Aristocrat Interactive on Class II mobile gaming, tribal partnerships, and digital expansion

At G2E Las Vegas 2025, Aristocrat Interactive placed a strong focus on tribal innovation, showcasing how its Class II digital technology can bridge the gap between physical casinos and mobile experiences. With the U.S. iGaming map expanding at a slow pace, the company sees Class II mobile as a strategic path forward, one that empowers tribal operators to reach players beyond the casino floor while keeping gameplay within the boundaries of tribal sovereignty.

During a media tour at the company’s booth, Yogonet learned more about Aristocrat Interactive’s approach to this emerging space, including its integration of Awager technology, the debut of Class II mobile content, and how the company’s proven platform infrastructure is helping tribes modernize responsibly.

Extending the tribal gaming experience

In the U.S., Class II gaming — typically based on electronic bingo systems — represents one of the most important segments for tribal operators. Unlike Class III, which includes random number generator (RNG) slot machines found in commercial casinos, Class II gaming gives tribes more regulatory autonomy.

For Aristocrat Interactive, that distinction opens a significant opportunity. The company is developing a mobile Class II offering that allows players to enjoy digital versions of their favorite games while remaining within reservation boundaries.

“In markets like Oklahoma and others that aren’t regulated for iGaming, this is the tribes’ opportunity to go into the digital space,” explained Quincy Raven, Vice President of Business Development US, iGaming & Sports, during the tour. “They can present Class II mobile gaming to their customers — on the casino floor, across the reservation, or even just outside the walls of the property. Some of our tribal partners are launching reservation-wide on day one.”

To make that possible, the company relies on its existing infrastructure for regulated markets. “The first step is geolocation,” Raven said. “It’s the same proven technology we’ve deployed in over 25 states for sports betting and other online products. We’re bringing in a tech stack that has already processed billions of dollars in transactions globally.”

Class II meets proven technology

The company’s approach isn’t about reinventing the wheel but adapting trusted systems to a new context. Aristocrat’s Player Account Management (PAM) platform — the same used in regulated Class III markets — supports Class II content with the same security, responsible gaming tools, and financial controls as its existing online products.

“All the foundational elements are the same,” Raven explained. “The registration flows, the AML and financial risk controls, the responsible gaming components — they’re identical. The only difference is that we’re offering Class II content.”

That content includes some of the company’s most recognizable titles, ported from the casino floor to mobile devices without altering their mathematics or volatility. “Whether a player is sitting at a physical machine or playing on their phone, the return-to-player and volatility are exactly the same,” he said. “We’re taking our proven, successful games and bringing them online.”

At the booth, Aristocrat showcased one of its most popular VGT titles running on mobile, complete with the classic red screen and bingo card interface that Class II players in Oklahoma know well. “We mirror everything — the math, art, sound, and behavior — to make sure the experience feels authentic,” Raven added.

Awager and the expansion of Class II content

One of the company’s major announcements at G2E was the integration of Awager, a technology acquisition that will help accelerate Aristocrat Interactive’s Class II roadmap. The deal brings together Aristocrat’s content portfolio and Awager’s proven platform, which can connect digital play to land-based environments.

With this move, Aristocrat aims to create a robust digital ecosystem for tribal operators, one that mirrors the sophistication of Class III markets, but within the regulatory framework of Class II. The result is a faster route to digital engagement for tribal casinos, especially as the pace of state-level iGaming legislation remains slow.

Tribal partnerships at the core

While Aristocrat Interactive’s portfolio covers both commercial U.S. and international markets, tribal gaming has also become a major focus. “Ninety to ninety-five percent of my focus is on tribes,” Raven explained. “That’s where the opportunity lies.”

Only seven U.S. states currently offer full iGaming, and in Nevada, online gaming is limited to poker. For most of the country, the path to digital engagement remains unclear. “The legislation for iGaming has slowed down,” the executive noted. “So, the question becomes: where will adoption come from? For tribes, this is a way to extend their brand and their revenue while maintaining control.”

The company also sees Class II mobile as a way to counter the impact of offshore, unregulated gaming. “Right now, players are spending money in illegal markets,” Raven said. “Why shouldn’t they be able to enjoy a safe, regulated, tribal-branded mobile experience within their own resorts?”

From COVID lessons to mobile leadership

The idea of Class II mobile gaming isn’t new — the industry has discussed it for nearly a decade — but it was the COVID-19 pandemic that pushed many tribes to seriously explore it. “When casinos closed in 2020, a lot of councils started asking, ‘How can we stay connected with our players if the lights are off?’” Raven said. “That’s when digital went from being an idea to an imperative.”

The pandemic accelerated both technological development and regulatory discussions, laying the groundwork for the current wave of Class II mobile interest. Today, Aristocrat Interactive sees the segment not as an experiment but as the next logical evolution for the tribal gaming experience.

For Aristocrat, one of the biggest advantages it brings to Class II digital is player trust. “The player experience — the user flows, the security, the payment methods — all of it is proven,” Raven said. “But for many tribal markets, this is new. That means education is a key part of what we do.”

The company’s strategy includes creative, on-site activations to help players transition to mobile. “For example, with Mr. Money Bags and Hot Red Ruby in Oklahoma, we actually bring the characters to the casino,” the VP of Business Development said with a smile. “They meet players, show them how to register, how to play online, even how to continue playing from their hotel room. It’s about making that connection personal.”

At the same time, Aristocrat’s approach ensures that the tribal brand remains front and center. “We’re a B2B supplier,” Raven clarified. “It’s the tribal brand — like Chickasaw, for example — that players see and trust. We’re the technology behind it, but to the user, it’s their casino’s name on the app. That’s what builds comfort and confidence.”