Gaming Business Fall 2014

Canada's Premier Gaming Industry Magazine

Vol. 9 No. 3

www.CanadianGamingBusiness.com

Fall 2014

BUILDING CANADA’S

GAMING INDUSTRY A look at the past, present and future of gaming in Canada

Inside: Social Media Success Casino Design Industry Roundtable

PM 40063056

Staff Training 24/7

CanadianGamingSummit.com June 16-18, 2015 Caesars Windsor

Fall 2014 Publisher

Volume 9 Number 3 Chuck Nervick chuckn@mediaedge.ca 416.512.8186 ext. 227

contents 23

www.CanadianGamingBusiness.com

32

36

Editor Sean Moon seanm@mediaedge.ca Advertising Sales Chuck Nervick chuckn@mediaedge.ca Senior Designer

Annette Carlucci

annettec@mediaedge.ca

Designer

Jennifer Carter

jenc@mediaedge.ca

Production Manager

Rachel Selbie

5

EDITOR’S NOTE

circulation@mediaedge.ca

6

MESSAGE FROM THE CGA

Proudly owned and published by:

8 COVER STORY

rachels@mediaedge.ca

Circulation Manager

President Kevin Brown

Gill Daniels

President & CEO Bill Rutsey

Building Canada’s Gaming Industry – A look at the past, present and future of gaming in Canada

14 GAMING TRENDS

Social Media Success - One casino’s social media winner

kevinb@mediaedge.ca wrutsey@canadiangaming.ca

Senior Vice President Chuck Nervick

Vice President, Public Affairs Paul Burns

16

18 GAMING INNOVATION

Table Games - Staying ahead of the curve

chuckn@mediaedge.ca pburns@canadiangaming.ca

Canadian Gaming Business is published four times a year as a joint venture between MediaEdge Communications and The Canadian Gaming Association To advertise: For information on CGB’s print or digital advertising opportunities: Chuck Nervick 416-512-8186 ext. 227 chuckn@mediaedge.ca Copyright 2014 Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Publications Mail 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 $40* 1 yr, $70* 2 yrs. USA $65 yr, $120* 2 yrs. International $90* 1 yr, $160* 2 yrs. *Plus applicable taxes.

Postmaster send address changes to: Canadian Gaming Business Magazine 5255 Yonge Street Suite 1000, Toronto, Ontario M2N 6P4

Official Publication of the Canadian Gaming Summit

EXECUTIVE Q&A – Gavin Isaacs - CEO, Scientific Games

22

FACILITY PROFILE

Gateway Casinos

26

INDUSTRY ROUNDTABLE

30

Casino Design and Retail Optimization

EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT

Training 24/7 – Cashing in through online training

32

SPECIAL FEATURE

The New Normal: Analyzing the new AML reporting rules

34 FINANCE

Revenue Standards

36

VANCOUVER 2014 Highlights from the Canadian Gaming Summit

Canadian Gaming Business | 3

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editor'snote

Celebrating Summit Success IT SEEMS LIKE only yesterday that thousands of delegates and exhibitors were converging on Vancouver this past June for the festivities at the 18th annual Canadian Gaming Summit. As we take a look back in this issue at some of the highlights and shining moments from this year’s Summit, we’d like to thank everyone who came together to make this event such an astounding success: our partners at the Canadian Gaming Association, the Education Program Committee, the amazingly supportive event sponsors, our fantastic speakers, presenters and exhibitors and, of course, the countless delegates without whom the event would not have been possible.

Building on the momentum created by the Summit, this issue of Canadian Gaming Business not only tackles one of the major topics discussed during the Summit plenary session — Building Canada’s Gaming Industry — we also take a deep dive into a number of the most important issues facing the gaming industry today.

With several significant recent mergers and acquisitions in the industr y, we speak with Scientif ic Games’ Gavin Isaacs in this issue’s Executive Q&A as he talks about the effects these transactions may have on his company and the industry at large. In their feature on anti-money laundering regulations, SAS Analytics takes a look at the new normal of A ML reporting requirements, while Judith Hayes and Dayna Hinkel examine the many ways gaming organizations can cash in on the benefits of online training.

In other insightful features and regular columns, you’ll learn about a true social media success story from Marshall-Fenn’s David Zbar, while listening in on the latest industry Q&A roundtable on the growing importance of retail optimization as casinos shift from strictly gaming environments to full-service entertainment and hospitality facilities.

Also in this issue, Michael Lipton and his team of legal ex perts are back to take on another round of Canadian and international regulatory topics in the Fall 2014 edition of Canadian Gaming Law yer. And f inally, don’t forget to check out our spectacular photo montage of the Vancouver Gaming Summit as we remember some of those special moments of success.

On a closing note, if you have any story ideas, suggestions or comments, feel free to cont act myself at seanm@ mediaedg e.ca or CGB’s Publisher Chuck Ner v ick at chuckn@mediaedge.ca for advertising information.

As always, we hope you enjoy the issue!

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Vancouver Success and Looking to 2015

BY BILL RUTSEY, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE CANADIAN GAMING ASSOCIATION

AS CHAIR OF THE CANADIAN GAMING SUMMIT, I am proud of the fact that year after year the Summit continues to evolve and grow both in content and attendance. The working partnership with British Columbia Lottery Corporation, Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission, Saskatchewan Gaming Corporation, Manitoba Lotteries Corporation, Ontario Lottery and Gaming, Loto-Quebec and Atlantic Lottery Corporation for the development and delivery of the gaming education component ensured the high quality of content this year in Vancouver and going forward for 2015 at Caesars Windsor.

I’d like to congratulate and thank our co-host, British Columbia Lottery Corporation, and especially Jim Lightbody (interim President & CEO) and Monica Bohm (interim Vice President, Casino and Community Gaming) for their tireless contribution in the planning and development of the Summit. BCLC, together with Platinum sponsors (Scientific Games and WMS), Gold sponsors (GTECH and Bally Technologies) and all our other sponsors were fundamental to the Summit’s success.

Two outstanding plenar y sessions – The Growing Collaboration Among the World’s Regulatory Community, conceived and organized by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario and sponsored by KPMG, and the Senior Executive Roundtable, Building Canada’s Gaming Industry, sponsored by Great Canadian Gaming that was my honour to moderate, were highlights of the most content rich Summit to date.

The information and education programs included the 15th annual Charitable Gaming Conference and the GLI University as well as tracks dealing with responsible gambling, horse racing, sports betting, gaming business and operations, iGaming, legal and regulatory, marketing and communications, security and surveillance, and human resources. More than sixty manufacturers and suppliers had all the latest products and services on display.

6 | Fall 2014

There were also great opportunities to get together including the annual Summit Golf Classic sponsored by AGEM, Bet Rite and numerous hole sponsors, the jampacked Opening Reception in the Convention Centre’s panoramic ballroom hosted by BCLC and sponsored by KPMG, the Post Reception Special Event sponsored by Pure Gaming and Game Account Network, the Delegate and Exhibitor Reception sponsored by BMM Testlabs and Gateway Casinos and Entertainment, together with other parties, receptions and informal gatherings.

Our closing event, the Canadian Gaming Awards Reception and Charity Gala, sponsored by Scientific Games and WMS, which raised $7,500 for Family Services of Greater Vancouver, was a celebration of excellence that formally recognized First Nations Canadian Gaming Award winners Erin Fitzpatrick (Mi Kmaq First Nation) and Sparrow Rose (Chippewas of Rama First Nation) together with Industry Leadership and Outstanding Contribution winners Winston Hodgins (Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries) and Don Bourgeois (Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario).

The success of the Summit really speaks to the depth and breadth of our industry and its ability to continue to function profitably and grow – the success that we will be celebrating again next year at Caesars Windsor.

Looking forward, the next 12 months should hopefully bring progress and resolution on a number of fronts. From all appearances and announcements from the recently re-elected Ontario Liberal government the OLG Modernization process will continue with some modifications regarding horse racing. At the Federal level, we anticipate further proposed amendments from the Department of Justice to the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act, and FINTRAC (the Federal agency charged with combating money laundering), and that Bill C290 will be dealt with by the Senate after the resumption of Parliament in October.

coverstory

BUILDING CANA GAMING INDUS Industry leaders discuss the past, present and future of gaming in Canada Rod Baker, President & CEO, Great Canadian Gaming Corp.

8 | Fall 2014 8 | Fall

Michael Dominelli, Vice President, Marketing, NRT Technology Corp.

George Goldhoff, CEO, Pure Canadian Gaming

Kevin Laforet, CEO Caesars Windsor

Anthony Novak, President, Sonco Gaming

coverstory

ADA'S STRY Canada’s gaming industry is often defined by the involvement of provincial crown agencies but there are numerous private sector gaming companies making a significant mark in the gaming industry. At the Canadian Gaming Summit in Vancouver this past June, our panel of senior executives from Canada’s leading gaming operators and suppliers talked about their success in Canada and abroad.

This wide-ranging discussion touched on the secrets for success on an international stage, and the challenges and opportunities that come with being a Canadian gaming company in a global industry.

Canadian Gaming Business | 9

coverstory

PROVINCIAL CROWN AGENCIES AND REGULATORS HAVE A PROFOUND EFFECT ON THE CANADIAN GAMING LANDSCAPE. GOVERNMENT GAMING STRATEGIES AND POLICIES TRY TO FORGE A BALANCE BETWEEN EMPLOYMENT, TOURISM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND REVENUE WHILE THE PRIVATE SECTOR IS FOCUSED PRIMARILY ON THE LAST ITEM, REVENUE. SO THIS MUST CREATE SOME TENSIONS. TELL US WHAT CHANGES YOU HAVE SEEN AND WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR IN THE NEAR FUTURE. KL : We work with OLG and for the most part your objectives are aligned. We all want to have successful operations, we want to be responsible, we want to do right by our customers, do right by our employees. On occasion you’ll hit an issue where they are not aligned.

O ver the years, I’ve asked the OLG, “ W hat’s most important: employment, tourism or revenue?” The answer I usually get is “Yes.” I get it. To use a simplistic example, in Scenario A, we could operate a casino that had 1,000 employees, brought in 5,000 guests per day and made $100 million per year. In Scenario B, we could double the employment to 2,0 0 0 employees, double the amount of visitation to 10,000 guests but we’d only make $50 million in profit. For a private operator, that’s really easy, you take Door No. 1 — more prof it, more fees for the operator. Obviously the government’s going to look at it and go “wow, that’s 1,000 more jobs, 5,000 more people visiting that region.” And that’s sometimes where we have to work together and come up with the best answer. You also asked about the future. It’s really competitive out there, margins are getting thinner but the demands on all of us are greater now — responsible gaming, anti-money laundering — with all of those things going on, I think it’s incumbent on us to work with the agencies, the regulators, the operators and ask how can we do this more efficiently and most effectively so we don’t have different layers doing the same thing in our organizations and auditing each other.

GG : I think all of the provinces have their nuances.

Alberta is a great place to do business. We’re living in a little fantastic economic bubble. . . but there are a lot of people in the province walking around with money in their pocket and we’ve relied on that in Alberta for a number of years to grow the casino industry. And it’s truly a casino industry, not an entertainment industry right now. We’re going to need to evolve in the future to keep that industry sustainable. I would say the good news with that is Bill Robinson, the relatively new president and CEO of AGLC recognizes this. In the last few years a lot of the legacy thinking at the AGLC has dissipated and Bill is looking for new ways to change that from a slotin-a-box sort of business to an entertainment business.

To do that we’re going to have to change fundamentally and I would see that as the future challenge in Alberta.

10 | Fall 2014

ROD AND ANTHONY, YOU OPERATE PROPERTIES IN MORE THAN ONE PROVINCE. THROUGH THE RFP PROCESSES YOU’VE COMPETED AND WON AGAINST SOME BIG U.S.BASED COMPANIES. SO HOW DO YOU DO THAT? WHAT ARE YOUR SECRETS TO SUCCESS? AN: I’ve always found that taking a Canadian approach has been the g reatest factor to success. Gaming in Canada comes from a totally different place and has a totally different stakeholder structure that we see in the U.S. The Canadian companies maybe benef itted from the American companies coming in and trying to do business as usual. Taking a Canadian approach certainly has helped. You have to remember that for the most part in Canada, the biggest stakeholder is far and away the government body that’s either owning or taxing the entity and that doesn’t compare in the U.S. RB: I think that’s a good point and it ties into Question No. 1. Most people don’t understand this and that there’s no question that there is the social license and social policy to our industry. We exist because we are a signif icant revenue generator for the crown in addition to jobs and economic development. That has not been lost on our crown corporation partners. It’s certainly not lost on us.

We have seen great organizations come to Canada and really misunderstand the nuances and struggle with the relationship with the crown partners.

IS CANADA STILL A GAMING TECHNOLOGY LEADER? DOES BEING CANADIAN-BASED HELP YOU TO SECURE FUNDING FOR EXPORT? HOW DOES A CANADIAN-BASED COMPANY STRATEGIZE FOR GROWTH? MD: I think Canada is definitely still a gaming technology leader. As a perfect example, look at the things that Amaya is doing, look at some of the things that are happening in New Brunswick with these grant monies coming together to build multi-channel platforms. Our solution (ticket redemption) was actually invented and pioneered in Canada back in 1998-2000 so it’s another great example of a Canadian company inventing something and then building that out globally. With respect to strategizing for growth, sometimes the best strategy is being a tactical company. We are very customer centric, we move on customer demands very quickly. Obviously our strategy has always been to own the infrastructure. When you own the infrastructure from the device to the banks, you can move and pivot very quickly.

RB: In organic growth, if you can use management time as opposed to huge pools of capital, it’s the biggest value creator you can find. Whether it’s north of the 49th parallel or south, growth has been pretty hard to achieve since 2007-2008.

There have been pockets of strength that we have seen in parts of our business. The Asian high-end baccarat business around the world has allowed the industry to fare much

coverstory

better than if we didn’t have that opportunity. So we’ve been harnessing, nurturing and growing that and frankly trying to do some more creative and aggressive things with the rest of our business to move forward and generate some growth.

KL: I agree organic growth is difficult to come by. Regional gaming has seen declines year over year, even when the economy has bounced back. Ten years ago we wouldn’t have imagined that we would be seeing properties in Tunica (Mississippi) and Atlantic City closing. There’s abandoned assets in Atlantic City and Vegas so it is tough out there. A lot of what we’re looking at, we used to model it and you would build a square box and put in as many slot machines as you could, maybe attach a hotel and some restaurants. Now we look at it as, you have a facility that has 10,000-15,000 people a day coming through — obviously gaming is a big part of that — but the hospitality industry is also part of it. Las Vegas, 20 years ago, used to get 75 per cent of their revenue from gaming. Now it’s about 30 per cent and it’s the nongaming aspects that are growing. We also need to look at the demographics. . . .we all know that the younger demographic is not finding the gaming experience as attractive so we do have our work cut out for us.

AN:Things have become so competitive in terms of finding a new opportunity. At Sonco, we’re more like the tech question a little bit earlier. It’s more of an opportunistic business where we’re looking for that new jurisdiction — it’s harder and harder. Going to your Canadian theme, historically Canadians have been good at this; we don’t get enough credit for being entrepreneurs. I think maybe we get too much credit for being tech developers, we’re first to market often and that’s been the history of gaming in Canada too. We’ve been early to payments, early to online gaming, the Golden Palaces, the Cryptologics, the PokerStars. In a few cases we get acquired which is sort of interesting. We’re not really known for that but I’m kind of proud of being part of the Canadian tradition of finding those new jurisdictions and those new technologies.

I think there are some opportunities but it’s still early and hopefully it’s more of an opportunity than a threat.

GG: If you look at New Jersey in the inaugural year, originally they said they would do a billion dollars in Internet gaming and I think they have culled that down to about $200 million a few months ago. So it’s not a panacea. I’m a kind of glasshalf-full guy when it comes to Internet gaming where it may introduce a demographic that we actually don’t have and then you can do some cross-channel marketing and perhaps bring them in to the brick-and-mortar casinos.

MD: I think there are two players — I think we’ll tap into a new demographic that’s maybe timid of coming to the casino or the tables and then there’s the guy that wants the experience where the gaming is secondary. They want to come in and be around people and have the entertainment value. The reason it hasn’t lived up to expectations is because we’re not taking away from that market, it’s a new emerging demographic that we’re tapping into. The Millennials just don’t see the slot floor as entertaining anymore, everything is on demand, instantaneous and on their timeframe. Unless we start to bridge the gap between online and land-based, on the game side and on the payment side, we won’t really see big growth.

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HOW DO YOU SEE INTERNET GAMING, PARTICULARLY AS IT’S OPERATED BY CROWN AGENCIES? IS THIS A THREAT TO LAND-BASED PROPERTIES AND HOW CAN LANDBASED CASINOS EFFECTIVELY COMPETE? KL: The jury is still out. It’s in its early days in New Jersey and Nevada but early on it looks like there is not a huge cannibalization or crossover with the two databases — the customers we have coming into the land-based casinos and the Internet gaming customer. I think there are some opportunities there. OLG will be releasing their online gaming platform later this year and I do think there’s an opportunity for us to get some incremental business out there, between the customers crossing over, and you might be able to take someone who’s Internet based and improve the customer experience if they want to come to a land-based casino and play in the poker room there or catch a show. So

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coverstory IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, WE’VE SEEN A NUMBER OF HIGH-PROFILE INSTANCES OF MAJOR GAMING DEVELOPMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN REJECTED BY POTENTIAL HOST COMMUNITIES, SUCH AS IN TORONTO AND VANCOUVER. WHAT LESSONS HAVE WE LEARNED OR SHOULD WE LEARN AND WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE BETTER IN THE FUTURE TO ALLOW THESE THINGS TO PROCEED?

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RB: There are some real lessons learned. . . and we have had some real challenges in terms of the social license and what we mean and bring to the communities. I think that we’re all very aware that we have a higher standard than most private sector businesses when we are afforded these social licenses and to become a member of all of these communities. It is challenging a lot of the time because we are misunderstood.

So a very important part of it is an education process through channels and format that make sense for the municipality.

We recently built community gaming centres out in Maple Ridge and Chilliwack, B.C. and I’m very proud about how we went about going and bringing in those communities.

We show up in a community well in advance of wanting something from them. We talk to people and they see who we are and what we are all about. We show them what we do and how we do things in other jurisdictions. If you take people through the process that way. . . I think you can end up in a much better place with partners that are there, that are more supportive in all respects and not seeing negatives but bound by the big positives that we also bring to these municipalities.

AN : I couldn’t agree more. We built three casinos and had to engage the local community each time and met up with significant opposition and in each case won over the community. We did it by engaging in the way explained

by Rod. Since I live in Toronto and live and breathe that situation, I think a stakeholder there neglected to look at who their No. 1 partner was. I can’t see a situation where the OLG doesn’t engage the city, because the city is a major stakeholder as well. I don’t think that was done in the way that Rod has done successfully when we’ve had to go into a new jurisdiction.

GG: It is a business imperative that when doing business in a community that you align your values with the community and hopefully they’re aligned in advance. Are you hiring folks from the community? Are you vigorously developing them? Even if you’re a charitable casino, are you giving back to the community in some way? Once you have the license and you have built and you’re embedded, now what happens?

Are you (still) walking the talk after numbers of years?

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MD : As a private technology company, we are already groomed for something like a social license. NRT is one of Canada’s best managed companies and we do a lot of responsible initiatives in terms of employees and communities, so I’m all for social license. If that’s the platform that helps the government bodies put the good word out for the industry and people like us, I think it’s a win-win.

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BY DAVID ZBAR

Many companies I come across struggle with the role social media should play in their overall marketing mix and don't properly align it with their traditional marketing activities. The fact is the online world in which we live, work and play is becoming more social. For those in the gaming industry, building a strong presence with social media is now more important than ever.

FOR COMPANIES NEW to the medium, jumping into social media can be a challeng ing and time- consuming process and every organization needs the right strategy to fit their own business needs. Rather than speak in general terms about how companies might do this, along with the pitfalls they might encounter along the way, I want to focus on a campaign Marshall-Fenn Communications recently developed for Miami Valley Gaming in Ohio. This case study will help illustrate how social media can help promote the brand and enhance the on-property experience 14 | Fall 2014

while acting as a support mechanism for more traditional brand activities.

MIAMI VALLEY GAMING

First , a lit tle back g round on the client. Miami Valley Gaming opened its doors December 12, 2013 bringing a world- class gaming, racing and entertainment complex to Southwest Ohio. It features 1,600 of the gaming i n du s t r y 's n e w e s t v id e o lo t t er y t er m i n a l s; fou r re st au r a nt s a nd two bars; a racing simulcast centre, broadcasting races from around the country; and a racetrack.

Ohio is a competitive arena for gaming, and one that is becoming quickly saturated. By the end of 2014, Ohio will have 11 casinos vying for customer loyalty. We know from our experience in the industry that gaming is a business where customer loyalty is paramount, and differentiating among the competition is key. So how did we go about doing this for Miami Valley Gaming?

Ohio is the Buckeye State. And, as luck would have it, the Buckeye is a symbol of luck — a fact too good to ignore when we were developing concepts for the launch of Ohio’s newest casino.

gamingtrends The Lucky Buckeye Co. is a fictional company whose sole purpose is to ensure every Buckeye is lucky. We imagined every facet of this company as if it were a living, breathing brand. What’s the aesthetic? How many employees? And who would work there?

To bring the company to life, we created two central employees: ‘The Manager’ and ‘Richard,’ to convey their story and tell us what the opening of Miami Valley Gaming meant. From their perspective, it was essential that everyone had a lucky buckeye.

We endowed t hem w it h qu i rk y, endearing personalities, driving our audience back to Miami Valley Gaming, lucky buckeyes in hand. Not only did the campaign prove to be a huge success in driving traffic, we exhausted the entire supply of buckeyes in Ohio!

A campaign of this kind is ripe for a social media play. Once a story like The Lucky Buckeye Co. is created, its extension into social channels becomes a matter of adapting the concept based on established guidelines. Again, it simply became a question of: What would the Lucky Buckeye Company do in social media if it was a real company?

Knowing social media was going to be integral, we created 12, 15-second videos based on buckeye-related topics that featured the Manager and Richard at the MVG property.

These videos were meant for online viewing – within the Miami Valley Gaming website as well as select social channels. Specific content was developed for acquisition and retention purposes and was designed to be shared to help create a sense of community. The goal is to get people to the property to experience what Miami Valley Gaming is all about.

To get ourselves into market, we developed a t h ree -mont h cont ent calendar for Miami Valley Gaming and selected specific social media platforms to communicate with our audiences.

We wanted to connect with fans of the property via promotional, entertainment and jackpot winners’ posts, with the ultimate goal of driving traffic to the property. We developed unique content to support the vignettes and the Lucky Buckeye Company. This included posting questions, fun facts, and engaging fans while linking to the Lucky Buckeye page on the Miami Valley Gaming website.

We leveraged Twitter primarily for timely updates on promotions, entertainment, recent winners, and upcoming events. Our team created original content to share via Twitter that is lighthearted and fun, while driving users to the Lucky Buckeye page on the Miami Valley gaming website.

Instagram is a great vehicle to promote the social vignettes as the 10-15 second video aligns perfectly with Instagram’s time allotment.

We used images of Lucky Buckeye promotions, upcoming events, and Miami Valley Gaming amenities to connect with customers to help build our community. Instagram photos could also be posted directly to Facebook and Twitter to help round out our social strategy.

MEDIA

To create additional awareness for the vignettes we have implemented a pay per click (PPC) advertising campaign to drive traffic to our Lucky Buckeye page. We leveraged Facebook media to target specific audience segments as well as geographic locations important to Miami Valley Gaming. The Google Display Network and YouTube promoted search results are driving traffic to our Lucky Buckeye page on the website. We also leveraged Google Engagement Ads which are new, creative ad formats that help connect and engage with consumers in a targeted manner. The beauty of using PPC is that it's measurable and

allows us to test and optimize based on the data. It is also highly targeted which, in a competitive market like Ohio, is important for our client.

CLOSING THE LOOP

Our intention with this campaign was to showcase the high quality and exciting gaming experience Miami Valley offers.

We chose to take a holistic approach with our marketing efforts using social media to close the loop. What I mean by this is that our social media wasn't out there as a stand-alone. It was connected to a larger campaign and supported our traditional advertising. We are continuing to produce engaging content and promoting it on specific social platforms to drive people to our Lucky Buckeye site, present an offer, capture data and drive them on property.

By having a bit of fun, we are able to create an emotional connection with our audience and helping Miami Valley differentiate themselves.

David Zbar is the Senior Vice President, Digital and Partner at Marshall-Fenn Communications, a full service marketing communications agency specializing in casino marketing. Contact davidz@marshall-fenn.com

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executiveq&a

Gavin

Isaacs CEO, Scientific Games

Gavin Isaacs is President and CEO of Scientific Games and is an accomplished gaming executive with more than 15 years of senior industry leadership experience. In our latest Executive Q&A, he offers his perspective on Scientific Games’ recent acquisition of Bally Technologies, the ongoing consolidation within the gaming industry and the biggest opportunities for gaming companies today.

WHAT OFFERINGS DOES SCIENTIFIC GAMES/ WMS CURRENTLY BRING TO THE INDUSTRY?

We have amazing content, cutting edge technology and great talent, for starters.

And once we have finished all (legal and regulatory) aspects of the pending acquisition of Bally Technologies, we will have technology platforms for every gaming sector – lotteries, interactive, and land-based, including tables, lottery and gaming systems and slot machines.

Our goal is to get the best content players want to play across every platform, in an effective, efficient and fun manner. We do this by leveraging our great people and technology to create compelling gaming experiences. For example, we have several new WMS platforms and a whole bunch of new and exciting content in the pipeline.

Bally has a great new cabinet called the Wave, and new content that players will love on the way to the marketplace. Our aim for the future is to get that content out to players, not only in those traditional cabinet forms but on the Internet through play-for-money and social gaming, and lottery instant products.

With the greater size and scale of Scientific Games, we can be more efficient 16 | Fall 2014

and effective, while devoting additional resources better understanding the future of gaming. What will it look like? What products will people want to play? As we define ourselves, Scientific Games will have the scale to position ourselves as an industr y leader in innovation for the future.

WHAT HAVE BEEN SOME OF SCIENTIFIC GAMES/WMS MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENTS AND HOW DO YOU THINK THESE DEVELOPMENTS WILL LEAD YOUR COMPANY TO EVEN FURTHER SUCCESS?

In the United States, we’re about to launch Monopoly™ Millionaires Club™, the new multi-state lottery draw game under the Monopoly™ Millionaires Club™ brand, which will offer tens to hundreds of individual m i l l i o n - d o l l a r p r i z e s w it h t h e possibility of a life-changing jackpot for one player. With three different ways to win, MONOPOLY Millionaires’ Club is the first game to combine the high-stakes and rich rewards of multistate lottery gaming with the fun and entertainment of a national television game show featuring players selected

from among the lottery’s ticket holders who have reg istered their tickets online or via a smartphone app. The Monopoly™ Millionaires Club game is a perfect example of Scientific Games working to leverage our licensing knowledge, marketing creativity and global contacts for use across all of the company's channels. Of course, WMS is known for their Monopoly slots and we hope to have the Monopoly rights online soon. As a result, we’ll be able to bring about these brands across all platforms together.

The Bally brand has a dedicated following in all regions, especially in the prov inces of Canada, and Scientific Games has a strong presence throughout. On the lottery side, we have a major facility in Montreal where we printed eight billion instant game tickets last year. We’re also doing online gaming for the province of British Columbia through our Interactive Group, Williams Interactive, and the WMS VLT business is successful. So, in every part of our business we have a Canadian presence. As a combined company, our future looks bright.

executiveq&a

WITH THE RAPIDLY EVOLVING LANDSCAPE IN TERMS OF CONSOLIDATION AND PARTNERSHIP WITHIN THE GAMING INDUSTRY, WHAT KIND OF EFFECT DO YOU THINK THESE KINDS OF CHANGES WILL HAVE AND WHAT BENEFITS CAN BE REALIZED WITHIN THE INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE?

The benef its of consolidation to the i ndu st r y a s a w hole, by v i r t ue of its scale, is that gaming companies can invest more in research in order to build better products and create better content. In a small, competitive marketplace like ours, the successful company will be the one to invest in research and development. Then, if you can create some scale, increase the quality and maintain integrity, I think that will have a huge impact on the products the players will get, the fun they have, and operator prof itability.

From an operator’s perspective, it’s very important that when you’re mak ing an investment in these areas that your supplier-partner is up to the challenge and prepared to support you in every w a y – w it h c o nt e nt , t e ch n o l o g y, service, quality and integrity. And the scale helps us all do that. There are so many little players around at the moment, so much competition, that quality can suffer.

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE ARE THE BIGGEST TRENDS AFFECTING TODAY’S GAMING INDUSTRY AND HOW DO YOU SEE THOSE TRENDS EVOLVING OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS?

gaming, and I think that is really important. Not only are fixed and land-based casinos gaining some ground in that respect, we’re starting to see it a lot with lotteries where you can buy lottery and scratch tickets online.

Free play models on the social side are also extending into casinos where people get to play for free and try things out. That’s a very important thing that’s happening.

Asia is obviously booming. In Asia, it’s great to see that the appetite for gaming there is increasing and we’re seeing the entrenchment of the mega-resort in many respects. There are some magnificent properties they are building over there with great infrastructure.

WHAT ARE THE GREATEST OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE GAMING INDUSTRY IN THE NEAR FUTURE AND HOW CAN THE INDUSTRY COLLECTIVELY MAKE THE MOST OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES?

I think we have to look after and attract our customers’ customer, the player.

There are people who love going to casinos, to the lottery retailer and online to play our games; we have to ensure that they continue to love the experience. And, we have new, younger demographics coming through that have not experienced casinos, but like the online experience. That’s great, and we have to look after them too, in a responsible manner. Responsible gaming is critical for the long-term success of our sectors.

With the lottery experience, we have an opportunity to create new games for different demographics that are a bit more fun, and a bit more relevant.

Let’s ask ourselves, how can we make sure that our customers love coming to our places, on-land and online, and love playing our games and will continue to do so in the future?

Analytics

Every region is a little different. Let’s t a l k about Nor t h A mer ica , where some jurisdictions are doing great, and others are still suffering a bit from the recession, and less money being spent on casino play -- that is an issue we have to deal with. At the same time, we’re not really helping ourselves because we’re not making the experience as wonderful as it could be for the players. In some instances we’re tightening up games too much, we’re not refreshing our f loors, so when it comes to having a choice for the recreational dollar, players have alternatives to going to a tired old casino playing tired old games. We have to help ourselves a little bit by creating better content, which hopefully our customers will use to build their businesses.

In other areas, we’re obviously seeing the growth of Internet gaming and social

Thanks for being a real game changer.

We’d like to take a moment to thank all of the people and provinces that we’ve had the opportunity to work with over the past few years.

It’s been a pleasure meeting and working with everyone on pioneering advanced analytics in the Canadian casino industry.

Warm regards from those of us here at SAS Canada.

SAS and all other SAS Institute Inc. product or service names are registered trademarks or trademarks of SAS Institute Inc. in the USA and other countries. ® indicates USA registration.

Other brand and product names are trademarks of their respective companies. © 2014 SAS Institute Inc. All rights reserved. S125562US.0814

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gaminginnovation

Table Games: Staying Ahead of the Curve

With an influx of new technology and paradigm-shifting innovation, today’s gamers have plenty to choose from on an ever-evolving casino floor. Canadian Gaming Business reached out leading gaming industry suppliers to hear about what’s new and exciting in the world of table games and supplies.

BET RITE/INTERBLOCK

The appeal of the table game at casinos is legendar y, whether it's the crowd cheering on a hot player at the craps table or the banter that occurs between a player and dealer at the blackjack table. With technology driving a growing amount of social interaction within the general public and in corporate environments, it is not a surprise that this trend has quickly penetrated gaming operations in recent years, as electronic table games (ETGs) have experienced growing popularity in both domestic and international markets.

Electronic table games have become more popular due to technical developments that allow for improved operational f lexibility, security, greatly increased player choice and ease of play while delivering a truly live game experience. “No longer are electronic table products seen as just the f iller when an operator doesn’t have live games or as a lower cost of operation option, the latest ETG products have a strong and growing appeal to both seasoned gamers and especially the newer more 18 | Fall 2014

technologically comfortable clientele that most casinos are trying to attract” says Richard Cone, President of Bet Rite, the Canadian distributor for Interblock Luxury Gaming Products.

Interblock multi-player G4 and G5 products have made a significant impact on casino floors. Operators can make available any combination of hosted, automated, virtualcasino multi-player games on a traditional-style table or via individual electronic player terminals.

In a time when the casino industry is rapidly expanding around the world, electronic table games are widening the base of potential players, allowing for a new player segment that casinos should be able to count on for decades. For many younger gaming patrons, casinos featuring electronic table games scattered across the floor is all they know.

These factors can be seen in Las Vegas at the Quad, where Caesars Enter tainment has exclusively used Interblock products to create the TAG lounge (TAGTotal Automated Gaming). The target market for this redevelopment of the old Imperial Palace and the “Link” between the Quad and Harrah’s Casino is def initely a 21-to-35 demographic.

In the TAG lounge players can enjoy automated Roulette, Craps, Baccarat, Blackjack and the latest technological innovation from Interblock, Holographic Multi-hand Blackjack, Roulette and Craps. In this environment even the lounge tables are giant smartphone-like devices that customers can use to surf the net or choose to sit at the bar high-top tables and dispense their own choice of beer through a swipe of their credit card.

Technology offers the players new choices to enhance the play of traditionally popular games such as Roulette.

“Interblock ’s “Touch-Down Roulette” side bet is an exciting way to allow for more action for the player and more return for the operator” says Cone. “Multi-game technology is a tremendous advantage to the Interblock products allowing for greater return and f lexibility for casinos.”

gaminginnovation

Electronic table games offer the player all the popular games with the exciting features and bonuses they want while the house gets more productivity, security and accountability that is available 24 hours, seven days a week.

For more information, visit www.interblock-usa.com and www.betrite.ca TCSJOHNHUXLEY

TCSJOHNHU X LE Y is one of the industr y’s most recognizable brands, with a strong heritage on which the world-renowned Chipper Champ, precision engineered Roulette W heels and customized tables formed the foundation of the company. Over the years the company has grown and so too has the product portfolio to offer casino operators a complete turnkey solution.

For the past two years however, TCSJOHNHUXLEY has been undergoing signif icant change. Under the leadership of Cath Burns, the company has been focusing resources into researching and developing its ow n products and investing in infrastructure and people to create teams to power innovation.

Through introducing enabling technology to traditional table products it is possible to provide the same levels of real-time data collection that operators currently enjoy from their slot systems. However, in order for all these products to interface and communicate with each other there has to be an open architecture to enable operators to connect each device on the table, not only from TCSJOHNHUXLEY but multiple vendors to existing

systems technology. With the introduction of Gaming Floor Live this is now possible for the first time.

Gaming Floor Live is a complete network platform and gaming table management system. The concept is simple: a wide range of data gathered from each table is analyzed in real-time to allow active and pro-active management of gaming f loors. While the basic concept is simple, the technology required to achieve it is complex and subtle.

Gaming Floor Live is built using an HTML5 front-end, designed to work on all platforms and devices. At the heart of the system is the TIB – the Table Interface Board; like its counterpart in slot machines, the SMIB, it serves as a hub drawing information from every part of the table and converting it into a single data stream that feeds the casino management system that the operator uses. For example, it collects a message from the shoe that describes the card that was dealt and the speed of the deal.

So rather than making it more difficult for the operator it simply collects the data and allows the operator to interpret it how they need to. By being open the operator’s existing investment in their table technology and their back end systems is protected.

The Gaming Floor Live Baccarat module, already installed in Macau on over 800+ tables, will be launched officially at G2E 2014 and will be a major driver in the installation of GFL worldwide.

At the baccarat tables in Macau, a standard dealer interface screen combines with the Angel Eye smart shoe and a technology-enabled Baccarat display to give a complete

Canadian Gaming Business | 19

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overview of and insight into every game when linked into Gaming Floor Live.

The rich data stream can be used to measure dealer performance in detail. Helping managers set benchmarks that will increase the number of hands per hour and table productivity, as well as highlighting areas where dealer performance may need to be enhanced and training introduced, if necessary.

Gaming Floor Live can help pit bosses allocate staff to the tables where their skills are optimal, allow managers to open and close tables, raise or lower bet limits or initiate promotions all from a single dashboard – wherever they are – based on the vast amounts of data coming in and being analyzed in real time.

In operations large and small, increased hands per hour means increased revenues. But the optimization of the table gaming operation also means enhanced efficiency, reducing the costs of revenue generation. By having visibility of enough data and knowledge to ref ine and optimize processes even a tiny amount, operators are able to save and make more money. Even a slight optimization on table revenues, adds up to a signif icant and positive OP_CGB_Ad_2014.pdf 1 2014-05-13 10:29 AM change to profitability.

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For further information, contact Tracy Cohen, Director of Marketing, tracy.cohen@tcsjohnhuxley.com

BALLY TECHNOLOGIES

Bally Technologies has unveiled the latest developments for its table game segment, which joined its product portfolio after the company acquired SHFL entertainment in November 2013.

The proprietary table game Free Bet Blackjack is now being played throughout the United States and England, making it a staple in the industry and a great addition to the company’s market-leading table games. Free Bet Blackjack adds a new twist to a classic favourite, making it an exciting choice for blackjack players new and old! Free Bet Blackjack begins like a regular game of blackjack, but offers players the ability to double down and split for free.

Players may split any pairs, except 10-value cards, with free re-splitting. Free double down bets may be placed on any hard total of nine, 10, or 11 and are allowed even after splitting. This game is offered with a Push 22 side bet, which wins when the dealer draws to a total of 22.

Bally also has been going all in with its impressive Fusion products. Among the company’s latest electronic gaming solutions are Fusion Hybrid, TableMaster Fusion, and Fusion Virtual Multigame. The cutting-edge Fusion Hybrid features a live dealer and user-friendly, 22-inch widescreen electronic betting terminals. For a dynamic gaming experience, players may switch between and concurrently play baccarat, roulette, and sic bo from the same terminal with the convenient touch of a button.

TableMaster Fusion brings the excitement of a live table game to a fully electronic platform. TableMaster Fusion features a high-definition, 72-inch LCD display with attractive virtual dealers, 22-inch widescreen player terminals with touchscreen betting, enhanced graphics, and multiple side bets. The updated design creates an easy, fun, and exciting way to popular games like blackjack and Ultimate Texas Hold’em.

gaminginnovation

The fully electronic Fusion Virtual Multigame allows players to switch between roulette, sic bo, and baccarat from the same terminal, increasing play with four different game options in one seat.

Bally’s Utilities segment recently unveiled several new cutting-edge solutions designed to increase table game performance. Shuff le Flex is a groundbreaking “pay-bythe-shuff le” concept targeting part-time tables, providing all the advantages of an automatic shuff ler without the big price tag or risk! Safe Bacc is a revolutionary new product that combines a shuff ler and card reading shoe into one device to increase game speed and improve security right at the baccarat table.

For more information, visit www.ballytech.com GAMING PARTNERS INTERNATIONAL

Gaming Partners International has developed a variety of new and innovative currency products and security features to meet the needs of their customers worldwide. Each new product is a result of GPI’s commitment to continued research and development to provide customers more currency options and new means to better safeguard their money.

The Ribbon design is available in both a wide and narrow option. Both can be customized using several of their new material and color options including their new Chameleon lunettes. Chameleon is a new plaque material that can be used in plaque and jeton lunettes. With four color options available, Chameleon shifts color when the currency is rotated. Not only does this add a stunning visual effect to currency, it can also serve as a quick validation feature at the table.

GPI has also added two new currency security features to its B&G chip line. The first, 3-in-1 UV, is a security taggant that remains inv isible under standard U V wavelengths. Because it can be added to plastic injectionmolded chip materials, it is easy to validate chips when placed in stacks or racks. It also offers three levels of authentication, including a forensic verif ication using Scanning Electron Microscopy.

GPI’s second currency security innovation added to the chip’s decal, SecuriFilm, creates a semi-transparent hologram-like effect that enables quick authentication at the table and includes an additional covert security feature enabling a higher level of validation.

For more information visit www.gpigaming.com

HLT ADVISORY HLT Advisory has provided consulting support to every provincial lottery and gaming corporation and almost every private gaming operator in Canada.

EXPERIENCED SE AS ON ED

The company’s A merican-st yle, injection molded V-Series is a brand new addition to their B&G chip line.

It is produced using a new chip material formula that is stronger and more durable. The V-Series is designed to offer customers an extensive range of configuration possibilities with their chip mold designs. GPI has also included in the chip material, ChipShield, an anti-microbial that helps inhibit the growth of stain-causing mildew. The result is a cleaner and more sanitary chip surface. For customers who order chips with four or more injection colors, they also include a GPI exclusive infra-red security feature in their chips at no additional cost.

GPI has expanded their plaque offerings with two new standard plaque designs, the Dragon’s Eye and Ribbon.

(416) 924-2080 370 King Street W, Suite 604 Toronto ON M5V 1J9

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Canadian Gaming Business | 21

facilityprofile

Gateway Casinos & Entertainment

Leading the way in energy efficient gaming facilities

BY MICHELLE LIN

Gateway Casinos & Entertainment manages 12 successful casinos in British Columbia and Alberta. While Gateway maintains a serious focus on quality gaming and entertainment, they are making huge strides to impress the environmental community as well. Some of their recent accomplishments include being ranked first in the Hospitality sector of their provincial utility program, BC Hydro Power Smart, and ninth overall out of all Power Smart partners from 2012-2014. Their flagship casino in Burnaby, the Grand Villa, is gaining recognition not only for its entertainment options but also for its dedication to apply energy efficiency in every department.

22 |  Fall 2014

facilityprofile

GRAND VILLA CASINO, which has been dubbed “the greenest casino,” by some, is an industry leader in energy management. This year alone they are projected to reduce their energy consumption by over 1.1 GW h in electricity, and 3,600 GJ in natural gas while promoting an estimated annual energy saving of $100,000.

Since 2011, Grand Villa has saved over 2GWh of electricity and 1811 tonnes of greenhouse gases to date; equivalent to powering 300 homes for an entire year!

One of the largest projects conducted was the addition of a second cooling tower which was completed, installed and activated early July 2014. This new unit provides free cooling to the gaming floor and lowers the electricity

demand of the site with an automated control strategy.

In addition to this, where traditional cooling towers absorb heat from the building’s interior to be rejected into atmosphere, Grand Villa’s cooling towers will be redirecting waste heat into storage tanks that will service the site’s domestic hot water supply.

These efficient features reduce energy consumption, carbon emissions, and maintenance repairs while also extending the lifespan of all equipment.

When Grand Villa Casino added 100 new slot machines this year, there was no concern about power; with effective energ y management, the energ y load from all the new equipment was completely offset. In fact, Grand Villa

Casino is saving enough energy to power an extra 200 slot machines.

Other impactful conser vation measures conducted at Grand Villa are lighting controls and electric vehicle chargers. The efficient LED fixtures in the casino’s main lobby and sky bridge are all controlled by sensors that allow them to automatically turn on only when photocells detect natural daylight to be below desired levels. This ensures that both areas are always safely lit while requiring minimal maintenance.

When it comes to carbon emissions, transportation is the leading source with passenger vehicles contributing 37.9 per cent of the province’s inventory of greenhouse gases . The casino – eager to help lower this fraction – has four charging stations that allow electric car drivers to charge their vehicles for free.

Since implementation last year, Grand Villa has successfully refueled over 500 cars. In traditional combustion vehicles, that would equate to nearly 2 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.

REDUCING, RECYCLING, AND RENEWABLE ENERGY

Grand Villa Casino also strives to reduce their waste by implementing all washrooms with hand dryers to reduce

Business | 23 Canadian Gaming Business | 23

facilityprofile

paper usage from traditional paper towel dispensers, and low flow aerators on automated faucets to reduce water usage. All kitchens have organic bins to reduce garbage production and to divert food scraps from the landfills.

Organic materials release greenhouse g a ses when they brea kdow n, so these are being removed from the

atmosphere and instead are captured at commercial processing plants where the biodegradable materials will be utilized to produce compost and carbon-neutral biofuel.

To further support the development of sust a i n able energ y, G at ew ay Casinos purchases and uses renewable natural gas to service the Grand Villa

Casino. This decision allows the site to carry on with business as usual while raising awareness of locally produced biofuel and reducing carbon emissions.

In their first year, Gateway Casinos has purchased 1500 GJ of locally-produced renewable natural gas from FortisBC. The annual greenhouse gas emissions saved from using this alternative fuel source is equivalent to removing 30 tons of recyclable waste from the landfills.

CORPORATE CULTURE

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GO BACK! The gaming industry’s trusted leader in video security and access control.

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24 | Fall 2014

Although specific mechanical upgrades are essential in determining a building’s energy performance, another equally important aspect is highly dependent on the k nowledge and sk ill of the o cc upa nt s a nd operat or s. Hu m a n behaviour is a major factor of energy consumption, and Gateway Casinos is actively addressing this issue. Staff members from various casinos and depar tments are educated on their buildings’ performances and the projects b ei n g conduc t ed to help i mprove this. In addition, Gateway Casinos recently implemented a cor poratewide Energ y Policy to mandate the inclusion of energ y eff icient options when conducting purchasing decisions and general business practices. This initiative is also being introduced to the company’s orientation program, wh ich newly h ired employees a re required to attend for debrief ing of Gateway Casinos’ missions, values, and expectations. New additions to the corporate staff are trained to foster the organization’s sustainable culture and join Gateway’s movement to reduce their environmental impact. All staff members are encouraged to implement these practices into their daily routines.

Gateway Casinos is on schedule to their 2020 target of further lowering the company’s carbon footprint by 20 per cent, ultimately to maintain a healthy environment for the future generations of every Gateway community.

For more information, visit www.gatewaycasinos. com and www.g ra n d v i l l a c a s i n o. c o m / sustainability. You can also direct your inquiries to ReduceMyImpact@grandvillacasino.com

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industryq&a: casino design

INDUSTRY ROUNDTABLE Casino Design and Retail Optimization

As retail, hospitality and other non-gaming factors continue to exert a major influence on new casino design and development, Canadian Gaming Business asked industry leaders in architectural design, casino operations and retail development about the recent trends, current challenges, future opportunities and major issues faced by today’s casino owners and operators.

Bob Arnett, Manager of Casino Optimization, Alberta Gaming and Lottery Corporation

Raymond Casey, Director of Retail, Falls Management Group, Fallsview Casino Resort, Niagara Falls, Ont.

WHAT RECENT TRENDS HAVE BEEN COMING TO THE FOREFRONT IN TERMS OF CASINO DESIGN AND WHAT SHOULD WE BE LOOKING FOR IN NEW DESIGNS OR DEVELOPMENTS IN THE NEAR FUTURE? BA: From an entire casino perspective, I think design based on comfort and convenience is becoming more and more popular. The gaming area must be convenient and prominent and encourage a longer visit. For the new person there has to be a “wow” factor. We are trying to accomplish that by utilizing dynamic digital signage, 26 | Fall 2014

Richard Emery, President and Design Principal, Thalden Boyd Emery Architects, St. Louis, Missouri.

lively exciting bars/lounges, large signage displays on slot machines or, as Quebec have shown us, a showcase area like the Zone. This is all geared to a younger crowd as our player population is aging. As an industry we need to find ways to attract a new player while still addressing our existing customers’ needs. From a slotf loor perspective, there is a trend towards smaller bank configurations (four or six packs mostly) or being more creative with larger banks (eights or more), like shaping them like footballs in the interest of preserving personal space and increasing comfort.

industryq&a: casino design

RE: Culture and technology are very strong inf luences.

Start with culture: In Asia, gaming is more of a group endeavour; a group of friends can arrive at a casino together and spend their time play ing together. In fact, in Asian casinos, many of the casino f loor games accom mo date g roup play. I n t he west , t he ca sino ex perience is more solitar y; players who arrive in a group usually split up and experience the casino f loor individually. I think the A sian model enhances the entertainment aspect of a casino visit and I see group play starting to inf luence the gaming f loor in the typical western casino. This trend will continue to develop and change how we design. Technology also continues to push casino design in new directions. Think about it: tablet computers make it possible to have gaming activity just about anywhere in the casino facility. Conventional slot machines – which have changed very little in the last 100 years – are static fixtures; they don’t move. But with an iPad, guests can play from anywhere – from the pool, the lobby, even the lounges and food venues, which means new opportunities for casino architects as we design these spaces. Through technology, enhanced progressive play is another example. Think of large, central monitors on the casino f loor keeping track of tablet bets and jackpot winners. Everyone on the f loor sees that and it can add real excitement to the guest experience. Technology is allowing us to change the casino experience.

go and meet casually with friends results in an increase in food and beverage sales and maybe some incremental play (almost like buying a lottery ticket).

HOW WILL ISSUES SUCH AS SUSTAINABILITY AND CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY OR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CONTINUE TO AFFECT CASINO FACILITY DESIGN?

BA: One of the biggest challenges I have seen is a failure to plan for the physical requirements of adding slot machines or modernizing the technology infrastructure.

It is sig nif icantly easier to install ex tra power and communication prior installation of machines than it is to disrupt play and close off areas of the casinos. I don’t think you can have too many power outlets (build for expansion). This extra power also allows for easy ongoing f loor adjustments which happen on a regular basis. A f loor with easy access to cabling makes for much easier upgrades to technolog y too. A nother challenge I see (in our market) is that we have very distinct customers.

We have “time on device (TOD)” players who are at the casino regularly and are generally a daytime player.

We would like to create a layout based on comfort with areas that allow them to spend time away from the game (televisions, couches or a gathering area just to relax and meet with the other “regulars”). We have our “Fun” players. They are looking for something totally different than the TOD player. They are looking for a “wow” factor and are likely to use new technology and this should ref lect that. The Zone concept in Quebec is a great example of this. I find it very interesting that the TOD players engage in the activities offered there, but it is when it is not so loud and busy. We also have “high-limit” players. Their needs are different as well.

Their areas need a lot of comfort available, semi-privacy, elegant designs and an atmosphere where the player feels protected. Last, but not least, we have the non-player.

They don’t spend on gaming, but they will spend on F&B and entertainment. They will watch friends play so if the

BA : I don’t really have a lot of ex perience with the sustainability question, but my initial reaction is that green is here to stay and as an industry we need to address these concerns in all areas of the casino from things such as readily available recycle bins, green lighting, alternative energy sources (solar), low-f low toilets etc. In Alberta, our casinos need to be retro-fitted, but the new casino designs are utilizing green concepts. The initial cost may be more expensive but that cost is recouped over the long term. Social responsibility is a major part of what we do.

In Alberta, we have Responsible Gaming Information Centers (RGICs) at casino facilities. These are incorporated into the floor layout and are readily accepted as part of the casino’s atmosphere. People are becoming more aware and see these areas as part of the casino experience and this helps to reduce the stigma. A large portion of our casinos are located in smaller cities. These cities are closeknit communities and people like to have a place to get together for coffee (like a Tim Hortons). Fortunately these casinos have become the place of choice for people to have their morning coffee or breakfast. Originally it was an unintentional benefit. The casinos adapted very quickly by creating feature areas specif ically to address these customers. They have created meeting rooms for local charities to have board meetings, special events etc. From a design perspective, providing areas where non-gamers can

RE : The simple answer is this: The world is going green and sustainable design is a fact of life. More and more we’re seeing building and energy codes requiring increased energ y eff icienc y and I can tell you that clients demand it as well. Most gaming companies have a genuine interest in being good corporate citizens, and part of that is expressed through a sincere commitment to conservation concerns in their communities. So, yes, green design is near the top of most project programs, and sustainabilit y analysis is integ ral to our desig n process. My firm provides clients with an accurate cost/ benefit analysis of green building techniques as part of design development, and if the increased cost of green design can be recovered via savings in seven years or less, we strongly recommend that it be included in the plans and specif ications. I should also point out that many gaming clients are asking us to push beyond typical LEED-certif ication benchmarks; they’re telling us it’s more important to be green than LEED. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES WHEN IT COMES TO CASINO PLANNING AND DESIGN AND HOW CAN THE INDUSTRY BEST RESPOND TO THOSE CHALLENGES?

Canadian Gaming Business | 27

industryq&a: casino design

physical environment and the non-gaming offerings are acceptable they may be more inclined to return and maybe engage in the offerings. The biggest challenge is designing a casino to capture all of these customers’ attention and satisfy their individual needs while maintaining consistency.

RE: There are all kinds of challenges inherent in casino development: Speed and affordability are at the top of the list, especially in recent years. A successful casino needs to be fast to its market at a low price point, so the owner needs a designer who understands the business and “need for speed.” Beyond that, I think flexibility can be a challenge.

The gaming market changes constantly and casino facilities have to be able to adjust in response to those changes. That means the design architect must try to anticipate the future of the industry and design buildings that can be readily altered in response to new trends and opportunities. And, by the way, this kind of forward thinking can only come from a team with extensive casino design experience. Also, the public’s perception of the gaming business in general needs to be addressed. I think unique and innovative design begins to overcome this particular challenge, as does an emphasis on green building techniques. I can tell you that most of our casino owners spend a good deal of time on community outreach, hosting charity events, supporting local cultural institutions, that sort of thing.

It’s important to understand that the client’s building will need to provide for that broader purpose.

AS SECONDARY PRODUCT AND SERVICE OFFERINGS SUCH AS RETAIL, HOSPITALITY AND NON-GAMING ENTERTAINMENT TAKE MORE PROMINENCE IN OVERALL CASINO DESIGN, WHAT ARE THE MAIN ISSUES AFFECTING RETAIL OPTIMIZATION IN CASINO DEVELOPMENT? BA: The Alberta challenge is to tailor things to our market.

Las Vegas clearly has addressed this challenge with the incorporation of brand-name restaurants, high-end retail outlets and offerings specific to their clientele. The ultimate goal is to find those types of retail /non-gaming areas that are unique and a destination unto themselves (tattoo parlours in casinos?). Driving new traffic is the ultimate goal. Player loyalty programs are evolving to the point where we will see the gaming ex perience intertwined with the retail experience. I’m not sure if it will be mobile gaming apps offering a gaming experience in retail outlets (mobile gaming devices while you wait) or gaming offering a retail experience (devices allowing the purchase of goods or services while playing) again driving new traffic or creating convenience.

RC : Casino retail is not a destination in and of itself.

Prospective retail customers are passing by the retail component on their way to the gaming f loor. This retail format has more in common with transit (airport, train station, mass transit) and hospitality retail than with traditional shopping centres. As such, successful casino retail must stand out; offering highly impulsive 28 | Fall 2014

merchandise and a positive value-for-money proposition.

It is essential that you choose retail outlets and brands that entice, entertain and excite casino customers. In designing f loor plans and layouts, retail stores should be exposed to the greatest volume of pedestrian traff ic possible.

Customer traffic is the lifeblood of retail; without it, retail cannot generate the sales volumes required to sustain the business. Secondary and out-of-the way retail locations will not succeed. The retail merchandise offer and how the sales proposition is communicated, (through store design, lighting, customer service, merchandising, signage), must be clear and compelling.

In addition to a strong impulse offer and high-volume traffic locations, successful casino retail needs to take into account the casino’s target market. The merchandise offer and price points should be in lock-step with the casino’s target market’s needs, desires and demographics.

Incor porating retail rewards into customer loyalt y programs enhances casino marketing plans through on-site, instant customer gratification and a convincing reason for return visits.

WHAT LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE NON-GAMING RETAIL SECTOR CAN CASINO DEVELOPERS APPLY TOWARDS RETAIL OPTIMIZATION IN THEIR FACILITIES? RC: The current trend of increased non-gaming revenue will see more emphasis on retail, leased food and beverage outlets and entertainment venues in casinos. For example, nightclubs, owned and operated by third parties, have become a significant revenue generator in Las Vegas and elsewhere. Leased, brand-name restaurants have become a key strategy to competitively differentiate your property.

Retail operations will continue to gain a higher priority in decision making, capital plans and casino design. The future of casino retail will see: • Increased floor space dedicated to retail • Expansion of branded, leased food and beverage outlets • Free-standing retail in casino parking areas, (fast food, convenience, vending, gasoline) • Leased nightclubs and other entertainment venues • Outlet shopping • An increase in the number of leased retail outlets vs. in-house operated retail, enhancing eff iciency and revenue • Leveraging the casino’s role as a traff ic generator to grow revenue from non-traditional uses, e.g. advertising boards, partnerships, co-branding and sponsorships.

RE: I’m thinking the most obvious example may be hotels and parking garages. These two amenities do provide significant returns for casino operators. When it comes to hotels, we like to say: “One night’s stay equals two day’s play.” We’ve seen it time and again: A casino that adds a hotel sees a big increase in gaming revenue. The same is true with parking garages: Give your guests a convenient, safe and dry place to park, and they’ll come out to play at your facility even on a stormy day.

employeedevelopment

TRAINING 24/7

Cashing in through online training

BY JUDITH HAYES AND DAYNA HINKEL

In the fast paced 24/7 gaming environment, it can be difficult to keep up with the requisite requirements for staff development around compliance, health and safety, technical and leadership skills. Many gaming organizations are turning to online learning to meet these critical needs.

ONLINE LEARNING INTEGRATES multiple technologies into workplace teaching and learning practices and may include vir tual classrooms, collaboration through online discussions and web conferencing. Online learning is not simply “online reading” but can closely replicate both the traditional classroom and our unique gaming organizations though the use of authentic material, realistic casino-specif ic scenarios, customized interactive activities and evaluation of learning through the use of quizzes/tests to ensure course objectives are met.

MEETS DIVERSE NEEDS

Through the use of voice-overs, online learning can be designed to meet the needs of our diverse workforces, even those employees who are challenged by reading activities. Online learning can be delivered in a self-paced format to appeal to those employees wanting a more self-directed approach to learning, although many organizations prefer a blended approach which combines online activities supported by a facilitator but delivered within a traditional classroom setting.

Online learning within the Canadian casino industr y is becoming more predominant as it provides a strategic benefit to organizations though 24/7 training accessibility, consistency of 30 | Fall 2014

training information, a reduction in travel and time costs and just-in-time access which allows an organization to reach all employees simultaneously.

Add the bonus of automatic and instantaneous scheduling, tracking and validation of learning through the utilization of a Learning Management System and you have an effective, efficient solution to meeting employee development needs.

In a Conference Board of Canada survey, 83 per cent of respondents said e-learning increased productivity, 82 per cent said it improved job performance and 98 per cent said it contributed to their personal development. Despite the initial costs involved in implementing new technologies, companies tended to see a rapid return on investment (ROI), according to the Conference Board report, E–Learning for the Workplace: Creating Canada's Lifelong Learners.

REAPING THE BENEFITS OF E-LEARNING

A quick snapshot across the country confirms that gaming organizations have been hard at work over the last number of years to cash in on the benefits of online learning. Ontario Lottery & Gaming indicated wide use of online learning for both optional (11 per cent learner adoption) and m a nd ator y (9 9 per cent lea r ner adoption) training needs. Casino Nova

Scotia also indicated that online learning plays a signif icant role in employee development and SaskGaming indicated a high level of satisfaction when it comes to the use of a blended learning approach.

SaskGaming recently introduced online learning as a major component of their new onboarding process.

For those gaming organizations just beginning the conversion to online learning, a brief look at how Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries (MBLL) has been able to utilize online learning might help support their efforts.

Over the past 10 years, Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries has placed increasing reliance on the use of online learning in a variety of formats – online courses, webina rs (ex ter na l a nd inter na lly developed), virtual training classrooms (a favourite of IT professionals) along with video tutorials. Programs are developed either by internal online developers supported by subject matter experts, or through outside e-learning consulting companies in an effort to meet the high demands from the gaming business units. Courses are in place for frontline staff and their supervisors to address compliance issues such as anti-money laundering, fire safety, WHIMIS and mandatory training needs such as antiharassment and safety in the kitchen.

These programs present a customized look and feel ref lective of our industry

employeedevelopment and appeal to a wide range of employees. The programs are built on sound learning principles and include voice-over, authentic case studies/scenarios and a casino atmosphere. Final evaluation scores are set at an appropriate percentage to ensure employees truly learn the required skills.

AUGMENTS CLASSROOM TRAINING

Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries Dimensions in Leadership program, a four-level development program that provides a step-by-step approach to leadership development for acting supervisors, supervisors, managers and aspiring executive level staff, utilizes online learning to augment classroom training. Through a blended approach, participants develop their leadership competencies through online self-study then through the support of a coach within a classroom setting, discuss their new knowledge and application within our organization with their peers.

The organization has become increasingly reliant on online learning to support the implementation of new systems in areas such as finance, internal communications and human resources. Virtual training and webinars have been able to ensure a reduced learning curve as employees more quickly become proficient in using the new company software systems.

Video tutorials delivered online support both occupationally specific development, such as slot training for newly acquired machines and management development for use of new human resources systems such as online performance management.

Webinar enrollment for senior leadership has played a role in reducing travel/time costs while ensuring exposure to new ideas in a timely fashion. Video conferencing also plays a significant role in consulting between vendors in distant locations and our in-house professionals on site.

IMPROVE INTERVIEW SKILLS

Employees at MBLL interested in career development can work online independently to increase their skills through enrollment in the company’s online provider, Skillsoft, as well as internally developed online resume preparation and interview skills courses.

The Canadian Gaming Centre of Excellence’s Gaming L eadership Certif icate Prog ram in partnership w ith Athabasca University and University of Nevada, Reno Gaming Management Studies is Canada’s premier online leadership development program. This fully online accredited university certificate program supports leadership succession planning as it produces graduates capable of addressing the critical challenges of leading gaming organizations in these challenging times.

While the initial investment of online learning may appear costly, cashing in on the short-term and long-term benefits provide a strategic move for employee development.

If you would like to join the National Gaming Training Advisory Committee and share strategies from your casino propert y, please contact Canadian Gaming Centre of Excellence.

Judith Hayes is Director (Judith.hayes@mbll.ca) & Dayna Hinkel is Business Manager (dayna.hinkel@mbll.ca) at the Canadian Gaming Centre of Excellence, a subsidiary of Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries. For more information, please visit the Canadian Gaming Centre of Excellence at www.gamingcentreofexcellence.ca.

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Canadian Gaming Business | 31

feature

The New Normal New reporting requirements come with an increased burden but there’s an upside

BY DANIEL NAGLE

In 2014, the International Narcotics Control Strategy Report on Financial Crimes and Money Laundering identified Canada as a “major money laundering country.”

For several years in a row, Canada has been identified in this way, and a plethora of news stories suggest that money laundering is rampant in many Canadian casinos.

THE FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS AND REPORTS Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) began enforcing new requirements and guidelines around money laundering reporting obligations on February 1, 2014. These new changes have increased the regulatory burden and are considered the new normal in the world of anti-money laundering (AML) regulation.

As a result, the gaming industry will see more stringent forms, e-filing processes, and requirements for data capture regarding customers and transactions. These changes require casinos to beef up how they capture and store customer and transaction information and the depth and accuracy with which they report these details. As many casinos continue to 32 | Fall 2014

largely rely on manual processes—that are time consuming and often less accurate than the new regulations require— these changes necessitate substantial staff training, changes in culture and upgrades to IT. The most significant amendment to the new requirements is that all customers will have to undergo ongoing monitoring — a significant change to the current regime, which stipulates that only high-risk customers require this. It means that casinos will now have to track, monitor and understand every patron’s behaviors.

Information management and analytics technologies can greatly assist casinos in meeting these new requirements by providing the most accurate, complete solution for detecting,

feature

investigating and reporting on potential illicit activit y including customer due diligence, suspicious activit y monitoring, watch-list filtering and case management.

Improving Data Quality: Data sets can often be incomplete due to organizations storing data in multiple disparate systems, inf lux of multiple revenue streams such as earnings from online gaming and in-person gaming, or inaccurate human data capture processes. For instance, it is common for pit bosses to manually record transaction and customer data, but unfortunately, they may submit incomplete records.

Under the new regulations, if gaps exist in data, the regulator may impose f i ne s for non- compl i a nce. W it h technologies to improve data quality, such g aps are f la g ged before the information is reported to regulating bodies, enabling the organization to avoid penalties. Furthermore, data quality solutions can automatically streamline and cleanse records to help ensure gaps are eliminated.

Automation: Gaming is exploding in popularity all over Canada, and along with this growth is increased money laundering.

With mass amounts of data, not to mention signif icant moving parts and reg ulator y requirements, the pro cess of sor t i n g t h rou g h d at a manually is a highly time consuming and cumbersome task. Automated analytics systems enable casinos to monitor and analyze transactions in near real-time, using highly accurate models to f lag suspicious behaviour for fur ther investig ation, and automatically submit the necessary for ms on non-suspect data. This frees up human capital to perform secondary checks on records f lagged, rather than wasting time auditing files that may not contain any abuses or manually submitting required forms.

Scalability and Flexibility: In the gaming industry, regulations and money-laundering tactics are constantly evolving. Casinos should look for information management and analytics solutions that can scale to their needs as business grows, and be flexible

enough to enable the business to alter the solution as needed.

In short, moving from potentially e r r o r- f r a u g ht , hu m a n - p o w e r e d processes to ones based on analytics ca n d ra st ica lly i mprove ca si nos’ compliance to regulatory reporting requirement s, help stop moneylaundering in its tracks, and greatly improve efficiencies in the process.

Complete Protection: There are many different solutions claiming to do everything, capable of solving ever y compliance woe, but the majority of these are not true enterprise systems and don’t look at all aspects of the compliance problem. In other words, they leave holes money launderers can exploit.

A dva nced solut ions prov ide automated processes for detecting, investigating, and reporting suspicious b eh av ior a nd apply a risk-based approach to monitoring customer beh av ior. Usin g h ig hperformance analytics and multiple detection methods enables an institution to monitor more r isk scenarios against very large volumes of data, in less time. Once suspicious behavior is identif ied, a seamless workf low increases the effectiveness and eff iciency of the investigative function. Combining highperformance analytics capabilities with all the essential elements of a successful AML solution – including customer due diligence, suspicious a c t i v it y m o n it o r i n g , w a t ch - l i s t filtering, and case management— it allows casinos to: • Monitor more transactions in less time • Improve the quality and accuracy of alerts • Enhance investigation speed and effectiveness • Identify organized crime rings • Provide casinos with more complete protection and the ability to meet compliance demands with greater speed and accuracy than ever before.

The Upside: G enera l ly spea k i n g c o m pl i a n c e d a t a b e c o m e s t h e cl e a n e s t a n d most complete data set within any org anization, mov ing away from

being a cost centre to being a prof it centre when the organization starts to use that information and data in other areas of the business to drive better, more informed business decisions.

W it h mou nt a ins of inva lu able customer data available, the gaming industry can leverage this information to understand how to target new customers, how to segment customers based on profitability, or understand what the nex t best of fer is for a specific customer.

A naly tics g ives the casinos the power to know their customer, chart their value over time, a s well a s anticipate that customer’s behavior.

Using analytics, a casino operator can tailor specific, personalized marketing c a mp a i g n s t o e a ch c u st omer i n t he ca sino’s pat ron dat aba se. By consolidating the va r ious patron touch point systems throughout the casino property, the casino operator can create a complete view of each patron. By understanding what type of patron is on its property, why they are there, and what they like to do while they are there, casino operators can individualize their marketing campaigns so that these campaigns are more effective, thereby increasing the casino property's ROI. Conclusion: As Canada continues to advance its AML regulations casinos will most def initely feel the burden of more stringent compliance. In essence, the new regulations will lead to increased customer due diligence that will ensure the institution knows who their clients are. The real winners will be the casinos who enlist the support of analytics to not only offer protection and the ability to meet compliance demands with greater speed and accuracy but use analytics to truly empower the way they market to their customers.

As Financial Crimes Solutions Specialist and leader of the Canadian branch of the SAS Security Intelligence Practice, Daniel Nagle serves as the focal point of knowledge for key business drivers facing our financial landscape with the breadth of technological solutions available to us today. For more information, visit www.sas.com.

Canadian Gaming Business | 33

finance

REVENUE

STANDARDS A new global framework for revenue recognition

BY LESLEY LUK

On May 28 of this year, after five years of working on a new revenue recognition standard, the International and United States (US) accounting standard boards (IASB and FASB) published a joint revenue recognition standard. This new standard replaces most of the detailed guidance on revenue recognition that currently exists under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).

A LMOST A LL COMPA NIE S w ill be i m p a c t e d b y t h i s n e w r e v e nu e recognition standard but the extent of the impact will vary among companies and industries. Some may be affected significantly, while for others it will be business as usual. However, all companies, including those in the lottery and gaming industry, need to assess the extent of the impact so they can address the wider potential business implications.

KEY FACTS FOR CONSIDERATION

Companies will apply a f ive-step model to determine when to recognize revenue and at what amount. The model specifies that revenue should be recognized when (or as) a company transfers control of goods or services to a customer at the amount to which the entity expects to be entitled. Depending on whether certain criteria are met, revenue is recognized: 34 | Fall 2014

• Over time, in a manner that depicts the company’s performance; or • At a point in time, when control of the goods or services is transferred to the customer.

T h e n e w s t a n d a r d a p pl i e s t o contracts to deliver goods or services to a customer, except when those contracts are for leases, insurance, r ig ht s or oblig at ions t h at a re in the scope of cer tain f inancial i n s t r u m ent s g u i d a n c e , o r n o n monetary exchanges between entities in the same line of business that facilitate sales to customers other than the parties to the exchange.

For companies applying IFRS, the new standard is effective for annual periods beginning on or after January 1, 2017. For public business entities applying US GA A P, it is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2015. Early adoption is permitted only under IFRS.

IMPACT ON YOUR BUSINESS

W it h i mplem ent at ion p ot ent i a l l y impacting an entire organization, it is recommended that businesses form a cross-functional project team to assess the potential impacts of the new standard. Potential impacts for the lottery and gaming industry include (but are not limited to): • R e v e n u e r e c o g n i t i o n m a y b e accelerated or deferred – Compared with current accounting, revenue recognition may be accelerated or deferred for transactions with multiple components or variable considerations.

Key financial measures and ratios may be impacted affecting compensation arrangements, contractual covenants and other revenue sharing payments.

• IT systems may need updating – L ot t er y a nd g a m i n g compa n ie s may need to capture additional data required under the new standard (e.g. data used to make estimates and support disclosures). Applying the new standard retrospectively could mean the early introduction of new systems and processes, and potentially a need to maintain parallel records during the transition period.

• New estimates and judgments will be required – This new revenue recognition standard introduces new estimates and judgmental thresholds that will affect the amount or timing of revenue recognized. Judgments and estimates will need updating, potentially leading to additional financial statement adjustments for estimate changes in subsequent periods.

finance • Accounting processes and internal controls will need to be revised – Companies w ill need processes to capture new information at its source (e.g. executive management, operations, marketing and business development) and to document i t a p p r o p r i a t e l y, p a r t i c u l a r l y a s it r el a t e s t o e s t i m a t e s a n d judgments. Companies will also ne e d t o c on sider t he i nt er n a l cont rol required to ensure the completeness and accuracy of this information – especially if it was not previously collected.

• E x t e n s i v e n e w d i s c l o s u r e s w i l l b e r e qu i r e d – P r e p a r i n g new d isclo su res m ay b e t i me c on su m i n g a n d c a pt u r i n g t he required information may require i n c r e m e nt a l e f f o r t o r s y s t e m changes. There are no exemptions for commercially sensitive information.

• Entities will need to communicate with stakeholders – The various stakeholders will want to understand the impact of the new

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“Accounting processes and internal controls will need to be revised – companies will need processes to capture new information at its source.” standard on the overall business – b efore t he st a nd a rd b ecomes effective. A reas of interest may include the ef fect on f ina ncia l results, the cost of implementation, prop o s e d ch a n g e s t o bu si ne s s pr a c t ic e s , t he s p e c i f ic i mp a c t on sig nif ica nt cont ract s a nd arrangements, and the transition approach.

GETTING READY TO TRANSITION

W hile the new standard off icially t a k e s e f f e c t i n J a n u a r y 2 0 17, preparers must remember that early

preparation, including an effective i mplement at ion a nd st a keholder en g a g em ent pl a n , i s t he k e y t o successfully operating under this ne w f r a me work . L o ok out for a future article on how to address The Transition Plan.

L e s l e y L u k i s S e n i o r M a n a g e r, Technology, Media & Telecommunications ( T M T), at K PMG in Can ada . To learn how to ensure your organization is prepared to meet the new guidelines for revenue recognition, contact Lesley at lluk@kpmg.ca, and visit www.kpmg.ca

Canadian Gaming Business | 35 14-06-16 9:44 AM

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E A Opening Reception: Delegates enjoyed cocktails and appetizers as they mixed and mingled with old friends and new acquaintances. Immediately following the Opening Reception, the fun continued into the evening at Mahoney & Sons authentic Irish Pub. B Golf Tournament: A record number of golf participants enjoyed a beautiful day of golf.

This year’s Canadian Gaming Summit Golf Classic was held at Furry Creek Golf & Country Club. Congratulations to the winning f o u r s o m e o f R i c h a r d Ta y l o r, G l e n n Trickey, Doug Macdonald and Jim Marinor C Plenary and Education Sessions: We had two fantastic Plenary Sessions at the Summit: The Growing Collaboration Among The World’s Regulatory Community session on Tuesday, June 24 and the Building Canada’s Gaming Industry session on Wednesday, June 25.

36 | Fall 2014

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The educational program for the 2014 Summit was developed through extensive industry consultation to offer sessions covering a wide array of gaming topics, including Legal & Regulatory, Charitable Gaming, iGaming, Security & Surveillance, Marketing & Communications, Corporate Social Responsibility, Finance & Markets, Food & Beverage, Human Resources and much more.

D Delegate Receptions and Networking Events: After a busy day of visiting the Summit’s Exhibition and attending education sessions and keynote presentations, the delegate and exhibitor receptions provided a chance to unwind and network.

E Exhibition Show Floor: The Exhibition floor offered delegates the opportunity to meet one-on-one with existing and prospective suppliers. Filled with the industry's top companies and service providers, this was the industry exhibition to attend. New gaming

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products and services were launched and showcased and multiple networking opportunities were also available.

F Annual Industry Awards Gala Reception: Attendees enjoyed a wonderful evening of awards and entertainment at the Awards Reception and Charity Gala. Since its inception 18 years ago, this prestigious event has honoured achievements in industry leadership. This year, the event recognized a deserving local charity, Family Services of Greater Vancouver.

G First Nations Awards: The 5th Annual First Nations Canadian Gaming Awards took place as part of the Summit’s Awards Gala. These awards recognize the contributions of First Nations casinos to the First Nations and neighbouring communities.

The awards also honour the outstanding accomplishments and contributions of Aboriginal people employed by a First Nations casino within Canada and the continued development and improvements within their operations.

2014 SUMMIT HIGHLIGHTS

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The Canadian Gaming Summit, Canada’s premier annual conference and exhibition for gaming professionals, took place on June 23-25, 2014, delivering face-to-face interaction between attendees from all gaming sectors, disciplines and regions within Canada and beyond. The Summit had a top-notch educational program, an impressive exhibitor floor with a diverse array of products and suppliers and a multitude of industry gala receptions and networking events.

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There are many reasons why Canadian gaming professionals made the journey to Vancouver to attend attended this year’s Summit. Here are just a few: • Its Unique Position – The Summit is Canada’s premier and only annual

conference and exhibition for gaming professionals.

• Networking – The Summit delivers face-to-face interaction between attending

delegates who represent all gaming sectors in Canada and beyond.

• Education – The Summit’s Education Program Committee (representatives from

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the Provincial Lottery Corporation) developed an amazing schedule for 2014. We showcased two outstanding Plenaries, Legal and HR workshops, and an outstanding array of educational tracks.

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• New Products and Services – The Summit trade show floor, comprised of

major gaming product and service suppliers, displayed new and innovative offerings, many of which were launched at the show.

• Exchange of information – The Summit was able to provide an opportunity for

the gaming professionals to engage with one another and exchange ideas in private meetings.

If you want to experience everything the Canadian Gaming Summit has to offer, be sure to mark your calendar today to join us as the Summit moves east to Caesars Windsor on June 16-18, 2015. See you there!

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We look forward to welcoming you to the 19th Annual Canadian Gaming Summit on June 16-18, 2015 at Caesars Windsor in Windsor, Ontario. See you there!

For more details visit www.CanadianGamingSummit.com

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