Aristocrat Gaming bringing NFL-themed slots to Las Vegas
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Las Vegas gaming scene
The sports economy is gaining traction in Las Vegas every day, and the city’s vast gaming industry is determined not to be left behind.
Aristocrat Gaming will debut NFL-licensed, league-themed slot machines on casino floors this fall, and the Australian-based manufacturer — which has an office in Summerlin — has also entered into a sponsorship deal with the Formula 1 Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix, as the official slot machines of the November event.
“We’re always looking for opportunities to better position ourselves in the marketplace, in the community (and) in the ecosystem of Las Vegas,” Mark Wadley, chief marketing officer of Aristocrat Gaming, told the Sun.
Aristocrat has always been on the cutting edge of innovation and trying to bring licensed products to the marketplace, Wadley said, so obtaining a global license to produce NFL- and team-themed slot machines was a compelling opportunity.
“This was a license that emerged over the last couple of years, and it was a great opportunity for us to say, ‘Hey, if a brand of that size is going to operate in the gaming space, Aristocrat is best positioned to ... bring that licensed content to the market,’” he said, noting the company’s existing sponsorship deal with the Las Vegas Raiders, as well.
It’s an equally exciting opportunity for casino operators to have licensed products in their casinos from a brand as powerful as the NFL, Wadley said.
Slot players will have the ability to engage with their favorite NFL teams, Wadley said, emphasizing how important that may be for people who no longer live near their favorite team but are still loyal to it.
“So the opportunity to bring these games to all those fans is really interesting and compelling from an entertainment point of view,” he said, adding that the machines will be developed by Aristocrat and distributed in legal jurisdictions across the U.S.
And football isn’t the only sport on Aristocrat’s radar.
The company has also been named the official slot machines of the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix.
The multiyear sponsorship will grant Aristocrat a private hospitality suite and presence at the race, through signage and potential activations, Emily Prazer, chief commercial officer of Las Vegas Grand Prix, Inc., said in an email to the Sun.
“Aristocrat aligns perfectly with our values and vision for the 2023 race, and we are excited for the start of what we believe will be a seamless partnership for years to come,” Prazer said in the email. “Additionally, Aristocrat has long-standing relationships with several of our resort casino partners, making this partnership an all-around great fit.”
It’s important to partner with local brands like Aristocrat that understand Las Vegas’ unique market and care about enhancing the guest experience through innovation and technology, she said.
“Aristocrat Gaming is a global leader in the gaming design and distribution industry and possesses a leading presence within the sports industry,” Prazer said in an email, noting that the partnership between Aristocrat and the Las Vegas Grand Prix was a “natural progression.”
Aristocrat has a lot of experience understanding the trajectory of its market, Wadley said.
It’s a privilege to work for the company and with its innovative development and design studios, he said, and there’s a lot of “energy and excitement” when it comes to bringing new games into the entertainment world.
“Our goal is to really, quite frankly, just continue to build the best games for the casinos in the marketplace,” Wadley said. “And that’s really what we strive to do, is to give the best entertainment and the best slot machine products for the casinos."
