This week’s EAG marks the start of an “exciting” 2025 for Light & Wonder, as the multinational gaming group unveils a series of long-term solutions for operators that manage the balancing act between compliance and innovation. VP and managing director EMEA, Wayne Ellard, spoke to Coinslot about the new concepts due to keep players “engaged and entertained” this year.
Coinslot: This year is an important EAG with new gambling regulations and legislation on the horizon. What are you hoping to get from January’s show?
Wayne Ellard: EAG is an excellent opportunity for Light & Wonder to discuss new developments based on our customers’ needs and to showcase our latest games and content roadmaps.
At this year’s EAG, we will present our latest products for our casino customers including tables and our new B1 slots.
EAG is also a great chance to meet with customers and bring industry partners together to discuss upcoming regulatory changes.
We have been working in the background to ensure our customers have long-term solutions that are compliant with new regulations, as well as developing our products to ensure that they remain innovative and market leading.
We also have several exciting changes to our hardware product roadmap coming in 2025. Following the launch of the Kascada Dual Screen last year, we will retire the Clarity cabinet at the end of 2025. Additionally, we are launching an upgrade to the T8 cabinets with the Mk8i kit. We will also showcase our latest games and platforms with changes to ensure compliance with new regulations.
Coinslot: There will be a great deal of emphasis on new launches at ExCeL. Can you give us an idea of what new innovations the visitors will be seeing on your stand?
Wayne Ellard: L&W continues to innovate with our leading content development.
Following a year of strong new releases in 2024, we are excited to launch new game concepts and mechanics designed to keep players engaged and entertained.
Additionally, we will present the upcoming B3, B4 and Cat C games at EAG, and attendees are welcome to stop by for a demonstration.
On the hardware side, we will launch our Kascada Slant Top for the AGC and Bingo B3 sector and showcase the Kascada Dual Screen B3 cabinet and our T8 Cat C cabinet.
For the Casino sector, we will present the new Lion Link and Jin Ji Bao Xi games on the Kascada Dual Screen cabinet, which is set to launch later this year. This marks L&W’s return to the B1 Casino market.
We will also have our GM Atlas Progressive table solution, Poker and Blackjack Shufflers, Shoes and i-Score all on display for our customers.
Coinslot: We obviously expect to see your best sellers and the reliable favourites on display. What products were pulling up the trees during 2024 and how did they perform in venues last year?
Wayne Ellard: In 2024 we launched the Kascada Dual Screen B3 cabinet and it has taken the baton from Equinox, its top-performing predecessor.
Both cabinets share our robust B3 library. We had several very strong releases in 2024, and this gives us fantastic momentum as we move into 2025.
Coinslot: What do you need from the government’s gambling review, and indeed from their general policies this year?
Wayne Ellard: Settling and implementing the gambling review is fundamentally important for the medium-term future of the land-based industry.
We hope to see changes such as increased B1 volumes, more flexibility in B3 for the AGC and Bingo markets and a more constructive approach to innovation and technical standards development.
