Welcome to Casino Life.
Here in Ukraine I still have Russian troops a day away from my house but hopefully common sense will prevail.
Back in the casino world the headlines these days also seem to be about responsibility and justice. Not a day goes by without news stories world-wide about gamblers who are suing casinos for them losing money whilst drunk and secondly the UK considering (finally) curbing the FOBTs in betting shops that are labeled the "crack cocaine of gambling".
The former has always baffled me - quite why a casino should be responsible for someone's losses jars a bit - should they also be able to claw back money from winning streaks? The latter however, does get my vote. I have never liked FOBTs as they are a double standard - a wolf in sheep's clothing may be a better description. Whilst there are countless controls on slots and live gaming in a casino environment the controls on bet limits, frequency and measures to tackle problem gambling are so much less. I hope that this is addressed together with the incessant online TV advertisements - restraint for advocating all forms of gambling at minors and the regulation of high risk and addiction is needed but the freedom of choice to play should be allowed.
Back to this issue and we lead with Kate Chambers of Clarion as our Guest Editor reflecting on the stunning success of ICE. We talk to Aspers COO Richard Noble about recent developments and future plans; Bruce Howard gives us clarity at the Valley View in San Diego; Sam Miranda considers whether Las Vegas has lost its Mojo (we hope not); Chris Moore poignantly reflects on his experiences in Eastern Europe; Finally, we round up some of the notable product launches at ICE.
My favourite at the show? Well, I did like the mini gif animated slot buttons by Suzo Happ... very cute. But if pushed I would have to say for sheer ingenuity it had to be the fingerprint recognition system on the Novomatic stand - a dream come true perhaps for many casinos and players alike. Carrying your money on your thumb means never losing your wallet again - although if you are drunk, perhaps you can still claim for your losses!
