AGS, a publicly traded global gaming supplier based in Las Vegas, held its annual GameON Customer Summit June 11-13 at WinStar World Casino & Resort – the world’s largest casino located on the border of Texas and Oklahoma.
This year’s event drew record attendance of more than 142 attendees, and covered an array of topics, including sports betting, negotiation, Esports, the guest experience, managing amulti-generation workforce, and the power of employee culture – as well as provided attendees with key updates on AGS, its slot, table, and interactive product portfolio, and highlights from the Company’s innovation roadmap.
AGS President and Chief Executive Officer David Lopez, who served as the master of ceremonies during the two-day event, said, “We always strive to differentiate GameON from other suppliers’ customer events, and this year, we again exceeded expectations. We brought in experts covering a whole host of topics, many totally unrelated to what AGS does, all designed to give our attendees new perspectives, valuable insights, practical know-how, and the opportunity to build powerful connections.”
Skyelar Perkins, a four-time GameON attendee and Corporate Senior Director of Slot Operations for Choctaw Casinos & Resorts, said, “AGS’ GameON 2019 Customer Summit at WinStar World Casino & Resort was fantastic. David Lopez and his team did not disappoint; amazing content, great pace, excellent networking, and lots of fun! AGS continues to deliver an excellent event that shows their obsession to not only being the best they can be, but also a drive to make the industry better as a whole.”
The Company brought in thought leaders from inside and outside the gaming industry. The GameON keynote speech was delivered by Chris Voss, former FBI hostage negotiator and best-selling author of “Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It”. He shared riveting, high-stakes stories from his days negotiating the release of hostages, and provided practical tips on how to uncover what someone’s real motivation is during a negotiation.
In a discussion focused on the “Over/Under on Sports Betting in America”, Matt Davey, President and CEO of Tekkorp Capital and former Group Chief Executive of Scientific Games Digital and CEO of NYX Gaming Group, and Sara Slane, the Senior Vice President of Public Affairs for the American Gaming Association, covered sports betting in America – the current state and potential opportunities for casino operators.
Esports expert and futurist Joe English provided attendees with an update on the Esports landscape, focusing on what’s driving its popularity, who the fans, leagues, and teams are, how people in Esports engage with one another, and the potential for casino operators to build Esports venues and attract new patrons to the casino resort.
In one of the most popular GameON sessions, Jenny Holaday, President of Fuel Leadership and a former casino executive, shared valuable insights about how to manage a multi-generation workforce, with a focus on the importance of developing a better understanding of what motivates each generation.
Julia Boguslawski, AGS’ Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President – Investor Relations, who launched the Company’s first GameON in 2016, said, “We recognize that coming to GameON is an investment in time and travel for our customers, so we strive to offer valuable content that is meaningful and useful, both professionally and personally. Our customers appreciate the opportunity to learn, grow, and bring back new ways to drive revenue and add value at their properties.”
AGS product experts also gave important updates on their respective areas to the audience comprised of nearly 70% casino executives from across North America, serving in director-level-and-above roles spanning slots, table games, casino marketing, and the C-suite.
AGS Senior Vice President of Slot Products Andrew Burke covered the ‘Top 5 Reasons You Want More AGS Slot Product on Your Floor’, focusing on the Company’s continued investments in R&D; its hardware product roadmap including this month’s launch of the new Orion Upright cabinet; AGS’ strong pipeline of game software to support all platforms; game performance; and the Company’s focus on culture to drive innovation.
John Hemberger, AGS’ Senior Vice President of Table Products, shared important updates about AGS’ table products roadmap and the Company’s mission to drive revenue and deliver value for customers. He shared AGS’ investments in animated, dynamic table signage; upgrades to the Company’s STAX and Bonus Spin table progressives; and gave attendees a preview of new table products in development.
For AGS’ Interactive B2B social business, GameON attendees were invited to participate in free-play tournaments through the GameON social casino app, experiencing the Company’s ConnexSys™ social white label casino solution first-hand.
AGS Vice President of West Coast Sales Mike McKiski and Warren Steven, Senior Director, Product and Operations – Online Gaming for Golden Nugget, led a discussion of how Steven leverages his land-based and online real-money gaming offerings to drive revenue, player engagement, and cross-channel player rewards.
Along with two full days of engaging conference content, there were numerous networking opportunities during GameON, including a golf tournament and an event at The Star – the Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters and practice facility. Charlotte Jones Anderson, the Dallas Cowboys Executive Vice President & Chief Brand Officer, known as the most powerful woman in the NFL, addressed conference attendees, followed by meet-and-greets with the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders and former Dallas Cowboys Defensive End Charles Haley, a five-time Super Bowl champion and five-time Pro Bowler.
