G2E Las Vegas – Will It Happen?

GE2 Las Vegas organised by Reed Exhibitions and presented by the American Gaming Association which is scheduled to open on the 5^th October is in doubt.

With the increase in safety precautions in the capital of gambling in the US and the continuing spike in infections of COVID-19, one of the biggest exhibitions in the gaming industry could be under threat of not happening.

The iGaming Post has spoken to several suppliers and operators who are concerned that with the pandemic still affecting industries especially leisure and hospitality with the demand for new equipment and services low with the impact on businesses both operator and supplier.

One international supplier said “We have not made a final decision yet, but it is unlikely we will be attending any trade shows this year. The industry is struggling to get back on its feet and therefore trade shows will not be high on anyone’s agenda, in addition to factoring in ongoing restrictions on travel and mass gatherings.”

Another company owner who supplies to Las Vegas operators said, “we would like to take the trip to G2E this year to network with our customers, but with possible travel restrictions to the US for the foreseeable future it is hard to see how we can.”

A major operator who did not want to be named said, “our company has an international presence and use the G2E as a chance to network with our colleagues and our purchasing managers to see what new innovations are out there, sadly with the devastating impact of COVID-19 travel will almost certainly be localised (to US colleagues only) and the purchase of any new equipment will be on hold until well into 2021, when we hopefully start to recover.”

Currently mass gatherings in many states of the US are not permitted and there is no date for this to be lifted, Reed released information regarding the event:

Reed Exhibitions is actively and continuously monitoring the COVID-19 virus outbreak in line with local, state and federal authorities and public health advice, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

With regard to the COVID-19 virus, our position remains unchanged: the health and wellness of our exhibitors, visitors and staff is our number one priority. With the situation evolving rapidly, we strongly urge our exhibitors and visitors to refer to the guidelines and protocols as suggested by your local or national public health authorities regarding the virus.

Reed Exhibitions has created a Health & Safety Task Force to develop and implement policies and best practices around COVID-19 response and prevention. We are following local, state and federal public health advice closely and our policies and best practices will be updated and adjusted as more information and guidance becomes available. We have also contacted our venue partners and are coordinating closely with them to ensure that they are acting in accordance with the advice of public health authorities and that information is available to our customers about the precautions being taken by the venue related to the COVID-19 virus. Statements/information from the venue(s) will be added to our event websites as they become available. Around the world we have strengthened hygiene, sanitization and the availability of disinfectants at our events and we are ensuring that we have appropriate medical support and protocols in place based on guidance from local and national public health authorities.

Our event attendees are encouraged to check the latest travel advice and entry guidelines for their home country and the country they wish to visit. Travel restrictions and local quarantine requirements are in place in many countries around the world, including the United States.

One event specialist who works with many companies on ensuring the success of exhibiting said: “I cannot honestly see G2E working this year, with the timeframe left of some 96 days many companies need to decide attending and booking well in advance, from what I hear those plans are not in motion by many companies this time. Also will the demand by operators be there this time? With the impact of the virus and operators only just starting to open, demand for new products will be extremely low. At best I see the G2E being a localised event within the US and an international presence being low to zero.”