The Global Gaming Expo (G2E) Asia 2019 conference and trade exhibition for the casino gaming industry starts today, Tuesday, at the Venetian Macao casino resort, in Macau’s Cotai district.
The three-day event is organised jointly by Reed Exhibitions and the American Gaming Association. The 2019 edition of the annual trade show will be the 13th consecutive gathering. The event made its debut at Macau Tower Convention and Entertainment Centre in 2007.
Many of the top casino equipment suppliers to the Asia-Pacific casino industry will be represented on the show floor, according to the organisers. The doors to the exhibition open to trade visitors at 10.30am on Tuesday.
One new feature for 2019 is a segment focused on art available for sale or lease to casino resorts. “ArtBiz Forum” will be held on the first and second days of the trade show.
In January G2E Asia announced another new show segment for 2019, on financial technology or “fintech”. The exhibitors for that segment are said to include promoters of blockchain applications. According to proponents of the technology it offers secure digital storage of value and of accounting.
Some providers of online gambling services have expressed an interest in using blockchain in their operations.
The conference portion of the event opens on Tuesday with a keynote address from Daisy Ho Chiu Fung, chairman and executive director of Macau casino operator SJM Holdings Ltd, and a daughter of Macau’s former gaming monopolist Stanley Ho Hung Sun.
Macao Government Tourism Office director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes will deliver a keynote speech in the afternoon of the second day of G2E Asia. She will speak about the local government’s strategy for tourism in the city.
A number of regional casino industry executives is joining the conference segment of G2E Asia. The people include: Tim McNally, chairman of Asian casino developer NagaCorp Ltd; Eric Landheer, executive director of Russian casino operator Summit Ascent Holdings Ltd; and Sheldon Trainor, executive director of casino services firm Macau Legend Development Ltd. The trio will take part in a Tuesday afternoon round-table discussion on emerging markets in Asia, moderated by Union Gaming Securities Asia Ltd analyst Grant Govertsen.
GGRAsia is also attending G2E Asia 2019. We have a booth at the trade show – booth number A302 – and a sizeable editorial team covering the event.
