SEARCH NEWS:

 

Colorado Casinos Embrace Coinless Technology

COLORADO – As reported by the Denver Post: "Colorado casinos didn't want the state's racetracks to have video lottery terminals, but they are ready to take advantage of technology traditionally associated with the machines.

"The casinos are preparing to roll out new coin-less slots that have `ticket-in, ticket-out' technology, which will make it faster and easier for customers to cash out.

"Ticket-in, ticket-out - or TITO - machines accept and pay out with cash-redeemable paper tickets instead of coins. Ticket-based payouts are a staple of VLTs, so the only difference between the new slots and VLTs will be the way winners are determined. Slots have a random number generator that determines a winner, while most VLTs are connected to a central computer system that decides the outcome of each bet.

"The Isle of Capri Casino already has about 250 TITO machines but plans to double that number by the end of next year.

"The Lodge Casino plans to install about 200 TITO machines in the first quarter of 2004.

"Harvey's Wagon Wheel Hotel and Casino plans to have 350 of 1,000 machines accepting tickets by the end of 2004. Fitzgerald's Casino hopes to convert 100 of its 594 machines to ticket-in, ticket-out by spring. Many casinos have been waiting for regulatory approval of a more advanced form of TITO that allows gamblers to put coupons they receive in the mail in the machine. They expect approval to come by early next year.

"…[The] new technology could help boost stagnant revenue for existing casinos, because downtime on the machines and the number of workers needed to maintain them will be cut drastically.

"…For the casinos, the technology allows them to get more play out of a machine because the downtime would be minimized. It also reduces overhead…"

< Gaming News