Attending his first G2E was IGT's new regional vice president EMEA, Sabby Gill.
Gill has been with the company for just a few weeks and is completely new to the gaming industry. He comes from the enterprise software sector and is using knowledge gained there to move the company forward into exciting new areas.
"IGT is undergoing a major transformation," he said. "They needed somebody with my background and I was immediately attracted to a company with a 50 per cent market share in the US. But it had lost its way a little bit in Europe.
"When I first came in I started looking at the games and I realised that the important elements were mathematics, denominations and volatility. I spent a lot of time walking around casinos and getting a feel for the industry."
What he quickly realised was that the future lies in server-based and online gaming. "SBG is flexible, fast and geared to change and online gaming enables casinos to keep engaging players after they have left the premises. A lot of what we see online is PC-based but it now also encompasses such things as iPads and smartphones."
Gill said that the management at IGT was a good mix of people with a wide range of experience. "They understand where the company is heading. Online is the future and no one is taking this as seriously as we are."
IGT used the show to launch its new Ghost busters game and announce a new agreement with Sony. It also unveiled a deal with Holland Casino regarding a new casino management system designed with responsible gaming in mind.
Look out for our comprehensive report from G2E Las Vegas 2011 in the November issue of InterGaming.
