Podcast Ggb Magazine

With the return of full access to G2E in 2022, this year’s show is even more wide open, and poised to be more successful. Korbi Carrison (l.) is entering her sixth G2E as the vice president of the event for show producer RX (formerly Reed Exhibitions) and Maureen Beddis (r.) is overseeing her first G2E as the senior vice president of membership and…

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 l…

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 wa…

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 an…

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 …

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…

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 …

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 hiri…

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…

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 overse…

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 preside…

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 for…

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 …

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.Bởi GGB Magazine

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.Bởi GGB Magazine

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 eff…

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 demograp…

When Todd Haushalter was hired by Evolution Gaming in 2014, few people realized that Evolution would become the world largest revenue producer in the online gaming space. But those same people underestimate the allure of live encounters between dealers and players. And when game shows were added to the mix it’s no surprise that the company has deve…

Sal Semola has almost 30 year experience in gaming management, with companies such as Greektown Casino in Detroit, Cannery Casinos and Warner Gaming in Las Vegas and several tribal and riverboat casinos. But it wasn’t until Semola was hired at Gun Lake Casino in Wayland, Michigan that he really hit his stride. He was able to advise the owners of th…

The International Center for Responsible Gaming was formed in the mid ’90s as the industry effort to combat problem gambling by conducting blind research, where gaming companies fund the research but have no say in its outcome. Mark Lipparelli took over last month as chairman, continuing the momentum begun by the past chairman, Alan Feldman, and th…

The International Gaming Standards Association is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, and to mark that milestone they are holding the IGSA Technology Summit with a focus on sports betting, cashless transactions, and protecting the data amassed by casinos, both online and off. John English just completed a two-year stint as the chairman of t…

The Robert L. Hunter International Problem Gambling Center has some of the highest success rates when treating problem gamblers. Using methods developed by Dr. Hunter prior to his death in 2018, the center is able to ease problem gamblers away from their afflictions and prepare them for further treatment. Stephanie Goodman, formerly a chief of staf…

Gaming in Ireland has been operating in a grey area since the early 2000s when British-style membership clubs began to be established. A new set of gaming regulations has been set up recently along with a new regulatory scheme. JJ Woods has been consulting on gaming projects around the world for more than 30 years and is the unqualified expert on g…

When Hard Rock International bought the Mirage from MGM last year, they needed someone with Hard Rock and Las Vegas experience. They got it when Joe Lupo was named to lead the transition from the Mirage to Hard Rock Las Vegas. Lupo spent the formative years of his career in Las Vegas working for Boyd Gaming before heading to Atlantic City to help r…

Everi has a long history in payment processing and currently owns Central Credit, a credit reporting agency for gaming used by casinos around the world. Therefore, Everi also processes more payments for gaming than any other firm and its dominance in that field currently extends to the recent cashless phenomenon sweeping the industry. But Everi is …

The American Gaming Association has a long history with research. From the first annual “State of the States” report to the most recent survey focusing on illegal gaming and its costs to the industry, the data presents a valid picture of gaming in the 2020s. David Forman joined the AGA over five years ago and now, as the vice president of research,…

One of the few states that really understood sports betting during the legalization process was Michigan. Brand Iden, now the vice president of government affairs for Fanatics Betting & Gaming, formerly in a similar position with Sportradar, was the state senator in Michigan who really drove the process. And by including iGaming in the package, Mic…

BetMGM is a partnership in the U.S. between MGM Resorts and the British gaming company, Entain. In 2018, when Adam Greenblatt, on of GGB's 25 People to Watch from the January 2023 issue, took over as CEO, there was something of a divide between the two but his previous expertise in finance and M&A made a difference and today he says the relationshi…

Earle Hall was just named one of GGB’s 25 People to Watch for 2023, and it was a long time coming. Hall has been in gaming for more than 20 years figuring out how data can improve operations, customer service, and technology in the industry. Axes.ai provides anti-money laundering services, player loyalty efficiencies, marketing campaigns, real time…

David Rebuck has been retiring from the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement for several years but he can’t get out. The state’s chief regulator, he was appointed in 2011, coinciding with a change in regulatory structure in New Jersey that gave the DGE complete investigative power in that process. Since then he’s presided over the legalization…

Mike Bean was named CEO of Desert Diamond Casinos & Entertainment in April 2021. Desert Diamond is the casino arm of the Tohono O’odham Gaming Enterprise, which operates four casinos in Arizona. He has extensive experience in gaming working for Mohegan Sun, Foxwoods and Harrah’s Entertainment, and was most recently the CEO of the Saginaw Chippewa G…

Legalizing sports betting in Indiana was one of the smoothest and most efficient processes in all the states. A reasonable tax rate, fees and regulations have proven to be a success story in the state. Senator Jon Ford steered that process through the state Senate and now he’s looking to do the same with iGaming. He spoke with GGB Publisher Roger G…

Colin Ferris has a long history in the iGaming industry. Prior to joining Playtech as their iGaming product director, he was with IGT for 11 years as their head of content - interactive casino. His challenge with Playtech, which is one of the dominant suppliers of iGaming products in Europe and other parts of the world, is to bring their products a…

Steve Wynn was the first one to use fine art in a casino setting when he built the Bellagio and included a Fine Art Gallery. Since MGM has owned the property that effort has only increased. Demecina Beehn, the curator and manager of MGM Resorts’ art collection, explains how the gallery introduces many visitors to fine art, and also the company’s re…

The pandemic hit every company in the gaming industry hard and for TCSJohnHuxley it was no different. Tristan Sjöberg , the executive chairman, explains how he used the time to re-think the direction of his company. TCSJohnHuxley is now involved in online gaming supplying the hardware needed to make a visual impact for companies engaged in the live…

London’s Hippodrome casino is one of the most unique in the world. With a history dating back over a century, the Hippodrome was a theater for much of its existence, hosting such events as vaudeville shows, circuses, aquatic extravaganzas, nightclubs and more. When Simon Thomas and his father Jimmy, who recently passed away, took over the property …

Industry veteran Harald Neumann was named chief executive officer at Ainsworth Game Technology in September 2021, following a five-year tenure in the same position at Novomatic, Ainsworth’s majority shareholder. Since his appointment, Neumann has been focused on growing the North and Latin American markets, and the company’s historical horse racing…

While Bally’s is a very recognizable name in the casino industry, it’s current iteration is relatively new and has a much loftier goal that previous versions. Soo Kim bought the brand from Caesars when he was running Twin Rivers, a relatively small casino company based in Rhode Island. Kim has set a path to Bally’s becoming a true omnichannel gamin…

Shape Games is the industry’s leading front end provider, focused on driving customer engagement and retention through the delivery of its customizable, fully native frontend technology to leading operators in regulated markets. Morton Tonnesen, the CCO of Shape Games, explains how his company has been working with the sports betting platform provi…

Penn National Gaming had been the leading regional gaming company for at least the past decade, but in the last few years, it has embraced an omnichannel approach to the business. Jay Snowden, the president and CEO, has taken an aggressive stance in positioning the company for growth in the digital field without taking his eyes off the land-based c…

Seasoned gaming veteran Joe Billhimer was named executive vice president of Cordish Gaming Group two years ago to direct the expansion of the company into Pennsylvania with the opening of the Live! Philadelphia and the mini-casino Live! Pittsburgh. Building the Philadelphia project during the pandemic was a challenge but well worth it, as both casi…

Mark Nerenberg began his career in finance, before jumping into the world of fantasy sports a decade ago. He co-founded DraftStreet, which was eventually sold to DraftKings, where he went on to serve as vice president of game operations and development. Now, as COO for Simplebet, a microbetting provider, he’s looking to revolutionize the way sports…

Todd Haushalter had risen to the pinnacle of his profession in 2015 when he served as vice president of table games for MGM Resorts. That followed years of working for table game suppliers, where he became one of the top experts in the industry. SO it was a surprise when Haushalter resigned to join Evolution Gaming, a small, at that time, European …

Imagine This has been serving the casino industry for 20 years with more than 300 casino customers. Adam Bullock, the senior vice president of sales and operations, explains how the company’s incentive programs work by creating events that encourage players to visit a property over and over again due to the aspirational element of the Imagine This …

The Eastern market, particularly Atlantic City, has been a tough one for Caesars Entertainment. Prior to its purchase by Eldorado Resorts two years ago, Caesars had not reinvested in its resorts in the city—Caesars Atlantic City, Harrah’s Resort and the Tropicana—for some time, resulting in lower revenues and fleeing customers. John Koster was appo…

As a media executive for the past 25 years, Anthony Gaud has an idea what people want. He won an Emmy for an innovative children’s TV program and now has set his sights on esports. His company, G3, is focused on advancing esports’ connection with gaming and has some unique ideas about how that’s going to happen. While he believes that betting on es…

When Korbi Carrison was named by RX as event director of G2E five years ago, she was the first person with a gaming background to take that position. With more than 20 years’ experience in gaming, now Event Vice President Carrison understands the concerns and issues that exhibitors and attendees bring to G2E. In her five years with G2E, she has hel…