Lewis Pek Editor


Comment


April 2020


We’ve been doing our very best this month to produce an issue that isn’t just a Covid-19 update on the gaming industry. Every story, opinion piece, country report and product press release has the Covid-caveat. Magazine news this month could potentially have be an extremely long list of venues and businesses temporarily closing, the loss of income and jobs across all countries and all sectors is frightening. However, as we’re still very much in the early stages of the response to the pandemic, at least outside of South East Asia territories, G3Newswire is keeping up- to-date with daily reporting on the crisis, while this magazine will seek to bring stories - positive and negative - from all aspects of the gaming business.


Gaming venues around the world have been closed, with some even being used at temporary treatment centres to help patient numbers as hospitals struggle with the volume of those infected with the virus. One aspect of the industry that’s been unavoidably hit are the exhibitions and conferences listed in the G3 calendar. Dates have either been postponed or have yet to make cancellation announcements. All April and May events have been called off or pushed back, with many now shifting to digital conferencing to fill the void.


SUPPLIERS AND OPERATORS HAVE BEEN FURLOUGHING STAFF WHILE MANAGEMENT TEAMS HAVE BEEN TAKEN PAY REDUCTIONS


Sports betting has struggled with the near universal closure of sports facilities, events and matches played worldwide. The loss of the Euros in Europe and the Olympics in Japan will be felt long into the year ahead. Filling in the gaps have been a series of creative options from camel and marbles racing to betting on temperature rises and falls in certain geographies. Ingenuity and desperation in equal measures.


Suppliers and casino operators have been furloughing staff while management teams have been announcing pay reductions to keep the lights shining in businesses that rely on the constant interaction of players in social gaming environments. Everyone is asking how long this period of isolation will last as employers and employees face months of uncertainty, the loss of business, revenue and security.


I see reports already from the online gaming industry of large spikes in play and positive growth. However, even here companies are holding back on costs as no one is certain how long this will last. Will people continue to spend online as their personal circumstances change? At this stage, who knows?


I fear for the amazing people in all the great businesses in this industry and hope that governments around the world support this sector, value it, both now and into the future, and ensure its survival.


EDITORIAL


G3 Magazine Editor Lewis Pek


lewis@gamingpublishing.co.uk +44 (0) 1942 879291


G3Newswire Editor Phil Martin


phil@gamingpublishing.co.uk +44 (0)7801 967714


Features Editor Karen Southall


karensouthall@gmail.com


International Reporter James Marrison Staff Reporter William Bolton


william@gamingpublishing.com Contributors


Joe Pisano, Boris Marinov, Piotr Dynowski, Michal Salajczyk,


Marek Plota, Jenny Hedges, Luke Fisher, Michel Glansberg


P4 NEWSWIRE / INTERACTIVE / MARKET DATA ADVERTISING


Commercial Director John Slattery john@gamingpublishing.co.uk +44 (0)7917 166471


Business Development Manager James Slattery james@gamingpublishing.co.uk +44 (0)7814227219


Advertising Executive Alison Dronfield alison@gamingpublishing.co.uk +44 (0)1204 410771


PRODUCTION


Senior Designer Gareth Irwin


Production Manager Paul Jolleys


Subscriptions Manager Jennifer Pek


Commercial Administrator Lisa Nichols


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