MARK SLOTKIN
are now arranging trials with. There has not been one casino that didn’t like the idea.”
TESTING TIMES
From these sketches, Lo-Ball Showdown and Shootout Poker were born
Before long Mark was showing the game to Caesars, Bellagio, Wynn, and The M casino in Las Vegas, playing on Slotkin’s demonstration felt in the most lavish of setting - the private high-limit Baccarat or Blackjack rooms where Mark himself had previously gambled. “Two of the table directors knew me from past experience. I walked away from these demos fully
industry that seemed reluctant to hear about his new games. “Most table game directors are not open to new ideas; in fact most won’t even return calls or emails. Frankly, it seems that most of them are afraid to do a trial; they just keep the status quo for fear of losing their jobs if they make a wrong move.” Undeterred, Mark continues to exhibit at gaming
knowing that what I had invented was going to be a runaway train.” The next step for Mark was running real trials in
his casino with customers, and Shootout Poker was unofficially launched at Jacks or Better in July of 2011. There were several surprising reactions – all of which improved the game – along with the establishment of dealer protocols. “The house has been holding 30% including the 10% casino rake, explains Mark. “Players don’t mind the commission because they are used to rake in a poker game. The action after the river is much larger than against the house. The only issue on our boat was getting enough players to sit down together and play it. Obviously, the Player vs. Player works much better with a six-handed game.” Once satisfied his games were running well, Mark then started the tough task of getting it out into an
expos as well as talk to casinos and give personal demonstrations where possible. “Nevada, the Mecca of gambling, has a different set of rules,” says Mark. “Whereas casinos in other states allow a trial and then seek a letter of approval from the casino which will get you state approval, Nevada insists on getting the letter from the casino first before they will even submit the application. Most casinos in Nevada do not like this procedure and suggest you go elsewhere to get the trial and will take the game when it’s approved. It’s kind of a chicken and egg thing. Nevada is holding back progress.” Mark does however have some trials running with tribal casinos, and is also showing at the NIGA show in San Diego in April. “We expect to place it in many casinos when they visit us as the Indian casinos showed much interest at G2E in Las Vegas. They are much more open-minded then the large operations in Nevada. It seems that we will probably take a back door approach first and do the other states before Nevada.” Though both games were shown at ICE, Mark gave
far fewer demos that he had hoped to due to the booth location: “They didn’t know we were there… but the casinos that did see it gave very good reactions. It’s now my impression that it will be easier and less costly to place it in the USA first and then go global when we are more recognized.”
GOING ONLINE Mark is already in contact with developers to
produce an online version he can take to casinos that bank table games. “Online will be particularly good for our Lo-Ball Showdown game as it deals seven cards to each player. The live version takes a little longer than casinos might like, but of course the rake makes up for that.” Apart from online technology making for a much faster and neater game, the Player vs. Player function also looks to be very effective online as the amount of players can be increased to ten rather than the traditional six at a table game. Though now a fully-fledged inventor, Mark knows
he has his plate full for the foreseeable future: “These two games will represent an annuity for the rest of my life. There is no point in developing another game until I get these two games placed.”
52 APRIL 2012
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100