On all fronts, tribal gaming appears to be on the ascendency across the U.S.

Indeed, as a whole, the tribal gaming industry generated an impressive $29.3 billion in gaming revenue for 2015, as estimated by RubinBrown Gaming Services (see article on page 12). This market, which is currently comprised of 460 casinos operated by 240 tribes, has been generating a compounded annual growth rate of 1.8 percent since 2007; and while the commercial casino industry continues to muddle through post-recession economic blues, the Indian gaming segment has added 70 casinos and $3.2 billion in revenue over the past nine years.

More good news… tribal gaming expansion remains upbeat, with new projects and property expansion planned for multiple jurisdictions throughout the U.S. (see article on page 24).

One result of this ongoing tribal gaming activity is continued growth and expansion for the segments primary exhibition—the Indian Gaming Tradeshow & Conference, which is produced by the National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA), and will be held March 13-16 at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Ariz. The 31st running of this show includes an expanded conference slate comprising of 75 or so sessions, advisory boards and certification programs over a two day period. There is also a host of networking and social activities.

The trade show portion of Indian Gaming 2016 is also on the uptick, with gaming vendors large and small displaying their latest wares. To help navigate what will likely be a packed product exhibition,Casino Journal offered some vendors a chance to profile some recent game introductions or products they will showcase at NIGA in their own words. Here are their responses:

IN THE BONUS

American Gaming Systems (AGS) will exhibit a variety of slot and table titles as this year’s NIGA show, along with its social casino products Lucky Play Casino and Vegas Fever. The company is anticipating that its new ICON cabinet, however, will be a main centerpiece of its NIGA showcase. Stunning visual effects enhance AGS’ suite of customized premium game content and play mechanics, which includes the smash hit Golden Wins.  An Asian-themed PowerXStream game for serious gamblers, Golden Wins has been building momentum due to its high-volatility game dynamics, multi-link progressive jackpots and free spins bonuses.

AGS’ innovativeBonus Spin technology will be the main focal point of the company’s table demonstration at NIGA. Bonus Spin allows AGS to provide a bonusing/progressive system for table games in the form of a virtual wheel, which is an unprecedented approach to offering players the opportunity to win top jackpots or prizes when achieving a premium hand.

Website: www.playags.com

Indian Gaming 2016 booth #: 833

NEW CLASS

Ainsworth Game Technology, a proud member of the National Indian Gaming Association, will showcase more than 50 game titles at the Indian Gaming Tradeshow & Convention (NIGA). Also Ainsworth—for the first time—is bringing its experience to Class II markets. Ainsworth entered the Class II market with the acquisition of Nova Technologies earlier this year. Now the company is off to a fast start in this market segment at NIGA, where they will show more than a dozen Class II titles, including games developed by Ainsworth and Nova. The Class II games are available on both the proven A560 Dual Screen and Atlas 100 cabinets.

Highlighting Ainsworth’s Class III offerings for NIGA will be the debut of the new Gold Award brand on the A560 SL. The A560 SL was exclusively designed for a highly entertaining game range that has delighted players across North America. The A560 SL features a striking 32-inch high definition display, 19-inch LCD topper option for jackpot promotion, unique attract lighting stylized to each game, premium sound experience and breathtaking animations.

Gold Award games take proven Dual Screen titles with strong track records of performance and brings them to the A560SL cabinet, resulting in even greater levels of excitement! Such classic titles include Roaming Reels, Mustang Money and Dragon Lines, among other timeless Ainsworth classics.

Follow up titles to the highly successful and popular Sweet Zone brand games Rumble Rumble and Flying Horse will also be on display. These include the new offerings: Grand Lions and Jumbo Wilds. Another popular brand to be featured at NIGA is Double Sweet Zone. In this category, three entertaining Order of the Dragon titles – Fortune, Quest and Victory –offer players the option to play the original Sweet Zone for 50 credits or the Double Sweet Zone for 50 credits plus 50 credit ante-bet.

Website: www.ainsworth.com.au

Indian Gaming 2016 booth #: 1453

FOLLOW THE RAINBOW

Aristocrat Technologies’ E*Series line of games was created especially for players who like an entertainment-based gaming experience, and the thrilling new Rainbow Warriors collection, the latest in the E*Series line, raises the bar in adventure and rewards for players in North America.

Two new warriors, Golden Guardian and Sapphire Guardian, are a player’s daring escorts through an enchanting land comprised of dazzling modern graphics, backed with a thrilling soundtrack, and filled with lions, unicorns and exciting bonus features.

Both Golden Guardian and Sapphire Guardian feature a new math model that is expanded to eight reels using a new 4×8 reel layout. Each game has a medium volatility level that is designed to increase the number of large wins, and each has a three-level standalone progressive.

The Rainbow Warriors collection has exciting bonus features, including Max Stacks, Matching Stacks, Matching Wilds, a free games feature where up to 300 free games are awarded, and Rainbow Picks, where the player is awarded multiple picks that may reveal a Minor, Major or Grand jackpot or other credit prizes.

Both Golden Guardian and Sapphire Guardian are available on the Helix and Viridian WS cabinets.

Website: www.aristocrat-us.com

Indian Gaming 2016 booth #: 1347

KEEN INSIGHT

Casino Insight, the new way to track every cash transaction for casinos from Casino Cash Trac, is the only CAS (Casino Audit System) on the market.

Casino Cash Trac has raised the stakes with a solution that makes the life of a casino operator easier, safer and more profitable. The product captures financial transactions in the cage and vault, and then merges data from systems throughout the enterprise into a one of a kind audit and analytics tool.

Casino Cash is proud to help the world’s leading casinos reshape their business processes and become more efficient.  The company is passionate about harnessing innovation with a virtual library of digital signature and documents to tackle even the most complex issues. So, in essence, Casino Insight can reduce the risk of every technology decision a casino executive has made or will make.

Website: www.casinocashtrac.com

BY DESIGN

Cuningham Group provides architecture, interior design and planning services for a diverse mix of client and project types with significant focus over the last 25 years on gaming and entertainment. Today the firm uses its “Every Building Tells A Story” approach to deliver distinctive, award-winning and profitable environments while promoting bricks-and-mortar changes that support the evolving nature of gaming and its customer base and that set new standards for “Casinos of the Future.” As leaders in contemporary Native American design, Cuningham Group also understands the importance of native authorship, culturally relevant design, tribal community involvement and the issues central to the development of tribal casino resort projects, and helps clients balance cultural, social and economic priorities during the design process.

Website: www.cuninghamgroup.com

Indian Gaming 2016 booth #: 1329

DIGGING DEEP

DataAce from DataSpade is a lightweight business intelligence solution used as an alternative to large-scale, expensive data warehouses. Intuitively and dynamically designed, DataAce is an on demand reporting and analysis software solution that transforms raw data into usable content right from the convenience of a desktop. Trend values over time, compare demographic and geographic data, compile complex matrix mail files and more—all on the fly with DataAce’s built in powerful segmentation engine. Data sets are represented with colorful visuals and delivered in comprehensive formats. Take an interactive approach to data—contact DataSpade for your free demo today.

Website: www.dataspade.com

MAKING A STAND

The new DFS-500 Kiosk from DiTRONICS is an “all in-one” solution that optimizes the player experience directly at the kiosk, cage and via DiTRONICS’ digital wallet. Housed in state of-the-art hardware, the DFS-500 Kiosk maximizes efficiency through exclusive software enhancements for ticket redemption, bill breaking, ATM, cash advance and check cashing transactions.

Proprietary DiTRONICS’ Vantage software options include: Transaction Rewards that integrates Funds Access applications directly with a casino’s player database; Check Express that allows players to simply swipe their player card and enter a personal identification number (PIN) to cash checks directly at the DFS-500 Kiosk—eliminating the need for players to wait in long lines at the cage; New SMART Dispense technology that reduces wear and tear on the kiosk while improving the player experience; and new JACKPOT Pay technology that makes jackpot pays a breeze—available on one, several or all of a casino’s ticket redemption kiosks—enhancing customer service by saving time and money while eliminating costly additional equipment.

DFS-500 also includes: dual bill validator (multiple ticket pay-off capability), greater bill holding capacity (15,000 notes/five cassettes) and a 17-inch touchscreen with eye-catching multi-color LED illumination plus customizable topper and front panel graphics.

DiTRONICS is changing the way players experience funds access in your casino.

Website: www.ditronics.com

Indian Gaming 2016 booth #: 803

ECLIPSING WHAT CAME BEFORE

This year’s attendees at NIGA will discover the new Eclipse Gaming.  2016 is an exciting year of change and evolution for the company, including a new management team, innovative new products, improved customer service and the launch of a completely redesigned image which reflects the renewed energy and momentum of the company.

Plans include developing and releasing more games this year than ever before, with an emphasis on dynamic game content utilizing a variety of bonus levels, features and math models, all designed for optimal entertainment value for players and even stronger performance for its customers.

Eclipse Gaming will showcase their newest game innovations with a diverse and varied product portfolio at NIGA.  This exciting lineup includes new math models and reel configurations including The Jazzy Night and Witch Hunter, which both feature a 3-4-4-4-3 reel configuration, as well as the new Totem Spirits.  Also included in the booth are Valor & Fortune and Professor Kranium based upon Eclipse’s wildly successful Wicked Mad Hot, and Elementary My Dear which utilizes the popular Volcano math model.

The company is also excited to feature a new series of games for the Washington Central Determination market. Many Class II Washington favorites such as Big & Bad, Volcano Shakedown, Big Money, Luna Fantasy and Fire will debut for the Class III market at NIGA.

Website: www.eclipsegamingsystems.com

Indian Gaming 2016 booth #: 448

TAKE A SEAT

Gary Platt Manufacturing is the leading provider of performance casino seating. The company was founded on the concept that a high quality more comfortable chair would increase player’s “time on device” and as a result, casino revenues.

With over 40 years in unsurpassed comfort and excellence, Gary Platt produces premium seating exclusively for casinos, including slots, table games, poker, bar-top and bingo, across five continents. Every chair Gary Platt Manufacturing makes is hand-crafted to perfect the playing experience. Built for strength, ease and sophistication.

Gary Platt Manufacturing is the premier chair manufacturer that focuses exclusively on gaming chairs for the casino market.

Website: www.garyplatt.com

Indian Gaming 2016 booth #: 1634

FLYING HIGH

Be the first to fly across the sky with the Air Heart Bingo game from International Game Technology Plc (IGT). Based on the math model of the company’s exclusive Cleopatra Class II theme, Air Heart can be deployed on a variety of leading IGT gaming machines, including the G-series and universal slant cabinets. The new bingo game supports IGT’s Custom Button Configuration feature, which tailors the bet credits on every button and enables operators to configure for high-denominational or low-denominational gameplay. The five-reel, nine-payline gameplay elevates the player experience with dynamic aviation-themed symbols, and features a World War II pilot as a symbol that resonates with the game title’s play-on-words. For big-win potential, three or more “air heart” symbols can trigger 15 free spins.

Website: www.igt.com

Indian Gaming 2016 booth #: 1147

DELUXE VERSION

The most popular game in Incredible Technologies’ slot history, Crazy Money, has been reimagined in an exciting new version! Crazy Money Deluxe is the launch title in the company’s premium Infinity Skybox product segment.

Players will be rooting for three bonus scatters to land to initiate the Sky Wheel—a colorful digital wheel displayed on the vertical Skybox monitor overhead which showcases numerous bonus awards and progressive amounts. Depending on where the Sky Wheel lands, players may be awarded instant credits with multipliers or entry into the popular Money Catch Bonus for huge rewards.

As the Sky Wheel spins, players will be on the edge of their seats hoping for it to finally stop on one of the four available progressive amounts (Mini, Minor, Major and Grand). At max bet, players can be awarded over $10,000 if the wheel lands on the Grand section of the wheel.

Website: www.itsgames.com

Indian Gaming 2016 booth #: 1459

MAGIC TOUCH

This year at the 31st Annual NIGA show, Konami Gaming is presenting a collection of never-before-seen games for its new Concerto cabinet including standalone progressives driven with creativity akin to popular Konami hits like the Jackpot Streams coin-pusher game. Since Concerto’s launch last fall, the machine and its debut games have seen incredible reception. Each Concerto KP3+ platform game has custom-designed digital elements that visually interact, from the dual 27-inch high-definition monitors to the 19.5-inch video topper, and down through the proprietary new DynamicDash button panel—giving players a truly immersive gaming entertainment experience fit for each game theme. Among the new base games to be shown are a standard five-reel game called Freya’s Magic, an Xtra Reward theme titled Lamp of Destiny with a pick ‘em style super free games bonus, and an entirely new ULTRA REELS 972 WAYS series debut theme called Burning Wolf.

Website: www.gaming.konami.com

Indian Gaming 2016 booth #: 1134

ON THE HUNT

There is no need to head all the way to the bush when the Dominator Curve exclusive The Big 5 brings the African safari to you. Today we are getting a look at this rare species in its natural environment, the casino floor. With up to 20 free spins, a respin feature, and a five-level standalone progressive Novomatic Americas’ The Big 5 brings a whole new meaning to the word “game.”

Look at that! Four to nine scattered AFRICA symbols award up to 20 free games with Xtra- Stax, clumped, symbols. During each spin in the free spin bonus, anytime that the first reel is full of one type of animal the Reel Spin Feature is initiated. In the Reel Spin Feature, symbols that match the triggering reel and wild symbols will lock into place for the duration of the spin. The reels will continue to respin for a long as matching symbols appear, giving players the chance to fill the whole screen with pays!

In the base or bonus game, three or more reels of matching symbols award a picture pay where all reels combine and animate awarding up to a 5x scatter pay—for big game and big wins.

Website: www.novomaticamericas.com

Indian Gaming 2016 booth #: 647

TRAINING DAY

Drive additional revenue with a completesales program for your hosts with Raving Consulting.

A successful player development training program is not only teaching your hosts to be better at telemarketing or servicing VIPs or “shaking hands and kissing babies.”  What Raving provides is a complete sales program which includes data analysis dedicated to player development (not direct marketing), successful sales skills training with day to day job application and a measurement tool to hold your team accountable.  This is a proven program that Raving has delivered to more than 60 properties worldwide. Call Amy Hergenrother today at (775) 329-7864 or e-mail her at [email protected] to discuss how this player development program will turn your hosts into business development professionals.

Website: www.ravingconsulting.com

Indian Gaming 2016 booth #: 930

RAISING THE BAR

Nothing reels in slot lovers and casual players like a true classic—Barcrest video slot from Scientific Games. This high denomination, three-reel favorite keeps casual and core players enthralled with simple pay lines and risk or reward bonuses. Players are sure to fancy the first Barcrest theme, Easy Money featuring the Easy Money Bonus and a chance to win up to 1,000 credits. The Bonus symbol in a winning combination awards the Easy Money Bonus, offering between 10 and 1,000 credits. Players must either take the offer or decline it and receive another, up to three times.

Players with a sweet tooth will adore Triple Golden Cherries With Sprinkles On Top. Featuring a jackpot of up to 15,000 credits and the delectable Triple Golden Cherries With Sprinkles On Top Bonus, this delicious game leaves players craving more. Three Bonus symbols on an active payline trigger the Triple Golden Cherries Bonus which begins at the Start symbol. Six sides of die are shown above the reels and one side is randomly selected determining the number of steps taken along the trail.

Website: www.www.sciantificgames.com

Indian Gaming 2016 booth #: 1133