A round-up of some of the innovative highlights evident at the recent trade shows.
IT’S one thing we at InterGaming seem to bang on about all the time, but technology really is constantly changing the face of gaming.
This was evident once again at last month’s giant ICE trade show (and at G2E Las Vegas last year) in London, where new ideas and products once again seemed to abound. It is difficult to pick a few out of so many and we cannot have seen everything due to the size of the shows, but some developments caught our eye.
The iDROP from Apex Gaming in Austria, which has already been installed in venues including the new casino in Leuna, Germany, has been described by the casino’s operator, Merkur Casino, as a “technical revolution for casino cash management.”
The system basically means that playing with tickets and cash has been extended to live gaming, so a cash desk is no longer required. Live gaming tables are fitted with the iDROP unit, which comprises of a bill validator, ticket printer and touchscreen display.
The dealer accepts cash and tickets directly at the table and changes these for chips. When players want to cash in their chips, the dealer simply prints a ticket for their value. Players can then use the tickets wherever they want, be it a different gaming table or on the slot machines or electronic multiplayers.
Obviously, this provides the player with greatly increased flexibility, convenience and freedom. Tickets from slots can be used on the live gaming table and the other way around. There is no need for a cash desk as tickets can be exchanged for cash at a redemption machine.
For the operator, the benefits are far-reaching. All aspects of the gaming floor, including slot machines, electronic roulette and live gaming, are connected to the iDROP system. The drop content in the tables is available on all tables in real time. The result is that the operator requires less than half of the chips that would normally be required. As players are not buying and cashing in chips at the cash desk, all the chips remain on the tables.
Also catching the eye was the new all-in-one platform package from Quixant. The system offers gaming machine manufacturers a complete hardware and low-level software solution, enabling them to focus entirely on game content and development, which is what really matters to them.
Read the full article in the March issue of InterGaming
