Canadian Gaming Business March/April 2008 by MediaEdge

Canada's Premier Gaming Industry Magazine

Vol. 2 No. 4

March/April 2008

Are You Ready for Montréal? Photo courtesy of Tourism Montréal, Stéphan Poulin

Join the Gaming Industry April 29 – May 1, 2008 at the 12th Annual Canadian Gaming Summit

Inside: A Crabby Dealer Entertainment You Can Count On Crisis Communications

Special Supplement: Woodbine Entertainment Group – Redefining Horse Power

March 2008

Volume 2 Number 4

Publisher

Chuck Nervick

chuckn@mediaedge.ca 416-512-8186 ext. 227

Editor

Shayne Stephens

shaynes@mediaedge.ca

Advertising Sales

Philip Soltys

philips@mediaedge.ca

Senior Designer

Annette Carlucci

annettec@mediaedge.ca

Designer

Ian Clarke

ianc@mediaedge.ca

Circulation Manager

Julie Shreve

julies@mediaedge.ca

Proudly owned and published by:

President Kevin Brown

President & CEO Bill Rutsey

kevinb@mediaedge.ca

wrutsey@canadiangaming.ca

Vice President, Strategic Development Chuck Nervick

Vice President, Public Affairs Paul Burns

chuckn@mediaedge.ca

pburns@canadiangaming.ca

Canadian Gaming Business is published six times a year as a joint venture between MediaEdge Communications and The Canadian Gaming Association For advertising information, Contact Chuck Nervick 416-512-8186 ext. 227 chuckn@mediaedge.ca

For editorial information, Contact Shayne Stephens 866-216-0860 ext. 264 shaynes@mediaedge.ca

Copyright 2008 Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 40063056 ISSN 1911-2378 Guest editorials or columns do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Canadian Gaming Business magazine's advisory board or staff. No part of this issue may be reproduced by any mechanical, photographic or electronic process without written permission by the publisher. Subscription rates: Canada $44.94 per year, $80.79 two years. All rates are payable in Canadian Funds only. Postmaster send address changes to: Canadian Gaming Business Magazine 5255 Yonge Street, Suite 1000, Toronto, Ontario M2N 6P4

contents 5

EDITOR’S NOTE

MESSAGE FROM CGA

Gaming News Roundup Manitoba Lotteries receives gold in Progressive Aboriginal Relations Program, BCLC board of directors announces new President and CEO, Nova Scotia Gaming Foundation to fund school project in Yarmouth Town and County, and more gaming news.

CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS

Taking charge is the first step in any successful crisis communications strategy.

17 EVEN THE GREATEST AD CAMPAIGN CAN’T OVERCOME A CRABBY DEALER

Giving service with a smile is still extremely important.

ENTERTAINMENT YOU CAN BET ON

Showcasing A-list entertainers in intimate settings is what many Canadian gaming destinations are doing to attract new guests.

QUEBEC’S VIRTUAL FULL HOUSE(S)

In an age where technology is racing ahead exponentially, electronic table games or virtual gaming and their sophisticated systems are not lagging.

THE G&D LOTTERY STICK

CHEF PROFILE

LOTTERY AND GAMING CORPORATION HIGHLIGHTS

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT: WOODBINE ENTERTAINMENT GROUP – REDEFINING HORSE POWER

German company releases a new product for secure and convenient online gaming.

Patrick McClary, Casino Windsor

News from British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

Volume 2 No. 4

Canada's Premier Gaming Industry Magazine

Vol. 2 No. 4

March/April 2008

Are You Ready for Montréal?

On the Cover Host city of the 2008 Canadian Gaming Summit: Montréal, QC

Join the Gaming Industry April 29 – May 1, 2008 at the 12th Annual Canadian Gaming Summit

Inside: A Crabby Dealer Entertainment You Can Count On Crisis Communications

Official Publication of the Canadian Gaming Summit

Special Supplement: Woodbine Entertainment Group – Redefining Horse Power

Canadian Gaming Business | 3

editor'snote

Editorial Advisory Board Howard Blank, Vice President Media & Entertainment / Marketing & Promotions Great Canadian Gaming Corporation Lynn Cassidy, Executive Director Ontario Charitable Gaming Association

Goodbye and Good Luck

Robin Drummond, Senior Director Spielo, GTECH Nick Eaves, President and Chief Operating Officer Woodbine Entertainment Group Art Frank, President Niagara Casinos Brian Fraser, Marketing Manager IGT Canada Jordan Gnat, President & Chief Executive Officer Boardwalk Gaming Muriel Grimble, Executive Director Gaming Products & Services Alberta Gaming & Liquor Commission Lyle Hall, Managing Director HLT Advisory Inc. Zane Hansen, President & Chief Executive Officer Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority Brad Johnson, Vice President Marketing Aristocrat Technologies Inc. Ron Kelly, Executive Vice President Arrow Games Michael Lipton, Q.C., President, International Masters of Gaming Law and Partner, Elkind & Lipton LLP Eric Luke Eric R. Luke and Associates Alan Lyman, Senior Regional Director Scientific Games Margaret McGee, Vice-President of Prevention Programming and Public Affairs Nova Scotia Gaming Corporation Jovica Perovic, Director Casino Product Development & Facilities British Columbia Lottery Corporation Michael Randall, Vice President Corporate Responsibility & Communications Atlantic Lottery Corporation George Sweny, Senior Vice President Lotteries OLG

Taking over as editor of an existing publication is daunting when your predecessor is as well-liked as Fred Faust. A t a l e n t e d w r i t e r, e d i t o r a n d knowledgeable gaming buff, Fred has been at the helm of Canadian Gaming Business magazine since its inception in 2006, and has played an integral role in the publication’s success. From his home in St. Louis, MO, he has conceived editorial plans, directed writers and developed relationships with many of you, making the recent announcement of his retirement a little saddening for us here at MediaEdge. For Fred and his wife Ruth, however, things are about to get pretty hectic as they sell their condo down south and move to Kingston, ON, where they are about to break ground on their muchdeserved dream house. We wish them all the best. And who am I, you ask? Good question. My name is Shayne Stephens and over the past decade, I have worn many hats within the publishing arena. As an editor, I have worked on a number of publications, spanning a ridiculously wide range of industries. As a writer, I have contributed features and op-ed

columns to numerous local, national and international publications, including The Winnipeg Free Press, CHART, Golf Canada, Relevant, Winnipeg Men, Urbanite and more association magazines than I have space to list. This experience combined with my penchant for horse racing, scratch tickets and late night poker games makes Canadian Gaming Business a fun venture. I look forward to bringing you relevant and timely content each and every issue. In conclusion, the Canadian Gaming Summit is fast approaching, which is especially exciting for me, as it will be my first opportunity to delve into what, in recent weeks, I have begun to understand is an extremely robust and complex industry. With exceptional keynote speakers like Alan Gregg and Gary Loveman, and sessions covering all facets of today’s gaming environment, the event is sure to be something you don’t want to miss. Please, if you haven’t already, register at www.canadiangamingsummit.com. See you in Montreal. Sincerely, Shayne Stephens, Editor

Monique Wilberg, Chief Operating Officer Gateway Casinos

E-mails to the Editor Policy Canadian Gaming Business welcomes e-mails to the editor. E-mails should include the name of the sender, business or professional affiliation, and city and province of the sender’s office or home. A phone number should be included for contact purposes; the phone number will not be published. We reserve the right to edit e-mails for purposes of brevity and clarity.

Canadian Gaming Business | 5

messagefromCGA

Managing the Message By Bill Rutsey, President and CEO of the Canadian Gaming Association “If you don’t know what to do, call the media and at least give the appearance of doing something.” (David Peterson, Premier of Ontario, June 1985 – October 1990) As one of the largest segments of the entertainment industry, gaming is uniquely challenged by the ongoing assaults of anti-gaming groups. Exacerbating this in Canada is the fact that under the law, gaming must be conducted and managed by a provincial government, its agency, or a charitable organization. As we have seen, it is often difficult for them to respond forcefully to criticism, even when it is unfounded. A telling example of this was the confusion created about alleged subliminal messages on slot machines and the initial government agency response – that it was news to them and that they didn’t and couldn’t test for it. The allegation was the creation of an anti-gaming advocate and a local Toronto CBC outlet. The “proof ” was a video of spinning reels surreptitiously obtained by a hidden camera, under a raincoat no doubt, slowed down past the ability of the human eye to perceive it. By way of contrast, it took a private testing agency less than 24 hours to review the situation, test the products in question, determine that there was no subliminal message programmed or otherwise, that it was a simple coding error that inadvertently created the image in question and issue a definitive statement to that effect. Unfortunately, the original government agency response provided the sound bite to media that shaped the story. The following facts were never put forward: • no company programs their equipment to display subliminal messages; • there is no proof that subliminal messaging works; and • all research on the subject concludes that subliminal messaging is not effective. So what perception was the public left with? Slot machines are programmed with subliminal messages and that the government wasn’t doing anything about it. Not exactly a message that is beneficial to industry or government in the short or the long run.

Perception essentially replaced reality with a message that does a disservice to industry and government. Both are committed to ensuring that gaming in this country is conducted and managed in a responsible manner that encourages responsible choices. These types of misperceptions also make it difficult whenever expansion is considered. You just have to look at the debate around the now-shelved new casino project in Montreal, which was slated to be a unique partnership between Loto-Quebec and Cirque de Soleil. Lost in that “public debate” were facts about the jobs and other economic benefits that would have accrued to Montreal and the Province of Quebec. More importantly, also ignored was the research-supported fact that the introduction of a new casino does not increase rates of problem gambling in the immediate adjacent community (Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, October 2006 – A Prospective Study of the Impact of Opening a Casino on Gambling Behaviours: 2- and 4-Year Follow-Ups, by Christian Jacques, MPs, Robert Ladouceur, PhD). So, what’s the answer? Certainly not to do what David Peterson suggests. That’s a short-sighted approach and most people see through it as just going through the motions for appearance sake – “look, we’re doing something.” Communications experts tell us that the only answer is to be ready with research and information. That’s why the Canadian Gaming Association commissions and publishes research. But the experts also counsel that it’s just as important not to get thrown off stride. This is why we must be confident in our industry and in our knowledge of the facts, and to respond to these types of attacks with the facts in a balanced and responsible way. Gaming is a very popular entertainment choice. The gaming industry values and respects its customers here in Canada, as it does around the world. Fundamental to this is creating and maintaining trust with its customers, which includes providing the public and players with the information that they need to make informed decisions and choices. This is the cornerstone of responsible gaming policies and practices here in Canada and elsewhere.

Canadian Gaming Business | 7

gamingnewsroundup Manitoba Lotteries receives gold in Progressive Aboriginal Relations Program The Manitoba Lotteries Corporation (MLC) was honoured at a ceremony in Toronto on Feb 19, 2008 by the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB) for achieving the gold level in the Progressive Aboriginal Relations (PAR) program. This is MLC’s third PAR award. It is the first Crown corporation in Canada to receive gold-level status. PAR’s purpose is to help organizations gauge and improve their commitment to Aboriginal relations, including Aboriginal employment and business development. “As the minister responsible for Manitoba Lotteries, I am absolutely thrilled and very proud that MLC has reached this level of achievement,” said Manitoba’s Minister of Competitiveness, Training and Trade, Andrew Swan. “This award acknowledges the many efforts of MLC’s employees for their outstanding contributions in advancing and implementing Aboriginal initiatives, furthering Manitoba Lotteries’ strategic goal of employment equity and diversity in the workplace.” Manitoba Lotteries has been actively engaged in partnering with the Aboriginal community for a number of years and continually strives to enhance and maintain the standards it has established, said Swan. For example: · As an employment equity employer, MLC is committed to the value of diversity in the workplace. About13 per cent of MLC’s employees are Aboriginal. · MLC sponsors many Aboriginal events, such as the Manito-Ahbee Aboriginal festival and Aboriginal Music Awards. MLC also celebrates and promotes National Aboriginal Day with festivities at the Casinos of Winnipeg. As well, the casinos support Aboriginal entertainers. · In the workplace, training initiatives include Aboriginal teachings and diversity training, and further opportunities are offered through MLC’s internship and mentorship programs. · MLC regularly consults with Aboriginal businesses with respect to employment and procurement opportunities. The corporation is also an active member of the Aboriginal Chamber of Commerce.

In a letter to MLC announcing the award, Albert Diamond, chair of the PAR jury, stated that MLC is setting an excellent example and considers Manitoba Lotteries to be a role model in how an organization should proceed through the stages of the program in a well-planned and orderly manner. MLC achieved the bronze level in 2003 and silver in 2006. The mission of the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business is to increase Aboriginal participation in the Canadian economy. It believes PAR is a good way to fulfill that mission and that the successful implementation of PAR will increase the awareness of the business community to other issues of importance to Aboriginal Canadians, issues in which CCAB is also active, such as education for young Aboriginal people and increasing understanding and building relationships between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canadians. MLC is responsible for the management and operation of Club Regent and McPhillips Street Station casinos, the video lottery terminal network, and sales and distribution of lottery products, bingo paper and breakopen tickets in Manitoba. Revenue generated from MLC’s products has a direct and positive impact on Manitobans with net revenue allocated towards government programs in health care, education, social and community services and economic development. The corporation is also committed to helping community organizations through event sponsorships, fundraising support and volunteerism.

Aristocrat Technologies chooses MEI as Default Supplier MEI, a leading supplier of note acceptors used in the worldwide casino gaming, vending, retail and transportation industries has announced that after an extensive evaluation period, MEI CASHFLOW® has been selected as the preferred note validator by Aristocrat Technologies, beginning with their new Viridian cabinet. “We were looking for the most innovative note validator in the gaming industry,” said Roxanne Costello, Aristocrat Global General Manager Marketing. “Since MEI CASHFLOW® has proven its superior performance throughout the world, and

Aristocrat’s new Viridian platform has been designed to perform utilizing the finest technology available, we felt this was the perfect match.” MEI CASHFLOW® sets the standard for performance, reliability and security for banknote acceptors worldwide with an industry-leading design. MEI CASHFLOW® utilizes an advanced digital processing technology which enables fast and reliable note handling with superior acceptance rates. “Gaming operators will appreciate the benefits this brings with secure and reliable banknote acceptance in a user-friendly design” said Graeme Lewis, MEI Regional Director Asia Pacific. “Because of its industry leading features and proven technology, MEI CASHFLOW® performs at the highest level in security, speed and quality for customers who demand the best. We are very excited about this selection and look forward to a long-lasting relationship.”

BCLC Board of Directors Announces New President and CEO The Board of Directors for the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) has appointed Mr. Michael Graydon as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective March 31, 2008. Mr. Graydon is the former President and CEO of Mega Group Inc., Canada's largest retail buying group, comprised of over 700 independent consumer electronic, appliance and furniture retailers. "The Board of Directors was looking for an individual with exceptional management and leadership experience. We found that in Michael," said John McLernon, Chair of the BCLC Board of Directors. “We are excited about the direction he will take the organization." "I believe BCLC is on an exciting path of renewal and has a great future ahead of it," said Mr. Graydon. "I look forward to working with our employees, with government and all our stakeholders and business partners to fulfill our organization's promise." Mr. Graydon studied Political Science at the University Western Ontario, received a Quantum Shift Fellowship from the Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario and is a graduate of the Canadian Gaming Business | 9

gamingnewsroundup Whitbread Executive Management Program at the London School of Business. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce

project apart from other similar productions is that the students themselves will be the developers and actors as opposed to professionals hired to perform the drama. The Common Coalition project comes in the wake of the 2007 Nova Scotia Student Drug Use survey which states, “In 2007, 60 per cent of Nova Scotia Gaming Foundation to fund school project in students participated in at least one of nine gambling activities for money, in Yarmouth Town and County the course of the year.” Thanks to a $5,576.88 grant from the Nova Scotia Gaming Foundation, The Nova Scotia Gaming Foundation plans to hold a public town hall a unique problem gambling awareness project will soon be underway meeting in Yarmouth this spring. The event will include a presentation about at a junior high school in Yarmouth. The project, called The Common the Common Coalition project. Mission Coalition: Seeking the Intersect, was designed by Denyse Founded in 1998 as a nonprofit, arms-length government organization, Hines, an adolescent worker with Addiction Services, Southwest District the NSGF has directed millions of dollars in community and research grants Health Authority. Ms. Hines will coordinate the project, along with her to support problem gambling prevention, education, treatment, remedial colleague and project director Linda Coakley. intervention and the building of the problem gambling knowledge base Throughout February and March, 2008, volunteer participants from across the province. grades seven to nine will gather to research and discuss issues related to youth problem gambling. Students from Yarmouth Junior High will spend six weeks reading literature, conducting interviews and watching recommended videos from Addiction Services libraries. The information gathered will then be turned into a participatory quiz show/ drama production and presented to students at Yarmouth Junior High and Maple Grove Education Centre. “The goal is to present 400 to 600 middle high school kids with valuable, entertaining, peer-led information about the consequences of high risk behaviours such as gambling,” said Ms. Hines. “What sets this

Time for a Gambling Reality Check? March is Problem Gambling Prevention Month March is Within Limits: Problem Gambling Prevention Month and according to new data from the Responsible Gambling Council, Ontario may be ready for a gambling myth reality check. According the study, Gambling Myths in Ontario, 43 per cent of Ontarians believe at least one gambling myth or misperception. The Council is urging people to take the Gambling Myths Quiz, available at www.responsiblegambling.org, to see if they can separate gambling fact from gambling fiction. “We all like to think we are making decisions purely based on fact, but often, we’re not – especially when it comes to gambling,” said Jon Kelly, CEO, Responsible Gambling Council. “There all kinds of gambling myths: This slot machine is ready to pay; I have a system to beat the roulette wheel; Gambling is a good way to make money; I can win enough to pay off my debts. If you act on these beliefs, you are much more likely to have a gambling problem than a big win.” The Responsible Gambling Council’s survey also showed that 11 per cent of people in Ontario believe that gambling can be a good way to get rich. Money-related myths topped the list, but people believed other types of myths, including those about the ability to control or predict outcomes, luck and the real chances of winning and losing. Almost nine per cent (8.7 per cent) of Ontario adults believed that the more you 10 | March 2008

gamingnewsroundup gamble, the more likely you are to win a lot of money. “If you believe you’re going to get rich by gambling – or any kind of gambling myth – it’s going to affect the decisions you make,” said Kelly. “You may find yourself spending more money than you can afford gambling. Or more time. Or spending increasing amounts of money to win back the money you have lost. These are all signposts on the way to a problem.” Responsible Gambling Council is touring the province to challenge people to assess their own gambling myths.

global group of innovative companies that makes up the AGEM membership list.” Prior to joining Bally in 1999, Prater served as Director of Marketing for Las Vegas-based slot supplier Sigma Game, Inc. Prater, a graduate of the University of Oregon School of Journalism, also previously served as Marketing Communications Manager for Las Vegas-based casino operator Ameristar Casinos, Inc. AGEM was originally formed as an international trade association representing manufacturers of gaming devices, systems and components for the gaming industry. The Association works to further the interests of gaming equipment manufacturers throughout the world.

Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers names new Executive Director The Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (AGEM) has appointed respected gaming industry veteran and marketing professional Marcus Prater as the organization’s new Executive Director. AGEM, a trade group comprised of the world’s leading gaming suppliers, appointed Prater to guide the organization following Jack Bulavsky’s successful run as Executive Director. Prater most recently served as Senior Vice President of Marketing for Bally Technologies, Inc., where he spent a total of nine years as the Las Vegas-based slot machine and systems provider and directed Bally’s global advertising, trade show, machine and systems sales support, media relations and special event functions. “AGEM is very pleased to have Marcus Prater join our organization and take over as Executive Director,” said Brooke Dunn, President of AGEM and Senior Vice President at Shuffle Master, Inc. “Marcus brings a long history of success in the gaming industry to AGEM and his marketing experience and knowledge of the issues relevant for suppliers will help take the organization to the next level. It’s also important to thank Jack Bulavsky for his years of service during AGEM’s formidable years.” “I have been an active member of AGEM since the organization’s inception in 2000 and plan to take that experience and combine it with a new outlook to drive AGEM forward,” Prater said. “With the world’s leading suppliers as the foundation for the group, AGEM can build on what it has accomplished while making an even greater impact in the years to come. The supplier segment of our industry is a multi-billion-dollar Canadian Gaming Business | 11

s i s i r Communicat By Fred Faust

Jo-Anne Polak, senior vice-president of Hill & Knowlton Canada, emphasized the dynamic nature of her specialty – crisis communications – in her seminar at the Canadian Gaming Summit in Toronto last April. She has managed crisis communications for the public relations firm for ten years.

12 | March 2008

tions “There is no such thing as best practice with crisis communications,” she said, “because best practice is something that happened in the past. This is evolving so much that with every single crisis, you’ve got to learn and get better. You’ve got to recognize that the way information is being disseminated in our society right now is changing at breakneck speed.” To illustrate, Polak cited the murders at Virginia Tech. The tragedy at the U.S.

University had occurred the previous week. “We saw a dramatic change with the Virginia Tech crisis,” she said, “where for the first time the media relations in crisis and the digital dissemination of information switched roles. We’ve got to learn from that. A lot of people are not prepared for that. The criticism they had was that the president [of Virginia Tech] didn’t get an email out to the students for two hours. I thought, ‘Oh my goodness, most of my clients

couldn’t get an email out in two hours!’ It’s a different demographic, for sure, but we have to learn from that.” One common error in crisis communications, Polak said, is to equate the task with media relations, and ignore other means of reaching critical audiences. “People make the mistake of sitting back in a crisis,” she said, “dealing with the media, and allowing the media to deliver their messages directly to audiences that they have existing channels to. There’s no excuse for that in a crisis. You’ve got employees, you’ve got suppliers, there’s regulators, there’s government officials, there’s industry partners – there’s lots of people you deal with on a regular basis that you have existing channels to. “But what happens in a crisis is that people get so overwhelmed by it all – they get overwhelmed by the media attention, they get overwhelmed by the reactive side of it – that they forget to even talk to these audiences. “Let me tell you why that is a mistake. First, as soon as the media finishes talking to you, they call these guys. Do you think any journalist who has any integrity is going to just take your story and run with it? Of course not. That’s never going to happen. They’re going to get your side of the story, but more importantly, they’re going to get what these people think is happening. So they will call your employees. “And this is my other favourite one: ‘Our employees aren’t allowed to talk to the media’! [Employees talk] and what employees say matters. Lots of the different people out there that you have relationships with, the media calls them.” If the organization is able to reach its audiences as soon as, or preferably, before the media does, Polak added, “it’s human Canadian Gaming Business | 13

“Crisis communications is two things: Your substantiated key messages and the direct dialogue with the stakeholders. That’s what it’s all about. What’s our story and how do we get it to people? It’s that simple.”

14 | March 2008

nature that people think, ‘Wow, you cared enough about me to let me know. This is a big problem, but I really appreciate you keeping me in the loop.’ ” Media moves on, other audiences remain. “And the final reason it’s important to talk to these people,” she said, is that “when the problem passes – and it always does, in the middle of it nobody thinks it will, but when the problem passes – the media move on to other stories, and these people are the ones that have to do with your success. If those people on the bottom think ‘There was a mistake, there was a problem, but I’m really proud of how this organization handled it,’ that’s a very important aspect of it. “I’m not suggesting that you spend less time on media relations, I’m just suggesting that you’ve got to find the horses – the people and the wherewithal – to do them at the same time. I think of media relations being about 15 per cent of the effort. So if you want to do this right, you find the way to reach out to these other audiences.” Another key step in handling crisis communications, Polak said, is to get the organization’s lawyer involved right away. “There’s always this ongoing discussion,” she said, “where the PR person says, ‘The media’s outside and we’ve got to speak to them, it’s a big story, we’ve got to get on the record.’ And the lawyer says, ‘We don’t know anything and we can’t talk, don’t talk.’ The one thing that’s common in almost every crisis I’ve worked on . . . if you’re going to go head to head with the CEO, the lawyer will win nine times out of ten. “. . . When a crisis happens, I will walk into the room and if the lawyer’s not there, I’ll say ‘Where is the lawyer? We want the lawyer here now. We want the lawyer to participate in the development of all these messages.’ Don’t be afraid of it, it’s a fact of life.” Polak said it’s important to understand trends in U.S. media, because many of the same trends are starting to occur in Canada. One example she cited is the emergence of Fox News and CNBC and other all-news cable stations to compete with CNN. “The competition for ratings is unbelievable,” she said, “to the point where – there was a time when we would work on a crisis and the news people would go to the experts. They would talk to so-and-so who’s a professor of this,

and he would truly be an expert. But what we’re finding now is a lot more of the experts tend to be more entertaining, and they tend to be less on the expert side and more on the sensational, entertaining side, which from a PR, crisis point of view is very disturbing, in a crisis. Because you’re trying to correct the record, and sometimes people aren’t interested in the record being corrected . . . . “Now there’s so much misinformation out there from so many networks, it’s virtually impossible to know where to start.” Another trend that affects crisis communications, Polak said, is the dramatic change in the nature of the news media. Daily newspaper circulation continues to plummet. The combined audiences for evening news of the major U.S. TV networks has declined 50 per cent since 1969. In Canada, she said, getting her client’s story on Canada AM used to assure a wide audience, but no longer. Even radio audiences have changed: “It used to be that if we got our story on the radio, that was great. But people listening to Sirius Satellite Radio aren’t getting newscasts anymore.” What’s replacing the traditional news sources, Polak said, is the Internet. “The number of Americans turning to online news rose by more than five million, to 56 million” in 2006, she said. “The blogosphere is exploding with 34 million blogs online today.”

The need to be first The result of this “exploding number of media sources,” and the fierce competition among them, Polak said, is that “the need to be first now overrides the need to be accurate.” That leads to what she called “a culture of misinformation.” And that means old patterns of response to a crisis no longer work. “In the old days,” she said, “we would wait, we would have a news conference and all the media would show up. But in the new world era, all the coverage is going to be there. You have something that happens on your site, they’re going to be in there with those camera phones and then that’s going to be on the news before you even have a chance to all gather in one room and talk about how you’re going to react to it. That’s what you’re facing.” Again referring to the Virginia Tech murders, Polak said, “Last week, major news centres were saying ‘As reported on this blog, this is the number of people dead. As reported on

this blog, here is the list of victims.’ None of the information that came out on this situation came out through the university. By the time the university would hold their daily briefing, very little information was new. It had already been reported and was in the public domain. “. . . In the old days we always tried to make ourselves the primary source of information. That can’t happen anymore, because people are empowered with their own digital information systems.” To cope with the new media landscape, Polak said, “Going direct now is more important that it’s ever been. Your crisis communications strategy has to be based on, ‘Who are all of our important stakeholders and how do we get to them fast?’ . . . . “Crisis communications is two things: Your substantiated key messages and the direct dialogue with the stakeholders. That’s what it’s all about. What’s our story and how do we get it to people? It’s that simple.” The key messages, she emphasized, are more than just sound bites. The organization’s communications people, and the lawyer, have to write a full “message board.” That document might run anywhere from one-and-a-half to ten pages, she said, depending on the information available. “It becomes the script for everything, all communications with the media and other stakeholders.” Polak said the message board should follow the “CAP formula.” “The first message is always one of concern and empathy. It shows that you get it. . . . You can express concern without assuming liability. . . .” The second message is the “action message,” she said, which explains what the organization is going to do about the situation. This is followed by the “perspective message,” which gives the context for the event or problem. But Polak warned that without the first two messages, the perspective method is counterproductive. “The concern message is most important, you can’t talk about that enough,” she said. The final step, after the message board, she said, is the “stakeholder map.” This lists the various audiences that must be reached, and summarizes the strategic approach and timeline for contacting them. Fred Faust, ffjr@swbell.net, is the former editor of Canadian Gaming Business. Canadian Gaming Business | 15

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Even the greatest ad campaign can’t overcome A Crabby Dealer As my colleague David Bellerive indicated in an earlier article, more and more casinos are adopting the Vegas, mega-casino mantra of “bigger is better.” With every ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new casino comes the need to poach players away from neighbouring properties. In an attempt to attract the wandering eye of the gaming crowd, these mega-casinos build lavish hotels, gourmet restaurants, spas, show theatres, and

mount the ad campaigns to go with them, with what seem like unlimited budgets. But managers of small casinos – and in Canada that still means most properties – shouldn’t despair. The larger and more extravagant these mega-casinos get, the greater the opportunity for you to create your own identity and focus on what every casino guest is really after . . . service and entertainment. Canadian Gaming Business | 17

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18 | March 2008

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Casinos attract all kinds of people; therefore, people will like all kinds of casinos. As casinos spend their time thinking up lavish themes, there will always be a need for a place for the everyday man or woman to just play, be entertained, and feel like a high roller. Sure, they may be wearing jeans and a T-shirt at a $5 blackjack table, but who doesn’t like being treated as though they were dropping $100s while sporting a tux and cummerbund? It’s all part of the experience. My job has taken me to all kinds of casinos, big and small, and I try to play a little at each property to absorb its culture. For all the enormous casinos in Vegas, my favourite is an obscure little place on the Strip that has somehow thrived, even though it is surrounded by giants. O’Shea’s is tiny in comparison to its towering, theme-park cousins, but its secret to success is simple – it’s a fun place to play. The dealers are friendly and happy to drop a helpful hint to newcomers to the game. They make sure everyone's drink is topped up (one could argue they’re a bit too liberal with the booze), and the place is full of down-to-earth people right through ‘til the wee hours of the morning. The point is, O’Shea’s has its own niche, catering to the low-limit gambler while making these players feel like the ever-sought-after whale. Some of the larger casinos give the impression that minimum bet and nickel slot players are just an inconvenience. My favourite casino moment happened at a small casino in the Kootenay Rockies. I was playing my usual $5 to $10 wager at the blackjack table and, after receiving my payout for the coveted Ace/10 combo, I threw the dealer a meagre tip. The dealer then did something I wasn’t expecting. She tapped the tip on the table and yelled at the top of her lungs, “Tip for the crew!” The rest of the employees on the gaming floor responded with an exuberant, “Wooo-hooooooo!” Every player in the place perked up. Then, I noticed the guests around me started to tip the dealers just to get the same reaction. Talk about a winwin situation. Not only did the dealers increase their tips, but the whole action served as an icebreaker between the dealers and the players at all of the tables. It was such a small thing but it made such a big difference. The reality is that most of your guests will leave with less money than they walked in with, but we are all in the business of selling entertainment. “Yeah, yeah,” you say, “We all know this already.” But remember, the people we're catering to are still catching on. This is still new to them. A night at the casino doesn’t yet rank very high on their list of entertainment options. So, when they do walk through your doors, make sure you deliver your end of the bargain with outstanding customer service, from the burly security guard at the entrance, to the cashier in the cage. Losing is one thing. Losing and not even getting a greeting, a chuckle, or a smile is enough to turn anyone off. No matter what the mega-casinos come up with, there will always be a market for intimate casinos that treat their guests like VIPs on a consistent basis. Roller coasters, bright lights and day spas may create enough of a buzz to get people in the door once, but a friendly dealer with a smile and a story brings ’em back time and time again. Ad campaigns are a much easier sell if the level of service portrayed in the ads accurately reflects what guests can actually expect when they sit down at the tables. . Lee Veitch Jones is associate creative director of the Phoenix Group, an advertising agency that is based in Regina and works with many Canadian gaming clients.

Entertainment You Can Bet On Showcasing A-list entertainers in intimate settings is what many Canadian gaming destinations are doing to attract new guests By Howard A. Blank It’s just past 10pm and the jam-packed crowd is screaming as Canadian pop superstars The Barenaked Ladies (BNL) return for their second encore. Just a year ago, the band played a sold-out show in Vancouver to over 12,000 fans at General Motors Place. Where are they playing tonight? Welcome to the 1050-seat Red Robinson Show Theatre at Great Canadian Gaming Corporation’s Boulevard Casino in Coquitlam, British Columbia. Across the country at Casino Halifax’s intimate, 500-seat Schooner Show, another sold-out crowd is flocking to the casino floor to hear comedy legend Bill Cosby joke about cracking into some fresh lobster during his first stay in the Maritimes. A-list entertainers performing in intimate, exclusive settings is just one of the many creative ways Canadian gaming and entertainment destinations are reaching out to new guests. In Ontario and Quebec, casinos have successfully employed this strategy for years. The trend moved west in 2001 when Casino Regina added a purposebuilt show theatre to house acts that would draw the desirable middle-age demographic, and in recent years, full service entertainment facilities in Alberta and British Columbia have also joined in on the fun, hosting both all-star headliners and live entertainment on the casino floor. The result: guests are staying on property longer thanks, in part, to the full complement of gaming, hospitality, and entertainment facilities. That said many Canadian casino marketing teams now have an arsenal of amenities to attract both new and returning guests to their respective properties. Canadian gaming facilities are branching out to offer fine and casual dining, health clubs, hotel and convention facilities, sports bar and off-track tele-theatres, lounges on the gaming floor with complimentary live entertainment, slot and gaming tournaments, daytime shows, events geared to bus tour and key senior demographics, and, finally, theatres that provide world-class entertainment. Some examples are:

• In Rama, Ontario, Casino Rama boasts an allstar line-up that resembles a seating chart for a past Grammy Awards show: Wayne Newton, Aretha Franklin, Santana, Bobby Vinton, Gloria Estefan, Don Rickles and Diana Ross. • Niagara Falls’ Casino Niagara opened a Yuk Yuk’s Comedy Club to complement its sister property, Fallsview Casino and Resort that features a 1,000-seat show theatre for an exceptional array of big name stars and acts. • In Montreal, Casino Montreal has opted for more theatre-review style shows that have a specific run period. Their line up includes: Moonlight Girls, Hommage a Grease (Grease) and Rock Story. • Both Club Regent Casino and the McPhillips Street Station Casino in Winnipeg offer live entertainment. This year they’ll welcome Aaron Lines, Loverboy, The Osmond Brothers and Herman’s Hermits. Rumour has it that they will soon be constructing a theatre similar to the one at River Rock in Richmond, BC • In Regina, Casino Regina plays to their audience with a heavy country and rock line-up that includes: Los Lonley Boys, Lyle Lovett, George Thorogood, and the Country Rat Pack. • Edmonton’s River Cree Casino features a varied group of artists including: Great Big Sea, Andrew Dice Clay, Bob Saget and Live. • In Calgary, the Deerfoot Casino will welcome a host of entertainers including: Chilliwack, Caroline Rhea, Trooper, April Wine, 54-40, and Honeymoon Suite. • In Richmond, British Columbia, River Rock Casino Resort’s giant posters inform guests of an upcoming roster of stars that includes: Chris Rock, Tony Bennett, Liza Minnelli, and Don Rickles. • Vancouver ’s The Edgewater Casino is offering free pay per view Ultimate Fighting Championship cards and Vancouver Canucks games on their big screen TVs, while Cascades Casino in Langley, BC is serving up Juice Newton and Allanah Myles in its 400-seat theatre-lounge. As you can see, the Canadian gaming industry is a huge catalyst for bringing in all-star entertainment to cities and towns across the country. It is

estimated that casinos budget more than $50-million a year for artists alone. For this, we should stand up and take a bow. Canadians from coast to coast and the lucrative tourism market now have venues in which to enjoy unequaled entertainment complemented by unsurpassed gaming excitement..

Howard is VP of Entertainment, Corporate Communication, and Responsible Gaming for Great Canadian Gaming Corporation based in Richmond, BC. Howard is also responsible for booking over $15 million in acts in BC and Nova Scotia.

Canadian Gaming Business | 19

Quebec’s virtual full house(s)

In an age where technology is racing ahead exponentially, electronic table games or virtual gaming and their sophisticated systems are not lagging. By Albert Warson

20 | March 2008

There is nothing like an efficient, congenial dealer sliding cards across a felt table with a few players to make a table game feel personal, competitive and fun…depending, of course, on the size of the pot and who wins it. Alternatively, there are electronic table games without dealers, without the distraction of other players sitting elbow-to-elbow, fiddling with their chips, nor the embarrassment of playing badly. There is also no margin for dealer error with chips, and no way players can go out of turn, mark cards, work with confederates and try in other ways to cheat the house. Computer chips can’t be manipulated. Dealers are not on the brink of being replaced by computer chips, but electronic table games, specifically poker – not to be confused with slots – are becoming increasingly more popular in the United States and were introduced in Canada with a lot of panache in January. That’s when Casino de Montréal installed 25 Texas Hold’em Limit and No-Limit cash electronic poker tables, the world’s largest single such installation, in a specially-designed PokerPro room with a sports bar ambience. Another 18 of these games were installed in Casino du Lac-Leamy in Gatineau, across the river from Ottawa, and Casino de Charlevoix

poker

in LaMalbaie, all authorized by the Société des casinos du Québec (SCQ). J e a n - P i e r r e R o y, L o t o - Q u é b e c ' s spokesperson, says customers adjusted easily to the electronic poker games and appreciate seeing exact amounts of wagers being displayed continuously on the flat screen monitors, among other features. “Some patrons prefer to play poker with dealers and we are in the midst of negotiating with our unionized dealers to see if we can do that,” says Roy. The union representing the dealers or croupiers claim these tables lack the personal interaction between dealers and players. Players at dealer-less games touch their individual screens to signal their moves, for example. The Casino de Montréal chalked up another record in mid-February, when it hosted what

was billed as the world’s largest multi-table, no-limit poker tournament on automated PokerPro tables – involving 240 players and only four staff. Tracy Egan, vice-president, marketing and product management for Matthews, NC-based PokerTek™, Inc. which develops and markets those products and related software, says they are designed to increase casino revenue, cut costs and attract new players. She says that given the game’s success in Quebec, the company will look for other

markets in Canada. PokerTek also supplies major casinos such as the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut and casinos aboard Carnival Cruise Line ships. How does it work? “Each of the ten people around a table with their own screens and a 40-inch screen in the middle facing them. Players are dealt two cards face down and when they touch the screen the cards curl up so players can see their hole cards. They touch their screen to place bets, they can look at their last hand, but can't bet or fold their cards out of turn," she says. (The poker tables, manufactured by Pennsylvania-based Lightning Poker Inc., are distributed under an agreement with casino equipment supplier Shuffle Master, Inc., Las Vegas.) As for the casino, Ms. Egan says the electronic game action “is about 50 per cent faster” than live dealer-driven games with paper cards and chips, which makes them more profitable for the casino. “Poker players are there to play as much poker as they can,” she says. This way they get their wish, because while most dealers spread 25 to 30 hands an hour, a PokerPro table can handle about 40 hands per hour. The system also offers side bets similar to those with other table games, which offer better returns for the house, provides a better way to track the progress and earnings of games, and eliminates dealer error. While she wouldn’t discuss the financial arrangement for the Quebec installations, she says the tables are typically leased to a casino for about $6,000 per month, and up, or alternatively PokerTek gets 18 and 20 per cent of the action. Electronic table games, i.e. non-slot machines, haven’t caught on in Ontario, for all of the province’s profusion of gaming venues. There are two automated craps tables, with three dice shaken electronically and two electronic roulette wheels, and that’s it, according to provincial gaming authority sources. Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort in Niagara Falls, ON, offers 3,000 slots and Canadian Gaming Business | 21

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150-table games, operates a poker room with high and low limitsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Texas Holdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;em, no-limit Texas Hold 'em and Omaha games. They use automated card shufflers and a patron seating system, but live dealers still run the tables. Richard Taylor, vice-president, slot operations at Niagara Fallsview, says the casino does, in fact, have an electronic roulette game with eight stations around the wheel and a twin machine at sister, Casino Niagara. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not unlike a slot machine in the way it works, he adds. Would he consider installing more electronic games at the two casinos? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re always on the lookout for new product and games that people want to play,â&#x20AC;? he says, but for the time being there are no changes contemplated in their gaming product mix. There are similar table games across Canada, but none like the dealer-less ones in Quebec. Brad Broderick, vice-president, sales, Las Vegas-based TCSJOHNHUXLEY, described as the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading provider of casino equipment and services, recalls his company first distributed Touch Bet, an electronic roulette game in British Columbia about five years ago, then Quebec and Saskatchewan. Close but no cigar. Touch Bet roulette runs off a large wheel with terminals for players in other locations within a casino to place their bets at a dedicated table under a fixed overhead camera, with a server and seven players. The difference is that the live action is connected to remote terminals to extend the play simultaneously throughout the casino. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You can run up to 250 terminals from the one live roulette table,â&#x20AC;? notes Broderick. The company also recently launched Touch Bets Baccarat and Touch Bets Blackjack, with terminals carrying live games, unlike the PokerPro games in Quebec which use virtual cards and virtual dealers. Neither the baccarat or blackjack games are ready to be distributed in Canada, he says, because they are still being tested. Has anything been lost by games being electronically extended throughout a casino, like extensions to a single telephone in a house or office? â&#x20AC;&#x153;On the contrary, if Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m intimidated by joining in at that live table and how quickly I have to play, or Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m afraid to ask, I can hit the help button on the terminal

about various odds, how to push the bets, payouts, etc. in the comfort of my own station with nobody over my shoulder or pushing me aside or having to stretch across the roulette table. It attracts novice players and ones who would ordinarily only play slot machines,â&#x20AC;? Broderick says. One of the advantages for the house, he adds, are substantially lower labour (dealer) costs, which can recover the price of a machine, often within 90 days. Broderick foresees more virtual games in casinos pressed hard by competitors and rising costs, and who will try to reduce the labour component. However, no virtual dealer will ever replace the classy, formallydressed dealers running higher-limit games for high rollers. Reducing dealer staff wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t come easily, he adds, because obviously unions representing them will put up quite a fight, as much as casinos, pressed by tougher competition and rising operating costs, will try to lower their labour costs. One issue that doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stir up confrontation is gaming security. James Maida, president of Gaming Laboratories International Inc., Lakewood, N.J., has noted that RFID (radio-frequency identification) technology and other electronics have led to a new generation of "smart" table games, which allow casinos to track bets, identify cheating scenarios and be able to "playback" disputed table game activity. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This technology is aimed at preventing table game cheating by checking everything the dealer and the player do electronically,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For instance, one product using RFID technology in chips knows exactly how much is bet on the table at any time, can tell if players try to add more to their bet after betting is closed and can identify counterfeit chips. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Another product not only tracks the chip play, but also tracks each card as it is dealt, determining independently which player has a winning hand, catching dealers who pay on non-winning combinations.â&#x20AC;? If there is any room left for players to cheat at these games, it would have to be smaller than a RFID device planted in a chip. But that doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mean someone isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t working on that, somewhere, at this very moment.. Albert Warson is a freelance writer based in Toronto.

A Winning Philosophy.

The fundamental goal of the Canadian Gaming Association is to create balance in the public dialogue about gaming in Canada. Our members are the largest and most established gaming operators, suppliers and gaming equipment manufacturers in Canada, including provincial lottery corporations, casino and race track operators, and makers of slot machines and other related equipment. Our mandate is to create a better understanding of the gaming industry through education and advocacy. Visit our web site at www.canadiangaming.ca and find out more about who we are and what a CGA membership can do for you.

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A New Product for Secure and Convenient Online Gaming The G&D Internet Lottery Stick The Internet has fundamentally changed the entertainment, leisure and gaming industries over the past few years and research on internet gambling indicates that a small but growing number of people are wagering online. In fact, a recent Ipsos Reid poll on Internet gambling, released on January 23, 2008, found that 70 per cent of Canadians believed Internet gaming was legal. The poll also found that nearly 50 per cent of Canadians believe that Internet gambling should be allowed, as long as it is properly regulated. The public acceptance of online gaming has lead to a number of provincial lottery corporations beginning to offer traditional lottery products online. Just a few weeks ago, the Atlantic Lottery Corporation released a Request for Information on Internet gaming and new media. But maintaining a lottery system’s integrity, security and protecting against underage gambling can be very difficult. Youth prevention and integrity issues have created headaches for lottery corporations in Canada and around the world, particularly when the sales are online. Balancing privacy with integrity and the convenience of online lottery purchasing can also be a challenge. In the wake of the recent lottery retailer scandals in Canada, the integrity of lotteries and linking the winning ticket to the real winner has become priority number one. Recently, an innovative new technology was unveiled in Hamburg, Germany that provides the security, integrity and the convenience for lottery patrons, whether they are buying tickets online or at their local retailer. Late last year, Giesecke & Devrient, in partnership with the Hamburg Federal Lottery, released the Internet Lotto Stick. In order to play the lottery online, participants in the LOTTO Hamburg Federal Lottery have had to use the USB token to authenticate the lottery process since December 17, 2007. 24 | March 2008

Siegfried Spies, the CEO of LOTTO Hamburg is an enthusiastic supporter of the new technology, saying “With the Lotto Internet Stick, we fully comply with the legal requirements stipulated in the new German treaty on gambling (“Glücksspielstaatsvertrag”). From the beginning, we were impressed with the ease of use of G&D’s Internet Smart Card, which requires no expert computer knowledge of any kind. At the same time, the Internet Stick also allows us to provide a crucial security component for our system.”

Youth Prevention Age of Majority and youth protection has always been a high priority for Canadian lotteries, however, with an online system, how do you prove that the virtual player is of legal age? The stick includes a lottery identification process using local requirements to prove a player has reached the age of majority and is a resident of the participating online portal. Identification and authentication form the basis for the high youth protection standards of Internet services. Players just insert the card or stick into their computer’s USB port and enter their PIN number. The Lotto Internet Stick is fully compliant with German stringent age of majority requirements set by the German Commission for the Protection of Minors in the Media (KJM).

How It Works Internet sticks can be distributed at participating lottery retail locations or purchased online. Players prove that they are of age by going to a lottery outlet once and presenting a valid ID document to purchase their Internet Lotto stick. The required PIN/password to use the stick is forwarded to them via email. After that, players only need to insert the token into a USB port on their computer and enter their PIN. The PC is automatically configured to read the product. From that

point on a player has secure access to the online service. The stick acts as a security proxy and it works with all standard browsers. No additional hardware, middleware or client software is required. The Internet Smart Card is the player’s personal tool which can be carried at all times to protect the player’s personal identity in the World Wide Web and is flexible enough that it can be used on almost all devices with Internet access. In addition, the Internet Stick can provide further functions – e.g. secure user login for other web portals, so-called closed user groups, or online gaming, and enables secure access to company networks. This means avoiding any expensive VPN set up. Since the login data is only saved on the Internet Stick, the data never leaves the card, and is never processed or used by other software on the user’s PC. Another important feature is protecting players’ information from falling into the hands of identity thieves or hackers. The stick protects against phishing, pharming, password sniffing, spoofing, Keyboard Logging, malware attacks, Trojan horses or other computer attacks. An added security feature is an encryption between the cardholder and the internet provider. This means the Lotto Stick prevents users from being linked to websites outside of the official gaming site and protects their information from outside hacking sources. This new and innovative product has additional capabilities outside of lottery purchases. This card can offer secure login for online gaming. The data never leaves the card and is never processed by other software, making this an extremely secure way to login online. Just insert your G&D Internet Lotto Stick into any available USB port and you are on your way to safe, secure and convenient online gaming.

Ch e f Sp o t l i g h t

Patrick McClary, Casino Windsor By Andrew Coppolino

In June 2008, following a $400-million expansion, Casino Windsor will be renamed Caesars Windsor, the first of its kind for the brand outside of the United States. Since February, Patrick McClary has been preparing for the major re-launch as the casino’s Director of Culinary, Food and Beverage. At present, the Edmonton native oversees the food and beverage needs of the existing Casino Windsor facilities. In addition, he will soon be responsible for the wining and dining pleasure of guests at the new 22-floor, 369-room “Augustus” hotel tower, the 5,000 seat, multifunction “Colosseum” entertainment centre, and 100,000 sq.ft. of convention space. Caesars Windsor will have six restaurants and lounges and 100,000 sq.ft. of gaming on two floors. For McClary, 39, expansion and progression is the hallmark of a career that began at the tender age of five when he would join his mother, a hotelier, as she served her customers on weekends. It was an experience he soaked up with entrepreneurial zeal. “I learned how to pour drinks and take apart the glass-washing machine, but I’d also look for loose change behind the seats,” laughs the father of two who coaches his kids’ soccer teams, and enjoys skiing and the occasional game of paintball. “I thoroughly enjoyed it and have been in the business ever since.”

26 | March 2008

Restaurant stints during high school gave way to formal culinary training and by age 20, McClary had collected his Red Seal certification, graduating from the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. Progressing through the various stations in the kitchen brigade, McClary worked at golf and country clubs, hotels and convention centres, bars and finer dining establishments, always searching for the specific culinary path that suited him. His search took him from first cook and then senior chef de partie at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge to restaurant chef at Edmonton’s four-diamond Fairmont Hotel MacDonald, an accomplishment made before his 25th birthday. In 2003, McClary was appointed executive sous chef at Casino Rama and shortly thereafter became executive chef. Today, he says that his extensive industry knowledge holds him in good stead as he oversees about 700 Casino Windsor staff (including 156 cooks, supervisors, and managers). The expansion will see that number climb to nearly 900. Though he has headed up kitchens in the gaming industry a relatively short time compared to the rest of his career, McClary views the differences as subtle. “The fundamental part of being a chef, regardless of the gaming industry or elsewhere, is completely hospitality driven,” he explains. “It’s all about taking care of people and making them feel special. “Gaming customers are the same people as at Jasper Park Lodge, but they’re different too. They’re not just coming for a vacation to see the beautiful property, dine in the restaurant and visit the spa. They’re here for a purpose: to game. And the gaming floor is the driver of our business.” In order to take care of business at Caesars Windsor, McClary is focusing on the casino’s expansion and determining how

to best meet its primary goals. “We need to make sure we have the right staff hired, that the menus are ready, and that we are in tune with what we need to meet capacity. All of that has to be communicated to staff,” he says. Casino Windsor’s restaurants include Nero’s Steakhouse, a richly appointed, contemporary 184-seat steakhouse inspired by the signature Caesar’s Palace Las Vegas restaurant, the 650-seat Market Buffet, Legends Sports Bar, the 24-hour Artist Cafe which can accommodate 255 guests, and the Cosmos Lounge and VU bar. Regardless of the venue, McClary adheres to a philosophy that the customers themselves—representing a diverse clientele—will be the judges of how fast a menu changes and where it goes. “The direction your menu takes is steered by your guests and what their desires are,” he explains. “They want good food and they want familiarity with it for when they come back. At the end of the day, we have an increased focus on our clients to provide the best customer service possible.” Nero’s Steakhouse is a case in point. The restaurant, according to McClary, is destined to be a strong force in the market given the proximity of the competition across the river in Detroit. “We want to play in that market and ensure it is a great experience for our guests,” he offers. While some might find the frequent shifting between kitchen whites and a suit that accompanies a dual job title daunting, McClary sees it as the perfect fit. “In combining the roles, everything I’ve learned over my career comes into play, both backand front-of-house, each day.” Andrew Coppolino is a freelance writer based in Kitchener, Ontario. He can be reached at andrew@ tablescraps.ca.

SECOR Is Proud to Announce Marc Brouillette is Joining the SECOR Team SECOR Consulting is a leading Canadian-based international strategy consulting boutique. We have offices in Montreal, New York, Paris and Toronto. SECOR has been helping leading corporations, large government agencies and crown corporations for over 30 years. Our strategy services include:

Strategic planning, mergers, acquisitions, and new business development, partnerships and joint ventures, innovation and economic analysis.

Marc Brouillette brings 10 years of strategy consulting experience and 25 years of industry experience to SECOR. Marc has worked extensively with clients across multiple sectors in developing growth strategies and capitalizing on new business opportunities. As the Principal behind Strategic Gaming Innovations, he led strategy development for the gaming industry having worked with the private sector, municipalities, charitable organizations and lottery corporations and regulators.

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Lottery and Gaming Corporation Highlights The following summaries of news and activities were submitted by the provincial lottery and gaming corporations. Look for reports from other provinces in the May issue. British Columbia Lottery Corp. Chances Courtenay opens on leap year BCLC and Playtime Community Gaming Centres Inc. announced the official opening of Chances Courtenay entertainment centre on Feb. 29. This new 17,000 square foot facility, with its stunning West Coast theme, offers 74 slot machines, one electronic Blackjack game, 90 touch screen bingo terminals, 115 paper bingo seats, and lottery products. Players can also enjoy the 30-seat bistro and 65-seat lounge. BCLC contracts with Playtime Community Gaming Centres Inc. to provide day-to-day operational services for this facility. First Gold Medal Hockey winner In support of the new $5 Gold Medal Hockey Instant Win ticket, the SportsFunder team hosted more than 40 lottery retailers at a special luncheon. The ticket features top cash prizes of $75,000 and a chance to win tickets to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter games Gold Medal Hockey finals. The first Gold Medal Hockey winner was presented with a Team Canada jersey in celebration of her winning a pair of tickets to the Gold Medal Women’s Hockey final plus $1,000. A representative from KidSport™ shared testimonials from B.C. children who have benefited from the proceeds from SportsFunder. Retailers had a Q&A with Canucks players Sami Salo, Alex Burrows and Kevin Bieksa. The players posed for photos and signed autographs. 28 | March 2008

Lady Luck shines on poker tournament Surrey resident Sarah Maxine Farber won the top prize of $33,750 plus a seat into the World Series of Poker Ladies No Limit Hold’Em World Championship in Las Vegas during BCLC’s 3rd Annual Women’s Poker Classic, February 21-24. The winner knocked out 269 other women to reach first place after 15.5 hours of play in the No Limit Texas Hold‘Em Main Event. Held at Cascades Casino, the tournament raised close to $40,000 for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, BC/Yukon Region. Players came from as far away as Pennsylvania, Nunavut and Tennessee. The Classic featured three Texas Hold’Em events with 767 participants for a total prize pool of $229,785. Starlight Casino opens Gateway Casinos and Entertainment Inc. and BCLC recently opened Starlight Casino in New Westminster, showcasing B.C.’s newest poker room, the newest gaming machines - some unique to B.C. – dining, and an intimate show lounge. The 100,000 square foot landmark includes 850 slot machines, 45 gaming tables, a poker room and a private gaming room. Starlight hosts B.C.’s newest Responsible Play Information Centre, an initiative of the B.C. Partnership for Responsible Gambling. Starlight replaces the now closed Royal City Star Casino riverboat. Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission The AGLC is committed to ensuring that any growth in gambling is balanced

by their commitment to responsible gambling and the prevention of problem gambling. Several factors are contributing to a growth in gambling in Alberta, from the robust economy to the young, growing population, as well as the proven employment opportunity benefits that casino development brings to First Nations communities. Currently, Alberta has 23 casinos: 19 traditional and four First Nations. The most recent casino to open was the Eagle River Casino on the Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation in January. Eagle River Casino is located near Whitecourt, AB. Another First Nations casino is scheduled to open in June, near Canmore. Alberta marked the inaugural launch of its first Responsible Gambling Awareness Week (RGAW), October 22-28 2007, with the theme ‘Always! Set a limit. Stay within it.’ As part of RGAW, the AGLC introduced its first responsible gambling stand-alone terminal. The terminal features a series of interactive screens that offer a self-test, myths and tips to gamblers on how to develop safe, responsible personal gambling guidelines. The terminals will be featured in the AGLC’s Responsible Gambling Information Centres (RGICs), located in seven Alberta casinos and one Racing Entertainment Centre (REC), and staffed by an AGLC representative. In the short time the RGICs have been open and staffed, they have proven to be a tremendously valuable resource, with close to 8,000 patron and staff contacts made. While about half of the contacts involved general relationship building between casino customers and RGIC staff, about 2,250 of the contacts related to gambling education

and approximately 750 dealt with some form of gambling concern. Plans call for the location of RGICs in all Alberta casinos by 2010 fiscal year-end. In addition to the public education materials available in the RGICs that provide gamblers with information about cost of play and house advantage, the AGLC representatives are a confidential and neutral source for gamblers interested in signing up for the Voluntary Self-Exclusion (VSE) Program. During 2007, the AGLC carried out a comprehensive evaluation of its Casino/REC VSE Program (introduced in 2000), with key findings broken down into 22 recommendations. To read the Executive Summary of the evaluation report, visit the AGLC website at www.aglc.gov.ab.ca.

Saskatchewan Gaming Corp. Casino Highlights The Saskatchewan Gaming Corporation was honoured to be named one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers. SGC was selected as part of the 2008 Canada’s Top 100 Employers Competition held by Mediacorp Canada Inc. Recipients were selected on a wide scope of criteria, including the workplaces’ physical environment, work atmosphere, health benefits, financial benefits and compensation, family-friendly benefits, vacation policy, internal communications, performance management, continuing education and professional development, and community involvement. SGC was also named one of Saskatchewan’s Top 10 Employers for the second consecutive year. This special designation recognizes the Saskatchewan employers that lead their industries in offering exceptional places to work. Tournament Highlights The 11th annual Harvest Poker Classic was held at Casino Regina in November, attracting players from Canada and the United States, with a total tournament prize pool of approximately $570,300. Tournament winners were: November 7: Ken Olson of Estevan, Sask. won the top prize of $13,116. November 8: Leonid Ioffe of Vancouver, B.C. won the top prize of $37,673.

November 9: Mike Meekins of Saskatoon, Sask. won the top prize of $45,544. N o v e m b e r 1 0 C a n a d i a n Po k e r Championship: Richard Webb of Dashwood, ON won the top prize of $54,689. Casino Regina hosts two other multiday tournaments per year; the Station Poker Classic will be held March 25-28, and the Diamond Poker Classic will take place in July. Five lucky ladies were sent to the BC Women’s Poker Classic Championship after competing for the top spots in Casino Regina’s weekly Ladies Night poker tournaments. Since August, players have been earning points toward the final February 11 event, where the top 30 points earners competed for five seats in the championship event. Winners were Mandy Horvath, Anastasia Gold, Tracy Maxie, Noelle Odegard and Vicky Volikas.

MANUFACTURED IN CANADA

Sponsorship Highlights Casino Regina and Moose Jaw staff put down the cards and chips and picked up hammers and brushes to help construct a Habitat for Humanity home in Regina. The team pitched in to help a local family, who might not otherwise have the opportunity to become homeowners, have a place of their own. The Rider Pride held by guests of the Casino Regina Show Lounge will pay off for Regina’s North Central Family Centre, as SGC donated $6,400 raised by showing the CFL playoffs and Grey Cup game. The funds will help provide valuable programs and services to Regina’s inner city residents. For more information about Casino Regina and Moose Jaw, visit www.casinoregina.com or www.casinomoosejaw.com

Manitoba Lotteries Corp. Casinos of Winnipeg In response to player demand, Club Regent Casino (CRC) has recently added No Limit Poker to its cash game mix, and increased the number of its cash poker tables (from nine to 12) as well as its Tuesday poker tournament tables. Corporate MLC is honoured to have received the following awards and distinctions:

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For the fourth successive year, Manitoba Lotteries received the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) of the United States and Canada Distinguished Budget award, reflecting our highest principles of governmental budgeting. The Corporation has been recognized for achieving the Gold Level status in the Progressive Aboriginal Relations (PAR) Program for our commitment to sustainable Aboriginal employment, business development and community support. MLC is the first Crown Corporation in Canada to receive Gold Level status. This represents our third PAR award, furthering our goal of Employment Equity initiatives and diversity in the workplace. PAR recognition encompasses building strong partnerships and business support to Aboriginal businesses and to the aboriginal community at large. MLC’s Canadian Gaming Education Forum, which provides worldclass gaming training for our employees and professionals in the gaming industry to gain expertise in the field, network with industry professionals and earn credits towards a Gaming Management Certificate from the University of Nevada, Reno was recognized internationally at the Corporate University Best in Class (CUBIC) Award. MLC received the Silver level in the Most Innovative Corporate University Category. The CUBIC awards are designed to recognize innovative and progressive leadership at an international competitive level. Tree Canada presented MLC with a Certificate of Appreciation for our commitment to Sustainable Development through the planting annual planting of trees in Manitoba under the Grow Green Air Program. Club Regent Casino (CRC) was among six nominees for a Canadian Music Industry Award in the category of Casino/Specialty Venue of the Year. Lottery Every lottery retailer in Manitoba is now equipped with customer operated ticket checkers, as well as new Lottery Terminals with Customer Display Units displaying winning amounts and that have a winning tone confirming that the customer is a winner. Responsible Gaming Manitoba College and University students were invited to learn more about ways to avoid gambling-related problems by participating in Know the Score, a program developed by the Responsible Gambling Council and brought to Manitoba by MLC and the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba. The interactive awareness program visited the Collège Saint-Boniface, University College of the North in the Pas, Assiniboine Community College in Brandon and the University of Manitoba, and dispelled some common myths about gambling, informed students where they could get help in their community with gambling-related problems and suggested ways to limit their risks. Community Support MLC continues to be a strong supporter of major sports organizations and events throughout Manitoba. We are especially proud to be the Community Partner of the 2008 Tim Horton’s Brier and to help celebrate the best in Canadian Men’s curling.

30 | March 2008