G2E Asia in Macao: Novomatic goes Asia

Celebrating its fifth anniversary, the event that is the focus of gaming in Asia, G2E Asia, rediscovered a widespread industry that is ready and eager for further growth. Novomatic, too, found a positive climate and enjoyed the warmest of reactions to its impressive product presentation.

Five years on and G2E Asia, whilst already established as one of the ‘big four’ regional trade shows (alongside ICE in London, G2E in Las Vegas and SAGSE in Buenos Aires), needed a new emphasis in order to underline its claim to priority after two successive downturn years. The show succeeded, not under the usual criteria of exhibitors and visitors but largely because of the huge new wave of enthusiasm generated by the recent opening of what is surely one of the finest gaming venues on earth, Galaxy Macau.

There were initial fears that the meteoric rise of gaming in Macau and, more recently, Singapore could lead towards market saturation; even in a region where the appetite for casino entertainment is insatiable. Sheldon Adelson, Chairman and CEO of Las Vegas Sands, dismisses those fears by stating at a G2EA award ceremony that the region has room for “five gambling centres the size of Las Vegas” and predicts that growth in what he describes as a “supply driven industry” will “explode, rather than just grow” in the future.

Macau itself faces continuing challenges in terms of infrastructure deficiencies, labour and land shortages as well as the challenge of moving more towards becoming a leisure destination rather than simply a ‘gambling enclave’. One leading industry figure, Grant Bowie, CEO of MGM China Holdings, predicted that the move towards being a leisure destination was “still ten years off”.

Against that background, Novomatic had a large presence at G2EA and left the show greatly encouraged by both the large number of enquiries and the widespread locations from which they came. Austrian Gaming Industries GmbH (AGI) presented an impressive product line-up, ranging from a wide variety of video slot games and cabinets to a comprehensive electronic multiplayer installation based on Novo Line Novo Unity™ II as well as Octavian gaming systems and jackpots. The latest Super-V+ Gaminator® multi-game mixes were presented in two groups of Super-V+ Gaminator® cabinets that were linked within the Octavian casino management system ACP (Accounting Control Progressives System) and connected to the latest mystery progressive jackpot theme Wild Nights™.

Further Coolfire™ II games were displayed in a range of Novostar® SL2 slant top cabinets. Available in three different modular versions this cabinet caters to the entire range of modern gaming applications: Novostar® SL1 with one monitor for multiplayer installations and Novostar® SL2 with two monitors as well as Novostar® SL3. The cabinet’s attractive style is accentuated with brilliant LED illuminated details that produce elegant shining effects and provoke high guest attention including top recognition value. The ergonomic design of the Novostar® SL cabinet series is further complemented by the innovative Flip Screen Feature (SL2 and SL3) – that allows the guest to flip his main screen from the bottom to the top monitor – and an extra start button built into the foot rest.

The Novostar® SL1 was also featured for the first time at G2EA in a comprehensive electronic multiplayer installation based on the innovative Novo Line Novo Unity™ II system. The unique new feature of the Novo Line Novo Unity™ II system is the flexible interconnecting of a great variety of electronic live games and slot games on a virtually unlimited number of individual player stations. This multi-game functionality allows the operator to link any chosen number of terminals to different games such as Roulette, Baccarat, Poker, Black Jack, Sic Bo and Bingo as well as a great slot games offering; all within one installation.

The multiplayer show installation at G2EA comprised six Novostar® SL1 terminals plus one Novo-Bar™ connected to the fully automated Novo Multi-Roulette™ wheel as well as a great variety of other electronic live games: Novo Flying Baccarat™, Novo Flying Sic Bo™, Novo Flying Black Jack™ plus Novo Texas Hold’em Poker™ and Novo Flying 3-Card Poker™ and a range of video slot games – all of which are available on each of the player terminals.

The Novostar® display was widely noted as one of the star products of the entire show; receiving critical acclaim from show visitors from across Asia. That response, plus an increasing number of trial installations (including one at the show’s host venue, Venetian Macau) gave the AGI contingent a very strong sense that the Asian market is ready to embrace the company’s world-leading product innovations.