John Stergides Sr has seen a lot of ups and downs since the inception of Electrocoin nearly fifty years ago: a breadth of experience he insists makes it all the easier to weather the headwinds of a challenging year with a calm head and optimism for better days ahead.

Coinslot: How would you look back on 2024? In anger or affection?

John Stergides Sr: It has to be both, but also disappointment as the new government’s budget was a big blow for our industry and many others and is the opposite of what they promised.

However, we have to plough on and adapt to the situation and hopefully come out stronger!

The worst impact is going to be felt by seaside arcades which are the backbone of our industry.

FEC visitors already have to pay for higher prices for food and other essentials with mort gages also going up so they will obviously have less money to spend on entertainment.

At the same time, the operators have to pay higher wages and National Insurance rates with all other expenses going up.

Coinslot: What have been your highlights over the year? Talk us through some of the key developments in your business.

John Stergides Sr: We had a number of highlights this year as we launched a few successful products.

We finally received the latest dance machine from Konami, the DDRA20 Plus, which has been a success and established itself as the best dance game on the market.

The demand exceeded our expectations and the next pro duction will be late 2025 or early 2026. Meanwhile, the Rocket Launch remains the best game of the year and is still going very strong, outpacing all other similar products.

The Spinning Cyclone was officially launched this year as well, and has enjoyed growing popularity. And, of course, we now have a new game in the Bar-X family, the Bar-X Diamond Ticket 3 Player licensed with Eurotek. It’s the only ticket Bar-X machine of this style to offer a community bonus and it’s been designed specially for the FEC.

The first production was given a very warm welcome from operators and another production will start in the new year. Finally, we also had some new exciting Stern pin ball titles like the Uncanny X Men and John Wick. A new Stern title will be introduced at EAG next month.

Coinslot: And the challenges economic, market development, rising costs, regulatory uncertainty? So many to choose from, what have been the most concerning and how have you managed them?

John Stergides Sr: here are always challenges and like everyone else, we have to adapt and progress. We focus on new products and improving the successful ones we continue to offer. “Expanding the world of play since 1976” is our logo for a reason.

Coinslot: What objectives have you set the company for 2025? What do you want to be reporting back to us this time next year?

John Stergides Sr: We want to report that we have had a fantastic year with a plethora of new and successful products.

The company is growing although the Budget has caused a re-think of which areas will be invested in but we just have to see how the year progresses.

We will be presenting at more exhibitions so we are hopeful for the year ahead and have an interesting line of new products that will be unveiled along the way.

Coinslot: How confident are you about the next twelve months: do you have high hopes for the new regulation, growth in the economy and expanded business opportunities?

John Stergides Sr: Hopefully there will be more money circulating for players to spend on leisure and our industry will be benefit as a result.

We’ve been in business since 1976 and we’ve experienced many ups and downs in that time, but with the help and support of our customers and suppliers we aim to go forward and serve our industry to the best of our abilities.

We wish we had a magic ball to see the future but we can only go based on previous experience and knowledge and take the necessary action.

Coinslot: What five gifts does Santa need to put under the Christmas tree for the industry?

John Stergides Sr: We need new stakes and prizes for the industry to help innovation and development: not only for B3 but most importantly to keep our FECs with new concepts and entertainment games for the category C and D.

I hope the new government with the DCMS and the Gambling Commission support and approve the multi play B5/CAT C Plus machines, which was suggested by the Gambling Commission team way back in 2017.

This new concept will give UK manufacturers and opera tors a boost and create more jobs in our industry and play its part in restarting manufacturing in the UK. Just like Donald Trump always pushes “America first,” we should push our “industry first.”

We also need some positive news on the economic front because at the moment it’s all doom and gloom with the government only taxing and taking from hard working people and businesses.

Interview with Electrocoin John Stergides Sr on Highlights and Insights of 2024 and 2025 is published in the below issue of Coinslot.

Coinslot – December 20 – January 2, 2025 Issue 2920/21 – Page 55