Casino Sept 08 P40-42 8/21/08 1:04 pm Page 40
EGM GREEN
Green gaming
EGM Green aims to bring a 'greener', more environmentally friendly
edge to gaming furniture. Company President Eric Hansel spoke to
Casino International about the company and what they do…
T
hey are the first manufacturer and designer time I started talking with more and more casino
of environmentally friendly casino operators, and realized that there would be a market
products. As consumers – and gamblers – for a product like this as the casino industry starts to
become more environmentally aware, look towards its social responsibility initiatives. This
there's no doubting there is a market for product can be especially powerful to a casino’s
such products. We spoke to Eric Hansel, EGM Green marketing strategy, because it is a Green initiative
President, about their offering and what the company that sits at their Point of Sale.
represents.
CI: Is there really a market for this in America?
Casino International: Tell us about the The perception of America internationally, in
company and what you do… environmental terms, is not really a positive one.
Eric Hansel: EGM Green is the first ever EH: Americans are moving further and further up
manufacturer and designer for environmentally the Green continuum. Whether by recycling or by
friendly casino products. We make Poker tables, changing light bulbs over to CFL’s, or even by
Blackjack tables, we make seating for those tables as changing over power sources to more Eco-friendly
well as luxury lounge seating, and all of our products ones. As long as we continue to move in the right
can contribute to a project’s LEED (Leadership for direction, I think that perceptions will change. We’ve
Energy in Environmental Design) rating. done our first trial up at the Turning Stone Casino in
New York, we had a lead architect speak at the Global
CI: Basically you manufacture what you have Gaming Expo during the session “going green whilst
just described as '100 per cent eco friendly staying in the black” and the CEO for the Oneida
products'. How long has the company been Nation which owns the Turning Stone Casino
around? presented along with us, his name is Ray Halbritter,
EH: We’ve been around about a year as EGM and he is viewed by many in the Indian gaming
Green, but we’ve been in the casino industry now for community as a visionary and his thought process is
about 4 years selling home casino products through and has been that he needs to provide for the next
our company Executive Gaming Monthly. Most of seven generations. It doesn’t have to do with any sort
our products are at least 92% sustainable by weight. of corporate green push; it has to do with the way
that Native Americans think about their future, their
CI: Where did the inspiration for the company family’s future, their land's future and their overall
come from? sustainability.
EH: I started going to industry conferences and
listening to what people had to say and listening to CI: What are your credentials for being able to
where there were gaps in the market. At the same advise on environmental matters and also on
EGM Green’s Eric Hansel,
left, with WSOP
Commissioner
Jeffrey Pollack
40 SEPTEMBER 2008
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