Gate City Casino made state history last week. The Delaware North-owned property became the first venue in New Hampshire to open an Aristocrat Lounge on its gaming floor.
Andrew Gentile serves as GM at Gate City. He said the launch brings “immense popularity” from Aristocrat Gaming’s titles to New Hampshire players. The lounge features well-known slots like Cash Express Legend, Spooky Link and Buffalo Ultimate Stampede.
Delaware North didn’t stop with one property. The company also launched Aristocrat Lounges at Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack and Mardi Gras Casino & Resort in West Virginia. Wheeling Island’s activation was actually the first Aristocrat Lounge opened anywhere in the US.
Why Gate City Committed to This Major Reconfiguration
The Aristocrat Lounge represents just one part of a bigger gaming floor overhaul.
Gate City installed over 300 video lottery terminals throughout the casino. But they’re not abandoning their existing players. The property kept a selection of historical horse racing machines on the floor.
Gentile explained the lounge fits into Gate City’s plan to give guests “more of a dynamic gaming machine experience.” The VLT transition became possible after recent New Hampshire legislation changed the state’s charitable gaming program. That legislation introduced a new revenue-sharing system.
Kurt Gissane, Aristocrat’s Chief Revenue Officer, called it a “truly collaborative effort.” He wants players to enjoy having all their favourite Aristocrat titles in “one vibrant, centralised destination.”
What Changed on Gate City’s Gaming Floor
The installation brought 300+ VLTs to the property. These machines now sit alongside the Aristocrat Lounge, which centralises the supplier’s most popular slot titles in one dedicated area.
Gate City maintained some HHR machines despite the VLT rollout. This keeps options available for players who prefer those games.
The casino already offered 19 table games before this upgrade. Those include roulette, craps, blackjack, face-up Pai Gow, mini Baccarat and Spanish 21. There’s also a 15-table poker room. And Gate City runs a DraftKings sportsbook.
How This Benefits Multiple Stakeholders
The VLT transition required support from state leadership. Gentile thanked Governor Kelly Ayotte, the legislature and the New Hampshire Lottery Commission for enhancing the charitable gaming program.
Gate City’s charity partners stand to gain from these changes. Gentile said Delaware North’s investment in the casino will “greatly benefit” those organisations.
Players get access to centralised Aristocrat content they couldn’t find elsewhere in New Hampshire. The lounge concept consolidates popular titles instead of scattering them across the floor.
Aristocrat expands its presence in regulated US markets through these partnerships. The company now has multiple lounge locations operating across different states, with Gate City marking its New Hampshire entry.
