Inside AGE 2022

44 | I NSIDE AGE | #1 AUG 2022 | asgam.com Over the past two years we’ve seen them all pivot to their strengths and come out the other s i de wi th s t rong businesses. There is a high standard of F&B and gaming offered across the board that has really set up a competitive landscape. The casinos do act as a premium destination point and as tourism in Australia recovers over the next two to three years, they are positioned to take advantage. However, right now as a gaming supplier, I find only subtle regulatory alterations in our product offering between pubs, clubs and casinos. I AGE : Wha t a r e t he ma i n challenges for the industry as a whole going forward? AB: Our challenges are many, as are our opportunities! Here though I wi l l h i gh l i ght the pressing need to bolster national industry advocacy, articulate the sector’s socio-economic c on t r i b u t i on , c o l l a bo r a t e wi th other assoc i at i ons to build sustainability, and foster productive relationships with gove r nme n t a nd i ndu s t r y sectors, including customers. This is especially important right now, with intense public scrutiny of our industry and government being particularly active reviewing elements of our industry and seeking regulatory change. AH: The ongoing focus for the industry is to continue wo r k i n g t o a s u s t a i n a b l e future and maintain its high integrity. That is paramount. What this means going forward is to go from complying with applicable regulations to one of continuous improvement. T h e k e y a r e a s I s e e a r e encouraging responsible game play and providing informed choice through implementing new technologies like digital wallets. That gives the players the ability to manage what t hey spend and ope r a t o r s the ability to adhere to best practice operating standards. Our training standards set a high benchmark on a global comparison but recent events mean we need to acknowledge t h e n e e d t o g o b e y o n d a n d e n s u r e l a t e s t t r e n d s and research is used when establishing best practices.