Michael Laubach & Bob Luciano inducted into the EKG Slot Awards Hall of Fame
Michael Laubach & Bob Luciano inducted into the EKG Slot Awards Hall of Fame
IRVINE, CALIFORNIA, February 8, 2022 – Eilers & Krejcik Gaming, LLC (EKG) is proud to announce that both Michael Laubach and Robert “Bob” Luciano have been inducted into the EKG Slot Awards Hall of Fame (HOF) Class of 2022. Both Michael and Bob will be honored in person at the 2022 EKG Slot Awards in Las Vegas on February 24, 2022. Bob Luciano is the fourth inductee to the EKG Slot Awards HOF under the Game Development category while the late Michael Laubach is the second inductee under the Slot Operations category.
“Once again our distinguished Board of Advisors has selected two outstanding individuals to be inducted into the EKG Slot Awards Hall of Fame,” said Todd Eilers, Principal at Eilers & Krejcik Gaming, LLC. “Both Michael and Bob have made significant contributions to the gaming industry and are well deserving of this honor.”
Michael Laubach was born on November 28, 1954, in Merced, California. After a brief stint in the US Army Michael started his gaming career at Harvey’s Casino in South Lake Tahoe in 1975 joining his father, Donald John Laubach who also worked at Harvey’s in the slot department. After a short perio
d of time, Michael moved to Las Vegas and accepted a job at The Stardust as a Slot Floorman. He quickly moved up the ranks and was eventually promoted to Director of Slot Operations. He then left the Stardust in early 1990s to open the Slot Department at the new Bull Whacker’s Casino in Blackhawk Colorado.
After a couple years in Colorado, Michael was contacted by his good friend Dominic Mezzetta and asked to open the Hollywood Casino in Tunica, Mississippi and serve as the casino’s Vice President of Slot Operations. In 2001, Michael’s mentor from the Stardust, Dick Burnside recruited Michael back to Boyd Gaming. Michael accepted the job and moved to Vinton, LA to open Delta Downs then returned to Sam’s Town in Tunica, MS to oversee the Slot Department. Michael was then asked to move to Las Vegas where he took over the Slot Department at the Orleans in 2007 as the Director of Slot Operations.
Michael formally moved to the corporate office for Boyd Gaming in 2019 as the Corporate Vice President of Slot Operations. In addition to his many gaming positions, Michael was also an inaugural member of the EKG Slot Awards Board of Advisors and was a key contributor to the early success of the event. Michael passed away on August 9, 2021, and is survived by his wife (Kim Laubach), 1 daughter (Samantha Reaves), 2 sons (Christopher and Spencer).
Robert “Bob” Luciano was born in 1958 in Morristown, New Jersey. He graduated from Drexel University in 1981 studying mechanical Engineering. After graduating he moved to Reno, Nevada working as a project Engineer at International Game Technology. He climbed his way up the ranks to Vice President of Advanced Development before ultimately leaving IGT to found Sierra Design Group (SDG).
Bob’s accomplishments while at the helm of SDG include developing systems technology that helped pave the way for many successful gaming operations in Native American jurisdictions, including California, Florida, and Washington, and creating unique gaming products, such as Raining Diamonds slot machines that dispensed real diamond jewelry and the Auction Fever bonusing concept.
Bob was also at the forefront of many technological innovations in gaming and systems at Bally Technologies. After Bally Technologies (then Alliance Gaming) purchased Sierra Design Group in 2004, Bob also served as executive vice president and chief technology officer for Bally Technologies before suffering a serious stroke that required him to take a medical leave. Prior to founding Sierra Design Group in 1996, Bob was vice president of advanced engineering at IGT. He also previously held several engineering positions at a variety of nongaming companies, including Soabar, a division of Avery International, and Mobil Oil.
Bob has over 300 patents to his name, including various gaming technologies, golf technology, and pharmaceutical packaging. Some of Bob’s key patents in the gaming industry were critical in commercializing Ticket-In, Ticket Out technology (TITO) which is now the standard for casinos across the world today.
Congratulations to the late Michael Laubach and to Bob Luciano as inductees into The EKG Slot Awards Hall of Fame – Class of 2022. Thank you for your contributions to the gaming industry.
Thank you to our Event Sponsors
About Eilers & Krejcik Gaming:
Eilers & Krejcik Gaming, LLC is a boutique research and consulting firm focused on servicing the gaming equipment, interactive gaming, and sports betting sectors within the global gaming industry. Our products and services primarily include market research, company research, and consulting and advisory services designed specifically for land based & online casino operators, equipment & technology suppliers, social gaming operators & suppliers, gaming regulators, and institutional investors. Additional information regarding our research products and advisory services can be obtained calling Todd Eilers at (949) 387-7701, or visiting our website at http://www.ekgamingllc.com.
