"The Australasian Gaming Expo is a great industry event and the focal point on the gaming calendar in the Australian region"

What are your expectations for the show?

A great industry event and the focal point on the gaming calendar in the Australian region. The first Australasian Gaming Expo was in 1990 and since then it has grown to 15,000 square metres (161,500 square feet). Virtually all senior regional industry executives see the Australasian Gaming Expo as the “must-attend” event of the year.

How many exhibitors do you expect and how many visitors?

The 2007 Show Map is available at www.austgamingexpo.com under “Exhibition” and it shows 207 exhibitors. At the time of writing, 7,893 visitors have pre-registered and we expect around 11,000.

What are the main issues to be treated at the conferences?

A keynote address, “Australian Gambling - Are We Balancing the Equation?” will be presented by Gary Banks, Chairman of the Australian Productivity Commission - which conducted a seminal study into Australia's Gambling Industry in 1999. Other major topics include “Meeting the Challenges of Delivering a Sustainable Gambling Industry” and “New Technology - Evolution or Revolution?”

What are the main differences between last year's show and the current one?

We have added a number of features to help “connect” visitors and exhibitors - including new Event Supporters Display pods and a new Information Desk. We've improved and expanded registration badge collection facilities to make it easier and quicker for visitors to enter the exhibition halls. Our marketing has been more targeted this year and consequently there's a lot more excitement about this year's event. As a result there's also a lot more industry networking events around this year's event.

How do you evaluate the current situation of the Australasian market?

Consolidation. There was dramatic growth in the 1990s, which plateaued until about 2005. The recent approval of TITO for the major market (New South Wales) shows that a period of invigoration is imminent.

Does the Macau trade event affect the Australasian show in any particular way?

No. AGMMA's members (and other major exhibitors at the Australasian Gaming Expo) are global companies which operate in many jurisdictions including Macau.