G2E Asia 2022 starts today, new segment on ‘Smart IRs’
The first in-person edition since 2019 of the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) Asia casino trade show and conference starts today (Wednesday) and runs until Friday.
This year’s outing for G2E Asia, officially dubbed “G2E Asia 2022 Special Edition: Singapore”, is being held at the Marina Bay Sands casino resort (pictured) in Singapore. G2E Asia, organised by the American Gaming Association and Reed Exhibitions, had been staged annually in Macau from 2007 and up to 2019. The 2020 and 2021 in-person editions of the event were cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Wednesday’s conference opener will see Ed Bowers, president and chief executive of MGM Resorts Japan LLC – a selected partner for Osaka’s tilt at getting a casino resort – give the keynote address. Mr Bowers is also president of global development for United States-based MGM Resorts International, the parent of Macau casino firm MGM China Holdings Ltd.
This year’s trade show element of the event – with more than 60 exhibitors listed on the event’s website as of Wednesday morning, including slot machine makers, table game suppliers and table equipment suppliers – will have a new segment called “Smart Integrated Resort and Innovation”.
It will feature exhibitors offering artificial-intelligence and other digital technology services for casino resorts. Such products include: hospitality-industry robotics; ‘smart’ building and environmental-sustainability services; and other smart technology.
A networking event at the trade show, called “Smart IR and Innovation Tech Talk”, will gather more than 100 people working in new technology either at casino resorts, equipment suppliers or governmental bodies, to discuss developments in the industry.
The exhbition will also have a “Health & Hygiene Pavilion”, showcasing measures to help casino resorts and gaming operators mitigate Covid-19 related risks.
Day one of the conference portion of the event is due to feature as the first afternoon speaker, Praveen Choudhary, managing director of Morgan Stanley Asia Ltd. He will focus on the financial outlook of Asian gaming destinations.
Wednesday afternoon will see two other sessions, both moderated by Fredric E. Gushin, managing director of gaming industry consultancy Spectrum Gaming Group LLC.
The initial one will discuss gaming’s future in various Asian jurisdictions, and ways to regulate emerging casino game technology. Scheduled as panellists are: Paul Bromberg, senior vice president for investigations – Asia at Spectrum Gaming Group; and Daniel Cheng, a former casino executive, most recently with Hard Rock International.
The last session of the opening day focuses on integrated resort expansion and development in Asia. It will feature: Daesik Han, chairman and chief executive of Hann Philippines Inc; Walt Power, CEO at The Grand Ho Tram Resort and Casino; and Chen Si, chief operating officer (COO) at Inspire Entertainment Resort, in South Korea.
The second day of the conference will include commentary on investment opportunities in integrated resorts in the Asia-Pacific region, by Angela Hanlee, from Bloomberg Intelligence; and a discussion on diversification in a post-Covid era, due to feature Michael Zhu, senior vice president at industry consultancy The Innovation Group; Angel Sueiro, COO of Philippine casino investor PH Resorts Group Holdings Inc; and Andrew Lee, vice president of resort operations at Inspire Entertainment Resort.
Other topics to be debated during the three-day gathering include the development of eSports.
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