"Management systems have always been an integral part of a casino’s communications strategy"

Would you say casino management systems (CMS) are now an integral part of any casino’s operations and marketing strategy?

Without a doubt! I am also of the view that management systems have always been an integral part of a casino’s communications strategy. What is key, however, is being able to efficiently mine all of the available data and end up with information that is truly rich in quality. It is here specifically that I believe our system provides exactly what operators need. 

Let’s talk Ireland specifically: the player experience locally is becoming more and more important as competition increases, how can a management system assist operators in enhancing that experience?

‘What gets measured, gets managed,’ it really is that simple. Irish operators have always really embraced their players and appreciated the fact that in order to differentiate themselves they need to provide the best possible player experience. In my view, our technology helps in two key ways: we provide operators with easy-to-understand reporting that allows them to quickly see and understand their business at any time, from anywhere, in real time (or historically); and then through our TITO system, or our cashless ‘tap and play’ drScreenUltra technology, we provide players with an easy-to-use, clean, and convenient, play and pay solution, that is secure, stable, and robust. 

You mention DRGT's drScreenUltra; besides its cashless functionality, it is also a powerful player engagement tool, isn’t it?  

Yes it is; and in Dublin we had a large number of operators showing a very keen interest in that side of its functionality too, which was really encouraging. As you well know our development teams’ unwavering mantra is ‘the player first’ and I firmly believe we have the technology solutions to assist operators in delivering that experience. In relation to specifically our drScreenUltra player interface screen: at 8.8” it is the largest of its kind in the world at the moment, so we really are best of breed. With our management system in operation and our drScreenUltra installed, casino operators are able to easily view all gameplay activity on their floor, develop any number of promotional or reward strategies and then execute them by sending their promotional messages or rewards to specific individuals at their slot machine or to all players on their entire casino floor at a specific time, or following a specific ‘trigger event’ like a birthday, or perhaps a jackpot.

That sort of engagement and communications technology, is it not a challenge ‘on the ground’? Who makes sure the correct information is shared on the correct date, with the correct player/s and at the correct time, for example?

You make a valid point, and we remain extremely cognisant of that challenge. As a result, operating in tandem with our management and jackpot technology is our drMediaManager. What this solution does, alongside the relevant engagement and reward triggers referred to earlier, is provide a really easy to use ‘drag and drop’ software tool which affords any marketing, operations or floor manager, for example, the functionality to schedule advertising, videos, sport events, raffles or live draw feeds well in advance, with date and time stamps to both start and stop the relevant pieces of communication. The interface is extremely intuitive and provides the perfect solution to the very real challenge you posed. 

In respect of the above, and your showing at this year’s event, was there any particular feature or operator sentiment that really stood out in your view?

There was, and what remains extremely encouraging for us is the ever-increasing willingness, or rather understanding, from operators that the only real way to differentiate themselves from their competitors is by offering their players the best experience possible. What that means is that they need two things: to ensure they have the best possible product offering, and they can assess and then continuously monitor and manage that with the help of our management, reporting, and jackpot systems solutions; and then secondly an efficient means to communicate these products, jackpots and rewards with their players - a task made really simple via our drScreen player interface and drMediaManager solutions.

Does your system operate on all types of slot machines?

Yes, it does. We can operate our management and jackpot systems, and our cashless or TITO functionality, on any EGM that uses a legal protocol, and what I’m referring to here are the likes of SAS, ASP, NSW, GRIPS, and even BACTA. For Ireland specifically, we have devised a bespoke communications solution for some of the older EGMs in order to ensure a complete two-way data transfer, and as a result ensure seamless gameplay data tracking across all machines on a casino floor, or an operator's entire estate.

Lastly, why should operators choose your products over others available on the market?

I believe DRGT's key selling points are our robustness, and our cost-effectiveness is driven mainly by our ability to afford operators a solution that limits their need for the purchase of expensive servers. Our patented SMIB technology allows us the ability to operate without a permanent server connection, and also ensures full gameplay data replication across all gaming devices on a casino floor, furthermore, allowing for the likes of centralised ticket printer and/or bill validator software downloads. Add to that the actual reporting and communications functionality we are able to offer slots players, as well as casino operators and their guest service and technical staff, along with our array of slots jackpot configuration options, and we truly are a formidable competitor.