Seen and Heard at the Global Gaming Expo

^{The G2E expo was an immersive experience that starts with attendees dashing through a lucky clover … err club. (Photo: Marc Meltzer / Casinos.com)}

LAS VEGAS -- The Global Gaming Expo (G2E) is the annual gathering of casino operators and game manufacturers. This year, about 25,000 people descended on the Venetian Expo Center to attend the convention, which has two very different segments.

The expo floor is where buyers purchase new games and everything else you see and use in a casino. There are also panels where the industry discusses the current and future state of casino operations.

The expo floor gets the shine because everyone wants to see the latest and greatest casino games. Meanwhile, the discussions can lead to behind-the-scenes changes that could result in a better guest experience.

While seeing new games first is fun, the panels offer the media fascinating insight into the day-to-day operations of casinos that are usually kept behind closed doors. As such, my goals at G2E are to identify games likely to reach casino floors sooner rather than later and to gain a deeper understanding of why casinos make decisions that impact visitors.

Expect More of the Same From Slot Machines … Again 

The expo floor at G2E is similar to a casino. The vast majority of games on display for buyers are slot machines. Over the years, some have referred to G2E as the slot machine conference since they dominate the expo.

If you love the slot machines in casinos today, you’re going to love the next wave of games coming over the next year. Many of the newest slot machines feature popular proprietary themes, familiar gameplay and bonus mechanics.

Gaming manufacturers are working hard to find new characters, like Rakin’ Bacon’s Cornsquealious, so they own the intellectual property rather than pay for it by licensing brand names from TV, movies and music. On a related note, my favorite new character might be Frankenswine. The Frankenstein pig-monster game is weird and adorable, and it features twists on familiar bonus mechanics.

While there may be new cartoon faces, the games mostly play the same. Many of the newest slots feature familiar themes with new bonuses based on existing technology.

Expect to see a different version of the Cash Collect feature made famous by the Mo Mummy and the Spooky Family in a slew of games. This joins “three pot” and “link” bonuses as the most popular.

Everyone and No One Are Talking About Prediction Markets

I couldn’t believe how many people told me that sports prediction markets were the talk of G2E. If you’re not familiar, this is a new take on online sports betting.

The funny thing about this to me is that the only times I heard about sports prediction markets were when people told me this was all anyone was talking about. 

Nobody I came across actually had any information about why sports prediction markets matter.

There were a handful of panels on the topic, but it was far from the most popular. Artificial intelligence (AI) was easily the most discussed topic at G2E. (More on AI later.)

Since I cover Las Vegas, noncasino gambling isn’t very important, so it’s not a surprise this topic never crossed my path. Additionally, sports betting is one of the least important parts of Las Vegas casinos. It’s often an afterthought for most Strip properties since it makes up 3.3% of gaming revenue, which only accounted for 26% of overall income last year. 

More importantly, I didn’t see any groundbreaking technology that will change the Vegas sportsbook experience. 

Table Games and Slots Getting More Progressive 

As usual, there weren’t many new table game ideas that looked ready for casino floors at G2E. Instead, it seems manufacturers are more focused on creating additional side bets for existing games.

This mirrors the upgrades for slot machines at the expo. Casinos are looking to increase revenue while entertaining players without reinventing the wheel.

Multi-level progressive jackpots have become especially popular with both players and operators.

The Monopoly progressive is one of the few licensed options available to casinos. It’s easy to see why this could be popular. Many gamblers are already familiar with the name from the board game and Monopoly slot machines.

Progressive jackpots in casinos first became popular with slot players years ago, and it’s tough to find a machine today without this feature.

Both casual and advantage players like “Must Hit By” progressive jackpots. However, they might have different reasons to see how close the game is to a jackpot. 

This is a popular mechanic for IGT, and the company has taken it to another level. The SureFire Frenzy Link slot machine features 27 “must-hit-by” progressives. This is more than any other slot machine currently available.

The machines are linked, so players in the same bank compete against each other. I enjoyed trying the game with the rep and am curious to see if it becomes a hit on casino floors.

Casinos + AI = Not Much … Yet

While the sports betting segment of gaming was focused on prediction markets, about 99.99% of attendees were interested in AI. In time, this will impact every part of a casino, from the guest experience to back-office tasks such as accounting.

AI is still such a new technology that most casino employees didn’t seem familiar with it beyond using a large language model (LLM) such as ChatGPT for search. This was a perfect topic because G2E panels are set up to discuss new and important topics in the gaming industry.

Every panel I attended on the topic was packed. Even sessions that weren’t specifically about AI included discussions on how it could impact different departments.

Like most industries, casinos are just getting started with AI. For now, it seems to be used mostly behind the scenes.

Eventually, AI will have a direct impact on the visitor experience. One of its biggest strengths is the ability to sort through data sets much faster than humans.

For better or worse, casinos will eventually know almost everything about every guest and player. However, it seems like it will take some time before this reaches the masses.

Looking on the bright side, casino rewards programs will be able to tailor marketing offers based on how, when and where players gamble and spend money. This would mean more useful offers. 

The days of $20 free play offers in Las Vegas for East Coast residents will eventually be a very distant memory. 

Interblock Will Finally “Amuse” Gamblers With Something New

Last year, Interblock debuted its Amuse series of games, headlined by Marble Run. They occupied about 25% of the company’s G2E booth. This year, those games, including a new version of Marble Run, took up roughly 75% of the space.

The series of Electronic Table Games is geared towards the casual gambler. While some are similar to traditional casino games, others are drastically different. 

Expect to see these and more in casinos as operators look to attract new gamblers with unique gaming options.

First Game from Everi Merger With ITG

Earlier this year, Everi, best known for ATMs, and IGT, best known for Wheel of Fortune slots, were purchased, merged into one company and taken private. When I visited the IGT booth to check out new video poker games, I was greeted by the first product from the combined company.

One of my favorite slot machines, Cash Machine, will soon be available with a massive Wheel of Fortune component. It’s not a huge deal since these games already have a wheel, but it’s a sign of what could be coming if the two companies continue blending their existing products.

Hard Rock’s Guitar Tower Is Progressing Quickly

Despite sharing pictures of new casino games and insight into the future of gambling, construction photos of the guitar hotel tower at Hard Rock were the most popular posts I shared on social media during G2E.

Construction is moving quickly, and it appears as though the rendering that looks ridiculously huge will become a reality. You can see plans for the casino that will replace the Mirage here.