AGS shines up slots, adds features to table games – and more

October 3, 2016 3:19 AM
  • Nick Sortal, CDC Gaming Reports
October 3, 2016 3:19 AM
  • Nick Sortal, CDC Gaming Reports

AGS started off by solely focusing on Class II slot machines, but one look at the display on the G2E exhibit hall floor shows how diversified the company has become. At the show, the company introduced an array of slot products, table games and even card shufflers. “We are focused on expanding our Class III footprint in major markets throughout the U.S.,” said Krista Reiner, director of marketing communications.

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The products are an extension of the mission set by David Lopez, who became AGS president three years ago. Last year Lopez helped the company purchase Cadillac Jack, a Georgia-based company which, like AGS, had successfully expanded from Class II to Class III, with more than 13,000 units installed across the U.S. and Mexico.

“This year’s G2E is historic for us – we’ve never introduced so many game-changing products on the world’s biggest gaming stage,” Lopez said. “We’ve truly transformed in the last year.”

Among the details:

Colossal Diamonds upgrade: The machine AGS calls “Big Red” – it’s the size of three slots placed side-by-side – has fresher graphics and coins scatter across the screen when a player hits a jackpot.

Slot brands: Not following other companies’ practice of developing themes spun from popular movies, TV shows or personalities, AGS prefers to create unique names and titles. “We want to own our games and have original content,” Reiner said.  Titles include Red Dragon Green Dragon, FireWolf II and Fu Cat.

Some machines also have “payline surge,” where the grid expands from four rows of symbols to as many as eight. One machine has graphics of fireworks exploding after a big win. Reiner also pointed out that the games have clean screen displays and borderless cabinets (like the new gutter-less swimming pools), with as few buttons as possible, and ergonomic hand rests.

Poker shufflers: AGS is introducing “Dex S” shufflers, which cost less than current poker and blackjack shufflers and have fewer moving parts – meaning fewer things that break. It’s the company’s first foray into shufflers.

Table game bonuses: Casinos that offer blackjack can add a virtual prize wheel, which is spun for players who hit a blackjack – providing they have plunked down the bonus bet for it. Casinos can program the wheel for cash payouts, show tickets, dinners, etc., or even put in a “share the wealth” opportunity, where everyone at the table receives a little cash – AGS’ subtle way of implementing community gaming. The wheel can also be used to introduce a progressive feature, giving those seeking the big money a reason to be at the table.

Another side bet, “Buster Blackjack,” allows player to wager that the dealer will bust, with higher payouts if the dealer draws several cards before busting. (More cards = more cash.) There also is an “In Between” bet, with various payouts for those who wager that the dealer’s first card will fall in between the player’s first two cards. (So, for example, if the player is dealt a 3 and a 10 and dealer’s upcard is a 7, the player wins.) AGS officials note that some dealers might be reluctant to push side-bet features because that’s money players might then use for tokes, but there’s a solution: Tracking the money wagered on the side bets and cutting in the dealers for a percentage of it on the back end.