- The 2019 Election of AGEM Officers took place at the January meeting. Luke Orchard, IGT, is president, and will hold the position for a two-year term. The following officers were approved for one-year terms: Vice President David Lucchese, Everi; Vice President Bob Parente, Scientific Games; Vice President Tom Jingoli, Konami; Vice President Eric Fisher, Crane Payment Innovations (CPI); Secretary Mark Dunn, Aristocrat; Treasurer Tom Nieman, JCM Global; and General Counsel Daron Dorsey, Ainsworth.
- Kate Chambers, managing director-gaming, Clarion Events, and Greg Saint, event director, ICE, gave a presentation at the AGEM January meeting updating members on progress with the forthcoming event. This year’s show will have 576 exhibitors, up from 509 last year, taking up a total space of 47,680 square meters. They will be opening up more exhibitor space in the South Hall to accommodate the increase of the sports betting sector. Visitor pre-registration is 12,457 (at the beginning of January), an increase of 48 percent from the same time last year. New initiatives include a Code of Conduct to monitor the dress code of exhibit staff and provide a safe working environment for everyone involved with the show.
- Carlos Carrión, head of the AGEM Mexico Committee, reported to members that a new director of regulatory agency SEGOB was recently appointed. Attorney Juan Gabriel Coutiño Gómez has taken up his position, and it is hoped his background in law will provide a good framework for Mexican industry legislation changes.
- AGEM members approved a slate of sponsorship contributions for forthcoming events. The 17th International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking set for May 27-30, Las Vegas, receives $10,000; UNLV Gaming & Hospitality Education 2019 Series receives a $3,500 sponsorship that will cover all six events during the year; and International Masters of Gaming Law (IMGL) Spring Conference, taking place March 27-29, New Orleans, will receive a $5,000 sponsorship.
- AGEM members approved $30,000 toward a Gaming Technology Supplier Economic Impact Study. This is undertaken every two years in partnership with Las Vegas-based Applied Analysis to track growth in the sector and provide a variety of information that illustrates how gaming equipment suppliers have a strong direct economic impact. The data is also shared with the American Gaming Association for its annual State of the States report as well as used when dealing with legislative issues.
- AGEM was approached by Nevada Gaming Control Board Chairwoman Becky Harris and her team at the end of last year to give a full review of the existing Gaming Device Technical Standards. The draft revisions will be presented in mid-January for consideration, and will hopefully provide a good opportunity to clear up and streamline some of the issues that suppliers have experienced in the past.
- CS-1 Transportation was approved as an Associate member. Based in Burlington, Ontario and with offices in Phoenix and Las Vegas, the company is an established logistics provider that specializes in the gaming sector, among others. This brings the total number of members to 167.
AGEM INDEX
The AGEM Index decreased 41.73 points in December to 402.51, a decline of 10.4 percent over November 2018. The dramatic decline was due to large dips in the stock prices of several companies, such as Ainsworth Gaming Technology, Everi Holdings, Inspired Entertainment, IGT and Scientific Games, all of which saw a decline in stock prices in excess of 30 percent. Overall, nine companies in the AGEM Index saw declines in their stock prices while only four showed improvement.
