International provider of Video Game Gambling Machines (VGM) GameCo plans further expansion across markets outside the United States, where the company is based. The American company specialises in the manufacturing of the so-called “skill-based” slot machines where the players’ skill level determines the payout of the game.
The said slot machines aim at attracting more interest on behalf of younger players and millennials towards landbased gambling venues. The US-based company debuted its innovative arcade games back in the winter of 2016 when the first skill-based slot machines, manufactured by GameCo, made their entrance to the floors of the Caesars Entertainment properties in Atlantic City, including the Caesars Atlantic City Hotel and Casino, Harrah’s Resort, and Bally’s Wild Wild West Casino.
Despite the initial hype, the new skill-based slots failed to accomplish their purpose of attracting crowds of millennials to the landbased casino floors in Atlantic City. The new slot machines did not generate sufficient revenue to cover their vendor costs, which caused Caesars Entertainment to remove them from the floors of its Atlantic City properties in May 2017, after the initial six-month trial period ended.
Despite the fact GameCo suffered a poor start with its skill-based slot machines, the company has succeeded in attracting interest on behalf of some foreign gambling providers. Apparently, several landbased casino operators based in Australia are interested in introducing the GameCo slots in their gambling venues. What is more, the skill-based slot manufacturer plans on launching more games soon.
Blaine Graboyes, Chief Executive Officer of the slot manufacturing company, has already confirmed that their innovative skill-based games have received the approval of several regulators in the United States, which is good news for GameCo as it would enable them to proceed with the expansion on the market in the Land Down Under.
But Australia is hardly the only country the slot manufacturing company is looking to expand to. Chief Executive Graboyes asserted that GameCo is presently working with several other international partners for the expansion throughout other key markets in Latin America, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Macau.
On that note, the innovative slots have already attracted the attention of several gambling regulatory authorities on Australian soil. Earlier this month, the local government of the state of Victoria started to monitor the new skill-based gaming machines and is investigating the potential gambling problems that may be associated with them. The Australian state authorities, in the face of the Responsible Gambling Ministerial Advisory Council, are also conducting research concerning the effects of introducing the new type of games to Australian players.
The skill-based slots have are also been subjected to a study, conducted by the Gambling Treatment and Research Clinic with the University of Sydney. The opponents of skill-based slot machines argue that these games create a false illusion of control among slot fans, which may further contribute to developing a gambling addiction.
According to Sally Gainsbury, Senior Lecturer at the University of Sydney, many players may experience difficulties in differentiating between which components of the new games involve skill and which ones are based solely on chance. In Gainsbury’s words, this may cause people to play even more as they would be left with the impression practising would improve their skill level.
Despite the mixed opinions on the skill-based slot machines, GameCo is looking forward to presenting its portfolio at the Australasian Gaming Expo, which is to take place in Sydney between August 15 and August 17, 2017.
- Author
Olivia Cole
