IGT-Everi Merger Takes Center Stage at G2E, Celebrating Vegas Homecoming

The Global Gaming Expo (G2E) paused discussions on prediction market interruptions to honor International Gaming Technology’s (IGT) three-month merger with Everi Holdings. The landmark $6.3 billion deal was conducted by Apollo Global Management.

Interim CEO Nick Khin led the festivities, despite his impending transition from leadership. He marked IGT’s corporate return to Las Vegas after a decade headquartered in Reno. Cheerleaders from the Vegas Golden Knights and the Drumbots welcomed attendees to IGT’s booth.

Khin presented a $10,000 donation to local charity Mondays Dark alongside Mayor Shelley Berkley. The merger revived IGT’s legacy in Nevada, tracing back to 1979. Meanwhile, Khin prepares to pass the CEO role to Hector Fernandez.

Merger in the Spotlight

The merged IGT-Everi entity raced against a 100-day deadline to assemble its G2E exhibit, unveiling over 250 games in its 24,000 sq ft booth in the gaming industry’s largest marketplace.

Khin mobilized leadership teams to craft a merger emblem of an 11-foot “Wheel of Fortune Cash Machine Jackpots” hybrid slot. The centerpiece blended IGT’s iconic wheel mechanics with Everi’s progressive jackpot technology and anchored the booth. “We applied hard-won merger lessons,” Khin emphasized, noting streamlined integration after the merger to avoid customer confusion.

Reclaiming Vegas Roots

IGT’s deliberate emphasis on its Las Vegas heritage traces to its 1979 founding by gaming enthusiast Si Redd. His legacy helped shape its rise from a local startup to a global powerhouse after the company went public in 1981. The title and its variation still dominate land-based and online floors worldwide.

The company’s GTech acquisition in 2015 relocated headquarters to Rome, but Nevada retained manufacturing and sales footholds. The Apollo-backed merger now brings operations back to Everi’s former southwest Las Vegas complex, reviving IGT’s roots in the area.

Leadership will be split across three divisions, led by Khin, Digital Chief Gil Rotem, and former Everi fintech head Darren Simmons. “We truly are a one-stop shop,” Khin affirmed.

Vegas Resilience

IGT’s Vegas return coincides with the federal government shutdown, which has stalled bipartisan efforts to reverse gaming tax reforms in July’s “One Big Beautiful Bill”. The bill slashes loss deductions from 100% to 90% starting in 2026.

American Gaming Association VP Chris Cylke noted legislation agreement by the board but warned the shutdown leaves resolution uncertain. KPMG’s Robert Stoddard cautioned that land-based casinos face the challenge of losing a small but crucial segment of high-value clientele. “If we don’t get a legislative fix, this is going to be a real challenge for land-based casinos,” he stated.