Proprietary games have added a new dimension to the modern casino. A number of factors have contributed to the continued popularity of games designed under exclusive ownership - not least the fact that they have helped to refresh the somewhat stuffy image of traditional live games areas. James Walker caught up with some of the leading voices in the fast-moving global proprietary games sector to find out more...
With some leading manufacturers now counting their own branded games by the dozen, there are more proprietary games on the market today than ever before. “Proprietary table games are the fastest-growing segment of this market and it has been that way for years,” said Roger Snow, senior vice president of products for Las Vegas-based Shuffle Master. “People used to refer to games like Let it Ride or Three Card Poker as novelty games - but they are anything but a novelty. They are now staple products in the industry.”
Damien Connelly, marketing manager for Dutch casino products manufacturer Gaming Support, insists that manufacturers should not forget the fact that the roots of these games are planted firmly in the live gaming sector. “Firstly, it is important to remember that without live games there is no casino,” he said.
“Proprietary games have added a new dimension to the modern casino by attracting a younger, more vociferous and boisterous crowd. Rather than the staid image one has of a group of older, rather serious people sitting around a table in formal attire, the modern - and future - live gaming scene is one where every person feels comfortable playing table games; and where the people go for fun and entertainment.”
Connelly believes that the beauty of live gaming lies within the fact that it can deliver a certain sense of community that slots will never be able to achieve, and that proprietary games only serve to widen this gap. “Live gaming areas can generate a lot more atmosphere and give the average consumer a bigger buzz. This makes them feel truly entertained, so that when they leave the casino they will be happy to come back again and again.
“Today’s consumers may have money to spend, or they may not. And although high rollers will still be separated from ‘normal’ gamblers, whether they are gambling on proprietary or generic games, we are seeing a lot more emphasis being placed on creating a fun and entertaining atmosphere in the live games area of casinos.”
While many within the industry agree that proprietary games will continue to grow at an exponential rate, they remain doubtful that this new concept will ever completely take over the live gaming floor. “To date, the proprietary games that have had the best staying power are Three Card Poker and Caribbean Stud,” Connelly continued. “Apart from these, all our other new live games have shown a relatively short lifespan, quite similar to the lifecycles we see in the slot area. After at best a few years, proprietary games do tend to ‘wear out’.”
Snow, who is the inventor of several top performing speciality table games including Four Card Poker and Ultimate Texas Hold’em, said that the really popular proprietary games can stay on the market for a long time. “If you look at the list of the top specialty games, most were launched more than 10 years ago: Three Card Poker, Caribbean Stud, Let it Ride. Of course, there is a flip side: most games don’t make it. They have a shelf life that lasts months, weeks or maybe days. Table game players have discriminating taste; they spit out a lot more than they swallow.”
Connelly added: “It is probably best to view new, proprietary games as an addition to a casino’s live games area - something management can, and should, bring in to keep consumers excited and enthused about visiting both their property and their live games area. By definition, such a focus on keeping the live games area fresh will see a rapid turnover of new, proprietary products, backed up by the staple ‘core four’ (blackjack, baccarat, craps, roulette) and poker.”
Snow disagrees somewhat with the suggestion that the growth of proprietary games will not be at the expense of generic live tables. “Although blackjack is a great game, it lacks excitement for a lot of players. It lacks volatility. When those players get introduced to games like Ultimate Texas Hold’em, some of them are going to convert. That’s why you see so many side bets on blackjack. The game needs a little dash of excitement to keep people interested.”
It is this theme of ‘excitement’ that threads through the modern day discourse surrounding proprietary games. When asked whether newly licensed games have livened up the table game experience, the response was overwhelmingly affirmative.
“Successful proprietary games have been an adrenaline shot to the pits,” said Snow. “They have attracted more players, and they have attracted different players. When you look at these games, it’s not the same old demographic table games operators used to rely on. You see a lot of younger people, and you see a lot of women. Plus, you see people having fun, enjoying themselves. It’s a much more friendly, exciting environment.”
“Choosing appropriate table staff is also important to help liven up the experience,” added Connelly. “Croupiers with boisterous and outgoing personalities will probably do a better job of ‘selling’ new proprietary games to consumers, thus increasing the chance of that new game having a longer shelf-life.”
While proprietary games may indeed serve to attract a new type of customer to the table, those within the industry do not believe its influence will stretch as far as hardcore slot players. Indeed, although proprietary games may entice a few curious punters, it remains difficult to convert lifelong slot gamblers.
Over recent years, technology has started to play an increasingly significant role in the development of proprietary games. Luke Davis, product communications manager for TCS John Huxley, explained: “Recent developments in table technologies have led to a broader spectrum of game content to be implemented at the table. The hybrid of electronic game platforms and live game content allows players to play against a live roulette wheel, dice shaker or card shoe, but strike the perfect balance between the thrill of live gaming and the advantages of electronic betting.”
Snow states that technology has always played a large part in proprietary games. “Caribbean Stud has always had a progressive and Let it Ride had an electronic bonus system. What you will see over the next few years is a proliferation of progressive bets on proprietary games.”
Connelly takes a slightly difference stance when it comes to the importance of technology in proprietary games. “Its importance is increasing, especially as one considers the recent development of electronic tables (eTables), such as those from PokerTek and Zuum. However, there will remain a need for a percentage of human interaction in table gaming. If one compares the impact of the internet on clothing or grocery retailing, the internet has not replaced physical stores; instead, it has complemented them.
“Technology, in the form of eTables, is more beneficial for smaller casino operations as it allows them to deploy a range of tables without incurring the related cost overheads associated with live table gaming.”
When asked how important side bet systems were in the proprietary games scenario, Connelly said: “Side bets typically benefit the house more than the consumer. They allow game developers to create a base game that appears very attractive to punters, but which is less attractive if one were to compare the base odds with the combined base and side bet odds. They are, however, important in selling the new game so that consumers will try, repeat and regularly buy.”
“The TCS John Huxley range of proprietary table games gives operators a wide choice of side bet games to enhance their current traditional table games without slowing down the game flow or changing the existing procedures of the game,” added Davis. “This is ideally suited to casinos with fewer table numbers, where introducing a proprietary game in favour of a proven traditional game with a regular player base, can often seem daunting.
“Already these games are providing significant returns around the globe and now it is the UK’s opportunity to benefit from the growth that these products deliver. The introduction of proprietary table games in the UK has been heavily restricted by legislation until now. However, from September 1, 2007, exciting new proprietary table games, side bets and progressives will be approved for use.”
The rise of proprietary games has been linked inextricably to both consumer demand for a new and exciting era in live gaming and indeed the huge technological strides that have been made over recent years. And although these new, licensed games may never truly outstrip the more traditional, generic games that have dominated the pits for hundreds of years, they do indeed provide an apt reflection of the fast-paced world in which we live.
