Joe Esposito wants you to take a seat.
Esposito, the CEO of Reno-based Gary Platt Manufacturing, is already embracing the opportunity created last May when the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a federal ban on single-game sports wagers outside of Nevada.
Gary Platt, which has a significant market share of the North American casino chair market after 20 years in business, introduced its first chair designed specifically for sports books at G2E in Las Vegas in October. It’s already processed orders for the new chairs for sports books in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Mississippi.
Those models and other casino chairs will be on display at Gary Platt’s booth at the National Indian Gaming Association convention and trade show in San Diego. The company is splitting its booth space with Gitchi Gaming.
“Since the laws have opened up, there’s been a massive push for sports books across the country,” Esposito said. “We are diving into that business full speed. Within three to five years, you’re going to see an explosion in sportsbooks.”
Leading Gary Platt’s NIGA exhibit is its new sportsbook chair. There’s a difference between chairs for sports books and other parts of the casino, Esposito said. Chairs for slots or table games have a narrow footprint; sportsbook chairs are little wider and more comfortable, with a USB port and cup holder.
“They’re like a mini-recliner in some ways,” he said.
Sports fans spend a lot of time sitting and watching, so Gary Platt’s researchers and designers have carefully hand-crafted solutions for the sportsbook, Esposito said. The chairs include the company’s proprietary foam blend; fully ergonomic designs with curved leg edges and lumbar support; and creature-comforts such as oversized arm rests and large cup holders.
“They’re (designed) for sitting and watching a game in,” Esposito said. “We have low-back and high-back versions, and they rock back and forth. We’re trying to win the sit test and have the most comfortable chair out there.”
Company staff went to more than 15 sports books in Las Vegas in 2018 and looked at more than 2,500 chairs to size up the market and opportunity, Esposito said.
“What we found is that there’s a wide disparity of product, and there was no real market leader,” Esposito said. “There weren’t any good, comfortable chairs out there, and we thought what a great opportunity for us. We spent a lot of time on working on making a nicer-looking, sportier chair than we usually saw.”
Gary Platt sells about 80,000 chairs a year and has 12 to 15 main styles, Esposito said. The company designs chairs for slots, tables, restaurants, bars, offices, and convention areas.
The Platt booth at NIGA will include a new quick-change seat. With just two bolts, the quick-change seat allows operators to change seats and get the chair back in the game in under two minutes.
“We’re excited about NIGA,” Esposito said. “We’re bringing our entire array of chairs… as the market leader, (we want to) show our best stuff and newest products.”
