"G2E was a tremendous show for Bally Technologies"

2014-10-07

Reading time 3:50 min

(US).- This was a special G2E Las Vegas for Bally as it was the first time the firm demonstrated solutions for the complete gaming floor. Yogonet.com interviewed Bally Technologies’ Sr. Manager of Corporate Communications, Mike Trask, who spoke about the show and the feedback received on the products exhibited. "Bally has won more than 80 awards for innovation in the past four years, so we feel like we are leading the way," he said.

Have you met your expectations at G2E?
We had the largest booth at the show – a 25,000-square-foot space where we had the chance to show off hundreds of new products across multiple business lines. One of the highlights was the debut of several new branded titles, including Friends, Wonder Woman, and Duck Dynasty. We even had Wonder Woman star Lynda Carter come by to meet with some fans.

What else can you say about the show?
Also taking center stage was Bally’s Take ‘n Play, a remarkable innovation that enables players to take their game off the casino floor and into other areas of the property for the first time by playing a physical slot machine on the convenience of a tablet.

Plus we showcased several new hardware innovations. The Pro Theatre features twin Pro Wave cabinets topped by a 55-inch horizontal video screen designed to envelop players in the entertainment experience.

The Pro Series V27/27 slant-top dual-screen cabinet supports Bally’s extensive library of dual-screen video content in a sleek exterior that features a lower profile and provides expansive sightlines across your casino floor. Optimal viewing, comfortable seating, increased interaction, an ergonomic deck with soft-touch coating, and even an integrated purse hook – this cabinet is designed for players’ comfort and enjoyment.

The Pro Wave 360° redefines community-style gaming with its circular display featuring five Pro Wave cabinets, a striking 50-inch curved 360-degree video topper, and 360-degree surround sound. This head-turning configuration will feature a new interactive game, Dragon Spin, in which players share the joys of winning and bonuses.

This was Bally’s first time demonstrating its solutions for the complete gaming floor”, How was the feedback?
Yes, it was our first show since acquiring SHFL entertainment last year. This was a special G2E for Bally as it’s the first time we demonstrated solutions for the complete gaming floor. We are confident that our casino partners saw how they can ‘go all in’ with Bally, as we are uniquely positioned to deliver a single view of the player and connect the gaming world end-to-end like never before with products that will excite their players in the casino, at home, and on the go.

What was the highlight of the Vegas show?
We had such good feedback from customers on so many products; it’s hard to pick just one. Take ‘n Play was very well received. The Pro Wave 360° cabinet won first place at the show for “Best Slot Product” and Safe-Bacc won first place for “Best Table Game Product or Innovation.” In addition, Mobile Credits won second place for “Best Consumer Service Technology.”

The Pro Wave 360° redefines community-style gaming with its circular display featuring five Pro Wave cabinets and five 40-inch video toppers forming a 360-degree video display for a towering centerpiece reaching 10 feet tall. The configuration synchronizes audio and visual events for a community gaming experience in which players share the joys of winning and bonuses together, while their play and coin-in stay separate.

Safe-Bacc is a revolutionary new product that combines Bally’s best-in-class automatic shuffling, card reading, and scoring technology into one solution that increases game speed and improves security on baccarat tables. Safe-Bacc delivers cost savings by eliminating the need for additional security features, pre-shuffled cards, and the multi-layered security checks that casinos currently perform while delivering cards to their tables.

Mobile Credits revolutionizes slot play by enabling players to fund their gaming directly from their mobile device. This next generation of funds management removes the need for players to visit an ATM or carry vouchers around on the casino floor, increasing potential coin-in by reducing the time spent away from a slot machine.

What trends did you see? What was the mood like in general?
There is always a great mood at G2E. It gives us a chance to meet with so many customers to hear what they are looking for in new products. Innovation continues to be the trend. Bally has won more than 80 awards for innovation in the past four years, so we feel like we are leading the way.

What are your future plans?
Bally is in the process of being acquired by Scientific Games. Gavin Isaacs will serve as CEO of the combined company. His previous experience with Bally and SHFL makes him a perfect fit for this role. It’s exciting times moving forward.

And what about Igaming?
Visitors to Bally’s booth at G2E saw the Company’s latest enhancements to its award-winning iGaming Platform and cloud-based Bally Mobile Platform that deliver a deeper level of integration with core casino systems to provide one view of the player. Players are now able to sign up for players’ club cards, earn and redeem points, and engage with their favorite casino hosts directly from their computer or mobile device.

Bally’s iGaming platform offers a host of play-for-free and wager-based mobile and online titles that have already proven successful in land-based casinos, including Cash Spin, Quick Hit Platinum, Hot Shot Blazing 7s, Vegas Hits, Wild Huskies, Cash Wizard, Three Card Poker, Ultimate Texas Hold’em, Fortune PaiGow Poker, Mississippi Stud, and Crazy 4 Poker, among others.

Bally Mobile also demonstrated Guestagram, a new cutting-edge feature that empowers operators to send targeted marketing messages via push notification to a player’s mobile device, decreasing direct mail costs and driving revenue.