The casino experience will be changing in the future. This isn’t new, as casinos are always evolving. The recent closure of casinos could send technological upgrades into hyperspeed though.

1. New Casino Gaming Technology Companies
2. New Casino Gaming Technology Games

Gaming manufacturers continuously offer casinos new technology to buy. Casinos tend to be slow to hop on to the newest technology trends. New casino games are often tested on the gaming floor, for example. Few of those games are cutting edge. New technology on the casino floor is a different story.

International Game Technology PLC (NYSE: IGT) announced today that its Hexbreaker 3 slots game, PeakBarTop cabinet and PlaySports Bank and PlaySports Pod were all winners of Casino Journal's 2020. Mega Jack 2020 sets a foot in Eastern Europe with new installations. The legendary Mega Jack™ multigame by CT Gaming (the former Casino Technology) has come back to the gaming stage with its new incarnation Mega jack™ 2020 which has set a foot in the Eastern European market already. Gaming manufacturers continuously offer casinos new technology to buy. Casinos tend to be slow to hop on to the newest technology trends. New casino games are often tested on the gaming floor, for example. Few of those games are cutting edge. New technology on the casino floor is a different story. The latest slot machines from Bulgarian gaming manufacturer, Casino Technology, will be launched on the Serbian market during the Belgrade Future Gaming show, May 30-31. The company returns to the exhibition to launch its modular Ez Modulo cabinet as well as the elegantTOWER slant top will be presented at stand #D3, hall 3.

Some guests might like to see the latest technology upgrades. At the same time, some of the technology available might be a bit ahead of the curve for other casino guests. Casino operators have to balance what works for everyone versus what works for guests used to the latest and greatest innovations.

Casinos closing to help slow the spread of coronavirus might be the catalyst that they need to speed up the use of new technology.

Reserving space at a Las Vegas table game

Casinos around the country are debuting new technology to help expedite visits. Reserving a seat in a poker room has been around for years. The online and mobile technology that allows players to put their names on the list for a seat at the poker table is now rolling out for table games in at least one Nevada casino.

Sahara Las Vegas will allow players to book a reservation for a table game in advance of the visit. The new technology will allow players to walk right into the casino and sit down at a table. The service is intended to help small groups of players traveling together to make arrangements to play together at the same live game.

This new service at Sahara will cut down on groups of guests wandering the casino floor looking for a game. Fewer people walking around the aimlessly should help reduce the spread of any germs from the mouths of guests throughout the gaming floor.

Guests can reserve space at table games here.

Touchless loyalty cards

Video poker and slot machine players don’t need to use a physical casino loyalty club card to receive points when playing at Station Casinos properties. In 2017, Station Casinos deployed IGT’s Cardless Connect at its casinos.

Cardless Connect at Station Casinos properties allows guests to use their mobile phone to connect their Boarding Pass players club to their favorite gaming machine. Guests simply have to place their players’ club information in the Station Casinos app on the mobile phone.

Before putting money into a machine, the player simply waves their phone in front of the card reader to activate. The players will receive points for gameplay that they would normally receive by placing a card into the machine.

The technology started as a convenience for players. It has renewed interest from casinos now that players are looking to decrease how often they touch surfaces in a casino. Since first rolling out Cardless Connect, IGT has changed the name of the touchless solution. IGT Advantage now offers a variety of touchless services.

New Casino Gaming Technology Companies

Unified wallets could be the next big step in gaming

Not all new technology for casinos is exactly “new.” A variety of gaming manufacturers have been pitching the unified wallet concept to casinos and gaming regulators for years.

According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, two Las Vegas casinos started a field trial for Everi’sCashClub wallet before casinos were ordered to close to slow the spread of coronavirus.

This cashless technology allows players to spend money on video poker and slot machines without juggling cash. A player will have an app on their phone that will connect their financial information to a kiosk. The device will print out a ticket that can be used in machine games.

Scientific Games has a similar unified wallet as part of its contactless gaming solutions.

Just about every large gaming manufacturer has some form of cashless gaming solution for casinos. More and more businesses have started offering cashless services. Expect to see this in casinos sooner than later.

Going touchless off the casino floor

Upon opening again, MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment are touting the ability of touchless hotel check-in at their respective Las Vegas resorts. Thanks to mobile apps, guests can check into a hotel room and use a key on their mobile phone.

Guests may still check into a room at the front desk or use kiosks to check-in and print keys if they don’t mind touching a surface.

Casinos are also reducing the number of people gathering in small areas waiting in line for restaurants. Instead of reusing buzzers, Sahara will contact guests via their mobile phone when a table is ready at its restaurants. This reduces lines on the way into restaurants.

Sahara and various casino restaurants are also using QR codes for ordering food. This reduces another touchpoint by not having to physically hold a menu.

HAMDEN, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--TransAct Technologies Incorporated (Nasdaq: TACT) (“TransAct” or “the Company”), a global leader in software-driven technology and printing solutions for high-growth markets, announced today a partnership with AIGC Co., a new consulting agency focused on the potential casino gaming market in Japan. AIGC Co., which is headed by 25-year casino gaming executive Akiyoshi (“Aki”) Isoi, will promote the advantages of TransAct’s industry-leading casino gaming print technologies to all constituencies pursuing and supporting the large potential market opportunity in Japan, including established gaming equipment manufacturers, international and local casino operators, government officials and to-be-created regulatory agencies.

Bart C. Shuldman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of TransAct Technologies, commented, “I am truly excited to be working with Aki as he is one of the most experienced and knowledgeable people in the casino industry. Aki’s sterling reputation and 25-year track record of success in the casino gaming industry make him the perfect partner to promote our printer and software technology solutions in what we believe will become a large new casino market. He now resides in Japan and his relationships and knowledge of the market will help ensure that the advantages of our leading solutions are top of mind for all participants in the market, including with the large international operators that have already opened offices in the market, with local and global equipment manufacturers including pachinko machine suppliers, and with all government agencies that will help to establish, regulate and promote casino gaming in Japan. We are confident that with Aki’s support, TransAct will be optimally positioned to capture a strong share of the casino gaming printer market as the Japan opportunity develops.”

New Casino Gaming Technology Games

Aki Isoi added, “TransAct’s casino products are the industry’s most reliable and best-in-class solutions, delivering proven performance for casino operators. I am very pleased to be working with Bart and the TransAct team as this large new market begins to form. All potential operators in Japan and their guests will demand optimal performance from casino gaming technology and I am confident that TransAct’s solutions will exceed expectations and help play a role in establishing Japan as a casino gaming technology leader.”

The Japanese casino gaming market is expected to be a major opportunity including the initial licensing of up to three large-scale integrated casino resort properties; two in large cities and one in a regional market. The request for proposal process for interested operating partners is expected to begin shortly and conclude later in 2018 which could result in the first integrated resort properties opening as early as 2021 or 2022.

TransAct’s available print technology solutions for the Japan gaming market will include:

• Epicentral® – This revolutionary enterprise-level promotion and bonusing software solution effectively bridges the gap between the gaming device and the reward of the printed ticket. Epicentral v3.9 allows operators to run simultaneous promotions, create games within games, offer multi-user/multi-site promotions, run different promotions on different slot game banks, segment players by tier and run promotions for uncarded players. Epicentral System Edition (SE) allows operators to leverage existing system investments to expand bonusing by leveraging the Print Manager and Design Center modules while also providing an upgrade path to Epicentral.
• Epic Edge® – This next-generation casino ticket printer offers operators a new print resolution (300 dpi) that delivers a 50% improvement over current printers and razor sharp barcodes, allowing it to improve bill validator acceptance and reduce attendant calls. It also includes an adjustable ticket bucket that accommodates standard tickets and smaller, paper-saving tickets. Additional unique features include a single rugged outer chassis with color coded rails and Serial, USB and Netplex ports, hot swap capability to eliminate game downtime, two high-speed interfaces (USB and Micro SD) for simple updates, and a faster ServerPort™ connection.
• Epic 950® – The current industry-standard for TITO printing, TransAct’s Epic 950 continues to deliver proven performance in over 500,000 slot machines worldwide. Easily integrated into all game types, the Epic 950 features TicketBurst™ technology to eliminate player/ticket interference and is fully compatible with Epicentral to provide for the direct, real-time delivery of eye-catching personalized promotions and bonus offers.
• Epic Edge TT™ and Epic 950 TT™ – These unique, purpose-built printers take the power of the advanced Epic Edge and proven Epic 950 outside the slot machine and on to table games, players’ club desks and cash desks. They package a printer, internally mounted power supply and ServerPort in a tidy, compact design that is easy to deploy. In addition, thanks to their dual port capability, the Epic Edge TT and Epic 950 TT allow operators to expand the bonusing environment created by their Epicentral deployments to non-gaming device applications.
• Epic 880® – This compact printer for all types of gaming machines (including amusement with prizes, skill with prizes and video lottery terminals) features a modular design that is configurable to nearly any space, a variable length ticket presenter and ticket retract capability. It also offers auto paper loading and can accommodate 4-inch or 6-inch paper rolls.
• Epic 430® – An easy-to-configure modular design makes the Epic 430 ideal for customer self-service kiosks. This printer features variable length tickets with graphics and coupons capabilities, quick paper roll changes, a fast print speed and an array of standard paper sensors.

About TransAct Technologies Incorporated

TransAct Technologies Incorporated is a global leader in developing software-driven technology and printing solutions for high-growth markets including restaurant solutions, POS automation, casino and gaming, lottery, mobile and oil and gas. The Company’s solutions are designed from the ground up based on customer requirements and are sold under the AccuDate™, EPICENTRAL®, Epic®, Ithaca®, RESPONDER and Printrex® brands. TransAct has over 3.0 million printers and terminals installed around the world and is committed to providing world-class service, spare parts and accessories to support its installed product base. Through the TransAct Services Group, the Company also provides customers with a complete range of supplies and consumable items both online at http://www.transactsupplies.com and through its direct sales team. TransAct is headquartered in Hamden, CT. For more information, please visit http://www.transact-tech.com or call (203) 859-6800.

Epicentral and Epic are registered trademarks of TRANSACT Technologies Incorporated. ©2018 TRANSACT Technologies Incorporated. All rights reserved.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release include forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, such as 'may', 'will', 'expect', 'intend', 'estimate', 'anticipate', 'believe' or 'continue' or the negative thereof or other similar words. All forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, customer acceptance and market share gains, both domestically and internationally, in the face of substantial competition from competitors that have broader lines of products and greater financial resources; our competitors introducing new products into the marketplace; our ability to successfully develop new products; our dependence on significant customers; our dependence on significant vendors; dependence on contract manufacturers for the assembly of a large portion of our products in Asia; our ability to protect intellectual property; our ability to recruit and retain quality employees as the Company grows; our dependence on third parties for sales outside the United States, including Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Latin America and Asia; the economic and political conditions in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Latin America and Asia; marketplace acceptance of new products; risks associated with foreign operations; the availability of third-party components at reasonable prices; price wars or other significant pricing pressures affecting the Company's products in the United States or abroad; risks associated with potential future acquisitions; our new line of food safety and oil and gas products driving increased adoption by customers; and other risk factors detailed from time to time in TransAct's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ materially from those discussed in, or implied by, the forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release and the Company assumes no duty to update them to reflect new, changing or unanticipated events or circumstances.