Conferences' schedule

Third and last day of G2E 2018

Scientific Games' booth (photo) featured a variety of innovations and promotions.
2018-10-11
Reading time 6:54 min
After a successful day two, on which not only companies such as IGT, Scientific Games and Aristocrat debuted their latest innovations and promotions but also there were a set of conferences with a especial focus on esports and sports betting, the last day of the Global Gaming Expo 2018 begins today. The final conferences will cover topics related to sports wagers in a regulated market, the business of esports and mobile innovations.

During day two of the Global Gaming Expo, attendees were able to enjoy several launches and promotions showcased by companies such as IGT,whose booth turned into a full-blown game show experience as the brand introduced three "The Price is Right" machines, hosted by the one and only Drew Carey. The crowd cheered as Carey hosted a round of the show's iconic pricing game, Plinko, with IGT's Chief Product Officer Dallas Orchard and NIGA Chairman Ernie Stevens, Jr. competing. Orchard took the win, and then fans lined up for their chance at Plinko glory. Carey also took time to check out the new machines, including games dedicated to "The Price is Right" - Showcase Showdown and Plinko. 

Scientific Games was also present, with X-Men actress James Bond villainess, Famke Janssen, who helped unveil the company's series of James Bond slot machines. Themed after classic movies "Die Another Day," "GoldenEye" and "Live and Let Die," the slot machines evoke the adrenaline and intrigue synonymous with the most famous British Secret Service agent. Janssen greeted attendees and signed autographs to commemorate the licensed debuts.

Finally, Aristocrat and Freed's Bakery joined forces to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the "Buffalo" brand. Aristocrat CEO Trevor Croker and Managing Director of the Americas Matt Wilson highlighted the rise of the brand from being featured in just 24 casinos to becoming one of North America's most popular games. For the special anniversary, Freed's Bakery provided dazzling cupcakes with diamond toppers and a giant buffalo creation.

The second day also included a wide range of seminars and conferences, on the following topics:

The future of legalized, regulated sports betting in the U.S.

In this interview-style keynote, preeminent thought leaders Scott Van Pelt, anchor of ESPN's SportsCenter, and Sara Slane, senior vice president of public affairs for the American Gaming Association, discussed the future of sports betting and how it will affect a variety of industries. As an avid supporter of legalized, regulated sports betting, Van Pelt shared his excitement for the growing opportunities for sports betting, including tapping into college sports and mobile usage as viable betting options. Van Pelt also highlighted that legalizing sports betting will cater to a community that is already
plugged into the offering.

Esports gaming converging with casino gaming at Allied Esports

During this session at the Innovation Lab, Allied Esports Chief Creative Officer Paul Chamberlain discussed the benefits of bringing an esports arena to casinos. He detailed the steps that Allied Esports took to bring Esports Arena Las Vegas to Luxor Resort & Casino and gave the audience helpful tips on how they can successfully add the entertainment venue to their own casinos. He discussed keeping the experience authentic, creating programming that appeals to the gamer crowd as well as drawing in a new audience and incorporating social media heavily into promotional strategies. Chamberlain left the group with a final note that for the venue to succeed, it's important to not lock the space into one specific game or genre, as the world of esports is always evolving.

Mobile innovations that enhance the guest experience

The hospitality industry has developed a growing interest in mobile technology and how companies can maximize it for their business and customers. Moderated by Thomas Soukup, chief systems product officer of Konami Gaming, this session highlighted mobile innovations with key players Jim Abbas, SVP of casino operations at Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings; Laurent Fresnel, chief technology office at The Star Entertainment; and Sina Miri, VP of research and development at Scientific Games. Each panelist discussed ways to perfect the guest experience with custom RFID, face recognition, easy mobile access and more, all of which help to create accurate data and insight into their guests.

The new trifecta: sports betting, charitable giving & brand amplification

During this Innovation Lab seminar, Founder Tony Pease presented on his company Goodbookey. The app allows charities to raise funds through charitable sports betting, which is ideal for millennials who lean toward brands associated with a cause they support. Goodbookey is completely legal and tax deductible, and gives companies a unique way to combine sports betting, charitable giving and brand marketing.

Resort of future: Where are we heading?

For years, the hospitality and gaming industries have discussed the resort of the future. At the start of the educational session, Moderator Alec Massey, director of PwC, suggested it looks like a data business.

The panelists included Robert Bahl, global VP, engineering and facilities with Marriott; Aron Ezra, chief digital officer of NRT Sightline; and Justin Moore, assistant GM of Rivers Casino and Resort.

Massey noted the resort of the future is enabled by technology, which is about new and better data, specifically slot-based data analytics. Moore observed the future of the industry is also focused on improving safety.

The industry is raising its game, the panelists agreed, because resorts and gaming have exceeded than the standard hotels of the past: they are now a transformative, escapist experience.

Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (AGEM) Awards

Celebrating the AGEM Awards, Executive Director Marcus Prater and President Tom Neiman announced this year's winners of the Jens Halle and Peter Mead Memorial Awards. The annual awards are a unique recognition program set to honor the lasting impacts on gaming by Halle and Mead, two distinctive industry veterans who passed away unexpectedly in 2015.

Prater spoke on the requirements for each prestigious award, including superior professionalism, international scope and attention to detail.

The 2018 Jens Halle Award was presented to Gavin Isaacs, vice chairman of the board at Scientific Games. Before being appointed vice chairman in August 2016, Isaacs served nearly eight years with Aristocrat, where he held key management positions before being named Americas president in 2003.

The 2018 Peter Mead Award was presented to Frank Legato, editor of Global Gaming Business Magazine. He has been writing on gaming topics since 1984, when he launched and served as editor of Casino Gaming Magazine. Legato, a nationally recognized expert on slot machines, has served as an editor and reporter for a variety of gaming publications, including Public Gaming, IGWB, Casino Journal, Casino Player, Strictly Slots and Atlantic City Insider.

G2E organizers unveiled the schedule for the third day, which will include even more exciting seminars, panels and events:  

Keynote - Innovation Incubator with Daymond John, Kevin O'Leary and Cindy Eckert (Whitehead)
9 a.m. - Special Events Stage

Join top business personalities and entrepreneurs Daymond John, Cindy Eckert (Whitehead) and Kevin O'Leary for a first-ever contest to take place at G2E that embraces gaming-entertainment innovation in a big way.

Students and start-ups will pitch their innovation concepts to the experienced judges and in front of G2E attendees as the closing keynote of G2E, Thursday, October 11 at 9:00 AM on the Special Events Stage.

John, Eckert and O'Leary will award the Judges' Choice Award and the audience will also choose a winner through live electronic voting to secure the Customer Choice Prize. Innovation Incubator finalists for 2018 are - Inside Injuries, Shield Card Show, Vegas Doorstop and Window Magic. Don't miss the opportunity to see two stars of ABC's "Shark Tank" along with the founder of multiple successful pharmaceutical companies provide valuable insights to promising future projects for the industry and cast your vote for a winner.

Esports Fireside Chat with Team Rogue: Investment and Team Development Advice
10:15 a.m. - Titian 2305

Team Rogue, a hometown favorite of Las Vegas, is one of the top esports organizations in North America and boasts teams across a spectrum of genres. Join us in a fireside chat focusing on the competitive landscape in esports to better understand how Rogue has differentiated their organization from other teams in this space. You will learn how to get started in team investment and development, including long term needs like sustainability of talent, participation in leagues and major events, and opportunities to partner with other endemic and non-endemic organizations.

How Sports Betting Works in a Regulated Market
10:15 a.m. - Special Events Stage

Legal regulated sports betting isn't new to Nevada or other markets around the world. In these markets, operators, suppliers, consumers and other stakeholders benefit from regulation and oversight that protects contests, participants and gaming providers, enabling a popular, safe form of entertainment. Learn how other states can learn from the positive examples set in Nevada and the United Kingdom.

Growing Your Sports Betting Customer Base
11 a.m. - Innovation Lab - Booth #5833

Chalkline Sport's mobile-first marketing platform 'fills the funnel' for global sports betting operators and affiliates, driving new customer acquisition and deep, quantifiable engagement. Chalkline has a proven track record of partnering with gaming operators to acquire new sports betting customers at scale.

Hear from Chalkline Sports' Daniel Kustelski to learn how to maximize data capture throughout the event life cycle by actively engaging with players before, during and after the sports betting user-experience.

The Business of Esports: Lessons from the Market Place
11:15 a.m. - Titian 2305

This panel will delve into the economics behind Esports today and will provide in depth insight from various industry insiders. We will hear about what goes into the development of a successful game, how to build community, and how revenue is generated. We will examine the Esports space from the perspective of an Esports-centric investment fund.

Finally we will hear from the gaming industry as to what has been their experience to date with Esports. We'll explore a targeted and thorough approach to the business of esports and show how the gaming industry could participate in this burgeoning intersection of the entertainment and sports world.

We'll close by looking at the practical next steps for those interested in pursuing the ROI focused business of Esports from a company or property level.

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