CR62-p38-SBG:SJC-Casino Review 25/11/07 01:39 Page 1
casinoreview
European dream
Emerging governing developed or is in the
GameTech is developing its server-based wireless gaming system and
standards for server- process of being
platform in five locations in Europe. The gaming system will consist of the
based gaming are being developed by most
new GameTech Elite server-based operating system and Wi-Fi based
The right
fostered by GSA and jurisdictions, including
their G2S and S2S Nevada and New Jersey.
applications. The GameTech Mini is a portable gaming device allowing protocol
protocols. On the
players to play in a virtual bingo environment, linking all five sites to a
regulatory side,
common game and at the same time allowing the players access to
governing regulations
traditional gaming content; such as video poker. has either been
SBG:MARKETANALYSIS
As British casinos do not
have a real history of US-
style casino slot machines,
they are a great proving
ground for server-based
gaming. Gala Coral Group’s
Peter Hannibal talked to
Hugh Sorrill about the
reasons why he is investing
so much in the technology
and what it will mean for the
operator and the player.
Choice and flexibility for
both operator and player
casestudy allows Gala Coral to source “We consult with cus- means we can also get new
GALA CORAL GROUP both software content and tomers frequently and can games out on test immedi- Strengths
hardware from anywhere, make changes almost immedi- ately. You no longer have to More efficient use of gaming machines
O
ne of the pioneer hugely expanding the possi- ately just by passing on their roll cabinets in and out.” No need to replace machine/physically replace a game
operators of server- bilities for games as well as comments to the software The choice of games when a new game is required
based gaming in the giving the operators unprece- guys,” said Hannibal. “For downloaded to Gala Casino More choice and flexibility - for operators and players
UK is the Gala Coral dented levels of control over instance, some customers terminals is determined cen-
Group, which has the retail offering. didn’t like their credit meters trally – for the moment at any Opportunities
had a dedicated system from “The old way of doing things appearing on the screen rate. That power may in the More sophisticated operations, more opportunities
Inspired Gaming on test in meant buying a whole gaming where everybody could see future be devolved to local Tailor your offer to individual players
various locations from January package that includes both what they have. So there is a management. Potential to reduce operating costs over time
2006. Having seen its invest- hardware and software,” said now a button on the screen The question on many
ment returned in less than a Hannibal. “That limits what you that allows them to keep the people’s minds is what slot Weaknesses
year, in July 2007 it added can provide on the platform meter hidden if they want.” floors will look like in the Heavy investment required and more IT skills needed in house
another 1,200 server-based ter- and limits the kind of hardware Some of these sorts of future. At the moment, they Not entirely proven - players wary of game rules tampering
minals to its estate and a further you can have; it’s not easy, for changes, and of course any new are a mix of machines from Risk of system and network downtime
2,800 will be installed early example, to completely change games developed for the plat- different manufacturers, all
next year. the note acceptor to a different form, have now to gain with different games styles, Threats
The man leading the roll- product if you want to.” approval from the Gambling perhaps, depending on juris- Lack of standardisation in technology
out is Gala Coral’s director of He continued: “Open archi- Commission. diction, a mystery jackpot or a Regulatory complexity
electronic gaming, Peter Han- tecture in a server-based plat- While players can have wide-area progressive, plus Supplier monopolies and high switching costs
nibal. He told Casino Review: form, however, gives real their suggestions incorpo- some of the strongly themed
“We’ve chosen the highest flexibility in both hardware rated quickly, the greatest leased games from major man-
volume businesses for the and software. You can plug in benefit to them is a constantly ufacturers with mechanical the Key Technologies for our such as Deal or No Deal and
further expansion of the Gala any peripherals you want and evolving choice of games. top-boxes. The style of gaming bingo clubs. They don’t all Monopoly, and they can be
Gaming Platform – it’s not yet offer as many games as you “However,” said Hannibal, floors will change, believes need to be the same. I don’t offered through the server-
worthwhile to link in the want. You can monitor the per- “we’re not in the business of Hannibal, but they will not think anyway that in the long based platform hardware.”
smaller given the cost of the formance of games, give infor- designing games. All we do is end up being rows of homog- term the games with big top He added: “I do believe that
installation of the infrastruc- mation about food and offer a retail proposition, a enous terminals. boxes are the answer, at least in server-based technology we
ture, including cabling and the beverage, even, ultimately, choice to our customers of He said: “We are using not here. You might need have the future of gaming: as
servers themselves, which are advertise on screen.” three, four or more games on Atronic’s eMotion cabinets for something big and brash in the product evolves and the
sunk cost.” It also means that they can each machine. Popularity with our slot machine games and the States but not in the UK. games not only are developed,
The Gala Gaming Platform respond quickly to feedback players determines the choice Inspired Gaming’s cabinets It’s a different retail proposi- they will outperform tradi-
is an open server-based plat- from the players about game of which games are available for the roulette game, for tion. Here it’s the branded tional games because they give
form designed by Inspired that play and other issues. but the nature of the platform example, and cabinets from products that have longevity, the customer more choice.”
38 December 2007 serverbasedgaming
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