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MULTIPLAYERS
Together in
electric games
The benefits of multiplayer systems go beyond the table and right to
the bottom line. Barnaby Page reports
F
or the novice player, they offer an easy Perhaps most important, there are directly visible
transition from the solitary world of video bottom-line effects. First, because all the dealer
slots to the sociability of table games, functions are digitised (or nearly all – a few
without the anxieties often induced by fast- multiplayer systems do give the dealer a limited role),
moving casino play, impenetrable jargon play speeds up dramatically. Some estimates suggest
and unguessable local rule variations. For the more it’s typically two to three times faster than at a
experienced player, they can put fresh new twists on conventional table, with dealing of cards, movement of
classic games, and for the high roller, they can offer a chips and so on performed instantaneously on-screen.
measure of privacy that’s sometimes welcome.
And not only does this automation increase the
But for the casino itself, multiplayer games don’t sheer number of bets placed, it also cuts many costs,
just offer a new player experience – they can also most obviously in human resources: multiplayer
transform the profitability and manageability of the systems, built on ultra-reliable computing kit, can run
tables. 24/7 without much incremental cost other than
power and a modest amount of management
International Game Technology (IGT), one of oversight.
several big gaming suppliers active in multiplayer
systems, lists a few of the benefits. Multiplayers, it Another major multiplayer vendor, Alfastreet, says
says, can allow casinos to offer table games in profits can be three to five times greater than with a
jurisdictions where only slots are permitted without comparable conventional gaming setup.
falling afoul of regulators (because in many ways,
multiplayers really are rather sophisticated, So what’s not to like?
networked video slots).
With this in mind, we’ve put together a quick tour
They attract “cross-over play” from both the video of some of the multiplayer products and
slot and the table games patrons, and they allow technologies available on the market now. There are
unusual physical configurations which wouldn’t be also other vendors – including Novomatic, Royce &
easily achievable with a conventional manned table – Bach, and TCSJohnHuxley (which indeed handles
here’s a way to make use of that awkward corner – as Novomatic products) – that we haven’t been able to
well as maximising efficient space usage: it’s been cover in this issue for space reasons, but are all
estimated that a multiplayer system will generally take worth checking out.
up less room than the slots required to serve an
equivalent number of players. Alfastreet was one of the first companies to offer
an eight-seat Roulette unit – a configuration that is
There’s more. Multiplayer systems put an end to still a mainstay of the multiplayer market – and the
human error and arguments over game outcomes, R8 system, upgraded over the years, remains its
and they eliminate exposure to many cheating and headliner. Based on an automated wheel with eight
security risks. (No more chip-switching, for example.) terminals, the R8 gives a choice of player control
Like other electronic systems, they also often give the devices – touchpad, touchscreen or both – and offers
casino the flexibility to use the same hardware for casinos a range of payment systems: bill acceptor,
multiple different games, at the touch of a coin acceptor, or ticket-in ticket-out (TITO). A scaled-
metaphorical button. down version, the R6, seats six players.
30 DECEMBER 2009
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