AGS receives award for best company to work for 10 consecutive years.

American Gaming Systems (AGS), a Las Vegas-based gaming equipment manufacturer, has received the national award for one of the Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in the United States for the tenth consecutive year, awarded by the National Association of Business Resources (NABR). This achievement marks an uninterrupted decade of recognition for the company, also known as PlayAGS. David Lopez, the company's president and CEO, has led AGS since the awards streak began.

The company specializes in developing slot machines for Class II and Class III tribal casinos and acts as a content provider for electronic gaming equipment, table games, shufflers, and interactive games. Under Lopez's leadership, the workforce grew from approximately 500 to 1.000 employees. Annual revenue reached US$400 million in 2025, almost double the amount recorded in 2017, according to company data.

For Daron Dorsey, president and CEO of the Las Vegas-based Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (AGEM), maintaining this standard over ten years is a significant achievement in the face of a period of profound internal transformation. “Over the past decade, AGS has undergone a series of complex financial transactions, from the company’s initial public offering (IPO) in the US and, more recently, its privatization through a private equity acquisition,” stated Dorsey. He added: “At the same time, the company has expanded its product lines and broadened its operations in various national and international gaming markets, in addition to overcoming a pandemic. Throughout all these times, the company has maintained its identity as a dynamic and enjoyable workplace in the competitive gaming supplier landscape. This is a testament to both AGS’s competence and that of its CEO, David Lopez, who has led the company throughout this period.”

Lopez credits the results to a corporate culture built on open communication across all hierarchical levels. “That’s what we focus on: allowing employees to truly define the type of culture we’ll have and the type of place we’ll work,” the executive stated. “Our job as senior leadership is to hire well and hire people we believe will fit into our culture.”

Before taking over AGS in 2014, Lopez amassed over 15 years of experience in the gaming industry. His career began in 1998 at Shuffle Master, a pioneering company in the development of electronic card shuffling machines for casinos. “I started as a marketing analyst, which was fun, and I worked my way up through the company over 14 years,” he recounted. “When I left, I was director of operations and then went to Global Cash Access as CEO, and then joined AGS in 2014.” Lopez attended community colleges in New York and Nevada before graduating from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), and also served in the Army National Guard.

Presence in 10 countries

AGS's operational structure reflects the geographic expansion that has occurred over the last decade. The company's largest operation is in Atlanta, and production centers and studios operate in Austin, Texas; Oklahoma City; Phoenix; Mexico City; and Sydney, Australia. The corporate headquarters remains in Las Vegas, primarily concentrating administrative functions. The largest customer base is in Oklahoma's tribal casinos, making Oklahoma City a strategic hub for the business.

“When we started, we had offices in two countries,” Lopez stated. “Now, we are in 10 countries.”

Julia Boguslawski, marketing director at AGS, attributes part of the longevity of the work environment to the CEO's management style. “He’s very transparent,” Boguslawski said of Lopez. “He’s very direct in a way that I think appeals to a lot of people. It’s simply very refreshing. It’s transparent. It’s not political. It’s very real. If there’s a problem, an issue, David resolves it quickly in a very non-confrontational and non-aggressive way. As a result, everything is done openly.” Boguslawski also highlighted that Lopez is known internally as “a CEO who isn’t a CEO,” a reference to his informal style, which includes wearing Converse sneakers to the office.

Lopez attributes the string of awards to the creative freedom offered to employees and the open environment cultivated over the years.