EAG Chairman Martin Burlin believes that the positive atmosphere evident on the stands and in the aisles at the ILEC exhibition centre for the 2024 edition of ACOS provides a barometer for what the industry can expect in three months’ time for what will be the biggest edition of EAG since the show launched in 2010. Speaking from the ACOS show floor towards the end of the opening day Martin Burlin said: “Speaking with our clients who are at ACOS either as exhibitors or visitors the mood has been very upbeat despite the concerns regarding the delay in the White Paper and what may or may not happen in Chancellor Rachel Reeves upcoming first Budget.“Dynamic industries such as ours need and indeed thrive in the atmosphere that only live or in-person events can create. The opportunity to share ideas, opportunities, opinions, insights or concerns with industry peers and friends is invaluable and we look forward to fostering that really important sense of community and solidarity at ExCeL London in January.”

Looking ahead to what visitors can expect he continued: “This will be the biggest edition of EAG on record with the addition of two new dedicated sections. The Social Immersive Entertainment Expo (SIE Expo) and the London Casino and Gaming Show will sit alongside EAG as a natural expansion, offering new revenue streams for both operators and manufacturers.

“SIE Expo will feature all forms of Immersive Entertainment, Competitive Entertainment and Social Entertainment including the dramatic growth in Competitive Socialising. Significantly, SIE Expo is its own co-located event sharing the resources and popular London location of EAG - allowing attendees to co-mingle and feed off the latest developments.” 

He added: “The launch of the London Casino and Gaming Show takes the event back to what it was in the old ATEI days. The division between amusements and gambling at EAG will define those elements of pay-out machines popular in the UK sector, such as Category D machines and pushers and position them into the amusements sector. In doing so we have responded to industry requests for a rounded out of home entertainment experience.”

“EAG visitors will have access to the very latest product launches and innovations in out of home entertainment, keep abreast of regulatory changes, update on the latest developments impacting the high street and the pub sector courtesy of the Bacta Seminars and learn more about the latest developments in social responsibility on the Bacta Safer Gambling Hub.”

The 2025 edition of EAG Expo (14th – 16th January, ExCeL London) is returning to its original opening times of 10am – 6pm (Tuesday and Wednesday) and 10am – 4pm (Thursday). The decision reverses the trial of opening an hour earlier which was introduced following last year’s exhibitor meeting.