An operator told Nick Harding – the new chairman of the EAG show – that if his debut London Casino & Gaming Show (LCG) could emulate the environment and ambience of his casino, then it would tick all the boxes.
“That was what we aimed for with the first LCG,” said Harding (pictured with Martin Burlin), “and it appears to have paid off.”
The all-new show, held at ExCeL in London last week with the exit of the giant ICE event to Barcelona, had 20 exhibitors covering most elements of a casino’s requirements in terms of equipment and ancilliary supplies. While that is hardly a huge exhibition floor, it should be remembered that LCG set out to be a boutique event that shunned the online gambling sector.
It therefore had everything from slots to systems, live tables to roulette wheels, uniforms to lighting plus payment systems and even the ‘theatre’ of the UK Dealers’ Championships in the centre of the floor. The intensity of that tournament lit up the show and big names like Novomatic, Merkur (both there with subsidiaries), TCSJohnHuxley, Abbiatti, Cammegh, Inspired Entertainment, Reflex and Genesis for Amatic enjoyed what turned out to be a very casino-like experience.
“We have had plenty of footfall and not just from the UK casino market,” said Harding. “There has been a good turnout by European operators who, for one reason or another, choose not to go to Barcelona and stick with the traditional London destination for a January show.”
He was also pleased that the juxtapsitioning of the shows which helped to create that ‘casino ambience’. “We had a bank of stands backed onto the side of the LCG which helped to block out the noise level coming from those amusement machines. Subdued lighting and good carpeting helped to further imitate a casino setting. The entrances were limited in width and curtailed by ropes with staff to register visitors.
“We had to put in controlled admission,” said Harding, “to ensure that under-age people did not gain access.”
The effect, however, was to produce that bouttique, bijou, casino event that Harding’s operator friend had sought as a benchmark.
“We have this off to a flying start this year,” said Harding. “We will now build on this initial success for 2026.”
