Inside Asian Gaming

INSIDE ASIAN GAMING | July 2009 18 113 East machines in Vietnam waiting to be installed. As things move forward I am proving 113 East is a valuable partner.” In addition, 113 East represents Paltronics, a global systems provider for casino gaming, media infrastructure and content distribution, in South East Asia, and Orion Art, a supplier of customised gaming signs, throughout Asia. J8, a developer of Internet, mobile and SMS sports betting, and gaming products, is another key partner throughout Asia. These five companies are currently the company’s core focus. New games Another area Mr Rogers believes has a lot of potential is table games and table design. He has exclusive distribution rights for Fortune 8, a new game that is awaiting approval by Macau’s gaming regulator, the DICJ. The game will go live into Las Vegas Sands Corp.’s Venetian Macao and Sands Macao properties, and SJM’s Grand Lisboa. There are also plans to install it in Singapore at LVS’s Marina Bay Sands property subject to approval by the regulatory body there. A total of 16 Fortune 8 tables will be installed across the four properties. 113 East’s technological reach also goes beyond table games and into the structure of the table itself. The company produces the Gaming Protection Series (GPS) of products; tables that can be sold as standalone units. The design, which is the brainchild of surveillance and gaming industry veteran Wayne Stevens, claims a higher level of electronic security than standard mass gaming tables, provides more leg room for players, hides electronics and messy cables, and is fully customisable: “We can even include things like phone chargers in high- end VIP models,” announces Mr Rogers. Innovative table “Every table operator in Macau looked at the table and provided feedback about how we could customise the product for their operation,” he adds. “The tables have the potential to reduce the number of supervisors required per pit, enable casinos to promote higher edge games, and increase games per hour for some games, so they basically pay for themselves,” he claims. The company says the GPS table can also improve suppliers’ sales propositions. “Table game and table equipment suppliers could pitch proprietary games and sell more games and equipment with our table,” Mr Rogers contends. “Things like shufflers can be built in, and there are fewer supervisors involved. That gives casinos more reasons to buy new games and suppliers could ‘up-sell’ their peripheral equipment.” The concept is a simple and the company believes effective one, but Mr Rogers and Mr Stevens admit it will take time to convince table operators to change entrenched attitudes about how tables should look. That hasn’t stopped them pushing forward with plans to begin a manufacturing operation in Thailand, though. Worthwhile risk “I’m willing to take a risk and back people, just like many have backed me to get me where I am today—I believe in making decisions,” he states. “As a small business owner you have to have faith that your fundamentals are absolutely correct. That doesn’t mean every decision will be the right one, but you need to believe in the way you do business. “There is no greater accountability than carrying the future of your company and your employees in your hands. I like the fact that there is no safety net and at the end of the day it’s all up to me to keep things running.” Within two years of launching, 113 East has established itself as a consulting and distribution business and ventured into manufacturing. Mr Rogers also plans to capitalise on the presence he has built in emerging markets to move into gaming operations and provide non-gaming consulting for the Indochina region. “113 East’s first year was about survival, this year’s about reinvesting in our people, products and marketing. Next year we’ll take it to the next level with our existing clients and some new ones,” he predicts. “I believe more companies want to be toldhow it is so they canmake goodbusiness decisions and save themselves money. “A good distributor should help its partners and work in their best interests,” he adds. Table Etiquette 113 East’s GPS Table offer Games change, player profiles develop, gaming floors reconfigure and casino design varies, but for more than 20 years, tables have stayed relatively the same. The 113 East GPS Table series claims to change all that. The standard model, which was showcased at this year’s G2E Asia, has a similar footprint to existing tables and gives operators more flexibility with pit configurations because security cameras are built in. The table is a standalone unit built around the elements required in modern day tables and pits instead of cluttering the tabletop with add-ons. Wayne Stevens, the table’s creator, says the design is fully customisable to operators’ requirements. Other benefits are improved security, potentially more games per hour, and better player comfort. “I began by deciding where I wanted the cameras and the supervisor and designed a table around that,” Mr Stevens explains. All storage and electronics are contained in a cabinet at the foot of the table, making pits cleaner and giving operators more flexibility. “If you want to move the table six feet you can because the cameras move with it,” he explains. With a background in surveillance, Mr Stevens knows first hand the shortfalls of standard casino equipment. He says the GPSTable oncemoremakes the table supervisor a key element in the process. This element of experienced human oversight combined with technological improvements has the potential to improve table workflow and profitability on behalf of the operators, says Mr Stevens. Features: • 150 degree betting area and viewing angle for dealer; • Clear, front-on view for supervisor; • Pole-mounted cameras built-in; • Option of no sunken float; • Built-in cabinet storage for electronics, cables, cards and chips; • More player leg room; • Other customisable design options.