“Highlights of G2E Vegas 2016 will include the announcement of Inspired's new Virtual Sports brand collaboration”

Why is the G2E Las Vegas a good fit for your company?

G2E Las Vegas is a great opportunity for Inspired to showcase its best-in-class products and technology to industry peers and customers. This year will be particularly significant for us given 2016 saw our first ever Virtual Sports deployments into North America.

This, along with recent news that we are in the process of a sale and purchase agreement with Hydra Industries which we expect to complete around October - after which the combined company will become Inspired Entertainment Incorporated and we will be Nasdaq listed (as INSE) - makes it a big U.S. year for Inspired, and the theme of stand #4130 will reflect this.

What can visitors expect to see from you this year?

There will be a strong focus on Virtual Sports for us this year given our recent move into the North American market with multiple contract wins in New Jersey and Nevada. Fully licensed in New Jersey and authorized in Nevada, we are looking to extend our footprint into further States. The Inspired stand will feature a Virtual Sports wall which will provide delegates with a true taste of the Inspired Virtuals experience, and feature our most up-to-date, premium games, including Rush Soccer Live, Rush Boxing and Rush Darts.

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Alongside best-in-class virtuals, we’ll have our latest SBG cabinets featuring a broad range of games; from Tyson slots, to Centurion, to Goddess of the Amazon, there’ll be entertainment with an edge for everyone

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We’ve also recently had confirmation that we’ll be joined by on stand by a special VIP sports star guest this year, whose identity will be revealed in the next few weeks.

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

Highlights of G2E Vegas 2016 will include the announcement of our new Virtual Sports brand collaboration which will involve a VIP visitor to the stand. We’ll also have the full suite of Mike Tyson branded games on our Tyson Eclipse cabinet, including the long awaited Mike Tyson Rush Boxing, which has been produced using the latest motion capture techniques and high resolution graphics. G2E is always a fantastic show where the best in the business come together to showcase their latest products, which is always exciting to see.

What are operators most concerned about these days?

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Operators are always cognizant of the need to stay current and not only keep up with, but also to supersede the latest trends.

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As technology evolves ever more quickly, there is a challenge in rapidly responding to consumer demands and social patterns.

Appealing to the millennial generation is a key priority for Inspired, and we know that it’s crucial to develop and create products with these consumers in mind. In light of this, we are working to make our omnichannel offerings ever better, our Virtuals more realistic and higher definition, and our brand partnerships higher profile and more entertaining and interactive than ever before.
Nobody can predict with certainty what the next ‘big thing’ will be, but market research and insight certainly helps us to develop chart-topping games and anticipate wider industry trends with more accuracy.

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’s no question that the gambling industry is changing, where more traditional land-based gaming is being replaced by online and mobile gaming. There will always be a place for casino gaming and retail-based betting, but it’s undeniable that the shift to online will change the international gaming landscape. I think that this is what makes the advent of omnichannel gaming so significant in that it offers the customer cross-platform consistency and the opportunity to play their favourite games on multiple devices and also in venues.

People will always be looking for entertainment that involves a level of risk and excitement, and that is where Inspired strives to continue to supply entertaining, engaging content to players across the globe.

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?

Geographically the U.S. is an enormous space and individual state regulations mean that the process of legalizing online gambling across the country is a lengthy one. Introducing new legislation is not something which can happen overnight, but it is an absolutely necessary part of introducing new products and I have no doubt that in the future U.S. betting will indeed be similar to Europe, and we are already seeing that transformation gradually taking place. Inspired is leading the way with regulated Virtual Sports products for both online and in retail in Nevada and New Jersey, and it will only be a matter of time before further states follow suit.

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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I think that the biggest challenge facing the casino industry lies in finding ways to appeal to millennials, and generations beyond that

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This will inevitably involve introducing new and improved games, with updated digital features and high level specifications. The experience of betting in a casino environment is a unique and exhilarating one, but I think the challenge will be in getting people through the doors in the first place. There’s no denying that non-gaming is an effective revenue driver, but nothing can beat the feeling of placing real time bets.

Can you reveal any information regarding Inspired's acquisition by Hydra?

The news that we have exchanged a sale and purchase agreement with Hydra Industries denotes an exciting new chapter for Inspired. We expect to complete the transaction around October, after which the combined company will become Inspired Entertainment Incorporated and we will be Nasdaq listed (as INSE). Creating great games and sports and developing innovative technology will remain at the forefront of our business, and this merger will provide new ways for us to work with more customers globally than ever before. In our new Chairman, Lore Weil, we gain new industry insight and experience, especially in the U.S. which will be a key focus for us going forward.

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