Casinos could use slot machines to market directly to gamblers

New Bally’s software to be rolled out at Caesars casinos

New software is transforming slot machines from mere gambling devices to complex marketing machines capable of greeting gamblers by name, making restaurant reservations, placing cocktail orders or even sending up the gambler’s car from valet.

One of the biggest rollouts of this technology is under way after Caesars Entertainment last week signed a deal with slot giant Bally Technologies to offer its iVIEW Display Manager on many of the company’s 60,000-plus slot machines worldwide. Caesars is the country’s largest casino company, with 40 casinos in the United States.

Union Gaming Group analysts said the contract could be worth $28 million if the software is installed on an estimated 30 percent of Caesars’ slots.

There’s no word on when the rollout, which began at the Horseshoe near Chicago, would hit Las Vegas.

Bally’s software is compatible with any late model slot machine with a touch screen. It taps information from gambler loyalty cards inserted into the machines. The marketing implications of the technology are endless, industry experts say.

The software allows casinos to communicate with individuals or groups based on age, sex, gambling habits or spending preferences on other attractions such as dinners and musicals.

Casinos could send freebies to gamblers on a losing streak, 2-for-1 buffet coupons on gamblers’ birthdays or activate late-night gambling tournaments for older players who avoid nightclubs, for example.

Casinos also could activate touch screens on the games, allowing players to order drinks, make sports bets or view casino event listings as they gamble.

Gaming

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