Mike Dreitzer says North America holds plenty of growth opportunities for Ainsworth

What can visitors expect to see from you this year at G2E Las Vegas?

Ainsworth Game Technology will showcase several innovative new cabinets and nearly 140 games at the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) 2016 from Sept. 27-29 at the Sands Expo in Las Vegas.

Ainsworth recently introduced its new A600® cabinet line, incorporating the company’s deep and long-standing knowledge into an exciting new product for its casino partners.

The A600® takes existing Ainsworth technology to the next level with larger game screens, dynamic lighting effects and a state-of-the-art LCD touchscreen button deck. At G2E more than 50 titles will be shown on the A600® or A600® Slant Top, further demonstrating the company’s commitment to a long-term pipeline of successful content.

While being focused on supreme engineering and best-in-class reliability, the A600® includes the high-end graphics, high-resolution screens, and interactive button decks that are expected by today’s casino operators and slot players.

Two 24-inch screens and game-driven lighting effects enable players to experience Ainsworth’s world-renown games in an entirely new way on the A600®. Seven unique sign packages are available with the A600® on leading games including the Cash Odyssey series, which features a linked progressive jackpot on three new games – Huckleberry Finn, Gulliver’s Travels, and Robinson Crusoe.

What will be the highlights of the 2016 G2E Vegas and why?

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G2E 2016 will be a great opportunity for us to showcase the tremendous growth we have experienced over the past year

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We opened our brand-new 291,000-square-foot North American headquarters in Las Vegas and began offering our Class II Gaming System products following the acquisition of Nova Technologies. Now we have the opportunity to introduce exciting innovations like our new A600® and A640® cabinets.

What are operators most concerned about these days?

Our casino partners are always on the lookout for fresh new content that performs on their floors. That’s why it is important for us to continue building upon our library of more than 200 titles. For instance, in the coming year we will release more than 30 new titles for our popular A560®SL cabinet, including a number of entirely new brands.

Recently, we also have built a Game Development studio in Las Vegas and have expanded our Game Development studio that was part of Nova transaction. Those fresh approaches will supplement the amazing work that comes out of our Australian headquarters. The additional studios give our customers even more math model options, different game styles, and unique looking games that can help them thrive in a very competitive marketplace.

The gambling industry in the U.S. is going through a period of transition shaped by a range of factors, some of which have their roots within the country, while others are related to the natural affairs of the international scenario. How would you describe the current state of gambling? What does the future have in store for the sector?

There has certainly been a lot of changes in the industry in recent years. And there will continue to be changes as the industry evolves. From Ainsworth’s point of view we see plenty of opportunities to grow in North America. The acquisition of Nova enabled us to enter the Class II market with about 1,400 games in their current route.

We’ve grown the route since then, and are seeing great performance in Oklahoma, Alabama and Texas. Plus, we have a few more markets we should be able to enter in the coming month.

It’s an exciting time for sure.

In a recent interview granted to Yogonet, a Pennsylvania official who's pushing to legalize online gambling in the Keystone State, said: “Sometime in the future, I see the U.S. being similar to Europe”. In your opinion, why is it taking so long for the U.S. to allow for gambling expansion in all its forms?

Social gaming has been extremely popular and we’re certainly keeping a close eye on legislation related to online gaming both in the U.S, and elsewhere.

Considering that non-gaming has, over the last years, become an effective revenue driver for casinos, what are the main challenges facing the industry?

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We have to make compelling content, nomatter if it’s social, online or land-based gaming. Today we have studios in both the U.S. and Australia focused on our mission to deliver great content

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Can you share with us information regarding the share transaction with Novomatic?

There are still a few steps until the deal officially closes.