2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation!
Global Gaming Expo 2006
Good Things Happen When We All Pull Together
Introducing S2S
2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation!
Global Gaming Expo 2006
What is GSA?
The Gaming Standards Association (GSA) is aninternational trade association that benefits gamingmanufacturers, suppliers, operators, and regulators.
GSA facilitates the identification, definition,development, promotion, and implementation of openstandards to enable innovation, education, andcommunication for the benefit of the entire industry.
2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation!
Global Gaming Expo 2006
System to System (S2S) Protocol
GameControl
Progressive
Slot Accounting
Voucher Manager
Player Tracking
Coin/BillCounters
S2S
S2S
S2S
S2S
CoinAcceptor
CoinHopper
NoteAcceptor
Printer
TouchScreen
EGM
Host Systems and other S2S devices
Kiosks
Point ofSale
Class IIServers
S2S
G2S
GDS
2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation!
Global Gaming Expo 2006
Current Challenges
Changing a system related device is a majorarchitecture project
Does current vendor support the new POS system
How long will it take to get a new interface built?
What if I don’t like the new product, how do I go back tothe old one?
Consider a kiosk replacement (ticketing, marketing)
Alternately, a new POS system (Casino System,accounting system, hotel system)
2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation!
Global Gaming Expo 2006
Current Challenges
How easy is it to get information moved into your in-house systems for analysis?
What if you could go to a gaming show, see aproduct, and have it in your casino the followingweek?
Wouldn’t it be nice to have the diagnostic infocaptured by each note acceptors available at yourdesk?
2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation!
Global Gaming Expo 2006
Benefits of S2S
Standardizes communication between servers
A new vendor only has to write one interface to get intothe market, vs. 4 to 6 that they have to do now
Casinos benefit from new innovations
Vendors Benefit from reduced complexity
(More time for new features)
Supports “plug and play” for systems and peripheraldevices
Try out a new product
If you don’t like it, return it!
2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation!
Global Gaming Expo 2006
Benefits of S2S
S2S is developed with GDS and G2S, so back endservers can interact with note acceptors
Innovation – Note Acceptor Vendors can now dosomething completely different
•Retrieve diagnostic information
•Distribute new software electronically
Standardization promotes portability, interoperabilityand reusability
Vendors can write one interface and use it everywhere
Reduces testing (and problems in the field)
2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation!
Global Gaming Expo 2006
Good Things Happen When We All Pull Together
The Seminole Story
GSA Moving at the Speed of Business
2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation!
Global Gaming Expo 2006
Seminole Tribe - 2002
2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation!
Global Gaming Expo 2006
S2S and Class II
In a Class II environment, each manufacturer hastheir own server for central determination and othergame functions
The Problem: Four game manufacturers means
Four separate accounting reports,
Four player tracking feeds, and
Three voucher systems
•Vouchers are only redeemable on same manufacturer’s games
•What about the cashier booth? (four redemption terminals…)
2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation!
Global Gaming Expo 2006
Seminole Tribe - Vision
2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation!
Global Gaming Expo 2006
Seminole Tribe - Today
Game Servers
Accounting
Player tracking
Vouchers
2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation!
Global Gaming Expo 2006
S2S and Class II - the solution
EGMs still talk proprietary protocol to their hostservers to minimize scope of change
Each host server now talks S2S to a centralconsolidation server, which provides
One accounting report
All vouchers are processed through a central database
All systems communicate using common protocols
Happier casino management!
Since the switch to S2S, they’re ready for the future
2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation!
Global Gaming Expo 2006
Future Solution with G2S
EGMs talk to host server for game outcome(proprietary or G2S)
EGMs talk directly to central server for accountingand vouchers (G2S)
EGMs talk directly to player tracking system forplayer activity (G2S)
S2S or G2S doesn’t matter as long as the pain is gone
2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation!
Global Gaming Expo 2006
G2S Solution
2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation!
Global Gaming Expo 2006
S2S Update
S2S Version 1.2 – recently released
Incorporates all changes requested by existingsystems
Currently servers are using S2S 1.1.5, 1.1.10, withextensions; 1.2 brings everyone together
New ATM kiosk apps are implementing S2S as asingle communication method
S2S 1.2 simulators and development tools areavailable
Four S2S 1.2 Central System Vendors by Q1 2007
2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation!
Global Gaming Expo 2006
Plug and Play Goal for Systems
Quick recap:
Systems move from proprietary solutions tostandard communications
Vendors spend less time maintaining protocols
Single Protocol – Much easier to test
Operator doesn’t have to wait for their version to getmodified
Easy to try a new peripheral (kiosk, currencycounter, POS system)
2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation!
Global Gaming Expo 2006
Additional Benefits of a Standard
With a single standard, third party tools becomeviable
Test Suites - Ensure the protocol has been properlyimplemented
Latency Testers - Automatically check responsetime every X minutes, send an e-mail if there’s aproblem
Regression Testers - retest everything every timethere’s a build
Available to Manufacturers, Test Labs, or Operators
2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation!
Global Gaming Expo 2006
When can I get S2S?
S2S release 1.2 has been completed
Simulators are available (and are being used byseveral development teams)
Certification planning and definition are in progress
Encourage your vendors to move to S2S to giveeveryone more flexibility in the future
Exciting times are ahead!
2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation!
Global Gaming Expo 2006
The Ending Note
For on-going questions or inquires on protocols,please contact
This presentation is available on GSA’s Website:
www.gamingstandards.com
[Now is the perfect time for questions or comments]