Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/731835
Gaming News 1 5 Wednesday, September 28, 2016 IVERSON GAMING SYSTEMS POISED TO DEPLOY 'VIRTUALATM' MOBILE PAYMENTS SOLUTION Funds transfers and player tracking have finally been updated for the mobile world. With Iverson's "VirtualATM" mobile app, there are no cards needed; both the player's card and the ATM card are removed from the physical equation. The phone is the player card now; the phone is the thing that identifies which player is playing at which machine, and secure, cardless mobile wallet technolo- gy is now a real possibility for casinos. The underlying pathway and authorization process of the "VirtualATM" transaction is nearly identical to that of a standard ATM with- drawal, except players do not have to get out of their seats to walk to the ATM – they use their smartphones for the entire process. The player's bank account is debited in real time, and the amount of the withdrawal is instantly reflected in the player's bank account balance. Funds can then be transferred securely and easily from machine to machine, stored in the player's e-Wallet or cashed out. Because the "VirtualATM" transac- tion is a debit transaction and not a cred- it transaction, the player can only with- draw funds that already exist (they can- not take out money on credit). Where required, stringent withdrawal limits may be set by the casino, by the individ- ual player or by the Gaming Jurisdiction. Iverson has strategically designed the Account Based Gaming functional- ity to work within existing jurisdic- tional frameworks and to stand side-by-side with exist- ing systems, giving operators a quantum leap in functionali- ty by leveraging technology and protocols that are already in use today. Developmental efforts are already taking into account play at card tables, roulette tables or other non-gaming locations such as the casino restaurant, spa or gift shops. For example, Iverson is actively exploring strategic partner- ships to allow the smartphone to be used to reserve a spa appointment, open a video chat with the casino helpdesk, open a play-for-fun social casino game or tie in to real-money iGaming wager- ing platforms. For player tracking, the smartphone screen can now be used to display infor- mation that used to be displayed on the slot machine's touchscreen. For exam- ple, the smartphone can display player points, tier status, offers or other mar- keting material that has either been col- lected by the exist- ing slot system or input into a CRM database. Promotional and informational mate- rial can be sent to the player's phone, whether they are sitting in front of a slot machine, sitting in the casino restaurant or even when they are at home. Privacy levels, opt-in choice and messaging con- tent can be modified to comply with jurisdictional requirements and industry best practices. Responsible Gaming Responsible gaming protections can be established such as player "pre-commit- ment" features or self-limiting features. Moreover, the "VirtualATM" associates the ATM transaction with the wagering event in a way that was heretofore not possible to do. Visit Iverson Gaming Systems at booth #2613. CRAFT BEERS BRING HIGH PROFIT MARGINS, INCREASED SALES An interview with Gary Gladstone, General Manager, Diamond Mountain Casino Hotel. GN: You installed the HouseBrew sys- tem earlier this year. What attracted you to the system? GG: We knew craft beers were becoming very popular, and we wanted to profit more from it's growth, but could not see how this was possible without a large investment and operational challenges. Then, at the G2E exhibition, we discov- ered the HouseBrew craft beer brewing system and learned that with a modest investment and minimal management, we could produce our own craft beers and reduce our beer costs by 70 percent. When we learned the technology was developed at the University of California in Davis, which is world renowned for its brewing sciences, and we saw how beautifully the system dis- played, we recognized the opportunity to greatly increase our profits from beer sales we already made. In addition, our marketing department loved the strong marketing story it gave them to promote our casino and hotel and identify with the popularity of craft beers, which tends to attract highly loyal customers. When we learned the investment was much less than we expected and the sys- tem did not require a brewmaster because of the simplicity of the process and computer automation, we decided to proceed because the financial benefits would begin immediately and last for as long as we were selling beer. At that time, our average cost per serving was about $1.25 per pint, and we were able to immediately reduce our cost to between $0.30 and $0.40 per pint depending on the beer we were brewing. The other benefit was that we were able to turn space in the casino that wasn't profitable into one of our highest profit per square foot areas. GN: How did your customers respond to the beers? GG: Very favorably. Everybody has their personal preferences, but that is part of the advantages of the HouseBrew sys- tem, because we can brew so many dif- ferent flavors and styles of beers. We have 12 beer taps, of which we have replaced seven brands with our own beers and received many compliments and increased customer loyalty. Our mar- keting department loves the many ways we now have of promoting our name, Diamond Mountain Brewery, and it gets attention. Last month, we sent kegs to the Mammoth Mountain Beer Festival, where we received many compliments, and this month we have entered our Coronado Amber and Coronado Ale in the California Craft Beer Festival in Sacramento. This promotes our brand name and we support that with sales of our brand- ed growlers, beer mugs and clothing apparel. GN: What has been the financial return? GG: After the first five months of sales, we already have exceeded what we pro- jected for the first 12 months of opera- tions. Our HouseBrew system has become a valuable income producing asset, providing Diamond Mountain Casino and Hotel independence, market- ing opportunities and much higher profits from beer sales as craft beer continues to grow and mature. For more information, visit booth #6330. ATTRACT VISITORS WITH BRUNSWICK-EQUIPPED BOWLING CENTERS As the gaming industry matures and becomes more competitive, casinos are looking for expansion elements to com- plement existing programs. There's also pressure on tribal casinos to diversify their offerings and create revenue streams that are not dependent on gam- ing. "Most casinos reach a point where they want to expand in order to increase the length of stay, attract new demo- graphics, entice business groups or offer more amenities to the tribal community," said Mike Long, Senior Vice President, Consulting, at Trifecta Management Group (TMG). TMG has helped casinos successful- ly expand existing facilities to become entertainment hubs, with bowling, full- service food and drinks, arcade, billiards, laser tag, movie theaters, water parks and more. The company provides full-service and a la carte consulting, from market feasibility studies to menu development to staff training and more. Long recommends bowling as a great way for casinos to entice new visi- tors and differentiate themselves. "Bowling is a great complement to an existing facility because it's some- thing everyone can do," said Long. "Bowling is inexpensive, easy, fun, com- petitive and participatory. Everyone is familiar with it and knows how to play, compared to other more obscure gaming options." All of which makes the sport appeal- ing to a wide variety of people. The bowling center atmosphere attracts families, an attractive segment for casino develop- ments. With bowling, casinos are able to meet the long-term needs of their markets by offering distinct entertainment options to a broader consumer base. In fact, bowling is the number-one participatory sport in America, with 70 million people bowling each year, according to an industry study. Bowling centers are also the number-one choice of venue for children's birthday parties. Brunswick is TMG's preferred bowling equipment supplier. "Brunswick is the most well-established bowling sup- plier in the world," said Long. "Brunswick has a long history of product development innovation and excellent customer service. The people who work there have been in business for years and are well connected in the industry." For casinos in more remote loca- tions, the addition of a bowling-anchored restaurant entertain- ment center provides a new destination chock full of fun activities for the local community, and it makes the trip more worthwhile for visit- ing guests. Bowling is also attractive to the desirable corporate market. "Bowling and games are great for attracting business clients who want to host 'office Olympics,' interdepartmental competition, team-building activities and parties," said Long. Bowling is a particularly profitable addition. "Because of the square footage and equipment involved, it's not a small investment, but it yields a big return on investment," said Long. Bowling is also recession-resistant; historically, retail bowling outperforms other retail busi- nesses in bad economic times. For more information, go to www.brunswickbowling.com/casino.