TABLE GAMIING Looking good Visual appeal is another prominent consideration for
casinos buying table games today – how well does the table stand out on a crowded floor and attract players? – and that, too, is probably a factor in the early orders for Racing Card Derby. That animated horse race includes background scenery and associated sounds, while winning combinations light up, making it easy for new players (that’s all of them, for now) to learn the game, while the table itself can be decorated to match the individual casino’s visual branding.
And many other vendors are also enlisting large
screens and lighting effects to add an extra dimension to their table games – taking advantage not only of the innate human tendency to notice movement, but also of the extra visibility that screens provide. On any casino floor the tables themselves are largely hidden from distant viewers by other tables and bodies; screens, however, can be high above them.
TCSJohnHuxley, for instance, has been an
enthusiastic proponent of visual embellishment. The 3D Animation Pack module for its AccuPlay system uses a 50-inch screen and animated game content, while its Double Action Roulette benefits from a thin layer of electroluminescent lighting installed just beneath the surface of the table as well as an illumination sequence that runs until betting closes on a game. It also offers single- and double-sided winning number displays, based on screens measuring 21 or 29 inches, in its e-FX Elite range. Elektroncek, meanwhile, uses no fewer than six LCD screens on some table game units in its Organic range.
Exploiting the visual potential of table games also means paying attention to smaller details. Gaming Partners International, for example, not only supplies a range of tables, accessories, layouts, Roulette wheels and so on, but also encourages casinos to use elements as apparently trivial as chips and dice for branding and promotions. They can be customised to commemorate milestones in the casino’s life, such as a major anniversary; to cross-market other products and services from the casino or partners; and to promote events and entertainment at the location.
Your way Flexibility is also a vital factor for casinos choosing
table games today, in both spatial and operational terms. Spatially, because tables occupy more square footage per player than do slots, and so it’s imperative that they are physically configured in a way that maximises use of floor space; operationally, because they are comparatively expensive to run, with traditional table games requiring a live, salaried dealer. Partial automation helps reduce dealer mistakes and increase speed of play, but doesn’t actually cut down on the head count; total automation eliminates the employment overhead, but as we’ve seen some believe that it also reduces the customer appeal of the tables. Where’s the happy medium?
32 MARCH 2011 In some cases, casinos are opting for fully digital
tables. PokerTek is rolling out its PokerPro automated table to a number of locations in France, where it’s the only such device approved by authorities, starting with the Seven Casino d’Amnéville. It’s traditional Poker, with up to ten players: the only difference from a dealer-based game is that digitising play makes it faster and error-free.
Another approach, championed by the likes of DigiDeal, is to create tables that can be operated either automatically, during quiet times when the level of betting doesn’t justify a dealer’s presence, or by a human when the floor is busier. DigiDeal table games also offer casinos a choice between physical and virtual cards and chips, and one – the DTS-V – has intriguingly been designed so that it can be classified as either a table game or a slot machine, depending on jurisdictional requirements. That helps casinos in Macau, for example, where authorities recently imposed a limit on the number of table games in each location.
The dealer adds a social element that players find appealing
Elektroncek also offers casinos plenty of choice in
its table game product line. Its G4 Organic Multicenter table, for example, can be configured for 12, 14 or 16 players, while its Organic Twins – also available in 12- and 14-seater forms – supports two different forms of Roulette, double-zero with 38 fields or single-zero with 37. Again, it’s about enabling the casino to precisely tailor their gaming offer to the requirements of the business and the customer.
TCSJohnHuxley, meanwhile, has taken a modular
approach with its AccuPlay Table System, letting casinos pick and choose from a menu of functionality. Enhancements that it unveiled at the recent ICE Totally Gaming event in London include cashless payment using small devices that it calls e-purses; funds can be added or removed by customers at the casino cash desk. Also on offer is a virtual shoe which uses random number generation to simulate card dealing, and a CITO (cash in, ticket out) module based on JCM bill acceptors and Epic ticket printers, allowing the table to continue operation whether or not a dealer is present.
Safe and sound Other operational improvements don’t affect the
process of play, but address issues like security. For example, Abbiati’s recently-launched TV Poker Tournament Table, manufactured with video- surveillance specialist Dallmeier, features built-in cameras with preset photography modes that ensure
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