Analysis CASH HANDLING
arrangement will allow IBG to introduce Microcoin and GBA through its own specialised sales channels, providing IBG customers with greater flexibility and opportunity in their product selection. The Microcoin and GBA brands represent a terrific set of products and our job is to help grow this business into markets in which these brands are a perfect fit. This relationship is a win-win for both sides.”
BRANDNEWTHINKING Specialist OEM solution provider, International Brand Gaming (IBG), has signed a significant new agreement with cash handling experts Astrosys International that will see the two companies working together to expand ASY's international contact base and take advantages of opportunities in global markets reaching as far as South America.
International Brand Gaming (IBG) offers a support function to manufacturers through complementary products, market opportunities and access to new technologies, which enables companies to grow their business at a truly global level. Having recently announced an agreement to represent Elite Casino Products at a sales level in the US and Europe, IBG has linked with Astrosys International as a principle representative of its Microcoin and GBA brands in new markets around the world. “I’m delighted with the deal we have forged with Astrosys International,” stated International Brand Gaming’s Managing Director, John Malin. “While respecting their current sales and distribution networks, this
Coin recycling has always helped maintain machine uptime. The growth in banknote readers sometimes caused a imbalance, resulting in coin starvation and machine downtime. The note recycler is bringing this balance back into harmony. The result is higher machine uptime which warrants the investment in such products. The choice is ever growing in this segment and the operator can choose the number of notes that need to held in the recycler to secure machine uptime.
CASHVERSUSCASHLESS In regards to replacing cash with either TITO and card cashless payment systems, the jury is still out. Card systems provide more flexibility and the ongoing costs are lower. Ticket printers need refilling, but in a casino environment with expert personnel on the floor, this does not pose an issue. That’s not the case in a regular VLT environment, however, the fact that this market segment often prefers TITO, underlines the popularity of this system. The fact that the printed paper gives the resemblance of real money where the value is instantly visible speaks volumes
Robert Bird, Group Marketing Manager for Astrosys International, comments: “We have know John for a long time and have a deep respect for his ability to develop and nurture business relationships. It is this ability and his customer-focused attitude to delivering tailored solutions which will make IBG a success. This gives us the confidence that having our Microcoin and GA brands in his portfolio will not only assist John in his endeavours, but will successfully generate business opportunities.”
“International Brand Gaming is an innovative solutions provider for global OEMs,” outlines Mr. Malin. “What that means in practical terms is that IBG provides the glue that links companies to markets, to new opportunities and to partners that can provide mutually beneficial solutions. Your business might already have in-roads into the US, for example, but are you resourced organically to expand into S. America? IBG works with an extensive contact base built from over 25 years experience in the international gaming industry to fit the global market into just one contact. IBG is the intermediary with the experience and global presence to offer manufacturers solutions beyond their current scope.”
for the player. The factor of anonymity is also crucial, which plays to the strength of TITO - but then there have been far too many TITO versus smartcard debates!
CASHINTHESYSTEM Speaking to Slovenian casino management systems (CMS) experts, Advansys, they confirmed that the relationship of a CMS solution with currency on the casino floor, should be one of tracking the cashflow not only in terms of security, but also to attain better response and overall service (for all levels of customers); to reduce labour force costs (as a result of faster cash counts, hand pays, bill clearances) and increase performance of the casino floor by accessing and analysing all relevant data. In regards to casinos, the advantages of going cashless do mount up, with Advansys’ slotscanner solution delivering more information and marketing possibilities to customers using tickets rather than cash. To operate Cashless (with smart cards), slots must have EFT- Electronic Found Transfer or AFT- Advanced Found Transfer SW installed by the slots manufacturer. This usually
G3 I OCTOBER 2010 I PAGE 58
John Malin, the Managing Director of International Brand Gaming, has quickly grown a team to take advantage of the knowledge base of the company. With plans to open offices in the US and with partners in South America, IBG is building upon its existing technical support team based in Oxford, UK. IBG is the conduit to international business in the gaming sector. Already connected to European and US manufacturers, the company is leveraging its knowledge base and technical expertise to enable others to build infrastructures at an international level.
“We facilitate the introduction to companies seeking expansion in key markets,” commented Mr. Malin. “We have the knowledge base that allows us to help manufacturers at all levels to meet their own business strategies and fulfil their potential. We can take the cost out of the machine build, introduce partners in expanding international markets, build machines and create new network systems.”
The distinct advantage of IBG is that the company is already resourced and connected in markets throughout the world. “We can distill the options down for each individual customer and offer the best route to market to fit their individual needs,” describes Mr. Malin. “We recognise the opportunities of product distribution and that of bringing parties together, be it in the need of manufacturing facilities in US, cabinets in Europe, software and graphics capabilities in the UK or games distribution in Colombia - it’s all about solutions.”
Coin recycling has always helped
maintainmachine uptime. The growth
in banknote readers sometimes caused a imbalance, resulting in coin starvation andmachine
downtime. The note recycler is bringing this balance back into harmony.
means slots with SAS 5.0 and 6.0 version or higher. In the ‘real’ casino environments in Europe, there are still a lot of very profitable/popular slots that don’t support these two functionalities, which makes it easier and faster to head down the ticketing route. To operate TITO, slots must be ‘Ticketing Ready,’ which means that slots support ticketing functionally. Beside this slots must have installed ticket printers. According to Advansys, upgrades necessary to install a TITO-ready slot floor is often quite expensive, but the benefit is that as a result, ‘ticket-money’ is spent easier and faster than cash. “There is no particular difference between cash/tickets/cards in terms of ability to track and solve the issues,” stated an Advansys’ spokesperson. “However, different markets have different preferences. South America is mostly asking for cashless/smart cards solutions, while Europe is more oriented towards tickets. We suggest to operators to choose the cheapest and if possible also fastest way in terms of implementation necessary to prepare their slot floor for either smartcards or ticketing.”
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