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The games they offer may be old favourites, but multiplayer systems are adding new—and profitable—twists with new technology, reports Barnaby Page
The classic distinction between slots and table games has been steadily eroded over the last decade or so by the increasing presence, and sophistication, of multiplayer systems—table games represented virtually on screens, but played simultaneously by a group of gamers, often around a physical table.
They have attractions for both players and casino management. Notably, by combining elements of the slot and table-game experiences, they can attract players from both groups—which are often mutually exclusive—and may serve as a halfway house in converting slot players to table games. Going in the other direction, they can also provide some welcome privacy to high rollers, whose play isn't quite as exposed to the public gaze on a multiplayer system as at a conventional table.
Importantly for the casino, they can also offer a legal way to provide something close to table games in jurisdictions where only slots are permitted—because even though multiplayer systems may promise games such as Roulette and Blackjack, in essence they are nothing more than rather grand networked video slots, and will tend to fall under the rules governing those.
Like other networked gaming systems, such as server-based slots, they also allow game play and outcomes to be monitored, and games to be quickly changed. Layouts are highly configurable, too; although it is common for multiplayer systems to place players around a real table for visual (and social) effect, that's not essential to their operation, and individual terminals or unusual layouts can also be employed to maximise the effective use of casino floor space.
Those systems that are fully electronic do away with the risk of dealer error—as well as player cheating—although some products … combine live dealing, shown on players' screens, with computerised betting. Either way, staffing requirements are reduced, because even where there is a live dealer he or she can server many tables simultaneously.
And, perhaps most advantageous of all, experience has shown that they speed up play. Some estimates suggest that games on multiplayer systems can be two to three times as fast as their equivalents on conventional tables, with a commensurate increase in gaming revenue. …
Looking Better
While the essential nature of multiplayer systems has remained much the same since they first appeared, vendors continue to develop them, benefiting particularly from advances in display technology, such as the progression of ever-bigger plasma and LCD screens (used to display information to all players, such as the dealer's cards in Blackjack) and improvements in the capabilities of touchscreens (used for the individual player's interface that allows them to place bets, instruct the system of their decisions, play side games, and so on).
DigiDeal, for example, is one supplier that has steadily upgraded its multiplayers. Its DTS-X table now gives each of eight players their own 15-inch LCD touchscreen, bill validator and ticket printer, while a larger LCD screen in the centre of the table shows game action. Games include Texas Hold 'Em, Blackjack and Baccarat, with more promised for the near future.
And a recent addition to DigiDeal's product line points up the capability of multiplayer systems to circumvent regulatory restrictions. Its Digital Random Outcome Interactive Display, or DROID, produces animations of game features such as cards, dice, Bingo balls or a Roulette wheel, meaning that even where the physical objects would be prohibited, games reliant on these devices can be offered. …
Real and Virtual
Not all suppliers believe, however, in completely virtualising the multiplayer game. DigiDeal's Digital 21, for example, comes in two incarnations. The cards in both are virtual, and the dealer a human, but casinos can opt to offer either real chips or touch-sensitive on-screen substitutes. The same firm's Dragon Baccarat, High Tie Bonus Blackjack and Texas Hold 'Em Bonus are available in similar variant versions. …
Over the coming year, we can expect innovation in multiplayer systems to continue on all these fronts. With the growing interest in casino-wide management systems, it's likely that more multiplayer's will offer cashless options, support loyalty and other cards, and be integrated ever more closely with back-office systems. In terms of gameplay and presentation, vendors will continue to develop new twists to make their products stand out from the crowd, for example with variations on table configurations, new side games, and attention-grabbing devices such as ever larger screens. It's also likely that we will start to see 3D displays becoming more mainstream, and improved directional audio technology could enable multiplayer systems to make much more use of sound—for example, a virtual dealer could "speak" to individual players. And more systems are likely to reach out beyond the table, not only to remote terminals but also to smartphones.
The core benefits to casinos will be much the same as today, but if these enhancements encourage more customers to the multiplayer table—and encourage them to play more games while they're sitting there—they'll be further proof that multiplayer systems directly increase gaming revenue. |
