Sep/Oct 2023


It is that time of the year again! October; NFL season; fall. But for gaming specifically, that means the Global Gaming Awards, G2E Las Vegas and our Gaming America CEO Special.
It is our great honor to interview some of the most influential figures within gaming as part of this annual feature – and this year we have broadened our leader scope to include Presidents and Chairs, equally notable and senior C-Level positions.
There is heavy Tribal representation, while we cover the land-based, digital, regulatory and affiliate sectors, celebrating the wide scope of our industry.
The full list of the six interviewees that feature on our cover and later in this magazine comprises: Jonathan Jossel, Plaza Hotel & Casino CEO, Michael Daly, Catena Media CEO, Mary Cheeks, President & General Manager of Jamul Casino, Jason Guyot, President & CEO of Foxwoods Resort Casino, E. Sequoyah Simermeyer, Chairman, National Indian Gaming Commission and Lynn Valbuena, Chairwoman of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians.
Throughout our six interviews, it has been fascinating to learn so much about both our featured executives’ leadership styles and their personal lives. Daly was an officer in the US Navy for eight years; Guyot is himself a member of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe that runs Foxwoods; Valbuena used to work in the police force. And those are just a few of the examples we explore, as we aim to create in-depth and meaningful profiles of the life and careers of those at the very top of our sector.
There is a shared love of animals, with more than one of the CEO's pets featuring! There are also recurring themes that are consistent across different interviewees – particularly the family connection shared by our Tribal leaders. We hear what it’s like to run a 9 million square-foot property in Connecticut, and what it’s like to run a 1,000-room property in Downtown Las Vegas. Ultimately, there is a ‘people’ aspect to every one of our CEO’s journeys, whether they came from HR, finance, operations or even the military. We invite you to find out more about each and every one of them, and we hope – and believe – you will be richer for the experience.

In The Magazine

Blank Rome: Widespread Implications
Dennis Ehling and Gregory Bailey of Blank Rome discuss the ruling for the Seminole Tribe's exclusive online sports betting rights in Florida....
Interblock: Oh, how the electronic tables have turned
John Connelly, Global CEO of Interblock, talks M&A, R&D and how he hopes the company's new product could one day go from Table Game of the Year to ‘table game of the decade.'...
OPTX: Optimizing the outcome
Gaming America spoke with OPTX Co-CEO Tom Rafferty, who shared 2023 highlights and what new products are in store for 2024....
CEO Special: Plaza Hotel & Casino's CEO Jonathan Jossel - it's not a job, it's a lifestyle
Jonathan Jossel meets Tim Poole to reflect on risks taken at a young age – risks that led him to Las Vegas, redeveloping the Plaza and building a Downtown 'community.'...
CEO Special: Catena Media's CEO Michael Daly - autonomous leadership
As online continues to expand in the US, we speak to Michael Daly, CEO of one of the biggest affiliates in the sector, Catena Media. Daly tells us about life in the Navy, his time at Shuffle Master an...
CEO Special: Jamul Casino's President & GM Mary Cheeks - Mary's playbook
Stephanie Feeley spoke to Mary Cheeks, President and General Manager of Jamul Casino, about how family guidance and her passion for math led to always putting her team and guests ‘FIRST.'...
CEO Special: Foxwoods Resort Casino's President & CEO Jason Guyot - the human element
Foxwoods Resort Casino's Jason Guyot speaks to Tim Poole about the joys – and challenges – of running a Tribal property. Not just any property, mind you – but a 9 million square-foot casino reso...
CEO Special: NIGC Chairman E. Sequoyah Simermeyer - protecting tribal assets
In a conversation with Gaming America, E. Sequoyah Simermeyer discusses the steps that took him from an appreciation of Tribal government and values, to a career based firmly around them....
CEO Special: San Manuel Band of Mission Indians' Tribal Chairwoman Lynn Valbuena - acting on one's belief
Stephanie Feeley spoke to Lynn Valbuena about why the Tribe chose gaming and how it has completely changed the lives of people on the reservation and beyond....
Gaming Arts: Rewarding the faith & US expansion
Las Vegas-based Gaming Arts specializes in bingo games and also develops keno games, system and jackpot offers for its customers. CEO Mike Dreitzer explained the supplier's plans for US growth in an e...
Evolution: Live dealer and RNG in the USA
Evolution's North America CEO, Jacob Claesson, discusses the current and future US iGaming landscape with Gaming America....
Pavilion Payments: Keeping the flywheel moving
Christopher Justice, CEO of Pavilion Payments, speaks to Gaming America about the importance of digitization and the evolution of payments....
Oliver Lovat: A long way to go
Regular Gaming America contributor, Denstone Group CEO and Vegas historian Oliver Lovat explores how Las Vegas desegregated and made way for diversity in the gaming industry, but still faces the shado...
UNLV Researcher: The impact of using data for good
Dr Kasra Ghaharian, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas' International Gaming Institute, provides perspectives and insights on academic-industry research....
IGT PlayDigital: Committing to RG and the environment
Enrico Drago, CEO of IGT PlayDigital, speaks to Gaming America about its gameplan for expansion in 2024, and what sets IGT apart from other providers....
Pariplay: Long-term relationships, long-term growth
Gaming America speaks with Pariplay North America VP Shivan Patel for an inside look at what's in store ahead of 2024....
Sightline: Driving cashless
Omer Sattar, CEO of Sightline, has had his eye on one prize since the very beginning – cashless casinos. With developments in technology, he says we're getting there. But to ensure that cashless is...
Dynamic Gaming Solutions: Have it your way
Dynamic Gaming Solutions CEO Mark Larson discusses how game developers are influenced by their players and communities....
Table Trac: The future is cashless and mobile
Table Trac Inc. President and Founder Chad Hoehne discusses the future of cashless and mobile gaming, as well as reflecting on the journey to date for Table Trac, and CasinoTrac. In some ways not much...
Viewpoints: What's hot in slots?
Gaming America speaks to Fiona Leung (Velvix), Dan Schrementi (Incredible Technologies), Steve Walther (AGS), Gerard Crosby (Konami) and Laura Olson-Reyes (Eclipse Gaming Systems)....
Product Review: Velvix - Screaming Mansion
Unlocking the thrills: Screaming Mansion by Velvix to debut at G2E...
Product Review: Gaming Arts - Deal or No Deal?
Gaming Arts, in partnership with Banijay Brands, the commercial arm of media and entertainment powerhouse Banijay, is proud to announce that Deal or No Deal™slot games will premiere in Q4 2023....
Product Review: Novomatic Americas' Thunder Cash Gold Link and the Spellbounding Irish Grace
Tap into the enchanting allure of the Emerald Isle with Thunder Cash Gold Link – Irish Grace...
Product Review: Eclipse - Ways of the Sorceress
Get enchanted by Eclipse's new ‘Ways of the Sorceress' slot...
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Sep/Oct 2023

It is that time of the year again! October; NFL season; fall. But for gaming specifically, that means the Global Gaming Awards, G2E Las Vegas and our Gaming America CEO Special. It is our great honor to interview some of...