G2E 2026 Shipping and Crating Checklist for Exhibitors

The 2026 Freeman Quick Facts listed these historical milestones:

• Advance warehouse receiving began August 25; arrivals after September 17 incurred an additional late-arrival charge.
• Show-site receiving began September 24, with targeted move-in instructions for exhibitors.
• Gaming equipment and slot machines were required to ship out October 1. Their carriers had a 7 p.m. marshalling-yard check-in deadline; equipment had to be skidded and packed, with the Material Handling Agreement submitted by 10 p.m.
• Hall D materials had an October 2 removal deadline; Halls A, B, and C had an October 3 deadline.

Those windows have passed. For freight awaiting collection or delivery, ask Freeman and your carrier where it is, what paperwork is outstanding, and whether a new appointment or storage charge applies. For another show year, obtain that year’s manual and labels rather than reusing this schedule.

Create an equipment record with dimensions, weight, photographs, and identifying information. Show your packing provider where screens, controls, access panels, feet, and projecting parts are located. Obtain any manufacturer transport instructions before deciding how the equipment will be supported or disassembled.

Record these details for each unit:

• Model, serial or inventory number, and assigned crate ID
• Item dimensions and weight, including attached accessories
• Removable parts and the person authorized to remove them
• Screen surfaces, controls, or panels that cannot take pressure
• Cables, keys, mounting hardware, and demonstration accessories
• The person responsible for checking and repacking the unit

Keep small accessories in labeled containers associated with their equipment. Make the inventory useful to the receiving crew, not only the person booking transportation. Photograph the item’s condition before packing and again when it is unpacked.

Custom shipping crates for gaming equipment should account for support, internal movement, and exposed surfaces. Explain how each unit will be loaded and removed, where its weight is supported, and what lifting or handling equipment will be available. Do not assume a cabinet’s wheels or decorative panels are suitable restraint points.

Discuss the base, blocking, bracing, cushioning, and removable panels as one packing system. Screens and controls need an approach that avoids unwanted pressure, while a tall cabinet needs an appropriate support plan. Follow the equipment manufacturer’s handling guidance.

Think about the return journey when reviewing the design. Photograph the original packing arrangement and label removable supports so the crew can reinstall them correctly. Our Las Vegas trade show crating service covers custom crates and protective packaging for displays, electronics, and exhibit equipment.

Match every crate to the inventory, shipment paperwork, and current destination. Verify the exhibitor name, booth number where relevant, crate count, outside dimensions, and total packed weight. The 2026 instructions required certified weight tickets; retain those with your shipment records.

Use the G2E exhibitor manual to locate official show documents. For an onward shipment after the event, obtain current collection instructions from the party holding the freight. Remove superseded destination labels and confirm who provides the bill of lading and completes any release paperwork.

Keep the responsibilities clear. Crating, carrier transportation, and event material handling have separate scopes. Check your agreements before assuming one provider arranged all three.

Inspect the equipment, crate base, closures, supports, and cushioning when the shipment is accessible. Compare the contents with your inventory and document visible damage or missing items promptly. Keep packing materials and photographs while you contact the relevant provider about its reporting process.

For a crate being reused, replace damaged protection and confirm that all removable supports are present. A different cabinet model, changed screen, or added accessory may require changes to the interior layout. Have the packing provider review those differences before another shipment.

If the equipment is going from Las Vegas to a warehouse, customer, or next exhibition, confirm receiving hours, access, unloading equipment, and unpacking responsibility. Our broader trade show shipping checklist helps organize that next shipment from inventory through return packing.

Can I still use the 2026 receiving instructions?

Use them as records of the completed event. For an unresolved shipment, confirm the freight’s current location and arrange collection with its holder and carrier. Future events require their own instructions.

Can an existing gaming-equipment crate be reused?

Possibly, after checking its condition, fit, supports, closures, and handling requirements. Tell the crating provider about any changes to the equipment or transportation plan.

What information helps with a repacking quote?

Send equipment photos, dimensions, weight, the existing crate’s condition, current location, destination, and required ready date. Include manufacturer instructions and any site-access restrictions.