Summer in the Sierras
AGS ’ GameON brings slots , AI and more to Reno ’ s Grand Sierra Resort and Casino
By Jess Marquez
David Lopez , President and CEO , AGS
This year , the fan-favorite GameON conference by supplier AGS headed west in grand fashion , with three days of panel discussions , group events and product demos at Reno ’ s Grand Sierra Resort and Casino ( GSR ) June 13-15 .
After a rain-soaked round of golf and drinks in Lake Tahoe the previous afternoon , AGS President and CEO David Lopez kicked off the formal festivities June 14 with a nod to his marketing and event staff , noting that the company ’ s overall workforce and studio count have effectively doubled since the event began in 2016 .
Danny Britson , vice president of casino operations for GSR , then detailed the history of the resort and its quest to become the premier property in the Reno-Sparks market in the last 10-plus years .
Data-Driven Discussions
Artificial intelligence ( AI ) and data analytics were themes of the event , with a range of experts from inside and outside the gaming world painting a picture of how the technology will shape the industry of tomorrow .
Keynote speaker and former Atlanta Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff , who now serves as CEO of the analytics startup Sumer Sports , detailed how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing even the most human-centric industries , such as football scouting .
When asked about a potential saturation point , Dimitroff said we aren ’ t there yet , but cautioned teams to at least acknowledge the value and importance of analytics , because if they don ’ t , “ there ’ s going to be a lot more data scientists running teams , with football people as the sidebar .”
Putting the “ AI ” in Gaming
The industry panels began with a presentation from Kiran Brahmandam , CEO of Gaming Analytics , and Mark DeDeaux , senior vice president and general manager of games for AGS , about the basics of AI and how early adopters make 3-16 percent better margins on average across all industries .
Brahmandam illustrated how AI optimization can improve all aspects of a gaming operation , from floor layout and machine count to marketing and bonus strategies . His biggest suggestion for seeing the true capabilities of the technology was to attend a non-gaming tradeshow or conference to see how far it ’ s already been deployed elsewhere .
Information Overload
Perhaps the most provocative conversation of the event came via Dr . Jennifer Golbeck , a University of Maryland computer scientist whose facts about the data mining and location tracking capabilities of today ’ s tech platforms made attendees fidget and squirm .
Golbeck also shed light on the various patterns of how information spreads online , as well as the effectiveness of cross-marketing to individuals with shared interests and connections .
Tables of Tomorrow
AGS Senior Vice President and General Manager of Table Products John Hemberger was joined by Ari Mizrachi , head of North America for Tangam
Systems , to ponder the future of table games , and to applaud the recent advancements made in the sector after decades of slot dominance .
Harkening back to the theme of the week , Mizrachi highlighted the ability for data platforms to supplement the human instincts and experiences of skilled casino managers to create the best possible table game player experience .
Games on the Brain
University of Nevada , Las Vegas professor and fledgling game designer Dr . David Gruber closed out the second day by breaking down the minutiae of human decision-making , and how “ the right small things make a big difference ” over time . Gruber explained that small changes with regard to product choice and placement are effective because our brains need guidance ; they ’ re affected by irrelevancies and they pick up social perceptions .
For the casino space , Gruber suggested that operators consider the social aspect of game placement and referenced the idea that you can control decision-making by carefully curating the options set forth .
The Value of Free Stuff
The third and final day was kicked off by Scott Nicholson , vice president of strategic partnerships for Imagine This , to talk about the benefits of continuity programs , or weekly free gift events that aim to drive incremental trips over the course of four to five weeks .
Nicholson was joined by Angel of the Winds COO Jeff Wheatley as well as Jason Mozart , assistant general manager for Soboba Casino Resort , who both gave testimonials after implementing Imagine This programs for their players .
Secret Sauce
Also included in day three was a round robin from AGS game executives : Chief Technology Officer Sigmund Lee , Vice President of Game Development Steve Walther and Vice President of Hardware Engineering Karl Zedell all spoke on what makes a good game — or as Lee put it , what makes a game good .
The panel explained that it ’ s difficult to find good talent in the space because there ’ s no set path to becoming a designer , and even established designers take several years to produce passable games . Walther expounded on the complexity and beauty of modern games but noted that “ companies often step outside the box and then step back inside ,” meaning that everything comes back to good math in the end .
42 Global Gaming Business AUGUST 2023