People
People
Course outline: Gaming for non-gaming personnel
Introduction to casinos
• What sets gaming apart from other hospitality disciplines?
• The general working order of a casino
• Casino departments and the way they collaborate
• Casino language
The casino customer
• Why are they special?
• The mind of a gambler
• Different player segments and their habits
• Servicing casino players
• Customers’ special needs
• Unusual situations you might have to handle
Introduction to casino procedures
• Timeliness
• Discipline
• Money handling
• Information sharing
• The role of casino surveillance
Compared with slots, table games are widely seen as a neglected area of the online product offer. What can be done to address this, broaden their appeal and drive more revenue for operators from table games? The magic of live games is in the actual interaction of the customer with the gaming staff and other patrons. It’ s a very specific player profile and their needs are difficult to satisfy in an online environment. While a typical slot player would have a very similar experience in a casino or on their tablet playing the same game, most table players wouldn’ t find playing Blackjack on a computer giving them the same buzz. Live dealer online casinos are an improvement, though, and there is more and more demand for these. Proxy betting, on the other hand, could bring the experience as close as possible to live gaming, but is only allowed in a very few jurisdictions for obvious reasons. Virtual reality may help online gaming companies broaden their live games portfolio in the future, but as it stands now, their target audience is not exactly tech-savvy.
What do you think have been the game-changing developments in the gaming industry over the course of your career? The biggest game-changer by far has been the birth of online gambling. While visiting casinos has always been the privilege of the rich and well-off middle classes in developed countries, with the appearance of online betting, literally anyone can place a bet, be it on a slot machine, a sports game or any other form of gambling.
How do you see the opening of the US sports betting industry post-PASPA impacting the areas of gaming you work in? I specialise in land-based casinos, and I don’ t believe this development in the US will have any significant effect on brick-andmortar casinos. There has been a serious illicit sports betting industry in the US and in some other countries, and this decision should hurt them the most. I think we all agree it is for the better. As in the case of land-based casinos, which saw their client base widen after the proliferation of online betting possibilities, in the long run legal sports betting possibilities in most US states will bring with them a broader acceptance of this form of gambling and higher profits for the operators.
What do you see as the major challenges ahead for the gaming industry over the next 12 to 18 months? The global economy has been booming for almost 10 years now, and while it has never been healthier and there are no signs of a crisis around the corner, statistically it could happen at any moment. If it did, it could plunge the industry into recession. Investors have never been more confident, and new Integrated Casino Resorts are opening up, constantly raising the stakes.
Too many companies are betting on the lucrative Chinese market, which being politically sensitive could very quickly turn the fortunes of these companies around.
There will also be quite a few legal challenges, with responsible gaming gaining ground in more and more countries. Think of the new UK FOBT ruling, for instance.
Gaming For Non-Gaming Personnel, 23 October, Johannesburg Totally Gaming Summit, 14-15 November, London
Totallygamingacademy. com
iGamingBusiness | Issue 112 | September / October 2018 95