The London EAG trade show in January ‘takes on a whole new level of significance’ for Novomatic Gaming UK, with the creation of the new London Casino and Gaming show that will run alongside the amusement show.
Novomatic Gaming UK’s managing director, Phil Burke, said this week that the departure of the ICE show from ExCeL to Barcelona, means that the thrust for NGUK will seriously alter.
“In previous years the focus for EAG has been firmly on our Category D, C and B3 products. Now we have been provided with the opportunity to present our products to a wider, but still very UK-centric audience. At NGUK we are focused on maintaining strong visibility and industry presence. The new LCG expo provides us with a unique platform to exhibit our products to all segments of the UK gaming industry. It is not just about shifting from one event to another…LCG offers many new networking opportunities that benefit all involved.”
Burke’s comments come at a strategic time for Novomatic’s British offshoot. The company this year celebrates its fifth anniversary and Burke and his team are looking forward to marking the occasion with their customers and a display of the company’s latest and greatest innovations.
“Although we’re still a young company, NGUK was established with very strong and stable roots across the industry and we’re lucky to have a highly experienced and dynamic team in the gaming heartland of South Wales. We are committed to providing the UK gaming industry with the latest developments and innovations and there will be plenty of new and exciting content and products to immerse yourselves in at the show, whilst there may not be cake and candles to blow out on the stand, I’m sure our products will be fulfilling our customers’ every wishes!”
He feels that ICE in Barcelona will be a ‘very different experience’ for Novomatic this year. “We are used to it being our flagship home show and an absolutely frantic three days - plus three days on either side setting up and stripping down – trying to see everyone in a very short period of time. With a product portfolio as wide as Novomatic’s, it is not surprising that we won’t get as much time as we’d like to demonstrate everything to everyone in depth.
“Now, inevitably, not all operators who normally visit ICE will make the trip to Barcelona, so we will be able to spend more time with those customers at EAG/LCG without many of the pressures that come with the enormous stand and huge international presence we have at ICE.”
Who does Burke see as his target audience at LCG? “As it’s the inaugural LCG we look forward to seeing how the exhibition develops, but we’re certainly very excited about the opportunity.
We’ve effectively doubled our stand size from previous years in order to accommodate some of our casino products and having spoken to a number of our casino customers we know they are excited to come down to London to see the latest innovations, as well as appreciating that it will be a somewhat less frenetic environment than ICE; though this of course will not be to the detriment of our B3 and Cat C customers, for whom we have some very, very exciting new products to unveil in those categories.
The evolution of EAG/LCG “is keeping the flame of the UK gaming industry burning brightly,” said Burke. “It ensures innovation and continuity even after ICE's departure from the UK. For many operators, London will be enough, as Novomatic Gaming UK’s stand at LCG will offer everything they need, but in all seriousness, it will be for the operators to decide; for larger casino operators with a wide range of suppliers, not only directly for gaming but for all the support functions required to run a major multi-venue operation, I’m sure there will be a lot to see at ICE, but for operators looking to keep up with the latest core gaming products available for the UK and potentially some upgrades for existing equipment, I think EAG/LCG will have a great deal to offer. Much may depend on whether or not we’ve been able to gain any clarity on when, or even if, the recommendations of the Gambling Act Review are to be implemented.”
His company and the rest of the industry will miss having ICE in London, he said. “I’ve been in the industry long enough to have been witness to the growth of ATEI from back in the days at Earls Court, the transformation into a truly international exhibition with a change of focus to casino equipment and the current explosion of online gaming and fintech. ICE was always a regular milestone and a landmark for each passing year, providing a focal point for that year’s developments and industry trends. There is certainly the potential for LCG to fulfil that role from a UK perspective and beyond, with the UK’s history as innovative pioneers of the gaming industry it should be our collective ambition to ensure London remains a must-attend destination for operators across Europe and beyond.”
