Justin Moore's Inside Scoop on G2E

Gaming Blog! My full report on the 2022 G2E Gaming Show from Las Vegas, NV!

October means football season, pumpkin spice latte, cooler weather, and G2E. The Global Gaming Expo is the premiere gaming conference for the casino industry, and it always takes place at the Sands Convention Center each year in October. Key gaming leaders and decision makers converge on Las Vegas to visit the gaming show to get a sneak preview of the latest gaming products and services releasing in the near future. 

After living in Las Vegas for 16 years, I always enjoy making a trip “home” to see the ever-changing city and visit relatives. My main goal for the trip is to scout the gaming show and find ways to improve the guest experience here at Rivers Casino Philadelphia. During my gaming career, I have enjoyed several job titles. My favorite job by far was Director of Slot Operations in Las Vegas, because I love the great puzzle that is slot operations! This year, I was specifically looking for advancements in technology and innovation, and the gaming show did not disappoint. 

The slot machine manufacturers dominate the show floor footprint with the largest pieces of real estate showing off their massive slot machines. Table Games also has a place at the show with new game variants and side bets. Recent years’ innovation has focused on sports books as sports wagering has increased its presence across the nation. All areas of the casino are represented by vendors that offer products to improve operations. Marketing vendors are present as well offering solutions to marketing leaders to fill the calendars and offer fun programs for their guests. 

The gaming show lasts three days, and there is so much to see. By the end of the week, our steps count is similar to a week at Disneyland, but the time spent is well worth it. Here are my personal favorites and highlights of the show:

Best Slot Manufacturer of the show - Light & Wonder (previously known as Scientific Games, Bally’s, WMS, and Shuffle Master) 

I picked L&W because of the diverse selection of new games and most importantly their innovation! They are introducing a new slant machine (shorter profile) which is exactly what we need as an operator. Most new games these days are 9 ft tall which makes it difficult to maintain proper sight lines for our guests. These shorter slant slot machines featured new titles like Goldfish Feeding Time, Lock it Link Riches, and 88 Fortunes Money Coins. They also displayed their new Ultimate Fire Link Explosion which was a total “blast” to play. These games bring the fan favorite Fire Link’s play mechanics with random bonuses and a little help from flame-throwing monkeys in a towering tree! High Limit players will love their new steppers (mechanical reels) that bring back old school titles like Double Blazing 7’s Jackpots and Black and White Jackpots with a new twist … high-limit spins. These spins allow the player to win up to $1,000 with each spin.

Surprise of the show - Konami 

Konami is bringing back some of their iconic bonus games like Pirates Loot and Mystical Temple to their newest slot machines. This time, they are offering the bonus games with their Selexion package which allows players to choose from multiple classic titles while trying to hit the top screen progressives. These classic games are still as popular as the day they were released a decade ago; however, they are hard to find. Now we can reintroduce them to the casino floor. 

Rivers Philly Award - IGT 

IGT has a new stepper slot machine called the Diamond RS, and we have 4 units coming to our casino soon. IGT has a new game for the Diamond RS called “Double Chili Mania ReSpin,” and the guests at Rivers Casino Philadelphia will absolutely love this game. The play mechanics combine Red Hot Tamales with a ReSpin feature and 10 Level Progressives!!!! Exactly the game our players will love which is why IGT wins this category. 

Personal Favorite Game of Show to play real money with - Aristocrat 

Jackpot Carnival is like playing a slot machine on the NJ boardwalk! This game features bonus rounds that seem to hit often. The bonus games incorporate fun boardwalk carnival games like skee ball and test your strength! Base games include popular titles “Buffalo” and “Power of 88.”

This year, the gaming show offered the gaming operators plenty of ways to improve their slot floors with fun and exciting games. 2023 will be a great year for new slot machines, and Rivers Philadelphia cannot wait to bring them to the city of brotherly love!

Written for Rivers Casino Philadelphia by Justin Moore, VP and General Manager of Rivers Casino Philadelphia.

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Justin Moore is a 20 year gaming professional with experience in the Las Vegas, New York, and Philadelphia gaming markets.