Tag Archives: casino
Casino Technology’s novelty products most sought-after at EAE 2017
The novelty products of Casino Technology gathered the attention of all during this years` edition of Entertainment Arena Expo in Bucharest. The showcased new line slots and game packs were specially chosen to fit to the customers preferences and were the most sought after products during the exhibition.
“The TOWER Slant Top™ with the TOWER 101™ multigame provoked huge interest and was amongst the best selling product on the show. The contemporary Ez Modulo™ cabinet with the SPEED KING™ game pack was appreciated and preferred by those who enjoy more flexible cabinets”, said Valentina Dobre, Regional Director for Romania at Casino Technology.
The TOWER Slant Top™ was at the spotlight because of the personalized playing experiences it provides with the 43” vertically curved monitor and 4K resolution. The slot machine gives flexibility to the operators with compact footprint and solid construction. It was showcased with the game pack TOWER 101™ with 40 games and enables the latest innovation of Casino Technology – the COMBO™ concept that allows simultaneously playing on the main screen and the online games on a secondary screen.
The other novelty product of Casino Technology – the Ez Modulo™ with two 27” HD monitors and optional 24” video topper is an ideal solution for every casino floor with its advanced ergonomic characteristics. It is displayed with the full HD SPEED KING™, consisting of 60 titles with vivid colors, clear image and interactive bonus features.
The company’s stand during EAE in Romania was completed with two online corners where the seamless multichannel gaming solution of Casino Technology was displayed. The full functionality of the sophisticated RHINO™ Casino Management System was demonstrated at a glance along with the BUFFALO™ Jackpot Server that enables various configurations and flexible settings.
The LEOPARD™ Online Gaming Platform was introduced with new added modules. As an advanced platform for online gaming it provides both operators and players the flexibility of choosing between a wide range of casino games and products seamlessly integrated into a single e-wallet. The upgraded online gaming platform LEOPARD™ was released a couple of months ago as a complete solution for online gaming business. Through the platform, all possible betting options are available – Sports, Live Betting, Virtual Sports, Casino, Live Casino Streaming, Slots, Bingo, Virtual Sports. As it is accessible even in a mobile version, it attracts especially the younger users.
Both RHINO™ and LEOPARD™ are part of the THE BIG 5™ suite that offers a full range of tools for both traditional and online businesses.
“Having maintained trusted partnerships with local operators and customers over the years, now we have reinforced and boost our relations by offering them the best of quality products form our new line slots and game packs with contemporary vision and flexibility, needed form the operators nowadays”, concluded Mrs Dobre, Regional Director for Romania at Casino Technology.
About Casino Technology: Casino Technology was founded in 1999. The company is a gaming equipment manufacturer with established positions in international markets and products compliant in more than 50 gaming jurisdictions.
Casino Technology is renowned for the rich portfolio of quality games, contemporary technological solutions and products made with inspiration for satisfied players around the world.
For more information – casino-technology.com
Grenada between loyalty and illegality. A paradox with an unfinished end
The little archipelago formed of 6 islands provides an interesting example of a country where population gambles, yet the gambling activity is not entirely legal.
In 2013, the population of archipelago counted about 106.000 inhabitants, who live on a 344 square km area, which provides a density of 307 people per square km. Grenada is the second large nutmeg manufacturer worldwide, after Indonesia. The official language is English, this country being a former British colony in the 19th century, but which, starting with 1974, had been earning its independence to the British Crown. From 1974 to 1983 when has been USA invasion, the country was a prey for dictators and military juntas.
Land-based in Grenada
Except for the National Lottery games (ex. Super 6, Daily Pick 3), scratch tickets and some state-sponsored bingo games, as to the rest, land-based gambling, are illegal in Grenada.
While other countries in the region provide the tourists who visit the country the opportunity to play, and to actually leave a lot of money in the treasure houses of those countries, Grenada persists toughing it out to not legalize casinos by the strong support of the Christian Church. Fear that indigenous people not start going ”wayward” is great. Politicians long debate this important issue on the daily agenda, but it seems they have failed to reach any compromise so far.
In 2013, the Government put on the table a legislative proposal for the purposes of legalizing this activity, stating its reasons by increasing direct revenues on the state budget and by attracting new tourists to the islands, but the opposition was strong. The authorities even promised that the access to the casinos would only be allowed for foreigners, and the access of people in the archipelago would be strictly monitored and restricted. They have not reached any agreement.
Online gambling in Grenada
Despite its restrictive policies towards live casinos, Grenada had developed a good market for online gambling. Since 1998, the small Caribbean State had allowed foreign investors to obtain offshore gambling operation licenses based on the Internet. Both bets on casino games and betting activities on sports events could have been manifested in the virtual online media here.
Online gambling companies have made minimal efforts to obtain such licenses, the state of Grenada not having claimed too much from them: the central office on the island, a bank deposit at basic level in local banks, and the license was ready. That was despite the facts that anyone on the planet is allowed to gamble under this license in those Grenadian sites and, moreover, the state laid no blockade for the island players not to gamble. Grenada’s luck is that Internet penetration among the population here is only of 34.7% ….
And yet, they gamble in Grenada
Yet, in malls and in certain street areas of the cities in Grenada there is the possibility to gamble on slot machines with cash. The state tolerates the presence of minors in these places and does not collect any money from the operating licenses from such ”arcades”.
Nobody wins from this awkward situation, this conjectural paradox. Both the population and the State lose the chance of a regulated and controlled market that could capitalize the trend and clear connection between the increment of tax revenues and of revenues coming from service and sales of goods related to this business, while allowing people to actually be protected by the danger of pathological game.
Which is the current status?
The team for the pro legalization of gambling on the island is the leader at the moment. There are more frequent discussions that certain ports of the archipelago, especially the capital St. George – which benefits from deep waters, allow the stay of cruise ships that ”haunt” the Caribbean Sea. We all know that these ships house gambling facilities.
Legislatively, in 2014, the Senate approved several guidelines on gambling in the archipelago. This happened after the Lower House of Parliament in Grenada had previously approved the legislation on this subject. It was also necessary the Governor’s approval and its issuance in the Official Gazette. The guidelines voted back then mentioned that live casino licenses could also have been granted only to those locations inside the hotels with over 300 rooms.
The continuous struggle of the Grenadian state bodies and the lack of cohesion on the basic question: who and what can bring welfare on the sixth islands of Grenada, brings things to a stand with serious losses for the economy.
Fitch Ratings estimates Las Vegas Strip will see solid growth in 2017
The financial information services company Fitch has released its 2017 Outlook for the U.S gaming industry and the Las Vegas Strip. The Fitch Ratings estimates the Las Vegas Strip will continue to see solid, if unspectacular growth in the new year with steady visitation numbers and convention business making up for weakness in gaming, particularly baccarat play. Fitch says, “We expect nongaming revenues, 65 percent of gross revenues on the Strip, to continue to offset pressure on gaming stemming from weak baccarat play into 2017.”
Some industry observers remain concerned about the decline in the popularity of gambling, but others say the Strip’s focus on providing an overall resort experience with restaurants, shopping and nightclubs, is working. Fitch’s Alex Bumazhny, a senior director at the firm who covers gaming, lodging and leisure says, “What is reassuring is that, despite casinos like Wynn and Bellagio having a pretty sizable exposure to baccarat, they were still able to at least have pretty stable profitability compared to previous periods or even growing profitability.”
He adds the weakness in baccarat play is something gambling destinations across the world are experiencing.
Sursa: www.gamingtoday.com
Wynn, Encore to start charging for valet parking
The Wynn Las Vegas and Encore will be the next major Strip resorts to begin charging for parking — albeit only for valet services — following the lead of MGM Resorts International and Caesars Entertainment properties. Michael Weaver, Wynn Las Vegas senior vice president of marketing and communications, said that beginning in mid-December, the resorts will charge $13 for up to four hours of valet parking, $18 for four to 24 hours, and $18 for each additional 24 hours.
Weaver said self-parking in the garages “remains free of charge at this time,” though he did not say whether that policy would change. On Tuesday, Caesars Entertainment announced it would roll out paid valet and self-parking at eight of its nine Las Vegas properties — parking at the Rio will remain free — starting in December and continuing through the beginning of 2017.
MGM Resorts International properties started charging for valet and self-parking in June, though Nevada residents can use their driver’s licenses for free-self parking through Dec. 29.
Sursa: www.lasvegassun.com
Vina del Mar Casino Resort, a 5* treat for South-American gamblers
-Oana Mihalache
There are many countries in South-America which can be classified as emergent when it comes to gambling. Among these, one is particularly interesting due to its speedy growing gambling industry – in 2015 the incomes from casinos reached almost $40 million in Chile, a 20% growth compared to 2014. Chile offers multiple possibilities to those who visit the country for gambling, but for those who would rather play in an environment that reminds them of the bourgeoisie can spend a few days at the Vina del Mar Casino Resort – a complex with a casino, a hotel, poker-room, but also restaurants, spa and a club, so that visitors can enjoy an experience beyond the borders of entertainment.
The casino is located on the Pacific coastline and covers a surface that surpasses 70.000 square meters, opened seven days a week. Those who fancy gambling will discover an atmosphere where there are no boring days, as they can fully enjoy the “magic” in gambling: they have no less than 1.200 slots at their disposal, but also video poker, 85 table games, 2 poker tables and a bingo room. The variety of games at the casino includes baccarat, punto banco, american roulette, blackjack, craps. Those who promote this casinos, but also those who have visited it at least once say that the time they spent there can be compared with getting the lucky ace from under the sleeve, as the spoils and winnings combined are always part of a happy visitor’s menu.
One of the things that makes this resort a special one is that the casino has been the host of the Latin American Poker Tour (LAPT) championships in the last decade, with the best poker players on the continent as participants. The most recent winner – at the 2015 edition of this tour – is Oscar Alache Orrega, who won an award of $135.000.
Apart from the very large spectrum of games, this resort from the West of the South-American continent also offers many relaxing possibilities and social pastimes for those who are well-accustomed to spoils. These include a spa, a pool and a fitness center, but also a few restaurants, bars and a club – Ovo Nightclub, known to offer memorable parties to those who cross its entrance.
The casino still keeps the art-deco elements that have been carefully crafted since its construction and the hotel, built in 2002 as an annex for the casino, as the same architecture as the original building. Even if the most recent law issued for the casino operators has restrained their winnings by a small margin – by stimulating competition in the industry, this resort was not very much affected. Forbes ranked this location as one of the most exclusive resorts in Latin America and one of the favorite destinations for investors, comparing it with locations like Punta del Este in Uruguay or Mar del Plata in Argentina.
The place where this casino lies was carefully chosen, as the development of the gambling industry in Chile is strongly connected to the Vina del Mar city, the forth in the country by size. On top of that, the city is also a major attraction for many people in the area, and also from the capital city of Santiago, having spectacular beaches as one of its many strong-points. According to some recent estimated, the casino is visited by around 2.000 players daily during the summer season. This fact is not very surprising, though, as besides the gaming rooms which are very well equipped, the resort also has a hotel that has become synonymous with luxury, exoticism, in which visitors can also admire the art collections that reign in a special gallery, and also attend events that are sometimes organized in a large room with no less than 700 seats.
The Vina del Mar city is an oasis for South-American tourism, known as an exotic place, which can became the favorite perfect destination for those searching for a relaxing spot before the night sets in and they start the hunting for big casino winnings. In other words, veni vidi vici – this can be the motto of this place that can be described as unique.
THE SECRETS OF CASINOS (XVII) Movies, the #1 marketing tool for casinos
– Oana Mihalache
Movies that depict, even if not exhaustively, the world behind the gaming tables in casinos, have always fascinated the public with their details that seem to be copied from novels written by the most talented authors. Many of the scripts that were shoot on the famous Strip of Vegas are more real than we could imagine: the ”gangsters” are not always “the bad guys”, the underworld clans that have disputes over fortunes or authority are not always the personification of naked evil, and the lives of the rich are not always perfect.
All these themes were exploited in movies like Casino, Rounders, Cincinnati Kid or Casino Royale. Actors like Robert De Niro, Matt Damon, Edward Norton, George Clooney or Al Pacino managed to recompose, in movies directed by famour directors like Martin Scorsese or Steven Soderbergh, with scripts that are full of adrenaline and emotion, with a deja-vu trigger that has always been appreciated by casino fans.
We don’t have to neglect, though, the movies’ role in bringing certain themes to light, promoting certain industries, but also in “selling” certain scripts to those who are first and foremost attracted by the social status of being a gambler than by games. Nevertheless, the casino business has generated incomes of $357 billion in 2015, globally. Also, the industry of online casinos has grown in 2015, reaching $3.4 billion, from $2.2 billion in the previous year. It is hard to estimate how these incomes are being influenced by movies about gambling, but surely a significant part of the Vegas allure is owe to marketing, including to the cinematography art. Many specialists in the field claim that the success of casino movies is reflected in the growth of online betting. The fact that movies are now accessible via streaming, the same as casinos, makes the latter easily accessible to those who have just watched Casino Royale, for example, and want to enter the atmosphere from the movie.
Some of the most influent movies about the casino industry, recommended by filmmakers and movie fans, are Casino Royale, the Ocean’s series, Two for the Money, Mississippi Grind, Rounders, Casino, The Hangover, to remind but a few of the most renowned ones. One of the movies with the highest turnover was Casino Royale, with $600 million, and only $150 million as production costs. Many accused the directors and producers from Hollywood of using too many drama elements in their movies about casinos, and argued that making documentaries instead of movies would bring more realism on the screens and prevent excessive dramas.
Movies play a hard to match role in promoting the casino industry, gambling in general and the lifestyle that is characteristic to the world of gambling. These movies become strong landmarks for the industry and bring huge incomes, precisely because the miraje that surrounds casino can lure any part of the audience.
Even if the impact of Hollywood movies on the gambling industry was not properly assessed into the smallest details, some claim that they have influenced legislation against prohibition, a thing that benefited both operators and players. In other words, Hollywood managed what people in the industry namely to legitimize this activity, which in many movies is depicted as a very licit one, connected to many vices, but at the same time full of benefits for certain social classes.
Many of these movies advance a slightly idyllic image for gangsters, given the fact that most of the times the hero in the movie is not always depicted as the good fellow, but rather as a criminal, dealer, or part of a clan in charge of dirty businesses. On the other side, this technique can lead to these kind of behaviors being condemned. On top of that, the casino industry today is not so similar anymore to the one that was encountered in Italian movies from the “Cosa Nostra Era”. Nowadays entertainment of the highest class came to replace crimes of passion, sports competitions are preferred to personal dirty affairs and winnings are not anymore reserved only for the chosen minorities of the casino industry, because of the large proliferation of both casinos and players.
Despite the fact that we rarely find clear correlations between the cinematographic industry and the gambling industry, we can assume that movies about Vegas and the ones that present the world of casinos in detail have come to represent a marketing tool that is stronger than online advertising and other promotional means. The reason is easy to understand: movies attain a function that is not specific to other digital experiences: escapism. Movies provide a means to relax, to imagine ourselves in the middle of the action and to mentally construct a better world, so that everything becomes a way to escape. Such that, when the opportunity arises, a movie lover will always try to live to the fullest any experience he gets from his favorite movies. Even if this means becoming a client of casinos.
Vegas is the city with the fastest growth among American cities. If in the 70s gambling was only legal in two American states, today it is legal in 48 states. Moreover, incomes from gambling are higher than those brought by movies, sports event, thematic parks and musical events. With billions of dollars richer every year, Vegas generates higher incomes than any movie that breaks the box office.
Seven Luck Casino, Your luck is thousands of miles away
by Bogdan Fechită
Contrary Asian trends to weighting increase gambling, South Korea seems to be a friendly country to gambling. The state with presidential regime on the Korean Peninsula has nearly 25 casinos, but many of them belong to the same operator.
These include also Seven Luck Casino and, with two offices in Seoul (“Gangnam” at the Hotel InterContinental and “Gangbuk” at Millennium Hilton) and one in Busan (at Lotte Hotel).
Las Vegas Korean Style
South Korean websites promoting tourism do not forget to mention the attractions of the three Seven Luck casinos and say that they are “a smaller scale, Korean Las Vegas”. And it is not far from the truth.
“Seven Luck Casino combines the Korean style with oriental atmosphere and art facilities. You can enjoy a great variety of gaming options, such as Blackjack, Baccarat, Tai-Sai, Roulette, Caribbean Poker and Slots”, it is one of the descriptions of the three casinos. Not yet convinced? Let us find out more about each of them!
Gangnam COEX
Perhaps the biggest of the three Seven Luck casinos in South Korea is the one placed in the Gangnam area of the capital. Located downtown, the venue is part of the Intercontinental Hotel. The casino has a total area of 6093 square meters and offers 82 gaming tables and 121 slots. Of the 82 tables, 56 are for Baccarat and 14 for Blackjack, while poker games have eight tables reserved.
Besides gambling, the casino has the advantage of being located in the center of the city, and players who want to take a break can easily reach the shopping arcade, the cinema or theater can go sightseeing and enjoy other facilities that the South Korean capital has to offer. Lastly, players have access to specific local restaurant and a bar.
Gangbuk Millennium
”Seven Luck” casinos are so popular that there are two of them in Seoul. The second is also located in the city center but is part of the Millennium Hilton hotel and offers “extraordinary class and comfort, with its broad and sophisticated interior space,” according to the official website.
The total area is of 2811 square meters, an area where one can enjoy the latest facilities of roulette, blackjack, Tai Sai and other casino games. The total number of live tables is 51, of which, this time, most are dedicated to Baccarat. Slots, however, are more: 152! Seven Luck Gangbuk is near several famous hotels in Seoul and as in the previous case, it provides easy access to tourist destinations and historic areas of the capital.
Busan Lotte
In southeastern Korea in the port city of Busan, we find another Seven Luck casino. Located in the center of the city, with an area of 2554 square meters, the venue is part of the “Lotte” hotel. This time the location was designed in traditional European-style and offers a sophisticated atmosphere. The offer consists of 44 gaming tables, of which only two are for poker and 90 slots. Baccarat has 25 tables reserved and Blackjack, 12.
The Casino in Busan is best to visit during the International Film Festival, an event that takes place here annually and attracts tens of thousands of tourists. The port town is the second largest in South Korea and provides access to dream beaches, shopping malls and cinemas. Wealthy players can even try a boat ride through the Korea Strait or a quick trip to Japan, to visit the country.
Each of the three Seven Luck casinos promises an unforgettable experience, and if you want to go prepared, the casino’s official website has a section with tips and rules of all games practiced within their premises. You can learn more about Tai Sai, a very popular game in Asia or you can get tips for baccarat and blackjack games. Luck can come here as well, thousands of kilometers away.
