Galaxy Gaming, Inc., the world’s largest independent developer and distributor of casino table games and technology, knows a solid business proposition when it is presented with one.
When the opportunity arose to become the holder of exclusive distribution rights for EZ Baccarat, the No. 1 proprietary baccarat brand in the U.S. and Canadian casino gaming industry, Galaxy Gaming was not about to let it slip away.
One of the highlights of Galaxy’s G2E festivities was the one-year anniversary celebration of the partnership. If the first-year results are any indication, recent enhancements and strong marketing momentum will carry on into year number two.
EZ Baccarat, co-created and co-owned by Francisco “TJ” Tejeda and Robin Powell, who are also co-principals of The Talisman Group, a Las Vesgas-based consulting firm, found a perfect home with Galaxy.
“The 15 years of knowledge and empirical experience that our company, Talisman Group, brought to the table was a valuable asset,” Tejeda said, establishing the foundation for what they considered most important for selecting a company to grant exclusive distribution rights for EZ Baccarat.
“Robin and I saw that a company the size of Galaxy would be amenable to understanding this. When all was said and done, Galaxy rose to the top as the best possible ‘dancing partner’ for us.”
EZ Baccarat is more than just a game. It has an identity all its own, a personality, a branding power that is the product of the inspiration and creativity instilled in it by Tejeda and Powell, whose passion for and belief in their creation never wavered.
Unbeknownst to the partners at the time the agreement was signed, there were some changes coming to Galaxy Gaming. Change usually holds some surprises, but in the case of the new partnership with EZ Baccarat, the surprises were all fortuitous ones.
“In November of 2023, Matt Reback, a highly respected gaming industry veteran with nearly two decades of experience, was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Galaxy,” Tejeda said. “When Matt took over the team, he started bringing in some of his people to effect changes he thought necessary.
“Well, lo and behold, this was a like a gift from heaven for Robin and me. The most important quality for us is that Matt is a real ‘brand man’. He is well-versed in what makes a brand successful. He has a deep understanding of them as very few people do.”
Tejeda said that Reback brought top-flight executives on board with him, including Michael Ratner as Executive Vice President of Product. Ratner is an expert in this capacity, having over three decades of managerial experience with some of the top gaming companies in the world.
“With the new executive team in place, we really started to pick up speed out in the market,” Tejeda said. “I really cannot tell you just how happy we are with our partnership with Galaxy. They have made some meaningful decisions, and I think the one that really comes to the forefront is their wholehearted acceptance of the one-price policy that is a keystone of the EZ Baccarat brand.
Side bets were among the innovations that Tejeda and Powell brought to the existing baccarat market. They also created the first avatars – initially the Dragon 7, and four years later the Panda 8 – which Tejeda said made the game come alive, made it different, made it sellable, made it popular.
“After the alliance, we began listening to the market through Galaxy’s ‘ears’,” Tejeda revealed. “The feedback through the sales force made it pretty plain that the casinos were listening to the players, and something they heard was they wanted more choices, a more extensive way of betting on the game. They wanted more action.”
Acknowledging that side bets have become more important in the baccarat field, Tejeda and Powell found themselves in a quandary. They have far and away the most successful baccarat game in the United States and Canada, and according to Tejeda: “When you have something that good, you are really not too willing to ‘mess’ with it.”
Galaxy, meanwhile, had two signature baccarat bets that were tremendously successful for them: Golden Talons and Divine 9.
“We came to the table and the suggestion was made to put Golden Talons and Divine 9 on the EZ Baccarat platform,” Tejeda continued. “Well, Robin and I thought about it long and hard, and we originally weren’t convinced, because, like I said, it is very difficult to change a successful recipe.
“We were also aware that the industry is constantly changing. You just can’t stand still and not make changes, because prior success does not necessarily mean future performance. So, finally, we came together and our first question was ‘How do we do this?’ The one-price policy is a keystone to the brand, and we haven’t changed that in 18 years.”
The Galaxy Gaming team led by Reback got together and came back with what Tejeda best describes as a truly “innovative idea”, one which accurately underscored the value of the company’s alliance with EZ Baccarat.
“They returned and told us that they wanted to make EZ Baccarat even better. Understanding the value we placed on the one-price policy, they proposed putting Golden Talons and Divine 9 on the game and not change the price. It was a gutsy executive decision and came unexpectedly. but we said ‘Hey, we’re game. Let’s do it’. To my delight, the one-price policy just became the same-price policy!
“And when you really think about it, who does this? Golden Talons is the most successful side bet Galaxy Gaming has for baccarat. They have hundreds of installations throughout the nation. To do something like this really takes a visionary leader. It is just another reason why we are so thrilled to be in this together.”
EZ Baccarat is now enhanced with Galaxy Gaming’s Golden Talons and Divine 9 side bets at no additional cost, giving the game three side bet options in addition to EZ Baccarat’s proprietary and exclusive Panda 8 and Dragon 7.
Like Reback, Tejeda is a “brand man”. He knows that if you want a brand, you’ve got to be different and make truly innovative decisions.
“We lost our patent in 2013, yet we continue ‘gobbling’ up the market and we are still far and away Number One,” Tejeda said. “If you want to be a ‘brand man’, part of your responsibilities for the brand and the people who love it is to gaze as far into the future as you can and take some educated risks.”
