LCG team in place

A new picture of EAG/LCG shows director Nicola Lazenby with her two specialist sales chiefs, reinforces the closer ties that are emerging from the amusements and gambling industries.

It has led directly to the creation of the new specialist land-based casino show, the London Casino & Gaming Expo that will run alongside the long-established Entertainments, Attractions and Gaming Expo (EAG), set for London’s ExCeL, January 14-16.

Greg Bailey (left) is heading up the LCG show sales, while colleague Tom Hackett (right) is in the same role for the amusement sector at EAG.

With a full team backing them and the experienced support of veterans from the UK games and gaming industry, including Bacta past president Martin Burlin who is chairman of the shows on behalf of the trade association, and Nick Harding as show ambassador, Nicola Lazenby is confident that the strong start the show’s sales have experienced will now take off.

“I expect the demand to pick up quickly,” said Greg Bailey, “especially now that the main holiday season is out of the way.”

Greg Bailey said that the show is ‘answering the call’ from those in the land-based casino supply business who are not totally enthusiastic about showcasing their products and services in Barcelona.

“This may be for logistical or financial reasons,” he said, “and would prefer to be part of a smaller London-based show.”

Bailey also supports the view that the different sectors of the ‘coin-op’ industry are gradually coming together. “LCGS is providing a second element to EAG as was the case in the old days of the ATEI show where there was a separation between the amusement sector and the gambling business with ICE – but under the same roof.”

He also feels that London is still considered as one of the top destinations for gambling in Europe and has some of the market’s top state-of-the-art casinos and attractions.

Bailey said that he had noticed that some exhibitors were now booking at LCG who are already committed to ICE (Barcelona January 20-22). “The reception has been positive when speaking to peripheral suppliers of products such as interior design, energy supply, display and signage, etc. The ‘plus points’ among those suppliers about the London option are that the city is ‘familiar’ and that they do not want to have to deal with the logistics of travel to another mainland European city.”

Said Nicola Lazenby, now coming up to two years in the top job of organising the shows at ExCeL: “I knew I would have to hit the ground running when I first joined, but in the last six months opportunities have abounded for us; not just EAG and now LCG, but also the SIE Expo – the third element, serving the fast-expanding  competitive, social and immersive entertainment sector.

“What I and the rest of the team have to do now is deliver exactly what it says on the tin...with the sharp acceleration that this will involve. I now have a strong sales team in place to do just that. It is all very exhilarating....”.

Pic. Lazenby/Bailey/Hackett