What novelties did you bring to G2E?

This year’s G2E was very special for Merkur Gaming. We made the international debut of our curved cabinet, Allegro and we also presented  a whole host of brand new games. The Allegro (the name comes from an Italian music notation meaning ‘to play briskly and brightly) cabinet features a 43” curved Ultra HD monitor plus the latest Gforce Ultra HD multigame technology platform, attractive lighting concept, plus an ergonomically assured perfect seating position and optional video touch button panel. It is sleek, it is curvy and it is a handsome addition to our cabinet range.

In terms of games we had a new range that were shown in the Allegro cabinet: the space age Secret Area 150, Asian Tower, a game of risk and reward, and the highly colourful Neon Panther. There were also new games from Merkur’s Las Vegas-based dedicated games development studio, Sunshine Games. An Egyptian four title games suite, Jewels of the Nile, the African adventure game Savanna Stampede, Crash Stacks – based on US currency bills of different denominations, and the absolute star of the show: Big Deal Wheel. A traditional bars and sevens game that has the unique feature of  half wheel symbols that, when they are matched on adjacent reels, open up the bonus wheel spin feature that, in turn can lead to the Big Wheel Deal bonus in which the top prize is 10,000 times the bet. This is a game with a television game show dimension and it attracted massive interest during G2E.

What is your assessment on the presentation of the company in this edition of G2E?

This year’s G2E met, and indeed exceeded, expectations. The visitor numbers on the first day were spectacular and the whole show had a vibrancy that was felt by exhibitors throughout the halls. The Merkur Gaming team were certainly energized and kept busy in equal measure. As for the presentation, the booth display was stunning, the hospitality excellent and the 19 show hours over three days flew by. It would be reasonable to hold the opinion that this was, by some distance, the best edition of the 18 G2E shows held to date so far.

What does G2E mean for the company?

G2E in Las Vegas is, alongside ICE in London, one of the two biggest and best international gaming shows on earth. For Merkur Gaming, with significant business across Latin America and with the well planned market entry into US markets imminent G2E is the ultimate opportunity to present our brand, our innovation and our manufacturing excellence on a great stage. It is a ‘must attend’ show that requires the highest level of preparation and detailed execution from exhibitors: a challenge that Merkur Gaming gladly accepts.

What plans does the company have for the remainder of this year?

As far as shows are concerned, the Merkur Gaming team will be present at the ICE Africa event, being held in Johannesburg then head east To Sofia, Bulgaria for the Balkan Entertainment and Gaming Expo (BEGE) in November. The entire African continent will be represented in Johannesburg and the ICE branded event is expected to open up many new possibilities for the expansion of Merkur Gaming. The Balkans area, and Bulgaria in particular, are markets where Merkur Gaming has scored great success in recent years and which continues to expand rapidly.

In which markets does the company develop?

For Merkur Gaming geography presents no barriers to our continued expansion. Our target, as always, is to develop our existing markets and to create expansion into all new areas of opportunity. It is a winning formula, and one that we will continue to pursue.

Sports betting is currently a central issue in the United States. What is your opinion about it?

The extent to which sports betting was represented at G2E indicates its importance in the world of gaming. The Gauselmann Group, of which Merkur Gaming is a part, has already made successful inroads into this gaming sector and, at G2E, Cashpoint – the Group’s dedicated sports betting company – was present with an impressive solutions display and reported a great show, with many new business opportunities being opened up.

Do you think that online games are complementary or competition of land based games?

In the most literal sense, gaming is gaming. Gaming entertainment is a part of the wider entertainment industry, no matter how that entertainment is delivered. Online gaming is here, and here to stay and as many manufacturers, Merkur Gaming included, are able to successfully migrate their games to the online space then the traditional and online gaming genres will continue to complement each other.