Casino Life Volume 19 Issue 155

PARADISE FOUND

The magazine for the owners and management of international casinos

MORE THAN A CASINO

Les Ambassadeurs Club is not just one of the world’s most prestigious casinos. It is part of the inspirational Ambassadeurs Group, home to brands that operate in the land and digital-based sectors of gaming, e-commerce, hospitality, travel and entertainment. Everything is united by a core purpose: to raise standards and give back.

Les A is the only casino operator that voluntarily donates 1% of its gross gaming yield (GGY) to GambleAware for Research, Education, and Treatment. Members stand alongside us in support of good causes and organisations that need help. Closer to home, key hospitality staff received an industry-leading pay rise in Autumn 2022, internally known as Living Wage Plus.

We are building better futures for our people, planet, members and communities.

CASINO

The

Published by Outsource Digital Media Ltd

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Editorial: Editor in Chief : David McKee dmckee6@comcast.net

Editor EMEA: Damien Connelly damien@outsourcedigitalmedia.com

Associate Editor Asia: Bill Healey bill@outsourcedigitalmedia.com

Victor H. Royer International Features Editor victor@outsourcedigitalmedia.com

Associate Editor EMEA: Aydin Guney aydin.guney@outsourcedigital media.com

International Correspondent: Lyudmyla Kyrychenko lyudmyla.kyrychenko@outsource digitalmedia.com

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Welcome...

Amidst a halcyon 2022 for American gaming, a quieter success story is playing out: the adoption of cashlessness in casinos. As I write this, Parx Casino—far and way the highest grosser in Pennsylvania— has fostered a new Sightline Payments cashless-play solution, one that will be supported on the Light & Wonder digital platform upon which Parx operates. That’s 3,000 slots, 200 table games and 50 poker tables, all gone cashless.

This is not an isolated phenomenon. Truist Securities analyst Barry Jonas reported that, at Penn Entertainment, “The cashless gaming rollout continues, with [management] seeing higher frequency visitation and greater gaming spend per trip from adopters.” Its supplier is Everi, whose product is represented in 38 Penn-branded casinos across 14 states.

Even traditionally hidebound Las Vegas is taking notice. Sin City’s two premier locals-casino operators, Station Casinos and Boyd Gaming, are going cashless. Where they go, others are certain to follow.

In Station’s case, International Game Technology has deployed its Resort Wallet and IGTPay cashless gaming modules atop the IGT operating system already in place. If you want to play slots without the hassle of carrying currency, the Google Play and Apple App stores stand ready with STN Cash, downloadable to your phone. We’re not sure how we feel about players maxing out credit cards or draining bank accounts to fund slot play but cashless gambling is here to stay, following much regulatory hesitation.

For Station punters, another advantage in the digital-wallet system is that they no longer have to brandish their Boarding Pass to obtain loyalty points, as that feature will be resident on their smart phones. This is prevalent at all of Station’s flagship casinos, and is being implemented through its smaller Wildfire and Barley’s brands.

Boyd, for its part, has opted for in-house, slot-centric Boyd Pay, available at 14 Boyd-owned properties spanning Nevada, Pennsylvania, Indiana and Ohio. Approval is pending in Louisiana, Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Illinois and Mississippi. “We’re hopeful that will happen throughout 2023, but obviously the timing is entirely up to the regulators,” says company spokesman David Strow. (A table games option is coming to Las Vegas early this year.)

We wish we could be as optimistic about i-gaming but legislators are stubbornly resistant to entering that space. Despite the recent addition of Connecticut to the i-casino ranks, we are still only talking about six states out of 50, most of them bunched on the more-liberal East Coast. Severing sports betting from i-gaming has undoubtedly retarded its adoption, as have fears that it’s some kind of gateway drug to gambling addiction. Indiana, Illinois and New York State may take up the gauntlet this year but we are not holding our breath. Thank you, Sheldon Adelson. Not.

DMcKee

David McKee Editor

35

Winning Experience

Interview with Tashina Lazcano, Director of Marketing and Communications, Konami Gaming, Inc. By

H Royer 44 Coming to America Interview with Derik Mooberry, CEO of Zitro Games USA. By

H Royer

Is Macao coming back? Early signs are encouraging but Covid concerns linger. By David McKee

Editorial Policy: The views and opinions expressed in Casino Life remain principally the views of contributors and do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or publishers. The publishers wish to avoid inaccuracies and, whilst every precaution has been taken to ensure that information contained in this publication is accurate, no liability is accepted by the editor or publishers for errors or omissions, however caused.

Unless otherwise stated, articles appearing in this publication remain the copyright of the publishers and may not be reproduced in any form without the publisher’s written consent. Printed in the UK by Severn Print.

EMEA Foreword

Guest Foreword Stuart Hunter

Paradise on Earth Sea, sand, surf and gaming are all on tap at Atlantis Resort. By Bill Healey

Gambling on a diverse future Women in senior roles across Ambassadeurs Group and beyond are helping push the gambling industry forwards

Rendezvous in Bucharest An interview with Lucien Wijsman & Arjan Korstjens. By Peter White

Team Player Jurgen De Munck, CEO, DR Gaming Technology™ speaks with Peter White

Victor

Victor

Chan

2022 Outstanding. 2023 Outlook D

o you recall the signature expression of the TV detective, Kojak: “Who loves ya, baby?” To me, that phrase kinda feels how 2023 is being positioned by ‘the experts.’ There’s lots of doom and gloom out there. Media is full of … it (i.e. the doom and the gloom).

Human psychology focuses on negatives more than positives, so people are being programmed by media coverage to pull back on discretionary spend – and, of course, there are spend increases in core areas, notably energy and grocery. However, I expect our Fun Economy™ – as it has been trademarked by UNLV –to be mostly impervious to any 2023 downturn: Please watch our YouTube interview with UNLV’s Dr. Bo Bernhard where he discusses the Fun Economy.

https://youtu.be/vDcg_EckjpA

Naturally, some markets will feel a 2023 ‘recession’ more than others. But our industry is – or should be – in the fun-and-entertainment quadrant for patrons’ minds and wallet-spend planning. We’re still on the rebound from the pandemic, which created one of the worst mental health crises in modern times. 2023 isn’t going to be as easy or as great a year as 2022 was, but I certainly don’t expect it to be a bad year for our industry. That is especially true for those operators who are good at what they do and who know how to reward and please their patrons – food, entertainment, gaming … in that order. Then ancillary services/ products, such as retail, wellness, and of course hotel. All should be packaged within a value-for-money comparative narrative that allows patrons to leave your property with a smile on their face even when they’ve lost.

The Greatest Arena

As we’ve seen many times before, Las Vegas is setting the pace and showing the required leadership it lost for a while to other jurisdictions – namely, how to very successfully transition from gaming to non-gaming. For many years now, Las Vegas has been building

new arenas, such as the HyperX Arena in Luxor and the city’s Allegiant Stadium. In fact, according to a recent industry statistic, Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium was the number-one arena in the U.S.

This outstanding statistic helps explain the 2022 advertising campaign from the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority: The Greatest Arena on Earth™. Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena also performed strongly. You now know what to do (and what to benchmark) to ensure 2023 has a better-than-average outlook for you.

Please join our LinkedIn Group and engage with our high-quality, industry-relevant community.

https://www.linkedin.com/groups/1813053/

Editor EMEA

Foreword: Damien Connelly

It’s the biggest ICE of all time!

As ICE London returns to its traditional February dates, featuring all of the major suppliers to the land-based sector and taking up every square millimeter of exhibition and meeting space available, the industry can look forward to being part of what promises to be one of the most significant editions of the show on record.

ICE is the centerpiece of what some seasoned industry observers are referring to as ‘World Gaming Week,’ and we are expecting a big, and a truly global attendance, fantastic energy, a proliferation of new ideas, new connections, world-beating networking opportunities, and of course the very best concentration of the most significant innovators and suppliers to all sectors of the international industry found anywhere. Thousands of product exclusives will be on display, all designed to drive business forward and to gain that all important competitive edge.

As well as providing a home for the industry’s major brands, Clarion Gaming also has a proud track record of providing a platform for companies exhibiting for the first time, as well as for ambitious new startups.

Our Pitch ICE program offers up to 14 gaming entrepreneurs the opportunity to showcase their solutions and innovative approaches in front of industry investors and visitors attending ICE London. The successful companies secure a free-of-charge pod on the Pitch ICE Pavilion for the full three days of the show, and a priceless opportunity to take to the ICE stage and pitch to potential investors.

We have been providing startups with a gateway to industry investors and strategic partners since 2009. Many are securing important investments and acquisition partners as a direct result of their pitch presentations.”

In addition to Pitch ICE, the show offers a compelling and rounded experience with features such as the award-winning Consumer Protection Zone which will be the biggest in its history, the ICE Esports Arena, the International Casino Conference, World Regulatory Briefing, and the ICE VOX learning program.

By Stuart Hunter, Managing Director, Clarion Gaming

Visitors to ICE will have access to a dynamic schedule of events delivering opportunities to connect and engage as soon as they make that short walk from the Elizabeth line at Custom House, and through the doors at ExCeL London. It’s set to be a wonderful and an emotionally charged celebration of the global industry, and an experience that’s not to be missed.

We truly are ‘Stronger Together!’

To

Guest Comment: Stuart Hunter

Stuart Hunter, Managing Director, Clarion Gaming

ICE London, 7th – 9th February, ExCeL London, is the biggest b2b gambling industry event in the world and features games creators, distributors, operators, retailers, innovators, trade associations, strategic bodies and regulators – representing every gaming vertical.

join the global gaming community and gather ideas, connect with like-minded industry peers and identify new opportunities visit: www.icelondon.uk.com.

Paradise On Earth

Sea, sand, surf and gaming are all on tap at Atlantis Resort.

By Bill Healey

ith crystal-clear turquoise waters and fabled beaches, a favored warm-weather destination for many is the Bahamas archipelago. A top vacation draw for families and casino enthusiasts in the Bahamas is The Atlantis Paradise Resort. We were fortunate to chat with Joe Brunini, chief gaming and customerdevelopment officer at Atlantis.

Could you give us a bit about your background in

the gaming industry and what brought you to The Atlantis?

I got my start at Caesars Atlantic City in 1980 as a dealer of all table games and worked my way through most of the operational departments. In 1998, while I was senior vice president of operations at Caesars, I was hired by MGM Grand and made the big move from Atlantic City to Las Vegas. I joined MGM Grand as their senior vice president of operations and executive vice president of marketing. After MGM

completed the Mansion and acquired Mirage Resorts in 2000, I then took over as president of national marketing for MGM Mirage. In 2005, we acquired Mandalay Resort Group and I was promoted to president of marketing and customer development for MGM Resorts International. I was with MGM Resorts until 2012, subsequently, I was was hired by Baha Mar Casino & Resort in the Bahamas as their president of global marketing and customer development, leaving in 2016. I assumed the position as president and CEO

of Parq Vancouver, where I stayed until 2020. Then I made the move to Atlantis. It was exciting to make the move, as I’d often travel down to the Bahamas for holidays with my wife and my daughter to stay at Atlantis

The Atlantis is one of the largest integrated resorts in the Bahamas. What are the various casino gaming areas within the resort?

Our main casino at Atlantis is situated between the Royal and Coral Towers. This is where we have the majority of our slot machines and a variety of table games. The table games are the traditional games from blackjack, roulette, craps, and baccarat to

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novelty games such as Let It Ride and Three Card Poker. We have one of the largest casinos in the Caribbean. It has been undergoing a refresh that includes modern finishes, shimmering textures, celestial fixtures and flowing lines echoing the refractions of the sea. Upon entering the casino, guests will be welcomed with a grander and even more elegant sense of space.

We also have additional gaming areas such as the Cove Pool, which is an adult pool area providing seven table games inclusive of craps, blackjack, baccarat and other games. We also have Sea Glass, an indoor gaming and lounge area with several table games and twenty mid-to-high range slot machines. At the Atlantis Casino, we offer the Salon Privé, which is our high-limit salon area, offering elite table game options for our VIPs.

At Atlantis Paradise Island, we provide a variety of gaming offerings and we’re flexible to meet the needs of our guests. If a customer wants a certain game in any of the gaming areas and we know in advance, we switch it out, and put the games there to accommodate. We keep an inventory of various table games in each area, which allows us to expedite the customer requests and switch them out as needed.

Each of our gaming areas has a Bahamian flair, combining very outgoing local personalities along with the archipelago’s unique style. I would consider the Atlantis Casino as a Bahamian casino with a slight Vegas flair. I say slight only because of the offerings and the type of well-known table games we offer. I would put the offerings we have on a level with any casino in Vegas.

Does the casino have gaming tournaments? What are some of the customers’ favored tournaments? We have a lot of tournaments. One of our favorites is a team slot tournament where there’s about 20 teams. The teams combine their scores and compete against other teams. This format draws in a lot of enthusiastic customers and gives the winning teams bragging rights. We also have daily and weekly slot tournaments, where customers can easily sign up to play and other tournaments where there are preset criteria required for entry. There are also higher-end slot and table game tournaments with prize pools in excess of $250,000. We understand that slot and table game customers operate differently, and have varied needs and requirements, so we strive to try to accommodate both types of players.

Where do customers come from?

The U.S. market is a key market for Atlantis. We are also expanding in the Canadian market from Toronto in the east all the way to British Columbia on the West Coast. We also pull from the United Kingdom, and have international customers that come in from as far away as Singapore and Beijing. They may either take a trip through the U.S. or Canada, with their final destination in the Bahamas. We do pick up many international customers, mainly because a lot of them have children in school on the East Coast. They tend to come here for a family vacation. The Atlantis is truly a family destination resort that has gaming and many other activities.

The resort has recently been going through a major renovation. Could you mention some of the highlights?

Atlantis’ Royal Towers are celebrating their 25th anniversary this year, which coincides with completion of renovation of all guest rooms and suites in both the Royal East Tower and Royal West Tower. Design elements celebrate the natural seascape of aquamarine waters, white-sand beaches, and coral reefs to inspire a soothing environment where guests can relax and unwind.

Looking beyond 2023, in partnership with David Grutman of Groot Hospitality, Atlantis will open a brand-new ‘oasis within an oasis,’ resort called Somewhere Else. Replacing the current site of

The Beach Tower, this unique oceanfront escape, opening in 2024, will offer 400 guest rooms and suites alongside top-tier dining venues, lushly landscaped grounds, multiple pools, recreation areas, upscale amenities, and live performances – all within easy reach of the myriad dining and entertainment options synonymous with Atlantis. We have also announced our third Michelin-star-chef restaurant experience, Pranza by Chef Michael White, which will make Atlantis the only resort destination to have three Michelin-star chefs available to all our guests. One does not have to be a VIP or a guest staying in a certain tower to access any of our dining outlets.

We have also launched partnerships with sea plane and yacht charter operators that are available

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for reservation now. This will allow our guests to experience more of the sister islands, from diving the famous blue hole to swimming with the pigs, which is a popular Bahamian thing to do, as well as other activities. Guests can access these special experiences and operators through our renowned Sapphire Services concierge team.

The Atlantis also has a marina for those who arrive by boat. Can you mention a few highlights about the marina?

Something that often goes unrecognized is our marina. It’s truly a Monte Carlo-style one. We have 63 slips which can host vessels up to 250-plus feet.

Whether you’re on a charter or on your own boat and use the slips at the marina, you are given access to the property. So you can access the pools, the

fitness center, the restaurants, aquariums such as The Dig and of course world-class shopping!

What are you doing with social media?

At the present time we are most active on Instagram and Facebook. As far as engagement and our customers messaging us it’s usually via Instagram. We really keep Twitter to a very high level of corporate messaging. Obviously, if people reach out to us offline, of course we will respond. We did launch a TikTok account, and utilize one of our team members to administer it. Though his name is Dennis, everybody knows him as “Kool-Aid.” He is such a unique personality and has done amazing things engaging with our customers through TikTok. We also have a YouTube page where we place our past TV commercials and a lot of our new content. We

are starting to get very involved in producing original content.

How would you describe Atlantis and its role in terms of social responsibility?

I would say our emphasis is on the ocean –sustainability and environmental stewardship spearheaded vis-à-vis the Atlantis Blue Project Foundation. The nonprofit is dedicated to saving sea species and habitats throughout the Bahamas and the surrounding Caribbean areas. Since its inception in 2007, the foundation has been a longstanding environmental leader in the Bahamas, creating nurseries to propagate corals, cultivating and donating hundreds of mangroves each year to help restore wetlands around the Bahamas, educating the local community about ocean conservation, and more.

Dolphin Cay is a 14-acre marine mammal habitat that includes an advanced marine education center, animal rescue, and a rehabilitation hospital located at the resort. The Atlantis Blue Project Foundation played a role in rescuing – and rehabilitating – dolphins and sea lions whose habitats were destroyed in Hurricane Katrina, 15 years ago. Guests are also allowed to participate in educational interactions and have learning experiences with the animals.

More information on our Blue Project Foundation can be found at: www.atlantisbahamas.com/ocean/ blue-project-foundation

Casino

Life Magazine would like to thank Joe Brunini and Atlantis Paradise Island resort for their cooperation on this article.

Feature: Atlantis Bahamas

Gambling on a diverse future

When it comes to diversity, Les Ambassadeurs Club has been pushing barriers for many years. Across the Ambassadeurs Group (AG), which includes the prestigious club in London’s Mayfair, 45 nationalities are represented and some 37 languages are spoken among the 311 staff. Of the total team some 136 are women and many of the senior management – including gaming director and the dead of business development – are female.

The team makeup has not come about by accident. It is part of a clear strategy led by CEO

Kevin McGowan to create a forward-thinking diverse team that rewards its staff – better known as the WorkFamily. It is a strategy that is paying off. Talent rarely leaves Les A. Instead it is nurtured and encouraged. A good example is Sandra Rodrigues, who has been with the club for 25 years and rose through the ranks to become the second female gaming director. At the end of 2022 she joined her colleague Nisrine Mignon (pictured above with Sandra), head of business development, at the Executive Development Programme (EDP) in Lake Tahoe, Nevada.

Women in senior roles across Ambassadeurs Group and beyond are helping push the gambling industry forwards

Investing in present –and future – stars

This industry bootcamp is a place to learn from the world’s most influential gaming and hospitality executives. Giving senior members of the team time to attend is seen as an important investment for Les A. The EDP is as a professional-development opportunity for the industry’s future executives, it addresses a group of people already occupying or ready to take on positions of substantial responsibility – these are the decision makers of the future for the casino industry. Sandra says, “I found a group of 52 individuals from six continents who are all working for the gaming industry in different capacities, and all eager to learn and to fully embrace what the course had to offer. We were all in it together for nine days of an intense, immersive and all-consuming experience.” Nisrine found a similarly positive experience. “The team opened the door to us with contagious smiles, and outstanding speakers shared, taught and gave their knowledge.”

Relevant topics were explored, including leadership and human-resource issues in a post-Covid world; strategic planning; crisis management; new technologies; casino marketing; financial performance;

online gaming and the growth of esports. Speakers came from the regulatory sector, as well as CEOs of land-based casinos and architects of the Las Vegas integrated resorts. Todd Haushalter chief product officer for Evolution Games shared how he and his team got a project from the spark of an idea to some of the most entertaining and popular games found online. Omer Sattar, CEO of Sightline Payments, shared a preview of what the future of payment looks like.

A recurrent theme was an emphasis on diversity and integration, showing that the casino leaders of today and tomorrow need to embrace talent from all areas. This was key in the team competition, where a team of strangers were set a challenge to work on together. “The scale of the project is daunting and quite a few among us thought the task impossible to achieve,” explains Sandra. “The key is your team, its diversity, the individuals’ different fields of expertise, their willingness to work together, to actively listen, to trust each other and to communicate.”

Diverse teams help grow companies

It is not the first time Les A has pushed Sandra and her colleagues forward. The Women in Gaming (WIG) Diversity Awards, last held in September 2022, are

a high point in the gaming sector’s calendar. They symbolize the way the industry has changed — and continues to change — and are a way of measuring progress.

For the women and men who work in functions across AG, this is a chance to see what their peers are doing to promote women and help change the diversity dialogue. As well as Sandra and Nisrine in Les A, women can be found throughout AG in key leadership roles, from corporate affairs and marketing, to human resources.

For Sandra the WIG Awards presented an opportunity to reflect on the way her own career has been shaped in a traditionally male industry. Her rise to a senior role in one of the world’s most prestigious casinos started out as an accidental job when she came to visit the UK. She ended up training for a casino in Stoke-on-Trent. “I had never been in a casino before in my life,” she explains. “Then I moved to London and began working in a club, and then came to Les A – part of the London Club Training.”

Sandra has been a dealer, inspector, pit boss, manager and a senior manager before becoming a director. “AG makes a concerted effort to include everyone and promote equality here, as you can see

from the women in these positions,” explains Sandra. It is part of a greater shift in society. “Gaming 20 years ago was not a woman’s place. There were a lot of women at the bottom and not a lot at the top of the industry. Things have changed.”

In line with many other industries, some of the changes were derailed by the Covid pandemic, when a lot of people — including women who were on a fast track to the top — were furloughed and left the industry. But at the same time new opportunities opened up online, mirroring what was happening in other sectors and industries.

Diversity matters

It is a shift that the gambling industry is keen to understand and – where necessary – address. Ahead of the WIG awards, Sandra joined a panel discussion as a representative of land-based casinos to explore the issue and possible solutions. “We discussed how to attract women in the first place,” she says. As a further indication of how the industry is changing the panel also included online representatives whose experience and expertise is technical, and as such is attracting a different kind of employee, those with product, content, and testing skills.

Sandra points to her colleague Aurelia Matras, who moved from the land-based team at Les A to the online casino, and was one of the WIG nominees. “To be nominated you have to be remarkable,” explains Sandra. “When it comes to online gaming it is about the product, the impact you have had — for example if you have developed something, any policy that has been written and excellence as a supplier. Aurelia has an interest in data and compliance, and was seconded to online in lockdown.” Such opportunities are another example how Les A is embracing diversity.

The group plays a prominent role in raising the profile of women in the sector. During the European Association for the Study of Gambling (EASG) conference, which took place in Oslo in autumn 2022, Tracy Damestani, AG’s chief corporate affairs officer, moderated a panel discussion around ‘Women and Gambling Leadership.’ Tracy, who joined AG from the National Casino Forum, where she was CEO, and the European Casino Association, where she was vice chair, is another woman in a pivotal role at AG.

Whilst Sandra acknowledges that Les A is industryleading when it comes to the workforce diversity, she is also keen to help keep pushing the boundaries. She acknowledges that there is a broader societal issue about women reaching their true potential in the workplace, particularly if they have children and are taking time away from their career. “Women are always compromising,” she says. “Childcare is an important subject, and we have to ensure women and men are treated fairly.”

Sandra leads a large team of about 100 people, including 70 table staff who work around the clock to meet the needs of members. “This is a social club, not just a casino,” she explains. “Members have business interests here too and then they have a gamble.”

Her team is key in rolling out AG’s core aim of giving back; they champion good causes, and embrace initiatives such as the Summer of Sharing and 24 Days of Christmas whereby members, staff, and good causes benefit, and Safer Gambling Month, where they helped raise £500,000 for good causes.

Casino Operations Summit 2023

Organisers of the Casino Operations Summit Lucien Wijsman and Arjan Korstjens explain their exciting plans for this year’s event in Bucharest with Peter White

The Casino Operations Summit had its launch last year in Riga, Latvia. So this is the second one?

LW: Not precisely. We have been doing these kind of conferences since 2011 and previously it was called the Slot Summit and the Totally Gaming Summit, the latter in cooperation with Clarion Gaming. But these stopped with the pandemic and last year we picked it up again. So counting them this is the 14th edition.

Surely this summit is different from the previous ones. The casino and conference landscape has changed a bit since 2011.

AK: The first difference is that we are doing this as independent conference organizers. We have this conference only, no other spinoffs, expo sales or other business strategy. When this conference is a success

we are happy. Secondly we want to be the conference that bridges the gap between land-based and online. We called it the Operations Summit for a clear reason: We aim at operators, no matter if they are land-based, multichannel, online, sports, e-sports or crypto.

So the program has to reflect that. Can you tell a bit more about it?

AK: In the program you will see that on the first two days we will focus more on topics around land-based and multichannel operations, and the third day is more on online topics. The difference from other conferences is that we do not discriminate on what kind of operator you are. The topics of the first days maybe closer to the daily experience for land-based operators. For online people it will bring loads of news and insights. The same goes for the third day. Maybe the online people are closer to the topic but

Left to right: Arjan Korstjens & Lucien Wijsman

for land-based people it will also bring value as these worlds are almost colliding. We believe that operating a casino is about the customer, the product and the experience, no matter what the channel is. Our goal is to make every presentation reflect this.

Such an ambition requires access to high-level keynote speakers and panels.

LW: We are proud that we, although we are still four months out, have already contacted and confirmed quite some names, and topics. For example Erwin van Lambaart, CEO of Casinos Austria. With his background of years in the entertainment industry, with Holland Casino and now in a multinational, multichannel operator, he will do a presentation on how innovation can take our industry forward. Or Professor Anthony Lucas of UNLV talking about the strategy around player compensation, loyalty programs and the house hold, a topic that is applicable for both land-based and online. Other speakers will come from land-based, multichannel and online operators, covering all angles. We have the CEO of one of the leading E-sports platforms updating us on the state of that industry and we will have a speaker who will talk about the secrets of game design and mathematics of slot games, relevant for any operator. Besides all that we will have roundtable discussions on several topics, led by experienced moderators.

To be honest, that sounds a bit old school. You said you wanted to be different!

LW: That is not all. We will have some leading ladies from our industry taking on some of the old-boysnetwork topics and talking about diversity. We plan to have a fierce discussion between someone from the online industry against an addiction expert, a former gambling addict. Or what about the results of a groundbreaking project from Scandinavia on gambling addiction amongst teenagers? We are looking for fire on stage.

You said you were aiming for operators only. Why?

AK: We want to create a relaxed atmosphere where operators can talk to their peers, exchange information and experiences without being chased by sales managers. A safe environment where you can network freely. For that we not only organize a day program at the conference but we will have evening programs in high-quality establishments. Also, we think that bringing together the different ‘blood type’ operators will be a great advantage for everyone. Land-based operators will already be multichannel in countries where licenses are issued. Multichannel operators, like Olympic, Holland Casino and Solverde will already have experiences to share with their peers. And online operators will make moves towards land-based operations, whether it is in countries like Belgium, where Kindred bought Casino Blankenberge, or other online operators partnering up with land-based venues to stream from their live-gaming tables. So even the get-together makes it worth it, in an atmosphere where there is no agenda except for the conference schedule. Nonetheless you are also looking for sponsors, so your ‘non-sales manager’ pitch is not completely true.

AK: You are right. These kind of events cannot be done without sponsors, everybody knows. So yes, we have sponsors and yes, some sales managers will be there. The sponsors will get an area where they can display their products and services. Not gigantic booths with the principle of ‘Who pays more gets more,’ but a modest booth. Also, the sponsors will not get ‘airtime’ in the conference agenda. For sure we will have the normal sponsor positions like headline sponsor, stage, photo, etcetera. The sponsors are very important to make this event possible but they will not dominate the conference. After all it is about the content and also for the sponsor representatives it is very worthy to know where this industry is heading.

Your ambition is to be the network event for operators from EMEA markets. How can you make that come true?

LW: Since our start in 2011 we have done this conference in different countries, from Slovenia to the UK to Estonia, even going Latin American to Peru and Colombia. So we know people are willing to travel when the content is right. Last year in Riga, we already had over 40 different operators from about 20 countries. That was still under partial Covid restrictions and when people who were afraid to travel. My network with land-based operators throughout the world has proven to be intact after the pandemic, so I can mail many boardrooms directly with the offer of the conference. Arjan has invested a lot of time in the online industry and already did some major projects. He also became a well-known speaker and chairman at online conferences like SBC, Sigma, and others. So our combined network reaches out to almost every medium or large operator in EMEA. Our current invitee list extends to over 90 operators in 35 countries. The concept of the conference is the second reason why we think this is the networking event. It is about sharing knowledge and about networking. There is no other conference or show alike where you can talk to your peers on this scale. Most conferences are local or regional or are combined with an expo. Everyone knows that at expos everything is fragmented, not so intimate and social as we will be. The only conference that had a similar atmosphere was the WGES in Barcelona. That has been cancelled for this year and I cannot say we are very sorry about that.

So with our reputation, our network, and our content we are confident we can bring the best content and the best networking experience. For sponsors this is a must-be if you want to have the opportunity to have a drink with a lot of potential new customers.

But why Bucharest? And the Radisson Blu?

AK: All previous cities of the conferences had a couple of things in common. It was a country where there were multiple operators. Also they were countries where it was easy to travel to and not too far out. We want to be somewhere where we can find good standards for a conference hotel and where the city offered something extra. So this year it is Bucharest, a marvelous old city with very modern aspects. The Bucharest Airport has connections to a lot of destinations and the Radisson Blu is, together with the next door Radisson Inn, a venue where everyone can find his place. Last but not least, on the last night we are having a closing party in one of Bucharest’s leading clubs. Anyone who was ever in Bucharest knows what to expect.

OK, Lucien, give me your elevator pitch. Why should I go?

LW: When you want your brain challenged with controversial and sharp content and you want to know how your peers think about this, you should be there. And for the sponsors: This is a unique opportunity for spending quality time with your potential clients for three days in a row without having to make a sale in that time. Thanks.

Team Player

Jurgen

De Munck, CEO, DR Gaming Technology™ speaks with Casino Life

hy do your customers select DR Gaming Technology over competitors?

You know Peter, as the world becomes a smaller and smaller place, almost every product or service to some extent becomes commodified. The land-based casino sector is no different.

For all intents and purposes, all operators have access to the same product and services as their competitors and the challenge for all of us is defining what it is that differentiates us in some way. We all need do something or present something that makes us stand out. Alternately one needs to find a less-traded market or develop a new one in order to survive.

To that end, and your question, I believe what makes us different is that we ‘play’ in the smallto-medium-sized casino sector, primarily servicing operations with less than 1,000 electronic gaming machines, with a casino management system (CMS)

product that is flexible and relatively inexpensive to grow. That said, our jackpot technology literally ‘knows no bounds.’ As you know, our largest widearea progressive customer offers our jackpots to players on in excess of 5,000 machines in over 100 different venues.

That does remain impressive! I’d assume another challenge in your sector, besides costs, is the practicalities – particularly within an existing operation – to physically change system service providers ‘on the go’?

That’s very true. What we have managed to streamline really well over the last decade or so is the ability, granted with the proper pre-planning, to undertake a system migration in a single day. We do this, rather logically, in sections across a casino floor, in so doing also negating any need to close the casino. In relation to costs: our mesh network, that operates off of our patented drSMIB (that is installed in each gaming

device or table), affords operators the ability to forego the expense of having to secure a permanent server and connection. That in itself is a unique selling point.

Perhaps my final comment around our USPs relates to security, where I again refer to our drSMIB. What it does is collect all relevant game-play data from each individual data touch point – eg., an EGM – and shares it with all other drSMIBs in the network. In so doing, it is ensuring unmatched data redundancy and transactional security, as well as the provision of realtime data and reporting. We remain very proud of this technology.

While we’re chatting about your core technology, can you provide readers an insight into the processes involved with DR Gaming Technology™’s approach to researching and developing the advanced management systems it provides casinos?

As you know we own and operate two casinos in Belgium – Dinant and Oostende – and recently opened a third in Acapulco, in Mexico. As an operator and a developer/supplier we’re afforded the luxury to research, develop, and test our ideas ‘in house.’ We receive regular feedback from our general and gaming managers, as well as our players as to what’s working well and what’s not. Similarly, we are afforded first-hand thoughts and comments as to what are ‘nice to haves,’ again both from an operator and a player perspective. We’re very fortunate in this regard, and it’s made a world of difference when we as a development committee meet to agree ‘what to do next’ and how to prioritize those next developments.

Cashless remains a core component of your technology offering. What are the key features of those systems that set them apart from the competition?

You know, Peter, and I stand to be corrected, but I think it was in late 2020 when we last discussed cashless. To that end, I remain of the view that both TITO and physical – particularly magstripe – player cards will become a ‘technology of the past’ in no more than the next three to six or seven years. Physical ticket costs, and the costs to operate TITO, continue to become more and more prohibitive. Globally we’re all now carrying virtual bank cards on our phones. That being said, we’re still in a ‘bridging phase,’ and as a result, based on the R&D referred to

earlier, undertaken with operators and players alike at our own casinos, we’re doing our best to ensure that we meet the needs of today whilst preparing to at least meet, but hopefully drive, the needs of tomorrow.

At present, there is a solution that we showcased at G2E in October that now allows players to top-up their account from their drScreenUltra player-tracking unit via a unique QR code they can scan via their Smart Phone, which then takes them to a selected, secure, pay gate like PayPal, where the payment is effected and then verified using their own personal banking app. We also now have a fully functional, single-wallet solution that can be used throughout any number of touch points in a casino. It’s a very simple and easy-to-use ‘Tap and Play,’ and a RFID-card solution that can be accepted at restaurants, bars, theaters, retail outlets, and at both EGMs and tables for game play. It’s an all-in-one solution, all on one card and all accessing a single wallet.

Jurgen De Munck, CEO, DR Gaming Technology™

As I have said before: Cashless and multi-currency solutions through electronic fund transfers – via either a player card or an App – are without a doubt the future. They are a safer, simpler, and easier-to-manage solution for players and operators alike.

Can you explain to readers the DRGT™ jackpot system solution and detail the various benefits it provides gaming operators.

We started our discussion today about USPs and I can unashamedly say that our jackpots are undoubtably one of those. Whilst we continue to expand on that technology, and the further integration thereof into more and more OEM solutions, as we have done with a number of game manufacturers already, we continue to offer probably the largest selection of jackpot configuration options in the world. Add to that an almost-guaranteed 100 percent uptime due to our drSMIB technology, the seamless integration into our drSign and drMediaManager solutions to design and schedule displays, and I’m sure you’ll agree – it’s a very powerful USP.

Notwithstanding the above, we’re not resting on our laurels and have recently added a number of SAS extensions to our Jackpot technology, which now allows OEMs to draw data from our system, and display real-time jackpot information on their EGM screens. Apex, for example, now shows the shared value of our community jackpots on their EGM screens as well as a list of recent wins.

You mention jackpot information being displayed on EGM screens. What are amongst the main reasons why the DR Gaming Technology™ Screen Management System has been so popular and why do you think customers have remained so loyal over the years when there are now so many competing products on the market?

You know, Peter, there are indeed far more competitors now than there were over 10 years ago when Michiel van Dam, our then-chief technology officer and I started out. What makes me the most proud is that with an ever-increasing market, and the aforementioned increase in supplier options, we have continued to grow and remain that ‘formidable competitor.’

As with any service or product there are three key drivers to its success: One, does the product do what the customer expects it to? Second, does the sales and after-sales support service at least meet the

customer’s expectations? Third, does the price offer the customer value for money?

I firmly believe that the loyalty we are afforded is due us being able to positively answer the above three questions. The further opportunities and flexibility offered to operators with respect to being able to create and distribute content directly to their players at their EGM, either via the player tracking display or on the EGM screens themselves, or a broader audience on their casino floor via overhead displays, has been a game changer.

The fact that players can play an EGM while watching a football match on that same EGM’s top screen or on its player-tracking display, or be ‘pushed’ theatre promotions or the latest jackpot information, is world class.

Is DRGT™ in the Americas growing, and what are your plans for the years ahead in that region?

It is growing, thank you. In Mexico specifically, where we opened a local office in 2017, we have started to

garner some significant momentum of late. There are three very entrenched systems service providers in the country, and since establishing DRGT™ Mexico just over five years ago we have, understandably, been doing our level best to gain market share. Notwithstanding the goings-on over the last 24-odd months, progress is being made. What was nice, on the jackpot side of things, was a wide-area progressive deal we did at G2E for just over 20 Mexican venues. We’ve also just completed a new systems installation in Colombia. That was nice too.

Speaking of G2E Las Vegas, it was really the first proper person-to-person exhibition since the pandemic. Any key takeouts from that?

You know it was far better attended than I expected and that was a great positive. It physically reflected the resilient nature of us as humans and the fact that we are all keen to do business, not just talk about doing it, but doing it. G2E obviously talks directly to our American and South American customers and a key

takeout from Vegas was their interest in our Mystery Jackpots. We’ve discussed jackpots already but what I failed to mention was the fact that our jackpots can operate ‘on top of’ existing EGMs via our drSMIB, as opposed to via a jackpot controller and on only dedicated, manufacturer-defined EGMs. Operators loved that. It talks very much to the three ‘key drivers’ of product and service success I noted earlier: functionality, value for money and service.

...and from Vegas for the Americas, we head to London and ICE 2023 for your European and African customers, correct?

Yes that is correct. We will be there, along with I trust everybody else on 7-9 February. What Clarion managed to present in April last year was commendable. However, I have no doubt that ICE 2023 will be back to what we all experienced at the last fullscale ICE in early 2020. As you correctly note, London is our primary European and African showpiece and we’re very excited to be back there after a two-year hiatus.

Can you provide us any insights into further new developments at DR Gaming Technology that are on the way?

You always ask, Peter, and I commend that, but you know my answer: Come visit our booth at ICE and see for yourself. I’d be doing myself, DRGT™ as a whole, and particularly Michiel and his development team a disservice if I let the cat out of the bag.

Ha ha. I can appreciate that. So perhaps a broader question to close things out: What are DRGT™s main aims and ambitions for the next six to 18 months?

Tenacity! I like that. Suffice to say we’re always looking for further extensions in the cashless space – that is the future, as you know. What we also know is that much of our success has been off the back of new technology, whether that be in the connectivity space for our jackpots, touchscreen space for our drScreen, RFID and NFC developments for our cashless solutions, or I guess you could say Blockchain technology (for our CMS). Those greater technological developments have all aided our progress. I guess what is key though is how early one adopts these new technologies; I’d like to think that we’ve been pretty good at that to date.

Winning Experience

Interview with Tashina Lazcano, Director of Marketing and Communications, Konami Gaming, Inc.

Tashina Lazcano joined Konami in 2014 as marketing communications specialist, bringing in-depth understanding and extensive experience in digital marketing strategies to Konami as the company expanded international initiatives, and implemented growth strategies across its entire business. Earlier this year she was named director of marketing and communications. Tashina is active in the gamingindustry nonprofit organization Global Gaming Women, where she serves as a Lean In Circle Moderator, Mentorship Committee Member and Marketing Committee Member.

Tashina, first I want to thank you for taking the time to speak with me. You have recently been promoted to the director of marketing and communications, so please tell our readers more

By Victor H Royer

about yourself and your role at Konami. Anyone who has traveled into Las Vegas has probably had the chance to look out an airplane window and see the big, red “KONAMI” letters on our headquarters building, just feet from the runway. That is the global headquarters for Konami Gaming and in that building we develop, design, test, and manufacture gaming entertainment, and systems technology reaching markets across the globe. That is also where my team and I are located. I’m now in my ninth year at Konami Gaming, where I primarily focus on mass marketing and communication, emphasizing the online sector.

How has the direction and vision statement for Konami changed since G2E 2021? Or has it? Coming out of that year, Konami delivered a number of big wins for casinos and their players, including All Aboard, which has ranked as a top-grossing parent

Konami Gaming Booth at G2E 2022

game for 23 months; DIMENSION 49, which has ranked the industry’s number-one, top performing core portrait/portrait slant cabinet for 10 months; cashless and cardless technology, proven successful through Konami’s SYNKROS casino-management system; and SYNK31, a comprehensive, new system for anti-money laundering (AML) / Title 31 compliance. For G2E 2022, Konami showcased entertainment and technology rooted in the winning experience: celebration, team spirit, and high reward. Guests can tap into more fun in Konami’s DIMENSION content, and more SYNKROS systems tech focused on creating, facilitating and reinforcing winning moments.

Please tell us about the newest leadership appointments at Konami and in which roles they now serve within the company.

In August, Konami Gaming announced the appointment of longtime industry veteran Gerard Crosby to senior vice president and chief games product officer. He’s worked in games R&D, engineering, product strategy and business operations for nearly 30 years, more than 20 of which were at Konami. Most recently, Gerard was appointed director of product development at Konami Australia. Now as senior vice president and chief games product officer for both Konami Gaming and Konami Australia, Gerard is responsible for leading the company’s global games R&D, including vision, conceptualization, strategy, and execution. He has a deep understanding of the industry, and how to leverage Konami’s potential therein to drive the best results for casinos and the best gaming experiences for players.

This was the first fully post-pandemic gaming convention in Las Vegas, and we’d like to know how you see Konami positioned in the current and future gaming market. Konami’s position in the market is one of high quality, growth and stability. To speak to product quality,

Konami’s latest DIMENSION premium-lease product has proven the test of time, as All Aboard continues to rank one of the industry’s top-grossing parent games, and new releases like Ocean Spin and Lucky Envelope regularly hit the charts as well. DIMENSION directfor-sale product has also established a demonstrated track record of success, with DIMENSION 49 ranking as the industry’s number-one highest performing core portrait/portrait slant cabinet for 10 months. And Konami’s SYNKROS continues to drive new convenience, efficiency, flexibility, analysis and results to the gaming floor as the system of choice for operators across the most competitive gaming markets in the world.

As our business is beginning to return to pre-pandemic levels, Konami’s growth is shown through 50 percent year-over-year growth in net revenue. During this time, Konami has successfully entered the historical horse racing market with our first HHR machines. We’re also expanding into Class II and New York Lottery VLT, which we displayed for the first time at G2E this year. Stability is another core market characteristic of our business. Konami understands what it uniquely offers the industry and we consistently deliver it. We retain a highly tenured, consistent leadership, with a combined 100-plus years of Konami experience just among the executives in our C-suite. Konami has logged more than two decades of operating experience and collaboration between our three owned development studios in Las Vegas, Sydney, and Zama, Japan.

Which are the video games and related technologies which Konami has been presenting? What is new and innovative about them?

One of the top series at G2E 2022 was Bull Blitz, available now on our award-winning DIMENSION 49J and new big-screen DIMENSION 75C. Following

All Aboard “Gold Express” and “Mighty Panda” games on the DIMENSION 49J platform, from Konami

proven success in the Australian market, Bull Blitz is now hitting North American audiences with a high-energy, credit-collection bonus in the style of All Aboard. However, this series has an XTRA HIT feature that awards all shown credit awards all over again for each coin that lands in the feature. So the reward potential for players is incredibly exciting.

Another showcase series on DIMENSION 49J and DIMENSION 75C is America’s Rich Life, available now to casinos. It features the 1987 Grammy Awardwinning song “Living in America” by Rock and Roll Hall of Fame honoree James Brown, while giving players the chance at many unique, wheel-spin events, including a chance at the $10,000 Grand. The world’s first BattleBots slots are also taking to the casino floor this year. Based on the popular robot combat sport and reality TV show, broadcast in over 150 countries, Konami’s BattleBots slots feature iconic environments, sounds, scenes, and bots from the show. BattleBots slots offer a big mix of features, including giant symbols, expanding reels and a free game feature that offers a chance to cheer fan favorite bots in a fight to fortune.

Konami’s number-one-ranked core portrait cabinet, DIMENSION 49 revealed a number of linked progressive series at G2E 2022 for the first time, including Lucky Drums. This is an original, multilevel, progressive-slot series, available now with three different Grand reset options for operators to select from: $10,000, $5,000, and $2,500. Throughout primary play, the standard five-reel frame can double in height with any three or more Wild Drum symbols, awarding a bonus re-spin on the expanded reel frame for more ways to win.

Prize Strike is another proven series out of Australia that we’re excited to introduce to expanding markets. Featured on our latest stacked-screen, core cabinet, DIMENSION 27, Prize Strike gives players a new credit-collection adventure, with a fun tally board in the middle screen to track their wins and bring even more excitement to a long list of random features within the prize feature. Some of the random-feature events include XL symbols, random multipliers, bonus awards and progressive jackpots. If the entire tally board is filled, players are awarded the big progressive Grand, with a reset configurable to $2,500 or $5,000.

For these video titles, which of them have new, or re-imagined cabinets?

All of these original series are featured on Konami’s latest cabinet hardware line: DIMENSION. For over two years, this product line has proven performance and reliability in the field. The machine operates extraordinarily well, and the player experience both attracts and retains. Konami has expanded DIMENSION to a total of five DIMENSION form factors. All share the proven base components as the original, award-winning DIMENSION 49J—including sleek design, dual spin buttons, dual cup holders, a sloped footrest, a sheen finish and smartphone chargers.

DIMENSION 49J is the premium, original, J-curve cabinet, named 2021 “Best Slot Product of the Year.” It has demonstrated success by consistently ranking among the casino industry’s top premiumlease cabinets and it’s the launch pad for All Aboard, which has ranked among the industry’s top-grossing parent games – premium-leased and wide-area progressive for 23 consecutive months, according to Eilers & Krejcik. DIMENSION 49 shares nearly all the same key elements of the premium DIMENSION 49J curved machine, but with a 49-inch, flat, portrait

Tashina Lazcano, Director of Marketing and Communications, Konami Gaming, Inc.

display. DIMENSION 49 offers a morestreamlined cost option for a strong pipeline of core video-slot content, with industry top-performing series like Fortune Mint and Triple Sparkle.

DIMENSION 75C is a big-screen premium cabinet in Konami’s DIMENSION line, with one jumbo monitor, curved from top to bottom in a slight “C” shape. DIMENSION 75C supports popular Konami game intellectual property from the DIMENSION 49J, such as All Aboard and Ocean Spin.

DIMENSION TOP Box offers players and properties yet another exciting form factor for creative Konami entertainment, with its own premium content library. Using the same, proven base design as the DIMENSION 49J, DIMENSION 27 and DIMENSION 49, DIMENSION TOP Box is unique in its screen configuration. It is composed of a lower 27-inch screen and an upper 49-inch screen, both in ultra-high definition. This machine is scheduled for release early this year. Debut series that showed at G2E included Cash Parade, China Shores Pagoda, and Mayan Chief Pyramid.

DIMENSION 27 is Konami’s newest, stackedscreen core cabinet, featuring three 27-inch monitors in ultra-high definition. The bottom screen is roughly at a 70-degree angle for ease of view, while the top two screens stand vertically. DIMENSION 27 is the launch pad for a strong variety of game content, including SeleXion multi-game packs, extended ROM progressive-jackpot games, integrated stand-alone jackpot games and original linked-progressive series.

What is new and innovative about these cabinets or their hardware components?

I mentioned that the DIMENSION 49J was first-place winner for Best Slot Product in the 2021 Gaming & Technology Awards and it’s also resonated with players. This year its debut slot series, All Aboard, was

awarded first place for Best Video Slot and Best Progressive Slot in Southern California Gaming Guide Reader’s Choice. It’s given players truly fun and memorable reward experiences, which we’re thrilled to see. DIMENSION 49 has also been shaping the gaming space. This machine has ranked the industry’s number-one, highest-performing core portrait /portrait slant cabinet for 10 months, according to Eilers & Krejcik. And DIMENSION 75C is the first and only cabinet to offer a multi-game edition of player-favorite All Aboard— bringing together four proven All Aboard base games in one machine.

Which of these titles are lease, sales or participation?

Titles offered for sale are:

• Lucky Drums (DIMENSION 49)

• Fortune Mint (DIMENSION 49)

• Triple Sparkle (DIMENSION 49)

• Ocean Spin (DIMENSION 49)

• Prize Strike (DIMENSION 27)

• SeleXion multi-game (DIMENSION 27)

Titles offered for lease/participation are:

• Bull Blitz (DIMENSION 49J and DIMENSION 75C)

• America’s Rich Life (DIMENSION 49J and DIMENSION 75C)

• BattleBots (DIMENSION 49J and DIMENSION 75C)

• All Aboard (DIMENSION 49J and DIMENSION 75C)

• Cash Parade (DIMENSION TOP Box)

• China Shores Pagoda (DIMENSION TOP Box)

• Mayan Chief Pyramid (DIMENSION TOP Box)

For these video games, which do you think is the future: sales, lease or participation? Which do you think will be the dominant methodology in this marketing?

Both are important to give operators options to diversify entertainment on the casino floor. With the success of DIMENSION 49J, All Aboard, Lucky Envelope and Ocean Spin, Konami has achieved

Bull Blitz “Roses & Riches” and “Fortune of the Orient” games on the DIMENSION 49J platform, from Konami

considerable growth in its premiumparticipation footprint. Our popular J-curve machine is positioned for far more, as G2E guests are discovering top series such as America’s Rich Life, Bull Blitz and BattleBots! We have even more premium-form factors coming to casinos with DIMENSION 75C and DIMENSION TOP Box. Konami is clearly invested in the premiumleased category, and continues to drive performance and player popularity in this area.

At the same time, for-sale content has been at the core of our business since Konami Gaming was first established. Players have enjoyed Konami core content for decades and our team continues to develop top-tier titles to this day. DIMENSION 49 and its debut series Fortune Mint and Triple Sparkle have consistently ranked in industry performance charts since arrival to market. Add to them series such as Lucky Drums and Super Multiplier Link on DIMENSION 49, and games like Prize Strike and Stuffed Coins on the DIMENSION 27, and there’s a wealth of winning core entertainment to power properties for the months and years to come.

Are any of these titles available in cashless configuration?

Absolutely. Konami’s SYNKROS casino management system has supported cashless wagering through its Money Klip cashless wagering module for many years. It’s compatible across manufacturers and even at the table games. It allows players to load funds to their loyalty account and perform secure digital transactions directly at the gaming machine or table. They can even spend their digital funds at non-gaming

outlets like property restaurants and bars through interfaced point-of-sale systems. There are a variety of factors – including venue type, audience demographics and regulatory requirements – that influence the type of cashless solutions a casino venue may choose to implement. SYNKROS has the strength, technology and flexibility to power a wide array of roll-out options to suit each casino’s unique operations.

In the gaming industry, manufacturers often refer to a segment of their products as “premium.” Which are those that KONAMI is showcasing?

Premium games are a category of slot entertainment which, due to its branding, merchandising and/or hardware, is structured as leased product. It gives players a different type of slot-entertainment experience compared to standard for-sale content, and it gives operators a diversified asset mix.

A huge mix of premium series were featured at Konami’s G2E 2022 exhibit. I mentioned a few, like Bull Blitz, America’s Rich Life, BattleBots and All Aboard. Another is Great Guardians Link, with an All Aboard-style creditcollection feature and art inspired by the original five-reel game Konami first released on Concerto. Great Guardians Link features a one-level, linked-progressive Grand, a one-level, stand-alone progressive jackpot, and four different bonus prizes that scale according to denomination and bet level. In addition to working their way to jackpots during the familiar credit-prizecollection feature, players have the chance to win an instant, stand-alone progressive jackpot randomly during primary play,

America’s Rich Life games, featuring James Brown’s “Living in America” on the DIMENSION 49J platform, from Konami

The popular BattleBots games, from Konami

as it randomly appears atop a Trigger symbol.

On Konami’s new DIMENSION TOP Box, we have premium series like Cash Parade, inviting players to a theme park parade of lights, which they can spin to win random prizes from brilliantly animated parade floats. Throughout game play, Gold Star symbols appear on reel five, triggering bonus events when they land in combination with coin symbols and/or Cash Parade symbols on the preceding four reels. China Shores Pagoda is another premium series on DIMENSION TOP Box. Fans of Konami’s China Shores can take the iconic panda-themed game to untold heights with this all-new brand extension. In keeping with the popular classic, trigger Yin-Yang symbols appear throughout game play, awarding huge potential free games across up to 24 reel frames. Additional awards are granted through a dramatic climb up the pagoda and stretching up into the tall upper screen.

Mayan Chief Pyramid is a compatible complement to China Shores Pagoda—both games share multi-denom options, bonus jackpots that scale to denomination, and a one-level linked progressive with $5,000, $10,000 and $20,000 reset options. Like China Shores Pagoda, Mayan Chief Pyramid is a premium series that offers players the chance at huge free game wins across a host of independent reel frames. During the free games, jackpot symbols appear across individual reel frames in the top screen, awarding increasing the jackpot awards based on the number of jackpot symbols that land.

Now that pandemic concerns are no longer the main force affecting casinos and players, how is Konami positioned to provide game content to casinos?

First of all, it’s a true joy to see so many players enjoying the chance to safely return to their favorite gaming destinations and to see so many of our casino customers achieving positive results. That is at the heart of what we do. So it is hugely rewarding to be part of this strong return.

For our customers in Europe, Latin America, and Canada, Konami has a wide mix of proven content and ultrareliable hardware to make the most of their return to business. These are products that have seen many months of performance – we know they work – and we want to make those results a reality for your business during this time. For operators in the United States, many of whom may have been seeing record days in 2022, we’re continuing to iterate on what works and getting ongoing value from the DIMENSION line. Konami is actively launching creative original series across every machine.

Other than the games themselves, what other products and innovations does Konami offer?

We also have a robust, awardwinning casino management system called SYNKROS, which has an array of tools from cashless to anti-money laundering/Title 31. Proven casino systems options, tools and features filled the Konami booth. Throughout show hours, we’ve offered SYNKROS live demonstrations, with the SYNK31 anti-money laundering/Title 31 system, Konetic employee mobile app and Money Klip cashless technology – among the top advancements that operators are asking to see. SYNKROS continues to drive innovative solutions to the casino floor. As the system of choice for operators across the most competitive gaming markets in the world, SYNKROS continues to drive new convenience, efficiency, flexibility, analysis and results to the gaming floor.

“Lucky Drums” games from Konami

How is Konami positioned to provide content and technologies to online gaming?

Yes, Konami games are incredibly popular on social and real-money, online casinos. To help achieve robust digital distribution Konami uses a remote gaming server (RGS) to deliver online-slot content, which integrates with most popular back-end systems used by today’s gaming operators for a complete interactive gaming solution. By distributing popular Konami casino games like China Shores, Lotus Land, and All Aboard through the RGS, operators can easily integrate Konami games into their online gaming sites and apps. All the games on our RGS are developed using HTML5, with compatibility across a variety of personal devices including smartphone, tablet and desktop.

In general, how would you sumup the post-pandemic future for Konami in Las Vegas and elsewhere in the world? Backed by some of the industry’s top hardware with the DIMENSION series, proven popular content like All Aboard, and the industry’s most reliable casino-management system, SYNKROS, Konami is in a strong position to serve our global casino customers with the best gaming entertainment and tech available. With that comes ongoing investment in research and development. Since the earliest days of the company, Konami Gaming has prioritized R&D. Konami R&D kept going through shutdowns of the pandemic. Now, at a time with record-setting industry revenues, investment in future product remains central.

Finally, in your career in gaming, and with Konami, what would you consider to be the highlights? Working in a company, and an industry, that centers upon both entertainment and technology, my colleagues and I have the privilege of helping transform the spaces where people go to play. It’s

more digital, convenient, connected, comfortable, creative and vibrant than when I first entered the industry. The future of the industry relies upon our ability to grow and cater to evolving consumer preferences. I’ve seen casino operators, suppliers, developers and regulators work cooperatively to responsibly expand the industry’s value to consumers, as well as our communities. Together, I’m optimistic we’ll continue to transform gaming spaces to engage and entertain players in new ways for generations to come.

On behalf of Casino Life Magazine and Outsource Digital Media, I would like to thank you, Tashina, for your time, and for sharing this with our readers worldwide.

DIMENSION 27, Mystical Temple Grand games from Konami

Coming to America

Interview with Derik Mooberry, CEO of Zitro Games USA. By Victor H Royer

itro Games USA is a global supplier of electronic gaming machines, operating in over 40 jurisdictions around the world including market-leading positions in many countries. Derik Mooberry joined Zitro in February 2022 as CEO of Zitro USA, bringing indepth understanding and extensive experience in global-marketing strategies to Zitro as the company expanded international initiatives and implemented growth strategies across its entire business. Derik most recently was group chief executive of the gaming division at Scientific Games (now Light & Wonder). In his 19 years with Scientific Games, Derik held a number of management positions providing him experience in all aspects of the business.

Derik, first I want to thank you for taking the time to speak with me. Please tell our readers about yourself and your role at Zitro.

Thank you, Victor. It’s my pleasure to share this with your readers. My career prior to Zitro was focused on a number of different management positions that I held at Bally Technologies and Scientific Games (all predecessors to the new company now known as Light & Wonder). Prior to working at Bally, I had a tenure at the accounting and auditing firm of Arthur Andersen. This was where I gained my knowledge of how to manage large projects and fully understand the inner workings of a business.

My current role is as the Zitro USA CEO. Zitro is a global company with more than 1,000 employees around the world. However, until earlier this year we basically had no presence in the United States market. Our goal is to be viewed as a global supplier of innovative content for people who play electronic gaming machines. To accomplish this goal, we will need to become a meaningful supplier in the United States. We are working to build brand awareness

Zitro Team at the Zitro Games Booth at G2E 2022

for our products in the market and plan to enter all jurisdictions over time as we obtain regulatory approvals.

Zitro is known primarily in the South American market. Please tell our readers more about Zitro’s presence there, as well as in the U.S., and the remainder of the world’s markets. Zitro Games have substantially leading market positions in many jurisdictions around the world. For example, in the markets of Spain and Mexico, we are the largest supplier. The company’s history was initially in video bingo products. This is what created some of our market-leading positions. However, six years ago we made the entry into traditional Class III gaming devices. We had strong success in most of the markets we entered and it was this success that gave us the confidence to enter the U.S. as a meaningful OEM. Our most popular titles have been the 88 Link family of games — Lucky Charms and Wild Duels — which have shown exceptional performance in many markets, including the U.S. Since the beginning, Zitro has also been among the top companies in Eilers & Krejcik Gaming’s “emerging suppliers” ranking and we firmly intend to continue this path.

How has the direction and vision statement for Zitro changed since G2E 2021? Or has it? Our vision is to continue being the world leader in video bingo and keep growing in the video slots segment through innovation, differentiation, and excellence, in order to become a global leader in the gaming industry. As part of our ongoing brand evolution, we recently launched our new company slogan “Raising the Game,” which reinforces our commitment to continually create state-of-the-art gaming products to enhance the player experience, as well as to meet the ever-changing needs of casino operators around the world.

Please tell us about the newest leadership appointments at Zitro, and in which roles they now serve within the company. Due to Zitro’s continuous growth and expansion, changes have been made to the company’s structure. Sebastian Salat has recently been appointed international president. Thus, the team led by Johnny Ortiz is now structured as follows: With the strong leadership in Spain of Manuela Jimenez, vice

Derik Mooberry, CEO of Zitro Games USA

president of Zitro, Sebastian leading the company’s expansion into the European, Latin American and Asian markets, as well as our digital division, and myself as the CEO of Zitro USA, leading the U.S. and Canadian markets, we will be able to provide each market with the proper level of attention to guarantee rational and sustained growth, and therefore ensure quality service to our customers worldwide.

This was the first fully post-pandemic gaming convention in Las Vegas. We’d like to know how you see Zitro positioned in the current and future gaming market?

We were extremely pleased with the number and quality of attendees at the G2E show. For us, G2E 2022 was a chance to showcase our products, as well as an expectation to be recognized as a global leader in the electronic-gaming machine-market. We

had over 60 machines in our booth highlighting the depth of the content on our GLARE cabinet line, which features four unique form-factors, each with its own set of content. By showcasing four distinct cabinets, we felt customers could get comfortable that we were not simply a one-bank vendor. We are seeing the strength of the product line at many locations where customers are now reordering multiple banks of products, based on the strong performance of their initial purchases.

Which were the video games and related technologies which Zitro was presenting? What was new and innovative about them?

This year, we presented at G2E a diverse lineup of games featured on the GLARE cabinet line, including Altius Glare, Illusion Glare, Allure Glare and Fusion Glare. Among the new titles on display were Mighty Hammer, a four-level, multi-game featured on Allure Glare, with four different game themes and three unique bonus links. Also, on display was Mega King, available for both the Allure and Fusion Glare cabinets. With this slot title, the more you bet the bigger the jackpot you get. Mega King also includes an amazing “ENERGY BOOST” feature, which allows players access to the bonus jackpot.

Also released was Seven Chests, a four-level, multi-game progressive with four fantasy-inspired characters, and a brand-new Seven Chests feature that takes the players on a thrilling adventure in the hunt for the coveted Golden Chests. Finally, Colossus Fire, also debuted on the Illusion Glare cabinet. This four-level, progressive, multi-game includes four game titles, as well as up to three unique bonus links where it is easier than ever to win the megajackpot while increasing prizes on each spin. All these games are designed with goal of offering an immersive and wellrounded gaming experience for players.

For these video titles, which of them have new or re-imagined cabinets?

Our booth highlighted the GLARE product line during G2E. The GLARE lineup of cabinets is new to markets around the world and features four unique configurations. The Fusion Glare is a dual-screen cabinet designed to take advantage of locations where sightlines need to be optimized. The Allure Glare is our triple-screen option in which many of the games offer linked, top-box-bonus experiences. The Illusion Glare

debuted in a new form factor at G2E as we upgraded to a 49-inch, curved, J-screen option. Last is our premium offering, the Altius Glare. It features a 27-inch base-game screen with a 55-inch, ultra-4K-resolution monitor on top to provide best-in-class graphics. We deliver immersive gaming experiences, and a diverse cabinet offering to meet the demands of casino operators when it comes to optimizing and diversifying the slot floor.

The GLARE cabinet series offers a diversity of form factors so that casino operators around the world can have distinct gaming experiences, differentiated not only by their theme and game mechanics, but also by their physical presentation. What these cabinets share is a cutting-edge design, along with premium sound effects, a smart LED Halo, a powerful next-gen processor, easy access for service, as well as wireless mobile charging. The depth of our cabinet offering demonstrated at this year’s G2E our continued efforts to provide casino operators differentiated experiences with content in many form factors.

Which of these titles are lease, sales or participation?

Zitro titles offered for sale:

• 88 Link Lucky Charms

• 88 Link Wild Duels

• 88 Link Multiplier

• Blast

• Mega King

• Light Temple

• Magic Roots

• Mei Shi Mei Ke

• Double Link

• Bashiba Link

• Colossus

Zitro titles offered for lease/participation:

• Wheel of Legends

• Fu Shou

• Seven Chests

For these video games, which do you think is the future: sales, lease or participation? Which do you think will be the dominant methodology in this marketing?

We try to provide our cabinets under a number of different pricing options. Therefore, our games can be placed in any of the categories mentioned above. I believe there will always be a healthy balance between all of the categories.

Are any of these titles available in cashless configuration?

All of the Zitro cabinets come cashless-ready. A customer can select the cashless system of their choice and our games will work in their environment.

In the gaming industry, manufacturers often refer to a segment of their products as “premium.” Which are those that Zitro is showcasing?

At Zitro we consider our Altius Glare to be our premium offering. This was the highlight of our booth at G2E, as we showcased the Altius Glare cabinet with LED video walls. The slot titles currently available for the Altius Glare platform are Wheel of Legends, Seven Chests and Fu Shou Multigames, with up to 10 game themes and exclusive game mechanics. New titles will be added to our game library soon!

Now that pandemic concerns are no longer the main force affecting casinos and players, how is Zitro positioned to provide game content to casinos?

What is new and innovative about these cabinets, or their hardware components?

Our goal in the U.S. is to get the necessary regulatory approvals for us to expand and grow market share. We operate in three states: California, Florida and Oklahoma. However, we will be actively expanding into the Midwest and other markets throughout the Southwest in 2023.

Other than the games themselves, what other products and innovations does Zitro offer?

While the games are what the customers come to play, we recognize that packaging of the hardware and software with various accessories is strategic to improving game performance. You may have noticed that all of our games at G2E had spacers and endcaps to allow for marketing of the game content while providing a comfortable spacing between the games for the players. We also used the latest in LED sign technology to showcase the player experience of our games themes to allow players a preview before sitting in front of the cabinet.

How is Zitro positioned to provide content and technologies to online gaming?

Zitro has a digital division that is 100 percent focused on the distribution of content that has proven successful in land-based markets around the world. We already have a wide range of video bingos and video slots available, including such well-known products as Link King, Link Me and the recently launched 88 Link series. In less than a year, Zitro Digital’s product portfolio has grown tremendously, and increased users by 130 percent. Today we are live in several countries throughout Europe and Latin America, and we are looking to expand in the U.S. in the near future.

In general, how would you sum-up the postpandemic future for Zitro in Las Vegas and elsewhere in the world?

We are a growing company and feel our future is bright in all of the markets that we operate in. We are excited about the future as we look to expand on our vision of being a global leader in electronic gaming machines.

Finally, in your career in gaming, and with Zitro, what would you consider to be the highlights? I have been blessed to have had a lengthy career in this amazing industry. It is difficult to select a few highlights, as there have been so many over the years.

However, I am very excited about this next chapter, and I look forward to taking Zitro USA to new heights.

I would like to thank you, Derik, for your time, and for sharing this with us and our readers worldwide.

Is Macao coming back?

Early signs are encouraging but Covid concerns linger.

acao could use some good news these days. Gambling revenue in 2022 was a pale shadow of the glory days of 2019. Junket operators, once the lifeblood of casinos, have dwindled by 85 percent. The high-roller business, frowned upon by the Beijing government, has largely gone missing or taken its play overseas. And the now-discontinued ‘zero-Covid’ governmental policy has gotten bread-and-butter players out of the habit of patronizing the casino enclave.

But the beginning of 2023 brought some positive auguries. During the first three days of relaxed access to Macao, over 100,000 tourists swarmed across the border. Ferry service to Hong Kong has been resumed, albeit initially limited to 10 round-trip voyages per day.

As for gambling, J.P. Morgan analyst Joseph Greff, previously a severe—at times scathing— Macanese skeptic wrote on January 17 that business fundamentals “thus far in January are encouraging,

By David McKee

with improving traffic and spending overall, and benefitting from the recent resumption of visitation from Hong Kong.” During the first half of the month, Macao’s casinos were grossing an average of $39 million per day.

To put this in context, it would put Macao on pace to achieve 40 percent of its pre-Covid revenues in January, a healthy step forward from the emaciated dollar figures of the past two years. Greff assumed that high-roller play represented no more than 15 percent of the total, “obviously direct VIP since the junket biz is dead.” That would mean that massmarket play and slots are a vigorous 60 percent-plus of their pre-pandemic altitudes.

“These are levels where property level EBITDA should be firmly in the positive,” observed Greff, in comparison to the negative return on investment that has characterized recent quarters. “Even more remarkable to us is that this is normally a ‘lull’ period

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before a seasonally stronger Chinese New Year’s holiday (and because of this usual, seasonal trend, next week’s market wide GGR per day may show some level of deceleration). As well, advanced bookings for the [holiday] are also promising with many hotels reporting full or close to full occupancies and rates that are meaningfully higher than 2019 levels.”

Taking the long view, Greff forecast a 40 percent level of pre-Covid revenue for most of the year, improving to 60 percent in the autumn. “So, if these very-early-but-encouraging trends continue, there could be potential positive upside to these forecasts.”

Citing higher travel and spending trends among Chinese consumers, Greff opined that Macao now represented an attractive, long-term stock play, particularly for investors in Las Vegas Sands, Wynn Resorts and Melco Resorts & Entertainment. “While these stocks have meaningfully outperformed the SPX over the last 3 months, we still see attractive upside given estimates that are reasonably based and have more upside than downside,” he wrote. Greff added, “recent trends reflect pent up demand that is not dissimilar to what U.S gaming and leisure travel markets experienced earlier in their respective recovery.”

This comes as welcome news to Macanese casino operators, who find themselves faced with a new set of mandates from the local government, a precondition for concession renewal. For one, they have to reach preset levels of table game revenue or pay an additional levy (on top of a 40 percent tax rate) to cover the shortfall. They also have to invest a

collective $12 billion in non-gaming amenities, which they will have to amortize over a scant 10 years rather than the former 20.

Lastly, casino operators are expected to transform Macao into a hub of family fun and medical tourism, among other things. To do this, they are being pressured to improve international travel into Macao from along the Pacific Rim (particularly Taiwan), even though Macao’s airport is not generally regarded as being of first-tier status, which puts even more pressure on keeping the lifeline to Hong Kong open.

For these and other reasons, former University of Macau law professor I. Nelson Rose characterized the six concessionaires as “trapped” in the enclave, the dog that caught the proverbial car. “What do you do if you have spent hundreds of millions of dollars and two decades building your business in Macau, which, before Covid, had been one of the most successful casinos in the world? Do you walk away from your billion-dollar integrated resort,” Rose queried.

His conclusion? “You stick with it, even when the government orders you to close the casino and have literally no income for months because a total of six people died of Covid in the entire city.” Harsh medicine indeed.

Personalization at Scale

By Raymond Chan

Customer expectations are higher than ever in their digital experience. Accelerating growth through personalized customer engagement is ultimately good for your bottom line. To win customer attention and loyalty, you need to know how to scale their digital experience in your organization. However, most organizations struggle to transform and achieve their full potential when customers are interacting through more channels and data is coming in from more sources.

McKinsey & Co., the global management-consulting firm’s research shows that personalization, fully implemented at scale, can unlock 10 to 20 percent more efficient marketing and greater cost savings, as well as a 10 to 30 percent uplift in revenue and retention with a long-term positive effect on customer satisfaction. Therefore, they defined a strategy to their clients: a path to combine both practices and technologies for the deliberation of the personalized customer experience. Its main components are as follows...

• Start with what you have. Naturally people would strive for the full customer-data platform. However, companies should not wait for perfection. The team can start personalized cross-selling with basic information on past behavior. For example, a simple set of data that combines basic demographic information with transaction history and product details to get a preliminary understanding of the customer is better than a long quest for a 360-degree view of the same customer.

• Decision making. Start with the data and look at customer behaviors, and identify the key triggers that companies can act on immediately. Much of the initial data mining is simply hypothesis-driven, according to McKinsey, and a lot of the lowhanging fruit that drives momentum is common sense. Accelerate the launch of pilot campaigns. Based on response rates, refining the campaigns week by week would be the key to get progressively better response rates.

• The right tech tools. Technology is crucial to scaling personalization. One way to simplify the start the technology side is to understand these needs: 1) Integration of consumer data; 2) Decision and signal enabling, and 3) Distribution of coordinated content offers, with the ability to adjust them based on feedback.

• Cross-functional teams and the specialist. Engage with marketing, operations and tech experts. The specialists should be the “translators” who can communicate insights effectively across the business functions.

IBM is also sharing a similar strategy in terms of the personalization at scale with five key areas:

1. Data. Use the best quality data sets that have already gathered in order to form meaningful hypotheses to test and learn from.

2. Content. Implement an AI-driven, intelligent pipeline or platform for relevant content to be delivered at speed and to scale.

3. Experience. By combining the first two steps, organizations should orchestrate the customer’s experience with a personalized experience at scale.

4. Measurement. Set up customer-journey analytics to measure success.

ABOUT RAYMOND CHAN

Raymond is a software engineer, product designer, and digital technology veteran. He cofounded two technology startups - TGG Interactive and Global Gaming Group in Asia, served as director and CEO to lead the in-depth customer intelligence and electronic gaming business from 2007-2018. Earlier in his career, Raymond was a founding member of the data science team at E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley and played a key role in the design of the TiVo customer intelligence system for the internet unicorn in Silicon Valley.

5. Customer service. Establishing efficient, seamless customer onboarding, and self-service, as well as making relevant and appropriate offers, would be the key to complete the effort.

The ROI of personalization at scale can be well worth the effort. Its success can drive greater customer retention and lifetime value for the company. It can create competitive advantages at every stage of customer management. Furthermore, organizations shall increase in customer engagement, achieve higher efficiency in marketing campaigns and improvement in workflow efficiency.

Customer expectations are higher than ever before, and the technology advances are speeding up the competitions and narrowing the gap in difference. We are hoping the concept of Personalization at Scale can present a new angle for the industry. It would follow the experience of digital transformation that transformed organizations like Apple and Tesla to drive loyalty. Therefore, employ it to compete with upstarts, access new customer segments and bring new business opportunities to win fans again.