Casino Enterprise Management

In The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams, a computer named Deep Thought was programmed to provide the Ultimate Answer to the Great Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything. After seven and a half million years of calculation, the result was determined. The answer was 42.
Would you like to obtain the ultimate answer to the great question of the casino floor?

The educational climate for Pennsylvania’s growing gaming and hospitality industry was alive and well at the state’s annual Gaming Congress and Racing Forum. Produced by Spectrum Gaming Group and presented by Fox Rothschild LLP, the event was held in Harrisburg, March 12-13. With the rapidly changing environment of gaming and hospitality in this region, the question is: Who is positioning future employees?

Read up on gaming regulation news. The World Trade Organization has released the findings of a three-member panel. Las Vegas-style casinos won’t be moving into the United Kingdom any time soon.
Campaigning in Kentucky is reportedly making Indiana nervous about its future in the gaming industry.New state-approved casinos in Philadelphia are meeting opposition from Philadelphians.

Mystery shopping has been around for years. It is not a new concept and it is particularly prevalent in the retail and hospitality industries. However, it is a relatively new concept for the casino industry. While consulting and lecturing at conferences, I often stress to casino executives and casino managers that there are three important factors that lead to success in the modern casino industry.

O’Brien, in his book Bad Bet, certainly called it right back in 1998. Rapid, even astounding, gambling growth has continued ever since; fueled mostly by the backlog of consumer demand accumulated during so many decades of prohibition. Nothing grows forever, and evidence shows the supply of gambling opportunities is dangerously close to exceeding demand.

When it comes to game protection, surveillance is the information hub of the casino. From collecting to analyzing data, surveillance has one thing no one else in the organization has—video. Video allows us to capture the truth. It is not data filtered through human beings. It is data captured by unbiased and totally objective cameras. I have never met a camera I didn’t like.

There is a phenomenon that persists in the gaming industry: the “I’ll never tell” theory. This common phrase is the outcome of detecting a major internal theft or scam that results in player apprehension or detection. The primary function of the MICS (Minimum Internal Controls)—surveillance, security, and investigations—is ensuring public trust and the integrity of games, but this isn’t always the case.

What's going in the world of gaming regulation? The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has developed a system that allows patrons of a licensed Pennsylvania slot casino to file a dispute or complaint and initiate an investigation. The Poker Players Alliance announced former Sen. Alfonse D’Amato has joined the PPA to serve as chair. And it looks like West Virginia might approve table games in its racetracks after all.

Regulators have power. They can impose hefty fines for everything from relatively obscure rules to internal control violations. They can mandate burdensome procedures. And, of course, they can press the regulatory equivalent of the red button and revoke a license.

It’s important to be aware that your best customers may also be other casino marketer’s best customers. You can’t take them for granted. Their decision to visit a casino is based on many attributes—primarily location, but also more likely than not, who’s offering them the most compelling deal.