Rebooting the Casino Floor

Breaking with hardware dependency

When Stephen Crystal entered the casino industry in the late 1980s, customers were still feeding coins into slot machines. The eventual introduction of ticket-in ticket-out technology eliminated much of the labour associated with handling physical currency, yet the transition took almost 15 years to become commonplace across American casinos. For Crystal, Founder and CEO of SCCG Management, that experience illustrates how slowly fundamental innovation has historically reached the gaming floor.

“That one example tells you all you need to know about the slow pace of technological change on the casino floor,” Crystal explains. “Now that is changing, and the reason is the consumer. We’ve gone from a society where people were happy to get their content on a television screen or a slot machine to one where, because of multiple screens, we can have content on demand. For casinos to remain relevant, and for slot machines as a product to remain relevant, they need to be able to offer that same access to content.”

Marcel Tobler, CEO of Swiss Casinos, believes the industry’s difficulty in responding to these expectations is rooted in its commercial structure rather than a shortage of ideas. Online operators can introduce games through software updates, while land-based casinos must consider the cost of equipment, installation, testing, regulatory approval and depreciation before making changes to their floors.

“I don’t think it’s a lack of ideas or a lack of technology. It’s basically how our industry’s economy and business models are structured,” says Tobler. “We’re still a very hardware-focused industry when it comes to slot machines. In the online casino space, putting up a new game is a software decision. In land-based gaming, it requires investment. You need to purchase the cabinet with the game or lease it, you need staff on the floor to install the machine, you need to test it and, in many jurisdictions, inform the regulator. The speed is more defined by the lifespan of a cabinet than it is by the expectations of the player.”

For Swiss Casinos, the limitations became apparent when the company began encouraging online customers to visit its physical properties. Many enjoyed the atmosphere and hospitality but showed little interest in playing the slots, despite regularly enjoying similar games online. When asked why, customers explained that their favourite titles were unavailable and that the casino’s selection barely changed between visits.

“We worked hard to get our online players into our land-based properties,” explains Tobler. “Most of them had never been to a casino before, and they really enjoyed it. But we wanted them to enjoy the games on the floor as well, and they didn’t. The answer was quite simple: ‘I don’t find my favourite slots here. I have new slots every day in the online casino, but if I come here twice a year, it’s pretty much still the same games.’ If we’re serious about providing an omnichannel experience, we cannot simply accept that situation.”

This experience was the catalyst that led Swiss Casinos to develop ReelLink, technology designed to separate gaming content from the physical cabinet. Deborah Conte Santoro, Managing Director of ReelLink, believes the traditional model reflects technological limitations that no longer necessarily apply.

“For decades, the game logic and the cabinet always came as one package. If you wanted new content, you often needed to buy new hardware or update the game inside the machine. There was a reason for that because it was the way the industry protected the game against manipulation. But technology has moved on. We now have cloud infrastructure and an entire online gaming world where the random number generator can be hosted on the game provider’s servers. If that can work successfully in a regulated online environment, why couldn’t it also work in land-based gaming?”

A new approach to content

ReelLink allows operators to change the games available on compatible equipment without replacing the cabinet. In Switzerland, Conte Santoro explains, those changes can be made daily while the casino is closed, within local regulatory requirements. Beyond accelerating content deployment, she envisages operators creating themed areas, responding to seasonal events and offering more personalised experiences.

“Think about Halloween. An operator could dedicate an entire area of the casino to Halloween games for one day and build an event around it. The same could happen at Christmas. Then think about a VIP guest. You could invite them to the casino and let them choose the games they want to play, perhaps even designing a particular environment around their preferences. There are so many possibilities when you separate the game from the cabinet.”

For Tobler, the principal commercial opportunity is not the reduction in hardware expenditure but the ability to encourage customers to return more frequently. Swiss Casinos conducts an annual survey asking online players what information they most want to receive through the company’s marketing communications. New games consistently emerge as the leading response.

“We know that players come to the online casino because they can discover new content every day. They might play those new games and then switch back to their favourites, which is absolutely fine. Both are needed. You come because there’s something new to explore, and you stay because of the content you already enjoy.”

With ReelLink deployed across its casino estate, Swiss Casinos is preparing to extend its online proposition of a new game every day into its physical properties. Tobler believes this creates a more compelling reason to visit than the traditional cycle of introducing new cabinets several times a year.

Crystal also sees opportunities to connect casino floors with gaming content creators and streamers. Online games can develop substantial audiences through social media, but those communities have historically been difficult to engage through physical casinos. Bringing familiar titles onto the floor could support influencer events and targeted promotions, particularly when operators can offer customers games they have already encountered online.

The approach could also benefit established manufacturers. Tobler rejects the suggestion that software-driven gaming must come at the expense of companies such as IGT and Light & Wonder, arguing that additional content could increase visitation and benefit the entire gaming floor. “We didn’t develop this product to bypass the OEMs. We can use ReelLink to attract customers because they’re curious about what’s new, but they might then play their favourite Light & Wonder game on the cabinet next to it. If we make our product more appealing and give people more reasons to visit, everybody can benefit.”

Tribal gaming and the US opportunity

For SCCG Management, which is supporting ReelLink’s development in the US market, tribal gaming represents an important opportunity. Crystal believes tribal operators have frequently been early adopters of new technologies, partly because of their regulatory structures and their ability to evaluate investments against longer-term objectives.

“Some tribes pride themselves on being leaders in innovation, whether that’s hotel technology, CRM, gaming content, electronic table games or stadium-style gaming,” states Crystal. “You still need certification from GLI or another approved laboratory, but the regulatory process can be more streamlined and flexible.”

Crystal believes the ability to manage digital content through equipment controlled by tribal operators could provide greater flexibility while supporting the long-term independence of their gaming businesses. However, he acknowledges that unfamiliarity with the technology remains a significant barrier to wider US adoption. Operators want evidence that the systems work reliably, that regulators are comfortable with their operation and that customers respond positively.

“Nobody necessarily wants to be first. They want to see something working because there are examples of technologies that have reached the market and failed. You have one chance to make a good first impression. We need to identify the operators prepared to lead, make sure those implementations are successful and collect the data showing incremental play and customer response.”

Tobler believes the broader economic and social responsibilities of tribal gaming organisations also influence their willingness to invest. “Many tribal operators look beyond the immediate return on an individual machine. Gaming is connected to broader objectives such as tribal employment, community development and economic sustainability. When you have that longer-term perspective, you can approach innovation differently. If something has to pay for itself by the end of the next quarter, you’re much more limited in what you’re prepared to try.”

Conte Santoro identifies Class II gaming as a particular area of interest for ReelLink, with the company seeking opportunities to bring additional bingo-based gaming content to tribal properties.

Omnichannel begins with the games

Swiss Casinos’ experience has also prompted Tobler to reconsider what omnichannel gaming should deliver. Much of the industry’s attention has concentrated on shared wallets, loyalty programmes and the movement of rewards between online and physical environments. He considers those capabilities important but believes operators have overlooked the product at the centre of the customer experience.

“When we talked about bringing online and land-based gaming together, we always talked about player clubs, earning points online and being able to use them in the casino. That’s great, and it’s important, but at the end of the day, a casino is about games. If we talk about omnichannel, we need to ensure that the games players like online are available in the land-based casino, and that the games they enjoy in the casino can also be played online.”

The introduction of common content has given Swiss Casinos a more direct proposition for its customers, allowing the operator to promote familiar titles across both channels. However, Conte Santoro acknowledges that a fully seamless experience remains some distance away. Shared wallets, personalised recommendations and the ability to move gaming sessions between mobile devices and physical cabinets depend on regulatory frameworks that differ considerably between jurisdictions.

“We’ve taken the first step, which is bringing the same content we have online into land-based gaming. That’s huge because without the same content, you cannot have seamless play. The next step might be a shared wallet or the ability to continue playing on a cabinet after starting on a mobile device. Technically, those things are possible, but there are jurisdictions that don’t allow the same wallet to be used across online and land-based gaming.”

Tobler believes greater content availability will also increase the importance of personalisation. Traditional loyalty programmes concentrate on spending and visit frequency, but future systems could help operators understand customers’ broader preferences, including hospitality, entertainment and gaming content. He compares the challenge with digital entertainment platforms, where recommendation systems help customers navigate extensive content libraries.

“Most loyalty programmes are based on transactions. How much did somebody spend? How often did they visit? I believe it will become much more important to understand the player as a whole. We need to be very careful about privacy and responsible gambling, because the objective shouldn’t simply be that everybody gambles more. It should be about making each visit and each interaction more relevant and strengthening the customer relationship.”

Regulation and the commercial case

The transition towards centrally managed content raises questions about how regulators oversee gaming systems that no longer operate entirely within the traditional cabinet-based model. Conte Santoro believes transparency and detailed system records are essential to building confidence. ReelLink records changes to its systems, including user information and timestamps, with logs available for regulatory inspection. The technology also integrates with the casino management system, retaining established operational reporting capabilities.

“What regulators need is transparency and trust. We’ve built ReelLink with full traceability. Everything is logged, even something as small as changing an LED pattern. You can see the user, the timestamp and the changes that have been made, and those logs can be exported for the regulator. Transparency generates trust.”

Tobler argues that operators should not regard regulation and innovation as opposing forces. The industry’s credibility depends on customers trusting that games are fair, funds are secure and businesses remain accountable. Operators therefore need to engage regulators early and demonstrate how new technologies maintain those protections.

“We operate in an industry where trust is the basis of everything. Players need to know the games are fair, their money is safe and the operator is accountable. We need to do a good job of talking to regulators, explaining why things need to change and what the impact will be. As soon as we try to hide things, that’s the end of trust,” observes Tobler.

The commercial argument is becoming increasingly relevant as the cost of new cabinets rises. Crystal explains that operators with limited capital budgets are retaining equipment for longer or turning to the used-machine market. Software-driven content could provide those properties with greater flexibility, although Tobler warns that installing technology without an accompanying commercial strategy is unlikely to deliver meaningful results.

“You cannot just take ReelLink, put it in the corner and hope for wonders. You need to work with it and use its potential. We’re collecting data on which games are successful and which campaigns bring players to the casino more often. If you’re an omnichannel operator, you can say to an online customer: ‘Your favourite game is now available at our property, and we’d like to invite you for a drink.’ That’s a very simple campaign, but we never had the technology to do it before.”

An experience worth leaving home for

Looking towards 2030, Conte Santoro envisages casino floors that can change their content and appearance over days or weeks, incorporating themed environments, multiplayer experiences and alternative display formats. She believes separating games from cabinets will eventually give operators much greater freedom over the design of their properties.

Tobler cautions against assuming that these developments are relevant only to younger customers. Swiss Casinos recently surveyed existing players ahead of a planned property redevelopment, asking what would encourage them to visit more frequently. The two most popular responses were more jackpots and more new games.

“We shouldn’t assume that new customers always want something different from existing customers. Some people are looking for jackpots or excitement, others want familiar games or relaxation, and some want to discover something new. When we asked our existing customers what would make them visit more often, the top answer was more jackpots and the second was more new games. Our existing land-based customers want new content as well.”

Crystal believes operators must nevertheless preserve the qualities that make physical casinos successful. Destination resorts combine gaming with hospitality and entertainment, while many tribal casinos serve as important community venues. Technology should strengthen those experiences rather than attempt to replace them.

“The casino experience isn’t broken,” underlines Crystal. “In tribal communities, the casino is often an integral part of local life. It’s where people go to see concerts, meet friends and enjoy entertainment. What we want to do is make that experience relevant and connect it with the rest of our lives, so it continues to be somewhere people want to visit.”

For Tobler, that evolution will require suppliers to rethink their relationships with operators, concentrating less on selling individual products and more on addressing commercial challenges. “I don’t want a supplier who tells me how many times they’ve sold something and how good it is. I want a partner who helps me understand which customers aren’t visiting my casino, why we’re not reaching them and how we can change that. We didn’t develop ReelLink because we wanted to sell a product. We developed it because we had a problem as an operator, and we needed to solve it.”