the restrictions about where players could bet in Ne- vada via mobile devices are disappearing, now that the legislature has approved a bill that permits bet- ting in all areas of the casino resort. Scott Kreeger, vice president of corporate opera-
tions for Station Casinos, said mobile gaming will allow the bricks-and-mortar casinos to bring players into their properties, while gaining important off-site revenues.
• Tribal regulations: The annual panel consisting of the members of the National Indian Gaming Commission produced a recap of the year’s progress. NIGC Chairwoman Tracie Stevens explained that consultations with tribes have been very helpful in re- pairing fractured relationships. She told the audience that the agency’s oversight of Class III minimum in- ternal control standards is unchanged, and that in combination with state and tribal regulators, the vast majority of tribes have instituted MICS. No legisla- tion will be necessary to address this issue, she said. As for technical standards for Class II gaming
machines, Stevens revealed that the agency has ex- tended by a year the deadline to create technical stan- dards and MICS for the devices. But she has said that the standards identified by the previous administra- tion would stand in the absence of more guidance.
• Slot Renewal: The keynote panel featuring top female executives yielded a bit of bad news for slot- machine suppliers: Operators are not ready for major capital expenditures to renew slot floors. Saying that mistrust in the “dysfunctional gov-
Clockwise: MGM Resorts Chairman Jim Murren delivered a very positive keynote address to more than 500 attendees. AGA President and CEO Frank Fahrenkopf welcomes the opening keynote speaker, magician and philosopher Penn Jillette. Dan Aykroyd, star of the IGT Ghostbusters game, helped gaming executives cut the ribbon on G2E 2011.
MGM, and explained that the demographics of its customers are shifting to a younger, more affluent clientele. Non-gaming revenues for MGM have grown faster than casino revenue, according to Murren. As for the elephant in the room, Murren said
that MGM’s $9 billion CityCenter is what it is, for the time being. “Are we happy with it?” he responded to a
question by AGA President Frank Fahrenkopf. “I’d say we’re very happy that it’s open. We’re happy that it’s on strong financial footing. We’re happy that it’s employing 10,000 people and contribut- ing to the economy, and we’re happy that’s starting to generate a return to the investors after a long,
long, tough struggle.” The conference program at G2E addressed all
of the important issues impacting the gaming in- dustry. Just some of those issues:
• Mobile gaming: A panel said Nevada regula- tions are beginning to get up to speed with those of the European countries where mobile betting— particularly sports betting—is popular. Suki Sandhu, vice president of product for IGT, said the reluctance of telecom carriers to carry mobile gaming is fading. He also noted that, like Europe, Nevada is approaching mobile gaming as just an offshoot of online gaming. Lee Amaitis, CEO of Cantor Gaming, said
www.ggbmagazine.com • November 2011
ernment” in Washington, D.C., has extended the re- cession by eroding consumer confidence, Isle of Capri Casinos CEO Virginia McDowell told the au- dience that what little capital expenditure Isle man- ages to make must first go into making sure the amenities of the company’s properties are up to date and in good repair. “I can spend $200,000 on 10 new slot machines
or renovating one of our casino’s restaurants,” Mc- Dowell said. “What is going to create the best enter- tainment opportunity for our customers?” McDowell said the recent budget stalemates and
other partisan bickering in Congress have affected both the stock market and consumer spending, meaning the recession is hanging around for a while. “People are nervous about spending money,” she said. Jan Jones, senior vice president for government
affairs for Caesars Entertainment, added that the same applies to expenditures for casino expansions and new properties. “We don’t need new casinos,” she said. “We need new amenities.” Patti Hart, the CEO of International Game
Technology, was the only non-operator among the panelists. She joked that the operators were lament- ing the recession to secure discounts on new machine purchases. “There are no discounts, folks,” Hart quipped.
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