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TABLE GAMING
they don’t want to spend all their virtual cash on major security issue. How did it get to the table if it
chips. The unit can also swipe the magstripe on a hasn’t been verified to leave the cage? Or how did it
player’s card, allowing loyalty points to be earned get back into the cage for someone to pay the holder
from table gaming, and targeted promotions to be out in cash if it has never been verified to leave the
printed at cash-out, when the player exchanges chips vault?” “Straightaway, there are added security
for a ticket. features for the casino and the operator,” Clarke
Current plans at FutureLogic apparently don’t explains. “You can then go on to controlling the table.
involve integrating bill validator technology in the You can see how much is in front of the table, how
short term, so JCM Global may still be enjoying a free much is in front of individual players, you can see
run – at least for a while. Exactly how TableXchange how much is in the chip tray – we also manufacture a
will be used on the floor to best advantage remains to chip tray that automatically reads the number and
be seen – operators may opt for TITO-only tables, but value of chips in the chip tray as they come and go.
it’s likely that the option for players to buy in with You have a live, full count of the value on the table at
cash at a TableXchange table will remain for a while. any time, for every second of the gaming period.”
“That’s why RFID is so strong and powerful for the
Abbiati: “traditional quality and design” + RFID casino…it is not just traceability of the chip, it’s the
Abbiati remains a family owned and run business, 30 security, it’s the additional information it can deliver
years after it was started by Giovanni Abbiati. Italian for the profitability of the tables, it’s the information
quality and design has allowed Abbiati to develop a about the players’ playing habits, you can rate players
reputation built at the high end of the market, with a for comps, all sorts of things. It’s a very strong
strong presence in Monte Carlo, London and high- product.”
end casinos and VIP rooms worldwide, according to “In my personal opinion, although it is still very
Terry Clarke, Abbiati’s Commercial Director. new, in the next decade, everything that moves in the
“Furniture, wheels, chips, plaques, electronics, casino in the live game area will be RFID controlled,
displays – all the things that are part of the modern from the chip side.”
casino, we manufacture in-house; we make all that is And the next step involves incorporating bill
needed for a turnkey solution. The only thing we acceptors and TITO technology. Abbiati is on the
don’t manufacture ourselves currently, is full-blown case: “We are working with another company to
electronic tables,” he says. integrate bill acceptors into the table, to verify the
currency, and also to help do the final count at the
Tago: Abbiati looks after the traditional
CIS – and a great deal more end of the day,” Clarke says. He’s not that convinced
table market, Alfastreet the multiplayer.
While it’s clearly the Chip Information System that is about the potential for crossover between slot floor
at the heart of RFID, “it’s not just a matter of and live gaming, though: “Ten or fifteen years ago,
identifying the chip, or the player,” Clarke says. “It’s people were saying that in the next ten years or so
more a matter of providing a security package that there would be cashless casinos. Maybe there are
the casino is comfortable with, so they know that the some cashless casinos somewhere already out there,
chips they have in play have been verified to be in like there are already cashless slot halls where 90
that particular position.” percent of the business is done with Ticket In Ticket
“When we sell the chip to the casino, it leaves our Out, TITO.
company with, if you like, a DNA-like unique record.
It has a unique identifier and that particular number A view of the future
can’t be copied. We control that here, in our system. Abbiati’s Terry Clarke sums up the state of play as he
The chips goes to the casino. They then have to sees it: “There will always be live gaming. Traditional
accept those chips , and automatically write their tables will always be there, as they have been for
own piece of software into each chip, which is unique hundreds of years. I don’t see a big change in the
Abbiati: “traditional quality and design”
to the casino. Each chip and each casino has its own next decade, but slowly slowly there will be some
the Italian way, with added technology.
identity, so each casino can identify their own cross-over between hybrids, where you have a little
products within their property.” bit of both on the same table. Certain geographical
“The third process is for them to accept it into areas, or certain casinos will become electronic-only
their safe – it goes into their vaults, their holding casinos, but they will have their own clientele which
area, and is verified as a chip which is then put into will be different to the clientele of other casinos.”
their inventory and located. When the chips move to “The live game and the excitement of standing
the cage, they go through another verification there, whether you are playing with chips or some
process, which is all done and recorded on the PC in money in your hand, it’s the same. You are playing
real time.” with money that you can feel, you can touch. When it
“Once chips are in the cage, they go through is on a machine…you have credit counter on the
another verification stage when they leave the cage machine somewhere, and when it’s gone, you walk
to go on to a table. At any one stage, if a chip turns away. On a live game is it more interesting, and you
up back into the cage or on to a table that may well have the interaction with other players around the
be owned and belong to the casino, that hasn’t been table. There will always be a place for that.”
RFID: ready to send ripples round the verified to be moved from any of the areas it was last And, presumably, no end to innovation that aims to
table gaming floor? seen by the system at, then straightaway there is a help drive costs and down and revenue up.
46 MARCH 2009
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