Dallmeier discusses some of the key considerations for casino operators when choosing table game automation solutions.
Table gaming automation has been one of the major innovations in casino operations in recent years. Using various analysis methods, different manufacturers promise to significantly improve game pace, automate numerous manual tasks and collect valuable data to optimise gaming operations and customer loyalty programs.
It is important to take a close look when choosing the right vendor: Different approaches are suitable for different requirements. A first differentiating factor is the scope of the options included for the representation and management of the captured data. Some manufacturers offer only the systems for data capture itself, others include management systems and dashboard options.
The latter have the advantage of a deeper and mostly seamless functional integration of the captured data into the data analysis process. In addition, when integrated into video management solutions, synergies from both systems can be realised more quickly.
If, for example, data is also captured via the surveillance cameras above the tables, with a thorough integration into the Video Management System (VMS) it is of course easier to superimpose time stamps and many other data from the analysis software on top of the image data in the event of an incident.
Incidents can thus be resolved much faster and more efficiently. Another advantage of a tight integration of data capture, analysis and management functionalities is that customers do not have to worry about the interoperability of interfaces. The full range of functionality is always guaranteed.
Table game automation solutions all promise to increase efficiency in gaming operations, a higher game space, fewer errors due to a higher degree of automation and a high potential for optimisation of the entire gaming operation through real “business intelligence” data.
This makes it all the more important that the expected high added value is not partly eaten up by greater complexity. Above all, this is the flexibility of the table layout: Casino operators know how important it is to be able to change the table layout quickly and regularly.
This is the only way they can respond to the rapidly changing tastes and requirements of players and maintain the long-term efficiency of their tables. In this respect, gaming managers are well advised to ensure that when choosing their analysis solution, the system imposes as few restrictions as possible on table layout changes - or conversely, that the analysis system can be adapted to a changed layout as quickly and easily as possible.
Actual conversion work should be kept to a minimum. The current analysis systems are roughly divided into two groups. One group includes systems based on chips with RFID technology and corresponding antenna systems in the tables themselves.
The other group includes optical systems based on cameras and AI systems, in which the values of chip stacks are recognised via specially trained neural networks - everywhere on the table, from the float to the individual players. And as already mentioned at the beginning, the systems differ not only in terms of their approach to data capture, but also in their approach to processing and correlating the data.
Which system is the right one for a particular area of application is not easy to answer in general terms and depends on many factors, including the aforementioned issues of flexibility and management options?
And finally, some casinos aim to bring together the best from both worlds and expect a combination of RFID and optical systems to provide even higher quality of the recorded data, because two recording systems complement or control each other. Table gaming automation has been one of the major innovations in casino operations in recent years.
Using various analysis methods, different manufacturers promise to significantly improve game pace, automate numerous manual tasks and collect valuable data to optimise gaming operations and customer loyalty programs. It is important to take a close look when choosing the right vendor: Different approaches are suitable for different requirements.
A first differentiating factor is the scope of the options included for the representation and management of the captured data. Some manufacturers offer only the systems for data capture itself, others include management systems and dashboard options. The latter have the advantage of a deeper and mostly seamless functional integration of the captured data into the data analysis process.
In addition, when integrated into video management solutions, synergies from both systems can be realised more quickly. If, for example, data is also captured via the surveillance cameras above the tables, with a thorough integration into the Video Management System (VMS) it is of course easier to superimpose time stamps and many other data from the analysis software on top of the image data in the event of an incident.
Incidents can thus be resolved much faster and more efficiently. Another advantage of a tight integration of data capture, analysis and management functionalities is that customers do not have to worry about the interoperability of interfaces. The full range of functionality is always guaranteed.
Table game automation solutions all promise to increase efficiency in gaming operations, a higher game space, fewer errors due to a higher degree of automation and a high potential for optimisation of the entire gaming operation through real “business intelligence” data.
This makes it all the more important that the expected high added value is not partly eaten up by greater complexity. Above all, this is the flexibility of the table layout: Casino operators know how important it is to be able to change the table layout quickly and regularly.
This is the only way they can respond to the rapidly changing tastes and requirements of players and maintain the long-term efficiency of their tables. In this respect, gaming managers are well advised to ensure that when choosing their analysis solution, the system imposes as few restrictions as possible on table layout changes - or conversely, that the analysis system can be adapted to a changed layout as quickly and easily as possible.
Actual conversion work should be kept to a minimum. The current analysis systems are roughly divided into two groups. One group includes systems based on chips with RFID technology and corresponding antenna systems in the tables themselves.
The other group includes optical systems based on cameras and AI systems, in which the values of chip stacks are recognised via specially trained neural networks - everywhere on the table, from the float to the individual players. And as already mentioned at the beginning, the systems differ not only in terms of their approach to data capture, but also in their approach to processing and correlating the data.
Which system is the right one for a particular area of application is not easy to answer in general terms and depends on many factors, including the aforementioned issues of flexibility and management options?
And finally, some casinos aim to bring together the best from both worlds and expect a combination of RFID and optical systems to provide even higher quality of the recorded data, because two recording systems complement or control each other.
