Casino Enterprise Management

Twenty-one speakers from across the globe. Unbelievable networking opportunities with the best of the best in the casino industry. The latest in game protection technology. Set all this against the backdrop of the beautiful and glamorous Paris Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on Feb. 19–20, and you’ve got the 2008 World Game Protection Conference and Exhibition (WGPC), an event dedicated entirely to casino game protection. 

Headlining this year’s two-day WGPC is none other than the world-renowned Dr. Ed Thorp, a former math professor at MIT who proved through mathematics that counting cards could allow players to beat the game of Blackjack, an idea that sent shockwaves through the casino industry in 1962.

Other speakers include David Callahan, author of The Cheating Culture: Why More Americans are Doing Wrong to get Ahead;  Jeff Spiller, founder of NU-CONcept Solutions, a company that sells marked cards for educational and entertainment purposes; and Bob Arno, a well-known street-crime and anti-theft consultant. The list continues with such notable names as Bill Zender and Bob Del Rossi; respected industry insiders; and international guest speakers from Macau, England and Austria.

Started in 2006, WGPC Organizer and Founder Willy Allison felt there was a great need for this one-of-a-kind event, so much so that he quit his job and dedicated all of his time and energy to the effort.
“There was a huge gap out there for an annual forum that focused entirely on the subject,” he said. “I felt that no one else was providing the kind of contemporary information that surveillance directors and casino managers needed to protect their gaming.”

And contemporary information is just what WGPC attendees receive. Although planning begins a year in advance, Allison says that nothing is really “set in stone” until three months prior to the actual event. “Things change; incidents take place,” he explained. “We hear about scams in the news that we want to include in the program … above all, one of the most important things for us is to be up-to-date.”

To help keep current on day-to-day events and for assistance in the massive task of planning a conference, Allison has created an advisory team made up of industry professionals, including Tim Bohr, surveillance director at Foxwoods; Bill Edwards, executive director of surveillance for New Jersey’s Tropicana; Patricia Fischer, director of operational consulting/training for M. Malia & Associates in New Jersey; Jeff Murphy, table games director at Seven Feathers in Oregon; and Bill Zender, founder of Last Resort Consulting in Nevada. The group meets once each quarter. “They’re involved in helping me with the program and making sure we give the audience — our clients — what they want, but most importantly, what they need,” Allison said.

Advisory team members recognize how essential the conference is and are more than happy to help out. “Asset protection is an overlooked entity, yet vitally important to the overall casino operation nonetheless,” Murphy said. “Imagine entering a casino environment with an unsafe feeling or a question regarding its integrity. As a guest, these issues are not often thought about because dedicated professionals are working hard to create desirable casino environments. The men and women responsible for creating and upholding gaming’s integrity are often behind the scenes. The WGPC provides a proactive forum … that brings the amazing people involved with protecting our casinos to the forefront. I am proud to be a representative of the WGPC Advisory Board, as it offers a unique setting based solely toward asset protection that is for casino people, about casino people, and created by casino people.”

The conference is as much of a thrill for WGPC advisory board members as it for attendees. “I am excited … because I get to meet the famous Dr. Ed Thorpe, the man who virtually started card counting,” Zender said. “To me, this is as important as going back in time and meeting baseball legend Babe Ruth.”

Allison also created The Catwalk, a free monthly e-newsletter dedicated to everything game protection year ’round.

The theme of this year’s WGPC is “Information … How to Get it, How to Use it.” The two-day conference is broken into six-session days, with all sessions strictly focusing on game protection. “We try to divide the two days into a threat day and an opportunity day,” Allison says. “The first day, attendees receive all the shock and horror. We say, ‘Here’s some stuff you need to know. This is a little scary, but come back tomorrow and we’ll tell you how to solve the problems.’ That’s really what we’re about, taking what the threats are and coming up with solutions.”

Although the conference is only scheduled for two days, it ends up being a bit longer for a lot of attendees. Last year around 85 percent of WGPC attendees came early for a special behind-the-scenes tour of the surveillance area at the Paris. And of course, to kick things off right, a big welcome reception is held Monday night.

“We have a very loyal following that has supported us from our very first show, and they keep coming back every year,” Allison noted. “The general feedback we get is that they love the quality of the program. Our show is a one-track show, unlike other conferences that cover a number of subjects. It’s held in a big auditorium where everyone sees all the sessions.”

Not only will the Paris be filled with the best of the best in industry professionals, but it will also be filled with the best of the best in new game protection technology and products. Over 30 vendors will showcase their latest and greatest products, and the WGPC will award prizes for everything from best booth to best new and innovative product.

Not just anyone can attend the WGPC, however. Due to the sensitive subject matter and the overwhelming media interest in the surveillance industry, all who register are screened. Attendees must be a part of, or in some way related to, the casino industry.

“Obviously we don’t want cheats or casino card counters registering. … We are very protective in terms of the information that comes out of the show. I want executives to know that it’s a real ‘what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas’ type conference,” Allison notes.

Space is limited; early registration is key. To secure your seat and to sign-up for The Catwalk, log on to www.worldgameprotection.com.

Shannon Carnahan is the multimedia editor for Casino Enterprise Management. She can be reached at (701) 293-7775 or editor2@aceme.org.