What strategies for servicing Tribal operators have proven most effective in years past for IGT and how are they 
potentially developing? 

Dan Farnon: We’re acutely focused on servicing our Tribal customers as best we possibly can. Like in the commercial space, the Tribal space is so unique because every customer has its own fingerprint. Our servicing of any one account is so specific to the account that the coverage model we have, the service model and the way we approach any one customer, we take the time to really understand the needs of the casino operations. 

Every Tribe, as you know, has a different philosophy on how they invest and how they manage their floors. Our focus is to give those Tribal operators the best possible performance through rapid innovation, strong strategic partnerships between the two of us and, frankly, probably the strongest and broadest product set we’ve ever had as a company.

How does IGT shape its product roadmap around the needs of Tribal operators, especially as the industry continues to grow?

DF: We spend a lot of time in the fields gathering feedback on what works, what’s working from the competitor set, feedback from customers, analyzing the data and we have several segments we focus on which are real core competencies. We try to deliver on what customers are telling us is working and then try to drive innovation based on what they think their needs are. 

We spend a lot of time state-by-state, region-by-region and market segment-by-market segment understanding the data and getting lifetime feedback. Obviously, we have time in the field and, from the sales perspective, our product team also spends an awful lot of time in the field gathering feedback so we can make the best products in the industry.

Which products have you found to be most popular within Tribal casinos?

Domenico Pastia: There are plenty of examples of successful games. The Rise 55, which is one of our most recently launched cabinets and the games featured such as Magic Treasures Gold that is here behind me and Wheel of Fortune Cash on Reels, all proved to be successful.

We partnered with one of our key customers in Yaamava’ Resort & Casino at San Manuel to host a dedicated event, in which Vanna White attended for the Wheel of Fortune activation. We had a great response from the players and we are planning to do more in the future. 

In what ways does developing strategy around Tribal operators differ to commercial casinos?

DP: Tribal properties are usually the first market where we place our products because the level of partnership with a Tribal operator is really high. We design products to ensure their feedback and the player feedback are incorporated. That’s our job, to funnel this feedback into our development teams, to the product group and shape up something that can be successful for them. Another important item to be mentioned is a disciplined cadence of release. Once we launch a new product, we need to make sure we support it over time because it’s a commitment on our end, but it’s also a commitment to the Tribal customer. 

Are there ways IGT’s merger with Everi has improved the supplier’s capability of servicing Tribal operators?

DP: Absolutely, we completed our portfolio. We can argue today that the combination of the two companies provides the full scope of gaming offerings. This is currently available to our Tribal customers. Between gaming and FinTech, there are major synergies and each customer is a consumer of both products, so this is a one-stop shop experience for them in the commercial interaction.

Finally, how does IGT stand out at events such as IGA?

DF: Firstly, when you look at the square footage of our stand here, we probably have the largest and, in my opinion, best-looking booth because the Tribal gaming space is one of the most important spaces for us. We take this show really seriously, we take the investment in it really seriously and, as you can tell from the product perspective, we have the best product in the industry. 

At the end of the day, we continue to invest at a very deep level both in product and on the service side, but what I hope stands out the most from this show is how comprehensive our product portfolio is now. There is almost no sector we are not servicing on our customers’ floors. FinTech is incredible, our games portfolio is getting stronger and now we really are the one-stop shop for customers as Domenico said.