Inside Gaming: IGT debuts new logo; Circa Survivor slashed again

IGT has a new brand identity.

The Las Vegas-based gaming equipment manufacturer has traded in its circular orange and blue logo design with a starburst for a custom-designed purple “IGT” and will debut and display it at this week’s Global Gaming Expo at The Venetian Expo.

IGT officials say the new design signals the organization’s transformation and commitment to operators and players “built on the principles of being fluid, frictionless and magnetic.”

The company hopes to symbolize integrated solutions across the casino floor, in-demand games worth coming back to, expertise in action and commitment to customer success.

“At G2E, our customers will see and feel the IGT transformation story in motion,” Hector Fernandez, IGT CEO, said in a release announcing the rebranding. “Our new brand identity signals who we are becoming and how our culture, capabilities and content are propelling us forward. We are providing operators with a fluid and frictionless, connected ecosystem with magnetic content that will excite players and drive performance.”

The brand identity and several new and refreshed products will be on display at the company’s G2E booth through Thursday.

‘Secret Life’

“The Secret Life of a Vegas Casino” debuts Tuesday night on Discovery Channel and the season will play out Tuesday nights at 9 p.m.

The show is a behind-the-scenes telling of operations at downtown Las Vegas’ Golden Nugget with stories centered around the lives of front-line staff members, including those working at the front desk, VIP hosting and gaming, events management and security.

The first episode includes the mystery of a missing $1,000 casino chip.

The unscripted series is the second television series filmed at the Golden Nugget.

In 2004, a show developed by “Survivor” and “The Apprentice” producer Mark Burnett had a 13-episode run called “The Casino.” It followed the lives of former co-owners Thomas Breitling and Tim Poster at the property.

“The Secret Life of a Vegas Casino” runs for an hour on cable channel 25 and can be streamed on demand on Philo.

Circa Survivor slashed again

Another week, another multimillion-dollar chunk of entries eliminated from Circa Survivor, the richest football handicapping contest in history with a $25.017 million prize.

After more than 8,000 entries were knocked out in each of the first two weeks of the NFL season, another 2,252 entries were eliminated in Week 3, including 1,111 by the Seattle Seahawks, 497 by the Green Bay Packers and 405 by the New Orleans Saints.

Overall, 75 percent of the record starting field of 25,017 entries that paid $1,000 each have already been knocked out, with only 6,358 advancing to Week 4 (not including 66 picks on the Philadelphia Eagles on ‘Monday Night Football’).

The contest carnage still pales in comparison to 2024, when 95 percent of the starting Circa Survivor field of 14,266 was eliminated in the first three weeks, leaving only 642.

The Seahawks, who suffered a 33-31 upset loss to the Washington Commanders as 7-point favorites, also eliminated six $100,000 entries in Grandissimo, Circa’s high-stakes Survivor contest. The eliminations in both Survivor contests wiped out nearly $3 million in entry fees. Only 24 of 77 Grandissimo entries remain alive in the quest for the $7.7 million prize.

The Packers were crushed 35-14 by the Atlanta Falcons on “Thursday Night Football” at Lambeau Field, while the Saints squandered an 11-point second-half lead in a 35-27 loss to the Raiders.

Three entries failed to submit their picks in the contest where entrants pick one NFL winner each week, with no point spreads, but can use each team only once.

Pair of Arkansas tribal casino execs in hot water over side business dealings

Saracen Casino Resort’s top two executives are facing recommended termination following allegations involving outside gaming software and financial oversight, the Arkansas Times first reported.

The Downstream Development Authority, which oversees the Quapaw Nation-owned Pine Bluff casino, unanimously approved a resolution Thursday recommending the termination of Chief Market Officer Carlton Saffa and General Manager Matt Harkness.

The resolution alleges the executives developed and marketed gaming software called “GamePhysics” to third parties in Arkansas, violating their employment agreements. It also accuses Harkness of gross negligence in managing Saracen’s finances and says the pair approved sponsorships and donations beyond company policy limits without required approval.

The recommendation must be approved by the Quapaw Nation Business Committee.

Saffa has disputed the allegations, saying he was “totally blindsided,” according to the local news organziation.

Harkness was general manager of the Lucky Dragon Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, leading the property through its 2016 opening before departing in 2017. He later became president of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City, overseeing the former Trump Taj Mahal’s transformation and 2018 reopening. Hard Rock replaced him before the end of the year with Joe Lupo, who now heads Hard Rock Las Vegas.