The suggestion is that, like business on the Strip itself, activity at this week's G2E Las Vegas was down as well.

Floor space at the event, which kicked off on Tuesday and ended yesterday, was reduced by 22 per cent, while the number of companies exhibiting at the show was down from approximately 700 to around 500 this year.

During the first day, a number of booths enjoyed significant traffic, but the overall impression was that footfall was down on previous years as operators - most notably from overseas - chose to send fewer delegates to the Las Vegas Convention Center.

However, G2E is still considered by many to be the show on the calendar to attend and its geographical proximity to the burgeoning markets outside Las Vegas in North and South America means that most exhibitors had the opportunity to meet at least some buyers from these jurisdictions.

One concern raised by several exhibitors was the timing of the event, which, at just two months before London’s IGE, has prompted some non-US companies to hold back their newest product launches in favour of showcasing them at Earls Court in January.

The most dynamic companies, of course, use both events as an opportunity to demonstrate both their global reach and their ability to offer products tailored to each specific international market.