Introducing G 2 S GSA s Game to System

Introducing G 2 S: GSA’s Game to System Protocol Russ Ristine, VP, Radical Blue Gaming Casino. Fest 2 San Diego 2006

What’s happening on casino floors? § Today’s Buzz - Game Download and Configuration § Current floor technology is not adequate! § Should you just pull more networks? Ø Great Security Ø Throughput argument Ø I need this new feature right away; but what about the next one? ? ? § Goals Ø Don’t be left behind Ø Hope to minimize change Ø Hope to minimize costs 2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation! Casino. Fest 2 San Diego 2006

What Is G 2 S? § The gaming industry’s protocol for networked casino floors (Games to Servers) § Based on current, proven technology standards: XML, SOAP, Web Services, etc. § Messaging accomplishes everything from SAS + whatever else we could think of § Consists of three independent components: Ø G 2 S Message Standards (The contents of the messages) Ø Standards for Transport (XML over TCP/IP using SOAP) Ø Standards for Security (SSL - just like the Internet) 2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation! Casino. Fest 2 San Diego 2006

A Bit of History § Efforts towards a single Game to System protocol started in 1998 (Gamma C-Link) § XML / Web services model introduced in 2002 § Formal Standards (BOB) were released in 2004 § BOB Simulators were built in 2004 § IGT - Concurrent solution using Super. SAS Ø Goal - network based SAS protocol • Deploy new game features without delay • Reduce implementation problems § 2005 - IGT joins GSA - protocols are merged 2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation! Casino. Fest 2 San Diego 2006

The Merging of Two Protocols § IGT creates Super. SAS, GSA develops BOB § September 2005 - IGT rejoins GSA § IGT and GSA agree to merge their two protocols § Result is Best of Both = Game To System (G 2 S) § Seven months of Analysis and Design is complete § Protocol documents and schemas are finished § 3 rd Party Development Tools are underway § Certification Program is being developed 2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation! Casino. Fest 2 San Diego 2006

Here is what is on the gaming floor today. . . [Looks like hex to me…] 2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation! Casino. Fest 2 San Diego 2006

A G 2 S Meter Request Host Request Casino. Fest 2 San Diego 2006

Companies involved in G 2 S development § § § § § Aristocrat Atronic Bally Technologies IGT Konami Gaming Multimedia Gaming Radical Blue Gaming Rocket Gaming Systems Seminole Tribe of Florida WMS 2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation! Casino. Fest 2 San Diego 2006

Why do we need a new protocol? § Current protocols are fine for EGM to SMIB communications § Challenge is expanding beyond current model § EGM Configuration and Code download are coming § Can expand by adding additional wiring to your floor § New features must work with your existing system § It would be nice if all games and systems spoke the same language in this new world 2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation! Casino. Fest 2 San Diego 2006

Historic Approach to Adding Functionality Slot Floor System Vouchers 2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation! Bonusing Player Media Server Casino. Fest 2 San Diego 2006

Challenges of the Historic Model § New wiring infrastructure for each new feature § Lots of new gear needed between host and EGM § How many network ports does each EGM have? § Often new features don’t integrate with existing slot accounting system § Challenges with getting everything working together § Adding a new feature is like building a solution from scratch 2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation! Casino. Fest 2 San Diego 2006

G 2 S (Web Services) Approach Slot Floor System Config Server Code Download 2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation! Vouchers Media Server Player Bonuses Casino. Fest 2 San Diego 2006

Advantages of the G 2 S model § To implement a new feature Ø Plug in new server Ø Configure a group of EGMs Ø Try out the new feature Ø Get rid of it if you hate it § G 2 S is designed so every functional group could be owned by a separate server § G 2 S Protocol already accommodates new features Ø Configuration Ø A rich Accounting Model Ø All Messaging required to implement the feature 2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation! Casino. Fest 2 San Diego 2006

How fast is fast? Network Backbone = 1 Billion bps 2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation! Casino. Fest 2 San Diego 2006

Changes you’ll need to make § New Network infrastructure Ø 1 Gbps backbone Ø 100 Mbps to every EGM § Staff must transition from slot machine mechanics to network configuration and management § Slots + IT = Success § Don’t go cheap - like a computer, your network can’t be too fast § Can implement gradually, but your slot floor management system must get on board soon. . . 2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation! Casino. Fest 2 San Diego 2006

Benefits of a Standard Network § Off the shelf network hardware § Off the shelf network management software § Off the shelf security solutions § Internet technology on your casino floor Ø Load Balancers Ø Expertise (design, deployment, tuning) Ø Can easily add new features 2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation! Casino. Fest 2 San Diego 2006

Inside G 2 S: GSA’s Game to System Protocol Casino. Fest 2 San Diego 2006

The Core G 2 S Classes § Communication Ø Web services and multicast Ø New EGM says “Hi” to the hosts it knows § Cabinet Ø Owner Host can enable / disable play at an EGM Ø Reporting of cabinet door events § Event Handler Ø Any Host can subscribe to the events they need Ø Events can include associated data Ø All managed by subscriptions - one set per host 2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation! Casino. Fest 2 San Diego 2006

More Classes § Meters Ø Each host can request any meters + gets 2 subscriptions Ø Complete meter support for all of G 2 S features Ø Meters by Device and by Class § Game Play Ø Manage active games within EGM Ø See game play details (via event or log) on any system Ø Metering by device Ø Device = Theme + Paytable + one or more denominations 2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation! Casino. Fest 2 San Diego 2006

G 2 S Administrative Classes § Code download Ø Manage what code is on which EGM Ø Download new code / code updates for EGM or devices Ø Also allows Uploads of game logs, debug logs, etc. § Communication configuration - EGM communication (valid hosts and who owns what) § Option configuration - Configure EGM options and settings § Device configuration - Manage EGM functional resources 2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation! Casino. Fest 2 San Diego 2006

G 2 S Application Classes § Currency device classes - manage currency devices Ø Coin Acceptor - Which coins are currently accepted? Ø Note Acceptor - Accepted Notes; logs; events Ø Hopper - enable / disable; events Ø Note Dispenser - Dispensed Notes, logs; events § Printer class - manage printer, download templates § Handpay class - process hand paid wins and key offs 2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation! Casino. Fest 2 San Diego 2006

G 2 S Application Classes § Id reader class - magcards, RFID, Smart. Cards, etc. § Player class - the player tracking stuff customers love § Progressive class - run progressives over the network Ø Track Coin IN by Progressive Server § Bonus class - (roll your own bonuses) Ø Support for multiple Bonus Servers 2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation! Casino. Fest 2 San Diego 2006

G 2 S Application Classes § Voucher class Ø Support for ticket in / ticket out § WAT class - Wagering Account Transfers § GAT class - authenticate code running in EGM & devices § Central Determination - the world of Class II gaming 2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation! Casino. Fest 2 San Diego 2006

The first hour of a new EGM § Discovers Communications Configuration Server Ø Updated with Host info for that property Ø Receives Security certificates for that property § Discovers Option Configuration Server Ø Game and peripheral device configurations are updated § § § comms. Online message to all other hosts Hosts ask EGM for supported features (classes) Hosts discover which features they own Hosts do command control setup Hosts grab meter snapshots; set subscriptions 2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation! Casino. Fest 2 San Diego 2006

The first hour (continued) § EGM gets voucher and player configuration information from hosts § Hosts indicate which features are enabled at the property § Game Play begins § EGM notifies hosts of events and meter updates as per subscriptions 2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation! Casino. Fest 2 San Diego 2006

Adding a new Feature to your casino § While travelling, you discover a new feature at a property § You meet with the vendor and sign up for a trial § Vendor brings in new server; joins your network § Casino extends configuration to include new server § EGMs in the test group are configured § EGMs initiate communication with new server § Try the new feature for 30 days § If you like it, you pay. If not, vendor removes server 2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation! Casino. Fest 2 San Diego 2006

Innovation! § With the web services model and standard protocols, anyone with web services expertise can get into the space § The compelling features of today (config and download) will be interesting history in 5 years 2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation! Casino. Fest 2 San Diego 2006

GSA Certification Casino. Fest 2 San Diego 2006

GSA Certification § GSA compliance – independent testing by 3 rd party lab using GSA certified tools and pre-defined test scripts § If both devices are certified, they should work together the first time they are connected § All parties benefit through Ø Improved speed to market for products Ø Products work together when they show up on your floor Ø Plug and Play (easier installs, reduced service calls) 2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation! Casino. Fest 2 San Diego 2006

Testing Centers § Interoperability Centers will be available for manufacturers § Test Authority (Open Group) will certify Test Suites and Testing Agencies § Test Suites will be commercially available to anyone § Like UL testing, GSA testing can be done in any certified Test Agency Ø Test Labs Ø Casinos Ø Manufacturers § Update on latest efforts… 2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation! Casino. Fest 2 San Diego 2006

New Solutions for Old Problems Casino. Fest 2 San Diego 2006

New Player Features Bonus Programs Now - Replace existing server with a new system In-house Player Promotion Now - No access to the data stream from the EGMs or SMIBs - need to get vendor to extend their software 2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation! New - Bring in a new server and try the new features with your players New - Contract with third party, or innovate in-house; configure a test group of games and try it out. Casino. Fest 2 San Diego 2006

Try out a new game Now § Bring in a new model on trial § Meter readings to see which games players prefer § Buy more if they seem popular; if short term attraction, then you have “extra” EGMs New § Install new code on a few compatible EGMs § Yield Management - periodic meter reports to determine success § Expand to additional EGMs as desired 2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation! Casino. Fest 2 San Diego 2006

Detailed Game Performance Info Now § Most systems do cabinet level performance numbers § To get performance breakdowns for each game in cabinet - must manually read the game meters New § G 2 S has detailed performance information for every game in the cabinet § If existing system won’t extend, can buy (or build) a performance analysis system that gives all detail 2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation! Casino. Fest 2 San Diego 2006

New Note, bug in code, etc. Now § Someone goes to every EGM to install new code § Configuration changes are tracked manually, implemented on every EGM New § New note - download new code via G 2 S, validated by EGM, passes to Note Acceptor via GDS § Configuration change - make the change in the configuration server, automatically pushed to every EGM 2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation! Casino. Fest 2 San Diego 2006

A Word or two on GAT § GAT (Game Authentication Terminal) protocol is currently being used in several jurisdictions to validate game code § With New protocols, regulators are hoping to use GAT to validate game code stored in EGMs and on Code Servers § This methodology will dramatically speed acceptance of code download 2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation! Casino. Fest 2 San Diego 2006

Finishing Up Casino. Fest 2 San Diego 2006

Benefits of G 2 S § EGMs will be able to talk to multiple servers § More accurate info is available from every game § Option and Code changes can be made in one place, automatically distributed to all EGMs § Much more efficient casino slot operations § Much better use of resources § Try before you buy § Many new innovators will be able to enter this space 2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation! Casino. Fest 2 San Diego 2006

When can I get G 2 S? § G 2 S 1. 0 Protocol is complete § Many GSA member companies are now figuring out how to get this new technology into their products § Third party development tools are in progress § Certification program definition is in progress § Start your strategic planning now § Start thinking about network infrastructure § [Start bugging your slot floor management provider] § Exciting times are ahead! 2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation! Casino. Fest 2 San Diego 2006

The Ending Note § For on-going questions or inquires on protocols, please contact info@gamingstandards. com § This presentation is available on GSA’s Website: www. gamingstandards. com [Now is the perfect time for questions or comments] 2006 - The Year of Implementation and Value Creation! Casino. Fest 2 San Diego 2006