Editors Letter
When our flight starts to descend towards the runway at McCarran International Airport in October, and we begin to see the tops of some of the most iconic Las Vegas Strip casinos, that will be the moment the hard graft we've put into our preparations for this year's G2E will all seem worth it.
I'm sure it's a similar case for many of you reading this, as there is a lot of planning to be done for the show, and evidence of this for us is this bumper issue of Gaming America.
One of the leading industry executives I met at last year's G2E was William Hill US CEO Joe Asher – the cover star of this magazine. It was only a brief exchange, but he came across as very humble and as the sort of person who wouldn't be one to waste words. I think that shines through in his interview with Matthew Enderby, where he addresses his long history in gaming, going all the way back to his childhood, when he was the youngest racetrack announcer in North America.
It is unlikely there are many, if any, people who would have been better prepared than Asher to attack US sports betting after PASPA was overturned. Now with Eldorado Resorts' deal to buy Caesars Entertainment opening up so many opportunities for Hills via its partnership with Eldorado, it will be interesting to see how the operator builds on its already strong US presence. The cover feature starts on p20.
We also cover the issue of tribal compact renewals in Oklahoma and California (p32), and we're also pleased to have secured an exclusive with DraftKings CFO Jason Park, just a few months after his appointment was confirmed (p36).
One important thing to keep an eye on at this year's G2E as usual is the Global Gaming Awards Las Vegas. The Awards are now in their sixth year and for 2019, they will be decided by a record 100 Judges (p12). You can read more about the Awards in this year's official Shortlist magazine, which will be distributed at G2E and will appear on GamblingInsider.com and the Gambling Insider app, available on iOS and Android.
It would be great to see you for the luncheon ceremony at the Sands Expo Convention Center on Monday 15 October.
DC Editor
