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WirelessDevNet.com Press Release
Technology Offered by GPI and Progressive Gaming Accelerates the Adoption of RFID
Las Vegas, NV - Gaming Partners International Corporation (NASDAQ: GPIC) (“GPI”), a leading provider of casino chips and table game equipment worldwide, and Progressive Gaming International Corporation (NASDAQ: PGIC) (“Progressive Gaming”), a leading provider of diversified technology and system solutions used in the gaming industry worldwide, announced today that:
RFID technology is becoming widely accepted by casinos worldwide as 41% ($8.6 million) of the revenue generated by GPI in the first half of 2008 from worldwide chip sales were for chips with embedded RFID, including 40% of the chip sales in the North American market and 48% of the chip sales in Macau. RFID chips accounted for 3.4% of GPI’s sales in 2004; 12.7% in 2005; 35% in 2006; and 26.7% in 2007.
Progressive Gaming’s exclusively licensed 13.56 MHz PJM (Phase Jitter Modulation) RFID technology is emerging as the worldwide casino standard as it accounted for a large majority of all RFID chips sold in the first half of 2008 by GPI and other chip manufacturers.
Since January 2006 GPI and Progressive Gaming have entered into various RFID technology agreements to leverage their extensive combined Intellectual Property and experience with 13.56 MHz PJM RFID technology to develop and market RFID enabled gaming chips, readers and gaming software solutions. Since that time, GPI’s RFID chips and Progressive Gaming’s systems have been deployed by 25 casinos in 11 jurisdictions across North America, including Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut, as well as at three leading Macau casinos, Wynn Macau, Crown Macau and Galaxy StarWorld Casino.
Bodo Ischebeck, Vice President RFID and Table Management Systems for Progressive Gaming, commented, “The growing pace of adoption of RFID technology is a direct reflection of the variety of quantifiable security, tracking, accounting efficiencies and bonusing applications that 13.56 MHz PJM technology has consistently demonstrated to casino operators. GPI’s high quality RFID gaming chips are an integral component of our Chip Inventory System (CIS) and Table iD® bet recognition technology. With more customers becoming familiar with the tremendous benefits and return on investment of this technology, we have commitments from additional properties for the installation of our RFID automated table game management solutions.”
Progressive Gaming offers a wide portfolio of system solutions utilizing 13.56 MHz PJM RFID technology, which has broadened the range of RFID based applications thanks to its comprehensive, robust and highly adaptable features and resulting efficiencies. This industry leading technology improves security and the speed and accuracy of table accounting procedures by maintaining an accurate real-time chip inventory throughout the casino.
The 13.56 MHz PJM RFID technology is licensed exclusively by Progressive Gaming through its strategic partnership with Magellan Technology, the providers of the RFID products and the PJM protocol used for item level identification systems that provide reliable high speed processing of items including stacked gaming chips.
Electronic chip floats at each table, capable of identifying up to 1,000 RFID chips per second, increase real time visibility for actual table status and results, while protecting against counterfeiting, theft and misuse of gaming chips. The utilization of RFID technology also enhances the wager monitoring process by automating player tracking, allowing operators to accurately rate players based on actual wagering volumes instead of through time consuming manual estimations. In addition, RFID technology and its related systems allow for linked bonusing opportunities to create progressive jackpots that drive incremental wagering volume and enhance the entertainment value for patrons.
Gerard Charlier, President and CEO of Gaming Partners International, commented, “RFID technology applied to gaming chips has demonstrated very fundamental advantages for operators by allowing for the identification of counterfeited chips by systematic mass authentication instead of single analysis and has reliably automated chip accounting with antennas and electronic reading units positioned at various key areas in the casinos such as the cashier’s desk, vault and tables. As its worldwide gaming industry adoption continues to gain momentum, operators are increasingly realizing that RFID technology simplifies and optimizes operating procedures while delivering an unparalleled gaming experience to casino patrons and providing an attractive return on investment.
“GPI and Progressive Gaming originally developed Low Frequency (125 KHz) RFID technology that effectively proved the advantages of RFID embedded in gaming chips in several large casinos worldwide. Now, the advanced 13.56 MHz PJM RFID technology is increasingly being selected by some of the most prominent casinos in Macau and the United States as it offers outstanding performance for real time chip tracking of thousands of chips in a casino environment. Thanks to the partnership between GPI and Progressive Gaming and our respective experience, we are able to offer our RFID chips and reading units with stand alone computer systems totally compatible with Progressive Gaming’s Chip Inventory System (CIS) and other Cage and Table Management solutions. This allows casinos to adopt the 13.56 MHz PJM RFID technology step by step. We look forward to enhancing the security and efficiencies of additional casinos worldwide with this industry standard management and tracking technology and plan to deliver additional innovations and features as we develop and bring them to market.”
About Progressive Gaming
Progressive Gaming is a trusted leader of enterprise gaming solutions and supplier of integrated casino and jackpot management systems for the gaming industry worldwide. This technology is widely used to enhance casino operations and drive greater revenues for existing products. Progressive Gaming is unique in the industry in offering casino management and progressive systems in a modular yet integrated solution. Products include multiple forms of regulated wagering solutions in wired, wireless and mobile formats. There are Progressive Gaming products in over 1,000 casinos throughout the world. For further information, visit www.progressivegaming.net.
About Gaming Partners International Corporation
GPIC manufactures and supplies (under the brand names of Paulson®, Bourgogne et Grasset and Bud Jones®) casino chips including plaques and jetons and low frequency and high frequency RFID chips, low frequency RFID readers and high frequency PJM RFID readers with stand alone software compatible with PGIC integrated systems, table layouts, playing cards, dice, gaming furniture, roulette wheels, table accessories, and other products that are used with casino table games such as blackjack, poker, baccarat, craps, and roulette. GPIC is headquartered in Las Vegas, NV, with offices in Beaune, France; San Luis Rio Colorado, Mexico; Atlantic City, NJ; and Gulfport, MS. GPIC sells its casino products directly to licensed casinos throughout the world. For additional information about GPIC, visit our web site at http://www.gpigaming.com.
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