Longing for the days of Simple Gaming?

I recently came into possession of two great Bally and Williams pin ball games from the late 60s. Ah the simplicity of it all. The games are just pure raw science. You hit a ball and it travels downward striking a series of obstacles sending off a loud “ping” or a “bong” at each point of contact. The key to the game for those of you that never played is to keep your eye on the ball in order to keep the game in play. It sounds a lot like the business world doesn’t it?

Now that I have had my nostalgic baby-boomer moment I want to comment on a positive and timely move by Resorts Hotel Casino in Atlantic City and their new gaming product produced by FastPick (FSB.)

Partnered with Sport Analytics and FSB technology it delivers a simplified DFS model to the virtual casino experience. Remember New Jersey is one of only 3 states in the US where on-line gaming is legal.

In the game the customers choose 3-10 players in a head to head match up. Customers win cash if they beat the casino’s selected grouping of players.

The simplification of the platform allows for more general player involvement offering them a broad range of options in terms of match-ups. The scoring is based on the standard DFS concepts. It’s simple.

Bet against the casino not the other players. The simple parameters of the game allow for all levels of player skill.

With the Resorts launch of their new game on their on-line platform; the company, the city and the state benefit; adding another revenue stream and marketing interest.

This is also another way that an on-line gaming segment can connect with the physical presence of their host casino.

So what does this mean?

It is about expanding the customer experience. It is creativity at its best by a casino property engaged in open and honest competition looking to fill niche markets within their customer base and beyond.

For years I have stated that in order for Atlantic City to move forward, it had to overcome the lack of local competition among the casino operators.

As long as there were just a few owners of multiple casinos in the resort community the Atlantic City market will be stifled in competitive growth.
If you look at how far Atlantic City has come compared to just few short years ago it is clear they are on a path to a new beginning. It is in part based on the presence of different and additional casino operators and the creative competition this can produce.

It is also reflective of a working partnership within the regulatory environment to allow supervised experimentation.

And you see how simple it can be! Since I am on the topic Legalized Sports Bet is still on the table so-to-speak since New Jersey waits as the current battle sits with the Supreme Court for this term. A win here will open the gate for full legalized sports betting and the days of the single casino-driver with its typical casino game menu will be gone.

Today’s brick and mortar casino floor has been reinvented with major design changes to include, in some cases, a smaller footprint. New technology has assisted with this re-design and thanks to on-line applications in legalized markets like New Jersey it has given the market place unlimited opportunities to be more competitive with game offerings such as the new Resort Casino “FastPick” game. It also widens that virtual door for a casino operator to not be so dependent on the physical presence of their customers to contribute to the bottom line.

Is this a challenge to PASPA Nation-Wide? If NJ wins the decision, The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, (PASPA) which went into effect here in the US in 1993 will continue to be debated as a form of discrimination in other states.

DFS is not mentioned in PASPA and NJ has been attempting to move forward with legalized sports betting for some time. I will comment more on this topic in the future.

Remember states in the US have a vested tax interest in this model and legalization could send millions to the state coffers with the addition of sports wagering.

So a well done to the folks in New Jersey as resort operators and regulators take a simple peak outside of the box and look to the future.

Simplicity sometimes is the best form of entertainment. Having worked the slot floor for many years I have seen a little too much thought go into some of the games, leaving the player that just wants to “click the flipper” (pin ball term) or mindlessly press the spin button out in the cold.

Remember it is about the experience, escape and maybe some challenge. (Does not include the poker strategist.)

Maybe at times the simplicity has been missed and requiring customers to spend too much time on a strategic study of the game when their only desire was to use their “crazy flipper fingers!” Keeping it simple does attract it’s on niche market.