Casino July-Aug 08 P32-38 24/6/08 12:14 Page 34
CASH HANDLING
argues Robert Bird, Group know how many refusals result from genuinely For all but slot hall applications in developing
Marketing Manager for Astrosys unacceptable bills… markets, casino slot machines will feature bill
International. Acceptance rate may not be such a major factor validators with stackers. The stacker or cashbox inside
Coin-in is becoming almost today, when keeping tabs on how equipment is the machine becomes a small, portable safe for the
extinct in some jurisdictions, working, minimizing the time and cost of cash. The secure cashbox not only receives the
which Bird, unsurprisingly, finds maintenance and maximizing machine uptime are the money, but retains it and allows for easy and quick
troubling – for over four and a main points of differentiation among savvy operators. extraction of the cash from machines by the drop
half years, the Astrosys Microcoin team on the casino floor. Essentially, a quick swap
QL has been the default unit for Collecting data along with cash with an empty cashbox means that machine
IGT’s small coin offering. “There downtime is minimal, and the cashbox will be taken
should be the opportunity for the back to the softcount area where its contents will be
average punter whatever they want counted.
to into a slot machine,” he argues. Increasingly, it looks as if cashboxes will do more
If the player has coins in his or than collect the money, but will be harnessed to
her pocket, then the slot should collect data about the machines in which they sit and
be able to take them. But in Vegas, deliver it, with cash, to the operator.
at least, coin-in and coin-out have JCM’s Nieman feels his company still has the lead,
pretty much disappeared, to the with its ICB (Intelligent Cash Box): “Our ICB is the
chagrin of Bird and at least one most advanced, most secure cash box available and
taxi driver… gives full reporting and asset tracking that is not
And not all casino operators are available on competitive products,” he says.
keen to go coinless. According to “The ICB is the very heart of the entire casino’s
Bird, one Canadian casino accounting system, from slots and table games to the
company decided they wanted to back office. Because the ICB automates the cash
take coin out, ran some tests and handling process, time spent in the entire process –
found that coin was contributing from count room to cage to accounting – is
to the play, so decided not to dramatically reduced.
replace their Microcoin QL units
JCM’s ICB
“For example, after our ICB was installed at her
with ticket printers. property, Linda Canada, general manager of Fire Lake
That said, with the exception of
Australia, TITO is either dominant
or making serious headway on gaming floors PromoNet, a software system the company has expands, the ability to print promotional
throughout the world, and is generally popular developed that allows coupon designs to be coupons from the same printer as the ticket is
with operators because it reduces the created, then linked to triggers such as time of exciting. The concept of real time coupons
headaches and costs of paying out on the floor day, or player activity such as length of play and targeted to players by demographic or their
with coins and notes. And it’s about to become wagering activity, and then built into preferences is a strong offering that can drive
an integral part of the whole networked, server- campaigns. Coupon designs and triggers are results."
based casino floor and is poised to start playing downloaded into GEN2 printers on the slot Thermal printers can deliver impressive-
a major role in targeted player promotions, floor via a promotions server, which is also looking coupons, which don't have to be
according to both the leading manufacturers of linked in with redemption terminals and player monochrome. For instance, TransAct's Epic 950
printers, FutureLogic and TransAct. loyalty servers. As the triggers are hit, printer offers two-colour ticket printing
John Edmunds, Vice President of International FutureLogic's GEN2 printer delivers coupon- capabilities and can communicate with the
Sales at FutureLogic agrees that investment is based promotions to players via the slot they game and with the casino's player tracking
required by operators who adopt TITO, but costs are playing. system. According to Chernay, colour printing
are small compared to the cost of handling coins, A coupon in the hand has a higher perceived hasn't yet caught on in the TITO market, and
storing them and doing a hard count. In a large value than a comp on a player loyalty card, that's a view shared by John Edmunds: "The
casino operation, coin hoppers could be holding according to Edmunds. “Players can walk away media needed to print in black and another
a substantial asset, maybe up to $1million, just with something new in their hand,” he explains. colour is very expensive," he says. Operators
sitting on the casino floor. “Coin-in is here for a “Players can’t see what is on their loyalty card, facing blank ticket costs that are three or four
while,” he argues however. “Coin-out is being and they forget what they have seen on screens, times higher than those for black-only printing
phased out – and hoppers are being replaced by they want reminders…and some players won’t aren't fired up by the technology - yet.
printers – TITO frees players up from having to have loyalty cards, so how do you market to According to Edmunds, the price of two-colour
carry buckets full of coins and can increase take them?” ticket blanks will need to come down so that
for the operator by up to 12 per cent.” While Futurelogic's is working with they are around one-and-a-half times the price
But what is causing most excitement is the regulators on approvals for PromoNet and is of mono media before casino operators will
potential that TITO offers operators for expecting to trial the system later this year, start using the benefits of two-colour TITO.
delivering targeted messages to players, such as Transact has taken a different approach. That said, FutureLogic’s GEN2 printers can
promotions that help manage the flow of "We work with the system providers," explains deliver mono tickets, or use stock that allows
people around a resort and make the most of Tracey Chernay, TransAct's Senior Vice either blue or red to be used with black.
capacity at quiet times. President Sales and Marketing. "TransAct makes As ever, reliability, convenience and the
Futurelogic’s aim is to help operators turn the printer that the systems providers integrate minimum downtime alongside cost savings are
their slots into marketing kiosks using for a full solution. As server-based gaming what operators are looking for.
34 JULY/AUGUST 2008
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