by
Buddy Frank
I’ve got more than 30 years of casino operations experience, so, ideally, I’d like to be able to offer some practical advice on how to handle the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic as it relates to our casino world. Unfortunately, my experience counts for very little, since this episode is unlike anything we’ve ever seen.
I’ve been reflecting on what may seem like relevant events – the gasoline shortages of the 1970s, for example. But the parallels quickly break down. Then, each evening, we all saw the long lines of cars that Walter Cronkite showed us on CBS, and we heard what economists were calling “supply shock.” There was plenty of demand, but no supply.
The situation today is remarkably different.
|
|
The evolution of the player's club has seen several milestones. Most have involved John Acres.
by Frank Legato
John Acres was inducted into the AGA’s Gaming Hall of Fame in 2016 because he changed the industry. More than once.
In 1981, Acres invented electronic player tracking and began providing casinos a new accounting and marketing tool through the company he founded, Electronic Data Technologies. In 1985, at his second company, Mikohn, he invented the progressive jackpot systems that are ubiquitous today. In 1992, his invention was slot bonusing, provided through Acres Gaming.
These days, Acres 4.0 – so named because it is the fourth company founded by the industry pioneer - is changing the face of player tracking with a suite of products called CyberMax.
|
|
by
Buddy Frank
There has rarely ever been a time like this, when we are all facing immense uncertainty. We’ve never experienced “social distancing” before. What’s it like to be on unemployment? When will it be over? Too many things are changing. With that in mind, there’s no better time to read this book than now. Below is the review I first wrote for CDC Gaming Reports in June 2018, reposted here now because now, more than twenty years later, the book might be more relevant than ever before.
If you’ve been in management for more than a few years, you’ve probably sat through your share of “leadership development” programs. These range from seminars to workshops. Some are required such as labor relations, harassment, safety and problem gaming. Others dealt with team building, personality assessments and communication techniques. I have always enjoyed these sessions, even though many are repetitive. They force concepts that have become rusty back to top-of-mind. The same goes for trade-magazine articles and good books from the “Business” or “Management” shelves. I’m sure that the sum of all these inputs over the years have had some sub-conscious impact on my skillset (or lack thereof).
|
|
ReelHot March 2020 Update
|
|
Top-performing game title per Supplier (trailing 3 months).
Click here
or the chart below to see the full ReelHot index.
|
|
Upcoming Industry Events of Interest
|
|
The SBC Digital Summit is a truly groundbreaking online event for the betting and gaming industry, which will deliver a fully virtual and interactive conference, exhibition and networking experience to delegates around the world. Our industry is facing an unprecedented challenge in the form of the COVID-19 emergency and, more than ever before, has to work together to make it through the crisis. The SBC Digital Summit was created to offer a unique and much needed opportunity, sidestepping postponed physical events and travel restrictions to provide a platform for the industry to connect and share knowledge.
|
|
Coming to a screen near you soon, ICE North America Digital has been designed to deliver the expert insights you expected from this year's exhibition and conference, even while most of us are at home. The pressure on you isn't off, just because the world as we know it has pivoted. In fact, quite the opposite - you've had to get used to a new way of working and it's a challenge to keep up with developments in your gaming industry under these conditions. So we've gone back to the drawing board for you and - following the postponement of the in-person ICE North America exhibition and conference in New Orleans - we're bringing you a whole week of streamed industry content, discussions and debate, that you can access from wherever you are.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
