CR79-p32-multi-player3:SJC-Casino Review 19/4/09 00:44 Page 1
internationalcasinoreview
Multi-players
REPORT
Shuffle Master has
turnkey multi-player
solution in its range
With multi-players covering all manner of table games, Shuffle Master holds
one of the industry’s strongest hands. The company’s Kirsten Clarke
answers some quick fire questions on the range.
rageagainstthemachine CR: With Vegas Star and Lightening
INTERVIEW Poker, do you feel Shuffle Master has
one of the most complete multi-
Casino Review: What is Shuffle player offerings in the industry?
Master’s most popular multi-player? KC: Yes: we have a very diverse multi-
Kirsten Clarke: It depends on the player product line that in our opinion
market. In the US, Table Master is the is unmatched by the other suppliers
most popular. In Asia-Pac, our Vegas Star competing in the multi-player space. Roulette
and Rapid Table Game platforms are. Our emphasis is a direct reflection of
our expertise in table games: as the
CR: When did TableMaster burst industry's leading table game content
remains the
onto the market and roughly how and shuffler provider, we recognised
many installs have you had? the opportunity presented by elec-
staple for
KC: We began installing Table Master tronic table game options and have
in late 2004 and now have over 2,000 dedicated substantial resources to
seats in play (over 400 units). developing and acquiring products we electronic casinos
feel would be beneficial to our casino
CR:Has it opened any markets where customers.
card games are banned? nothingbetter
KC:Yes: it is the multi-player of choice Shuffle Master’s Rapid Craps multiplayer CR: When trying to replicate a live CASE STUDY
in key US slot-only markets like Penn- game what are the most important
sylvania and Delaware. and Atlantic City. Players like its easy-to- things to consider? Spielbanken Niedersachsen, owned by Lower Saxony
use touch screen interface, and casinos KC: A key consideration is keeping the Casinos, which operates ten venues in north west Germany,
CR: How quick is ROI on such a like its ability to increase the number of game play as close to the live table game sees multiplayers as an essential part of the games mix, par-
product? spins per hour and the ability to service experience as possible. The player inter- ticularly as six of its venues are electronic casinos. These are
KC: Hard to say: it depends on a wide more players with one dealer and face needs to be intuitive and easy to locations that are differentiated from gaming arcades by the
range of factors including whether the wheel. Rapid Baccarat and Rapid Sic Bo understand, and it’s important to not higher standards to which they are held but also offer players
unit was purchased, is leased or is on have both been successful product overwhelm the player with ancillary ele- more and better gaming opportunities.
participation. Additionally, factors like launches for the Rapid line as well. ments that are not present on live tables. The Casino Aquamarin Seevetal, for example, which
the minimum wager required and It is very important to involve the player opened five years ago with only machines boasts two
player traffic all impact the ROI. CR: The Rapid range continues to with some sort of interaction, such as roulette wheels to which are attached 25 terminals. Guests
grow, although this is Star Games rolling the dice. Table games very often can choose which wheel to play.
CR: What are its advantages development, are there more games involve strategy or interaction with a “All the electronic casinos in Lower Saxony Casinos group
compared to other similar genre to come? physical element (dice, cards, etc.): these have electronic roulette,” said company spokeswoman
of products? KC: It will depend: if we identify elements are an important component Karen Krüger. “Roulette is a classic among casino games;
KC:One of Table Master’s greatest advan- other games that would work well on of the table game experience. To be suc- multi-roulette offers a modern form of the classic and meets
tages is its ability to offer our proprietary the Rapid platform, this is certainly a cessful, an electronic table game needs the demand for it. It is indispensable in our electronic casinos
table games, like Three Card Poker or our possibility. to keep the player engaged, and like I but we also offer it in two of our traditional casinos at Bad
Royal Match 21 Blackjack side bet, on it. said above, needs to replicate the live Zwischenahn and Hanover and with a lot of success.”
Additionally, its live-table like construc- CR: Do you class the i-table as a experience as closely as possible. At the sharp end of operations, what is important is that
tion makes its fully electronic play seem multi-player? machines are reliable and based on mature technology. But
more like the live game experience. KC: Yes and no. It is a multi-player in that CR: Has the multi-player become as not all multiplayer formats are successful in all situations: at
it is an e-Table platform that uses electron- important as the slot machine? Seevetal, a trial of an electronic poker room had to end. “The
CR: What has Rapid Roulette’s ics for betting. That said, it is classified as a KC: I think it certainly has the poten- demand towards the end was just too low,” said Krüger.
acceptance been like in the States? live table game because it uses live cards tial to become as important as the slot “Despite holding extra tournaments, we think that the live
KC:Rapid Roulette is doing quite well, (i.e. it does not use a random number gen- machine in terms of casino offerings, poker games being offered in the nearby competing casinos
particularly in markets like Las Vegas erator to produce the game results). performance and profitability. of Hamburg and Schenefeld became too big.”
Multiplayer
boundaryissues players have had a huge casinos is a controversial player format that is gaining
CASINOS VS ARCADES impact on the industry in the subject in some countries in popularity - poker.”
success
last ten and more years. where the traditional indus- Poker multiplayers are
What’s the difference They have helped to change try feels under pressure unlikely ever to achieve the
between an electronic casino the sector in a significant from the competition such profitability levels of roulette
has
and a posh gaming arcade? way with their high player super arcades represent, but they do provide a good
It’s a fine line that depends appeal and profitability, either in their own jurisdic- way for casinos - and indeed
blurred
on the jurisdiction, the legis- which has convinced opera- tions or across a border. But arcades - to offer a game
lation, the operator and the tors to give them an impor- it is also true that most tradi- that helps to attract and
atmosphere. But it’s perhaps tant position inside casinos tional casinos are happy to retain players far more eco-
dividing
the game offer itself that has and especially arcades.” install multiplayers where nomically than the live game.
blurred the boundary more He continued: “Multiplay- possible because they are There’s no doubt about it:
lines
than anything else with the ers have certainly helped economical to run and it’s the bottom line that is the
advent of multiplayers. arcades to grow and therefore profitable. final argument when it comes
One of the most important become more attractive, arcades the same type of “The most popular game to the enduring place of mul-
manufacturers is Slovenian more like casinos and Alfas- games as in live casino. They is still roulette,” said Petek. tiplayer games, whether they
company Alfastreet. Market- treet’s products have had a like to play them.” “Over the years it has shown be in a casino or an arcade
ing and sales manager big role: with the advent of The fact that a kind of a very high level of accept- and the lines between the
Matjaz Petek told Interna- these machines, players casino experience is avail- ance and play. But now there two are perhaps best drawn
tional Casino Review: “Multi- were able to experience in able in venues that are not is another game in a multi- elsewhere.
32 May 2009 • multiplayersreport
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56