Seen and Heard at G2E 2026

^{A rare look into the bright lights and different games inside the heavily guarded Interblock booth at G2E. (Photo: Marc Meltzer / Casinos.com)}

The Global Gaming Expo, known as G2E, is the largest trade show for the casino and gaming industry. It draws casino executives, gaming manufacturers, and others in related industries.

Last year, 25,000 people attended from 120 countries. A preliminary report from the organizers says this year was just as busy.

Education sessions during the conference are where casino executives and consultants discuss the issues they face every day, such as marketing, rewards, economics, and surveillance.

On the expo floor, gaming manufacturers and other vendors show off new products and services they hope casinos will buy. While new slot machines get much of the attention, casinos purchase everything from ATMs and vending machines to chairs, food, and beverages.

Media members have access to almost everything, from the games to the panels. It's impossible to cover it all, but themes always emerge from the discussions and the expo floor.

IGT's New Queen Slot Machine Stands Out

IGT's new Queen slot machine was a standout at G2E, built on the company's new Summit75 cabinet. The new cabinet is huge, with sharp graphics and visuals. The game features 10 songs and videos of classic live performances that fans will easily recall. Unlike some older machines, the audio is loud and crisp. Try to listen to the rep describe the game to me in the video above. 

The game has multiple bonuses that are variations on ones most players have seen. One difference is that players can unlock songs and switch what's playing during one of the bonuses. The game is a stunner, and Queen fans should love it when it reaches casinos.

The band was at its peak of popularity in the 1970s and 1980s, but its songs have stood the test of time for many fans. There are so many standout features that this Queen hater wishes IGT would make a game for one of his favorite bands. Sadly, the company said that no Pantera slot machine is planned at this time.

As in recent years, slot players can expect many of the same games as last year with similar features. Sure, there are outliers, but manufacturers are mostly delivering slots with popular themes and familiar gameplay.

Tech nerds looking for groundbreaking games be damned. Players want familiar games and functionality, and the largest casino operators want to keep them happy, so they stock those games.

Look for even more games featuring cute pigs, puppies, and other cartoon animals and characters. Bonus styles such as "triple pot," "hold and spin," and "cash collect/Mo Mummy" have been tweaked again, too.

Manufacturers and casinos are giving players what they want. You'll be able to play even more fun versions of the slot machines you already love.

I'm one of those tech nerds always looking for truly unique games, whether it's a slot, table game, or electronic table game. It seems like major innovation is on hold while the entire casino and gaming ecosystem focuses on what players want today, not tomorrow or 10 years from now. This is a theme I heard all week.

Saving the Soul of Casino Games

The first panel I attended was "The Progressive Shift: Modernizing Table Games Without Losing Their Soul." Progressive table game side bets were a hot topic last year, and that's still the case.

As they did last year, casino operators and manufacturers are focused on preserving the integrity of the games while introducing features that players love. Saving the soul of games means keeping the integrity of the experience players love while offering new features. While the panel was on table games, it was a refrain I heard from slot machine manufacturers.

This has been a battle for years and is one reason we don't see many truly unique games on casino floors. Corporations report earnings every quarter, so casinos have to show positive profits every three months. That often comes from offering popular amenities, from games to restaurants. The large game manufacturers are corporations, too, so they follow suit.

As Caesars CEO Tom Reeg mentioned during his discussion, this is the downside of being a public company. It's also why he's looking forward to Caesars going private. Keeping customers is job one, while appealing to future players follows.

This is one reason Interblock hasn't been able to place its Amuse games, which we've reported on for the past couple of years, in many Las Vegas casinos. Circarca, The Cosmopolitan and the Venetian have led the way by offering a few different games. A representative swore to me that we will finally see Marble Run, the marble racing game, in Las Vegas early next year.

Innovation is often stifled by companies focused only on today and not the future. While that may sound ominous, it's what keeps players happy today, and that's the goal of a casino.

Everything is Bigger

Before G2E, just about every major slot machine supplier was touting a tall slot machine. The largest is Konami's 11-foot-tall cabinet.

While the Queen game has one huge screen, many of the cabinets reach this height with multiple screens. Like the other game trends, this one has been evolving over the years.

One of the easiest ways to stand out in a casino is to have the tallest machine, one that can be seen from afar. While some players still love old-school single-reel slots, many are attracted to big, bright and loud machines.

The cabinets might attract players once, but the game itself is what will keep them returning to these massive installations. A lot of research and data goes into creating the perfect slot floor layouts, and these larger games could change how we navigate casinos in the future.

Prediction Markets Are Baaaaaaaaaad!

G2E is put on by the American Gaming Association, a national trade group representing the regulated U.S. casino and gaming industry.

Prediction markets are not casinos and not part of the AGA, and their operators don't consider "trading" the same as "gambling." As such, they compete with regulated land-based and online casinos.

Last year, the topic was a blip on the screen. This year, prediction markets were enemy No. 1 for the AGA and all affiliated companies.

During his opening remarks, AGA President and CEO Bill Miller went off on prediction markets with a fire I've never heard before. "We follow state laws. We respect regulations. We honor tribal sovereignty. We pay taxes. We champion responsible gaming. And we build opportunities for long-term prosperity."

 "Their message to states and tribes seems pretty straightforward: Your laws don't matter," he continued. "Your regulators don't matter. Your tax structures don't matter. Your sovereignty doesn't matter."

It felt as though he was saying we're the good guys and they're the bad guys. Similar messages could be heard from other members and those adjacent to the casino industry throughout G2E.

It's not surprising when an industry attacks the competition, and this battle will continue for the foreseeable future.

50 Cent's Headcrack Was the Talk of the Show

For a week before G2E started, I was receiving questions about 50 Cent Headcrack, a dice game from TCSJOHNHUXLEY. It debuted at the expo to much fanfare.

Craps players reached out to me because I love to roll the bones. Likewise, I grew up in the Bronx and am familiar with street dice. What most people don't know is that I remember everything about the first time I heard 50 Cent in Brian's blue Cadillac in Springfield, Mass., with Dave and Tara.

The dice game isn't like craps, and that confused every person I saw getting a tutorial on the Headcrack. It's closer to Cee-Lo and uses three dice.

Since this was the first time the game was seen in public, it's not yet in casinos. A rep said she expected to see some orders by the end of the show. It's too early to say if the game will land in Las Vegas casinos or in a Tunica location.

It’s The Economy, Stupid

The phrase was coined during the 1992 presidential campaign and can explain how people vote or spend their money. At G2E, it applied to casino guests.

There were many takes on how the economy is affecting casino spending, from Atlantic City to Las Vegas. Whether it's the cost of a meal or a flight to a casino, prices have been rising over the past year, and casinos are noticing.

Much of the discussion centered on how executives are dealing with the current economy. Some ideas made sense, while others sounded like word salad. But it’s interesting to be a fly on the wall as casino executives discuss things they wouldn’t say to guests.

One thing that stood out was how important the luxury market is becoming. The general rule of thumb has been that 20% of customers generate 80% of a business's revenue.

Multiple panelists mentioned that the ratio is shrinking, with as little as 10% of guests generating 80% of revenue in some markets. This helps explain why casinos continue to focus on their most profitable guests by upgrading hotel rooms and high-limit gaming spaces.

During the "From First Play to VIP: Creating Loyalty That Lasts" panel, executives and content creators discussed how a player progresses from entry-level to VIP. Casino operators are always looking for high rollers, and content creators are becoming a funnel for those players.

Many players start as low rollers and become loyal to certain casinos over the years, focusing their spending at those properties. The more time and money they spend at a single property, the easier it is to earn VIP status, which often makes the player a profitable customer.

My casino life mirrors that sentiment. I started as a low-rolling craps player who learned the ins and outs of rewards programs and how to get the best perks for my budget. Many friends have had similar journeys.

Consider Yourself Safe From Robot Slot Machines…For Now

I first noticed the robot slot machine from Novomatic at G2E in 2023. It was on the expo floor again in the same spot it has occupied for the past few years.

Because the machine moves in response to people nearby, it's always alone for convention-goers to ogle. There are never reps around the game, so I never had a chance to ask about it while circulating the floor. It seemed safe to assume this was either a prototype for a concept far in the future or just a demo game to attract people to the booth.

This year, I made it my mission to find out. After high-fiving this weirdo, I asked its keeper to point me in the direction of someone who could help me.

The rep confirmed that this is a show demo only and is not for sale to casinos. That sounds like a company line until the robot uprising begins someday. We're safe ... for now.

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