Las Vegas-based skill game maker Synergy Blue, in a bid to build off the momentum of last month’s Global Gaming Expo, will bring its arcade-style games to the Oklahoma tribal market by the first quarter of 2020.
The company announced a deal Thursday with Dynamic Gaming Solutions, a gaming distributor in Oklahoma. As part of the arrangement, Dynamic Gaming Solutions will provide sales distribution and localized support for Synergy Blue’s unique Hybrid Arcade Wager-based gaming platform and their library of arcade-style casino games to tribal casinos throughout Oklahoma. The deal marks the first installation of Synergy’s games outside of California.
Launching in Oklahoma is a “another great step for the company,” Synergy CEO Georg Washington said, and represents a growing interest in “skill-influenced, arcade-style gambling.”
“This is the first stage,” Washington said. “We are branching out. (This move) shows that people are excited about skill games. There was a different feel at this year’s G2E. We have a lot more traction and momentum now.”
Washington said Oklahoma is a great market for gaming and that a partnership with Dynamic, which has a similar corporate methodology and customer focus on partnering with properties, is a perfect fit.
Last month, following the Global Gaming Expo, Synergy Blue announced that it would hold trials, starting this month, at two of Station Casinos’ properties in Las Vegas — Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa and the Palms Casino Resort. So far, the company’s games have only been installed domestically on the floor of California’s Augustine Casino. The company also currently has products placed in five other countries.
Washington said Synergy opted for the deal with Dynamic Gaming in order to “bring its games to Oklahoma quickly and efficiently with someone who knows the lay of the land. Oklahoma is a market in which someone needs to know the ground really well.”
Synergy declined to identify the properties in which its games will appear. Dynamic is developing a sales pipeline, and Washington said many of Synergy’s games are already certified for the Oklahoma market.
The agreement provides Dynamic Gaming Solutions with full access to Synergy Blue’s game library, which includes games currently going through trials in Nevada, as well as some Class II games and additional titles like Candy Patrol and Lucky Karts.
The machines distributed will be available in both single title and multi-game configuration, which allows players to choose from among seven titles, including classic gambling games like video poker, Candy Ca$h, Mahjong, and Safari Match.
“The amount of variety Synergy Blue builds into their games, for both operators and players, makes their library very compelling,” said Mark Larson, managing director of Dynamic Gaming Solutions, adding that the company is “excited” to deliver the games to players in Oklahoma.
Washington said the deal was signed at last month’s G2E in Las Vegas.
Synergy Blue debuted four new arcade-style games at G2E to bring its total game library to 23 titles. The company’s Class II games could come out at the end of the first quarter upon certification.
After a slow start, Washington said, the skill-based industry is positioned for success and growth after learning lessons from its first generation of games. More announcements on Synergy’s plans for its growth are forthcoming
“It was a fantastic show,” Washington said of G2E, “not only from the distributor point of view but (for seeing) customers excited about these games. The question is no longer ‘what are these things’; now it’s ‘where can we buy them?’ It’s a great time for the skill-influenced genre.”
