Moving from SAS to G2S & S2SNovember 17, 2008
The Topics
• SAS will not be enhanced after December 31, 2009• Industry will migrate to G2S & S2S? How will we live in a dual protocol world? What is the migration strategy for an existing casino? What do you need to know when developing a new casino
Moderator: Bruce Rowe – Bally TechnologiesPanel Members: Paul Tjoumakaris, Seminole Tribe of Florida
Ethan Tower, GSA Walt Eisele, Bally Technologies David Nehra, MotorCity Casino
Mission Statement
The Gaming Standards Association (GSA) Is An International Trade Association That Creates Benefits For Gaming Manufacturers,
Suppliers, Operators And Regulators.
We Facilitate The Identification, Definition, Development, Promotion And Implementation Of Open Standards To Enable Innovation, Education,
And Communication For The Benefit Of The Entire Industry.
Platinum Members
www.gamingstandards.com
Who Are We?
Who Are We? – New Members
• Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission (Canada)• AMX (US)• Euro Games Technology (Bulgaria)• F2 Systems (Korea)• Hydako (Japan)• Intel Corporation (US)• International Currency Technologies (Taiwan)• Manitoba Lotteries Corporation (Canada)• Nanoptix (Canada)• NCR Corporation (US)• New Wave Automation (US)• Oregon Lotteries (US)• SIQ (Slovenia)• Technical Systems Testing (Australia)
www.gamingstandards.com
Historic Approach to Adding Functionality
Slot Floor System Vouchers Config Download
G2S (Web Services) Approach
ProgressiveSystem
CashlessWageringSystem
PlayerTrackingSystem
AccountingSystemBonus
System
How Far Away Is The Dream From Being Realized?
• Foundational technologies agreed upon
• Vendors are implementing GSA Standards
• Most operators are making or planning network infrastructure investments
• Seminole Tribe and Pechanga are using GSA standards
• MGM CityCenter requested vendors to support GSA Standards
• Business technology evolution vs Consumer technology revolution
• Networked gaming is a journey NOT a point in time
Standards
GSA Standards
GameControl
Coin/BillCounters
S2SSystem-to-System
CoinAcceptor
CoinHopper
NoteAcceptor
Printer
TouchScreen
EGM Host Systems and other S2S devices
Kiosks
Point ofSale
Property Mgmt
G2SGame-to-System
GDSGaming Device Standard
Progressive
SlotAccounting
PlayerTracking
VoucherManager
Gaming Device Standard (GDS) Protocol
GameControl
CoinAcceptor
CoinHopper
NoteAcceptor
Printer
TouchScreen
GDS
EGM to Peripherals protocol
Benefits of GDS
• Standardizes communications between EGM and its peripheral devices
• Easily change between peripherals from different vendors
• Plug and Play USB communication
• Peripheral device provides detailed information to EGM
• Coupled with G2S, peripheral device info is sent to the host systems
• Device commands (and code) can be sent from host systems through the EGM to the peripheral device
Game To System (G2S) Protocol
GameControl
Progressives
Slot Accounting
Vouchers
Player Tracking
G2SCoinAcceptor
CoinHopper
NoteAcceptor
Printer
TouchScreen
EGM Host Systems
Wagering Accounts
What Is G2S?
• The industry’s protocol for the networked casino floor environment
• Communications between EGMs and back-end servers
• Based on current, proven technology standards; XML, SOAP, Web Services, etc.
• Expandable from low-speed (G2S messages between an EGM and SMIB over a serial link) to very high-speed communications (EGM to multiple back-end servers over Ethernet)
• Consists of three independent components:– G2S Message Standards– G2S Transport Standards– G2S Configuration Standards
Here is How SAS Works Today
[Looks like hex to me…]
This is How G2S Works
EGM Response <meterInfo metertype =“onDemand”>
<perfMeter Metername="coinIn" denomid=”5”meterValue=“50015”/>
<perfMeter Metername="coinIn" denomid=”25”meterValue=“1003525”/>
<perfMeter Metername="coinIn" denomid=”100”meterValue=“2504100” />
</meterinfo>
Host Request <getMeters> <getPerfMeters
meterName="coinIn" themeId = “sum”paytableId=”sum”denomId=“all”
/> </getMeters>
[A little easier to understand]
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
Benefits of S2S
• Standardizes communication between servers and devices
• With S2S, G2S, and GDS, note acceptor info is available to a back end server
• Standard server protocols open up new solutions
• Supports “plug and play” for systems and peripheral devices Interfacing - all components speak the same language
Integrating - Custom solutions are developed for each new conversation
• Standardization promotes portability, interoperability and reusability
How will we live in a dual protocol world?
SAS will stop being enhanced on December 31,2009.
• What does this mean to me as an operator?
• What happens to what I already have?
– Games
– Infrastructure
– Systems
– Approvals
– Employees
How will we live in a dual protocol world?
So we will have an environment with two protocolsfor some time.
• How long do we expect this to be?
• How will systems and games work together in this environment?
• Are there any examples of how this has worked in the past or where SAS, G2S and S2S exist today?
What is the migration strategy for an existing casino?
• Understand your strategy• Determine what you want to do when• Determine what is necessary to accomplish it• Evaluate
• Games state
• SMIB state
• Network state
• Computer room readiness
• Systems state
• Employee readiness• Skill
• Will
What do you need to knowwhen developing a new casino?
• Is your network designed for the future?
– Ethernet and Category 6 plus
• Are the games SAS/G2S or both?
• Do your games support GDS?
• If not G2S are they upgradeable?
• Does your system support – S2S
– G2S
– Ethernet
• Does your SMIB support SAS & G2S?
• Do the systems you want to connect support S2S?
What Can I do That I Couldn’t Do Before?
• Dynamic Content
• More than one system talking to your machine
• Event driven not polling driven
• Not bandwidth constrained if you have an Ethernet floor
• Any system can understand/subscribe to a machine event and use it in a unique way
• More meters with continuous access to the meter information ….Data you need when you want it
• Dynamic revenue management
• Recall logs can support combination/experience level analysis …. Inside the game experience
What Can I do That I Couldn't Do Before?
• Supports foreign currency in the same machine by downloading exchange rate
• Allows for the use of private currency
• Enables remote management of hand pays to get customers back in action faster
• Printer becomes network addressable for multiple uses
• Printer templates can be downloaded at will
• Machines can be linked to multiple progressive controllers
• Progressive contribution meters for reconciling progressives
• A game can be told when a tracking session should be created and accounted for
What Can I do That I Couldn't Do Before?
• Manual authentication codes on tickets will allow for higher integrity in outage situations
• Game Authentication can be done system wide– Interrogation
– Verification
– Auditing
www.gamingstandards.com
GSA Certification Program
• Process for the testing and certification of products for the correct and consistent implementation of GSA’s standards
– An ISO17025+ Accredited Test Lab attest that a product is conformant to a GSA standard
– GSA Certification Authority issues a certificate for that product
– A public record is added to the GSA certification registry
• GSA Compliance testing is NOT Regulatory Approval
GSA Recognized Test Labs
• Test Labs– Required to be ISO17025+GSA scope accredited
• Demonstrate their competence
• Ensures Quality
– Accreditation Body• Belong to an International Organization
• Issue 17025 Accreditation to Test Labs
• Accreditations are Internationally recognized
• Competence verified through conformance to ISO17011
• Employ Assessors (with GSA protocol knowledge) to evaluate Test Labs
• Ready to test products for GSA Compliance • GSA Certification program went live on June 2nd
Educational Support
• Hired Line Robichaud as Educational Director
• GSA offers an Executive and in-depth technical training program on all our standards
• Macau Polytechnic Institute / GSA Asia Office June 2,2008– Education throughout Asia
– GSA presence
• History– GSA sponsored G2S Certified Engineer program with UNLV
– 33 students enrolled at UNLV since July 2007
– 25 were certified for G2S
– 17 were certified for Transport & Security
– 6 countries, 20 companies
Operator Involvement
• Become part of the community that is re-defining gaming• Join GSA’s Operator Advisory Committee
– Casino Class:• This class is designed to provide a universal database interface to allow
a multi-property, multi-jurisdictional operation to be able to communicate operation information in a standardized manner amongst sister properties and with a central management location.
• Directly influence the products, its features and quality • Ask vendors about GSA protocol progress• Insist on GSA certified products• Become an intelligent consumer• Support our on-going initiatives
– Standards development, Education, Certification
Thank You!
