Does it get bigger than the Big Apple? With the race for an NYC casino license heating up, the city is certainly getting plenty of attention for gaming right now. Accordingly, our magnificent team has produced an in-depth exploration of the race in this issue's cover feature (pages 26-31), dubbed "the World Cup of New York" by our exclusive interviewee Michael Hershman. Hershman is CEO of the Soloviev Group, partnered with Mohegan as one of the bidders for a downstate New York casino license. Other bidders are plentiful – and formidable. Just look at Las Vegas Sands: with several properties across Asia and now none in actual Las Vegas, the operator is also
bidding for a license in New York. Make it make sense!
While New York is our hot topic, though, it undoubtedly isn't our only major talking point this issue. We have interviews with CasinoTrac (page 16), OPTX (page 18), Passport Technology (page 22), Zitro USA (page 32) and Aruze Gaming (page 40) for all kinds of different perspectives on the casino floor. Elsewhere, our storied columnist Oliver Lovat returns this issue with a typically detailed feature on the history of The Dunes (page 36), and we have an interview with Ambus Hunter (page 48), a recovered problem gambler-turned-financial advisor.
It's a pretty action-packed issue, overall, with several returning contributors (including the National Indian Gaming Commission), our Viewpoints feature on the topical issue of payments, and reviews of several hot new products on the casino floor. We also look back on the IGA tradeshow, during what has been an especially busy time for the industry at large. There's plenty to get stuck into, so we hope you enjoy the magazine!
