Inside Asian Gaming

INSIDE ASIAN GAMING | July 2012 34 that perfect parallel. • The third element consists of three laser sensors installed inside the ball track. These continually capture data critical to controlling the position of the wheel and monitoring its performance—the speed of the rotor, the speed of the ball, the direction of the sphere and rotor turn, even the bet cutoff and winning number—andfeeditviaabustoaremote computer equipped with software that visualizes every event, instantaneously processing it and sending it out to the display screen at the table, the central security office and to external terminals for remotemonitoring or play. If there are functional anomalies, either mechanical or human, they are detected and relayed for immediate intervention. There is marketing value in this, too, because the information generated can be run up on the signage at the table to give bettors statistics to whet their enthusiasm. “Of course, in Macau roulette is not that big, but in Singapore and the Philippines and other jurisdictions we’ve seen very strong interest because people want to have something new,” said Mr Leparoux. “But the traditional is still very appealing. Every wager can be followed, each tag transmitting its unique data in real time to special high-frequency antennae concealed beneath the table layout—the chips are capable of being read at an amazing 800 pieces per second— that work in conjunction with monitoring software to provide a completely integrated solution for tracking, accounting and game management. The Abbiati wheel is a famous wheel.” It’s a reputation built upon 25 years of commitment to the highest manufacturing standards and the finest materials: solid mahogany, oak or cherry wood tables; borders of leather, alcantara, skai or carbon fiber composites prized for their aesthetics and resistance to wear; layouts woven from the best wools and micro-fine cloths. “Table games is a core business, very high end,”Mr Leparoux noted. “We have sold them to Marina Bay Sands in Singapore for their Paiza Room.” The Turin factory turns out every style of table for roulette, European and American, and cards and dice, and everything can be customized to client specifications, a source of particular pride for Abbiati, which boasts that even table legs can be built to a desired style, including the underlying “barrel” supports that house and conceal components for CPUs and Ethernet connections. “We’ve got chips and plaques in the Philippines and here in Macau,” added Mr Leparoux,” and in Vietnam, and Singapore as well. We’re starting to make inroads into the market.” The fact that the Abbiati name is found in more than 120 casinos on four continents Abbiati’s high-spec roulette table is the best testimonial to the trust operators place in them. Having served GPI in every major market for 18 years, Mr Leparoux certainly knows the difference. “That’s why our collaboration became of interest,” he explained. “Because [Abbiati] have the knowledge of the products, with a strong reputation in terms of quality and reliability. What I’m bringing to them is my knowledge of the market. I’ve been working in Asia over 20 odd years so I know what the expectations are in terms of products and also service. Good product range on one side and, we think, good service and sales from the other side. The combination of the two, we hope, will be successful in the future.” Abbiati