This article originally appeared in the May 2023 issue of Security Business magazine. When sharing, don’t forget to mention Security Business magazine on LinkedIn and @SecBusinessMag on Twitter.
Thanks to the advent of advanced video analytics, cameras once used exclusively for security purposes are now driving new operational efficiencies and generating business intelligence insights. For casinos, the prospect of enhancing the guest experience and improving the efficiency of the business using the same technology already in place for security is understandably enticing.
But surveillance devices are rarely plug-and-play, and modern analytics – while extremely useful –require knowledge and expertise to implement and maintain. With so many devices capable of running a wide range of analytics, systems integrators play an important role in helping casino customers identify which solutions are right for their specific needs. Choosing the right devices, placements, and integrations are all critical for casinos seeking to get the most out of their video surveillance solutions.
As the gaming industry looks to modernize its approach to both security and customer service, security integrators have an opportunity to provide much-needed guidance that will shape the way video surveillance and analytics are used by these customers in the future. Thus, it is important for both manufacturers and integrators to understand that the gaming industry faces a unique set of security and operational challenges, and to have the knowledge and expertise necessary to help them be addressed.
Understanding the Needs of Casinos
While security is obviously a priority for casinos, the gaming industry itself is not as large as retail, education, healthcare, or other major security markets. As a result, manufacturers and integrators do not always have as thorough of an understanding of the security challenges casinos face.
This is exacerbated by the fact that popular media often portrays casino security as cutting edge – just about every heist movie ever made involves thieves outwitting some impossibly advanced security measure. In reality, while there are probably some casinos test-driving advanced security measures, others lag behind; in fact, many casinos are still using aging security devices as an understandable fear of disruption and downtime spurs resistance to change.
This means there is a clear opportunity for integrators to provide much-needed guidance; but manufacturers and integrators also need to understand how casinos actually use their security devices. There is a broad misconception that security devices in casinos are primarily used to address cheating; however, the truth is that casinos have made significant progress addressing cheating in other ways. Improved internal processes and gaming techniques have made it more difficult to cheat than ever, and losses from cheating have declined over the years.
Today’s casinos are generally more concerned with issues like internal theft and premises liability, which means security devices are being deployed to protect and observe the property itself rather than monitor individual gamblers. Over the past decade or so, the rise of video analytics has made it easier than ever to do just that, enabling security teams to keep a more watchful eye out for suspicious behavior and other signs of trouble – all while enabling greater operational efficiency.
Improving Security Efficiency
One of the most important ways modern video analytics can help with casino security is by simply freeing up manpower. While surveillance cameras have long been deployed within casinos, monitoring a bank of wall monitors containing hundreds, or even thousands of individual camera feeds required a significant portion of a casino’s investigators – often leaving just one or two available to actively review and report on incidents after the fact.
Modern video analytics can be trained to automatically detect potential security incidents in progress and notify investigators in real time. Not only does this cut down on the number of investigators required to “live monitor” feeds, it also increases the accuracy of detection and substantially reduces response time. Casinos can now be confident that incidents like slip/trip/fall cases, trespassers in restricted areas, and aggressive behavior from guests will be identified and alerted upon.
There are areas of a casino, such as the rooftop, where no human beings should be present. The ability to automatically detect movement in these areas and send an alert to the appropriate personnel gives security teams a major leg up. In many cases, investigators may be able to intervene before a potentially dangerous incident has a chance to escalate. In others, simply having timestamped, categorized video can make a difference.
Slip/trip/fall cases can result in significant payouts, and the ability to prove that a claim is fraudulent or that assistance was administered immediately can significantly reduce liability payouts. For integrators, this is a good way to illustrate the potential ROI that modern analytics solutions can deliver to casinos.
Better still, some incidents can be addressed automatically, without the need for human intervention. A vehicle idling in a loading area or attempting to enter a roped off parking lot can trigger an automated message asking them to leave. The same can be done for individuals loitering near emergency exits or attempting to enter a restricted area. If the offender in question does not leave or change their course of action following this verbal warning, security personnel can then be dispatched to deal with the situation.
In most cases, a warning is sufficient: those unaware they were in a restricted area will generally move, and those with ill intent will realize their actions are being recorded. These incidents may not be the primary focus of the casino’s security efforts, but ensuring that they can be dealt with quickly and easily frees up investigators for more important tasks.
Fighting Fraud and Improving the Customer Experience
Thanks to the improvement of anti-cheating measures, many casinos now have the opportunity to refocus their surveillance efforts on stopping internal fraud, and integrators can help them identify the right solutions to accomplish it.
Monitoring areas like counting rooms is critical, and video analytics can be used to look for suspicious behaviors. They can alert security personnel if someone is detected in the counting room after hours, for instance, or notify an investigator if an employee spends more time in the counting room than is typically necessary. Modern analytics are very good at looking for patterns, and employee behavior that breaks from those patterns can be cause for concern. An employee removing something from the counting room, too many employees in the counting room, or employees in the counting room at unusual times might all be events worth investigating.
This same technology can also be used to protect the casino against other types of fraud. Money laundering continues to be a significant challenge in the gaming industry, and many casinos are looking for ways to improve their ability to track suspicious patrons, such as those who arrive with large sums of money and leave after playing just a few hands.
Facial recognition can also be deployed to ensure that the identification visitors present upon arrival matches their actual identity – a problem that first arose during the COVID-19 pandemic and which many casinos are now keeping a watchful eye on. As regulators crack down on fraud within the gaming industry, these measures can help casinos protect themselves by identifying gamers whose behavior may not be on the level.
These same analytics can also be used to improve the guest experience. Cameras can be used to detect when a visitor has left one of their belongings behind at a table or slot machine. If a wallet is lost, analytics can be used to automatically review video to identify which guest it belongs to, and help investigators locate them.
In some cases, they can even detect when a visitor has unknowingly walked away from a jackpot, allowing the casino to contact the visitor later to inform them that they are owed uncollected winnings.
This sort of elevated customer service keeps customers coming back to the tables. And while regulations in the U.S. state that security systems cannot be integrated with customer service solutions, in some locations there may be opportunities to deploy facial recognition to identify VIP arrivals and greet them appropriately. By understanding the local regulations, integrators can help provide guidance to casinos looking for ways to go above and beyond from a customer service perspective.
Integration Best Practices
Integrators also play an important role in helping casinos understand how to integrate their devices and solutions. Finding the right video management system (VMS) is important, particularly for casinos with a large number of devices and a broad range of analytics needs.
Since casinos can be slow to change, prioritizing device longevity should be a priority, which means an open-platform VMS solution is often advantageous. An open-platform solution can extend the lifespan of individual devices while also preventing the casino from being locked into a single manufacturer’s product lifespan, improving flexibility, longevity, and scalability.
As new analytics solutions continue to emerge, this ensures that casinos can pick and choose the solutions and applications that work best for their specific needs.
Robert Prady, CPP, PSP, CSP, is a Technical Manager for video surveillance provider Axis Communications. Visit www.securityinfowatch.com/10212966 to learn more about the company and request information.
