Casino Sept 08 P30-35 8/21/08 12:58 pm Page 30
SERVER-BASED GAMING
Evolution
rather than
Revolution
While server-based gaming variants are doing well in some emerging
markets, the gloomy economic outlook isn’t helping the roll-out of
server-based gaming, at least not in traditional, established casino
markets. And regulatory approaches in North America are not exactly
enabling the opportunities. Server-based gaming is still very much a
work in progress, as Graeme Kidd discovers.
S
erver-based gaming, rather like the belly glass panels, but downloadable gaming is just
internet, continues to evolve and develop. one part of a potentially much bigger and more
Today, it seems to be fairly widely useful picture.
recognised that personalising and “It seems that all operators have taken downloading
enhancing the gaming experience for the into account, one way or the other – it is nothing
player has to be the long-term objective, but it could new to have a system that can download games to a
be a year or two before this potential is fully realised. machine. The value of just doing that though is
Recognising, understanding, and communicating rather limited,” says Christer Hutchinson-Kay,
“We have proved
with players, as well as managing game content, are Director of Product Management and Professional
clear goals for what might be described as ‘true’ Services at Ace Interactive, a subsidiary of Aristocrat
for years now that
server-based gaming, as opposed to other flavours of that delivers true server-based gaming systems. “What
the income from
server-supported or server-managed gaming, which you can do with true server-based gaming and what is
involve managing game content, primarily by coming up is more valuable and exciting for players
server-based
downloading software. and operators,” Hutchinson-Kay says.
gaming
The sudden revolution predicted by analysts a few Ace Interactive, in common with many vendors, has
years ago is looking less and less likely, as Bally’s several trial sites for server-based gaming in the
equipment is
Senior Vice President of Strategy and Business casino market, but its live product exists elsewhere.
almost double the
Development, Bruce Rowe, says: “Network gaming, or For instance, Ace delivered a complete true server-
server-based gaming, it’s not one product that has based gaming system in June to Norsk Tipping,
analogue one price tag that comes at one moment in time. We Norway’s state-owned national lottery and gaming
equivalent.”
are in the middle of a transition – of how to add organization. “The system includes new and ground-
applications that create value for our customers on a breaking Responsible Gaming features, which will
Norman Crowley, Co-CEO high-speed network. make playing secure and responsible while remaining
of Inspired Gaming
“The question ‘When will the internet be done?’ is exciting for the player,” Hutchinson-Kay says. The
similar to ‘When will network gaming be done?’ The public launch is imminent: Norsk Tipping has
answer is: ‘It won’t be’. There will be a number of accepted the TruServ system, and is currently
applications that we will develop as an industry that preparing its internal operations for going live
will make huge changes in the way that we do throughout the country.
business, and there will be bunch of others that come
and go quickly, and that should come and go quickly Where are we today?
because they really don’t add value. That’s very There are conflicting views of where the market is
similar to the way that the Internet has emerged.” today. Bally, for instance, is rolling out Ethernet-
Clearly, using a server to distribute content across enabled systems and is starting to deploy
a local, national or even global network of gaming downloadable features in those installations,
machines delivers obvious benefits, in terms of being according to Bruce Rowe. But those features mainly
able to roll out new game releases without sending involve media and marketing content. “We haven’t
engineers onto the slot floor to change EPROMs and seen a huge demand from customers for the
30 SEPTEMBER 2008
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