As the global hub of the gaming industry, Las Vegas once again provided the perfect setting to showcase the latest innovations and trends at the Global Gaming Expo (G2E). From October 8 to 10, around 350 industry players from more than 100 countries gathered at “The Venetian Expo” to introduce their latest product solutions to gaming enthusiasts from around the world. As one of the few German companies, the Merkur Group was also present in the gambling metropolis to exhibit its impressive product portfolio to the international trade audience on a 625-square-meter exhibition platform.

“The Latin American gaming market, despite facing significant regulatory challenges, remains a crucial pillar of our international distribution network. The G2E, as one of the most important flagship trade fairs in the industry, provides the ideal venue to present our forward-looking product range and engage in meaningful dialogue with our LATAM customers. Moreover, the expo offers tremendous potential to increase the visibility of the Merkur sun logo on international markets, thereby further strengthening the brand beyond Europe’s borders,” said Jürgen Stühmeyer, Management Board member, Merkur Sales.

The main focus of Merkur Gaming’s product showcase was its Linked Progressive Jackpot Systems, which are particularly in demand within the global industry. The German gaming expert introduced two new systems – Link Wave and Clash Link – both of which quickly became crowd favorites at the expo. These jackpot systems stand out thanks to their exciting features, which make the gaming experience even more thrilling and diverse. The new Mod Ex cabinet family also attracted significant attention. Visitors were particularly impressed by the modularity of the cabinet, which allows customers to configure their preferred device with a variety of monitor, body, and base options.

In keeping with tradition, several other subsidiaries of the German Merkur Group traveled to “Sin City” to showcase their diverse and forward-thinking portfolios. The cash-handling specialists from GeWeTe once again demonstrated the strengths of their versatile and high-performance product range, which enables efficient and easy cash management at gaming locations. Additionally, the British subsidiary Bede Gaming presented its flexible iGaming solutions, while edict egaming captured attendees’ attention with its unique approach to game aggregation. For the first time, the two strategic partners Spintec and Gaming Arts also joined the Merkur booth, enhancing the trade show experience with their innovative gaming portfolios.

“The G2E 2024 has exceeded our expectations in every way. The new booth concept, which includes a larger footprint and stylish new design elements, was met with tremendous approval. Thanks to our outstanding product lineup – most notably the Linked Progressive Jackpot Systems Link Wave and Clash Link, as well as the Mod Ex cabinet family – we were able to impress visitors not only with our aesthetic presentation but also with our innovative products. The resulting fruitful and promising discussions leave us with a positive outlook on the trade fair and confidence in the future,” said Athanasios “Sakis” Isaakidis, Chief Executive International at Merkur Gaming.

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Scientific Games and the Kentucky Lottery will continue a successful Scratch-Off game management partnership for another decade, driving maximum funding for Kentucky college scholarships. While Scientific Games has served as the Kentucky Lottery’s primary Scratch Off game provider since 1989, the Scientific Games Enhanced Partnership program with the Kentucky Lottery began in 2018 and has propelled the Kentucky Lottery to one of the top 20 performing instant game lotteries in the world. The SGEP program helped responsibly grow Kentucky Lottery Scratch Offs to a more than $940 million product category, entertaining players and benefiting students in the state.

Mary Harville, Kentucky Lottery President and CEO, said: “The Kentucky Lottery is always looking for new and exciting games to offer our players and retailers, and the Lottery’s continued partnership with Scientific Games will ensure we are doing just that. Creative and top-performing Scratch Offs bring the players into retailers, which in turn helps the Kentucky Lottery increase our revenues each year. This allows us to fund the many scholarships for Kentucky’s students and families. We look forward to working with Scientific Games to carry out this mission in the years ahead.”

SGEP is used by some of the world’s top-performing instant game lotteries, including five of the top six in the US. Driven by data analytics and patented technologies, the program optimizes the Kentucky Lottery’s Scratch Offs through portfolio management and optimization, game design services, advanced logistics, licensed brand services, digital services and retail sales and marketing support. SGEP drove 31% better performance for U.S. lotteries using the program in fiscal year 2023-24 (MAP weekly per capita sales).

John Schulz, President of Americas and Global Instant Products for Scientific Games, said: “The Kentucky Lottery has always taken an innovative, collaborative approach to growing its Scratch Off product category, and moving to the SGEP program was a very strategic business decision. Our partnership has proven to be highly successful, keeping the product pipeline flowing with exciting and innovative games to Kentucky Lottery retailers and players and protecting funding for scholarships for Kentucky students.”

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Since 1999, the Kentucky Lottery has funded more than $5 billion in scholarships and grants for Kentucky’s students and families. In addition, the partnership with Scientific Games has generated more than $1.6 billion in commissions to the Lottery’s network of 3500 retailers.

Scientific Games also provides the Lottery with licensed properties, including the sell-out ELF-themed holiday games and an award-winning digital customer relationship management program, which successfully drives omnichannel player engagement and retention for the Kentucky Lottery’s retail and iLottery.

Salsa Technology is heading to SBC Summit Latinoamérica where it will be available to present its solutions that are already active and producing results in the regulated Brazilian market. The special event is being held between October 29th and October 31st at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and is a must for those companies seeking to expand their reach in the region.

An integral part of Salsa’s LatAm-focused solutions is the innovative Salsa Omni (PAM) platform, certified by GLI. With its robust and comprehensive back office, it provides an unmatched level of autonomy for operators in the market. Customisable, flexible, and scalable, Salsa’s PAM has been shaped by years of experience in Brazil and Latin America to establish it as the leading iGaming platform for regulated markets in Latam, particularly in Brazil. Salsa was one of the few companies to successfully complete all tests of its platform with Cogel (Coordination of Lotteries of the Ministry of Finance).

Peru will also be a key topic as Salsa and other industry players have been developing strategies to expand into the country with the certifications required by the regulator, the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (MINCETUR). Peru’s gaming market is projected to grow at an annual rate (CAGR) of 9% from 2023 to 2031.

Salsa Technology Founder Peter Nolte, commented: “Our Salsa Omni platform is GLI certified and features a tier-one portfolio of solutions, including the integration with First – Best in Sports. It also includes seamless access to a huge selection of games via the Salsa Gator that continues to be enhanced  in adherence to regulatory demands. We’ve been Brazil-ready for years and we were one of the initial platforms to launch in the country with NossaBet in Paraná, while also the first to offer games within the country’s most stringent regulations.”

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