Slot Manager Institute
GSA’s Year of Deliverance!
Mission: The Gaming Standards Association (GSA) is an
international trade association representing gaming manufacturers,
suppliers, operators and regulators. We facilitate the identification,
definition, development, promotion, and implementation of open
standards to enable innovation, education, and communication for
the benefit of the entire industry.
Moderator: Bruce Rowe - Renaissance Casino Solutions, Inc.
Platinum Members
SMI - February 5, 2004
Who is GSA?
Affiliates
8%
Advisors
8%
Operators/Hotel
19%
OEM
24%
Manufacturers
41%
2003 membership grown
by 64% from 33 to 61
members
SMI - February 5, 2004
How GSA is Organized
SMI - February 5, 2004
Today’s Presenters
 Jim Morrow, Co-Chair, BoB Committee
Vice President, Advanced Development, Bally Gaming & Systems
 Chad Ryan, Chair, SAS Review Committee
Principal Engineer - Systems Engineering, WMS Gaming
 David Nehra, Chair, S2S Committee
Division Director CIT, Mandalay Resort Group
SMI - February 5, 2004
GSA’s GDS Standard
Presenter: Jim Morrow, Bally Gaming & Systems
The Business Problem
 Today components within the slot machine use proprietary protocols
which have significant impact on manufacturers, regulators and
operators.

Engineering takes longer than it could

Components can not be interchanged

Laboratories and regulators must stay current on multitudes of technologies

Talent from other parts of the technology industry can not transfer value
quickly
 All this means is that things are complicated, take a long time to get to
market, and you can’t swap parts.
SMI - February 5, 2004
Gaming Peripheral Charter
 The GDS (Gaming Device Standard) Committee will create an open,
industry-developed protocol utilizing USB to standardize communication
between peripheral devices and the electronic gaming device, and to
facilitate the incorporation of the standard by developing reference
designs and test tools.
SMI - February 5, 2004
Benefits for the Industry with GDS
 Single Protocol for Multiple Devices




Removes barrier to market
Increases speed to market
Provides choices of supplier and peripheral
Allows manufacturers to leverage engineering outside of gaming
 Standard “Off the Shelf” Technology

Cost Effective
 Reduced engineering time and costs for development and deployment

Open and Extensible
 Allows for “manufacturer specific” innovations to be developed and still maintain the
Standard
SMI - February 5, 2004
Benefits For The Industry With GDS
 Smooth Retrofit Implementation

Single protocol for multiple devices allows
 Like peripherals between vendors to be swapped smoothly
 Capability to replace one type of peripheral with another
 Brings Forward Better Technology More Quickly

Wider choice of technologies will be developed and brought to market
 Wider Choice of Peripherals

Ease of implementation allows choices based on integrity, functionality,
technology, performance, or other criteria important to the business
SMI - February 5, 2004
Here Is What We Have Done
 Practical demonstration of GDS at G2E September 2003
 Members supporting the GDS Standard

3M, ELO, JCM, Cashcode, Himecs, Coin Mechanisms, Money Controls,
AstroSys
 GDS Standard 1.0 in membership review

Release scheduled in June 2004
 GDS Toolkit

Release scheduled in June 2004
SMI - February 5, 2004
Note Acceptor Command Summary
Command
0x01
Description
Data
ACK
No
USB defined
Reset Device
No
USB defined
Identification
Yes
See Ref DFU
Upgrade Firmware
Yes
TBD
Verify Firmware
TBD
0x30
Enable Device
No
0x31
Disable Device
No
0x32
Self-test and Diagnostics
Yes
0x40
Number of Note Data Entries
Yes
0x41
Upgrade Note Data
Yes
0x42
Verify Note Data
TBD
0x43
Read Note Data
Yes
0x50
Extend Timeout
No
0x60
Accept Note/Ticket
No
0x61
Reject Note/Ticket
No
SMI - February 5, 2004
GSA’s SAS 6.01™ Toolkit
Presenter: Chad Ryan, WMS Gaming
The Business Problem
 While SAS™ was a widely adopted protocol, it was never developed by
IGT to be used as an industry standard. There were issues for all parts
of the industry that had to do with functionality, test kits, documentation
and timely communication on new releases.
 IGT agreed to work together with GSA, and to have GSA serve as a
conduit for change control, to build test kits and to most importantly
have a forum where members had a voice into fixes, enhancements and
new functionality in SAS™.
SMI - February 5, 2004
SAS Committee Charter
 The GSA SAS™ Committee facilitates and provides the industry with
input into SAS™ protocol development and implementation; test,
development and support tools, including simulators and
implementation guides to ensure consistent implementations; and the
ability for standardized third party certification of the SAS™ protocol
implementation.
SMI - February 5, 2004
SAS™ 6.01 – Getting Input from the Industry
 July 2002 – SAS™ 6.00 adopted as a GSA Specification
 June 2003 – SAS™ 6.01 adopted as a GSA Specification

Modifications included in both versions were the result of input received from
the industry as a whole through participation at monthly meetings.

Adoption of the final version as a GSA Approved Specification achieved
through a vote of GSA Member companies.
 GSA’s SAS™ 6.01 can be tested at GLI Interoperability Center Today
 GSA’s SAS™ 6.01 Toolkit and testing services available in March ‘04
SMI - February 5, 2004
SAS 6.01 Toolkit – Functional Groups
 Minimum Required Accounting
and Security
 Advanced Accounting
 Ticketing
 Real Time Events
 Progressives
SMI - February 5, 2004
 System Bonusing
 Cashless
 Tournament
 Authentication
 Miscellaneous and Legacy
Support
SAS 6.01 Toolkit – Achieving Interoperability
EGM
Requirements
Specification
GSA SAS
6.01 Protocol
Specification
GSA SAS
6.01 Interop
Requirements
Specification
EGM Test
Script
Document
Host
Simulator
GSA SAS Toolkit Components
Host
Requirements
Specification
SMI - February 5, 2004
Host Test
Document
EGM
Simulator
GSA SAS
Certification
Process
Independent
Test Lab
Report
GSA SAS
Certification
Successful
Interoperability
on Casino
Floor
Tool Kit Status
 The Tool kit is under development by the GSA SAS™ Review Committee.
 The GSA SAS 6.01™ Tool kit will be released March, 2004
 The SAS 6.01™ Tool kit can be purchased through the GSA website at
www.gamingstandards.com

Toolkit Sponsors – Free

Members - $5,000

Non-Members – promotion $7,500 ( $12,500 as of July 1, 2004)
SMI - February 5, 2004
SAS 6.01 - Compliance
 What is compliance?

Compliance is achieved when an independent third party certifies that the
gaming machine or host system component under test passes all tests
defined in the SAS 6.01 Toolkit.

Compliance is a Performance Benchmark NOT a Regulatory Approval.
 Who will make the compliance process work?

You will! Managers that make or have input into the purchasing decisions
made on the casino floor have the power to make the compliance process
work by asking for compliance.
SMI - February 5, 2004
SAS 6.01™Toolkit Sponsors
SMI - February 5, 2004
GSA’s
Best of Breed Standard
Presenter: Jim Morrow, Bally Gaming & Systems
BOB Charter
 The BOB Committee is charged with identifying and defining the
protocol for communication between gaming devices and gaming
management systems, as well as providing tools and documentation
which assist with the implementation of the protocol
SMI - February 5, 2004
Example of XML for meters
SMI - February 5, 2004
XML <meters> Description
Element
Restrictions
Description
<getMeters>
minOcc: 1
Request current meter values.
maxOcc: 1
<meterInfo>
minOcc: 1
Report current meter values.
maxOcc: 1
<setMeterSubscription>
minOcc: 1
Set a meter subscription.
maxOcc: 1
<getMeterSubscription>
minOcc: 1
Request meter subscriptions.
maxOcc: 1
<meterSubscription>
minOcc: 1
Report meter subscriptions.
maxOcc: ∞
<clearMeterSubscription>
minOcc: 1
Clear meter subscriptions.
maxOcc: 1
<meterEvent>
minOcc: 1
maxOcc: 1
SMI - February 5, 2004
Report meter-related events.
Messages SAS vs. XML BOB
SMI - February 5, 2004
Client request and server response in XML
<bobBody>
<getMeters>
<getPerformanceMeter denom="*"
name="coinIn"
payTable="" theme=""/>
</getMeters>
</bobBody>
<bobBody>
<meters cabinet="4321" currency="001">
<performanceMeter name="coinIn" denom="01>
500000
</performanceMeter>
<performanceMeter name="coinIn" denom="02" >
400000
</performanceMeter>
<performanceMeter name="coinIn" denom="03">
300000
</performanceMeter>
<performanceMeter name="coinIn" denom="04">
200000
</performanceMeter>
</meters>
</bobBody>
SMI - February 5, 2004
BOB Technology Roadmap
Jan 04
BOB v1.00
BOB v1.00
Q1 04
Q3 04
BOB v2.00
Network and Transport Layer
XML Schema
 Provide SAS6.01 functionality
 Physical layer
 Provide Player Tracking control messages
Implementation
 Encryption
 Address regulatory concerns
 Addressing
 Included GAT messages
 Authentication
Q4 04
Q1 05
Q2 05
BOB v2.10
BOB v2.20
BOB v2.30
BOB v3.00
XML Message Extensions
Firmware Download
Game Download
Central Determination
 VLT messages
 Peripheral Control
 Schema Optimization
 Configuration/ Optioning
SMI - February 5, 2004
Operator Benefits
 Reduced costs and operations

Centralized command and control of the machines
 Active games
 Accepted denomination's
 Change hopper limits

Open protocol “for the industry and by the industry”
 Expanded product offerings = wider choice = lower end user cost
 Unprecedented Access to Game Floor Information

Capability to create or customize views of casino floor data
 Ability to Independently Innovate

Allows “operator specific” innovations, while remaining compliant with the
standard
 Increase Revenue

Downloadable game code
 Audience specific game delivery
 Patron specific game delivery
SMI - February 5, 2004
A Phased Approach
 BOB – Phase 1 (XML Core)

Compatible with current protocol solutions

Includes basic player tracking functions
 BOB – Phase 2 (Transport)

Physical layer (Ethernet) definition

IP transport, addressing
 BOB – Phase 3 (Download)

Automated configuration

Download Games and Peripherals
SMI - February 5, 2004
Action Items
 BOB

Jan 23, 2004 – BOB V1.00 Draft has been distributed for review

Ensure that your company reviews the protocol

Adoption of the BOB V1.00 standard is planned for April 2004
 What you can do to get BOB to market and in your business

Start to insist on BOB as the standard moving forward
SMI - February 5, 2004
GSA’s
System 2 System
Standard
Presenter: David Nehra, Mandalay Resort Group
The Business Problem
 The systems that we are now demanding to be integrated and interfaced
where never designed with that purpose in mind.
The result is:

High rates of depression and intestinal disorders among programmers

Increased medical costs in IT

Physical confrontation with user groups

Increased cost of employee counseling

Customers can not buy a soda with their loyalty points at most gift shops in
US casinos.
SMI - February 5, 2004
The S2S Charter
 The System-to-System (S2S) Committee is charged with designing
standard casino systems interface specifications that reduce the
engineering efforts required in developing, implementing, maintaining
and enhancing customer specific casino configurations. This standard
allows for common communication between multiple gaming and nongaming systems within the casino environment.
SMI - February 5, 2004
Today’s Back-of-House (BoH) Technology:
 Various UN-LINKED systems for data collection

Slot Accounting

Player Tracking
 Slots/Video
 Tables

POS

Hotel/Hospitality

Financials
 Operator’s Inefficiencies

Unlinked systems do not provide a “full view” of their operations

Unable to get “real-time” view of their patrons activities

Need for costly, cumbersome custom application development to allow
Hospitality and POS systems to communicate with “Gaming” and financial
systems
SMI - February 5, 2004
The Benefits of S2S
 Uses ‘Off-the-Shelf” Technology Approach

Provides Operators and Manufacturers a ‘turn-key’ interface solution
 Single Interface for multiple systems
 Removes need for proprietary, custom and costly BoH system interfaces


Reduces complex communication troubleshooting between dislike systems
Eliminates the ‘finger pointing syndrome’
SMI - February 5, 2004
The Benefits of S2S
 Contributes to Operations, Marketing and Accounting Efficiencies
 Provides efficient data flow from system to system

Marketing Users will no longer need to access multiple systems to gain
accurate information about players

Accounting departments can have confidence that slot accounting, player
tracking, Hospitality and POS systems are accurately communicating
financial data to enterprise wide financial systems

Reduces departmental overhead by reducing number of FTEs once needed to
manage and compile data from the various un-linked systems
SMI - February 5, 2004
Questions & Answers