“We look forward to the opportunities for us to leverage our brands to the iGaming arena”

As every year, Shuffle Master was present at G2E with a great stand exhibiting a wide range of developments. What novelties did you exhibit at recent Las Vegas show?
We had a fantastic stand. All five of our product lines showcased exciting new products.  In our Utility segment, our new MD3 shuffler generated a lot of positive buzz.  With its increased security features such as optical card-reading technology, increased speed, and improved performance, it was certainly on most peoples’ minds as a “must-have” from our shuffling suite. 

We displayed six action-packed new proprietary tables that received phenomenal feedback from both customers and players.  We look forward to some casinos trials in the coming weeks and hopefully soon thereafter launching them into more markets.

The electronic tables were another of our highlights from G2E.  Our i-Table Roulette was the star of our show and attracted considerable interest from customers, players, investors, and the press.  The i-Table Blackjacks were also very popular as the additional side bets, like the new King’s Bounty for i-Table, appealed to players who love excitement and volatility.  The biggest surprise for me was the feedback on our new live roulette wheel which complements our Vegas Star range and was highly sought after by many customers.
 
Our Australian Equinox cabinet was on front and center at the show, and the feedback from South American customers in particular was very encouraging.  The Equinoxwill also be the focus of our show at SAGSE in Buenos Aires this November.  Finally, we launched Shuffle Interactive and featured Ultimate Texas Hold’em which was up and running on our servers for people to play on a variety of platforms and devices.

How was the feedback received from visitors?
Feedback from customers was amazing and very encouraging.  This was my first G2E in the Shuffle Master booth but I’m told by my entire team that this really was our best ever show.  Havingwitnessed many other shows with other companies, I was amazed at the energy and enthusiasm from customers and staff alike.

How did you see the show this year? Was it in line with your previous expectations?
I thought the show was fantastic. It exceeded my expectations.  There was a remarkable energy this year that we haven’t felt in a while.

Do you consider that the new date and venue have been positive changes?
The new venue was surprisingly excellent.  I loved the new layout and the convenience of having everything – the show, the hotel, the casino, dining, etc. – all in one location.  Importantly, by havingthe show on the Strip, it made the show more focused and more accommodating. 

At the exhibition center people leave the show then disappear, whereas at the Sands Expo, many more people stayed around the Palazzo, the Venetian, and the neighboring properties so that the actual interaction with customers and partners alike was more substantial and more valuable.  It was also a nice touch that customers could see our products in action when they walked the casino floor.   I think the change was incredibly positive.

In a year affected by an international economic crisis, how do you evalute 2011 for the gaming industry in general and for Shuffle Master in particular?
2011 has had its challenges but in many ways it has been a realignment year. I am getting the feeling that things are actually looking better at the moment.  Gaming revenues across most regions are improving, including the Las Vegas Strip.  Visitation is up and I think people are getting used to the current economic issues that the governments are dealing with.  The fact that the American government has three trillion dollars in debt is not going to stop people from getting on with their lives anymore and I think they are beginning to do that.  I think it is actually starting to show signs of positive growth.

For Shuffle Master, we are in phase of growth by virtue of reengineering and refocus.  We are very excited for what the future holds and we are delighted that we continue to grow despite whatever economic woes may be affecting Wall Street and other financial markets.

Which are Shuffle Master's main goals for the near future?
Our main goals are to continue to improve and to continue to focus more intensely on our customers.  If we do that we will grow in all areas.  Clearly each product has its own set of specific growth drivers and we look forward to the opportunities for us to leverage our brands to the iGaming arena.