G2E Day 1 - A Challenging Day

You know those times when you have perfect clarity of thought?

?Today wasn’t one of them. G2E is one of these weeks that I look forward for – the concentration of the gaming industry’s finest minds, showcasing their work and discussing trends and details of the gaming industry at the highest level.

Yet my mind is elsewhere.

The opening conference session’s initial remarks, “we meet in uncertain times”, doesn’t do it justice.

Before I moved into the business world, I had a varied career which I like to like to synthesize with my commercial background. On my varied life journey, I have spent time in Israel, and Gaza, and Palestinian territories, and Israeli-Arab towns. I have challenged radical Islamic extremism on university campuses, sought to improve Jewish and Muslim community relations – and well as bring people of all faiths and races together. In the last Gaza war, I tried to analyze the cognitive dissonance, intellectual dishonesty and the false narratives that are peddled by people that should – and do - know better.

I have spent the past two days absorbing news and images from the Middle East. I have seen the most unspeakable horror committed against innocents; the worst depravity and desecration known to mankind is full on display. And is being celebrated and justified by those so blinded by their hatred of what they believe Israel is, and who Jews are, that they have lost their ability to rationalize and cognitively comprehend what they see. Moreover, they have lost their humanity and decency. Even Nazis hid their crimes. In many major cities people are rejoicing.

?My social media feed was filled with faces of missing people as my own family spent another evening sheltering from missile and rocket fire. I woke up to kosher restaurants near where I lived in London vandalized.

?There are no words that can encapsulate how I feel – worse than horror, deeper than despair harsher than anger.

But this conference continues. Rather than undertake the sessions I was supposed to attend – and I apologize to Ewa Bakun and the Clarion Events folk, I sat with friends from London and Glasgow and discussed family, friends and other matters. A distraction, yes. But a welcome one.

?I did attend the Global Gaming Awards, hosted by Gary Roudette and Gambling Insider – the Magazine that publishes many of my articles throughout the year. The event celebrates the industry – and for relevance to me, the Winners were not surprising.

MGM Resorts International won for their Loyalty Program (again) and Best North American Casino was Circa Resort & Casino , also again. It is nearly 3 years since Derek Stevens’ vision was realized and changed the face – and business model - of the modern casino. Richly deserved.

?The award for best resort operator went to Wynn Resorts . Quite rightly. I have written about Wynn many times in the past, but taking respite from the conference at the Wynn, talking to friends and learning about what is next for gaming.. and that is for another day… I momentarily forgot about the real world. That is the secret of Las Vegas. With waterfalls, gardens and beautiful design, the model of creating enhanced environments to encourage distraction and promote escapism.

?The initial iteration of Steve Wynn’s Strip journey was the Mirage, now owned Hard Rock International – and hosted by Tommy Mills , Michael Mills and Dan Ingster who bring together their network of interesting people annually. It was an honor to be included.

The emails and messages continued throughout the evening. More people missing. Concern from friends that I have not seen or heard from in a while. And the streets of the world echo with calls to "Gas the Jews". There is no escaping this horror.

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