“AGE is a trade show to promote gaming”

(Exclusive interview).- Ross Ferrar, CEO of the Gaming Technologies Association, shares details of the upcoming Australasian Gaming Expo.

Australasian Gaming Expo 2017 is starting next August 15-17 at the new ICC Sydney, featuring over 19,000 sq metres of Exhibition Space and 250 exhibitors. Heading a bigger and exciting event, Ross Ferrar, CEO of the Gaming Technologies Association, talked with Focus Gaming News about this year’s presentations.

Australasian Gaming Expo has grown significantly in the last few years and expects to keep increasing its capacity. What is the biggest impact that this event has on the industry?

AGE provides a forum for Club, Hotel and Casino operators to gather and exchange ideas away from their venues. With this in mind and to get the most out of this year’s event, AGE will have a series of complimentary seminars (many of which are already booked out.) Here’s the list of seminar topics:

Venues – Current and future trends; what these mean for the future of hospitality venues.

Research – Overview of domestic and international gambling research and its implications.

Casinos – 15 or more new Integrated Resort Developments are likely to open in the Asia-Pacific region in the next 5 years.

Technology – Key technology issues and trends; how they will impact on the industry.

Cash – ‘nextgen banking’; cash recycling, operational efficiencies, cash management and trends around the world; current and future trends; how they will impact on the industry.

Global CEOs – Top executives’ views on global issues impacting the gaming industry.

Investors – Analysing stocks; Key elements of company financial performance; Key factors affecting economic conditions; The importance of government policy and stability; Key political concerns domestically and internationally.

Visitors to AGE can find out availability and book when they register on-line for the AGE.

What is AGE’s main goal for this year’s expo?

The main objective for this year has been to match a 30 percent increase in exhibitor numbers (because we are in a new venue that allows us to use a much larger space than ever before) with a similar increase in visitor numbers. So far the signs are positive that we will get close to this as the exhibition space is close to selling out and already on-line visitor pre-registrations are already up by 20 percent and we still have a month to go to the event.

AGE provides a forum for Club, Hotel and Casino operators to gather and exchange ideas away from their venues. With this in mind and to get the most out of this year’s event, AGE will have a series of complimentary seminars.

This year the Australasian Gaming Expo is changing venues, as it is set to return to ICC Sydney. What are some innovations that visitors can find at this location?

In addition to the improved utilisation of a much larger space, a major innovation with the new location is the ability to include industry relevant seminars, on-site. The new ICC Sydney facility has a number of seminar rooms within the exhibition complex, all of them bristling with the latest AV and Communications Tools.  Additionally, because the venue is at Darling Harbour, the ICC Sydney location offers much better transport access including a short stroll to Sydney’s major attractions.

How does AGE evaluate the discussions on gaming regulations in the Australasian markets?

The AGE is a trade show to promote gaming and other hospitality products and services to Clubs, Hotels and Casinos in Australasia. Regulatory matters are handled separately to AGE by Gamming Technologies Association which is not in a position to comment at this stage.

As the third largest gaming industry trade show, AGE is preparing exclusive content for this year show. Can you share more information about it? 

GTA’s members are the world’s best and largest suppliers of gaming and related equipment. Each of them will be providing exclusive releases of new games and machines never seen before.