May 10, 2024
The most pressing issues facing North American FEC operators are all the best ones: making decision on sales, marketing strategies and generally providing a better experience tor their quests.
The positive view comes from Sebastian Mochkovsky, CEO of Sacoa USA, who some years ago moved to North America to nead up the debit card developer's operations. Close to the market, therefore, Mochkovsky is well placed to identity the positives and negatives that currently influence the market.
"At the back-end level, the main issue is the lack of labour. It is very difficult to get people who want to work, or the salaries demanded are so high that there are some attractions that simply don't justify having that employee at the front; they won't generate adequate revenues to bring a return."
Mochkovsky said that the emerging trends from the market show a move towards the combination of the traditional arcade with elements that cannot be played at home, such as Virtual realty, escape rooms and acuvites such as ninja courses.
"There is a determination to get people away from playing with their social media or home games and get out of the house and into entertainment centres."
And the entertainment centres themselves are evolving with the demise of the traditional shopping mall, he said. "There is evidence of some change in the pattern of retail, driven by the online shopping experience. People can buy the same products at lower cost, with the convenience of home delivery.
"Shopping malls are evolving themselves, being reinvented with large entertainment spaces were those big box stores are now abandoned. This is helping to bring people back into the mall.
"There are also cinemas and other entertainment options; people can eat well in comfortable seats and enjoy a movie with their dinner.
"These locations compete with the online platforms, although there is no comparison with the quality of the screen and the size of the screen, as well as that of the sound that surrounds the show."
These alternative entertainment venues, Mochkovsky said, are further supplemented by the rash of bar arcades opening across North America. They also give space to coin-operated products. New locations are popping up across North America. It is a trend that appeals to the social aspect of gaming, combining it with the ambiance of a bar. There is a level close to what we know of a bar arcades but with a different quality in terms of food and entertainment. Take for example Your 3rd Spot, which includes bar, arcade, bowling and a variety of gastronomic offers. It has reported positive changes since the installation of our Sacoa technology in its facilities."
Your 3ro Spot is an innovanve dining-entertainment venue in Atlanta, Georgia, with plans to open new bar-arcades in Texas, Illinois, Tennessee, New York,
Washington DC, North Carolina, Florida and Virginia. Typically, the location with offer all-in entertainment and dining at one price, the fun coming from low-tech table games to pinball, air hockey, football, shuffleboard and dozens
of video games. It also has bowling and even curling. It gives up to three hours of gaming on over 80 options.
Mochkovsky is not as enthusiastic about the prospects offered by the new technologies in the VR/AR field as many or his compatriots in the amusement industry. "These elements in some places have fallen short of the expected
objetives. I is very desirable, but not too many people are buying it.
"This is a technology that is trying to enter the FEC market and some games are successful, but many also fail. This remains a concern for operators because of the high cost and the high maintenance of the masks, which when they break you have to go out and buy new ones, reducing the profits."
For his own sector, the cashless gaming industry, Mochkovsky sees nothing but further expansion. "The erosion of cash in payment methods won't reduce. It remains in many places at over 50 per cent of income. Some very high-tech, ultra-modern locations see people buying more online, reducing cash payments. But in environments such as FECs, there is still a lot of cash. The trend towards cashless is increasing irrevocably; I cannot see it diminishing."
Overall, the FEC business demonstrates trends suggesting continued growth in certain segments, particularly those offering unique experiences and incorporating advanced technologies that may include VR/AR. "It is important to consider factors such as economic conditions and regulatory changes that may influence the numbers of installed games."
All content © Sacoa Cashless System - SDCS LLC ® 1996-Today