THE GAMING & MARKETING EDGE
What High-Performing Venues Do Differently
Gaming venues have more data, technology and marketing tools at their fingertips than ever before. But having access to them doesn’t automatically translate into better results.
With rising costs, regulatory pressure, changing player expectations and greater scrutiny on marketing ROI, the competitive edge increasingly comes from knowing what to look for, what to change and where to focus.
The Gaming & Marketing Edge is a practical industry course designed to help club and pub professionals turn gaming knowledge, player insights and marketing strategy into measurable business performance.
Learn how to attract and retain players, make better use of your data, optimise your gaming floor, improve marketing ROI and build rewards and player-development strategies that actually drive engagement.
Who Should Attend The Course?
Whether you’re new to the industry or a seasoned club/pub manager wanting to stay ahead of the competition, this course will fast-track your expertise and provide actionable strategies you can implement immediately.
Tailored for club and pub industry professionals, this program is ideal for:
- Venue managers and Operations Managers looking to understand and grow gaming performance.
- Marketing managers and coordinators seeking deeper knowledge of gaming, player behaviour, segmentation and engagement.
- Loyalty and rewards managers seeking a competitive edge and wanting to improve the commercial performance of their programs
- Duty and middle managers ready to build their gaming and marketing management capabilities.
Outsource the work, not the understanding.
Many venues outsource specialist services, from gaming analysis and marketing to loyalty, data and digital activity. Outsourcing can provide valuable expertise and resources, but managers still need to understand the strategy behind the recommendations, what outcomes they should expect and how success is being measured. Without that knowledge, it can be difficult to know whether you’re getting genuine value, or simply paying for activity.
What Makes This Course Unique?
This isn’t a course built around theory. It’s about the decisions gaming and marketing managers make every day: what to buy, what to change, who to target, what to offer, where to invest and how to know whether it’s working.
- This is the only industry program that dives deep into Player Development & Rewards.
- No-nonsense, practical insights delivered in plain language, easy to understand, easy to apply.
- Includes a comprehensive reference guide so you can revisit key strategies anytime.
Topics include:
Gaming Performance & Floor Optimisation
- Gaming machine analysis – What to buy, what to trade out, and how to make data-backed decisions.
- Negotiating machine purchases – Timing, conversions, warranties, and deals that benefit your venue.
- Fleet management & floor optimisation – How to structure your gaming mix and machine placement.
- Gaming budgets – Planning, forecasting, justification, and board approval.
- To link or not to link? – Costs, benefits, and the best strategy for your venue.
Marketing, Data & Player Engagement
- Getting more from your marketing budget and improving ROI.
- Turning player data into smarter targeting and more relevant offers.
- Understanding different player types, behaviours and motivations.
- Finding opportunities to reach, retain and grow your gaming market.
- Identifying competitive gaps and opportunities.
- Using AI and automation to work smarter, analyse information, develop campaigns and improve marketing efficiency.
- Getting more from your technology investment. Most venues already have access to powerful gaming, membership, loyalty and marketing tools. Learn how to better use the systems and data you already have to improve decision-making, engagement and performance.
Player Development & Rewards
- Is your rewards program driving revenue or simply adding cost?
- How to assess and optimise the performance of your loyalty and rewards strategy.
- Understanding the important difference between Player Development and Rewards – and why venues need both.
- Identifying, developing and retaining valuable players.
- Building smarter VIP and high-value player strategies without simply giving more away.
Walk Away with a Game Plan
The aim isn’t simply to give you more information. It’s to help you ask better questions, make better decisions and identify practical opportunities to improve performance at your venue.
Whether you want to sharpen your gaming knowledge, improve player engagement, get greater value from your marketing spend or rethink your rewards strategy, The Gaming & Marketing Edge gives you the tools and industry insight to take the next step.
BUILD YOUR EDGE – BOOK NOW TO SECURE YOUR PLACE
SYDNEY
TUESDAY 22 September 2026
9AM – 5PM
Club Central Hurstville
2 Crofts Ave, Hurstville NSW 2220
$515 + GST + Booking Fees
BOOK NOW >> (Sydney)
Meet your trainers:
JUSTINE CHANNING
PhD, MRes, BSc. BA(Hons)
Justine has over 35 years’ experience in the hospitality industry and has worked as an executive-level gaming manager in several large clubs and hotel groups across Australia. Her expertise and gaming knowledge started with product management roles with both Aristocrat and IGT, working with casinos, clubs and hotels across all Australian jurisdictions. She spent two years in Europe for Aristocrat working with casinos and assisting with the introduction of Australian-style gaming machines into the market. For several years Justine managed IGT’s Gaming Analysis and Insights department, producing game performance and jurisdictional data for the business, along with high-level site-specific gaming analyses for all types of venues across Australia. Justine has held roles as the executive gaming manager in several clubs across Sydney. For the last 17 years, she has operated a successful gaming specialist company assisting clubs and hotels to increase gaming revenue and mentoring younger managers. Justine is the current Editor, Co-founder and Managing Director of The Drop and contributes gaming articles regularly.
LINDA JOANNIDES
Linda is a recognised hospitality industry marketing specialist. She has spent over 15 years in the pub and club industry as a senior executive and creative consultant. Linda has won more than 16 business and ClubNSW industry awards working with some of the foremost venues and is a regular speaker and presenter on marketing, player development and AI at conferences and workshops in Australia and overseas. She is one of the few hospitality marketers who has an in-depth knowledge of gaming and developed a VIP Host Management program in conjunction with the Barrington Group. She is also a co-founder and editorial contributor for The Drop.
Prior to working in the hospitality industry, Linda was Executive Producer for a global music television network. She also worked in the creative department of some of the leading advertising and sales promotion agencies in the country, specialised in loyalty programs, licensing and marketing initiatives for companies like News Limited, NRL, Nine Network, KFC, ACP Magazines, 2UE, 7-Eleven, Coca-Cola, Westfield, Caltex and McDonalds.
