Ahead of the crucial AHG expo next week, we reveal the key news stories, from the latest launches to what expo visitors can expect.
Image: The Ambarvale Hotel, VIP lounge, by Paul Kelly Design
The Keno AHG Expo will be held on Wednesday 27 and Thursday 28 March 2019 at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition (BCEC), unifying the worlds of hospitality and gaming to showcase the latest in gaming products, entertainment, food and beverage, technology, construction, education, furniture, and innovative design.
The food-and-beverage focused AHG Tastes element will return in 2019 with an even bigger Expo footprint featuring 50 per cent more exhibitors. Organiser Clubs Queensland’s CEO Doug Flockhart says, “Business owners must open their eyes and minds to innovation and change, while also being willing to lead and innovate.”
Meanwhile the AGE has confirmed that with the largest gaming expo in the Southern Hemisphere due to take place in August, 82% of exhibition space has been taken up. The Gaming Technologies Association (GTA) and Asia Gaming Brief (AGB) previously announced a three-day seminar program during 13-15 August 2019. The seminars will again run across the three days of the Australasian Gaming Expo (AGE) at the ICC in Sydney during the expo’s 30th anniversary.
The AGE’s 2019 program takes a look at the future of the gaming industry in Australasia, covering topics related to new technology, gaming, hospitality, service, and the customer.
The 2018 AGE featured 237 exhibitors across a range of relevant sectors and set a new attendance record with 8,638 visits. This was a 7% increase over the 2017 expo, already a record year.
IGT will showcase Multistar Hot Diamonds at the AHG
IGT has revealed its key launch at this year’s Australasian Hospitality and Gaming Expo (AHG) will be Multistar Hot Diamonds, which takes IGT’s Dazzling Diamonds and grows it with new games and player favourites, plus fast hitting bonus features. Also on show will be Multistar Big 3G and new Super 3G, multi-demon multi-games with no jackpot liability offering game play experiences including the return of player favourite, Bingo!
Also on show will be Bubble Blast. The game builds on IGT’s Waterfall game play, adding giant bubbles for instant wins and prize multipliers.
Initially available as a link, Bubble Blast will launch with two game titles – Treasures of Atlantis and Genie Uncorked – both offering denomination-driven bonus prizes.
IGT’s systems team will also demonstrate IGT Advantage Club, the company’s gaming management system, which includes loyalty, data analysis and accounting tools.
“This year’s AHG brings together all the unique innovations we’ve been driving into the ANZ market in the last two years through our increased investment,” says Nigel Turner, head of marketing Asia-Pacific at IGT.
Konami to reveal All Aboard iterations and Concerto Stack
Konami have confirmed two key themes for their AHG presence this year. Highlighting All Aboard, with over 1,000 installs in Australia in the last seven months, Konami have focused on the popularity of hold ’n spin style features. This style is most prominent in NSW with an estimated market installation of this game type of over 25% currently, a Konami spokesperson told Australian Hotelier.
Konami also say that while All Aboard The Lucky Link is approved in Queensland, it will be available in NSW in the coming months.
New All Aboard games, Go West and Shinobi, will also be available to the NSW market at AHG 2019. These new games build on the All Aboard series and brand with the All Aboard Feature, and also include a brand new Free Games Feature and themes.
Konami’s new 43-inch Concerto Stack machine will exhibit various Concerto Stack exclusive content including Money Trails, a game which utilises the entire screen with prizes that continually stack up during the Money Trails Feature.
SG to extend Jin Ji Bao Xi Fortunes to all states
Launched in NSW hotels last year, Jin Ji Bao Xi Fortunes is now available in all other jurisdictions. Meaning to have great luck and good news the Jin Ji Bao Xi games have been derived from the Macau game. This new multi-denominational standalone progressive game family introduces the ‘top up’ game model which collects, repeats and multiplies bonus prizes during the free games features as well as offering players an option of Free Game styles. Jin Ji Bao Xi Treasures is due for release after Easter.
Action Spins is a new product line developed by SG for the hotel gaming sector. Backing up last year’s release of the first Action Spins title are two new themes, King of Babylon and Tiki Treasures aimed at the premium player segment with their rapid-action gameplay, high-frequency feature and a unique new wheel mechanism that can award lots of large repeating awards including multiple jackpots.
Monopoly Hotel Tycoon, the latest iteration of the classic theme now includes high denomination play options and several new features that build on the successful foundation of the original title but will extend the appeal to a wider hotel gaming audience. Monopoly Hotel Tycoon will debut on SG Gaming’s stand at this year’s Australian Hospitality Expo in Brisbane.
Victorian Government shakes up gaming regulations
Last year, the Victorian Government made a number of changes to the Gambling Regulation Act 2003. The impacts are now filtering through to Victorian venues and the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation (VCGLR) is reminding operators of what’s now in play. These amendments introduced new limits on EFTPOS transactions in gaming venues, prohibited cheque-cashing services in gaming venues and changed requirements around Responsible Gambling Codes of Conduct and Self-Exclusion Programs. New restrictions were also introduced on advertising gambling and wagering services so that, for example, placing billboards on the pavement within 150 metres of the perimeter of a school became an offence. Visit the VCGLR website to discover the changes in full.