GGRAsia – Sci Games ‘Social Distancing Module’ for EGM play

Sci Games ‘Social Distancing Module’ for EGM play

May 28, 2020 Newsdesk Latest News, Trends & Tech, World

Casino equipment supplier Scientific Games Corp says it has immediately available to the market technology fixes that enable safe use and maintenance of electronic gaming machines (EGMs) on casino floors as venues reopen after the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The group is marketing three of the fixes under the heading “Social Distancing Module”.

They are: “Dynamic Distancing”; “EGM Scheduler”; and “Game Reserve,” said the group in a Wednesday press release.

According to the document, when an EGM player puts a player card into a machine, the Dynamic Distancing feature will disable any game units immediately next to the player, to ensure safe space between them and other casino customers.

The EGM Scheduler allows operators to load game content remotely to machines in the casino, without the need for technicians to be on the floor, said the gaming supplier.

“Resort Reserve” and Game Reserve allow players to reserve their favourite game during a casino visit, with the provision that spacing between players will be maintained, it added.

Another fix offered is “Automated Game Sanitisation,” which the group said would flag machines where a play session had just ended. This would eliminate the need for casino operators to search manually for games that might have play surfaces requiring cleaning after player use, it explained.

In casino markets where electronic wallets are permitted for use with EGMs, Scientific Games is offering what it terms its “Unified Wallet”. This allows cashless payment via smartphone, avoiding the need to use automated teller machines, casino floor kiosks or the casino cage.

Matt Wilson, Scientific Games’ executive vice president and gaming group chief executive, said in prepared remarks contained in the press release that it was “more critical than ever to develop solutions that help our partners address and adapt to the new normal” for social interactions and business operations globally following the pandemic.

He added: “This advanced technology sets a new standard for the industry and is available for our partners now.”