Ggb Magazine Podcast

The gaming industry of today is worlds removed from that of 25 years ago, thanks in large part to innovative figures and organizations such as the International Gaming Standards Association. Two huge catalysts for the creation and development of the IGSA are President Peter DeRaedt and Vice President Mark Pace, who have worked tirelessly over the last two and a half decades to standardize the industry we hold so near and dear. The pair spoke with GGB Managing Editor Jess Marquez via Zoom in August.

When Eldorado Resorts bought Caesars Entertainment, New Jersey regulators required that Eldorado invest at least $400 million in its Atlantic City properties, which regulators believed were undercapitalized. John Koster was brought in to bring Caesars Atlantic City, Harrah’s Resort and the Tropicana up to snuff. When GGB first met with Koster he was explaining how he would achieve his goals. Last year, Koster proudly boasted of the plans for Harrah’s and Caesars and this year, the plans have been completed at all three casinos. Caesars recently opened a new show by the Vegas-based Spiegelworld with a new revue called The Hook. Other restaurants have also debuted, such as Gordon Ramsey’s Hell’s Kitchen and Nobu. Koster spoke with GGB Publisher Roger Gros via Zoom from his office in Atlantic City in August.

When the real estate investment trust (REIT) business turned its sights on gaming, things happened quickly. Three REITs were quickly spun off from existing companies—GLPI from Penn Entertainment, MGM Growth Properties from MGM Resorts and VICI from Caesars Entertainment. Last year, VICI swallowed MGM Growth and now is the largest landowner on the Las Vegas Strip. VICI President John Payne previously worked as an executive with Caesars, and knows casino operations like the back of his hand. He explains how VICI approaches its REIT deals with casino operators, which now includes most MGM and Caesars properties, as well as the Venetian and Palazzo. He spoke with GGB Publisher Roger Gros from his office in August.

For nearly thirty years, Table Trac President & CEO Chad Hoehne has been at the forefront of casino management systems and related technology. The company’s CasinoTrac and Table Trac systems have long been a hit with operators everywhere, but now the company is taking another step forward, with plans to dive into cashless, a new enrollment kiosk and a shiny new office located directly in Las Vegas, Nevada. He spoke with GGB Managing Editor Jess Marquez from his office in Minnetonka, Minnesota in August.

Bart Blatstein is a developer, with his main focus being in Philadelphia and later in Atlantic City. He arrived in Atlantic City about 10 years ago and bought development rights for the Pier at Caesars, which he dubbed the “Playground.” When that venture failed because of various economic and operational issues, he bought the former Showboat Hotel Casino and Atlantic City’s Garden Pier. He recently opened the Island Water Park adjacent to Showboat and it’s been a huge success. He talked about his Atlantic City developments, a possible Showboat casino and his faith in the future of the city with GGB Publisher Roger Gros from his home in July.

Few gaming executives in the world today have had a wider range of commercial, tribal, domestic and international experiences than Michael Silberling, CEO of Metropolitan Gaming. In 2021, when Silver Point Capital took over Caesars’ European, Middle Eastern and African operations to form Metropolitan, Silberling was tapped to take the reins, and he and his team are looking to take Metro to the top of a U.K. market that finds itself very much in flux. He spoke to GGB Managing Editor Jess Marquez from his London office in July.

Today’s gaming industry is tech-centric and user friendly, two characteristics that don’t necessarily apply to traditional table games. Electronic table games, however? That's a different story—Jim Preston has long been at the forefront of the ETG wave, and earlier this year he made the jump to Interblock, the market leader, as its new vice president of global innovation. With decades of operational experience and a keen eye for the future, Preston will look to push the new technology forward as its influence grows among players around the globe. He spoke with GGB Managing Editor Jess Marquez from his Sydney office in July.

This week’s podcast features Domenico Pastia, who is senior vice president of global product for gaming supplier IGT. Pastia, who has been at the center of IGT product management for nine years, talks about the company's multi-level progressive product strategy, including the new Mystery of the Lamp progressive.

This week’s podcast features David Lopez, CEO, and Julia Boguslawski, chief marketing officer of gaming supplier AGS. Both executives have been involved in the rapid rise of AGS in the slot sector for the past five years, and in the development of the GameON user conference, which just completed its sixth annual edition. They spoke with GGB Editor Frank Legato from their office in late June.

For Mark Birtha, it seems like he was always destined to work for Hard Rock International. That company’s corporate culture fits Birtha’s experience and philosophy toward operations like a glove. His previous experience with companies like Mirage Resorts, Las Vegas Sands, Marriott International, Starwood and Station Casinos was prologue to his hiring to run the Hard Rock property in Northfield, Ohio, just outside Cleveland. He quickly made that racino the most successful property in the state and that success attracted interest from MGM Resorts, which purchased the property in 2019. Birtha has since gone on to develop Hard Rock Sacramento for the Enterprise Rancheria tribe in California. He spoke with GGB Publisher Roger Gros in June.

The life of a professional gambler can be very complicated now that sport betting is legal in the U.S. Once a sports book or online casino labels a “sharp” bettor, they impose rules and limits that make it impossible for the sharp bettor to win any substantial amount on their platforms. Spanky, a sharp bettor who escaped a job on Wall Street, has a team of analysts that look at all contests and decide which ones are beatable. Spanky’s clients get their recommendations and Spanky decides on the bets he will place but it’s mostly offshore books that accept his action. Spanky also runs a conference on sports betting, this year being held at Circa in Las Vegas on August 8-12. This year they will honor the first inductees to the Sports Betting Hall of Fame. He spoke with GGB Publisher Roger Gros from his home in New Jersey in June.

Legends Bay may have been the first new addition to the Reno-Sparks market in over 20 years, but it took more than a decade of trials and tribulations to finally open its doors in August of 2022. Ryan Walker stepped into the role of general manager earlier this year with decades of operational experience, including stints in Laughlin, Nevada overseeing the Edgewater and Colorado Belle Resorts as well as executive-level roles at Southern California’s Tortoise Rock and Spotlight 29 casinos.  Walker sat down with GGB Managing Editor Jess Marquez at Duke’s Steak House inside Legends Bay in June.

Our guest for this week's GGB Podcast is Keith Kruczynski, vice president of studios for North America at Ainsworth Game Technology. Kruczynski is a veteran game designer and R&D executive, having spent 12 years as director of game development for the former Bally Technologies, followed by stints at IGT and, most recently, as the first vice president of game development for Gaming Arts. He joins Ainsworth as that company's game development efforts are expanding.

This week’s podcast features Acres Manufacturing, a company that is changing the way casinos market to and serve their customers. Noah Acres, a principal of Acres Manufacturing, speaks with Global Gaming Business Editor Frank Legato about Acres’ new cashless technology and new capabilities of the company’s Foundation casino management system.

In gaming, the voice of the regulator is seldom heard, which in some ways is part of the job. This episode, however, is lucky to have two such voices—Susan Hensel and Joseph Grad spent years together at the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) overseeing one of the fastest-growing markets in the industry. Now, they’ve joined forces again to form Hensel Grad, a gaming law firm with world-class experience and expertise. The duo spoke about those formative PCBG experiences, the regulatory environment of today’s market and their future plans for Hensel Grad with GGB Managing Editor Jess Marquez in May.

Jeff Jordan is a slots guy through and through —he worked in slot operations for some of the highest-profile names in the industry, he teaches college-level courses on the subject at the University of Nevada, Reno, and now he’s developed SlotCycle, a revolutionary new platform for operators to buy and sell slots and other casino equipment. Akin to eBay and other online marketplaces, the company has also expanded greatly since its launch to include procurement services and other offerings. Jordan spoke with GGB Managing Editor Jess Marquez from his Las Vegas office in May.

In this week's podcast, Dean Ehrlich, executive vice president and games business leader for Everi, speaks with GGB Editor Frank Legato about the supplier's new Dynasty Vue cabinet, the company's hardware roadmap, and its entry into the historical horse racing market.

This week's podcast features Bluberi, one of the fastest-growing slot suppliers in the business. CEO Andrew Burke and Chief Product Officer Mike Brennan tell the story of Bluberi's fast rise to Global Gaming Business Editor Frank Legato.

Sequoyah Simermeyer was appointed by the President to a three-year term after the United States Senate unanimously confirmed his nomination in November 2019. As chairman, he is responsible for the federal regulatory agency’s daily operations including its eight regional offices as well as its national and local training and technical assistance efforts. He has taken some bold steps as chairman and kicked off some impressive programs designed to benefit Native Americans and operators alike. He spoke with GGB Managing Editor Jess Marquez at the IGA trade show in San Diego in March.

The El Cortez Downtown Las Vegas casino hotel and the operator Kenny Epstein are legends in the industry. Founded by Bugsy Siegel, later owned by Jackie Gaughan, Kenny Epstein has been in charge for at least 50 years. The Downtown renovation has given new life to the old lady, and constant renovations have made it a “hip” destination who’s demographics are largely 50-50 instead of the previous 70-30 local. He was jointed in the discussion with his longtime partner Mike Nolan. He spoke with GGB Publisher Roger Gros at the El Cortez last fall.