World class casino operators within the US, Asia and Europe are trying to find more efficient how you can manage critical business data and leverage powerful surveillance technology. In response, Synectics and eConnect are working together to develop seamless integration between their respective industry-leading gaming platforms. 

Synectics, an international leader in integrated security management systems, and eConnect, a number one supplier of knowledge analytics for loss prevention, are combining their strengths and capabilities to create an integrated video, data analytics and process management solution for his or her 200+ casino customers. 

This follows successful joint deployments of integrated video management and knowledge analysis solutions for massive casino resorts in Singapore and Manila this year.

Synectics’ Synergy 3 open command and control software enables video, alarms and other third party transactional data to be monitored, managed, and acted upon from its highly customizable user interface. eConnect’s gaming applications - including POSConnect, CasinoConnect and eCounter - apply behavioral, numerical and predictive analytics to casino data, to supply insights on everything from concession footflow and inventory levels, to gaming table/slot trends and employee activity. 

Integration between the 2 widely-used software solutions enables management and security teams to consolidate, monitor and review visual, transactional and analytical data from a single unified interface. 

Henry Valentino, CEO and president of eConnect, says: “Synectics shares our ambition to make data meaningful and manageable – working together on an integrated solution made perfect sense. 

“Pairing our specialist technologies, and pooling our collective expertise throughout the gaming sector, means we now have jointly developed a shockingly powerful solution with the intention to help casinos improve security, efficiency and attain unprecedented levels of awareness.”

The software collaboration helps users improve “live action” awareness by matching notable data events with correlated video for instant review and response. 

The integration works by assigning data sets, as an example table game positions, dealer ID, POS register or operator IDs, with correlating surveillance cameras. The operator can then simultaneously view transactions with related live, recorded or archived video footage in either Synergy or eConnect environment. 

As John Katnic, vice chairman of worldwide gaming from Synectics explains, the answer is already benefitting major gaming properties in Asia: “In a big Singapore-based site, Synergy receives and displays real-time transactions pushed from eConnect’s POS, Baccarat and slot databases. Upon receipt of “alarm-worthy” events, Synergy presents transaction detail, comparable to a cash refund or slot door opening, with associated live and/or recorded video. 

“Optionally, key data events can trigger Synergy to run user-defined ‘workflows’ that guide operators through relevant questions and supply step-by-step instructions to follow for every event type.” 

Through the eConnect integration, Synergy enables data and video to be saved and exported as a personalized “incident”, complete with snapshots, perpetrator details, reviewer notations, etc. for ongoing case file management, prosecution, forensic analysis and reporting.

Importantly, and uniquely for integrations of this type, Synectics has worked closely with eConnect to facilitate a ‘two way data push’. 

Katnic continues: “With one Manila-based client it's Synergy that, on request, pushes live or recorded video to eConnect in accordance with anomalies or findings within their software. Thus as much as four discreet Synectics video streams can also be displayed without delay alongside the transactional data. 

“Synergy is the one security and surveillance management system to bidirectionally integrate with eConnect on this way, allowing properties to adopt the mixing option that best meets their needs, priorities and budget.”

The integration now possible between Synergy and eConnect also means users may be able to filter and cross reference an outstanding depth of knowledge. For example, operators can quickly and simply review all games played and won while a selected dealer was on the table. Alternatively the answer can be used to check transaction averages over a time frame and present live video for any anomalies or unusual trends identified. These analytic tools can deliver significant cost savings by proactively identifying fraud, shrinkage and inefficiencies.

In developing a two-way integration solution, Synectics and eConnect have also answered a critical challenge – linking two typically separate networks - gaming and company – without compromising system security.

Katnic concludes: “With the Synergy/eConnect interface, firewall rules are assigned and implemented with resiliency and failover measures to create a safe bridge that only allows approved data to transport along authorized paths and are available and go from recognized senders. 

“Most casinos mandate a closed surveillance network, cut loose the principle IT network. It’s a conventional structure established to ring-fence regulated and confidential security data. That need still exists, of course, however the huge commercial benefits achieved by cross correlating data from both the company and gaming sides of the business are compelling IT and regulators to implement smarter IP safety features. Working with eConnect on integration means enterprises can now get pleasure from a better of both worlds solution.”

Read More... [Source: Gaming Industry News]