Betting on advanced video

The Adriatic region’s thriving casinos sector is harnessing new advances in video surveillance technology, writes Koray Ozyildirim, IDIS Türkiye Country Manager

A new generation of resort casinos is opening up across the Adriatic, comprising luxury hotels, state-of-the-art gaming, retail, wellness, and leisure facilities. As the sector prospers, in traditional tourist hot spots and in new destination resorts, there is demand for more powerful video solutions.

For example, casino operator Merit International, headquartered in Türkiye, is on a growth trajectory and recently opened its Starlit development in Budva, Montenegro, offering guests a high end hotel experience, private residences, a penthouse-level gaming area and stunning sea views. This is the third such investment in the country for the USD$1bn company, which already operates nine hotels and 11 casinos in Northern Cyprus, Croatia, and Bulgaria.

The 2,500 square meter Starlit is Merit’s most ambitious project to date, and advanced video technology is seen as key to its success. IDIS provided a complete, end-to-end solution, in a project delivered by our partner Volga Electronics.

Video allowing a more proactive approach

Casino operators like Merit are looking to harness the latest video tools to help them take a more proactive approach, addressing priorities and tackling risks common across the sector.

Casinos need continuous real-time and high-definition surveillance of gaming floors, to allow rapid intervention if operators detect suspicious activity. Efficient footage review is vital too, with search tools that enable rapid resolution of disputes and queries. At the same time, for casino resorts that host VIPs and high rollers, it is vital to foster customer loyalty through efficient and professional guest services, ensuring minimal disruption to gaming.

Having state-of-the-art surveillance provides reassurance for bona fide customers and acts as a deterrent to criminals and opportunists. So, there has long been a willingness in the sector to invest in the best available video infrastructure.

Today, this means more powerful, AI-enhanced solutions that will help to identify insider threats more reliably; make it easier to maintain integrity and trust on the gaming floor; and, in the case of casino resorts, optimize back-of house services for hotel guests and apartment residents.

Planning and implementing video solutions

For those planning and implementing casino video solutions it is advantageous to have a wide choice of high performance cameras with true WDR performance and IR that can cope with variable, often subdued, lighting conditions. System design and usability are also vital considerations. For example, surveillance federation services allow for the integration of multiple systems across multiple casinos, giving operators the advantage of multi-task, centralized monitoring, and management. This supports improved efficiency and cost savings. Additionally, a federated architecture enhances security by enabling control rooms to share video feeds and information across locations, and to send alerts in the event of threats being detected, improving response coordination. It also ensures scalability and flexibility, enabling expansion without cost penalties.

VMS mobile apps are important too, giving authorized managers and pit bosses the option of monitoring, reviewing, and controlling systems via their phones and tablets.

AI analytics delivering a competitive advantage

And, in an increasingly competitive market, deep learning AI analytics are giving casino operators a competitive advantage by providing actionable insights to drive operational efficiency. For example, Analytics can help managers decide how to place and utilize staff depending on people counting, dwell time, or queues for specific gaming tables or bars.

Heat maps and flow patterns can distinguish where casino guests spend most time and how they move through the casino, allowing improved floor layouts for enhanced engagement and positive experiences.

People counting and occupancy monitoring, with analytics targeted at the casino entrances, make it easier to manage peaks and troughs in activity with the right level of staffing thanks to automatic alerts to duty managers
And AI video also offers the benefits of metadata search tools allowing for quick and efficient retrieval of specific video footage based on various parameters such as appearance, object type, time, location, and specific events.

End-to-end solutions

At the Starlit, The end-to-end IDIS solution comprises more than 90 NDAA-compliant cameras, including 5MP IR domes and mini-PTZs with true WDR and two-way audio; four 64-ch pre-installed IDIS Solution Suite (ISS) servers with dual power; plus, all network accessories including specialist surveillance keyboards

The ISS VMS management software provides a powerful foundation for Starlit’s surveillance operations with features for authorized users including simultaneous multi-stream live view and recording, administration and management of all devices and IDIS Critical Failover, which inherently protects against a range of fault conditions ensuring a full record of events is always stored.

ISS also supports integration with the casino’s ERP software, with transaction data to be overlayed on recorded video for efficient incident investigation.

Confident decision-making

The casino already has data collection systems, and now IDIS video heat maps can provide a unique extra layer of business intelligence – for example, allowing directional footfall and dwell time metrics to be compared to customer spending patterns; and revealing the most-used areas where customers are likely to occupy their time even when they are not spending money. This additional level of insight will give managers the confidence to change the positioning of gaming tables and slot machines, improve the utilization of guest services, target promotions, and perfect the overall casino floor and resort layout.

Across the Adriatic region, and in casino growth markets globally, this latest generation of video solutions is proving to be highly attractive. The value of AI-enhanced video technology is being embraced by operators, not only to help reduce losses and prevent fraud, but to ensure positive guest experiences, and improve management decision making.