Silver Lining
When the world shut down in 2020 , the gaming industry was just one of many to be severely impacted . As an in-person entertainment option , casinos were hit hard and long by the disaster that was the pandemic . Revenue completely disappeared . Plans went up in smoke . And no one knew how long , deep or devastating the shutdown would be .
Even when casinos began to slowly reopen , many people hesitated to return , and rightfully so . The amount of information and misinformation was extraordinarily confusing . Some countries shut down completely and were hardhit . Others stayed open and didn ’ t suffer any worse . U . S . casinos started to come back in three or four months , while Canadian and Australian casinos were shuttered for more than 18 months . It ’ s understandable that people were confused and remain skeptical about any future predictions about the Covid bug .
But a few things we learned during the pandemic have already been beneficial to gaming .
Let ’ s start with online gaming and sports betting . Jurisdictions where remote betting was legal did not suffer as badly as those limited to bricks-and-mortar casinos . Tax money continued to flow , albeit at a lower level , and didn ’ t completely disappear in those states . States with no legalized online gaming or sports betting will now seriously consider these options , knowing if another pandemic occurs , the revenue stream will not dry up completely .
Communications with guests once was hit or miss for most gaming companies . Yes , they still send out direct mail . Yes , there ’ s an email list that goes to their massive databases . But casino executives have learned that players need a more personal experience — more targeted and familiar . They ’ re starting to consider programs that utilize artificial intelligence , which mines individual customer data to learn players ’ needs and desires — even if the players themselves don ’ t realize it yet .
Casino design , as you ’ ll see from the feature story in this magazine , has changed dramatically .
Roger Gros , Publisher
Where once slots were jammed together and players seemingly sat on top of each other , there are now smaller carousels of three or four machines , with seating at least 90 degrees away from the next gaming position . The machines are larger and more spectacular , with screens that seem to touch the ceilings .
Spots at blackjack and baccarat tables have largely been reduced , so a seven-spot table now has a maximum of five . The Plexiglas that went up as casinos reopened hasn ’ t completely disappeared , and still gives players a sense of security .
Are buffets a thing of the past ? Not necessarily . But guests handling service spoons or hovering over a salad bar may be gone . Most casinos are now opting for food courts , with the same variety but at an increased cost . Are casino executives sorry to see the buffets disappear ? Most believe these loss leaders will be changed forever .
You may think it ’ s an anomaly that the last two covers of Casino Style featured brandnew Las Vegas resorts where the pools are front and center and spectacular . But you may be missing the boat . Pools and spas are growing in importance , and need to be a part of any new project , no matter where it ’ s located .
And of course , the trend toward cashless transactions accelerated during the pandemic . Who wants to handle money that just left someone else ’ s hands , and changed hands many times before that ? Casino execs are encouraging the move to cashless . A recent study showed that it costs a casino $ 15 to process every $ 100 of cash . But cashless transactions reduce that cost to less than a dollar . How soon will players adopt cashless ? Let ’ s ask the millennials , who rarely carry cash and use their phones to make any and all transactions .
So yes , the pandemic was painful , to be sure . But in the very near future , maybe that pain will lead to pleasure , as the casino experience becomes more efficient and transparent .
A GLOBAL GAMING BUSINESS PUBLICATION 2021
Roger Gros , Publisher | rgros @ ggbmagazine . com twitter : @ GlobalGamingBiz
Frank Legato , Editor | flegato @ ggbmagazine . com twitter : @ FranklySpeakn
Marjorie Preston , Managing Editor mpreston @ ggbmagazine . com
Monica Cooley , Art Director mcooley @ ggbmagazine . com
Terri Brady , Sales & Marketing Director tbrady @ ggbmagazine . com
Becky Kingman-Gros , Chief Operating Officer bkingros @ ggbmagazine . com
Lisa Johnson , Communications Advisor lisa @ lisajohnsoncommunications . com twitter : @ LisaJohnsonPR
Columnists Carl Long
Contributing Editors Dave Bontempo twitter : @ bontempomedia Patrick Roberts | Bill Sokolic twitter : @ downbeachfilm Kit Szybala __________________
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Rino Armeni , President , Armeni Enterprises
• Mark A . Birtha , Senior Vice President & General Manager , Hard Rock International
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Julie Brinkerhoff-Jacobs , President , Lifescapes International
• Nicholas Casiello Jr ., Shareholder , Fox Rothschild
• Jeffrey Compton , Publisher , CDC E-Reports twitter : @ CDCNewswire
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Dean Macomber , President , Macomber International , Inc .
• Stephen Martino , Vice President & Chief Compliance Officer , MGM Resorts International , twitter : @ stephenmartino
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Jim Rafferty , President , Rafferty & Associates
• Thomas Reilly , Vice President Systems Sales , Scientific Games
• Michael Soll , President , The Innovation Group
• Katherine Spilde , Executive Director , Sycuan Gaming Institute , San Diego State University , twitter : @ kspilde
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Ernie Stevens , Jr ., Chairman , National Indian Gaming Association twitter : @ NIGA1985
•
Roy Student , President , Applied Management Strategies
• David D . Waddell , Partner Regulatory Management Counselors PC
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The views and opinions expressed by the writers and columnists of GLOBAL GAMING BUSINESS are not necessarily the views of the publisher or editor .
Copyright 2021 Global Gaming Business LLC . Boulder City , NV 89005
GLOBAL GAMING BUSINESS is published monthly by Casino Connection International , LLC . Printed in Nevada , USA . Postmaster : Send Change of Address forms to : 1000 Nevada Way , Suite 204 , Boulder City , NV 89005
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4 CASINO STYLE 2021