As a follow up to my last blog post about gaming security, I recently attended the Global Gaming Exposition (G2E) in Las Vegas where all of the major gaming companies displayed their latest games and system platforms. The vast array of new and exciting games was nothing short of spectacular. Amidst all of the excitement was an emerging concept of mobile gaming wherein customers of the casino would be able to take a dedicated and secure tablet with them for the duration of their stay.
The Opportunity of mobile Gaming is a real added Value for the Customer and not just a Gimmick
From the mobile solution, customers would be able to do anything from playing video slots and other casino style games, order show tickets, or even request hospitality service such as food and beverage. The mobile device, in this case a tablet, was equipped with a magnetic strip reader ( MSR) or the device had a smart card reader (SCR) for player tracking applications and/or POS functionality. The versatility of the tablet also allowed playback of 1080p HD content such that casinos would be able to stream off track betting on horse races or deliver user specific contentsuch as offers to upgrade the hotel room, special dining experiences and other premium services for VIP guests. How is this attainable? Well, similar to the way airlines offer wireless connectivity in the sky for its passengers, the proposed solution uses a dedicated wireless access point along with unique broadcast frequencies; the tablets are then optimized to connect and sustain high bandwidth connections in an exclusive relationship. For fun we tested the range of the tablet/access point connection and found to our delight that we were able walk nearly one hundred meters from the access point and still watch HD movies on the tablets. The mobile gaming solution is not intended to replace the casino experience but rather give the customer the opportunity to ‘hit the road’ so to speak, and go mobile within the casino and not miss out on any of the action.
It will be interesting to see how the public reacts to the concept of mobile gaming. Will they embrace it as a natural progress all things mobile? Or will they resist it in favor of the more traditional gaming style of today’s casino experience. Tell us what you think!
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