(My apologies for breaking the Golden Rule of digital media:“Keep It Short.” But forgive me, it was a big show! Extra credit if you make it to the end.)
It’s been a month since the show closed, so by now you’ve probably heard way too much about the arrival of a new “Queen” and the continuing tidal wave of spooky monsters, dragons, pigs, bulls, bears, mummies and train games.
Based on what I saw, the power rankings for the top dozen slot vendors won’t change much next year. In order: Aristocrat, Light & Wonder, IGT, Konami, Bluberi, AGS, Everi, Ainsworth, Incredible Technologies, Aruze, Sega Sammy and Zitro. However, L&W seems to be narrowing the large gap to ATI, and Gaming Arts may break onto this list soon.
The overall show theme: More of the same, only bigger, brighter and louder than ever. Clones and sequels were the norm.
Other good stuff
Still, there were dozens of products, concepts and ideas that may not have yet gotten the attention they deserve:
- A year ago (before it became 2026’s biggest hit), the after-party gossip was all about Aristocrat’s “Monopoly.” This year, the backroom buzz was about a game from Highbrow Gaming (Who???). And it looked strangely familiar to everyone born before 1980.
Yes! It’s the ancient “Sigma Derby” horserace game that gobbled quarters for decades. (You can still find an old one at the Golden Gate in downtown Vegas.) It was, and is, a machine both loved and hated. Players were seemingly mesmerized by those miniature robotic horses galloping around the track. Slot techs hated it because they had to “repair” the Derby almost daily.
It looks identical, but this is a completely new game. Hopper jams drove techs crazy on the original; the new version is credit-based, so there are no coins to gum up the works. More importantly, it’s multi-denomination, from 25¢ to $5. Along with attracting players, maybe this version can finally generate a decent average bet that justifies its large footprint.
So, who’s behind Highbrow Gaming? Like the game, it’s a mix of old and new. The founder is gaming veteran Patrick Schmit, backed by his son Joseph. Mike Darley of Next Gaming is supplying some IP and will handle much of the licensing and distribution. VSR is building the replica cabinets.
Joseph and Pat Schmit (Photo: Highbrow Gaming)
- Maybe there is something about good gaming genes (like Joseph). Chris Rowe, who did great work at Aristocrat, is now president of Valicy. He’s a genuine rising star in our industry, and he probably picked up a thing or two from his dad, Slot Operations Hall of Famer Bruce Rowe.
Valicy debuted at G2E and evolved from Grover Gaming (acquired last year by Light & Wonder). According to its press release, the company “will now focus on becoming a major manufacturer in land-based gaming across North America.” Its main products today are Class II, but Class III games are on their project list.
- Noah Acres also has a Gaming Hall of Fame dad: the legendary John Acres. Noah was showing “ScreenM,” the latest feature on the company’s Foundation system. It can run on its own or alongside your current slot tracking system. With their hardware, they can overlay your video game screens with a long menu of options: bonusing, promotions, cashless, iPhone inputs, AI-based avatars, ads, broadcast TV and much more.
- Ainsworth’s “Playboy” was another throwback game, but not everyone gave it high marks: Unless you carry a Baby Boomer membership card, the brand feels a little lame for 2026. I can’t imagine many young Millennials ever had a copy of the magazine under their mattress. And even Ainsworth’s art department couldn’t seem to draw a decent likeness of Hugh Hefner?!?
- That said, don’t write off Ainsworth. Under new CEO Ryan Comstock, and with some interesting game mechanics, they are on the right track. “Dragon Legacy” had an innovative “Red Envelope” bonus round, plus a clever semi-physical “scratch-off” feature that others are sure to copy.
“Shrine of the Guardian” on their Raptor cabinet was one of their best with fresh twists on the “Cash Collect” mechanic.
- Bluberi borrowed a great idea from your living room home theater calling it “SoundWave.” Picture a six-foot soundbar looking like a log wrapped in Christmas lights, perched on top of the games and backed by subwoofers in the bases. The sound was attention-grabbing and penetrating. It’s designed to loudly celebrate winning, which is perfect and long overdue. (Just don’t put that bank next to a pit, or you’ll be hearing some other annoying noises.)
Normally I’d be raving about Interblock’s “Marble Run,” one of the most innovative concepts in years. But we all said the same thing last year, and the year before, and maybe the year before that. Like the boy who cried wolf, IB promised this year that it really is coming soon. We’ll see.
- IB was also promoting its recently released “Battleship,” straight from the world of board games. I loved this one. Instead of destroying another player’s fleet, you try to sink four ships on the screen. You position the ships wherever you like, then a “Bubble Craps”-style chamber shakes two dice: one with letters, one with numbers. You then launch anti-ship missiles at those randomly selected grid coordinates. It felt a little like a skill game but with a true RNG. Full steam ahead.
More themes that had potential
- “Dracula” (Light & Wonder): A very promising new entree emerging from their successful monster closet.
- “Monster Manor” (Bluberi): Everybody loves monsters this year. Check out their Vampire feature. Also curious to see if “Sir Mix A Lot” can make the charts.
- “Tails On Rails” (Zitro): Train themes are hot, and Zitro is on the move.
- “Bull Blitz Rampage” (Konami): It looked good on their new cabinet, and their earlier Bull themes performed well.
- “Queen” (IGT): A truly multi-generational brand. The game will probably get tweaked some more, but once it is released it could outperform their successful Whitney Houston (if only it weren’t a WAP)!
- “Bonanza Brothers” (Sega Sammy): Maybe they’ll finally have a hit that isn’t a “Railroad Riches” variant?
- “Wild Temple Two” (Gaming Arts): Another company on the move.
- Triple Wheels (Aruze and IGT): They both offered three times the fun with these new looks.
- “Rackin’ Bacon Ultra”: Who doesn’t love bacon, especially with a new waterfall feature?
- There’s no need to mention Aristocrat here since all their top themes and clones keep killing it.
Cabinets getting noticed
Some are already on floors, but these were the hottest boxes at the show:
- Lightwave Solar (Light & Wonder)
- Reign (Aristocrat)
- Glō UR43 (AGS)
- Solstice 27 (Konami)
- Raptor A865 (Ainsworth)
- Rise (IGT): Out for almost a year, this box was a surprise hit of ’26 in both large and small formats
- Fantasy (Zitro)
New software worth a hard look today
- Pencil Pro: Unbiased, accurate dealer scheduling.
- QCI Resorts: End-to-end integration and recreation of every casino system. Double wow!
- Planet Bingo: Class II video poker software that plays exactly like Class III. Have you seen this, IGT?
- Xailient’s “Casino Eye-D” on IGT’s new “Advantage X” system. They join Konami and L&W in offering this facial recognition system to efficiently track all play, carded or not. Advantage Players will hate it.
Overdue
Accurate table game bet tracking, whether with RFID chips or chip-detection cameras, has been “just over the horizon” for far too long. It needs to happen now. Walker Digital’s “Perfect Pay” seems to be that “tipping point” solution. Pair it with facial recognition and you could close the analytical gap with slots completely.
Hit or miss trends??
- While there were still dozens and dozens of Triple Pots, did you also see a shift toward Five Pots?
- Even with IGT pulling out of ETGs, there seems to be renewed interest in the category. But did you also notice some unexpected new investments in traditional table games from L&W and AGS?
- Was there a continuing effort to limit the number of new persistence games that first began last year?
- What do you think about the many “instant bonus” gimmicks which allowed players to go directly to the game’s bonus features (for a fee of course)?
Great events
The G2E Dealer Championship returned better than ever after last year’s debut, celebrating skills in card pitching, chip racking and overall dealing. Main event winners: 1) Emely Pascual-Alvarez of Mohegan Sun (she’s holding the trophy above and surrounded by her entire Mohegan team); 2) Daniel Mora Hernandez of Caliente Casino Tijuana Pueblo Amigo; and 3) Cheyanne Williams of the hometown Fontainebleau. Great job, G2E and contest coordinator Debi Nutton!
10 Women Rising in Gaming: Class of 2026
These women were honored at a “Zero Day” party on the Sunday before the show. Shown above, left to right (front row only): Melissa Aarskaug, Frances Alvarez, Lorrie Banford, Zoe Ebling, Danielle Finn, Catie Gillis, Aeza Graham, Aiko Hatano, Stacy Phillips and Dearbhla Purcell. Congratulations to all!
Some first-time vendors
- ACT (Advanced Compliance Technology Ltd.): The boom in sports betting has caused an explosion in cheating, match fixing, point shaving and insider trading. ACT has assembled a team of veteran “human” pros working with advanced AI agents to spot problems before, during and after events. They’ve already had some headline-grabbing catches.
- Olive & Cocoa: They were one of many, many vendors pitching gifts for casinos to give their patrons. But O&C packages everything in handsome wooden boxes, which somehow makes them feel special.
- Nissan: The corporate auto dealer was also a first timer, pitching service vehicles for slot vendors and casinos. The cars were outfitted with easily removable metal racks, drawers and cabinets. These small SUVs were certainly better looking, and probably cheaper to operate, than the usual white vans.
Odds and ends
Best slot machine signs: Except for the amazing Aristocrat Monopoly sign package, Zitro won this title again. This is especially impressive since their signs were for core/owned games. That said, almost every slot supplier stepped up their sign (and sound) game this year.
- Christmas in September: According to one vendor, holiday decorations for casino clients were the fastest-growing category at G2E. Who knew?
Misfires
- IGT launched a new logo. IGT/Everi seems to be headed in the right direction under Hector Fernandez, but this move caught many by surprise. I won’t comment on the design itself. I’ll just ask: wouldn’t the new owners (Apollo) get more out of putting those millions of “new logo” dollars into more R&D and a more robust field tech crew?
Brand expert Julia Carcamo shared her opinion: “CEO Hector Fernandez said the new identity “signals who we are becoming.” I believe the intent. But the wordmark is the easy part. The real test is whether operators feel they’re dealing with a different company the next time they pick up the phone.” Let’s hope Fernandez not only makes it different, but better.
- The barricade mentality: Once again, several major booths looked like walled fortresses patrolled by ICE. Interblock led the pack, with L&W and ATI close behind. In their defense, several executives said they aren’t worried about reputable vendors stealing ideas; most even welcomed competitors into their booths on Thursday. The real threats, they say, are Chinese companies with no respect for patents and fly-by-night online gaming sites that secretly make video recordings of their newest games. One executive saw their latest slot concept on an unauthorized website just one day after the show. And everyone agreed the problem is only getting worse with “smart glasses.”
Disappointments
- Each year the “cashless” apps seem to improve, but only at a glacial pace. None seem to have hit the sweet spot yet. Confusing signups, no universality, multiple apps, different providers, etc. It’s a shame. I did preview a new hardware/software app in Las Vegas away from the Expo that had some potential. But it is far too early to judge its chances, or any other system’s chances, for successes. Let’s all hope someone (anyone or everyone) breaks through soon.
Best party venues
You can’t go wrong hosting a party almost anywhere in Las Vegas. No other city on earth offers a bigger or better selection of incredible venues. But two lesser-known spots really impressed me:
- Alle 66 atop Resorts World: My photo above doesn’t do it justice. The high-rise views are phenomenal, the bar is top shelf, and the food and service are superb.
- Zero Bond at the Wynn: Their upstairs room is on the small side, but the balcony view over Wynn’s exclusive golf course is spectacular. When the Wynn links were first built, you couldn’t see a single competing attraction from anywhere on the course. But that was before the neighbors built the Sphere.
Weirdest party
- I don’t know if anyone else will ever enter this competition, but Quick Custom Intelligence (QCI) won “Weirdest Party” for the second straight year. It was a bizarre mix of live music, massages, Māori chants, tap dancing, high-end Scotch, face painting, ballet, costumes and a lot of very interesting (?) people. This year, QCI co-founder Andrew Cardno even took the stage for an unexpected baritone singing performance. As strange as it was, it was also great fun.
QCI’s Andrew Cardno singing at his own party
Robots are coming … aren’t they?
- G & A Robot jumped on the “protein” bandwagon with its vending machines.
- Dealing Shebot: While “it” didn’t compete in the G2E Dealer Championship, the robot below drew plenty of interest near the main Expo entrance. It wasn’t just an attention-getting prop; it was a real prototype of an android dealer. Promoters said “she” might first prove practical as part of large stadium-style ETGs. Please tell me we humans have at least a few years left in this business!
Finally, a summary
The Venetian Expo is a superb venue. The “G2E Network Lounge” was a great place to chat and get off your feet for a few minutes. The new “Business Solutions & Tech Zone” was a smart nod to where our industry is heading.
G2E 2026 was about the same size as last year: 25,000 attendees and 400 vendors. Yet, it faced stiff competition from the SBC Summit, held on the exact same days across the pond in Lisbon, Portugal. That event drew 40,000 attendees and 800 exhibitors to talk Sports Betting and iGaming. (Don’t worry, there was more than enough chatter about those topics at G2E, too.)
Add in the continuing Canadian1 and international political boycotts of the U.S., plus higher airfare and travel costs for everyone, and I’d call this an amazing turnout for Las Vegas.
Mark your calendar: G2E 2027 starts September 27th. Same location. Same vibe. There’s simply no better place to meet, greet and learn.
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1 – Two weeks ago Forbes reported that September Canadian travel to the U.S. was down 29% from September 2024. Car trips were down 31%, and air travel was off 19%
