The biggest event in the gaming world is getting underway in Las Vegas and the target this year appears to be Millennials.
Along with displaying the latest and greatest ways to gamble at the Global Gaming Expo, there is also focus on people between the ages of 18 to 34.
People in that age group will stand in long lines at day clubs, pools parties and night clubs, but gamble much less than previous generations.
The gaming industry sees Millennials as an untapped resource.
At the expo, there is virtual reality, video game slot machines and all sorts of new ways to gamble.
Executives at the Global Gaming Expo are showing off latest technologies which are designed to lure in the younger crowd.
“Millennials are this younger generation, coming of age. They are working, they have money, and they have their own specific interests,” said Colleen McKenna, the vice president of marketing for Interblock Gaming.
From gaming companies to uniform designers, everyone is looking to target that age group.
“Millennials are really interested in fashion and branding and experience, and uniforms are part of that,” said Karla Perez, the national director of gaming with Cintas.
Millennials make up two-thirds of Las Vegas tourists.
They party, but they don’t play nearly as much as Gen Xer’s and Baby Boomers.
“They really like to travel in packs,” McKenna said.
They like a social and interactive atmosphere and more of a challenge than just pressing a button.
“It’s probably going to go to another level and actually involve a lot of what you are seeing with Angry Birds or skill-based games you play on your phone,” McKenna said.
The company that finds a way to the Millennial wallet will likely have a golden ticket for a new generation of gaming.
“G2E is pretty much the Super Bowl of the gaming industry, every manufacturer in the world is here every customer is here,” McKenna said.
