Gaming Laboratories International has kicked off its Illuminating Conversations web series this fall with some big industry names, including gaming entrepreneur Bobby Soper. A member of the Mohegan Tribe, Soper works with Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment and has over two decades of experience in commercial and tribal gaming. Host and fellow gaming entrepreneur James Maida goes into Soper’s new position at MGE, his efforts towards green solutions, and Mohegan’s expansion projects.
A History of Experience
Bobby Soper’s history with Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment stretches back years; from 2015 to 2017 he served as CEO of MGE. From 2001 to 2012 he held a variety of positions at Mohegan Sun including Senior Vice President and President & CEO and since 2017 he has been President & CEO of Sun Gaming & Hospitality. Most recently, Soper moved into the position of International President at MGE.
The Future of Gaming
Company expansion has proven to be one of Soper’s greatest strengths, and this is highlighted in the series where he elaborates on the future of iGaming and where the industry is headed. While Soper has helped grow enterprises through land-based gaming, he’s realistic about what’s coming next. “We are all fooling ourselves if we don’t think that online gaming in any form, whether it’s lottery, sports wagering, or casino gaming as we know it, is going to continue to grow, and will, to some degree, cannibalize land-based gaming,” Soper says, emphasizing that view during the segment.
Been There, Done That
Soper has plenty of experience with branching out into the online gambling practice–in 2015 he oversaw Mohegan Sun’s first online casino in the New Jersey market. Offering US real money slot machines and poker, Mohegan Sun was the 17th licensed site to join the array of casinos operating out of New Jersey at the time.
“We are a growing company and the online gaming platform is a progression of where gaming, or at least a segment of gaming, is going,” then President of the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority Bobby Soper told CNBC in an interview.
A Desert Mohegan Sun
Maida and Soper also discussed the official opening of the Mohegan Sun Casino at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas this past March. The casino-resort is the first of its kind in Vegas, opening as the first Tribal casino in the gambling metropolis. At 60,000 square feet, the Mohegan Sun Casino encompasses nearly all of the casino floor in the Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, and the interim CEO for Mohegan Gaming and Entertainment, Ray Pineault, says that the number one priority going forward is customer service.
“Our team members need to be delivering ‘A’ guest service to guests every day,” he said. “We truly believe that anybody can deliver good guest service and people will always shop around for a better value if it’s good but they won’t shop around if it’s excellent.”
Projects Abroad
Bobby Soper’s position as International President at Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment will see him as head of development projects in Asia, namely Korea and Japan. James Gessner Jr, Chairman of the Mohegan Tribe, spoke on Soper’s assignment, saying, “Having served the Mohegan Tribe and Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment for many years, we are confident in Bobby’s experience and capabilities to guide our efforts on the ground in Asia.”
Other MGE Projects
As Canada legalizes sports betting, MGE is also prepared to expand into the Great White North. Instead of online slots Canada, Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment is aiming to roll out both in-person sports wagering and iGaming projects in Ontario and other regions. While plans currently rely on legislative decisions, Pineault has said MGE is “currently exploring our options”. Soper may not have his hands on this one, but it’s an exciting prospect for MGE nonetheless.
