“We have had an excellent response at G2E”

What products exhibited at G2E are more interesting for operators in Argentina and all of South America?
We have had an excellent response. We came with the prospects focused on a product called “Tesoros de Latinoamérica”. It is a progressive with four games that we have developed focusing on the cultural tradition of the region, as well as “Golden Memories”, “Tango de Oro, “Fiesta Chihuahua” and “Día de Muertos”. With the peculiarity that the operators who already have those games may combine them in these progressives, which gives them a wide flexibility both in fixing the amounts and in the frequency in which those amounts are reached. It is a product that has been word of mouth among several operators. Even the commercial model is very convincing for them.

On the other hand, with regard to progressives, we have to mention first the tremendous impact caused by “CSI”, a game that we will showcase at SAGSE, in its Spanish version, which allows players to choose their city, maybe Nueva York, Miami or Las Vegas. It has been very well received and we have a lot of expectations. Moreover, we have the revival of two very successful games -“Sex and the City” and “Star Wars”- which are being exhibited on a new model, IGT’s Center Stage Duo, with surround chairs.
Besides, we have incorporated the skill bonus, which allows players to choose between 2 bonus options: Free Games and 100% skill-based game play. This last one requires the use of a joystick and the player collects credits. This is a new IGT family called Video Reel Edge® and the games exhibited were Tully’s Treasure Hunt and Blood Life Legends. We think it will be available for commercialization in our region in the coming months.   

On top of being a game of chance machine, it requires a certain level of skill. Do you think it could have any type of problem at a legislative level to enter in the region?
Probably in some jurisdictions some type of explanation on the matter will be needed, but we will not move forward if we are not sure that we will comply with market conditions. The attraction of the product is undeniable, so we will do everything possible to comply with all jurisdictional requirements.

It is a product thought for younger generations, accustomed to having more interactivity with games…
Exactly, that’s what it is about. A well-defined age group has 85% attendance to the casino, and such age group is very important to us too, but incorporating more groups with other types of gaming experiences is also essential. We are talking about the younger generations. On top of looking for this type of products, we have performed a survey to know about players’ preferences   , and thus, further customize our games. On the other hand, we are offering operators our interactive gaming platform “For Free” or “For fun”, called DoubleDown, which we see as an excellent opportunity for those operators who wish to venture into social gaming, into the interactive model, for them to start appealing to new age groups that are starting to use those platforms, and, through the model we are offering, it is very easy, very convincing and at the same time very profitable. We estimate that several operators will incorporate DoubleDown very soon.

This year and about a month away from SAGSE, Have you had the chance to meet in Las Vegas with the main regional operators?
Absolutely. We have had a full agenda. We have received customers from Argentina, Chile and Uruguay; several customers from Paraguay could not attend, but in the region in which I work, important operators from all the countries have come.

What has been IGT’s experience with the new rules imposed in Argentina for the importation of products and which do you think can be the result in the short and medium term?
In general, for those companies that really aim to remain in Argentina for many years, as our case, it does not cause so many troubles. The key is to understand the issues that the Administration has regarding its trends or macro-economic needs and to adequate the operations to those new needs or the new environment.

Many times, with certain signs, companies tend to react and we have taken our time to analyze the situation and we have had total support from the Headquarters. We have been interpreting governments’ needs and have adapted to the present times. We are concluding a very good fiscal year and we have very good prospects for the upcoming quarter in general. But nowadays we are being able to meet demands. 

Which of the products that have been the main attraction of Las Vegas booth will be present in SAGSE Buenos Aires?
“Latin Treasures”, “CSI” and “Sex and the City Out on the Town”. There will also be localized games, and interactive games with DoubleDown, and there will be several interesting offers in the systems area.