It was another big year for the Australasian Gaming Expo (AGE), which sustained its ‘must-see’ status for hospitality professionals across three days at ICC Sydney, 12-14 August.
In defiance of one of the wettest Sydney Augusts on record, affecting a slight dip in attendance numbers, 7,960 visitors across the three days made the trip into Darling Harbour.
They mostly came to see the 217 featured exhibitors – a bump of 15 on 2024 – offering access to the latest innovations in hospitality, technology and operational solutions, from fit-outs and entertainment to compliance and digital transformation.
An annual highlight was the popular seminar program, attracting strong engagement across all sessions. Experts and panels tackled discussions on leadership, customer experience, compliance and digital change, with a consistent focus on practical workforce and training strategies. In light of its recent investigations making the news, the AUSTRAC seminar was particularly well-received.
The ‘Building a Skilled Workforce: Training and Compliance in Gaming’ session on Wednesday was moderated by ClubTIC’s editor, Clyde Mooney, overseeing industry leaders Celine Davenport (Australia Chef Migration), Brandon Nixon-Smith (DNS Specialist Services), Stephen Donovan (iGame Hospitality Consultants), and Andrew Fernbach (GovLaw).
The discussion reinforced that a skilled, engaged workforce is every venue’s greatest asset – essential not only for compliance but also for creating resilient, high-performing teams.
As always, the Expo facilitated plenty of networking and industry connection, from casual catch-ups to formal business meetings. The Global Gaming Women Breakfast drew 168 participants, underscoring the importance of fostering diversity, inclusion, and connection across the sector.
The AGE demonstrated it continues to be more than an Expo, assisting clubs, pubs and their teams stay abreast of the industry and build connections.
Planning is already underway for next year, when AGE 2026 returns to the ICC Sydney, 11–13 August.
