GAMING ROOM DESIGN

Gaming room reboot

PKD director Paul Kelly reveals how gaming room design is evolving in the wake of a pandemic.

COVID RESTRICTIONS led to the transformation of pub gaming rooms across Australia, but with the easing of density restrictions, will things ever fully go back to the way they were?

PKD director Paul Kelly, who has been involved in over 100 gaming room renovation projects including the Entrance Hotel (pictured), believes some of the changes will stick.

When Covid first hit, he said, machines were split apart and spread out as operators set about trying to interpret the 1.5m rule in a gaming room scenario.

“Usually, gaming machines sit on a 1000 or 1200-wide base, which equals a 0.5m space between the chairs.”

To be safe, Kelly says, most interpreted the 1.5m distance as between chairs which meant the rooms had to be expanded to maintain revenue.

According to Kelly, gaming patrons liked the extra space, so although there is no longer a regulatory reason to maintain the space between machines, many venues are keeping the machines more spaced out – but not the full 1.5m as some patrons like to play two games at the same time.

“We’re now seeing rooms remaining at a medium width apart, which still keeps the energy in room,” he says.

This change in turn requires larger gaming rooms. “Gaming rooms are becoming even larger than they were before,” he says. “Venue operators are taking space from other areas to enable the expansion.”

Evolving décor

Stylistic design is also evolving, according to Kelly. The typical Asian-inspired red colouring and lantern look is on the out, with people increasingly extending their own branding and design style to the gaming room.

“Aside from pubs in predominantly Asian demos, gaming patrons come from many different ethnicities and demographics, so these days, the look and style of the gaming room will depend more on where a pub is located,” he says.

Looking beyond gaming, the scope of gaming venues’ renovations is expanding outward into other areas, according to Kelly.

“Gaming venues have already improved their gaming rooms. Now they are focusing on other section and revenue generators such as their food and beverage areas.”

Personal service

The gaming room service model has also been shaken up post-Covid. “You’ll find more pub employees in the gaming room now,” Kelly says.

Drink-to-machine service, he says, is replacing the pre-Covid self-service areas and social spaces where gamers could help themselves to coffee and biscuits. Increasingly, he says, employees provide the snacks and conversation in the gaming area.

The new gaming room at the Entrance Hotel.

“These days operators are not providing any areas for non-gaming activities in the gaming room. Instead, there’s lots more space and interaction with employees, more like the casino model.”

Sign of the times

As a gaming signage specialist for over 25 years, Precision Signs has experienced many changes in gaming room design, with many of these driven by emerging technology as well as evolving EGMs and interior design styles.

Covid also drove its share of changes to gaming room signage, according to Casey Johnson, GM of Precision Signs.

“Throughout Covid, with the varying range of regulation and social distancing measures placed on venues, we refined and focused our product offerings to more room-based displays than bank-specific signage.

“For example, we found room entry, bulkhead and wall-mounted displays created an amazing atmosphere and added theatre to the room whilst still allowing flexibility in bank configurations.”

The new Halo overhead signage.

With the stabilisation of restrictions, Johnson says, Precision Signs is finding new opportunities to combine room and overbank signage to create even more atmosphere.

Overbank signage is an important element when it comes to directing clientele to their favourite game or link, he says, whilst room display adds theatre and excitement to the room.

“They really do complement each other and when done well, especially with linked content, deliver fantastic results.

“We have recently delivered a variety of projects in this theme and gained positive feedback from some of the industry’s leading pub and club groups,” he says.

The company’s latest offering in digital overhead signage – the Halo – offers a seamless 360 display, LED trim lighting, with content-driven react controller.

“We offer a wide range of content on the Halo, including the latest manufacturers games and custom video sequences. It’s a fantastic addition to any gaming room,” Johnson says.