Inside Asian Gaming

July 2012 | INSIDE ASIAN GAMING 37 GLI-certified, SAS 6.02-compatible, Live Table supports an array of player- tracking and VIP client alert functions, it’s configured for both ticket and cash play, and it shares with the latest slots and peripherals technologies the ability to transmit a variety of communications directly to players in the form of Flash-enabled advertisements, special offers and notices of drawings, jackpots and tournaments. In addition to the marketing prowess, casinos like Live Table’s flexibility, the fact that it’s LAN- and WAN-enabled and can support any configuration of terminals. Theoretically, the number of terminal interfaces is unlimited. They especially like the system’s efficiencies, the savings on labor costs, the security and reliability of a machine-based system and, above all, its ability to deal many more hands per hour than conventional tables. “It’s much, much faster,” attests Mr Chun. “That’s very important. If you’re on a table and people are putting HK$100,000 down, VIP, youmay have to wait four or fiveminutes for a hand. On this, 30 seconds there’s a new hand, new hand, new hand.” Two new slant-top models had a lot of lookers at G2E Asia: one combining game monitor and betting on a single 26- inch touch screen, the other designed with two 19-inch monitors for a comprehensive view of the live action from the top screen, augmented by a spacious betting area below. Ideal for baccarat, both provide an extra arm rest and writing space to satisfy the Chinese obsession with tracking outcomes and analyzing them to try to suss out patterns in the cards. LT plans to build on this with technology they expect to release by the end of the year that will allow players to pre-set their favorite betting patterns. “I think it’s more choice for the player,” says Mr Chun. “We let them play smart.” LT Game focal point of the floor, a natural attention- getter, the rows of terminals exciting to behold in large numbers, the way they fan out from the action amphitheater-style. As you’d expect, baccarat is Live Table’s most popular offering, accounting for about 80% of handle. Which is not to say roulette, sic bo, san gong and keno don’t have their followings. Or players can elect to bet any combinationofgamesconcurrently.Baccarat includes an optional side-bet progressive jackpot. There are also five server-based slot games to choose from. A limited version of blackjack also is available. In its ability to blend the personal interaction andprivacy of the slot experience with that jolt to the pulse you get only in the pit, it is the perfect complement to table- centric Macau, and one that checks a lot of demographic boxes besides. Stakes can vary. Depending on the venue, they can range from a low of HK$20 to as high as $500,000. So the system appeals both to seasoned players who prefer smaller stakes and a more relaxed pace than they find at the traditional tables, and the occasional big bettor who desires an added measure of anonymity. The system is opening up new markets, too, drawing slot players accustomed to the relaxed solitude of machine games, many of them females who would never venture near a table game, and novices eager to try their hand at baccarat or roulette but who may be unfamiliar with the rules and customs and are perhaps a bit intimidated by them, which is a factor worth considering among the Chinese, who take their gambling seriously and tend to pursue it in the belief that there is strength in numbers. As Mr Chun explains, “You sit down at the regular tables, maybe other people are sharing a table with you, and if you want to play ‘Banker’ and the rest of the table is betting on ‘Player,’ if you’re betting the opposing side, the people will yell at you.” Each terminal is equipped with an easy-to-navigate help menu that includes game rules and instructions. If you have a question you can summon assistance with the push of a button. “Definitely, it has kind of educated people about how to play the games,” notes Mr Chun. “They are using it as a training tool.” You can even order a beverage or something to eat directly at the game. In all, it’s a lot like having your own private betting parlor. Inside Asian Gaming Publisher James Rutherford presents Jay Chun, chairman of LT Games’s Hong Kong- listed parent, Paradise Entertainment, the 2012 IAG Supplier Award for Best Multi-Terminal Product