“G2E trade show remains critical to getting our message across”

What can you tell us about GSA participation in the latest edition of G2E?
We are very pleased with our participation and the result. The G2E trade shows remain critical to getting our message across. This year was especially beneficial as we were able to interact a lot more with operators. It is rewarding to see the level of technological innovation that is taking place.

Innovation is taking place more rapidly in our industry and this will result in growth for all. Additionally, we held our Annual Meeting, where key regulators gave their vision for the future, and GSA standards were an inextricable part of their vision. That was very gratifying.  Those who were unable to attend can view GSA’s 2011 Annual Meeting by visiting our website, gamingstandards.com.
 
What was the feedback received by visitors?
The feedback we received at G2E was very positive, and echoed the feedback we have received throughout 2011. Both operators and manufacturers have been working together on the creation of our standards for many years now. The Operators Advisory Committee has been very busy this year, as they have been the previous years, to ensure that all their current features and functionality are included. Most of the Canadian provinces RFP's request the use of GSA's G2S standard and they include the request that products be GSA certified.
In addition the state of Victoria in Australia will be using the GSA G2S standard for their central monitoring system. They will be monitoring 26,500 EGM's and the solution will be operational by Aug 2012. In addition the state of Ohio in the USA will also use GSA's G2S standard monitoring 17,500 VLT's. Upon request of the operators, we will move forward to enhance the existing standards to further integrate Internet gaming with traditional brick and mortar operations and to provide central monitoring mechanism for Internet gaming.
 
How were the conference  sessions within G2E?
GSA’s sessions at G2E’s conference were well attended. There was a great deal of interest in the session, “Certification: What Does it Mean for an Operator?” which was moderated by Mark Pace, WMS, VP of Networked Gaming Engineering and Operations.   Our session “Held to a Different Standard: Land-Based vs. Online Gaming”, moderated by Rick Gilhuly, CIO, Manitoba Lotteries, was standing room only, showing the extraordinary level of interest in the coming convergence of land-based and online gaming.  
 
What is your opinion about the change of date and venue at this year’s show?
The changes have been very positive. The convention center is excellent as it is part of the Palazzo/Venetian complex allowing for quick meetings in a high quality environment whether it is to grab a bite to eat or a drink. In addition the tradeshow dates are finally again closer to the original dates. These dates suit a lot better the various key global gaming tradeshows - US, Europe and Asia. 
 
Has GSA complied with the goals set for the current year?
As a responsible global organization, we took a hard look at our budget in 2011 and optimized our expenses ensuring that we continue to operate efficiently. We reviewed the revenue side and made changes to ensure that anyone that derives benefits from the use of the standards continues to support the work the association is doing.