This year’s Irish Gaming Show got under way yesterday at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Santry, Dublin, amid the now-traditional confusion of the country’s gambling regulations.
Many visitors from the UK were in town for the event, which is well known for its social atmosphere.
The show is organised annually by Susan Feery of Gaming and Amusement Publications. This year it is the 43rd show and covers casinos, amusements, arcades, bingo halls and single-site operations.
Exhibitors include UDC, WL International, EGT, GeWeTe, Semnox, Bandai Namco, Embed and NRM.
Electrocoin is also there and John A Stergides commented: “I think it is a great local show and an opportunity to catch up with operators and discuss the year ahead. The venue is handy, only five minutes from the airport, and the show is very well organised.
"It has a decent turnout, with plenty of UK visitors, so it is all very positive, although dominated by gambling machines. The number of stands seems to be growing annually.”
Martin Trimble, a Northern Ireland operator from Oasis Amusements, commented: “The show is reasonably well attended. The main talking point, as you might imagine, is the pending legislation changes and if and when they will be implemented.”
Steve Bierrum of Genesis Games in London commented: "I think the show is a little quieter than normal - it appears that many suppliers are holding back from developments until they can see what the new legislation looks like."
During the show John Purcell of DigiWheel, a gambling specialist, presented a seminar to give an overview of the proposed legislation and details of recent talks with the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland.
