Welcome to Casino Life As we go to print a number of editorial features are in the balance due to confidentiality issues and in one case a change of senior manager... all causing a delay, but we'd rather wait and get it right rather than print and be damned.
As we reach the end of 2015 this issue of "getting things right" has become all encompassing as more and more institutions are watched and valued by their statements. In many cases a simple slip – a mistimed statement or a wrong inference -can cost a lot in stock value.
In addition, as we all know, a good reputation cannot be bought or simply acquired – it has to be earned – over many years. Relationships have to be built and re-built time and again as staff leave, new ones join and companies merge often disrupting the status quo. With that in mind, we're quite proud to have reached the golden age of ten this year and in that time to have developed and maintained a solid reputation which has lead to more exclusive editorial and in turn, solid advertising from those that can see the benefits of bespoke writing rather than re-cycled PR. This has also lead to us being invited to more casino openings, to cover more of the expansive leisure resorts and in turn to be trusted by more and more operators (and the suppliers) that we will cover their story correctly. A win–win situation.
Our expertise has been applied in Ukraine where we have been fortunate enough to be insitu and were able to launch "Game ON" in October providing a launch pad for the new draft law. That the Government seems to have drifted to the dark side and favoured vested interests was not for the want of trying and we will continue through the newly formed Ukraine Gaming Association to press for a fair and transparent gambling industry.
What to expect in 2016?
More mergers / acquisitions as with a stable market the road to expansion is not just about new markets but acquiring your competitors, establishing best-of breed, re-branding and making some savings along the way.
Second – the re-emergence of Big Data. We were obsessed with what it would bring once – but now it's coming to the fore again in all sorts of markets.
Third - a new genre. We've seen the rise of auto-roulettes from wood and brass to carbon fibre; the single multi-platformed terminals; Slot cabinets of every size, with overlaid reels, touch feedback screens, height adjustable (and yet still without phone chargers)... so perhaps it's time for something new. What? If I knew I'd be patenting it now.
Best wishes for the festive season from all of us at Ace Publishing.
Glyn Thomas | 
