Inside Asian Gaming

INSIDE ASIAN GAMING | December 2008 40 even for parking garage access. The IGT EZ Pay Smart Card can be used for some of these additional features, Rader noted. Other Smart Card systems that could be coming to North America include Chip Cash from Atronic International. Used for several years in casinos throughout Europe, the Chip Cash card can be loaded with funds. Then when inserted in a gaming device, this cash can be downloaded into a credit meter. When the player decides to quit, he uploads the remaining funds (including winnings) back onto the card and can then cash out at a teller cage or self-service terminal. Besidescollectingmarketinginformation on players for the casino, the Chip Cash card can be personalized by the player to a design of his choice. Aristocrat Technologies also reportedly offers a Smart Card in Australia that works with its Oasis 360 management system. More than a few casinos said they are watching with interest the introduction of Smart Card technologies to the US gaming market.Since the technology isnot yetwidely available, however, a few have developed systems with existing technologies that provide many of the same features. The MyView system at the Barona Valley Ranch Resort & Casino, San Diego, combines the Bally Power Bank feature of Bally’s Power Bonusing system with Bally’s iView product to provide a secure fully cashless gaming environment. According to Troy Simpson, senior vice president of innovation at Barona, Power Bank enables players to deposit money at cashier stations through a mag-stripe card. These funds can be electronically downloaded for play in slot machines, and winnings uploaded back into the account. Such transactions are also monitored through the system’s player tracking feature. The system also enables players to budget their gaming activities by setting a cash access limit for a specific time period. Players can also take their cards home and use it again on their next visit. As an added security feature,if a card hasn’t been used for a certain number of hours, players need to reactivate it by entering a PIN number, thus protecting any money left in the account from thieves or opportunists. MyView even does away with coupons. Instead of sending coupons redeemable for free credits to old customers by direct mail or e-mail, Barona simply tells them that the credits have already been loaded into their front-money account and can be used when they reactivate their card on their next visit, Simpson said. Barona has been phasing MyView into use this fall and expects to have it fully in place by January 2009. Reprinted with permission from International GamingandWageringBusiness (IGWB) magazine. Barona Valley Ranch Resort & Casino Technology