G2E Conference Notes. Part 2

G2E 2022 was back and bigger.?

When I first came to #G2E a decade ago, I really wasn’t a part of the gaming or casino industry, rather a real estate guy looking at the lessons that could be learned from the customer-centric, vertically aligned operations model within the casino industry. The conference – and perhaps the industry – have moved on significantly from those days, however my interest in these aspects??has not.

Off the floor, I managed to catch up with the force of nature that is Julie Brinkerhoff-Jacobs and Shelby Gleba of Lifescapes International. It was Julie that chaired the first panel I ever spoke at, so has known me from the beginning.

Conference Notes 6.

On the floor were the slot providers. Shufflemaster, that once designed card shuffling devices is now rebranded Light and Wonder. Aristocrat, that once made playing cards has another set of brands and Buffalos to sell to casinos, and International Game Technologies is now a UK based multi-national conglomerate, a long way from Si Redd’s original video poker.

Although many are from the land-based era, increasingly their focus is working in digital gaming, digital sports, digital marketing, digital regulation or even digital payments.

The technological advances in digital wallets, digital slots which will permeate the casino floor, were about as land focused as it got. Digital is where the gaming industry is going – lower costs, greater efficiencies and greater profits, but what the gaming industry is becoming, really isn’t why I moved to this industry.

Conference Notes 7.

I am an analogue guy. I have studied information technology, finance and strategy, but am in the business of people.

My fascination is how to we make our customers feel good. How do we create experiences, environments, develop cultures, restaurants, bars that make people happy. Even make our customers delighted. I want to make happy memories. The games are part of it. I was once told that people remember the feeling of winning but forget the pain of losing.?

The stories of how we created Las Vegas and the evolutions that can be employed in contemporary casino development are what I was seeking. At #g2e2022 this was scarce on the floor (unless digital) – and even in the education programing - but evident in the activities I undertook and with the people I met outside the conference. Perhaps this needs some thought for next year!

Conference Notes 7.?

I was hosted for lunch by Michael Soll and #TheInnovationGroup. They are really good guys. It was also a pleasure to see Matthew Chilton and Josh Swissman, MBA of The Strategy Organization over drinks. In business we are probably competitors, but we are friends -and that is the way it should be. Having recently merged with GMA – I wish them every success.

JCJ ARCHITECTURE also invited me for drinks – also a great bunch of people.

However, the highlight of my #g2e – as it is every year – is spending time with Simon Thomas and Matthew King of The Hippodrome Casino . As I have written before, as a land-based real estate consultant (in professional terms, a finance and investment Surveyor) for me The Hippodrome is the benchmark for urban casinos. Going with Simon and Matt, their team and some other industry leaders and legends (including Stowe Shoemaker, PhD , Casey R. Cohen Roy Student ) to Circa Resort & Casino , touring the property and eating dinner at Barry's, was akin to being at a ringside seat at the greatest meeting of minds.

Moreover, being present when the best independent operator in the UK came face to face with the best independent operator in Las Vegas was a truly iconic moment. Shame we didn’t take a photo – but the fact that this was done in the evening and not in the G2E conference was a missed opportunity, in my opinion! Oh. for an hour's conversation between them!

Experiences don’t get better.

Conference Notes 8.

The final act of G2E 2022 was a dinner at #Superfrico. This is the newish restaurant at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas by Spiegelworld . It is cocktails, food, singing, performers, all coming together in a great room, with top service creating a unique experience. It was packed, everyone was happy and having a great time.... this is the real light and wonder that Las Vegas is about.

Summary

So once again- G2E was back, bigger… but, in my humble opinion not quite better. The reason we get in a plane, fly from all corners of the world to be in the same place, at the same time and be together is because we value those analogue experiences; the drinks, the food, the engagement, not just the digital ones, which seemed to be the focus of the show this year.

I hope our industry doesn’t forget that.

Thank you to Lindsay, Ben Jenkins Jamie (Morris) Line Quincy Foster and all the other LSG folk that tolerated my ongoing presence and questions in the Media Room and Korbi Carrison for putting on a successful show.

Oliver Lovat is the CEO of The Denstone Group, that offers strategic consultancy in resort development and positioning. He is a Fellow of The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and lives in Las Vegas.