Casino Sept 08 P30-35 8/21/08 1:00 pm Page 34
SERVER-BASED GAMING
entertainment; peripherals that are updated with the operating a system like this. We are very, very active
click of a mouse. However, to be ready for them, with the regulatory bodies domestically, and
operators need to put the right infrastructure in internationally.
place.” And that involves standards and agreed, open “Certainly the regulatory framework that we work
protocols – infrastructure that underpins the Internet. with in North America, and particularly in Nevada,
According to DeRaedt, server-based gaming has evolved relatively slowly and tends to be very
“The question
protocols and standards are now ready: “A year ago, incremental to the new technologies that come out,
we were still in the final development stages of which means it tends to map to those technologies as
‘When will the
protocols, and now, they are complete and available opposed to the end result,” he says.
internet be
for free, immediate download. So we have evolved our But things are moving on, he concedes: “With
role, from developers to instructors, advising casinos server-based gaming there are just so many ways to
done?’ is similar
on how to prepare their gaming floors for the new accomplish that end goal, regulators are taking a
to ‘When will
devices powered by GSA protocols,” he says. more generic perspective on what the product does
And the protocols are free and easy for operators to as opposed to how it does it. That said, there are still
network gaming
access in a pragmatic, practical way. To help operators some very specific steps in that process they want to
be done?’. The
check that devices they’re considering buying for use see, especially in Nevada. When it comes to how
as part of a server-based, networked floor, have been content, for example, is validated. They have
answer is: ‘It won’t
independently certified, the GSA provides a list on its prescribed a very specific methodology for that.”
be’.”
web site. The net result of differing regulatory approaches,
according to Bally’s Bruce Rowe, is going to be
Bruce Rowe, Bally’s
The regulatory influence – a barrier different products coming to different markets at
Senior Vice President of
to growth? different times: “Certain jurisdictions are more open
Strategy and Business It’s clear that different markets are taking up and I would say also there’s a different speed to market
Development
server-based gaming at different rates, which is partly depending on which regulatory body we deal with,” he
a result of the different regulatory approaches found explains. “It’s going to come to market at different
around the world. Inspired’s Norman Crowley points speeds in different locations and the functionality will
out that the approach outside North America is more be different because the customers in many cases
open and encourages innovation because it is dictate what gets fitted in what order because they
principle-based: “They don’t really care how you get want certain things to help drive their business.”
there so long as you can prove that what you have
developed protects the player and is fair as a game,” Managing Player Experience
he says. When devices are connected by a network, useful
Particularly in Nevada: “…the US market is very management information can be gathered about
much a prescriptive market, it prescribes exactly how condition and operation of the physical equipment
the product has to be developed,” according to on the floor, about how the equipment is used by
Crowley. “That tends to limit the amount of innovation players, and about the behaviour and preferences of
you can do around sever-based the players that use it. Using a server-based gaming
technology. That’s why if you look at system to gather and apply this business intelligence
a market like the UK where there are looks set to be the real benefit delivered by server-
perhaps a quarter of a million based gaming, in the longer term.
gaming machines, at this stage about First you need a robust, networked infrastructure in
half those machines are sever-based, place, and it’s clear that different vendors have
principally made up of betting shops, reached different stages in the development of their
but also there are about 10-12,000 ‘first-generation’ systems which may or may not
connected machines in pubs. In the involve download configuration of games.
UK you’re looking at a situation Player Tracking is an important component of
where about half the market is server- personalising the player experience, as Avron Goss,
based at this stage, but if you look at MD of Abbey Entertainment explains: “For example,
the US market, you are probably when a player walks up to the machine, we may know
looking at half a percent that is that they like 20-line games and therefore suggest to
server-based. You are going to see that percentage them, or make more easily accessible to them, 20-line
increase over the coming years, but you are probably games. We may want to see if they want to try
not going to see anything near the same pace of something new, and actually suggest to them and
growth as you have seen in the UK and in Asia.” make accessible to them, 25-line games or games
IGT’s Javier Saenz tends to agree with the effect with a different feature that they may not have
that regulators have on time to market and considered before.”
innovation. “Of course, we have to work very closely IGT’s Javier Saenz agrees that enhancing player
with the regulatory bodies to pave the way for server- experiences is vital: “If you move into a casino market,
based gaming and we are making sure that regulators or where you have multiple casinos owned by a single
are comfortable with the technology, how it is used, operator, you want to create a consistent experience
the security that is involved, and are essentially for your player, and some loyalty and some benefits,
protecting the player’s best interests when it comes to very much like a player’s club card. Now we can use the
34 SEPTEMBER 2008
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