Two weeks on and EAG owners Bacta are reflecting on and event well done. Coinslot talks to CEO John White who toasts a positive show which saw cashless technology once again provoking discussion on the show floor and during networking events.

 

Following this January’s EAG, Coinslot caught up with Bacta’s CEO John White to discuss the show’s highlights and some of the key themes that defined the agenda.

For White, a central focus of the show remains member and industry engagement, with EAG providing the trade association with a platform to reach out to the government and stakeholders.

“Speaking with both exhibitors and visitors the overall impression was a positive one,” White explained. “The show felt busier, and some good business was done.

“The emphasis of the show for us has always been member and industry engagement. We have specific people to whom we want to showcase our industry and we invite them along. This year for example we hosted a new DCMS official to give her insight into the breadth and depth of our sector.

“As owner we obviously want a successful show for exhibitors and visitors. The experience has to be a good one and in 2019 it certainly was.”

Moving on to some of the key issues raised with Bacta in the show hall and during networking events, White noted that cashless technology remains a major conversation point.

“On the floor of the show it was cashless technology that dominated conversations. Its use is simply growing and growing and the way the industry utilises the technology over the coming 12 months will be fascinating to see at next year’s EAG. I even saw a kiddie ride offering a card reader and it is now standard on the jukebox,” he continued.

“The Pub Summit was extremely well attended and actions on social responsibility and customer research were agreed.

“The Seminar programme stimulated a lot of interesting and thought provoking content ranging from the discussion of the Italian market to the very successful Foundations course.”

White observed that the breadth of the product offering on display at EAG continues to improve year after year, with some of 2019’s standouts being pushers and redemption products.

“I don’t want to pick out any individuals or companies but there were a couple of new pushers on the market I liked as well as some excellent redemption products I played that were great fun,” he added.

“I also thought there was a general raising of the bar in terms of the quality of the gaming products on show.”

He also notes that across the board from Girvan, to Skegness, to Woolacombe, operators’ heads were turned by the VR offerings showcased at this year’s EAG.

“Of course the visual stars of the show had to be the VR offerings. I never saw any of the VR stands empty. Everyone wanted to give them a go,” he concluded.