International Game Technology (IGT) will cease operations of its electronic table games (ETG) division in 2027, as confirmed by the company on Tuesday. The decision follows substantial layoffs earlier this year, with IGT spokesman Phill O'Shaughnessy stating it aligns with the company’s focus on key business priorities and long-term growth objectives. He assured that IGT would continue to support its ETG customers throughout the transition.
This move comes after IGT, which was acquired and merged with Everi Holdings in a $6.3 billion deal under Apollo Global Management in 2024, cut approximately 10% of its global workforce in March. New CEO Hector Fernandez explained in an internal message that the layoffs were intended to streamline the company’s structure, reduce redundancy, and enhance operational efficiency.
As a result of the merger, IGT’s former lottery division was spun off and became Brightstar Lottery, a publicly traded entity. Now, the ETG division appears to be next in line for closure. In June 2025, Daniel Cohen, a partner at Apollo, expressed concerns to Nevada regulators about IGT’s lagging position compared to competitors like Aristocrat and Light & Wonder. He emphasized that creating long-term value was the primary goal behind the acquisition.
Cohen stated, “Our goal long term is to become the operator’s supplier. So if you’re the Venetian or Caesars or anyone else, you can come to IGT for basically every one of your product needs, which will allow us to continue to invest in products and innovate with our customers to really create the next generation of what casino technology products will look like.”
IGT had been seeing growth in its ETG business, which, although smaller than its slot operations, included various games such as blackjack, baccarat, and roulette. The company also adapted its popular Wheel of Fortune brand into an ETG format, hoping it would boost interest in the sector. Luigi Cacciapuoti, IGT’s vice president of specialty product and ETG, noted in a 2024 interview, “We wanted to give a clear differentiation versus the past because this is a completely new [ETG] offering. We rewrote everything. Every line of code, everything is new and we really want to offer something that at the same time would be exciting for the players and valuable for our customers. So we made sure that we are answering the needs of both.”
However, the ETG market has faced growth challenges, primarily due to the significant space required for the games on casino floors. Slots typically yield higher revenue while occupying considerably less space, presenting a tough choice for floor managers. Additionally, ETGs are more popular in European and Asian markets than in the U.S.
Interblock, a leader in the ETG market and also backed by private equity, was rumored to be an acquisition target for Aristocrat, but no deal materialized, reportedly due to a $200 million price gap.
