Serena Zheng
ACOS 2019 has drawn to a close with positive comments from exhibitors and visitors alike, affirming the show’s unique position in the UK amusements and coin-op calendar. With more exhibitors and a slightly enlarged show floor, ACOS 2019 maintained its tradition of a relaxed and enjoyable event with a strong focus on networking.
Organisers received favourable feedback on the choice of Pergola as the venue for the after-show networking reception, with show-goers especially appreciating its proximity to the expo floor during a typical autumn downpour! Relaxed seating and plentiful food and drink contributed to the perfect environment for continuing those show-floor conversations.

ACOS’ unique business environment was well appreciated by the operators and many other leisure professionals attending the show. Travelling from Kent, Jim Hardy of Automatic Machines Services commented, “It’s a great show where there is space to sit and talk with suppliers. ACOS is unique in this respect.” Kevin Astley, Bob Rudd Leisure’s Technical Director agreed: “ACOS is a focused show where you can spend good time with suppliers to hammer out a deal,” confirmed Kevin.
This year the number of exhibiting companies increased, with many choosing to premiere new products. No visitor could fail to notice the increased focus on new technology with a wide choice of cashless payment solutions, plus technology aimed at supporting licensing rules and encouraging responsible gaming.

Speaking about a positive show for NAYAX, Technical Sales Director C-zi Patel commented, “Our cashless payment solution gives operators the ability to engage with their consumers by creating promotional campaigns, as well as letting users pay for games or rides via credit/debit cards, mobile NFC payments, prepaid cards and many other methods. We’ve been really impressed by the level of enthusiasm at ACOS for our products; operators can no longer turn a blind eye to the considerable benefits of cashless payments,” he revealed.
Also representing this rapidly growing sector were: G-Squared Games, Hemisphere West, Ideal Software Systems, Innovative Technology, Kashing, Kwikpay, and Playsafe Systems. Two Cherries Technologies also debuted at the show with their smartphone application, allowing players to create their own play wallet, depositing and withdrawing funds from a connected machine whilst also accessing a whole host of player protection functionality.
Generating a great deal of interest was the launch at the show of Game Payment Technology, a joint venture between bacta and Polar Moment. Game Payment Technology revealed their secure cashless gaming technology, accessible via an easy to use app. Designed with social responsibility in mind, the Game Payment Technology product verifies the age of the player and includes numerous features enabling players to manage their spending.

The interest in new payment technologies was not at the expense of other exhibitors. First-time exhibitor Innov8 gaming had an excellent show with the company’s David Bowman confirming, “We’ve had a fantastic day with good orders and excellent feedback; people clearly like what we’re doing. We’ve had a lot of interest in our 18-game Partial Eclipse cabinets and the new content has had an excellent reception with strong early performance figures. We anticipate a good Christmas order book based on the response at the show,” assured David.
Another first-time exhibitor Cummins Allison also had a great show: “We’ve always exhibited at the large London shows and having attended ACOS as visitors last year we decided to exhibit. It’s been a very positive start and we’ve not only taken orders but also have some very interesting enquiries to follow up,” revealed Sales Manager Paul Clay.
ACOS 2020 will take place at Olympia London on Wednesday 28th and Thursday 29th October, continuing the tradition of serious business in a relaxed and friendly environment.

※The article is published in the GTI Magazine Issue No. 184 in March 2020