Now that we’ve returned home and are isolating once again behind masks, there’s time to pause and reflect on the products and trends we saw at NIGA in Las Vegas last month. Earlier, I called the event the best gaming show ever. The description was based on the ancient wisdom that “absence makes the heart grow fonder.”
After a year stuck on Zoom, Facetime, Webex, Meet, Teams, and LogMeIn, it was good to have an “old fashioned” convention and tradeshow. Funny how one can miss seeing friends and business associates in the flesh. The simple pleasure of a firm handshake was both a throwback and a leap forward (albeit with hand sanitizer).
What about the substance? There was plenty:
DIGITAL FUNDS – Let’s begin with eCash or digital wallet solutions. Just about every major vendor had a new rollout in the category. In some ways, it’s about time and way, way, way overdue.
My only worry is that the delays might have prompted some urgency to move ahead with methodologies that might be harmful. If you’re like me, you probably haven’t used cash at a home improvement center or supermarket since 2015. Most of my charges are on credit cards (to log some air miles) or on a PIN-debit card whenever a vendor wants to tack on 3% for the Visa or Mastercard.
While my wife thinks I need counseling to curb my Home Depot addiction to new tools, it’s not often that we hear of compulsive DIY shopping leading to serious financial problems. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case with gambling addiction in our industry.
With just a few exceptions, many of these newer gaming eCash solutions allow funding accounts with credit cards. The advantage is the methodology is convenient, customer-friendly, familiar from other shopping experiences, and can be as effortless as touching your cellphone. But it can also effortlessly get you into debt.
Many prefer PIN-debit transactions for funding gaming accounts. You can still overspend, but only up to the limit the banks set and never more than you have in your account. In other words, no problems with indebtedness (you’re just left with zero cash!!).
Unfortunately, PIN-debit requires an extra precaution known as PCI compliance. Currently, cell phones do not have this capability. Neither do the touch screen player tracking monitors on slot machines. The terminals you use at the grocery store and at the bank do. They are all PCI complaint. You can learn more about this standard that was created by the banks and card providers here.
Basically, authorized PIN pads have built-in encryption on every key which makes them much more secure than non-PCI devices. Upgrading all cell phones to these standards will probably not happen for the next few generations. But I could envision the small player tracking screens on slots offering this standard soon. It would be just a dollar or two more for a PCI compliant screen than a non-compliant version. Maybe someday soon???
On the other hand, my colleagues in the table game pits have been using old-fashioned credit and marker transactions for decades, so perhaps my worries about problem gambling are for naught.
SLOT INFLUENCERS – Interestingly, when I mentioned the topic of “slot influencers” on the NIGA tradeshow floor, only about half of the industry pros in attendance recognized the term. The other half were wildly enthusiastic and optimistic about their role in our future. Here’s a link to a backgrounder I did in March. There were several “influencers” wandering the floor at NIGA and more than one panel discussion on the topic. These influencers are a big deal and will help us expand our demographic beyond Baby Boomers and older Gen-Xers. If you are not already up to speed, get there ASAP.
BOXES – While new slot cabinets are nothing new, there were some at NIGA that will most likely make waves in the upcoming national polls. Aristocrat pioneered “tall curves” with the Joe Kaminkow-designed “Double Arc” concept a few years back. Now, Scientific Games has injected the concept with growth hormones and launched their ceiling-scraper “Mural” (@ 129” tall).
After letting others take the lead, IGT has a strong new entry in the Electronic Table Game (ETG) market with their latest “Dynasty” model. A new RNG scheme allows multiple bets on multiple tables across different games simultaneously, all on the same terminal. It appeared to me that they also have an edge by offering the largest selection of novelty side bets on each table game variant. These should be a welcome addition to potentially increase ETG holds.
Aristocrat has had a hit on their hands for some time with their “Mars X Portrait” cabinet. It is the rare box that is both “for sale,” but also hosting a mega-premium title like the recently released “Buffalo Link.”
Konami has been getting good reviews for their new “Dimension 49J” standard cabinet. Down the strip from NIGA at Resorts World Las Vegas they previewed a large format “Dimension 75C” that looks very impressive with new and legacy titles.
Aruze also got a lot of attention with their video crap table, “Roll To Win.” It’s a standard looking crap tub, with the felt replaced by a massive high-definition LED screen surrounded by betting terminals. For Native American operators in California, where dice are still outlawed (#?!!#%@!#? stupid outdated law), this is about as close as you’ll ever come to replicating the feel and action of the original game. Plus, there’s better tracking and virtually zero dealer errors (with no math required).
Finally, while their box is not new, the mechanical reel spinners from Everi have discovered some magical formula and dominate everything in this category. The new titles they previewed at the show will probably continue the streak.
There were several other new game/cabinet entries from a variety of vendors, but we’ll wait about 90 days after their floor debuts to see if they are hits or misses.
GAME CHANGER? – John Acres was at the show with a new product called “Foundation.” It’s an add-on to current player and slot tracking systems that grabs existing data streams to provide new perspectives. We hope to learn more details about this and do a comprehensive review soon. But, anything from Mr. Acres is worth a close look.
While some of his previous companies have flourished and/or flopped, the technology he’s consistently introduced for nearly four decades has moved our industry forward in ways that no one else has ever matched. John was a key player in developing the first slot accounting systems, the first player tracking applications, the first modern progressive meters, the first automated player bonusing, and dozens of innovative game concepts. Others always rush to license (or sometimes steal) his ideas, so it’s worth paying attention when he has something new.
ETGs – While I mentioned Electronic Table Games from IGT and Aruze earlier, there was a strong feeling at the show that this game genre has reached, or is now going beyond, the tipping point. The leaders have been Interblock and Scientific Games, but there are multiple new entries coming from others. Unlike two or three years ago, there are now multiple ETGs at virtually every Nevada casino. Again, at Resorts World there was a “stadium-like” configuration that has become commonplace in Macau. More of these high-unit count installs may be coming here soon.
Unfortunately, some novelty products have not fared as well. The modern versions of the old Sigma horse race game have not really caught on. Konami’s “Fortune Cup,” introduced at one of the past G2E shows, was one of the best of the new breed, but even it has failed to generate good numbers.
HIGH HOPES – Finally, there was an undeniable sense of optimism about our industry at NIGA from both vendors and operators. While the current COVID Delta variant and the return of mask mandates may dampen that some, most attendees left this show excited about our industry.
Native American operators (most of them non-dependent on convention or tourist visits) told tales of strong increases in volumes and record profitability. Echoing that was the news report last week from the American Gaming Association that “commercial” gaming revenue set a record of $13.6 billion in the second quarter (that’s a 22% increase). AGA CEO Bill Miller said, “It is even more impressive when you consider commercial gaming revenue was at its lowest point ever just a year ago. This is a testament to our resilience and commitment to providing customers safe environments and world-class entertainment experiences.”
That’s one more reason why the NIGA tradeshow and convention marked a turning point and truly deserves the title of one of the best.
