By Maria Willson
Nevada’s slot route operator, Golden Gaming has acquired its rival named Strategic Gaming Management from the northern part of the state for an undisclosed sum. With this acquisition, Golden Gaming is going to add around 870 more slot machines to its existing collection, pushing the number to over 8,000. Strategic Gaming Management is considered to be the second largest slot route operator in Northern Nevada, and the deal of it being acquired by the privately owned Golden Gaming will be complete on January 1, 2014. At present, Golden Gaming’s subsidiary, Golden Route Operator is the leading slot machine route operator in Nevada.
What’s the Deal?
Strategic Gaming Management is a Reno based slot machine operator founded in 2010. The company’s 870 slot machines placed in 110 locations, including a couple of 7 Elevens, bars, supermarkets and truck stops in Nevada, will now be operated by Golden Gaming. This will make the total number of slots managed by GRO to 8,000 across the state. Earlier in 2012, GRO also acquired another slot route operator named ETT, following which it became the leader in the industry.
CEO of Golden Gaming, Blake L. Sartini said that the company is hoping to get access to the best in class technology for improving their services and is also looking forward to integrating the employees and also the culture of Strategic Gaming Management.
Golden Dedicated to Improving Gaming Services
Golden Gaming, the family operated slots route management company, hopes to offer the best to the Nevada gaming market, said Sartini. He stated that the company believed in the long-term benefits that this transaction brings to the market and also had faith that the economic conditions in the state will improve over time. GRO’s operations in Northern Nevada have been under the leadership of Jimmy Wadhams, who will continue with his role even after the acquisition, which will be completed as of January 1.
Golden will be focusing on extending their commitment to offer quality gaming even in Northern Nevada and hopes to gain a good standing in the Reno community. Jimmy Wadhams will be joined by Craig Soper of Strategic Gaming Management. Soper has more than two decades of experience and will add value to the GRO team.
About GRO
Golden Route Operator, a Subsidiary of Golden Gaming, has been catering to the gaming market of Nevada since 2001. The company is owned by the Sartini family and also operates the Golden Casino Group, and PT’s Entertainment Group besides GRO. The largest slot operator in Nevada also owns the popular Golden Nugget casino in Vegas, besides owning the Gold Town Casino, the Lakeside Casino and RV Park.
GRO had brought down casino gaming from the top clubs to easily accessible places like the neighborhood grocery store and pharmacies. The company operates slot machines in well known retail brands across Nevada including pubs like the Molly Malones, Kavanaugh’s, Three Angry Wives, Tomfoolery, Sean Patrick’s Irish pub etc. The slots operated by Golden are also found at Pilot Travel Centers, Jacksons, Smith’s, Pit Stop, Albertson’s and CVS Pharmacy.
With this acquisition, the company will also be operating slot machines in Northern Nevada outlets like Raley’s, Albertsons, Smith and Scolari’s chain of supermarkets, Flowing Tide Pub, Flying J Truck Stops, Bully Sport’s Bar and Grill, Sneakers bar and Grill and more than 30 7-Elevens across the northern section of the state.
The vice president of marketing for Golden Gaming, Ross Gloving, said that even after the acquisition, the other gaming ventures of Strategic Gaming Management including Baldini’s Sports Casino in Sparks and the Big Wheel Casino in Lovelock will continue.