he’d worked for Bally as the head of sales in Europe, and so for a number of years we’d crossed paths and, ultimately, I managed to win Jens over. It proved a win-win for both organisations. Novomatic joining AGEM opened the door for other European and international suppliers. We continue to honour Jens through our Memorial Award and his legacy lives on to this day. I’d say that meeting was a pivotal moment for AGEM.
How influential has AGEM been during your tenure?
You can look at membership growth, but what’s most important is that when we started, AGEM didn’t have a seat at the table. In 2000, casino operators controlled everything, which is why there was so much friction in regards to revenue-share games.
Operators refused to accept the idea that if they wanted, for example, Wheel of Fortune, they’d have to share the revenue with the developer. Te operators wanted to buy slots outright and they refused to listen to the suppliers. And the same held true for the regulators. Whether in Nevada or New Jersey, suppliers couldn’t get a meeting with regulators to discuss technology or new ideas. Tey’d bat away the suggestion telling us to convince the operators first. Well, those days are gone.
AGEM and the supplier community now has a seat at the table in every jurisdiction around the world. And it’s a two-way street. If the regulator has something of importance it needs to communicate to the industry, they don’t just call the operator, they also call AGEM. Our global influence and weight is quite remarkable. One voice goes a long way.
When AGEM initiated the variable payback change, which was meant to open the door to skill-based games, we had to change the law in Nevada, since legislation stated that every slot machine had to pay the same percentage.
When AGEM went to the legislature in 2015, we were able to initiate a bill with the support of the Nevada Gaming Control Board and Commission, get it passed, and work with the Control Board on the regulatory framework, an initiative that took two years from beginning to end. Getting that bill and the regulations passed was a milestone moment that still has more dividends to pay in the future.
What’s next?
When I leave AGEM next month it will be 14 years since I joined as Executive Director, and I’ll stay on till August to help Daron Dorsey in the hand-over. Tis organisation has been homegrown by Tracy Cohen, Connie Jones and myself. My experience with AGEM and 30 years in gaming has been timed to coincide with my last son leaving for college.
I have one son whose a junior at the University of Nevada, Reno, and the other is finishing high school in Henderson. I have been a single dad since my ex-wife passed away four years ago, and my life outside of AGEM has been to get
P30 WIRE / PULSE / INSIGHT / REPORTS
The Bally Journey
In the early 2000s, at the beginning of the dotcom boom, Bally was in a tight spot. I recall a meeting with the head of human resources, who gave me a flyer to read before laying-off half my marketing team. Te flyer explained the steps to takes if employees became violent.
Tings weren’t great, so when I got an offer from Station Casinos, I considered my position. Station was ahead of its time as it wanted to create an online sports betting offer.
As a sports fan, betting from your computer sounded like a great idea. I resigned my position at Bally, telling Bob Miondunski and Bob Saxon the CFO, about the opportunity and though they tried to keep me, I chose to leave.
As it happened, Alliance owned United Coin, which was a route operation with video poker machines in local bars. Te irony is that Station Casinos was seeking to pitch Alliance Gaming to place its sports betting solution into their bar locations. So on the third day of my new job at Station Casinos I was in a meeting with both my new boss and my old boss at Bally, Bob Miondunski.
Te Station head started the conversation badly: “Hey Bob, what do you think about us stealing your best employee?” Miondunski didn’t take well to that - and when walking out
of the meeting, I could see he was seething mad. Bob said: “Marcus, whatever we were paying you when you left, I’ll double it if you come back.”
I went home, talked to my wife, and so after just four days, I quit and went back to Bally. It was a real fork in the road. Convincing me to return meant that I became part of the team that resurrected Bally.
Te TITO period changed the fortunes of the company as every slot machine on the planet had to be replaced. It was a great period to be at Bally and I’m very thankful for that - life throws you curveballs, and even though it was awkward, I chose the right path.
Bally was so close to going out of business at the end of the 1990s. Te Bally brand that started in the 1930s was on such a tenuous path, but we saved Bally and it’s now alive and stronger than ever. I see the logo on Major League Baseball stadiums and I remember that I was a steward of that brand for many years. I’m proud of it and happy it’s in fine form today.
“When AGEM initiated the variable payback change, which was meant to open the door to skill-based games, we had to change the law in Nevada, since legislation stated that every slot machine had to pay the same percentage. When AGEM went to the
legislature in 2015, we were able to initiate a bill with the support of the Nevada Gaming Control Board and Commission, get it passed, and work with the Control Board on the regulatory framework, an
initiative that took two years from beginning to end. Getting that bill and the regulations passed was a milestone moment that still has more dividends to pay in the future.” Marcus Prater
these two boys to college and adulthood, which takes place next August. Ten I’m finally off- the-hook! I’m not fully done - but I will have more time for travel, golf and fly-fishing. I have some ideas on other projects outside of gaming and I have planted some seeds. I’m not retiring, but I don’t see myself in a regular gaming job, especially if these other projects pan out. I will be busy - but not too busy!
Is gaming in a better place than you found it?
Gaming is definitely in a better place because we’re doing things the right way. Vegas in the 70s was still considered the Wild West of organised crime and money laundering. Later, the riverboat boom proved too hard to manage as I don’t think
anyone was equipped to deal with that pace. Fast forward to today and the world now looks to Nevada as a fully regulated model.
We still have work to do, especially in the area of responsible gaming. However, in the mid-90s hardly anyone was talking about responsible gambling, but now every jurisdiction in the world has centred its focus on RG.
I think that despite massive growth globally, gaming is in a much better place. It’s become a mainstream entertainment option too. It is now an accepted form of entertainment like going to concerts and movies. We need to stay the course, but gaming is in a good place, even coming out of a pandemic.
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