"DRGT will continue to outperform competitors with technology that delivers solid ROI to our customers"

This week, and anticipating the upcoming ICE ExCel to be celebrated on February 6th-8th, Yogonet International interviewed Mr. Duncan Pollock, Head of Global Marketing at DR Gaming Technology, in regards to the accomplishments and challenges the operator has faced in 2017 and awaits for 2018.

Could you provide further insight into the products you are planning to debut at the exhibition?

The key product focus at DR Gaming Technology (DRGT) at ICE 2018 is to expand on our existing progressive, wide-area and mystery jackpot offering, which at present is arguably the widest in the world, along with our on-going pursuit to offer operators true cashless, and ultimately cardless solutions via our drScreenUltra player tracking display; which at 8.8” is the largest in gaming today. Our successful BlackJack 11s and Baccarat 11s Tables side bet and jackpot games will also be on display.

drJackpots will also continue expanding our customers' horizon with arguably the biggest selection of Mystery and Progressive Jackpots available in the world today. Our tailored Jackpot products are standalone, local, or wide area, and will without a doubt enhance the excitement on your floor and as a result, drive greater revenues. Testament to our capabilities; our biggest single jackpot customer to date has drJackpots installed on over 5,000 devices across approximately 100 venues.

To mention some of the benefits the operators can reap when working jointly with DRGT:

• The world’s most extensive local and wide area jackpot offering
• Linked single casino, multiple venue, or estate wide progressives
• Single slot machine progressives
• Standard or prize mystery jackpots
• All mystery jackpots can also be hosted exclusively for loyalty club members

The importance of being able to reach out and communicate with players is also key to us; in respect of direct marketing, or the provision of game play data and points statements. Our range of player interface displays provide an unprecedented player experience, with our drScreenUltra as the biggest player tracking display in gaming today. It offers 1,280 x 320 resolution, and an amazing 8.8 inch multi-touch screen with a built-in RFID reader – allowing players to simply “Tap and Play’’ to start their gaming session.

To mention some of the benefits the operators can reap when favoring DRGT's drScreenUltra technology:

• Videos or web-based banners can be streamed directly to the player tracking screen
• drScreenUltra can be linked directly to Facebook and Twitter
• Mystery jackpots can be viewed on the top slot machine screen, and jackpot hits below
• drScreen combines dynamically generated system data with endless promotional possibilities
• Cashless transactions are undertaken directly on the slot machine or player interface displays
• Multi-currency and multi-language functionality

drTable has proved to be the world's most advanced slot jackpot and wide area technology has evolved into a fantastic new casino table games jackpot offering. drTable will let you spruce up your classic Baccarat and BlackJack games with side bet games that are guaranteed to enhance your player experience, not affect your current table games’ speed, and are easy for your dealers to learn and host.

Some of the benefits the operators can reap when favoring DRGT's drTable technology:

• “Off the shelf” or customised games tailored to the exact needs of your clientele and gaming floor
• Fully configurable reward, mystery, and jackpots levels
• Linked Mystery Jackpots across all table games, slots and table games, or even across a wide area
• Extensive reporting allows operators to extract exact revenue and game play data from each side game in real-time

As with all DRGT solutions, our table side bet products also utilize our patented serverless solution, ensuring no risk of downtime.

What are operators and players to expect from you in terms of product development?

DRGT offers TITO solutions to operators, as well as true RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) cashless card solutions. We have implemented Phase I of our true cardless solution through our drScreenUltra, the biggest player tracking interface in gaming today offering 1,280 x 320 resolution on an 8.8 inch multi-touch screen, and incorporating a built-in RFID reader that allows players to “Tap and Play’’ using NFC (Near Field Communication) to start and end their gaming session. The solution operates in exactly the same manner and with the ease of use enjoyed currently when making a standard retail purchase with a credit card or mobile phone.

Following this, Phase II would see players using a mobile application to “Tap and Play” as referred to earlier, inclusive of an e-wallet, and as a result the need for a player card would no longer exist. Whilst we presently offer TITO and RFID Cards, we are of the view that in time all operations will be cardless and cashless.

Cashless functionality affords operators a significant reduction in player card costs with RFID cards costing approximately 50 per cent less than current Smart Cards. The development of our player App (Mobile Phone Application) and e-wallet will then realise a true cashless and cardless gaming environment. Once successfully completed, operators will be able to track all transactions across a single site, or an entire estate, as players use a single card to play their favourite slot machine, see a show, purchase a drink, book a hotel room, or pay for their next massage or round of golf.

Players on the other hand will enjoy quick and easy access to their funds through “Tap and Play”, with on-screen bonussing on the world’s largest player tracking interface screen, in addition to dynamic player rewards and instant point redemption.

The gaming sector has already almost 100% migrated from coins to notes, with the exception of some AWP operations and jurisdictions, that said, from a pure operator and player convenience point of view, the migration to ultimately RFID cards and subsequently e-wallets (electronic wallet) on mobile phones using NFC via a suitably secured and approved Payment App (application) is without a doubt going to be the most user friendly, secure, and practical manner to play and operate gaming devices globally.

 
Which destinations do you feel currently offer the most potential for gaming growth in Europe?

We believe that the most scope for expansion lies in Italy and Spain. The amendment to Italian regulations should ensure easier market access and as a result drive opportunity.

What discussions should drive the 2018 agenda at an industry-level? Which topics will be the focus, in your opinion?

Mobile technology is becoming part of everyday life; we only have to look at how we buy coffee these days, share or send airtime or money, buy a burger or receive an airline ticket boarding pass to realise that we are all becoming more and more reliant on, and almost expectant of, our mobile device’s ability to enable us to go about our day to day lives without any physical cash.

Player demands have been driven by technology, and as a result players expect more targeted offers both on the gaming floor and from the various peripheral facilities associated not only with the casino/outlet they play at, but from the relevant operator Group as a whole.

To the above end, operators must surely start to migrate to more intelligent forms of player tracking and rewards, and more user-friendly ways for players to start, end, and move their game play from one device (or venue) to another, and back again.

Could you mention the strategies you are implementing in 2018 to outperform competitors and grow your market share?

In time we are of the view that all operations will be cashless. As noted above, one only has to look at the positive impact on not just customer satisfaction and the overall customer experience, but also on operational costs and downtime the move to coinless had to see that a progression to cashless is not only inevitable, but logical; followed closely, if not in parallel in the near future, by the use of mobile phone Apps with correctly developed and properly integrated e-wallets that offer direct and fully integrated payment options across numerous properties and their various offerings: from casinos to hotels, to restaurants, to sporting facilities, arena events and the like becoming the new norm.

Whilst the intricacies of our strategies remain private and under wraps, we remain of the view that we will continue to outperform our competitors with systems technology and jackpot products that enhance the player experience and deliver solid returns on investment to our customers.