"2025 has been a year of double-digit growth, geographic expansion, and portfolio strengthening"

2025 marked a standout year for Aristocrat Gaming, defined by strong cabinet demand, continued momentum in North America, and the successful integration of NeoGames under the Aristocrat Interactive banner.

The launch of The Baron cabinet across multiple form factors underscored the company’s ability to pair hardware innovation with compelling content, while double-digit growth and portfolio diversification reinforced its position across land-based, iGaming, and social platforms.

In this exclusive interview with Yogonet, CEO Craig Toner reflects on the drivers behind the company’s performance in 2025 and outlines how investments in AI, cloud-based systems, and global market expansion will shape Aristocrat’s vision for 2026 and beyond, anchored by a continued focus on operational excellence and safer gameplay.

Looking back at 2025, how would you assess the year for the company? What are some of the major takeaways/highlights, achievements, or lessons learned over the past year? 

Aristocrat Gaming had a standout year for 2025. Growth was fueled by strong demand for cabinets, expansion in North America, and the successful integration of NeoGames into our portfolio under Aristocrat Interactive.

The introduction of The Baron cabinet, both in the Upright and Portrait form factors, was a major achievement as it made way for some of our newest and most exciting titles.

The momentum of this year reflects financial strength and our ability to diversify across land-based, iGaming and social gaming platforms. In short, 2025 has been a year of double-digit growth, geographic expansion, and portfolio strengthening. 

Which issues and trends would you say dominated the conversation this year? Any specific trends, markets, or technologies that you believe will drive change in 2026?

Tech, and more specifically, AI, were definitely at the forefront of the conversation this year. Looking forward, Aristocrat Gaming is investing heavily in AI-driven personalization, enabling games to adapt dynamically to player preferences and behaviors.

We are also advancing cloud-based casino management systems to enhance operator efficiency and connectivity. On the player side, expect innovations in cabinet design, enhanced features, and deeper integration between land-based and online ecosystems. These innovations will ensure Aristocrat Gaming remains at the forefront of gaming technology and continues to set industry standards.

What can we expect from the company in 2026? What are the main challenges and opportunities you see in the gaming industry in the upcoming 12-month period?

Our goal will always be to deliver the best seat in the house, wherever and whenever the world plays. How we go about doing that will involve complementing our land-based success with our Interactive business, providing unique and exciting content that our players love to play, and diversifying the optionality of our portfolio to best serve all our customers. 

We are always looking for ways to build on our existing success. Our aim is to strengthen our leadership in LATAM and EMEA while accelerating our presence and entry into key growth markets across these regions. We see tremendous opportunity to expand our footprint by tailoring our offerings to diverse player preferences and regulatory environments.

Operational excellence and empowering safer gameplay will remain centralized pillars in pursuit of those goals, ensuring that we deliver sustainable growth while fostering trust and entertainment value for our partners and players.