CasinoFest3: GSA's S2S Protocol GSA’s System to System Protocol: Making your system connections better! Russ Ristine – Radical Blue Gaming

CasinoFest3: GSA's S2S Protocol What is GSA? GSA is an international trade association GSA’s members include gaming manufacturers, suppliers, operators, and regulators Since 1998, GSA has been promoting and facilitating the development of open standards that benefit the entire gaming industry

CasinoFest3: GSA's S2S Protocol Agenda  So, what is S2S? Case Study – Player Tracking Case Study – Vouchers Case Study – Class II Benefits of S2S Next Steps…

CasinoFest3: GSA's S2S Protocol System to System (S2S) S2S

CasinoFest3: GSA's S2S Protocol What is S2S? Operators asked GSA to take on the standardization of inter-system messages S2S is that standardization, using Internet technologies (TCP/IP, XML, Ethernet, SOAP, SSL) Created by system developers and operators S2S messages considered systems built (or used) by all participants

CasinoFest3: GSA's S2S Protocol What’s the benefit? As each function is implemented by system vendors, it becomes “open” Over time, S2S will reduce the protocol count needed by systems and peripherals G2S Certification will ensure that protocol implementation are done correctly In time, operators will be able to add any system to their network, and it can effortlessly interact with other systems

CasinoFest3: GSA's S2S Protocol Agenda So, what is S2S?  Case Study – Player Tracking Case Study – Vouchers Case Study – Class II Benefits of S2S Next Steps…

CasinoFest3: GSA's S2S Protocol Player Tracking Link This link is used between a slot floor system and the casino’s Player Tracking system Typically pretty robust, passes lots of transactions Usually pretty difficult to extend –Both systems have to be upgraded –Would be nice if this was a superset of all manufacturer’s ideas…

CasinoFest3: GSA's S2S Protocol S2S player Class Actually there are three – patron, playerRating, player Player class focuses on slot player ratings Via XML and namespaces, new tags can be easily added Class was developed by a group of system protocol experts so it’s pretty complete

CasinoFest3: GSA's S2S Protocol Some Player Class Features Countdowns and Point awards –Can specify target, increment, award, direction, and basis –Player Specific and Time based overrides –Includes carryover and lots of display options BasePlayerOverride Target BasiscoinIn Increment DirectionDown Point to Award111

CasinoFest3: GSA's S2S Protocol Player Commands Client Initiated Commands getPlayerConfig getBaseCountdown playerCardIn playerCardOut Central Initiated Commands setDeviceState setPlayerConfig setPlayerCountdown setPlayerMessage playerInfo getPlayerLog Client Initiated Events hotPlayerDetected abandonedCard

CasinoFest3: GSA's S2S Protocol playerCardOut Sent on Card removal and optionally on Interval (timed or gameChange) Meters can be delta (since cardIn) or actual meters transactionId set on card in, included on all commands clientIdcardIdActual/delta themeIdstartDateTimecoinInProgWin paytableIdendDateTimecoinOutProgHandpay denomIdfinalRating?JackpotgamesPlayed weightedTheopointAwardbonusWingamesWon carryOverBonusHandtransactionId

CasinoFest3: GSA's S2S Protocol Agenda So, what is S2S? Case Study – Player Tracking  Case Study – Vouchers Case Study – Class II Benefits of S2S Next Steps…

CasinoFest3: GSA's S2S Protocol Voucher commands Remember EZPay? S2S voucher class has all commands needed to add / redeem vouchers in a central database S2S accountingMeter class conveys all meter information on vouchers (and lots more)

CasinoFest3: GSA's S2S Protocol Voucher Commands Client Initiated Commands getVoucherConfig / voucherConfig getValidationIds / validationIdList issueVoucher/ ackVoucher redeemVoucher / authorizeVoucher commitVoucher / ackVoucher Central Initiated Commands setDeviceState / voucherStatusInfo setVoucherConfig / voucherConfig getVoucherStatus / voucherStatusInfo getvoucherLog / voucherLogList setLockOut / voucherStatusInfo

CasinoFest3: GSA's S2S Protocol Voucher Events Vouchers Disabled Vouchers Enabled Voucher Configuration Changed EGM Locked / Unlocked Voucher Issued Voucher Issue Command Acknowledged Voucher Authorized Voucher Redeemed Voucher Rejected Voucher Commit Command Acknowledged

CasinoFest3: GSA's S2S Protocol S2S Voucher Fun Facts S2S Voucher Class is designed with off-line validation in mind Support for Cashable, Promo, and nonCash funds Can require player card to redeem a voucher Central can specify cage and EGM expire values voucherConfig – Central indicates voucher titles, casino name and address info, offlineOK, etc.

CasinoFest3: GSA's S2S Protocol Agenda So, what is S2S? Case Study – Player Tracking Case Study – Vouchers  Case Study – Class II Benefits of S2S Next Steps…

CasinoFest3: GSA's S2S Protocol S2S and Class II In the Class II world, each manufacturer has their own server for central determination, etc. The Problem: Four game manufacturers means – Four separate accounting reports, – Four player tracking feeds, and – Four voucher systems Vouchers are only redeemable on same manufacturer’s games What about the cashier booth? (four redemption terminals…)

CasinoFest3: GSA's S2S Protocol Class II Dilemma

CasinoFest3: GSA's S2S Protocol Class II Solution Game Servers Accounting Player tracking Vouchers

CasinoFest3: GSA's S2S Protocol New Server Terms

CasinoFest3: GSA's S2S Protocol Meter Commands Edge Server Initiated Commands meterInfo Central Initiated Commands / Response getSupportedMeters / supportedMeters setMeterSub / meterSubList getMeterSub / meterSubList clearMeterSub / meterSubList getMeters / meterInfo

CasinoFest3: GSA's S2S Protocol Meter Details Meters subscriptions can specify onCoinDrop, onEOD, onNoteDrop, onPeriodic For EOD - specify exactly when to send Periodic – schedule – Base + Interval Can specify the meters you want with each subscription

CasinoFest3: GSA's S2S Protocol Meter Details Performance Meters (by theme, paytable, and denomination) Transfer Meters –Voucher, WAT, Bonus, Progressive Note Meters (by currency and denomination) Cabinet Meters (credit meters, coinFlow, games played, door counts, etc.)

CasinoFest3: GSA's S2S Protocol Agenda So, what is S2S? Case Study – Player Tracking Case Study – Vouchers Case Study – Class II  Benefits of S2S Next Steps…

CasinoFest3: GSA's S2S Protocol Benefits of S2S Supports “plug and play” for systems and peripheral devices –Try out a new product –If you don’t like it, return it! Standardization promotes portability, interoperability and reusability –Vendors can write one interface and use it everywhere –Reduces testing (and problems in the field)

CasinoFest3: GSA's S2S Protocol Benefits of S2S S2S standardizes communication between servers –A new vendor only has to write one interface to get into the market, vs. 4 to 6 that they have to do now –Casinos benefit from new innovations –Vendors Benefit from reduced complexity (More time for new features) IFT Example

CasinoFest3: GSA's S2S Protocol Plug and Play Benefit for System Providers Systems move from proprietary solutions to standard communications Vendors spend less time maintaining protocols Easier to test a single protocol Operator doesn’t have to wait for their version to get modified Easy to try a new peripheral (kiosk, currency counter, POS system)

CasinoFest3: GSA's S2S Protocol Agenda So, what is S2S? Case Study – Player Tracking Case Study – Vouchers Case Study – Class II Benefits of S2S  Next Steps…

CasinoFest3: GSA's S2S Protocol Things to think about Changing a system related device is a major architecture project –Does my current vendor support the new system –How long will it take to get a new interface built? –What if I don’t like the new product, how do I go back to the old one?

CasinoFest3: GSA's S2S Protocol Things to think about How easy is it to get information moved into your in-house systems for analysis? What if you could go to a gaming show, see a product, and have it in your casino the following week? Wouldn’t it be nice to have the information captured by each system available to all other systems in a consistent manner?

CasinoFest3: GSA's S2S Protocol The Casino Network

CasinoFest3: GSA's S2S Protocol The Casino Network + S2S

CasinoFest3: GSA's S2S Protocol S2S Update S2S Version 1.2 errata 1 – recently released Incorporates all changes requested by existing systems Currently servers are using S2S 1.1.5, , with extensions; 1.2 brings everyone together S2S 1.2 simulators, test tools are available GSA’s S2S Certification is being defined

CasinoFest3: GSA's S2S Protocol Questions? Encourage your vendors to make the move to S2S