Inside Asian Gaming

May 2009 | INSIDE ASIAN GAMING 35 Slots Marketing create applications that enhance the player experience. “Combined we will offer the gaming operator a path to move forward with software applications that can either be delivered with the robustness of the IGT sb network or by retrofitting existing machines through [LVGI’s own] PlayerVision. This combination will drive more rapid adoption of these ground-breaking technologies.” IGT and LVGI aren’t the only companies moving forward with such player-focused enhancements. Innovation and cooperation Bally Technologies at G2E demonstrated its downloadablemarketing promotions and messages through the iVIEW high-speed communication network on each game in its booth. The iVIEW network and Bally Systems provide improved service, customized marketingatthepointofplay,second-chance win, dynamic game configuration, easy- audit revenue management, and support for responsible gaming, the company said. Its technology is available on games from every manufacturer. Visitors to Bally’s G2E booth saw the new Bally Live Rewards Tournaments, which offers the player a selection of standalone games or real-time tournaments in which players can compete against other players. Bally also showed its iVIEW Display Manager, which allows gaming operators to create picture-in-picture capability on the iVIEW display, the main game display, the second gaming display, or any game display. This capability is run through the iVIEW processor rather than the game processor which would require separate regulatory approvals and complex development and integration efforts. Two other manufacturers, Aristocrat and Konami Gaming, showcased live demonstrations of the iVIEW DM, an intelligent controller that allows casinos to present marketing, system, and other content on the main game screen, the top game display, even the overhead display, with picture-in-picture capability—without interrupting game play on the traditional base game. “We are very happy about the collaborative spirit of Konami and Aristocrat and the enthusiasm they share with us about Bally’s iVIEW DM and its ability to provide a whole new player interface and player experience to casinos,” Richard M. Haddrill, Bally Chief Executive Officer, said in a news release. “As more and more casino floors implement high-speed networks that enable expanded marketing and customer- service solutions like iVIEW DM, cooperation becomes even more important,” Nick Khin, president of Aristocrat Americas, said in a news release. Konami Gaming COO Steve Sutherland said working with Bally on iVIEW DM“makes good business sense for Konami because it enables us to offer our customers new ways to market and enhance convenience for their players. Most important, because it is backward and forward compatible, our customers do not have to purchase new games or costly upgrades, which protects their previously invested capital.” The three gamingmanufacturers also are cooperating in the development of Bally’s Download Configuration Manager, a server application that allows casino operators to view, examine, and manage their floor configuration from a central location. Beaming up a new experience WMS Gaming and Harrah’s also recently took a step that promises to give players new ways to leverage their player experience. The two companies are deploying a Harrah’s Total Rewards version of WMS’ STAR TREK series of gaming machines. Players who aremembers of the Harrah’s Total Rewards player’s club will be able to use their cards to create a personalized and differentiated gaming experience on the STAR TREK-themed gaming machines at most of the company’s casinos in North America, as Harrah’s moves forward with a market-by-market implementation plan, subject to additional jurisdictional regulatory approvals. The STAR TREK video gaming machines are the first games deployed on WMS’ Adaptive Gaming technology platform. This server-enabled, networked gaming platform provides players with the unique ability to personalize their game play, allowing them to save their play status and unlock additional bonus rounds and game episodes over time. “As we introduce our latest innovation at Harrah’s, in collaboration with the creative WMS team, the unique Adaptive Gaming platform has enabled us to provide an enhanced level of personalization and a more differentiated entertainment experience each time a player logs onto the game with their Total Rewards card,”said Tim Stanley, chief information officer and senior vice president, innovation, gaming and technology of Harrah’s Entertainment. “As players advance through the dynamic Star Trek storyline, they can save their progress through the game and pick up where they left off during their next visit, regardless of which STAR TREK gaming machine in a Total Rewards-enabled casino they visit.” Today’s economy adds a new reason for casinos to consider such innovative moves, Schneider noted. “Our operator partners are telling us in most all cases their head counts are about the same, the same folks are coming in, but the people who are walking in are spending substantially less money, and the casinos are spending the same amount and more to get them in.” Initiatives that add marketing value at the machine can could help casinos better target offers, engender more visits or help capture new players. “We know slot customers are a fickle lot. Anything you can do to engender loyalty that does not turn into an entitlement is really the only avenue you have to try to recoup. It’s now more than ever that these tools need to be experimented with.” ByMarianGreen. Re- printed with permission from Casino Journal. WMS Star Trek Entreprise Image