G2E Asia postponed to 2022 amidst COVID-19 disruption, travel restrictions

Global Gaming Expo (G2E) Asia has been postponed to 2022, the G2E Asia Team announced on Monday. The event, which was set to return as an in-person expo and conference, was scheduled to take place at The Venetian Macao Cotai Expo, November 9-11, 2021.

In a new statement, the event’s organizers said the event will now take place at the Venetian Macao, from August 30 - September 1, 2022. 

Global Gaming Expo (G2E) Asia – the marketplace for the Asian gaming and integrated resort industry – will return to the Venetian Macao, from August 30 – September 1, 2022. 亞洲國際娛樂展 （G2E Asia）將延期至2022年8月30日- 9月1日舉行，原場地澳門威尼斯人金光會展中心保持不變。 pic.twitter.com/VO5MNa8iRi

— G2E Asia (@g2easia) October 18, 2021

“In light of the ongoing COVID-19 disruption and continued travel restrictions across Asia Pacific, G2E Asia has shifted its focus to 2022 to ensure we meet the show’s high expectations, which we share with our valued exhibitors and attendees,” said the team in a press statement.

This is not the first time the expo has been pushed back. It was initially set to take place May 25 to 27 this year. Afterwards, it was moved to August, and later to November. Now it has been moved to 2022.

The Asian gaming and integrated resort industry meeting had its last on-site edition in May, 2019, in Macau. A one-day G2E Asia online conference was held on May 25, 2021.

G2E Asia is organized by the American Gaming Association (AGA) and Reed Exhibitions. “Thank you for your continued support of G2E Asia and we look forward to seeing you in 2022,” said both parties on Monday. 

Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, the event had been held annually in Macau since 2007. At the time of the announcement, holders of foreign passports that are not also Macau ID holders are barred from entering Macau as a Covid-19 measure, with a few exceptional circumstances considered.

G2E Asia's U.S. counterpart, G2E Las Vegas, returned October 4-7 as an in-person event following a two-year hiatus. Industry professionals and key actors within the gaming industry showcased all the latest offerings in slots, table games, iGaming, and more at The Venetian Expo.

While organizers expected attendance levels to not be as high as in pre-pandemic editions, the gaming industry still looked forward to the event, which ended up proving to be a success: the 21st edition of the event marked the largest in-person global gaming event since the beginning of the pandemic, with 233 exhibitors.

The event gathered over 13,000 global gaming professionals, including exhibitors, buyers, and media. It also featured five dynamic keynotes and 46 education sessions, with cashless technologies taking center stage. Organizers have confirmed G2E LAs Vegas 2022 to be held on October 10-13.