Aristocrat Gaming made Class II gaming and the Tribal space a priority with its 2014 acquisition of Video Gaming Technologies (VGT).
James Starr, president of VGT by Aristocrat Gaming, is instrumental in leading the charge with his emphasis upon releasing a high percentage of custom content specifically for Class II Tribal customers.
James Starr, president of VGT by Aristocrat Gaming
“We remain committed to creating new and exciting content to keep the Class II industry strong for the future,” said Starr. “For example, with the recent releases of Hot Red Ruby Takes in Riches, The Hunt for Neptune’s Gold, and The Hunt for the Polaris Diamonds, we have taken player-favorite VGT brands and characters and reinvigorated them with new games, mechanics, and features on premium hardware.”
Aristocrat Gaming, uniquely equipped to transform Class II gaming by combining the best of VGT game style play with the company’s math, design, graphics and additional brands, will be highlighting a bevy of new games at the 2025 Indian Gaming Tradeshow & Convention (IGA) in San Diego March 31 – April 3.
Among the games in the Aristocrat spotlight at the show will be Buffalo Quad Power, Buffalo Ultimate Stampede, Chief Platinum, Hot Red Ruby Rakes in Riches, and Jackpot Carnival.
The emphasis on Class II research and development since VGT merged with Aristocrat Gaming has attained such heights that introducing Class III products first is no longer standard practice.
“It took a lot of time and investment to get Class II platforms, hardware, software and content on a par with Class III,” Starr said. “Fortunately, when VGT merged with Aristocrat Gaming, along came a deep commitment and investment of time and resources to advance Class II to the next level.
“The Class II platform is more stable today because of the continued improvement and investment in technology. Resolving platform issues was essential to reduce downtime and boost profitability.”
The importance of creating an environment where it is no longer necessary to introduce Class III content first gives Aristocrat the option of choice according to Starr, which is a clear indicator of how far the Class II product has come since the passage of the 1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.
An emphasis upon custom content specifically for Class II Tribal customers was made possible by bringing platforms, hardware and software up to Class III speed, thereby eliminating the performance gap that once existed.
“Some of the performance gap that existed depended on the product,” Starr revealed. “For example, our legacy Class II VGT mechanical reels have historically outperformed Class III products. However, many of our most recent releases of video Class II products are performing on a par with Class III products or come from high-performing Class III game families.”
The remarkable advancements in Class II technology have heightened interest among Tribal customers for Class II gaming products and made it possible for Class II business to grow at a remarkable rate even in some jurisdictions where Class III products are available.
“Tribal customers are the primary regulators of Class II gaming,” Starr said. “Most Tribal customers understand that they need Class II gaming products to sustain their businesses and protect their sovereignty.
“We will continue to invest in developing the best Class II products, further growing our portfolio and meeting the needs of our tribal customers.”
