Inside Asian Gaming

INSIDE ASIAN GAMING | August 2009 30 Market Outlook Losing some steam? Over 200 casino executives across the United States were interviewed regarding their impressions and plans for server-based gaming in their facilities. The results may surprise you Server-based gaming is coming—but at what cost? Although more than half (52 percent) of the survey participants still believe that the widespread adoption of server-based gaming will occur within the next four years, compared to the last time we surveyed this group a much higher proportion (45 percent) feels that cost will further delay the onset or further development of server-based gaming at their facilities. See Figure 1. Impact of the economy on server-based gaming investment Finally, we asked those without any server-based gaming currently on their slot floors what specific impact the economy was having on their plans. Figure 3 highlights the ambiguous nature of server-based gaming plans with two- thirds of casinos indicating that they have delayed their server-based gaming plans without a specific timetable for the reconsideration of those plans. Reprinted with permission from Casino Journal. For more information on this study, or other market research needs, please contact: John E. Thomas, Executive Director, Gaming Insights Group, Clear Seas Research at thomasj@clearseasresearch.com, 248.786.1659 or visit or visit www.clearseasresearch.com . Figure 1: Issue MOST Likely to Delay Server-Based Gaming Development Figure 2: Are Current Economic Conditions Driving Changes in Investment and Uptake of Server-Based Technologies? Figure 3: Impact of the Economy on Server-Based Gaming Investment The economy is still hurting plans for SBG adoption We asked how much of an impact the current economy is having on casino industry investment and uptake of server-based gaming. Figure 2 shows the dramatic toll the economy is taking. Nearly half of survey participants indicated that the economy is having at least a “moderate impact” on their plans. However—note that 18 percent report no negative impact at all, and 25 percent report only a slight impact.