The latest and greatest Australasian Gaming Expo (AGE) is set to take place next week at the Sydney International Convention Centre, from Tuesday 13 – Thursday 15 August.
The very first AGE was held in Sydney in 1990. The Expo has grown to be one of the world’s largest gaming and hospitality trade shows, spanning 19,000 square metres of the ICC.
AGE 2023 was a record year, counting nearly 7,700 visitors and a combined 9,600 visits over the three-day event, which was a 10 per cent increase on the previous record, set pre-COVID, in 2019.
Last year also saw the introduction of the combined Gaming Machine Manufacturers Cocktail event for AGE visitors, organised by the Gaming Technologies Association, mustering the traditionally separate parties hosted in previous years by the individual companies.
More than 7,500 people are expected to visit this year, and the Gaming Technologies Association, organisers of the AGE, report that on average 10-15 per cent of visitors each year come from overseas.
Its success is seen in the bringing together of manufacturers, service providers and government with venue operators and players, to understand the current market, trends and challenges.
They will come to see over 200 exhibitors, including multinationals with footprints in the UK, Germany, France, Rome, Switzerland, USA, Canada, South America, India, South Africa, China, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore and the Middle East including the United Arab Emirates.
Exhibitors span the gamut of hospitality and support services, led by major installations by manufacturers, and showcases by complementary gaming equipment providers.
There is virtually every product available for venues, seen in facial recognition and ID scanners, loyalty cards, paging and visitor management systems, technological exhibits in audio visual, entertainment activities, and IT products and services, money management through ATM providers, cash transfer systems, and financial services. And an emerging category is charging equipment for portable devices – evolving toward charging for vehicles, and solar power generation.
An important niche is the food and beverage offerings, adding to other hospitality support services vending equipment, signage, security, hygiene, printers, apparel and cleaning services.
On the venues themselves, see professionals in construction, architecture and design, plus the elements of flooring, furniture, cabinetry, staging, play equipment, landscaping and plants.
Vital to operations, staff-oriented exhibitors come in Human Resources and workforce management, travel agents, and marketing and promotions.
Government and regulators are also represented on the Expo floor and in seminars.
“It is the unique mix of manufacturers, service providers, venue operators, players plus government and regulators in the one spot that is driving the growth of the AGE,” offers GTA CEO Jinesh Patel.
Beyond the effervescent Expo floor, the GTA presents seminars each day addressing key industry topics, such as cashless gaming options, Anti-Money laundering, gambling harm mitigation requirements and Central Monitoring Systems.
Seminars provide information for operators to help them navigate current global conditions by staying informed, driving innovation, remaining agile and embracing technology. (see below for schedule)
Celebrating 35 years and a solid pandemic bounce-back, Patel offered thanks to the AGE’s supporters, who have contributed to the post-COVID recovery and record numbers.
“There is now a greater need for people to reconnect for networking and to see tangible technology advancements including those to tackle anti-money laundering and gambling harm mitigation measures.”
SEMINAR SCHEDULE
Tuesday August 13:
10:15am – The International Gaming and Hospitality Outlook – Panel
Panellists:
- Aristocrat Executive Vice President Global Product, Technology and Insights – Victor Duarte
- LNW Gaming Senior Vice President & Chief Product Officer, Nathan Drane
- Interblock Vice President Innovation, Jim Preston
- IGT Senior Vice President Global Product Management, Domenico Pastia
11:15am – A Regulation Update on Anti Money Laundering – Panel:
- Jamie Nettleton, Partner – Addisons
- Lachlan Gepp, Special Counsel – Addisons
- Akash Khushal, Director One AML
- Andrew Fernbach, GovLaw
12:15pm – New Technology and Trends including harm mitigation advancements – Panel:
Looking at state of the art Facial Recognition and ID scanning technology as a key to mitigate harm, financial services tools, electric charging for devices and Electric Vehicles.
Panellists:
- Terry Hartman, Vice President Asia Pacific, Cognitec
- Peter Marziano, Director Ottica
- Michael Giannak – Patronscan
- Emma Allen, Director ChargeBoss EV
Wednesday August 14:
10am – The State of our Economy and how to survive the crunch – Presentation – Don Carducci, Executive Director – Equity Research, J.P. Morgan
11am – Australia’s gaming industry and what’s ahead? – Panel
- LNW Gaming Vice President Product Management, Ben Attwood
- Aruze Gaming Managing Director, Cameron Louis
- Konami Product Manager – APAC, Luke Middleton
- CEO ebet – Frank Makryllos
- IGT Senior Director Systems – APAC, John van Waard
- Aristocrat, Director of Product Strategy – ANZ and Asia, Jess Morse
- Ainsworth Game Technology Senior Product Manager – APAC, Rachel McHugh
12pm – QCOM 3 – what are the benefits and how will it help harm mitigation – Presentation. Queensland experts will speak directly to you and answer any questions you have.
Thursday August 15:
9am – A breakfast Celebrating Women in Leadership and their achievements in the industry.
10am – Women in Leaderships Seminar – Panel
- Michelle Baillie – NZ General Manger SkyCity Hamilton
- Michelle Pascoe, CEO & Founder O.O.P.S
- Amanda Makryllos – Executive Director at Cherryhub
- Lisa Colella – IGT Head of Marketing, APAC
- Daisy Brown – Chief Operating Officer, Hornsby RSL Club
- Lucy Allon – Straight to the Source, Founder and Food expert. Lucy has owned and managed 3 award-winning restaurants in Sydney and was invited to present a dinner at the prestigious James Beard Foundation in New York
11am – Women Driving Industry Change – Presentation
Ramona Combrink, Executive Director Autom8, has over 20 year’s experience in recruitment and the restaurant industry before transitioning into the technology world and intelligent automation across Asia.
Matt Ballesty, Managing Director at Three Points Consulting and a former Chief Casino Officer of SkyCity Auckland and Vice President of UK Crown Resorts.
12pm – “Building Safer Communities – An Industry Response to Domestic Violence” – Panel
1pm – an informal lunch for women of all ages, backgrounds and experience to gather and exchange knowledge
