Tigre de Cristal
Technologically redefining a gaming generation
Tigre de Cristal 02
Technology and the gaming world of tomorrow WRIT TEN BY
DA LE BENTON PRODUCED BY
M A LVERN K ANDEM WA
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Tigre de Cristal Hotel and Resort is nominated for participation in ‘World Travel Awards’ in ‘Russia’s Leading Hotel 2018’ category
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Through the strategic implementation of technology and innovation, Tigre de Cristal targets a new generation of gamers
O
ne of the biggest challenges facing many businesses in any number of sectors and industries in the
modern world is how to embrace change. This could be a change in the form of the industry redefining itself, or a change from legacy infrastructure to a new, more robust 04
and agile IT architecture in order to adapt to a changing marketplace and client base. The latter is a challenge faced by numerous organisations nowadays including Tigre de Cristal, the first casino, hotel and entertainment destination and the only area in the Russian Far East where gaming and casino activities are permitted. The gaming industry is not immune to the changing world, but Paulo Moreria, VP of Information Technology at Tigre de Cristal, believes that the industry has remained very much the same over the years. “Technology at the end of the day is the cornerstone of any gaming company,� he says. “Casinos are casinos and slot machines
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Tigre de Cristal Hotel & Resort has 121 rooms of different categories, from Standard King to Presidential Suite
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are slot machines. They’ve been
gaming since the moment
around for more than 30-40
casinos were legalised across
years and the game itself hasn’t
the country. Having worked on
changed. It’s the technology
the opening of close to 14 of the
around those components that is
biggest casinos in South Africa,
the real changer and the way to
Moreira has significant experi-
redefine the customer experience.”
ence in understanding the role
Born and raised in South
of IT and innovation and ensuring
Africa, Moreira has lived and
how it becomes more aligned
breathed IT and technology in
with any business strategy.
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“ Technology in gaming is essentially breaching an old environment and older generations of gamers and looking at millennials and the new wave of gamers” Paulo Moreira, VP of Information Technology
It is this experience he feels
“So, the key to the success of
provides him with a key under-
Tigre de Cristal is understand-
standing of one of the biggest
ing the business wall to wall
problems facing the IT function
from a gaming perspective and
of any business worldwide and
being able to implement
it is a problem of knowhow.
technology to either innovate,
“There are very technically
reduce operational expenses
knowledgeable people from IT,
or more importantly creating
but these people can lack the
a unique and memorable
business perspective,” he says.
experience for customers.”
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Tigre de Cristal started functioning in 2015, and since then more than one million people have visited the Complex.
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IGT is focused on crafting innovative products with cutting edge design that will entertain and satisfy your players! Visit www.IGT.com for more information. ©2018 IGT. Except where ownership is otherwise identified, the trademarks used herein are owned by IGT or its affiliates, may not be used without permission, and where indicated with a ®, are registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Artwork, descriptions, game play, photographs, videos, and other product details depicted herein are subject to change.
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Creating that unique and memorable experience drives repeat visitation. Moreria, through his role of VP of IT, is exploring new ways in which technology can be implemented in order to drive that repeat customer. Historically, gaming and gambling can be a controversial topic and this is a result of certain stigmas attached to it. So how does a business approach this, how does a business make customers feel comfortable in investing in an experience. With an industry that dates back as far as it does, how does this apply to the millennial generation, a generation that is defined by instant gratification? “Technology in gaming is essentially breaching an old environment and older generations of gamers and looking at millennials and the new wave of gamers,” says Moreiraa. “Millennials are not the most loyal of generations and so we have to adapt our gaming and our
BIO
Paulo Moreira is an accomplished and versatile IT Executive with over 20 years’ experience in optimizing business operations and profitability through successful management of various IT Divisions. Moreira, from Portuguese decent grew up in South Africa, starting his IT career in Olivetti and ending off with the largest Casino and Hotel operator, namely Tsogo Sun Gaming. “IT is a unique profession, requiring unique skills, however in Gaming, IT takes on a totally new meaning”. His experience in Gaming comes with opening over 14 Casino Resort facilities in South Africa, the largest been Montecasino. Moreira believes that the key ingredience as an IT professional is understanding business, especially in gaming and been able to strategically use technology as a key driving factor and differentiator in a business.
technology solutions to fit this new market. Millennials seek instant w w w. t i g r e d e c r i s t a l . c o m
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“Casinos are casinos and slot machines are slot machines. They’ve been around for more than 30-40 years and the game itself hasn’t changed. It’s the technology around those components that is the real change” Paulo Moreira, VP of Information Technology
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gratification, loyalty is not
social media sharing their
important and tend to
achievements and their
frequent whats “in” and
successes,” he says. “It’s all
driven by technology.
about providing the oppor-
This millennial generation
tunity to “brag” and opera-
is vastly different to the older
tions like ours are looking at
generation of gamers.
Social Media integration.
Where casinos could rely
This is part of what Moreira
on the demand for slot
believes is a key differentia-
machines, gaming tables,
tor from many competitors.
the casinos of today and
He feels that technology
tomorrow need to redefine
is and will continue to be
how they incorporate this
an enabler of added value
demand for instant gratifica-
out of existing gaming
tion for a newer generation.
systems, which in turn adds
For Moreira, two key
value to the Tigre de Cristal
trends have emerged over recent years – instant
resort overall. “All hotel rooms are built
sharing of experience and
pretty much the same,
social media.
casinos and slot machines
“People spend a large portion of their time on
are a commodity,” he says. “So, it’s about creating that
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Tigre de Cristal started functioning in 2015, and since then more than one million people have visited the Complex. w w w. t i g r e d e c r i s t a l . c o m
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Click to watch: ‘Tigre de Cristal — Hotel and Casino’
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Our guests can experience unique entertainment facilities of casino, 2 restaurants, 3 thematic bars, and unique entertaining activities.
different experience, which is
the bar, in the lounge, or even in the
a continuous challenge.”
restaurant with friends and still play on
The traditional experience within a casino often tends to be a solitary one. A customer will sit behind a single
their favourite game, whilst socialising with friends and family. With any technology, it opens
slot machine for a number of hours.
a doorway to capturing and ultimately
Tigre de Cristal looks to flip that on its
utilising data and information. As
head and, through social media and
a business that is looking to create
leader boards, turn that solitary
repeat business, the data that is
experience into a communal one.
captured will prove instrumental in
One way in which this is being utilised is through the way in which millennials
understanding the customer behaviour and demands.
can access the games themselves.
Moreira recognises as much but
Through leading mobile applications,
understands that it’s not about the
such as Candy Crush, the slot machine
quantity of the data, rather the quality.
mechanism has been brought to the
“The question is how accurate and
palm of the customers hand. Providing customers with the ability
quick the data is available before it becomes obsolete? The habits of
to partake in one of the casinos games
today are not necessarily you’re
on a mobile device and through a
habits of next week,” he says and in
secured wi-fi infrastructure, will be a key
this fast pace environment decisions
differentiator for any casino operation.
need to be taken fairly quickly.
This, Moreira feels, capitalises on
“Tigre de Cristal has been incredibly
the millennial generation’s multi-task-
successful on this front because we
ing mentality and instant gratification.
encourage mistakes as mistakes prove
“They want to be able play our games
crucial in achieving success. The data
but play them at their own time and with
allows us to recognise a mistake, act on
their own devices,” he says. “It’s just an
the mistake and take learnings from that
example of where the technology is not
mistake in order to improve as we grow.”
brand new but the experience around it is. Customers can be on site, sat at
A journey of this scope, embracing the future but respecting the past, is w w w. t i g r e d e c r i s t a l . c o m
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not a journey a business can achieve
Game Technology (IGT). The compa-
alone. This level of change brings with
ny works closely with Tigre de Cristal
it an element of risk as it requires
in the provision of gaming technology,
a change to a formula or a model that
but Moreira notes that the relationship
has proven successful for decades.
is one that goes beyond simple give
To that end, Tigre de Cristal can call upon key partners and IT vendors to
“To me, we measure partners based
successfully navigate this changing
on the benefits we gain and the
landscape and redefine the gaming
benefits the partners gain too,� he
customer experience.
says. “We are all in the business of
One such partner is International
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and take.
making money, but the true partner-
ships see both parties invest. “We have partners such as IGT that invest just as much as we do along
core focus is and will forever remain on one key component. “Customer experience is key and we
this journey and take the risk just as
are in the business of selling a unique
much as we do. That proves key.”
experience he says. “This will guaran-
As Tigre de Cristal continues to
tee return business from customers and
embrace the future of gaming, a future
we will continue to innovate and drive
that could include 3D and 4D capabili-
change in order to achieve this.”
ties and a completely redefined casino management system, Moreira is keen to stress that ultimately the business’
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Pavlo is the head chef of entertainment complex Tigre de Cristal.
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Bukhta Muravyinaya 73 Artem Russia T +7 423 246 8888 www.tigredecristal.com