martingale and Fibonacci, to name but a few. These strategies offer players various approaches to navigating the wheel, even though no system can overcome the house edge in the long run.
Conclusion
Roulette’s journey from Blaise Pascal's experiments to the glittering casino floors of today is a testament to its enduring appeal and adaptability. The influence of earlier games like Roly Poly and Even Odd — combined with the myths of its invention by monks — adds depth to its history. The introduction of the single and double zero, along with innovations like standardized chip stacks, French call bets, bonus games, and electronic terminals, not only shaped the game’s evolution but also highlighted the delicate balance between chance and strategy that defines roulette. As players around the world continue to spin the wheel, the timeless charm of roulette remains undiminished.
Edwin Ford
The House Always Wins
Why I don’t feel guilty taking your money. By Al O’ Grady
My wife and I were at a house party over the holidays and, when meeting new people, there is usually the conversationstarter, “So, what do you do for a living?”
When I tell people that I am a blackjack dealer, it always turns a few heads and raises eyebrows.
I then get a plethora of follow up-questions like, “What tips do you have?” “Is the game rigged?” or “How can I make money playing blackjack?” But this time I got a different question. Someone asked me if I feel guilty taking people’s money. That one caught me off guard. But I thought about that for a moment and came to an unequivocal answer: No, I do not.
It is not that I am ruthless, uncaring or unsympathetic. It is because I simply do not take people’s money. Rather, they give their money to me. There is a difference.
Be responsible
First of all, I am a huge advocate of personal responsibility and personal accountability. If you are a fully functional adult and are of sound mind, you have the personal freedom to do whatever you want, so long as you are not harming others nor depriving anyone of their civil liberties. Everything we do in life is a choice. How you spend your money is also a personal choice. Why should I feel guilty about your personal choices?
Some may say the casino is trying to take my money and I should feel guilty being a part of that machine. Really? Did the casino force you into its establishment? Did the dealer order you to the table? Did someone hold a gun to your head compelling you to pull out your wallet and lay your money down? Walking into the casino, sitting down at the table and
pulling money out of your wallet were all choices you made. The casino had nothing to do with it. I should feel guilty for this?
Now let’s assume for a second there is an individual that does not know the first thing about blackjack. He does not even know there is such a thing as basic strategy. Furthermore, let’s assume that I, the dealer, recognize this and try to give him pointers on basic strategy and he chooses not to follow my advice. Am I going to feel self conscious in any way for his ignorance? Absolutely not.
Be strategic
Now let’s assume the next player is fully aware of basic strategy and chooses not to follow it. He takes liberties with the charts. He refuses to double down his 11 against a 10. He never hits a hard 16 and is very selective about splitting eights, even though it should be done in every case. His basic chart variations may work at times in the short run but the laws of probability catch up to him and he dies a slow death. Should I feel badly for this guy? Are you grasping the theme of this article?
From time to time, I will get a high roller. They bring in a lot of money and they are 98 percent proficient with basic strategy. Sometimes this guy will win big and sometimes he will lose big. But the thing is, when he wins big, he does not tip the dealer at all. You want to know how to piss off a dealer? Win big and do not throw him a crumb.
I have written extensively on this topic in the past. A sizable portion of a dealer’s income is from gratuities. If you lost, no dealer would be expecting a tip, but if you won big and we did an excellent job for you, and nothing came our way as a form of gratitude, you are viewed as a no-class player. So, when the day comes when you lose big – and it will come – do you think we feel bad for you? Not on your life.
Be disciplined
There are players that my heart goes out to, however. My kind of guy is the one who plays responsibly. He plays with money he can afford to lose. He knows the strategy and, if he is unsure, he will ask for (and take) my advice. Maybe he wins, maybe he loses. He sets goals and has the self discipline to walk away when he hits his limit, either winning or losing. If he wins his $500, he will take his wife out to a nice restaurant or his son to a ball game. If he loses, he takes it like a
man, and I will see him again in two weeks. There is no guilt, no remorse. It is part of the fluctuations of the game.
If there is a situation where I have some feelings of guilt, it involves someone who has a gambling addiction. Unfortunately, this is outside of my control. For starters, this person must admit he has a problem. If he is squandering his paycheck on games of chance at the detriment of his family, I do not feel guilty but I do have feelings of empathy especially for his family. I can give him brochures about problem gambling, but that is really all I can do. How can I feel guilty when someone cannot help himself? I can only worry about what I can control and realize I cannot solve all the world’s problems nor feel guilty about them either.
At the end of the day
I am a casino employee. I turn cards; I move chips, and I count to 21. For me, this is not work. The work comes from standing for eight hours and the toll that dealing takes on your body. It involves overcoming boredom and, finally, putting up with jerks. That is the work. Nowhere in my job description does it say that I need to feel guilty for someone else’s actions.
Every game in the casino has a house edge. The odds are against the player overall. If you beat the odds and made money in the short term, congratulations. But the long-term expectations are that I will win. I cannot and will not feel guilty about someone’s choice to try to overcome mathematical probability for their personal financial gain.
Good luck at the tables and do not forget to tip the dealer.
Al O’Grady
A New Level of Success
The key achievements of 1xBet in 2024
ast year was a time of breakthroughs and successes for 1xBet. The brand strengthened its position in the iGaming industry, signed major partnership deals, won prestigious awards and showcased its innovations at the world’s biggest forums.
LGame-changing partnerships
1xBet is always one step ahead when it comes to collaborating with top sports organizations and celebrities. These sponsorships have helped the brand reach new audiences and boost its recognition worldwide.
One of the most notable moves was partnering with FIBA, the International Basketball Federation, which organizes most of the major national-team tournaments. 1xBet also signed a deal with Volleyball World and is actively promoting volleyball.
Additionally, Argentina's leading esports team, Bestia, joined the brand’s partner network, while Indian actress and model Urvashi Rautela became the new ambassador for 1xBet Casino. Through its partnership
with the Confederation of African Football, the company supports major African football tournaments. In some Asian countries, legendary Brazilian footballer Roberto Carlos will represent the brand.
A key strategic success for 1xBet was collaborating with Brazil’s Serie A and Serie B football leagues, as well as with the Brazil national team during the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. And that’s not all. The company has signed numerous contracts with other sports organizations, clubs, athletes and celebrities:
Brazil: Carlos Barbosa (futsal club)
Burundi: Football Federation of Burundi
Cameroon: Cameroonian Football Federation
Gambia: Jizzl (musician)
India: Suresh Raina (cricketer)
Mexico: Guillermo Ochoa (footballer)
Nigeria: Bi Benard (sports blogger), Suo Chapele (the first female sports commentator in Nigeria), FROD (actor)
Philippines: Kai Sotto and Chris Newsome (basketball players)
Tajikistan: Muin Gafurov (UFC fighter)
Zambia: Kabwe Warriors (football club)
The partnerships of 1xBet span the globe. Each new agreement boosts brand recognition, and highlights its contribution to sports development and the gambling industry.
Partnerships with FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain
In 2024, 1xBet extended its contract with FC Barcelona, one of the most successful and famous football clubs in the world. The new deal runs until 2029, showing the bookmaker's long-term commitment to partnerships with elite sports organizations. The company also continues its productive collaboration with another football giant, Paris Saint-Germain. Together with its partners, the brand runs large-scale promos and helps fans get closer to their idols.
Partnerships of this caliber highlight the ambition of 1xBet to be part of the biggest football events. At the same time, millions of fans get the chance to discover the world of sports betting.
1xBet in the iGaming arena: How the industry leader conquered world forums
In 2024, 1xBet actively participated in international exhibitions and forums, exchanged experiences with colleagues, discovered new opportunities for collaboration, and presented its product at the highest level. The brand became part of key industry events, including ICE London, SiGMA Eurasia, iGB L!VE, SBC Summit and many others.
Participation in exhibitions brought 1xBet recognition from experts and various international awards:
Affiliate Company of the Year at the International Gaming Awards
Best Mobile Casino Experience at the SiGMA Eurasia Awards
Best Sportsbook Operator in Africa at the SiGMA Africa Awards
Best Esports Operator in Latin America at the SiGMA Americas Awards
Best Affiliate Program 2024 at the SiGMA Asia Awards
Digital Sports Betting Operator of the Year at the Global Gaming Awards Asia-Pacific
Best Online Sportsbook 2024 at the SiGMA East Europe Awards
Best Mobile Sports Betting App at the SiGMA Europe Awards
These achievements confirm the highest operational standards of 1xBet, which enable the company to offer favorable conditions for partners and a unique gaming experience for its clients.
1xPartners: What to expect in 2025
The 1xPartners affiliate program will become even more user-friendly and efficient with important updates. The company plans to redesign the 1xpartners.com platform and the personal account to improve user experience. A new event-calendar feature will also be available, allowing for better planning of activities. Additionally, the company's development team will enhance analytical tools, helping partners assess their advertising campaigns more efficiently. In addition to technical changes, 1xPartners will actively grow its social media presence. These steps will improve interactions with existing partners and attract new ones.
2025 is set to be a year of change, but the priority of 1xBet will remain unchanged – quality and convenience for every partner.
Priority regions for development
Latin America: This region is one of the strategically important markets where the company has significantly increased its presence. The brand received a license in Peru and is in the final stages of certification in Brazil,
with plans to obtain licenses in Venezuela and Bolivia in 2025. A key step was sponsoring popular tennis tournaments under the WTA banner and collaborating with renowned Mexican footballer Guillermo Ochoa. The brand also actively supports FC Universidad Católica from Chile and FC Caracas from Venezuela, and – as part of a partnership with Bestia – was ready to invest $1 million in Argentine esports.
Asia: Over the past year, the brand has been particularly active in Southeast Asian countries. In one year, the number of participants in the 1xPartners program in this region has doubled. Additionally, 1xBet increased its market share and boosted brand recognition through collaborations with Chris Newsome, Kai Sotto, and other partners.
India is another important region where 1xBet has made significant progress. Compared to last year, the platform’s audience has grown by 47 percent, the number of active players has increased by 60 percent and the number of participants in the affiliate program has risen by 70 percent. This has been made possible by the bookmaker’s productive work during the IPL season.
In Thailand, 1xBet became a sponsor of the ESL tournament in Bangkok. The brand hosted the 1xFest pubstomp, which was attended by over 100 guests, and the event's online broadcast attracted more than 70,000 viewers.
In Mongolia, 1xBet collaborates with The MongolZ esports team, which has shown phenomenal progress
over the past year. It became the first Asian squad to reach the Perfect World Shanghai Major final stage. Over the year, The MongolZ participated in 22 tournaments, including eight S-tier events, and won six major competitions, earning over $1 million in prize money. Today, the team ranks seventh in the HLTV ranking and fourth in the Global Valve Ranking, confirming its status as one of the world’s strongest teams.
Another significant partnership was launched in India. 1xBet became the sponsor of Skyesports Masters, the country’s first franchised esports league. In 2025, 1xBet will continue to actively work in the esports sector and announce new partnerships in the world of sports, including agreements with a top MMA fighter and a leading basketball league.
Africa: 1xBet is actively expanding its presence in Africa through partnerships in the sports world and collaborations with popular artists. One of the brand’s most successful projects was its connection with famous Nigerian musician Davido. The company also hosted the grand football tournament 1xCup in Nigeria. The event attracted additional attention to the brand and increased audience loyalty.
The company actively supports social initiatives – for example, in Zambia and Kenya, it helps raise road-safety awareness among drivers. In Kenya, the Waziri Cup, a sports tournament known for its charitable initiatives, is also held with the support of 1xBet. Active participation in sports and social projects has significantly increased brand recognition, with this figure reaching 95 percent in some countries.
The strategy in priority regions includes further product localization, the launch of exciting promos, and the involvement of sports stars and entertainment industry figures. These steps will help 1xBet gain the trust of new players and strengthen its position as a global leader.
Live Casino Reimagined
Imagine Live is revolutionizing the fastest-growing segment in the casino sector: live gaming. From groundbreaking innovations to immersive storytelling, we deliver 'Live Casino Reimagined' to players worldwide
Live casino continues to grow in popularity globally, what is driving this change?
The growth of live casino gaming worldwide is driven by shifting player preferences and advancements in technology. Today's players seek more than traditional gameplay—they want culturally rich narratives and authentic themes that resonate with their backgrounds.
Unlike static Random Number Generator (RNG)based games, live casinos offer a dynamic and immersive environment where players can interact in real-time with live dealers and other participants. This social aspect enhances trust, familiarity, and community, effectively bridging the gap between digital and physical casino experiences.
Incorporating culturally rich narratives adds depth to the gameplay, allowing players to connect emotionally
“
At Imagine Live, we recognise the transient nature of gambling. Our mission, reflected in our slogan "Live Casino Reimagined," is to create gaming experiences that leave lasting impressions. By prioritising authenticity and relatability, we transform short gaming sessions into meaningful interactions that encourage players to return."
with the game. When familiar or aspirational storytelling is involved, the gaming experience becomes an interactive journey rather than just a gamble.
At Imagine Live, we recognise the transient nature of gambling. Our mission, reflected in our slogan "Live Casino Reimagined," is to create gaming experiences that leave lasting impressions. By prioritising authenticity and relatability, we transform short gaming sessions into meaningful interactions that encourage players to return.
Imagine Live are at the forefront of delivering premium themed studios such as your new game ‘Roulette Rouge’. What is the importance of themed studios and unique features?
Live casino gaming is fundamentally changing the online gambling landscape, and themed studios are essential for engaging, monetising and retaining players effectively. Our studios go beyond mere aesthetics; they craft powerful narratives, unite diverse cultures, and build vibrant communities. It’s time to recognise the profound connections being forged between brands and players, and to embrace the future of interactive gaming confidently.
Our games, like Roulette Rouge, enchant players by blending breathtaking visuals with captivating narratives, fostering connections that transcend the
game itself. With standout features like Crash Round and Rouge Wheel, providing limitless multipliers Roulette Rouge introduces the first-ever progress bar in live casino gaming, allowing players to track their progression, creating a sense of achievement and encouraging extended play. These innovations not only captivate players but also empower operators to stand out in a fiercely competitive market.
At Imagine Live, themed studios are the cornerstone of an extraordinary player experience, transforming conventional gaming sessions into unforgettable adventures. Themed studios are incredibly adaptable, appealing to a wide range of player preferences and cultural backgrounds. They elevate engagement by presenting themes that resonate personally or provide aspiration, making each experience more relatable and enjoyable. In a fiercely competitive live casino landscape, these distinctive environments stand out, nurturing player loyalty and encouraging repeat visits.
For operators, themed studios like Roulette Rouge enhance brand identity and market attraction, driving player retention and satisfaction. They also empower operators to leverage cultural trends and storytelling, forging deep emotional connections worldwide.
At Imagine Live, themed studios are far more than just visual settings; they are essential to delivering premium live casino experiences that inspire, engage, and entertain. They exemplify our commitment to bringing innovation and storytelling to the forefront of live gaming, making each visit a thrilling escape that players will want to experience time and again.
How does Imagine Live leverage innovative tools like the Robot Arm to enhance player engagement and interaction, and what additional features are available to foster a stronger sense of community? Imagine Live is passionately committed to transforming the player experience into something truly extraordinary. By introducing groundbreaking innovations and engaging features, we foster a vibrant community where interaction thrives. A prime example of our creativity is the Robot Arm, a first in the live casino industry and a captivating addition that injects a thrilling sense of dynamism into gameplay. This industry-first feature not only enhances the excitement but also offers players unique viewing angles, allowing them to feel closely connected to live
dealers in a way that has never been done before in the entire gaming experience.
Use of modern technologies enriched with tools such as live chat creates interactivity that transforms each gaming session into a communal celebration, making it more entertaining and immersive.
Our offerings include bespoke studios tailored precisely to partner brand guidelines, ensuring a unique environment for each collaboration. Partner tailored tables provide personalised options available in the lobby, while customised uniforms align with partner branding, enhancing the overall experience. We also incorporate exciting tools like leaderboards and shared jackpot opportunities, which promote friendly competition and allow players to share in each other’s victories. Additionally, our gamified challenges and tournaments unite participants by creating shared objectives, foster a sense of camaraderie, and instill a feeling of accomplishment within the thriving player community. We also take pride in offering localised experiences and multilingual games in over 15 languages with native dealers, including English, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Ukrainian, Turkish, Russian, etc. catering to our diverse player base.
With the opening of new studios in the heart of Bucharest Imagine live expands game and language portfolio with farther tailoring to different market needs.
By seamlessly blending cutting-edge technology with engaging social features, Imagine Live is on a mission to elevate player engagement to unprecedented heights within the industry. With each gaming session, we aim to make the experience more interactive, personalised, and interconnected for players across the globe.
Imagine Live has a stand 2D30, at ICE Barcelona, what can visitors expect?
First, visit Imagine Live at Stand 2D30 to experience Roulette Rouge, our flagship game show, alongside a portfolio of classic and culturally themed games. Step into the immersive cube to explore our entire range of games in depth. This interactive experience allows visitors to fully immerse themselves in the Imagine Live portfolio, discovering the unique features and innovations that set us apart. Discover how Imagine Live redefines live casino gaming with creativity and cutting-edge technology.
Imagine Live is passionately committed to transforming the player experience into something truly extraordinary. By introducing groundbreaking innovations and engaging features, we foster a vibrant community where interaction thrives. A prime example of our creativity is the Robot Arm, a first in the live casino industry and a captivating addition that injects a thrilling sense of dynamism into gameplay." “
Also, visitors and delegates can experience our diverse portfolio of classic games, Asian-themed games, Indian games and game shows, including unmatched experience of Robin The Fair game show,
Dynamically Themed Blackjack: Our live blackjack games stand out with sleek, adaptable themes tailored to various player preferences. Experience how we create environments that enhance engagement and prolong gaming sessions.
Asian-Themed Studios: Immerse yourself in our Asian-themed games, featuring exquisitely designed studios inspired by traditional Asian motifs. These games are immensely popular globally, showcasing Imagine Live's ability to deliver tailored content with enhanced tools such as muti-play options that resonates with a broad audience.
Each game is crafted for accessibility, userfriendliness, and exceptional entertainment value, ensuring that operators can effectively engage a wide player base.
Fun in the Sun
Zitro brings a bevy of games to ICE Barcelona
itro is set to showcase its Concept cabinet line at upcoming ICE Barcelona. This innovative series introduces three distinct cabinet models: the Concept Prime, Concept Prime-J and the Concept Deluxe. Each form factor is crafted to elevate the gaming experience with exceptional features, including the Magic Lighting show synchronized with gameplay,
the spacious XXL deck, designed for exceptional ergonomics and unmatched comfort, and larger screens that further elevate player immersion.
Zitro will also highlight a diverse lineup of games compatible with the new Concept and Glare form factors. This strategic move reinforces Zitro’s commitment to providing operators with maximum flexibility and securing their investment. Among the
We look forward to contributing to an event that will open the door to incredible networking,” Salat added, “collaboration and growth opportunities for the entire industry.”
standout titles featured are Legendary Sword, Triple Charm Journey, Lucky Vault, Cash Totems, Fairyland Quest, Merging Fu Pots, King Fu Frog and many more.
Zitro’s games and cabinets are designed to interconnect through Mega Lounge or Grand Mega Lounge products. These dedicated areas within the casino feature Zitro machines, all linked and contributing to a shared Mega or Grand Mega Jackpot. Zitro will also display its WAP (wide area progressive) game portfolio, already operational in Latin America, with plans to expand globally in 2025.
In addition to these land-based innovations, Zitro Digital will showcase its ever-growing portfolio of digital video-bingo and video-slot games enhanced by player engagement tools. Among the featured titles is the highly successful, land-based hit, Legendary Sword, making its online debut with the first game in the series Avalon. Other new releases include Fu Pots Winter, Fu Pots Spring, Calaca Cash, Strikers Fortune, Monkey vs. Dark Warrior and Twist Casino, along with many new launches.
Zitro International President Sebastián Salat shared his anticipation of ICE Barcelona 2025, saying, “As the event transitions to Barcelona – a city where Zitro transforms great ideas into great products at our technology campus – we are proud to host this exceptional gathering of the global gaming community. Barcelona positions us to connect more closely with our clients and partners from Europe, and all continents. At ICE Barcelona, we will showcase innovative products tailored to enhance our customers’ business success, all while delivering a gaming experience that’s brighter, bolder and better.
“We look forward to contributing to an event that will open the door to incredible networking,” Salat added, “collaboration and growth opportunities for the entire industry.”
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magazine for operators of International casinos and gaming equipment manufacturers
Raptor Rapture
New games from Ainsworth appear at G2E. By
Victor H. Royer
Ainsworth is a premier manufacturer of global gaming products, including stand-alone progressives and linked slot games. These are featured on awardwinning systems and hardware through its sales offices and distributors in Australia, New Zealand, Asia, the United States, and Europe.
Vice President of Sales, Marketing & Product Strategy Sean Evans is a Las Vegas-based, veteran gaming-industry executive with more than 30 years of experience. Prior to joining Ainsworth, Evans served for two years as senior vice president of sales at Eclipse Gaming. Earlier in his career, Evans spent time as the vice president of sales (Western region) for Scientific Games; as general manager of AC Slots; as COO at Aruze Americas; and as senior vice president of sales for Aristocrat Americas.
At the recent Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas, Ainsworth presented several new games. What
are the latest innovations in Ainsworth cabinet designs?
G2E 2024 was an exciting time at the Ainsworth booth. We released our A-Star Raptor cabinet at G2E last year and since then have installed over 1,000 units. The cabinet was shortlisted for Land-Based Product of the Year at the Global Gaming Awards this year and has remained at the top of best-performing lists for nearly a year now.
The cabinet features a unique, cylindrical display for player tracking, along with a cylindrical above-monitor speaker for an enhanced player sound experience. Its 49-inch, curved monitor also boasts full 4K graphics, and the cabinet is finished off with attractive LED lighting package. It’s really been a standout on casino floors and has been getting a lot of positive attention.
Which do you think are the standout games and products Ainsworth showcased at G2E 2024? We had three games that really received a lot of
The Ainsworth booth at G2E 2024
attention at this year’s show, though we had 70 games in the booth, with over 30 new titles. Our standouts were …
Rocket Frenzy is designed to be a disruptor in the space. This Raptor-exclusive game lets players earn rewards by activating features on the screen with rockets. The more rockets the player collects, the greater the rewards. Featuring a unique game screen where rockets shoot up from the reels to unlock rewards on the top portion of the screen, the game does not look like anything else currently on casino floors.
Quick Spin Electric Pots features Ainsworth’s popular, legacy Quick Spin brand, complete with frequent wheel spins. The game combines the wheel with the player-favorite, growing-pot mechanic, creating an irresistibly unique and fun experience. Neon’s Bonus Blast is unlike anything Ainsworth has released in the past. The game’s hero, a little green alien named Neon, will take players through three separate games replete with bonus features and fun animations, including four progressive jackpots.
In the gaming industry, manufacturers often refer to a segment of their products as “premium.” Which are those that Ainsworth presented at G2E 2024? Neon’s Bonus Blast, one of the standout products we mentioned earlier, is slated to be our first premium product. It will be released in early 2025. We are quite excited to get it out in front of players and see how it does. Complete with a unique sign package, it’s a really fun, entertaining game and will definitely be an attention-getter in casinos.
Please tell us about the latest innovations for the Ainsworth digital and iGaming divisions of the company.
Omnichannel development has been the focus of Ainsworth Interactive. At G2E this year, our Interactive division was able to display that for the first time, as we showed a slot cabinet with a released game on it, and the same game online right next to it. We will continue to release the same games for land-based casinos on our Raptor cabinet and online as well.
Omnichannel has been a goal of Ainsworth Interactive for some time and we are excited that it’s finally coming to fruition.
Sean Evans, Vice President of Sales, Marketing & Product Strategy
The Rocket Frenzy Game on the Raptor cabinet
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A highly regarded team of Internationally experienced journalists, all of whom have a wealth of knowledge in online and land-based gaming involving, legislation, e-commerce, responsible gambling along with the latest online operating systems and solutions.
Which games and products for the international market will Ainsworth feature at the ICE convention in Barcelona in 2025?
Ainsworth will show successful titles at ICE, including San Fa, and brandnew games such as Coin Kingdom, Triple Troves and the hotly anticipated Xtension Link on the Raptor cabinet. We debuted our new Rising Series at G2E, and that will be a main feature of our stand at ICE as well, featuring game titles Rising Bull and Rising Rooster, on the player favorite A-Star Slant Top cabinet, along with an assortment of other games. At ICE we will showcase the best of what we have available now for the market, along with a look at what’s to come.
In general, how would you sum up the current market and future for Ainsworth in Las Vegas, and elsewhere in the world?
There is a lot of room for Ainsworth to grow. We have revamped our game-development studios and strategy to focus on data-driven, playerfocused development. We have reorganized our gamedesign studios so they are creating games for their own, regional markets – our game developers can go to their local casinos to play games and see what is resonating with players on those floors. Then they take that knowledge back, and design games
for those specific players and casinos. We expect that to lead to more wins on those floors for us and expanded opportunities to place more games.
Ainsworth currently has six game-development studios serving global markets. Its four studios located across the U.S. develop games specifically for the United States and Canada. The studio in Australia is focused on that market, and the company’s sixth studio, located in Monterrey, Mexico, is solely focused on Latin American markets. That’s not to say that if we find a game is a huge hit in one of those markets we will not try it in the others. But we think that this focused approach will pay off for us in the long run with higher-performing games.
Finally, what would you consider to be the highlights of G2E 2024 for Ainsworth?
We received a lot of great feedback from our customers. They were very impressed with the new game content we showed in the booth and with the fact that a lot of what we showed is available to them right now. We are starting to see the results of all the work we’ve put in over the past year, revamping our game design strategy, hosting player focus groups and customer advisory boards. That was very rewarding to the whole team.
The Electric Pots Four-Pack Games on the Raptor cabinet
Quick Spin Electric Pots Game on the Raptor cabinet
The Neon’s Bonus Blast Game on the Raptor cabinet
In the Kitchen
Cooking success with AGS. By Victor H. Royer
ackson Floyd joined AGS in 2019, with previous experience as senior sirector of product management, director of sales, and as an account executive with Light & Wonder. When Apollo Management acquired AGS, David Lopez became the CEO and – at that time –AGS had a few Class II and Class III products, and was very slot-focused.
JOne of David's first initiatives was to make AGS a multifaceted, multidimensional supplier. John Hemberger came aboard and started to build the table games department to compete with Shuffle Master. Since then, that business has become very fruitful and successful and is still rapidly growing. So that venture has been very, very successful – and the AGS portfolio of slots also keeps of growing as well.
Jackson, please tell us about these games and their newest features, as well as the latest innovations in AGS cabinet designs.
At G2E, we made great strides and success with our portfolio of awsome new products, and remarkable new cabinets. With the introduction of these four new cabinets we also proudly announced our JF1 first introduction of a mechanical-reel cabinet called Revel, as well as three new, slant cabinets – Spectra SL75+, Spectra SL49+ and SL49+ Premium.
In Revel this three-reel cabinet embodies the nostalgia of traditional mechanical reels with classic styling, a handle pull, physical bells, and historical styling with gold trim and analog buttons for players. Complements to this classic styling include bright LED lighting, high-resolution top-box digital displays,
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and quality graphics and sounds to bring new, on-trend game mechanics and features to the classic mechanical-reel segment.
The slant cabinets – the SL49+ and SL49+ premium cabinets, these expand the AGS portfolio with fully integrated bases and toppers, accompanied by bright merchandising packages to accentuate the banking of these cabinets. They stand out in any section of the casino floor.
The addition of the Spectra SL75+ cabinet further highlights AGS’ cabinet portfolio with a monumental presence of an integrated base and 75-inch-high resolution-portrait monitor. The Spectra SL75+ was released with a full complement of bright, LED merchandising packaging making for a fully bankable solution that stands above –10 feet, 10 inches above – the competition.
Which do you think are the standout games and products AGS showcased at G2E 2024?
Highlights from the AGS G2E 2024 booth included several core and premium products that generated buzz across the entire event. AGS customers were most excited about the launch of two new premium families on the Spectra SL49+ Premium
Jackson Floyd, Vice President of Slots for AGS
SL49+ Premium cabinets from AGS
Revel Mechanical Reels cabinet from AGS
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cabinet – Rakin’ Bacon! LINK and Lion Cash. In the core portfolio, one of the launch families for the new Spectra SL49+ drove excitement at G2E – Rakin’ Bacon! Triple Oink.
The Spectra SL75+ launch title Rakin’ Bacon! Cash Combo was a huge hit and many other great titles in AGS’ core portfolio drove traffic to the booth, including Boo Bucks, Lantern Link, Pug Pays, and 88 Rising.
Which AGS titles are available for lease, sales or participation?
All AGS premium themes are solely available for lease. While traditionally supplier-core portfolios are available for sale only, AGS’ new cabinets Spectra SL49+ and Spectra SL75+ can be purchased or leased. These were released to intentionally allow casino operators full flexibility for their budget needs. Purchasing the Spectra SL75+ gives operators access to the entire Spectra core library of games while leasing allows additional access to Spectra premium content. All AGS core products are available for sale, on all core cabinets and all AGS premium products are available for lease/participation.
In the gaming industry, manufacturers often refer to a segment of their products as “premium.”
Which are those that AGS presented at G2E 2024? At G2E, AGS presented three form factors in the premium segment – Spectra UR43 Premium, the new Spectra SL49+ Premium and the new Spectra SL75+, with a commercial option to lease premium content.
In general, how would you sum up the current market and future for AGS in Las Vegas, and elsewhere in the world?
Thankfully, we feel this is the perfect time to have launched a diverse array of compelling cabinets. We continue to improve and scale our high-performing content portfolio. There is always a market for high-performing content and quality product. We are very proud to produce products that move the needle for our casino partners and provide an unforgettable experience for our players.
We’re so grateful for the partnerships we’ve cultivated with our customers. –We look forward to continuing to scale our footprint, which affords us more opportunities to share our passions with the player base.
The Spectra SL75+ cabinet from AGS
Rakin’ Bacon! Triple Oink game from AGS
IThe Quantum Revolution
Transforming technology from now to beyond. By Raymond Chan
n today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape, quantum computing stands at the forefront of innovation, promising to transform industries and redefine the boundaries of computational power. As we are in the new year of 2025, the implications of this groundbreaking technology are becoming increasingly apparent.
The rise of quantum computing
Quantum computing leverages the principles of quantum mechanics, harnessing the unique behaviors of subatomic particles to process information in fundamentally different ways than classical computers. While classical computers use bits as the smallest unit of information, represented as either 0 or 1, quantum computers utilize qubits, which can exist in multiple states simultaneously, due to the phenomenon known as superposition. This allows quantum computers to perform a vast number of calculations at once. Another key principle is entanglement, where qubits become interconnected in such a way that the state of one qubit can depend on the state of another, regardless of the distance between them. This interconnectedness enhances computational efficiency, enabling quantum computers to solve complex problems that would be intractable for classical systems.
The quantum computing advantage
The advantages of quantum computing become evident in specific applications. For instance, in the field of cryptography, quantum computers can factor large numbers exponentially faster than classical computers, posing both a challenge and an opportunity for data security. Quantum algorithms, like Shor’s algorithm, can break widely used encryption
methods, necessitating the development of quantumresistant cryptographic systems.
In optimization problems, quantum computing can explore multiple solutions simultaneously, significantly speeding up processes in fields like logistics, finance and materials science. For example, quantum simulations can model molecular interactions at an unprecedented level of detail, paving the way for breakthroughs in drug discovery and new material development.
The theory behind quantum computing’s superiority lies in its ability to handle vast data sets and complex calculations more efficiently than classical computers. Problems that would take classical systems years to solve can potentially be resolved by quantum computers in a fraction of the time, revolutionizing industries reliant on data analysis.
Quantum computing application
Quantum computers are particularly well-suited for tasks that require immense computational power. These include:
Cryptography: Quantum computers can break traditional encryption algorithms and create new, more secure methods for data protection.
Complex Simulations: They excel in simulating molecular structures, which is crucial for drug discovery and material science.
Optimization Problems: Quantum algorithms can solve complex optimization issues in logistics, finance and supply chain management much faster than classical counterparts.
Machine Learning: Quantum computing can enhance machine-learning algorithms by processing large datasets more efficiently, leading to improved models.
The future of classic computing
Despite the promise of quantum computing, classical computers remain essential for a variety of tasks, particularly those that do not require the exponential processing power of quantum systems. These include:
Everyday Applications: Routine tasks like word processing, web browsing and simple data management are efficiently handled by classical computers.
Embedded Systems: Many devices, from microwaves to cars, rely on classical computing for their operation, making them indispensable in daily life.
Standard Data Processing: Tasks involving straightforward calculations or data entry can be performed effectively without the need for quantum capabilities.
ABOUT RAYMOND CHAN
Raymond is a software engineer by profession with a track record in corporate innovation and entrepreneurship. He co-founded two prosperous startups, TGG Interactive and Global Gaming Group in Asia, where he served as director and CEO to lead the customer intelligence and electronic gaming businesses from 2007 to 2018. Earlier in his career, Raymond was a founding member of the business intelligence team at E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley and played a pivotal role in designing the TiVo customer intelligence system in Silicon Valley.
Classical computers excel in environments where stability, reliability and cost-effectiveness are paramount. Their established infrastructure and widespread availability ensure that they will continue to play a crucial role in the technology landscape. In conclusion, the rise of quantum computing signifies a paradigm shift in technology very soon, with the potential to revolutionize multiple industries in a few years. As quantum and classical computing coexist, their respective strengths will enable a new era of innovation. While quantum computing opens doors to unprecedented capabilities, classical computers will remain vital for everyday applications and tasks. By keeping eyes on both technologies, we can create the future for the complex challenges ahead and unlock new opportunities for growth, ultimately leading to transformative advancements across various sectors.
